HIDE & SEEK CHAMPION FOUND

BRAVO GORDON BROWN!!

Listening to Gordon Browns first speech after being crowned leader of the Labour party gives a lot of hope for Africa, Gordons passion for overcoming poverty is quite strong. I have a feeling of being part of history, of a defining future, of a leader that will reach heights not attained before....... I hope he wins the election when he decides to call for the same.

For the first time in months today the Conservative party is trailing Labour in the polls, .........Africa! there is hope yet!!

LONDON SMATTERING # 2

"Heroic", "Obnoxius" or "Legendary" Snoring

Read about it on the link below (PDF Doc)

http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/essays/v6p172y1983.pdf

Further reading from the the All Health Network webpage http://www.allhealthnetwork.com/

25 Steps to Be Free From Snoring

Snoring is a rough noisy breathing during sleep due to vibration of the Uvula, Soft palate and other soft tissues around the upper respiratory tract. Snoring can be nuisance for others sleeping in the same room or in the adjacent room. Snoring is also associated with some life threatening conditions like sleep apnea, Stroke, heart disease and etc. This article gives some steps to cure or reduce

Investigations needed for snoring :-
Endoscopy of nose, pharynx and larynx are required.
X-ray of skull, nose, sinuses are needed.
C.T. Scan during sleep may be helpful.
Blood gas analysis is needed to know the blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
Pulmonary function test is used to diagnose hypoxia.
Rhinomanometry is of great help.
Nocturnal polysomnogrphy gives more informations. Here EEG, ECG, ENG, Airflow, Oxygen levels in blood and etc are monitored simultaneously. Steps to reduce snoring
Food articles causing allergy should be avoided.2. Obesity should be reduced.3. Alcohol consumption is curtailed.
Drugs causing snoring should be withdrawn.5. Sleeping on the side can reduce snoring.6. Humid room will help to alleviate snoring.7. Smoking should be avoided.8. Warm beverages before bed time can reduce snoring.9. Use of anti snoring foods like thyme, horse radish, onion, garlic, Mustard greens and etc can reduce snoring.10. Sleeping pills should be avoided.11. Breath exercises should be practiced.12. Throat exercises can strengthen the muscles thereby preventing narrowing of air passages.
a. Push your tongue against the lower row of teeth for few minutes.b. Press the chin back words with the fingers.c. Take a wooden rod and hold it tightly between the teeth for few minutes.
13. Meditation, Yoga, Musical therapy etc. can be helpful.14. Alternative therapies like Homoeopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathy etc may be useful.15. Antidepressants like protriptyline may be useful.16. Drugs to prevent the deep occurrence of REM Sleep can reduce snoring.17. Nasal decongestants and antihistamines are useful.
18. The following devices can be helpful.
a. Sandler pillow :- This special pillow compels the person to sleep on side thereby reduce snoring.b. Snore ball :- This device can be kept on the back to prevent lying o the back.c. Nasal strips :- This helps to keep the nasal passage open.d. Sleep position monitor :- This instrument will make a sound if the person lies on his back.19. Some appliances worn inside the mouth can be very helpful. They are the following.
a. Tongue retracting appliances can keep the tongue in position.b. Oral appliances keep the mouth shut and push the jaw forwards.c. Palate lifting appliances expand the soft palate.
20. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is useful for those who suffer from sleep apnea. This apparatus is connected to nasal mask.21. Conditions like deviated nasal septum, enlarged turbinates, nasal polyps, adenoids and etc should be treated.22. All allergic conditions should be treated.
23. Some surgical procedures can be very useful. Some are given below.
a. Uvulo palato pharyngoplasty (UPPP)b. Laser assisted Uvuloplasty (LAUP)c. Cautery assisted palatal stiffening operation (CAPSO)d. Mandibular advancemente. Tracheostomy is required in extreme cases of apnea.
All these surgical procedures may be effective but not widely practiced due to some complications like severe bleeding, infection, post operative problems, severe pain and cost of operation.
24. Maintaining a healthy life style is very essential to reduce problems like snoring.
25. Stress should be avoided and the family members should give moral support to the snorers.

HOLDING OUR LEADERS TO ACCOUNT

Blair responds to the Commons Liason Committee this morning for the last time before he leaves on June 27th.

Its a wonder why presidents in poor countries hold executive positions, and never respond in person to queries from their legislative bodies during the live parliament sittings, the UK model is definitely one to emulate if we are to be 'open, transparent and accountable'. Why should we elect a leader and be unable to engage him or her in a meaningful manner?

Tusling in the papers all the time lol! and we call it leadership lol! armchair leadership if theres anthing like that!

UK INSURANCE MARKET DATA 2005

Overview

The UK insurance industry;

• is the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world;
• employs over 330,000 people
• had total net investments of £1,330bn at the end of 2005 accounting for almost 21% of the total net worth of the UK economy.

Penetration:

• reaches more parts of society than any other sector of the financial services industry
• 77% of households buy home contents insurance
• 72% of households buy motor insurance
• 64% of households buy home buildings insurance
• 47% of households buy life insurance.

Claims payments (2005)

• £334 million to victims of domestic burglary
• £495 million to victims of car thieves
• £140 million to victims of commercial crime
• £500 million to victims of uninsured drivers
• > £1 billion for weather related claims
• Private medical insurers pay out £6 million everyday
• Industry spends around £2 billion on health care annually.
• In 2004 paid out £144 million to pensioners and long term savers
• Life policies pay out £4.6 billion a year for death claims
• Income protection pays out more than £2.4 million a day to provide incomes for people who are too sick to work.

Key indicators

• Worldwide net premium income:- £166 billion (£42.1-Short term)
• Authorised Ins. Co's 31.03.2007:- 524 local ( 121-Life, 19 Composite, 384 General) and futher 524 non-UK.
• Insurance employees 2006: 322,900.

Key rankings:

• UK non life: Lloyds, Aviva, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal and Sun Alliance Group, Zurich Financial Services (Source- Standards & Poors)
• UK Life: Aviva, HBOS, Standard Life, Legal & General, Lloyds TSB. (Source- Standards and Poors)
• UK Ins. brokers: Marsh, AON, JLT Group, Wiliis, Benfield Group (Source- Insurance Times)
• UK IFA's: Sesame, Barclays Bank, Openwork, Money Portal, Tenet Group (Source- Financial Adviser)
• Insurance markets: United States, Japan, United Kingdom, France, Germany (Source: Sigma- Swiss Re)
• Non-life international: Allianz- Germany, American International Group- US, Berkshire Hathaway- US, Zurich Financial Services- Switzerland, Munich-Re Group- Germany (Source- Fortune)
• Life/Health international: ING Group- Netherlands, AXA- France, Assicurazioni- Italy, Aviva- UK, Prudential- UK (Source- Fortune)
• Reinsurers International: Munich Re- Germany, Swiss Re- Switzerland, Berkshire Hathaway- US, Hannover Re- Germany, Lloyds- UK (Source- Reinsurance)
• Ins. brokers international: Marsh & McLennan- US, Aon- US, Willis- UK, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co- US, Wells Fargo & Co- US (Source: Business Insurance)

MALAWI PLANE CRASH 16/06

Gatwick advert lands in trouble

GATWICK Passengers landing at Gatwick airport are being greeted by a giant naked pole dancer. The 9,000 sq m (100,000 sq ft) image is painted on grassland under the incoming flight path.

Planning officers are investigating whether permission was granted for the advertisement, which promotes a website. The Council to Protect Rural England said that the display was “a tacky advert which set a nasty precedent”.

THE TIMES.

Powell ready to jump on Obama bandwagon?

By Tim Shipman in Washington, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 1:12am BST 17/06/2007



One has held high office in both the United States armed forces and President George W Bush's Republican administration. The other, a Democrat, is seeking to become America's first black president.

Now Washington is buzzing with talk that Barack Obama, the candidate for the White House, and Colin Powell, the former general and secretary of state, may join forces.


New alliance: Colin Powell, left, has served three Republican presidents, but he is now willing to throw his lot in with Democrat Barack Obama

Last week, Mr Powell revealed that he has been advising the senator from Illinois on foreign policy - provoking a flurry of speculation about the plans and ambitions of both men.

Mr Powell, 70, who left office in January 2005 under a cloud left by the war in Iraq, has served three Republican presidents, but made clear that he is considering backing a Democrat to succeed his former boss, George W Bush.

He disclosed that he has twice met Sen Obama, at the request of the White House hopeful. "I make myself available to talk about foreign policy matters and military matters with whoever wishes to chat with me," Mr Powell said. "I'm going to support the best person that I can find who will lead this country."

He ruled out any speculation that he may seek the vice-presidency. But asked if he would accept another senior post, he said: "I would not rule it out. I am not at all interested in political life if you mean elected political life. But I always keep my eyes open and my ears open to requests for service."

Mr Powell was the first black secretary of state, under the current President Bush. Before that, he served Mr Bush's father as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was national security adviser to president Ronald Reagan.

In 1995, Mr Powell was wooed by senior Democrats as well as Republicans who wanted him to run against Bill Clinton for the presidency in 1996. He eventually ruled it out because his wife did not wish him to become a target for racist assassins. Sen Obama, 45, has already received unspecified death threats.

Otherwise, they are not obvious partners. Sen Obama, alone among the Democrat frontrunners, opposed the Iraq war from the start - a war that Mr Powell's now discredited testimony before the United Nations on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction programmes is seen to have helped bring about.

A former adviser to President Bill Clinton - whose wife, Hillary, is the other leading Democratic candidate - welcomed Sen Obama's links with Mr Powell as a sign that he wants to heal the divisions in American society.

Philip Crowley, the director of homeland security at the Centre for American Progress and a former White House special assistant, said: "It's refreshing that we have a candidate that wants to craft a centrist policy that will reach out across party lines."

He added: "Mr Powell is a unique individual. He was chairman of the joint chiefs, he's been national security adviser and the secretary of state, so he's uniquely positioned to look at foreign policy from multiple points of view."

Polls show that while Sen Clinton has most support from registered Democrat voters, Sen Obama's appeal is greater than hers among independents, who are expected to hold the key to the election. Opinion appears unusually volatile: a poll of likely primary voters on Friday put Sen Obama on 32 per cent, only four points behind Sen Clinton, who last month led by 13 points. Other polls, which have featured more independent voters not certain to vote, have put Sen Obama level.

In many ways, Mr Powell is closer to Sen Obama and independent voters than he is to the Republicans. He was also frustrated that his "Powell Doctrine" of military operations - that overwhelming force should be used but only with international support - which he developed after his experiences in Vietnam, was ignored in Iraq. In an interview with the television programme Meet the Press last week, he also distanced himself from President Bush, declaring that he would close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp "this afternoon".

Sen Clinton still enjoys a lead over Sen Obama among black voters - though that gap has narrowed - and both candidates have sought to woo prominent blacks. The author Maya Angelou endorsed Sen Clinton last week.

But her support is concentrated among poor blacks, many of whom are yet to be convinced that Mr Obama - who does not share the slave heritage of most black Americans - is one of their own. He does better with university educated voters, both black and white.

The blogger Too Sense, who writes on racial issues, said: "Powell's meeting with Obama is a brilliant move. Obama's association with another one-time potential black president, a black man who white America has found so non-threatening that he was held up as a model for 'the rest of us', can only increase his appeal."

EDUCATION/ SCHOLARSHIPS INFO.

Scholarships link(s) below:

http://scholarshipsinfo.blogspot.com/

http://scholarshipsinfo.blogspot.com/2007/06/uk-undergraduate-master-and-doctoral.html

All the best.

BK

SARKOZY DRUNK?

A video clip of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy's press conference after the G8 summit in Germany. Still celebrating the elections perhaps.

Sarkozy: Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologize for my lateness, due to the length (smiles) of the dialogue I just had with Mr Putin (smiles again)(pause). How do you want to proceed, do I answer your questions? So have you got any question? (smiles). Go ahead. Yes, yes. Well, um.

http://mediacenter.corriere.it/MediaCenter/action/player?idCanale=Mondo&filtro=Tutti&pagina=1&passo=5&uuid=cdad7d5c-1760-11dc-ba06-0003ba99c53b&navName=1

French tv did not release this video (this recording comes from a Belgian tv show). Sarkozy said many times during the campaign drinking goes “against (his) lifestyle” and that he never takes alcohol.

BABELGUM INVITES

Babelgum Invites

Posted: 12 Jun 2007 05:54 AM GMT-06:00

Babelgum, an Internet TV competitor to Joost, is in limited beta and has started to send out invites. You may've seen them already on other sites, but if you haven't got an invite yet then click here http://www.last100.com/2007/05/29/introducing-babelgum-joost-isnt-the-only-game-in-town/ .

last100 has covered both Joost and BabelGum recently. The last100 review of Babelgum explained that it is a new peer-to-peer online video service founded by Italian billionaire Silvio Scaglia. Like Joost, it aims to combine the "lean-back experience" of television with the interactivity of the web. Check it out.

SOMALIA- SAD, VERY SAD INDEED!

Somalia is a sad story, a true victim of the cold war, whose strategic importance declined with the end of the cold war (the military dictator was no longer supported and the centre caved in), it has repeatedly refused to be tamed, with its 'wild west' set up it humbled the US which was trying to pave the way for a UN humanitarian aid to Somalia, it is currently failing the African Union in a big way, it is one of the few territories in the world that still harbours real life pirates, residents/citizens pay no formal tax, there is no viable subsistence and commercial farming (how do you farm for export with a sniper perched on the roof),it has one of the highest mortality rates in the world (10% of children die at birth and 25% before the age of 5),it has no functional government or ministry of education, generations therefore have not been to school through the public sector and the population is almost the same as the number of guns floating around (nows thats exaggerated, anyway). There are so many leaders cooking the broth that it has been spoilt. the fact that no media houses have chosen to send their reporters to the lawless country does not help because we do not as the world really know what truly is happening out there, the hopelessness imaginable is despairing. Somalia was the last of the African states to access the internet(Only 52 known websites as of 2003).

To the contrary however the Aids scrouge has barely touched Somalia with estimates being that only up to 2% of the entire population infected, yes 2%! ...., it also has the cheapest cellullar calling rates in Africa (less than 50 British pence a minute),....now back to the negative (with a purpose)....

A British policewoman was murdered in cold blood early this year- Somalians were involved, forged Tanzanian passports were attempted and discovered- again by Somalians, early this month in northern Malawi 8 Somali's were caught trying to enter the country illegally, there was a failed suicide bombing attempt after the 7/7 in London and Somalis were involved, a suicide bombing in Kenya,...and it goes on and on, wherever Somalis are heading there is an upsurge in violence brand of the armed sort as they export what is supposedly normal in Mogadishu. It is estimated that every household in Somalia may have a gun for protection and that scares me! because if any of these ordinary households would dispose of an item on the African version of E-bay which is in the local market, its a gun that would be most likely sold! now who would buy that? probably some fellow so angry with life, with nothing to lose, who would not hesitate to use the firearm in crime in his own country, thereby destabilising his part of Africa.

So I have spent quite a bit of this year pondering on the plight of my fellow Africans in Somalia, and their perceived 'freedom' from the trappings of modern life (taxation, formal policing, education, government etceteras), and it does seem to me that the opportunity cost however on their normal lives is enormous, most educated Somalis are now in the diaspora working for and developing alien economies, the so called 'brave' now are in control while chewing their 'mira' and holding an AK 47 or cousin thereof with no agenda whatsoever about the future except the primeval instinct to protect ones territory and flock (human or otherwise). the things we take for granted, a bottle of coke, catching a bus, riding a bicycle, wearing a camouflage jacket/ or army colours, a national football team are not viable, tolerated and may be the difference between life and death.

Somalia needs serious gun control, who is supplying these small arms and ammunition? they need to stop, it needs more humble leaders (they all want to be the 'president'), they need to educate the education starved masses and poor kids who are now only learning of the barrel of the gun, and as all people in desperation (refer to the Jews under the Romans, the Malawi under the British), all the population can do is dream, dream of a better tommorrow and grasp at the straws- the hardline elements of Islam religion seem the most plausible now after the christian nations have not helped since the priests were driven out in the early 70's, now that Africa has identified Somalia as the cat that is scaring the African mice who is going to bell the cat? that's the fundamental Somali question, because ignoring Somalia wont help, the cats reach is now spreading to the world under the guise of a handsome people with a violent mental software capable of unleashing itself upon the masses. The African Union has started but the United Nations needs to take this up urgently, a people are under siege and their violence as they scour the ends of the world is a cry for help.

Save Somalia, the land of beautiful people, the people who know for certain the world has forgotten them. Do something more than praying, they are part of us. Mr Kofi Annans successor Sir. I hope they are in your sights before the year ends.

BUILDING COLLAPSES IN WESTMINSTER

hmmmh!.........interesting!

CRACKED POTS

This is really something to remember- You are unique for a reason, get on with the postive things and dont waste time complaining about things you cannot fix and that you currently have no control over, its just life thats all it is! BK

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water, at the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

LATEST POLL SHOWS OBAMA & CLINTON TIED

It was the first USA Today/Gallup Poll in which Clinton wasn't the leader among Democratic presidential hopefuls.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

A poll released Tuesday showed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., pretty much tied for the Democratic presidential nomination.It was the first USA Today/Gallup Poll in which Clinton wasn't the leader among Democratic presidential hopefuls, USA Today reported.

Obama led Clinton 30 percent to 29 percent if former Vice President Al Gore was in the race, but Clinton led Obama 37 percent to 36 percent if Gore was not in the race.

The poll of 310 Democrats and 160 Democrat-leaning independents was taken Friday through Sunday and has a margin of error of plus or minus five percentage points, USA Today said.
Among only Democrats, Clinton led Obama, 34 percent to 29 percent. In mid-May, a USA Today poll showed Clinton with a 17-point lead over Obama.
Among independents, Obama led Clinton 31 percent to 22 percent, the poll found.

Copyright Yellowbrix 2007

Copyright © 2003-2007 Clear Channel. All rights reserved.

MUGABE- DEGREES ARE NOW ATTACKED

EVERYTHING WITH THE MUGABE NAME ON IT IS UNDER ATTACK NOW IT SEEMS...........
BBC NEWS
Thursday, 7 June 2007, 14:44 GMT 15:44 UK

Mugabe unconcerned by degree loss

The president has been accused of human rights abusesZimbabwe President Robert Mugabe will not lose sleep over being stripped of an honorary degree, a leading government official has said.
Edinburgh University announced on Wednesday it would withdraw the degree it awarded to Mugabe in 1984. The university cited human rights violations by the Zimbabwe government for its decision.

But Zimbabwe's deputy information minister, Bright Matonga, said the move was meant to embarrass Mr Mugabe. The president was awarded the degree for his services to education in Africa, but has since been criticised by Western countries for a crackdown on political opponents and creating economic problems in the African country. 'If they are basing this decision on humanitarian grounds, they should look at their history during slavery ' Bright MatongaDeputy Information Minister

The decision to strip him of his honorary degree was welcomed by university staff, students, politicians and human rights campaigners. Mr Matonga said the move was "politically motivated" and accused the Scottish university of hypocrisy. He added: "The president will not lose any sleep over this. He has acquired no less than seven degrees on his own. He's a well-read president, better than their (Tony) Blair and (George W.) Bush. "They can keep their degrees and we'll keep our Zimbabwe. Even the so-called knighthood he does not need."

Mr Mugabe led the former British colony to independence in 1980 and has remained in office ever since. He was made an honorary Knight Commander of Britain's Order of the Bath in 1994.

Contacted in writing Mr Matonga added: "If they are basing this decision on humanitarian grounds, they should look at their history during slavery. "They should also look at their prime minister - 600,000 people have died in Iraq as a consequence of his actions in aiding and abetting Bush's war."

Mr Mugabe will be contacted in writing by the university and will be given the opportunity to respond to the decision. The controversy surrounding the degree reached Westminster, with Edinburgh South Labour MP Nigel Griffiths tabling a motion in the Commons to have it withdrawn.

It is believed Michigan State University and The University of Massachusetts in the US are also considering stripping degrees from Mr Mugabe.