THE MOTION OF MY THOUGHTS

Hitler's Son

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:37:00 +0000

According to new evidence, Adolf Hitler had a son with a French teenager while serving as a soldier during the First World War.

An article by Peter Allen HERE reveals some interesting background details.

Jean-Marie Loret, who died in 1985 aged 67, never met his father, but went on to fight Nazi forces during the Second World War.

His extraordinary story has now been backed up by a range of compelling evidence, both in France and in Germany, which is published in the latest edition of Paris's Le Point magazine.

Hitler is said to have had an affair with Mr Loret's mother, Charlotte Lobjoie, 16, as he took a break from the trenches in June 1917.

Although he was fighting the French near Seboncourt, in the northern Picardy region, Hitler made his way to Fournes-in-Weppe, a small town west of Lille, for regular leave.

There he met Miss Lobjoie, who later told their son: "One day I was cutting hay with other women, when we saw a German soldier on the other side of the street.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the entry.

Sleep and Wake Up Early

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:00:00 +0000

The following article was sent to me ages ago and I am reposting it to share this valuable information. Have a lovely weekend!

Reasons for sleeping and waking up early.

Evening at 9 - 11pm: is the time for eliminating unnecessary/toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.

Evening at 11pm - 1am: is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3am: detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5am: detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7am: detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9am: absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10am rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

-Author Unknown-

TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH and GOD BLESS YOU!

Report Finds Voter Rolls Are Rife With Inaccuracies

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:21:00 +0000

The New York Times featured an article today on how America's voter registration rolls are in disarray. This is according to a report released Tuesday by the Pew Center on the States. The problems have the potential to affect the outcomes of local, state and federal elections.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.

Valentine's Day Trivia

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:31:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day to all readers, subscribers and visitors.

CLICK HERE to try the St Valentine's Day Trivia.

CLICK HERE for more trivia.

Do leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Take care and have fun!

Curtin University Confers Honorary Doctor Of Letters On Rosmah

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:20:00 +0000

Did you know that Curtin University has conferred on PM's wife, Rosmah Mansor, the honorary Doctor of Letters degree in recognition of her efforts in the development of education, particularly children's education through the Permata Negara programme?

This is for real. I first read the news in Yahoo News and then in Malaysiakini and finally confirmed it is true in the official Bernama website AT THIS LINK.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT IT.

Rich-Poor Gap Widens

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:19:00 +0000

According to Sabrina Tavernise of NYT:

Education was historically considered a great equalizer in American society, capable of lifting less advantaged children and improving their chances for success as adults. But a body of recently published scholarship suggests that the achievement gap between rich and poor children is widening, a development that threatens to dilute education’s leveling effects.

It is a well-known fact that children from affluent families tend to do better in school. Yet the income divide has received far less attention from policy makers and government officials than gaps in student accomplishment by race.

Now, in analyses of long-term data published in recent months, researchers are finding that while the achievement gap between white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades, the gap between rich and poor students has grown substantially during the same period.

“We have moved from a society in the 1950s and 1960s, in which race was more consequential than family income, to one today in which family income appears more determinative of educational success than race,” said Sean F. Reardon, a Stanford University sociologist. Professor Reardon is the author of a study that found that the gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students had grown by about 40 percent since the 1960s, and is now double the testing gap between blacks and whites.

READ MORE AT THIS LINK.

McDonald's forced to disclose all chemical ingredients on food sold in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:31:00 +0000

According to Natural News AT THIS LINK:

(NaturalNews) A Russian consumer rights' group recently filed a lawsuit against McDonald's at Moscow's Tverskoy Court. The consumer groups involved in the suit say that McDonald's milkshakes are falsely named because they contain little milk.

McDonald's shakes don't deserve to be called milkshakes

Analysis of milkshakes sold at McDonald's outlets in Russia revealed the beverages contained more vegetable oil than dairy product. Experts at the Institute of Laboratory of Nutrition, say that by Russian law these drinks can be called "milk-containing" but cannot be labeled as "milk". Consumer rights advocate Mikhail Anshakov, says that the "McMilkshake" is falsely named, "They do not list the ingredients of their products which is a strict requirement for organizations of the type they are registered as in Russia. Moreover, their products contain excessive amounts of several ingredients, which is why the product name is insufficient."

Representatives of the Consumer Rights Protection Society (CRPS) charge that by "concealing the content" of its products McDonald's misleads consumers. "You might be able to get away with this type of fraud in America, but not Russia" said Yogi Protovokov of Moscow. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit do not seek any money from McDonald's, but want the company to redesign the packaging of their products to reveal the ingredients in its menu items, rather than simply listing the calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates. Altering product packaging would entail a multi-million dollar expense to the fast food purveyor.

Taxes and ingredient lists
The current lawsuit hinges in part on another Russian court ruling last year. McDonald's won its case against the Moscow territorial division of the Federal Tax Service. That case concluded with a judge determining that McDonald's in Russia is not a restaurant but company which sells food products as a store. The result of the suit seemed favorable to McDonalds at the time, resulting in a 10 percent rather than 18 percent Value Added Tax.

However, by Russian law, a store which sells food products which it also manufactures must provide accurate information regarding the ingredients in its food, as well as any biologically active supplements and the presence of the GMOs, as well as the date and place of the food's manufacturing. Russian law also stipulates that a food store must provide information on the product packaging about the potential effects of its food for people with conditions and certain diseases.

Consumer watchdog groups in Russia say McDonald's wants to have it both ways, gaining the tax benefits of being classified as a store, while not fulfilling the obligations such a status incurs according to Russian law. The CPRS website explained the need for the suit, saying "The McDonald's restaurant chain deliberately violates the Russian consumer rights legislation, profiting twice from the privileged situation created by Moscow's Arbitration Court decision."

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE WRITTEN BY TARA GREEN AT THIS LINK.

Hong Kong Cage Dogs? Saddening!

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:49:00 +0000

According to The Daily Mail:

Hong Kong, one of the world's richest cities, is abuzz with a luxury property boom that has seen homes exchanged for record sums.

But the wealth of the city has a darker side, with tens of thousands priced out of housing altogether and forced to live in the most degrading conditions.

These pictures by British photographer Brian Cassey capture the misery of people - some estimates put the figure as high as 100,000 - who are forced to live in cages measuring just 6ft by 2 1/2ft.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ENTRY.

Thanks to Angela who sent me this article.

Twenty Classic Films

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:25:00 +0000

Take a peek into the celluloid past: CLICK THIS LINK to get to know which are the 20 classic films every child should watch to understand the history of cinema!

Help People...

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:39:00 +0000

Thanks to reader SKTio who sent me the following link.

Tsunami Relief: Help People Not Whalers

Please visit that page and give your support and pass on the message.

Thank you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Must-Read Report

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Steven Waldman and the Working Group on Information Needs of Communities recently wrote this excellent report on THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES - The changing media landscape in a broadband age.

Please CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT.

The Adult Who Took the Test

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:59:00 +0000

Recently, fellow blogger Joshua sent me the following article from The Washington Post.

When an adult took standardized tests forced on kids

A longtime friend on the school board of one of the largest school systems in America did something that few public servants are willing to do. He took versions of his state’s high-stakes standardized math and reading tests for 10th graders, and said he’d make his scores public.

By any reasonable measure, my friend is a success. His now-grown kids are well-educated. He has a big house in a good part of town. Paid-for condo in the Caribbean. Influential friends. Lots of frequent flyer miles. Enough time of his own to give serious attention to his school board responsibilities. The margins of his electoral wins and his good relationships with administrators and teachers testify to his openness to dialogue and willingness to listen.

He called me the morning he took the test to say he was sure he hadn’t done well, but had to wait for the results. A couple of days ago, realizing that local school board members don’t seem to be playing much of a role in the current “reform” brouhaha, I asked him what he now thought about the tests he’d taken.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE ENTRY.

*Thanks to Joshua who sent me the link.

Smartphone addicts starting to feel pain

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:58:00 +0000

Users of smartphones and tablet computers are starting to get high-tech blues, as increasing numbers of the tech savvy are coming down with ailments from “text neck” to “text thumb injury”.

Health experts in Britain have warned that the strain injuries stemming from long periods spent staring at small screens and tapping at tiny keys can be debilitating. And the injuries are becoming more common as high-tech gadgets grow ever more popular.

More and more Britons use their smartphones — in effect tiny PCs that fit in a jacket pocket — for accessing the Internet rather than making phone calls.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this article.

The Dangers of Aromatherapy

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:43:00 +0000

Sophie Barland of The Daily Mail wrote a very interesting article on Can aromatherapy oils poison you? How tiny particles 'may damage liver and kidneys'. She said:

They are meant to soothe aches and pains, relieve stress and induce a sense of relaxation.

But aromatherapy oils may in fact do more harm than good, according to scientists.

They have claimed that the extracts – used in baths, massages or burned in rooms – react with the air to produce tiny irritant particles.

Researchers found that when the so-called essential oils were used in relaxation spas for massages, the concentration of these potentially harmful particles increased tenfold.

The scientists said that certain chemicals in the oils, called volatile organic compounds, mix with the air to form secondary organic aerosols.

These particles irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and are also known to cause headaches, nausea, and damage to the liver and kidneys.

This study only examined the size and number of these particles released when people had massages in spas.
However other research has shown they are also produced by burning essential oils in the home or office – although not to the same extent.

Essential oils such as lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint are extracted from plants and trees.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE ENTRY.

Rebellious media: history gives us hope

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:48:00 +0000

I was recently invited to be a speaker at the upcoming Rebellious Media Conference in London – a celebration of the role of alternative media in bringing about social change. With all of the tickets sold and Noam Chomsky delivering the keynote, it looks likely to be significant. Chomsky is known for showing how the current structure of the media business can serve to squeeze out radical viewpoints. But this is not a new phenomenon. Indeed, throughout history élites have consistently sought to stifle those media sources that challenge them. But history also provides myriad stories of resistance and resilience to inspire campaigners and radical journalists today.

One of my favourites is a story set in the early 19th century, when taxes on newspapers were levied in such a way as to put radical media outside the purchasing power of ordinary working people. The mark of having paid the 4d tax was a ‘stamp’ of approval from the government. Although this led to the closure of some newspapers, a new publication was set up in defiance of this unjust law, illegally priced at 1d: The Poor Man’s Guardian.

READ THE REST OF THE ENTRY HERE.

The Final Crunch

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:07:00 +0000

Google can only hope that Steve Jobs' final vendetta doesn't haunt the Internet search leader from his grave.

The depths of Jobs' antipathy toward Google leaps out of Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Apple's co-founder. The book goes on sale Monday, less than three weeks after Jobs' long battle with pancreatic cancer culminated in his Oct. 5 death. The Associated Press obtained a copy Thursday.

The biography drips with Jobs' vitriol as he discusses his belief that Google stole from Apple's iPhone to build many of the features in Google's Android software for rival phones.

It's clear that the perceived theft represented an unforgiveable act of betrayal to Jobs, who had been a mentor to Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin and had welcomed Google's CEO at the time, Eric Schmidt, to be on Apple's board.

Jobs retaliated with a profane manifesto during a 2010 conversation with his chosen biographer. Isaacson wrote that he never saw Jobs angrier in any of their conversations, which covered a wide variety of emotional topics during a two-year period.

After equating Android to "grand theft" of the iPhone, Jobs lobbed a series of grenades that may blow a hole in Google's image as an innovative company on a crusade to make the world a better place.

READ THE REST OF THE ENTRY HERE.

How to Handle Your Guilt

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:30:00 +0000

These six strategies by Nancy F Smith will help relieve the pressure you may feel.

Strategy 1: Talk It Out
That unfortunate joke you told at the party sounds horrible when you play it over and over in your head. But if you tell a friend, it may not seem so bad. “Secrecy is the intensifier of guilt,” says Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Dare to Forgive: The Power of Letting Go & Moving On (HCI, $13, amazon.com), because keeping it to yourself doesn’t allow for fresh perspective. “Once you’ve bared something that you find troubling and discover that your friend isn’t nearly as shocked as you thought she would be, the guilt begins to drain away and you feel better.” And even if your friend is somewhat shocked, just airing the topic can keep you committed to being more sensitive in the future. By discussing the issue openly, “you accept the fact that you’re not perfect, that you’ve done things that aren’t pretty,” says Hallowell. But that doesn’t mean you should punish yourself forevermore.

Strategy 2: Try to Make Amends
If you’ve done something that you truly regret, say you’re sorry and try to remedy the situation. Most people appreciate the conciliatory gesture because it’s a signal that you care about their feelings and value the relationship. And you may find that they weren’t all that upset. “Very often the things you are feeling guilty about didn’t have any impact on the other person and you’re suffering for no reason,” says Hallowell,

READ MORE HERE.

Horrifying Reading Skills!

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:02:00 +0000

The reading standards of English teenagers have been condemned following a respected survey that found they lag a year-and-a-half behind their Chinese peers.

Ministers will warn today of a ‘stark gulf’ between the ability of 15-year-olds here and those from other leading countries.

Their concern follows the analysis of an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development study showing English teens are 18 months behind Chinese of the same age and one year behind those from South Korea and Finland.

They also languish at least six months behind their counterparts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong.

The analysis underlines the scale of improvements needed to put English teens on a parity in reading with teens from, for example, Shanghai.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE ENTRY.

Thailand floods: 'Roads are now rivers'

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:36:00 +0000

Workers in Thailand are racing to complete floodwalls of sandbags on the outskirts of Bangkok to stop the country's worst floods in years from inundating parts of the capital.

In the province of Ayutthaya - one of the worst-affected areas - people have been moving to evacuation shelters.

At least 270 people have died in the Thailand floods since July. Here BBC website readers in Thailand share their stories.

READ MORE HERE.

We May Need to Print More Money?

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:27:00 +0000

One of the Bank of England’s leading economists has warned it may need to print even more money to bolster the sickly economy.

In a sign of growing fears over a double-dip recession, Dr Martin Weale signalled that it will step up its money-printing scheme if growth does not pick up soon.

The warning came before the Bank has even begun distributing the extra £75billion it set aside for its quantitative easing (QE) programme just days ago.

Today two new reports on Britain’s economic prospects make grim reading for ministers - predicting that growth could go into reverse next year as confidence levels in plunged to two-year lows.

In addition, Dr Weale’s comments came as the country braces itself for the worst labour market figures since the depths of the recession of the early 1990s.

Economists predict official data released on Wednesday will show unemployment rose by 90,000 to 2.54 million in the three months to August, pushing the jobless rate up to eight per cent. That is the worst figure for 17 years.

But Dr Weale, a member of the rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee, yesterday admitted there was ‘quite a lot of scope’ for QE to be expanded.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article written by Simon Duke.

The Death of Steve Jobs, 56

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:54:00 +0000

The mastermind behind an empire that has revolutionised computing, telephony and music, has died in California.

Steve Jobs, billionaire co-founder of Apple and the mastermind behind an empire of products that revolutionised computing, telephony and the music industry, has died in California at the age of 56.

Jobs stepped down in August as chief executive of the company he helped set up in 1976, citing illness. He had been battling an unusual form of pancreatic cancer, and had received a liver transplant in 2009.

Jobs wrote in his letter of resignation: "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."

Apple released a statement paying tribute to Jobs: "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives … The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."

Bill Gates, the former chief executive of Microsoft, said in a statement that he was "truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs's death".

He added: "The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

"For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honour. I will miss Steve immensely."

He is survived by his wife, Laurene, and four children. In a statement his family said Jobs "died peacefully today surrounded by his family … We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief".

CLICK HERE for the rest of the entry.

My deepest condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of Steve Jobs. He will always be remembered.

Old and Forgetful? Here's the answer...

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:44:00 +0000

As we age, it’s an increasingly common problem — you see a familiar face, but can’t quite put a name to it, or you get a mental blank when you try to recall where you put your house keys.

Now I’m in my mid-40s, I’ve found to my dismay that my once pin-sharp recall plays tricks.

And with my memory blips comes the inevitable worrying question: is it simple forgetfulness or the start of something far more worrying — the first cruel signs of creeping dementia?

Neurologists are beginning to put a great deal of work into answering this question. They are concentrating on the medical condition that characterises the grey area between forgetfulness and disease — mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Experts define this as having problems with memory that are severe enough to be noticeable to the affected person or to others, but not serious enough to interfere with daily life.

In studies, this condition has been found to affect up to one in five of people in their mid-60s. It can begin in people in their 40s and 50s, though the numbers affected are smaller.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS INTERESTING ARTICLE.

Yawning = Brain-Over-heating?

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 02:49:00 +0000

We most associate yawning with boredom or being sleepy, but new research suggests it can be good for your health - by cooling down your brain.

Scientists at Princeton University found a big yawn can regulate the temperature of the brain and prevent over-heating.

During winter in Tuscon, Arizona, Professor Andrew Gallup and his team asked 80 random pedestrians to look at images of people yawning and then recorded whether they yawned in response.
They then performed the same trial in the summer.

The researchers found that half of the participants yawned in winter while only a quarter yawned in summer.
From this they reasoned that yawning cools the brain, which at first seems counter-intuitive. Surely you would want to cool the brain by yawning more in summer?

But according to the theory, yawning cools the brain via a heat exchange with cooler air drawn in during the process.

This system therefore wouldn't work on a scorching summer's day.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.

Watch Out For Satellite Junk! No Joke!

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:11:00 +0000

If you're reading this story somewhere in North America and wondering where NASA's aging UARS satellite will crash to Earth, the space agency says you can rest easy.

"Re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time," said NASA in an update this morning. "The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period."

The Aerospace Corporation, a private firm that is tracking UARS, offered a more specific prediction, saying the satellite would likely come down off the coast of Chile at 6:06 p.m. EST. But William Ailor, who heads the company's center for orbital and re-entry debris studies, said the time and location would almost undoubtedly change as Friday afternoon approaches.

NASA repeated that the risk to people or property is "extremely small."

As of this morning, UARS had an altitude of about 115 miles, skimming the uppermost reaches of the atmosphere at more than 17,000 mph. At some point, a little like a stone skipping over a pond, it will encounter enough resistance that it will no longer be able to keep moving at orbital speeds.

READ MORE HERE.

Space junk to hit Earth this week – but where?

noreply@blogger.com (masterwordsmith) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:11:00 +0000

Skywatchers may be craning their necks this Thursday or Friday, trying to catch a glimpse of a dead NASA satellite which is expected to return to earth, creating perhaps a spectacular light show as some of it burns up upon entry in the atmosphere.

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), which measured ozone levels, is supposed to fall out of orbit and into the atmosphere on Friday – give or take a day, according to Beth Dickey, a spokesperson for NASA.

The actual date and time of re-entry is very difficult to predict because it all depends on “solar flux and the spacecraft’s orientation as the orbit decays,” Dickey said in an email to the Star.

Equally difficult to predict is where the debris from the satellite will land, she said. But NASA officials have some clues.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE.