Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Quality Healthcare Must Serve Individual Needs of Patients


(CHICAGO)
Quality healthcare must reinsert consumers as the primary decision makers for their healthcare, says a report published by the Center for Health Transformation (CHT). The 21st Century Intelligent Health System: An Individual-Centered Approach describes the necessary steps to reform our healthcare system to meet the individual needs of patients. The paper provides patient statements and examples of how the needs of patients and family members are being met, and suggests that higher quality care can be provided at a much lower price if the consumer disciplines the industry.
"As a patient, I understand all too well what it is like to be left out of the discussion," said Lynette Bisconti, a patient advocate and cancer survivor. Bisconti was diagnosed with breast cancer three weeks after discovering she was pregnant.
"To beat cancer, save my baby and have a quality of life on par with what I had before cancer, I knew I needed to be actively involved in decisions about my medical care," Bisconti said. "These were my life and health goals - individual to me - and I needed my care team to understand what I valued most, to listen to me and respect my decisions about my cancer treatment."
The CHT paper makes a compelling case for healthcare reform that creates a system built around individual needs.
"The overriding difference from every other high quality reasonable cost industry and healthcare is that we have removed the consumer and what they value from decision-making," said Steve Bonner, president and CEO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America and co-chair of the CHT working group that developed the report.
"The Central point of our paper is that our healthcare system must reengage the consumer and include what they value in the process," Bonner said. "Then as providers of their care, we must figure out what the consumer is willing to pay for and then we must all compete to deliver the best products and services at the most attractive prices."
Bisconti sought a total of eight medical opinions. In each of the first six she felt she was being treated like a protocol, not as an individual. "Protocol said terminate the pregnancy, try to save the mother and call it a day," said Bisconti. "The clinical cookbook never seemed to change.
"My journey was completely transformed when I found a hospital that embraced my individual needs," Bisconti continued. "I had surgery and chemotherapy while pregnant and delivered a healthy baby boy. Today I remain free of disease and my son is a happy, healthy, wonderful little boy who lights up my world."
Bisconti believes the patient as a full partner in healthcare decision-making has been a missing element in the decades-long healthcare reform debate.
"Patients can make decisions for themselves. We want to make decisions for ourselves," said Bisconti. "Unfortunately, our current system has trained us to follow, not to lead."

India's first 'sea bridge' opens in Mumbai



MUMBAI (AFP) – India's first "sea bridge" was officially opened in Mumbai on Tuesday, raising hopes that the state-of-the-art structure will ease chronic congestion on the city's notoriously choked roads.
The sweeping, 5.6-kilometre (3.5-mile) Bandra-Worli Sea Link was inaugurated by the ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi on a visit to India's financial capital.
It is hoped that the 16.5-billion-rupee (340-million-dollar) eight-lane freeway will help cut the 40-minute journey between the suburbs of Bandra and Worli to just eight minutes.
But although hailed as a triumph of engineering, the landmark bridge -- seen as a beacon of hope for other, much-needed infrastructure projects elsewhere in India -- is not fully operational.
Only four lanes will be open to traffic from 12:01 am Wednesday. Work is scheduled to be completed on the remaining section in the coming months.

Plane with 153 crashes off Comoros, child rescued


MORONI, Comoros – A Yemenia jet with 153 people on board crashed into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday as it tried to land during strong winds on the island nation of Comoros. Officials said one child was plucked alive from the sea.
There was no word on other survivors. At least three bodies were recovered, authorities said.
The crash comes two years after aviation officials reported faults with the aircraft, an Airbus 310 flying the last leg of a journey from Paris and Marseille to Comoros, with a stop in Yemen to change planes. Most of the passengers were from Comoros, a former French colony. Sixty-six on board were French nationals.
A child was rescued from the water after the crash, according to Rachida Abdullah, a police immigration officer who works at the operations center in the Comoros, and Yemeni civil aviation deputy chief Mohammed Abdul Qader.
Qader said he was told the child was 5 years old. Further details on the rescue and the child's condition were not immediately available.
Three bodies from the flight were retrieved along with debris from the plane, Abdullah said.
Qader said it was too early to speculate on the cause and the flight data recorder had not been found, but the wind was 40 miles per hour (61 kph) as the plane was landing in the middle of the night.
"The weather was very bad ... the wind was very strong," he said, adding the windy conditions were hampering rescue efforts.
The Yemenia plane was the second Airbus to crash into the sea in as many months. An Air France Airbus A330-200 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean May 31, killing all 228 people on board, as it flew from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
A crisis center once again was set up at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Many passengers were from the French city of Marseille, which has a large Comoros community.
"There is considerable dismay," said Stephane Salord, the consul general of the Comoros in the Provence-Alps-Cote d'Azur region of France. "These are families that, each year on the eve of summer, leave Marseille and the region to rejoin their families in the Comoros and spend their holidays."
In France, this week is the start of annual summer school vacations.
The Comoros is an archipelago of three main islands situated about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) south of Yemen, between Africa's southeastern coast and the island of Madagascar. It is a former French colony of 700,000 people.
Gen. Bruno de Bourdoncle de Saint-Salvy, the senior commander for French forces in the southern Indian Ocean, said the Airbus 310 crashed in deep waters about 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) north of the Comoran coast and 21 miles (34 kilometers) from the Moroni airport.
French aviation inspectors found a "number of faults" during a 2007 inspection of the plane that went down, French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said on i-Tele television Tuesday.
In Brussels, EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said the airline had previously met EU safety checks and was not on the bloc's blacklist. But he said a full investigation was now being started amid questions why passengers were put on another jet in the Yemeni capital of San'a.
An Airbus statement said the plane that crashed went into service 19 years ago, in 1990, and had accumulated 51,900 flight hours. It has been operated by Yemenia (Yemen Airways) since 1999. Airbus said it was sending a team of specialists to the Comoros.
The A310-300 is a twin-engine widebody jet that can seat up to 220 passengers. There are 214 A310s in service worldwide with 41 operators.
Christophe Prazuck, French military spokesman, said a patrol boat and reconnaissance ship were being sent to the crash site as well a military transport plane. The French were sending divers as well as medical personnel, he said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy "expressed his deep emotion" about the crash and asked the French military to help in the rescue operation, particularly from the French islands of Mayotte and Reunion.
Yemenia airline officials say the 11-member crew was made up of six Yemenis, including the pilot, two Moroccans, one Indonesian, one Ethiopian and 1 Filipino. The officials asked that their named not be used because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

जसले जेल बसेर अरु अपराध सिक्यो

१८ वर्षको उमेरमै आपराधिक दुनियाँमा सनसनी मच्चाएका निरञ्जन खनाल पाँच वर्षपछि फेरि चर्चामा आएका छन् । उनको पछिल्लो चर्चा पनि अपराधसँगै गाँसिएको छ । त्यतिवेला भर्खरै एसएलसी दिएका खनाल देशको राजधानीको मुटुमा रहेको एउटा बैंक एक्लै लुट्ने दुस्साहस देखाएको पाँच वर्षपछि व्यापारी महेश सारडाको अपहरण गरेर संगठित अपराधीको नाइकेको रूपमा देखिए ।
निरञ्जन खनाल जसको अपराध शैलीले प्रहरीलाई पनि झस्कायो पहिलो घटनामा निक्कै चतुर्‍याइँ देखाएर प्रहरीलाई चक्मा दिँदै हिँडेका खनाल यसपटक भने आफैं प्रहरीको गोलचक्करमा फसे । पहिलो घटनामा उनले नाटकीय रूपमा आत्मसमर्पण गरेर आफ्नो अपराध कबुलेका थिए । दोस्रो अपराधमा भने उनलाई फन्दामा पार्न प्रहरीले लामै संघर्ष गर्नुपर्‍यो । बैंक डकैतीको अभियोगमा २ वर्ष जेल सजाय भोगेर रिहा भएका खनालले आफ्नै अगुवाइमा २२ जेठमा उद्योगी सारडाको अपहरण गरे । उनले अपहरित सारडालाई १० दिनसम्म काठमाडौंको उत्तरमा रहेको साङ्लेखोलामा राखेर उनको परिवारसँग १४ लाख रुपैयाँ फिरौती असुलेर मुक्त गरे । जेलमा रहेका कुख्यात अपहरणकारी अमर टन्डनको सल्लाह, तीनजना भारतीय अपराधी र ६ सदस्यीय नेपा ली समूह लगाएर सारडाको अपहरण गरी ढुक्कसँग काठमाडौंमै बसेका खनाललाई केन्द्रीय कारागारमा रहेका उनका गुरु टन्डनलाई भेटेर फर्कंदै गर्दा असारको पहिलो साता प्रहरीले पक्राउ गरेको थियो । खनाल केन्द्रीय कारागारबाट फर्केर सुन्धारातिर आउँदै गर्दा प्रहरीको फन्दामा परेका हुन् । आफू सनकको भरमा अपराधको दुनियाँमा छिरेको बताउने खनाल जेल बसाइका क्रममा व्यावसायिक अपराधीसँग निकट भए । अपराधमा कहलिएका र अनुभव प्राप्त गरेका अपराधीसँगको सान्निध्यले उनीभित्र रहेको अपराध मनोविज्ञान जेलमा बस्दा पनि निमिट्यान्न हुन सकेन, बरु अरू जुर्मुरायो । त्यसैले जेलबाहिर निस्केपछि खनाल फेरि अपराधकै दुनियाँमा पुगे ।अपराधीहरूसँग आत्मीय हुने र उनीहरूले गरेका अपराधका घटनाहरू सुनेर रोमाञ्चित हुने उनको बानी नै उनलाई फेरि अपराधको दुनियाँमा भसाउने मूल कारण बन्यो ।संयोग पनि कस्तो भने महानगरीय प्रहरी परिसर काठमाडौंको हिरासतमा रहेका खनालको पहिलो अपराध 'बैंक लुटपाट काण्ड'को अनुसन्धान गरेका प्रहरीकै काँधमा उनको दोस्रो अपराध 'सारडा अपहरण प्रकरण'को अनुसन्धानको जिम्मा परेको छ । खनालको पहिलो अपराधको किस्सा सुनाउँदै सइ मदनबहादुर केसी भन्छन्, 'ऊ आउनासाथ मलाई चिनिहाल्यो । उसले सोध्यो, दाइ मलाई कति सजाय हुन्छ ? मैले १५ वर्ष भनेँ ।' सइ केसीको यस्तो जवाफ सुनेपछि खनालले टाउको समाते । आत्तिए । अनि भन्न थाले, 'अब मरे भइगयो नि ! म बाँचेको के सार लाग्यो र । १५ वर्षमा त बूढो भइहाल्छु नि ।' प्रहरीका अनुसार खनालमा अझै पनि सुरक्षा र न्यायको मौजुदा प्रणालीबाट फाइदा उठाएर अरू अपराध गरेर बाँच्न सकिन्छ भन्ने झिनो आशा देखिन्छ । यसले उनीभित्र रहेको आपराधिक मनोभाव कति बलियोसँग जकडिएको रहेछ भन्ने प्रस्ट हुन्छ ।पहिलो भेटमै सइ केसी खनालका कुरा सुनेर अचम्ममा परेका थिए रे । उसको उमेर, हाउभाउ र शैली देख्दा ऊ कुनै चतुर युवाजस्तो लाग्थ्यो रे । खनालसँगको भेटको अनुभवबारे केसी भन्छन्, 'पहिला जे काम गरे पनि चर्चामा नआउने भएपछि उसले चर्चामा आउन बैंक लुटेको भन्थ्यो । तर, अहिले प्रारम्भिक अनुसन्धानमा भएकाले सबै कुरा सोध्न भ्याएको छैन । तर, त्यस मान्छेको दिमागचाहिँ तगडाजस्तो लाग्छ ।'
काठमाडौंको मुटुमा रहेको बैंक नाटकीय ढंगमा एक्लै लुटेर चर्चामा आएका युवा अपराधी निरञ्जन खनाललाई थप अपराध सिकाउने अखडा बन्यो जेल महानगरीय प्रहरी परिसर काठमाडौंका एसपी नवराज सिलवालको खनालसँगको पहिलो भेट पनि त्यत्तिकै रोचक रहेछ । 'किन अपहरण गरेको त मान्छे ?' भन्ने सिलवालको प्रश्नमा खनालले उत्तर दिएछन्, 'अपराधमा एक्सपेरिमेन्ट गरेको । पहिला बैंक लुटेँ, अहिले अपहरण गरेँ ।'खनाललाई गोलचक्करमा पारेर पक्राउ गर्ने महानगरीय प्रहरी अपराध महाशाखाका प्रहरी निरीक्षक कृष्णप्रसाद कोइरालाको अनुभवमा खनाल चतुर अपराधी हुन् । उनी आफ्नो नजिक रहेका व्यक्तिलाई एकैछिनमा कन्भिन्स गर्न खप्पीस छन् । सारडा प्रकरणलाई पछ्याइरहेको प्रहरीले अपहरणकारी खनाल नै रहेको निश्चित गरी पक्राउ गर्न उनीसमक्ष जाँदा खनालले प्रहरी टोलीलाई समेत 'कन्भिन्स' गरेर झन्नै उम्केका थिए । पक्राउ गर्न पुगेका कोइरालाले खनालको भनाइ उद्धृत गर्दै भने, 'तँ अपहरणकारी होइन भनेर हामीले सोध्दा उसले यति विनम्र पारामा आफूलाई प्रस्तुत गर्‍यो कि हामी अचम्मित भयौँ । आम्मै के त्यस्तो भनेको सर, प्लिज त्यस्तो नभन्नुस् न । म कहाँ त्यस्तो छु र ? भन्यो उसले ।'अपहरणकारीका नाइके सिद्धार्थ लामा, उदय सेट्टीलगायतकालाई फन्दामा पारिसकेका कोइराला खनालका बारेमा भन्छन्, 'खनाल नाटक गर्न सिपालु छ । बडो दिमाग लगाएर अपराध गर्छ । यो बाहिर बसेर काम गर्ने हो भने अमर टन्डनलाई पनि माथ ख्वाउँछ ।'

Friday, June 19, 2009

Aviva Home InsuranceAviva Home Insurance




Every Aviva Home Insurance policy comes with these great benefits:
You can buy Buildings Insurance and Contents Insurance together - or separately.
Our freephone claims line is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
We only use approved professionals to repair your home.
New for old replacement on your contents (except clothing and linen).
Your home computer and home entertainment equipment is automatically covered for accidental damage with our contents insurance.
Business equipment (up to £5,000) is covered as standard with our contents insurance.
Optional protected No Claims Discount if you've been claim-free for 5 years.
Replacement locks if you lose your house keys (up to £500 maximum).
Manage My policy – View, Change and Renew your policy online. Find out more
*Proof of claim free status required. Free contents offer does not apply to optional cover. To qualify for this offer your contents value must not exceed £50,000. Minimum excess of £100. Minimum premium applies. Offer available for a limited time and may be withdrawn at any time.

मन्त्रिपरिषद् तेस्रोपटक विस्तार


प्रधानमन्त्री माधवकुमार नेपालले तेस्रोपटक मन्त्रिपरिषद् विस्तार गरे पनि मन्त्रिपरिषद्लाई पूर्णता भने दिन सकेनन् । मधेसवादी दलहरूसित कुरा नमिलेपछि बुधबार प्रधानमन्त्री नेपालले एमाले र कांग्रेसका गरी पाँच मन्त्री र ६ राज्यमन्त्रीलाई शपथ गराएका छन् ।
अझै अपूर्णएमालेका तर्फबाट शंकर पोखरेल, भीम रावल, रकम चेम्जोङ र रवीन्द्र श्रेष्ठ तथा कांग्रेसका तर्फबाट मोहम्मदअफताव आलमलाई मन्त्री नियुक्त गरिएको छ । पोखरेललाई सूचना तथा सञ्चार, रावललाई गृह, चेम्जोङलाई शान्ति तथा पुनर्निर्माण, श्रेष्ठलाई सामान्य प्रशासन र आलमलाई श्रम तथा यातायात मन्त्रालयको जिम्मेवारी दिइएको छ ।यसअघि, मन्त्री नियुक्त गरिए पनि कुनै विभागीय जिम्मेवारी नपाएका कांग्रेस र मालेका मन्त्रीहरूलाई पनि बुधबार विभागीय जिम्मेवारी दिइएको छ । जसअनुसार डा. प्रकाशशरण महतलाई ऊर्जा, बालकृष्ण खाँडलाई सिञ्चाइ, डा. मिनेन्द्र रिजाललाई संघीय मामिला, संविधानसभा, संसदीय व्यवस्था र संस्कृति, पूर्णकुमार शेर्मालाई स्थानीय विकास, उमाकान्त चौधरी स्वास्थ्य तथा जनसंख्या र डम्मर श्रेष्ठलाई भूमिसुधार तथा व्यवस्था मन्त्रालयको जिम्मेवारी दिइएको छ ।तेस्रोपटक विस्तार भएपछि मन्त्रिपरिषद् २२ सदस्यीय बनेको छ । ९ जेठमा प्रधानमन्त्री निर्वाचित भएका नेपालले ११ जेठमा पद तथा गोपनीयताको शपथ लिएका थिए । त्यसैदिन उनले आफ्नै पार्टी एमालेका तर्फबाट सुरेन्द्र पाण्डे र विद्यादेवी भण्डारीलाई क्रमशः अर्थ र रक्षामन्त्रीमा नियुक्त गरेका थिए ।त्यसको नौ दिनपछि दोस्रोपटक मन्त्रिमण्डल विस्तार गर्दै प्रधानमन्त्री नेपालले कांग्रेस, मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरम र नेकपा मालेका गरी आठजनालाई मन्त्रीमा नियुक्त गरेका थिए । उनीहरूमध्ये ६ मन्त्रीलाई कुनै विभागीय जिम्मेवारी दिइएको थिएन । मन्त्री नियुक्त भएको झन्डै दुई सातापछि बुधबार उनीहरूले विभागीय जिम्मेवारी पाएका हुन् । प्रधानमन्त्री नेपालले बुधबार नै एमालेका तर्फबाट मोहम्मद रिजमान अन्सारी, जितु गौतम र डिल्लीबहादुर महत तथा कांग्रेसका तर्फबाट गणेशबहादुर खड्का, चन्द्रसिंह भट्टराई र खड्गबहादुर बस्याललाई राज्यमन्त्रीमा नियुक्त गरेका छन् । अन्सारीलाई गृह, गौतमलाई सामान्य प्रशासन, महतलाई शान्ति तथा पुनर्निर्माण, खड्कालाई स्थानीय विकास, भट्टराईलाई ऊर्जा र बस्याललाई स्वास्थ्य राज्यमन्त्रीमा नियुक्त गरिएको हो । प्रधानमन्त्री नेपालले नवनियुक्त मन्त्रीहरूलाई राष्ट्रपति डा. रामवरण यादवको उपस्थितिमा शीतलनिवासमा र राज्यमन्त्रीहरूलाई सिंहदरबारस्थित प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयमा पद तथा गोपनीयताको शपथ गराएका थिए । मन्त्रीहरूले बुधबार नै आ-आफ्नो मन्त्रालय गएर पदभार ग्रहण गरेका छन् ।राष्ट्रपति भवनमा आयोजित मन्त्रीहरूको शपथग्रहण समारोहमा विशिष्ट व्यक्ति, राजनीतिक दलका नेताहरूको उपस्थिति रहेको भए पनि उपप्रधानमन्त्री विजयकुुमार गच्छदार र मधेसवादी दलका नेताहरूको उपस्थिति थिएन ।

Believe It Or Not!

Question: "What is Hinduism and what do Hindus believe?
"Answer: Hinduism is one of the oldest known organized religions—its sacred writings date as far back as 1400 to 1500 B.C. It is also one of the most diverse and complex, having millions of gods. Hindus have a wide variety of core beliefs and exist in many different sects. Although it is the third largest religion in the world, Hinduism exists primarily in India and Nepal.The main texts of Hinduism are the Vedas (considered most important), Upanishadas, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. These writings contain hymns, incantations, philosophies, rituals, poems, and stories from which Hindus base their beliefs. Other texts used in Hinduism include the Brahmanas, the Sutras, and the Aranyakas.Though Hinduism is often understood as being polytheistic, supposedly recognizing as many as 330 million gods, it also has one “god” that is supreme—Brahma. Brahma is an entity believed to inhabit every portion of reality and existence throughout the entire universe. Brahma is both impersonal and unknowable and is often believed to exist in three separate forms: Brahma—Creator; Vishnu—Preserver; and Shiva—Destroyer. These “facets” of Brahma are also known through the many other incarnations of each. It is difficult to summarize Hindu theology since the various Hindu schools contain elements of almost every theological system. Hinduism can be:1) Monistic—Only one thing exists; Sankara's school2) Pantheistic—Only one divine thing exists so that God is identical to the world; Brahmanism3) Panentheistic—The world is part of God; Ramanuja's School4) Theistic—Only one God, distinct from Creation; Bhakti Hinduism.Observing other schools, Hinduism can also be atheistic, deistic, or even nihilistic. With such diversity included under the title “Hindu,” one may wonder what makes them “Hindu” in the first place? About the only real issue is whether or not a belief system recognizes the Vedas as sacred. If it does, then it is Hindu. If not, then it is not Hindu. The Vedas are more than theology books. They contain a rich and colorful “theo-mythology,” that is, a religious mythology which deliberately interweaves myth, theology, and history to achieve a story-form religious root. This “theo-mythology” is so deeply rooted in India's history and culture that to reject the Vedas is viewed as opposing India. Therefore, a belief system is rejected by Hinduism if it does not embrace Indian culture to some extent. If the system accepts Indian culture and its theo-mythical history, then it can be embraced as “Hindu” even if its theology is theistic, nihilistic, or atheistic. This openness to contradiction can be a headache for Westerners who seek logical consistency and rational defensibility in their religious views. But, to be fair, Christians are no more logical when they claim belief in Yahweh yet live life as practical atheists, denying Christ with their lives. For the Hindu the conflict is genuine logical contradiction. For the Christian, the conflict is more likely simple hypocrisy.Hinduism views mankind as divine. Because Brahma is everything, Hinduism asserts that everyone is divine. Atman, or self, is one with Brahman. All of reality outside of Brahman is considered mere illusion. The spiritual goal of a Hindu is to become one with Brahma, thus ceasing to exist in its illusory form of “individual self.” This freedom is referred to as “moksha.” Until moksha is achieved, a Hindu believes that he/she will be repeatedly reincarnated in order that he/she may work towards self-realization of the truth (the truth being that only Brahman exists, nothing else). How a person is reincarnated is determined by karma, which is a principle of cause and effect governed by nature's balance. What one did in the past affects and corresponds with what happens in the future, past and future lives included.Although this is just a brief synopsis, it is readily seen that Hinduism is in opposition to biblical Christianity on almost every count of its belief system. Christianity has one God who is both personal and knowable (Deuteronomy 6:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6); has one set of Scriptures; teaches that God created the earth and all who live upon it (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3); believes that man is created in God's image and lives only once (Genesis 1:27; Hebrews 9:27-28); and teaches that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone (John 3:16; 6:44; 14:6; Acts 4:12). Hinduism as a religious system fails because it fails to recognize Jesus as the uniquely incarnated God-Man and Savior, the one solely sufficient source of salvation for humanity.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Working with cancer


Working with cancer
Many cancer patients continue to work during their treatment and recovery, just as many people caring for someone with cancer are also holding down jobs. Often colleagues don't know what to say or how to help. Our Working with cancer resource helps to make attending work or returning to work easier for patients, carers and survivors and their colleagues.
Working with cancer was developed in association with employers and with people diagnosed with cancer. It is suitable for companies large and small, and includes case studies, handouts and workshop materials on:
Supporting patients and carers in the workplace
Talking to workmates about cancer
Developing supportive policies
Employer responsibilities
Helping everyone cope with cancer at work
Balancing company and individual needs
Coping with death and bereavement

Download Working with cancer
Saved in chapters to reduce download time:
Introduction
Section 1: Key facts and figures about cancer
Section 2: Cancer impacts in the workplace
Section 3: Roles of managers and tips for employers
Section 4: Rights, responsibilities and tips for employees
Section 5: Further information and support services
Section 6: Appendices



HomeCancer smart lifestyle
Cancer smart lifestyle
It may surprise you to learn that at least one in three cancer cases are preventable and the number of cancer deaths could be reduced significantly by choosing a cancer smart lifestyle.
More than 13,000 cancer deaths each year are due to smoking, sun exposure, poor diet, alcohol, inadequate exercise or being overweight.
There are some simple steps you can take to minimise your cancer risk. So where do you start? The seven steps to reducing your cancer risk are explained in the Cancer Council's cancer smart .
For a more detailed analysis of cancer prevention please view the National Cancer Prevention Policy. The policy is a comprehensive set of recommendations, outlining how national action by governments and non-government organisations can reduce new cases of cancer from occurring.
Other cancer information fact sheets are available on the following topics:

Closing Soon! DV-2010 Green Card Lottery Ends December 1

If you planned on entering the DV-2010 green card lottery and you've already submitted your entry, good luck! If you wanted to enter but haven't gotten around to it yet, don't wait another day. The entry submission period ends on Monday, December 1, 2008 at 12:00PM EST.
Read up on how to enter the DV-2010 green card lottery. Find answers to frequently asked questions, learn where to go to submit your entry online and take advantage of the helpful members on the green card lottery forums.

Green Card Lottery - How to Enter the Green Card Lottery

अलबिदा नेत्री शैलजा आचार्य


अलबिदा नेत्री शैलजा आचार्य

2009-06-13,Saturday


नेपाली प्रजातान्त्रिक आन्दोलनकी योद्धा एवं कांग्रेस नेत्री शैलजा आचार्यको शुक्रबार बिहान ४ बजेर २५ मिनेटमा निधन भयो । लामो समयदेखि अस्वस्थ आचार्यको स्वास्थ्यमा थप समस्या देखिएपछि बुधबारदेखि उनलाई शिक्षण अस्पताल महाराजगन्जमा भर्ना गरिएको थियो । मुटु, श्वास-प्रश्वासमा समस्यासहित नाडीको पल्स गुमेको अवस्थामा शिक्षण अस्पतालको सघन उपचार कक्षमा भर्ना गरिएको थियो । अस्पतालले आचार्यको निधनको जानकारी दिँदा अस्पतालमा स्व. आचार्यसामु भाइ प्रदीप, बुहारी निता, सहयोगी शम्भु महर्जन र सुरक्षार्थ खटिएका वासुदेव पौडेल मात्र थिए । अस्पतालले आचार्यको निधनबारे जानकारी उपलब्ध गराएको तीन घन्टापछि मात्र कांग्रेस पूर्वमहामन्त्री एवं पूर्वसभामुख तारानाथ रानाभाट अस्पताल परिसरमा देखिए । त्यसैगरी ७:२४ मा कांग्रेस केन्द्रीय सदस्य चक्रप्रसाद बास्तोला, साढे सात बजे शेखर कोइराला त्यहाँ पुगे । ७:४० मा विनाविभागीयमन्त्री एवं कांग्रेस केन्द्रीय सदस्य डा. मीनेन्द्र रिजाल पनि शिक्षण अस्पतालमा देखिए । खबर गरेको घन्टौंसम्म पनि पार्टी नेताहरू अस्पतालमा नदेखिँदा स्व. आचार्यका आफन्त खिन्न देखिन्थे । आचार्यको पार्थिव शरीरलाई नौ बजेसम्म शिक्षण अस्पताल महाराजगन्जमा राखिएको थियो । त्यहाँ कांग्रेस कार्यवाहक सभापति सुशील कोइराला, उपसभापति रामचन्द्र पौडेल, कांग्रेसका तर्फबाट मन्त्री भएका सुजाताबाहेक सबै मन्त्रीहरू पुगेका थिए । ढिलै भए पनि अस्पताल परिसरमा कांग्रेस नेताहरू र कार्यकर्ताहरू आउनेक्रम जारी रह्यो । बिहीबार मात्र बेलायतबाट आएकी नेत्री आचार्यकी बहिनीकी छोरी गरिमा सबैभन्दा बढी भावविह्वल देखिइन् । गरिमा नेता चक्रप्रसाद बास्तोला अर्थात् स्व. आचार्यकी बहिनीज्वाइँकी छोरी भए पनि उनको रेखदेख र पालनपोषण नेत्री आचार्यले नै गर्दै आएकी थिइन् ।
सिंगो जीवन राजनीतिमा बिताएकी आचार्यको निधनबारे खबर दिएको तीन घन्टासम्म पनि अस्पताल पुगेनन् पार्टी नेताहरू
आचार्यको शव शिक्षण अस्पतालबाट कांग्रेस मुख्यालय सानेपा लगिएको थियो । त्यहाँ स्व. आचार्यप्रति अन्तिम श्रद्धाञ्जली दिन विभिन्न राजनीतिक दलका नेता, कार्यकर्ता एवं शुभचिन्तकको ठूलो भीड लागेको थियो । कांग्रेसका सभापति गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाले नेत्री आचार्यप्रति श्रद्धाञ्जली अर्पण गर्दै पार्टीको चारतारे झन्डा ओढाएका थिए । अस्पतालबाट पार्टी कार्यालयमा शव पुर्‍याउन केही ढिला भएपछि सभापति कोइरालाले कार्यालयमा नै प्रतीक्षा गर्नुपरेको थियो । कोइराला पार्टी कार्यालय १० बजे नै पुगेका थिए । निकै शोकाकूल देखिएका सभापति कोइरालाले शैलजालाई श्रद्धाञ्जली दिए । र, शवलाई एक फन्को घुमेर नजिकै राखेको पालमुनि बसेका थिए । उनले शैलजाको बारेमा केही बोल्ने जर्मको त गरे तर बोली अवरुद्ध भयो । त्यसपछि कोइराला त्यहाँबाट हिँडे । आचार्यको निधनप्रति श्रद्धाञ्जली व्यक्त गर्न बसेको कांग्रेस केन्द्रीय कार्यसमितिको आकस्मिक बैठकले राष्ट्रियता र प्रजातान्त्रिक आन्दोलनलाई ठूलो धक्का लागेको ठहर गरेको छ । बैठकले देशभरका पार्टी कार्यालयमा तीन दिनसम्म आधा झन्डा झुकाइने र कार्यालय बन्द गर्ने तथा १३ औं दिनको पुन्यतिथिमा श्रद्धाञ्जली समारोह आयोजना गर्ने प्रस्ताव पारित गरेको छ । आचार्यप्रति श्रद्धाञ्जली प्रकट गर्न पार्टी कार्यालय, सानेपामा प्रधानमन्त्री माधवकुमार नेपाल, पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्रीहरू कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराई, शेरबहादुर देउवा र सूर्यबहादुर थापा, एमाले अध्यक्ष झलनाथ खनाल, संविधानसभाका अध्यक्ष सुवासचन्द्र नेम्वाङ, उपप्रधानमन्त्री विजय गच्छदार, रक्षामन्त्री विद्या भण्डारी, एकीकृत नेकपा माओवादीका नेता नारायणकाजी श्रेष्ठ, कृष्णबहादुर महरा, देवप्रसाद गुरुङ, तराई मधेस लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीका अध्यक्ष महन्थ ठाकुर, राप्रपा नेपालका अध्यक्ष कमल थापा, राप्रपाका अध्यक्ष पशुपतिशमशेर राणा, सद्भावना पार्टीका अध्यक्ष राजेन्द्र महतो, मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरमका अध्यक्ष उपेन्द्र यादवलगायतका विभिन्न राजनीतिक दलका नेता तथा कार्यकर्ताका साथै संवैधानिक निकायका प्रमुखहरूसमेतको उपस्थिति रहेको थियो ।आचार्यको शुक्रबार अपराह्न पशुपति आर्यघाटमा राजकीय सम्मानका साथ अन्त्येष्टि गरिएको थियो । स्व. आचार्यलाई भाइ प्रदीप आचार्यले दागबत्ती दिएका थिए ।
संघर्षपूर्ण जीवननिडर र मान्यताप्रति अडिग नेत्री शैलजा आचार्य वि.सं. १९९८ वैशाख २० गते मोरङको विराटनगरमा जन्मिएकी थिइन् । माता इन्दिरा र पिता पिनायकीप्रसाद उपाध्यायको पहिलो सन्तानका रूपमा जन्मेकी आचार्यको सिंगो जीवन राजनीतिक सेरोफेरोमै बित्यो ।संघर्षपूर्ण जीवनगाथा बोकेकी नेत्री आचार्यले पद्मकन्याबाट बिए तथा बनारस हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालयबाट समाजशास्त्रमा स्नातकोत्तर तहसम्म अध्ययन गरेकी थिइन् । नेपाली कांग्रेसको केन्द्रीय सदस्यदेखि उपसभापतिसमेत बनेकी नेत्री आचार्य मुलुकको पहिलो महिला उपप्रधानमन्त्रीसमेत बनेकी थिइन् । स्व. आचार्य बिपी कोइराला र कांग्रेस सभापति गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाकी आफ्नै भान्जी हुन् । लामो समयसम्म पार्टीको केन्द्रीय समितिमा रहेकी आचार्य ११औं महाधिवेशनबाट समेत केन्द्रीय समितिमा निर्वाचित भएकी थिइन् ।
नेत्री आचार्यको निधनपछि शोकाकूल भएका आफन्तजन
आचार्यले ७ फागुन ०१७ मा प्रजातन्त्र राजाले अपहरित गरेको विरोधमा पहिलोपटक तत्कालीन राजा महेन्द्रलाई काठमाडौंको टुँडीखेलमा कालो झन्डा देखाउने साहसिक कार्य गरेकी थिइन् । राजालाई कालो झन्डा देखाएकै कारण आचार्यले तीन वर्ष काराबासमा बस्नुपर्‍यो । जेलबाट निस्केपछि उनले भारतमा निर्वासित जीवन बिताइन् । तत्कालीन कांग्रेस सभापति बिपी कोइरालासँग निर्वासित जीवनमा नै उनी ०२४ मा प्रजातान्त्रिक समाजवादी युवकको संगठन डेमोक्रेटिक सोसलिस्ट युथ लिगको सभापति भएकी थिइन् । त्यसपछि उनी राजनीतिमा अरू सक्रिय भएर देखापरिन् । त्यति नै वेला नेत्री आचार्यले तरुण पत्रिकाको सम्पादनसमेत गरेकी थिइन् । ०३०/३१ मा भएको पञ्चायतविरोधी सशस्त्र संघर्षमा उनले महत्त्वपूर्ण योगदान पुर्‍याएकी थिइन् । ०३३ सालमा मेलमिलापको नीतिअन्तर्गत बिपी कोइराला, गणेशमान सिंह, खुमबहादुर खड्कालगायतका नेताहरूसँगै उनी पनि स्वदेश फर्किन् निर्वासनबाट । तर, तत्कालीन सरकारले उनीहरू सबैलाई गिरफ्तार गरी केही समय जेल हाल्यो । ०३६ सालको जनमतसंग्रह र ०४२ सालको सत्याग्रहमा पनि आचार्य त्यत्तिकै सक्रिय रहिन् । ०४६ को राजनीतिक परिवर्तनमा पनि नेतृत्वदायी भूमिका निर्वाह गरेकी नेत्री आचार्य निष्ठाको राजनीति गर्ने र आफ्नो मान्यताप्रति अटल महिलाको रूपमा चिनिन्थिन् । प्रजातन्त्रको पुनर्वहालीपछिको आमनिर्वाचनमा मोरङ- ५ बाट प्रतिनिधिसभा सदस्यमा निर्वाचित भएकी आचार्यले कांग्रेस नेतृत्वको बहुमतको सरकारमा कृषि तथा सहकारीमन्त्रीको जिम्मेवारीसमेत सम्हालेकी थिइन् । झन्डै एक वर्ष मन्त्री बनेकी आचार्यले सरकारको कार्यशैलीप्रति असहमति जनाउँदै मन्त्रीपद परित्याग गरिन् । ०५१ सालको मध्यावधि निर्वाचनमा मोरङ- ७ बाट प्रतिनिधिसभा सदस्यमा निर्वाचित नेत्री आचार्य ०५५ मा कांग्रेस सभापति गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाको नेतृत्वमा गठन भएको सरकारमा उपप्रधानमन्त्रीका रूपमा सहभागी भएकी थिइन् ।नेपालको पहिलो उपप्रधानमन्त्रीसहितको जलस्रोत मन्त्रालयको जिम्मेवारी उनले सम्हालेकी थिइन् । ०५३ मा भएको कांग्रेसको नवौं महाधिवेशनपछि आचार्यले उपसभापति भएर काम गरेकी थिइन् । त्यतिवेला पार्टीभित्र उनको उच्च साख रहे पनि ०५६ को निर्वाचनमा भने उनी मोरङ- ७ बाट पराजित हुन पुगिन् । नेत्री आचार्य राजाको प्रत्यक्ष शासनको समयमा भने केही विवादित देखिइन् । 'राजा र दलहरू मिलेर जानुपर्छ' भन्ने उनको सार्वजनिक अभिव्यक्ति वामपन्थी खेमाबाट आलोचित भयो नै, पार्टीभित्रै पनि शैलजालाई 'राजावादी' भनेर कर्नरमा पार्न थालियो । यसले नेत्री आचार्यको राजनीतिक छवि क्रमशः गुमनामजस्तै बन्दै गयो ।०६२/६३ को आन्दोलनपछि गठन भएको गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाको नेतृत्वको सरकारले उनलाई नेपालका लागि भारतको राजदूत बनाएर पठाउने निर्णय गरेको थियो । तर, उनको स्वास्थ्यमा अचानक समस्या देखिएपछि उनले सो जिम्मेवारी भने पूरा गर्न सकिनन् । ०६४ पुसमा फोक्सोमा निमोनिया देखियो । उनी शिक्षण अस्पतालमा भर्ना भइन् । तर, डाक्टरहरूले उनको उपचार शिक्षण अस्पतालमा सम्भव नहुने बताएपछि उनलाई थप उपचारका लागि थाइल्यान्ड पुर्‍याइएको थियो । अचेत अवस्थामा थाइल्यान्डको बुमराङगाड अस्पताल पुर्‍याएकी महिला नेत्री आचार्यलाई नौ महिनापछि २३ फागुनमा नेपाल फर्काएर शिक्षण अस्पताल पुर्‍याएको थियो । केही दिनको उपचारपछि उनलाई २० वैशाखमा घर फर्काइएको थियो । तर, उनको गुमेको आवाज भने आउन सकेको थिएन । टे्रड युनियन कांग्रेसका अध्यक्ष लक्ष्मण बस्नेतको मित्रपार्कस्थित घरमा ८८ वषर्ीया आमा इन्दिरासँग बस्दै आएकी नेत्री आचार्यको सिंगो जीवन संघर्षपूर्ण थियो
रोग र औषधिबारे विवाद नेत्री आचार्यको आवाज मात्र होइन, उनलाई लागेको रोगका बारेमा समेत विभिन्न भनाइहरू सार्वजनिक भए । अल्जाइमर्स नामक रोगबाट पीडित भनिए पनि मानसिक तनाव कम गर्न प्रयोग हुने 'एन्टिसाइकेटिक' औषधिको निरन्तर सेवनका कारण नेत्री आचार्यको बोल्ने क्षमता गुमेको चिकित्सकहरूको दाबी थियो । नेत्री आचार्यलाई सो औषधि सेवन गर्न कसले सिफारिस गर्‍यो भन्ने पत्ता लाग्न सकेन नै ।'एन्टिसाइकेटिक'का कारण उनको मस्तिष्कमा नकारात्मक असर परेको उपचारमा संलग्न चिकित्सकले निष्कर्ष निकालेका थिए । नेत्री आचार्यले मानसिक तनाव बढी भएको वेलामा कुनै औषधि नियमित खाने गरेको स्वीकार गरेको उनलाई उद्धृत गर्दै उनका आफन्तले बताएका थिए । 'नाम उल्लेख नगर्नुहोस् है' भन्दै शैलजाका परिवारका एक सदस्यले २९ फागुनमा नयाँ पत्रिकासँग भनेका थिए, 'सो औषधि उहाँको उपचारमा संलग्न डाक्टरहरूले पनि नदिएको बताएका छन् ।' झन्डै डेढ वर्षअघि दिल्लीमा उपचार गरेर घर फर्किएपछि उनको कोठामा मानसिक तनाव कम गर्ने औषधिको पोका नै फेला परेको उनको पारिवारिक स्रोतले जानकारी दिएको थियो । परिवारका ती सदस्यले भने, 'नेपालमा उनको स्वास्थ्य सुधारोन्मुख हुँदाहुँदै उनलाई कसले उपचारका लागि दिल्ली पठायो, यो रहस्य त्यहीँबाट सुरु भएको हुनुपर्छ ।' तर, त्यो रहस्य अब खुल्छ कि खुल्दैन त्यो भने यसै भन्न सकिँदैन । 'बैंककमा एक न्युरो चिकित्सकले त्यही औषधिले बोली नियन्त्रण गर्ने दिमागको नसामा नकारात्मक प्रभाव पारेको बतायो,' नेत्री आचार्यकी छिमेकी तथा पूर्वराज्यमन्त्री डा. दुर्गा पोखरेलले भनिन्, 'स्पिच थेरापिष्टले आचार्यलाई बोलाउने प्रयास गर्दा बोली नै फुटेन । उसले पनि त्यही औषधिका कारण बोली बन्द भएको बतायो ।' राजनीतिक कारणले उनमा डिप्रेसन आएको सोही समयमा उनलाई त्यो औषधि कसैले सेवन गर्न दिएका थिए ।उनको सम्पूर्ण उपचार खर्च भने सरकारले बेहोर्‍यो ।

घुमुवा प्रहरीको ध्यान 'पोका' तिर


घुमुवा प्रहरीको ध्यान 'पोका' तिर



बाँके, १ असार भारतीय नाकाबाट हुने आपराधिक गतिविधि नियन्त्रण गर्न नेपालगन्ज भन्सार कार्यालय आसपास 'सिभिल' मा खटिएका घुमुवा प्रहरी आफ्नो जिम्मेवारी छोडेर 'पोका' तिर ध्यान दिन थालेका छन् । हातहतियार नेपाल भित्रिन नदिन, चोरीनिकासी रोक्न र सम्भावित हिंसात्मक गतिविधिबारे सुराकी गर्न नेपालगन्ज भन्सार कार्यालयआसपास करिब दुई दर्जन घुमुवा प्रहरी खटाइएका छन् । भारतको रुपैडिहा बजारबाट ल्याइने सामानको चेकजाँचका लागि 'युनिर्फम' मा सशस्त्र, जनपद प्रहरी खटाइएका छन् । साथै, बाटामा चेकजाँचका लागि भन्सारका कर्मचारी पनि राखिएका छन् । तर, उनीहरूलाई उछिन्दै घुमुवा प्रहरीले नेपालगन्ज-रुपैडिहा बजार ओहरदोहोर गर्नेले ल्याएका पोका चेकजाँच गर्ने गरेका छन् । आफू 'घुमुवा प्रहरी' भएको परिचय दिँदै उनीहरूले भन्सारका कर्मचारीलाई समेत धम्काउने गरेको एक कर्मचारीले बताए । 'भन्सार आसपास आफूलाई 'घुमुवा' प्रहरी भन्नेहरूको आतंक छ,' नेपालगन्ज भन्सार कार्यालयका एक कर्मचारीले भने, 'उनीहरू गलत क्रियाकलापको सूचना संकलन गर्नुको साटो पोकातिर ध्यान दिन्छन् ।' त्यसो नगर्न अनुरोध गर्दा घुमुवा प्रहरीले भन्सार कर्मचारीलाई घुस लिएको अभियोगमा प्रक्राउ गरी कारबाही गर्ने धम्की दिने गरेको ती कर्मचारीले बताए । 'बोल्न हुन्न, धम्काइहाल्छन्,' उनले भने । भन्सार कार्यालयआसपासका क्षेत्रमा शंकास्पद गतिविधिबारे सूचना संकलन गर्ने उद्देश्यले अनुसन्धान, जिल्ला प्रहरी र सशस्त्र प्रहरीका दुई दर्जन घुमुवा प्रहरी खटाइएका छन् । नेपालगन्ज भन्सार कार्यालयका भन्सार अधिकृत श्यामप्रसाद पाण्डेले भन्सार असुलीमा घुमुवा प्रहरीको कुनै भूमिका नदेखिएको प्रतिक्रिया दिए । उनले भने, 'आफूलाई घुमुवा प्रहरी भएको दाबी गर्नेहरू हुनसक्ने आपराधिक गतिविधिको सूचना संकलन गर्न छोडेर पोका, बोरा चेकजाँच गरिरहेका हुन्छन् ।' 'भन्सार राजस्वमा वृद्धि गराउन भनेर भन्सारमा घुमुवा खटाइएका छन् । तर, यसको प्रभाव भने अहिलेसम्म देखिएको छैन,' उनले थपे । उनीहरूको यस्तो व्यवहारले सर्वसाधारण दोहोरो चेकजाँचको मारमा पर्ने गरेका छन् । त्यसैगरी भारतबाट नेपालमा हातहतियार र विस्फोटक पदार्थ पनि भित्रिने गरेको छ । केही दिनअघि मात्र लुटपाटमा संलग्न भएको अभियोगमा पक्राउ परेका व्यक्तिले फलफूलको डब्बामा राखेर इटालियन पेस्तोल भारतबाट नेपाल ल्याएको खुलासा गरेका थिए । भारतको रुपैडिहादेखि नेपालगन्ज बजार आउने क्रममा जनपद तथा सशस्त्र प्रहरीले ६ स्थानमा चेकपोस्ट राखेका छन् । यता, बाँकेका प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारी वीरेन्द्र बानियाँले सशस्त्र गतिविधिमा संलग्न समूह र हातहतियार भित्रिन नदिन व्यापक रूपमा घुमुवा प्रहरी तैनाथ गरेको जानकारी दिए । उनले कोही कसैले घुमुवा प्रहरीको हवाला दिएर गलत कार्य गरेका भए त्यसबारे सीधै आफूकहाँ उजुरी गर्न आग्रह गरेका छन् । 'गलत काम गर्ने घुमुवा प्रहरीलाई कारबाही हुन्छ । उसको नाम दिनुस्,' प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारी बानियाँले भने ।

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The Truth About Life Insurance




Myth: Cash value life insurance, like whole life, will help me retire wealthy.Truth: Cash value life insurance is one of the worst financial products available.Sadly, over 70% of the life insurance policies sold today are cash value policies. A cash value policy is an insurance product that packages insurance and savings together. Do not invest money in life insurance; the returns are HORRIBLE. Your insurance person will show you wonderful projections, but none of these policies perform as projected.
Example of Cash ValueIf a 30-year-old man has $100 per month to spend on life insurance and shops the top 5 cash value companies, he will find he can purchase an average of $125,000 in insurance for his family. The pitch is to get a policy that will build up savings for retirement, which is what a cash value policy does. However, if this same guy purchases 20-year-level term insurance with coverage of $125,000, the cost will be only $7 per month, not $100.
WOW! If he goes with the cash value option, the other $93 per month should be in savings, right? Well, not really; you see, there are expenses.
Expenses? How much?
All of the $93 per month disappears in commissions and expenses for the first 3 years. After that, the return will average 2.6% per year for whole life, 4.2% for universal life, and 7.4% for the new-and-improved variable life policy that includes mutual funds, according to Consumer Federation of America, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Permanent life insurance

Permanent life insurance is a form of life insurance such as whole life or endowment, where the policy is for the life of the insured, the payout is assured at the end of the policy (assuming the policy is kept current) and the policy accrues cash value.
This is compared with Term life insurance where insurance is purchased for a specified period (typically a year, or for level periods such as 5, 10, 15, 20 even 25 and 30 years) where a death benefit is only paid to the beneficiary if the insured dies during the specified period.
Permanent life insurance originally was offered as a fixed premium fixed return product known as whole life insurance also known as cash surrender life insurance. This offered consumers guaranteed cash value accumulation and a consistent premium. Consumers later wanted more flexibility which was offered in the form of universal life insurance. Universal life insurance allows consumers flexibility in when premiums are to be paid and the amount that they would be. Universal life policies also allowed consumers to permanently withdraw cash from the policy without the interest associated with the loan provisions in whole life policies. Universal life policies retained the fixed investment performance of whole life policies. Variable life insurance follows the mold of whole or universal life, but it shifts the investment risk to the consumer along with the potential for greater returns. Variable universal life insurance combines this with the flexibility in premium structure of universal life to create the most free form option for consumers to manage their own money (at their own risk). Variable universal life insurance policies are considered more favorable to other permanent life insurance alternatives due to the favorable tax treatment of all permanent life insurance policies and their potential for greater returns than other permanent life insurance products

अनुभूतिका छालहरू

कवि कृष्ण प्रसाइर्ंले नेपालीका आँखामा टल्किएको झलमल्ल सगरमाथालाई शब्दचित्रमा उनेका छन् । आँखामा सजाएका छन् । आफ्ना अनुभूतिजन्य भावलाई उनले आफ्ना शब्दमा व्यक्त गरेका छन् । कथालेखनबाट कविता हुँदै यात्रा-साहित्यमा आएका कृष्ण प्रसाईंले प्रस्तुत नियात्रामा कोरिया, जापान, मलेसिया, चीन, हङकङलगायतका भूमिहरूलाई आफ्ना किताबमा लेखेका छन् । प्रसाईं किताबमार्फत् आफ्ना पाठकलाई पनि भ्रमण गराउन सफल छन् ।

यसरी नै आरू फुल्छ -कथा संग्रह


किताब ः यसरी नै आरू फुल्छ -कथा संग्रह) कथाकार ः विवश वस्ती प्रकाशक ः विवेक सिर्जनशील प्रकाशन प्रा.लि. संस्करण ः पहिलो, २०६५ मूल्य ः रु. ७० ।- विवश वस्तीको 'नखनिएको खाडल' -०५४), 'अब उकालो चढिँदैन' -०६०) पछिको यो तेस्रो कथाकृति हो । 'यसरी नै आरू फुल्छ' मा उनका पूर्वप्रकाशितसहित १९ वटा कथा समेटिएका छन् । कथा जनजीवन, समाज र राजनीतिसँग सम्बन्धित छन् । विसंगत राजनीतिलाई वस्तीले कथामा विभिन्न विम्ब र प्रतीकको सहायताले अभिव्यक्त गरेका छन् । लेखन सरल छ । र, सरलताको प्रभावबाट पाठकमा कथाले परिष्कारको माग गरेको अनुभूति हुन सक्छ । किताब ः सहिद हरि नेपाल स्मृति ग्रन्थ सम्पादक ः टंक श्रेष्ठ प्रकाशक ः सहिद हरि नेपाल स्मृति ग्रन्थ प्रकाशन समिति संस्करण ः पहिलो, २०६५ मूल्य ः रु. २०० ।- राजा वीरेन्द्रको जन्मोत्सव देशभरि मनाइँदै थियो होला त्यसदिन, जुनदिन राजनीति गरेको आरोपमा एकजना वामपन्थी कार्यकर्ताको हत्या गरियो । वि.सं. ०३६ को त्यो घटनामा मारिने सहिद थिए, हरि नेपाल । उनकै राजनीतिक जीवनका विभिन्न पाटाको स्मृति बटुलिएको यस ग्रन्थले वाम-राजनीतिका तत्कालीन गतिविधिको झल्को पनि दिन्छ । किताब ः किराँत राई जातिभित्रका केही विशेष संस्कृति लेखक ः चन्द्रकुमार हतुवाली प्रकाशन सहयोगी ः बान्तवा अनुसन्धान प्रतिष्ठान र आदिवासी जनजाति उत्थान राष्ट्रिय प्रतिष्ठान संस्करण ः पहिलो, २०६५ मुल्य ः रु. १०० ।- किराँत राई जातिका विभिन्न पर्व, चाड, परम्परा, संस्कार र जीवनपद्धतिको जानकारी दिने किताब हो यो । मुन्धुममा आधारित धर्म, भाषा र विश्वास संस्कृतिमा चासो राख्ने सबैका लागि उपयोगी हुन सक्छ । यसमा सामान्य पूजाआजादेखि, लोकगीत, पौराणिक आख्यान र लोक आहानबारे पनि चर्चा गरिएको छ । किताब ः रोजाइ -उपन्यास)उपन्यासकार ः भूमिनन्द देवकोटा प्रकाशक ः मिडिया प्लान संस्करण ः पहिलो, २०६५ मूल्य ः रु. १०० ।- 'सतिसाल' पछि देवकोटाको यो दोस्रो उपन्यासकृति हो । जनयुद्धका भुक्तभोगी उपन्यासकारले पहिलो उपन्यासमा झैँ यसको कथावस्तु पनि राजनीतिक आन्दोलनकै सेरोफेरोमा बुनेका छन् । पुस्तकको भूमिकामा कवि श्यामलले लेखेका छन्- यसले कतिपय युद्ध प्रभावित समाजको नाडी नछामिएका, सामान्य प्रतिक्रियामूलक रिपोर्ताजभन्दा धेरै अघि बढेर नेपाली समाजको जटिलतालाई उधिन्ने र त्यसबाट युद्धको औचित्य स्पष्ट गर्ने प्रयत्न गरेको छ ।

बढ्दै छन् विद्यार्थी र कलेज


ए लेभलको आकर्षण नेपालमा पनि बढ्दो क्रममा छ । यो कोर्स सन १९८६ मा २१ जना विद्यार्थीबाट नेपालमा सुरु भएको थियो । वेलायतको क्याम्बि्रज युनिभर्सिटिको यो कोर्स सञ्चालन गर्ने शिक्षण संस्थाको संख्या मात्रै पनि नेपालमा दुई दर्जन पुगेको छ । पहिलो पटक बुढानिलकण्ठ स्कुलले क्याम्बि्रज युनिभर्सिटिको सम्बन्धन लिएर नेपालमा सन् १९८६ मा ए लेभल कोर्ष पढाउन सुरु गरेको थियो । त्यतिबेला २१ जना विद्यार्थी ए लेभलमा भर्ना भएका थिए । बुढानीलकण्ठ स्कूलले दिएको जानकारीअनुसार पहिलो व्याचमा १९ जना विद्यार्थी उत्तीर्ण भएका थिए ।हाल शिक्षा मन्त्रालयको स्वीकृतिमा देशभरका दुई दर्जन संस्थाले ए लेभल कक्षा सञ्चालन गरेका छन् । क्याम्बि्रज एजुकेटर्स एशोसिएसन इन नेपाल (सिआन)का अध्यक्ष सुधीरकुमार झाका अनुसार अहिले नेपालमा ए लेभल पढ्ने विद्यार्थीको संख्या एक हजार पाँच सय पुगेको छ । वर्षौदेखि माध्यमिक शिक्षा र प्लस टु सञ्चालन गरिआएका विद्यालयरूले पनि 'विद्यार्थीको आकर्षण बढेको' भन्दै ए लेभल कोर्ष सञ्चालन गर्न थालेका छन् ।सरकारले २०५९ मा विदेशी शिक्षण संस्थाको सम्बन्धनमा उच्च शिक्षा सञ्चालनसम्बन्धी एक निर्देशिका तयार गरेको थियो । विदेशी शिक्षण संस्थाको सम्बन्धन लिएर नेपालमा सञ्चालन गरिने शिक्षण संस्थालाई व्यवस्थित र नियमित तुल्याउन सरकारले सो निर्देशिका ल्याएको हो । २०६१ यता ए लेभल पढाउनका लागि शिक्षा मन्त्रालयबाट अनुमति लिने संस्थाको संख्या दुई दर्जन पुगेको छ । निर्देशिका बन्नु अगाडि नेपालका शिक्षण संस्थाहरूले विदेशी संस्थाबाट सम्बन्धन लिएर कक्षा सञ्चालन गर्दै आएका थिए । नेपालको प्रमाणपत्र तह वा प्लस टु सरहको पाठ्यक्रम हो ए लेभल । कतिपय विषयका विषयवस्तुहरूले मेल खाए तापनि तर ए लेभल र अन्य कोर्सको अध्ययनविधि भने निकै फरक देखिन्छ । सबैभन्दा पुरानो ए लेभल पढाउने संस्था बुढानीलकण्ठ स्कुलका पि्रन्सिपल नारायणप्रसाद शर्माका अनुसार अन्य कोर्समा घोकेर पनि विद्यार्थीले विशिष्ट श्रेणीको नतिजा हासिल गर्न सक्छन्, तर ए लेभलमा घोकेर नहुने तर बुझ्नैपर्ने पर्छ । त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयले यस कोर्सलाई प्रमाणपत्र सरह मान्यो र ग्रेडअनुसार प्रतिशत तोक्यो ।' सुरुका वर्षको अनुभव सुनाउँदै शर्माले भने । त्रिविले ए लेभलको ए ग्रेडलाई ९५, बिलाई ८५, सिलाई ७५, डि र इ लाई ५५ प्रतिशत सरह मान्यता दिएको छ । 'ए लेभल विश्वव्यापी छ, यो कोर्सर् समयअनुसार परिवर्तन भइरहन्छ, व्यवहारमुखी छ र यसले विद्यार्थीलाई सिर्जनशील बनाउँछ, क्याम्बि्रज एजुकेटर्स एशोसिएसन इन नेपालका अध्यक्ष सुधीरकुमार झा भन्छन्, 'एक त यसमा विद्यार्थीले मन लागेको विषय छान्न पाउँछ । दोस्रो यसमा ग्रेड प्रणाली छ । विश्वका जुनसुकै विश्वविद्यालयमा आवेदन गर्न र छात्रवृत्ति पाउन सकिन्छ । विद्यार्थीले आफ्नो ग्रेड सुधार्ने मौका समेत पाउँछन् ।'ए लेभलमा क्याम्बि्रज विश्वविद्यालयले ७० वटा विषय राखेको छ । तीमध्ये नेपालमा १५ विषयमा पढाई भइरहेको छ । विद्यार्थीले चार वटा विषय छान्न पाउँछन् तर नेपालको लागि 'जेनेरल पेपर' अर्थात सामान्य विषय सबैले पढ्नुपर्छ । काठमाडौंको वृहस्पति विद्यासदन जस्ता वर्षौदेखि माध्यमिक तह तथा प्लस टु सञ्चालन गरेका शिक्षण संस्थाले विद्यार्थीको माग बढेको भन्दै धमाधम ए लेभल कक्षा सञ्चालन गर्न थालेका छन् । वृहस्पति विद्यासदन स्थापना भएको २५ वर्ष भएको छ र त्यहाँ प्लस टु पनि सञ्चालित छ । गत वर्षदेखि ए लेभल कक्षा सञ्चालन गरेको सो विद्यालयका इन्चार्ज सन्दीप लोहनी भन्छन्, 'ए लेभल खोज्दै विद्यार्थीहरूको ओइरो लाग्न थालेपछि अघिल्लो वर्षबाट सुरु गरेका हौं ।' राजधानीकै अर्को शिक्षण संस्था जेम्स स्कुलका ए लेभल को-अर्डिनेटर राजेन्द्र घिसिङका अनुसार सो स्कूलमा माध्यमिक तह र प्लस टु हुँदा हुदै पनि विद्यार्थीको आवश्यकता र चाहनालाई ध्यानमा राखेर ए लेभल सञ्चालन गरिएको हो । उनप् भन्छन्, 'यस स्कुलमा एलएलसी दिनेको संख्या दुईदेखि तीन सयसम्म हुन्छ । एसएलसी दिने विद्यार्थीमध्ये चालीस प्रतिशतले ए लेभल पढ्न खोजेको पायौं । विद्यार्थीले चाहेपछि जहाँ गएर पनि पढ्ने हुनाले यही अवसर दियौं । सुरुमा बुढानीलकण्ठ, काठमाडौं एकेडेमीलगायतका पुराना संस्थाहरुमा ओ लेभल पढेपछिमात्र ए लेभलमा भर्ना लिने चलन थियो । ओ लेभल नेपालको एसएलसी सरह हो । बुढानीलकण्ठ स्कुलका पि्रन्सिपल शर्मा भन्छन्, 'ओ लेभल एलएलसी लेभल सरह भए पनि एक वर्ष ओ लेभल पढ्नै पर्ने बाध्यता थियो, पछि यसको आवश्यकता नठानेर हटायौं ।' बुढानीलकण्ठ स्कुलले सन २००४ बाट मात्र ओ लेभल हटाएर एसएलसी पास भएका विद्यार्थीलाई ए लेभलमा भर्ना दिन थालेको हो । ए लेभल पढ्नका लागि आवेदन दिनेको संख्या धेरै भए पनि स्रोतसाधनको सीमितताका कारण नेपालका शिक्षण संस्थाले चाहे जति भर्ना लिन सक्दैनन् । यो कोर्स व्यवहारमुखी हुने, विद्यार्थीले बुझ्नु पर्ने र प्रयोगशाला, पुस्तकालय आदि सुविधा दिनुपर्ने भएकाले चाहे जति संख्यामा भर्ना लिन सकिदैन । अधिकांश सञ्चालकहरू ए लेभलमा विद्यार्थीको 'कलेक्सन' भन्दा 'सेलेक्सन' बढी गर्नुपर्ने धारणा राख्छन् । घोकन्ते विद्यार्थीका लागि ए लेभल त्यति फलदायी नभएको त्यस्ता सञ्चालकको भनाइ छ ।ए लेभल पढ्दै गरेकी दीपिका सोतिमा अहिले निकै उत्सुकता देखिएको छ । 'ए लेभल पढ्न मलाई खुब मजा लगिरहेको छ, सोती भन्छिन, 'यो पढेर मलाई विदेशी विद्यार्थीहरूसँग सजिलै प्रतिष्पर्धा गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने विश्वासा बढेको छ ।' दश कक्षा पढ्दैदेखि बुबाले घरमा ए लेभलबारे कुरा गरिरहने र एसएलसी परिक्षा सकेपछि यहि कोर्ष पढ्न सुझाव आएकाले उनी भर्ना भएकी थिइन् । अनुभव सुनाउदै भनिन, 'यसमा प्रबिधिक कुरा धेरै हुन्छ । जसले गर्दा पढेको कुरा सजिलै सम्झन सकिने रहेछ ।'फेरियो पुरानो धारणानेपालमा ए लेभलले प्रवेश पाएका केही वर्षसम्म यसप्रति कतिपय मानिसको धारणा त्यति सकारात्मक थिएन । त्यस्ताहरूको मान्यता थियो- फेल भइरहने र अरु पढ्न नसक्ने विद्यार्थीले मात्र ए लेभल पढ्छन् । शर्मा भन्छन्, 'बाहिर कतिपयले यो कोर्स फेल भएकाहरूले पढ्ने कोर्स हो समेत भन्ने गर्थे तर हाम्रो स्कुलमा त यहीँ पढेका विद्यार्थीहरू नै ए लेभलसम्म पढ्थे ।' पुरानो धारणा बदलिएपछि नेपाली विद्यार्थीले सर्वोकृष्ट नतिजा ल्याउन थालेको क्याम्बि्रज एजुकेटर्स एशोसिएसन इन नेपाल (सिआन)का अध्यक्ष झा बताउँछन् । 'पाँच/छ वर्ष अघिसम्म अधिकांश लाहुरेका छोराछोरीले ए लेभल पढ्ने गर्थे' सिआनका अध्यक्ष झाले भने, 'पछि ए लेभलको विशेषता धेरैलाई थाहा भयो, सबैले पढ्न थालेपछि नेपाली विद्यार्थी संसारमै सर्वोकृष्ट हुन थाले ।' 'सबैभन्दा सस्तो नेपालमा'संसारभर पढाई हुने क्याम्बि्रज युनिभर्सिटिको ए लेभल कोर्स नेपालमा सबैभन्दा सस्तो हुने कलेज सञ्चालकहरुले दावी गरेका छन् । सामान्यतः ए लेभल पढ्नका लागि नेपालमा करीब साढे दुई लाख रुपियाँ खर्च हुन्छ । भारत लगायत अन्य कतिपय देशको तुलनामा यो रकम धेरै कम हो । झा भन्छन्- 'ए लेभल पढ्नका लागि विश्वका भारत लगायत अन्य ७० देशमध्ये सबैभन्दा सस्तो नेपालमा छ ।' शान्ति सुरक्षाको प्रत्याभूतिका साथ लगानी सुरक्षित गर्न सक्ने हो भने विदेशी विद्यार्थीलाई सुविधा दिन सक्ने झाको दावी छ ।

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Saturday, June 6, 2009

Automotive direct mail



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काग्रेसका निरंकुश हुक्के , ढोकेलाई अव विदागर्नै पर्छ : सभासद गगन थापा




अन्तत लामो विरोध र विवादपछि कांग्रेस सुजता कोइरालाको नेतृत्वमासरकारमा सहभागी भएको छ । जे नहुनु थियो त्यही भयो र सभापति ज्यूले जे गर्नुहुन्न भन्ने अपेक्षा गरिएको थियो त्यही गर्नभयो। यो एकल निर्णयले तमाम स्वाभीमानी काग्रेसजन जो तन, मन, वचन र कर्मले विनास्वार्थ अनैकौ पीडाहरुको सामाना गर्दै लोकतन्त्र र काग्रेसका हितका निम्ती खटिरहे तीनीहरुको शिर निहुरिएको छ र निराश वनाएको छ । काग्रेस कुनै व्यक्ति , परिवार वा तिनका सन्तानका कारणले वचेको होइन , काग्रेस तिनै होनाहार , इमान्दार र अविचलित कार्यकर्ताको बुतावाट वचेको हो र भविष्य पनि तिनैले वचाउने हो । प्रश्न सरकारमा को गयो वा को जानुपर्थो भन्नेमा मात्र होइन प्रश्न र चासोको विषय नेपाली काग्रेसले गर्ने निर्णय आम काग्रेसजनको भावना अनुरुप लोकतान्त्रिक विधिवाट हुन्छ कि हुदैन भन्ने हो ।
नेतृत्वले वन्द कोठा भित्र वसेर गरेको एकल निर्णयले के काग्रेसको लोकतान्त्रिक छविलाई वलियो वनाउन सक्यो त ? अनि गिरिजावावुको अग्लो व्यक्तित्वलाई वचाउन सक्यो ?
जीवनको उत्तरार्द्धमा आम नेपालीको अविभावक बन्न सक्नुपर्थो गिरिजावावुले न की सुजताको मात्रै ?
यो निर्णयले गिरिजावावुको लोकतन्त्र प्रतिको निष्ठा, त्याग , काग्रेसको सिद्धान्त , निरन्तर संधर्ष, यसको पद्धति र भविष्यमाथि अनेकौ प्रश्न उठाएको छ ।
लोकतन्त्रमा हरेक कुराको निर्धारण विधिले गर्ने हो , व्यक्तिले होइन । ६ दशक सम्म लोक तन्त्रका लागि लडेको काग्रेस भित्र झण्डै त्यति नै समय आन्तरिक लोकतन्त्रका लागि आवाज उठिरहेका छन । विधिभन्दा व्यक्तिलाई सर्वेसर्वा ठानेर व्यक्तिलाई निर्णय अधिकार सुम्पने अनि वाहिर वसेर मन्त्रीमा आफ्नो नेतृत्व सहित आउछ कि भनेर पर्खने र नआए पछि विरोध गर्ने केही नेतृत्वको स्वार्थगत प्रवृतिले पनि विधिको सम्मान हुन सक्दैन । अव यस्तो ढर्रा र शैलीवाट चल्ने काग्रेसले नया चुनौतिको सामाना गर्न सक्दैन । नया चुनौति सामाना गर्न काग्रेसलाई नया वनाउन नेतृत्व तहमा रहेका निरंकुश सोचले ग्रस्त र हुक्के ,ढोक , वैठके सवैलाई अव काग्रेसले विदा गर्नै पर्छ । यस्तो काम हामी जति छिटो गर्न सक्छौ त्यसैमा काग्रेसको भविष्य अडिएको छ ।
गगन थापा
सभासद नेपाली काग्रेस

Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers




1 What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The
peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
2 What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
3 How common is mesothelioma?

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.
4 What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of
minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the
air passageways in the lung.
5Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
6Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
7How is mesothelioma diagnosed?

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
A
biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as
localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
8How is mesothelioma treated?

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a
pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation therapy, also called
radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by
injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called
thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
9Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?

Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.
People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the
Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.
People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site at
http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet



Friday, June 5, 2009

Gachchhadar dubs expulsion unfortunate



Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) parliamentary leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar has termed the decision of the party establishment to oust him and six other leaders as unfortunate, claiming that he would make every effort to avert split in the party.
"The decision to expel me and six other party leaders alleging us of trying to divide the party is unfortunate," Gachchhadar said organising a press conference at the Reporters Club hours after MJF chairman Upendra Yadav's announcement to expel him from the party and withdrawal of support to the UML-led government.
Gachchhadar also claimed that the decision to expel him was not taken by the central committee but by the political committee.
"The party should retract the decision," Gachchhadar said, "I never tried to divide the party in the past. I am not doing it now and will never do so."
Saying that the MJF leadership has not been consistent in his commitment, Gachchhadar also said he would not quit the government. "Just yesterday the party chairman signed the common minimum programme. The leadership has been changing decision every now and then.

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