A small note on Iceland
One of the most beautiful countries on earth, Iceland, officially known as the Republic of Iceland, is a European island nation located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Iceland is home to the marvels of Mother Nature with icecaps and grinding glaciers, gushing geysers such as Geyser in The Golden Circle, steaming solfataras, volcanic eruptions carved by glaciers, hot springs, infectious landscapes, towering sea-cliffs, raging rivers and glorious waterfalls, a throng of birds and cavorting whales.
The capital of Iceland, Reykjavík, is famous for museums and galleries, cafes and world class restaurants, backed by snow-topped mountains and a wild night life! Be it the spouting whales at Húsavík, white water rafting on Jökulsá-Austari glacial rivers, the town of Ísafjörður in rugged Westfjords, awesome sights of Snæfellsjökull peaks and glaciers, kayaking in the bohemian Eastfjords village of Seyðisfjörður, lake Mývatn teeming with bird life, hot springs, lava flows and volcanoes, hiking in the canyon at the national park of Jökulsárgljúfur which also comprises of Europe’s most powerful waterfall, the fishing village of Siglufjörður, a fine fjord setting in the capital of the North- Akureyri or hot spring filled ice caves at Kverkfjöll, Iceland’s nature is astounding. The best time to visit Iceland is from mid-June to August.
Travellers can go river rafting, hiking, take glacier and boat tours, do fishing, horseback riding, whale watching and swimming in the world’s hottest cool place, Iceland.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Costa Rica
A small note on Costa Rica
An ideal tropical paradise for tourists, Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It’s one of the 20 most biologically diverse countries in the world. Costa Rica boasts of 0.03% of the earth's total land mass and is home to an incredible 4% of the world's total animal species. Its neighbouring countries are Panama and Nicaragua.
Costa Rica or ‘Rich Coast’ is for active travellers who have the opportunity to surf, hike, go horseback riding, rafting, kayaking, canopying, do deepwater fishing and snorkelling through tropical reefs, and spot wildlife. The country is abounding with forests, beaches, volcanoes, exotic wildlife and tropical plants. The capital of Costa Rica is San José, famous for museums. Liberia is famous for volcanoes, beaches and is closest to Leatherback Turtles Marine National park. Some of the big cities are Limón, Cartago, Alajuela and Puntarenas. The best time to visit Costa Rica is from December to April. With numerous national parks and botanical gardens, wildlife refuge, caverns and tropical rainforests, beaches on the Caribbean and Pacific coast, Costa Rica is undoubtedly a natural wonderland.
An ideal tropical paradise for tourists, Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It’s one of the 20 most biologically diverse countries in the world. Costa Rica boasts of 0.03% of the earth's total land mass and is home to an incredible 4% of the world's total animal species. Its neighbouring countries are Panama and Nicaragua.
Costa Rica or ‘Rich Coast’ is for active travellers who have the opportunity to surf, hike, go horseback riding, rafting, kayaking, canopying, do deepwater fishing and snorkelling through tropical reefs, and spot wildlife. The country is abounding with forests, beaches, volcanoes, exotic wildlife and tropical plants. The capital of Costa Rica is San José, famous for museums. Liberia is famous for volcanoes, beaches and is closest to Leatherback Turtles Marine National park. Some of the big cities are Limón, Cartago, Alajuela and Puntarenas. The best time to visit Costa Rica is from December to April. With numerous national parks and botanical gardens, wildlife refuge, caverns and tropical rainforests, beaches on the Caribbean and Pacific coast, Costa Rica is undoubtedly a natural wonderland.
A Panoramic Landscape
Philips Koninck-A Panoramic Landscape
Philips (de) Koninck was a Dutch painter of the Baroque era. Apart from producing portraits, history and genre scenes, he is best known for his panoramic (powerful and majestic) landscapes.
As H.S. Francis writes,
Koninck was born in Amsterdam in I6I9 and studied painting with his brother Jacob at Rotterdam. From I64I he lived in Amsterdam and came under the influence of Rembrandt, whose figure style is suggested in this drawing. Primarily known as one of the great masters of landscape, through his contact with Rembrandt he inherited an affinity ...Seghers. From the art of Seghers he acquired a deep under standing of the special quality of the Dutch lowland, and its panoramic sweep.
The style of painting in “A Panoramic Landscape” is a vast area of land/space (imaginary) under a colossal sky populated with cattle, elegant folk, huts, winding road, trees and waterways. It is a flat and sunlit landscape with repeated nuances of colour, patterns of light and dark through the roads and contrasting cloud shadows. The foreground is painted as broad and rough, the middle displays significant particulars, and the background shows bold colour strokes thereby imparting soul in simple masterpieces. Koninck’s landscapes (8 survive today) are permeated with unparalleled harmony and grandeur.
Philips (de) Koninck was a Dutch painter of the Baroque era. Apart from producing portraits, history and genre scenes, he is best known for his panoramic (powerful and majestic) landscapes.
As H.S. Francis writes,
Koninck was born in Amsterdam in I6I9 and studied painting with his brother Jacob at Rotterdam. From I64I he lived in Amsterdam and came under the influence of Rembrandt, whose figure style is suggested in this drawing. Primarily known as one of the great masters of landscape, through his contact with Rembrandt he inherited an affinity ...Seghers. From the art of Seghers he acquired a deep under standing of the special quality of the Dutch lowland, and its panoramic sweep.
The style of painting in “A Panoramic Landscape” is a vast area of land/space (imaginary) under a colossal sky populated with cattle, elegant folk, huts, winding road, trees and waterways. It is a flat and sunlit landscape with repeated nuances of colour, patterns of light and dark through the roads and contrasting cloud shadows. The foreground is painted as broad and rough, the middle displays significant particulars, and the background shows bold colour strokes thereby imparting soul in simple masterpieces. Koninck’s landscapes (8 survive today) are permeated with unparalleled harmony and grandeur.
Winterize your Yacht
10 economical tips to winterize your yacht
It’s winter time once again and the boating season is over. You have to put your yacht away but it needs some care before its set to rest. Instead of visiting a boatyard, save costs by winterizing the hull and interiors of the yacht yourself, and keep it ready for spring.
Some practical tips to winterization:
1) Engine oil, drive train oil and oil filters: To prevent acids from building up, engine oil and oil filters must be changed. Engine air intakes and exhaust pipes must be closed with a duct tape. Clean the engine off all oil and refill with new oil, and run the engine for a while.
2) Fogging: Immediately after haul out, flush the engine with fresh water to remove all salt residues. Run the engine at an inoperative speed for 5 minutes. Fog the engine by spraying it into the carburettor while the engine is running or through spark plugs after stopping the engine.
3) Fuel Tank: Drain the yacht’s fuel tank completely and subsequently fill it again. Tend to the fuel with a biocide (for diesel)) or a stabilizing agent (for all engines). Next, run the engine for 10 minutes to allow circulation. Note: For gas and diesel boats, it is best to empty the fuel tank as much as possible.
4) Antifreeze: First warm up the engines and clean them off all water. Then add antifreeze without diluting it to the engine’s cooling system.
5) Batteries: Add distilled water to batteries, charge them completely, and disconnect. To prevent the batteries from getting frozen, store them in a heated room and charge them occasionally.
6) Bilges: Dry the bilges completely, disable bilge pumps, and the bilge area around the drain plug. The drain plugs and bilges should be devoid of any debris to prevent the drain from choking.
7) Bedding and Seat Cushions: Keep the bedding and seat cushions in a vertical position to prevent them from damage in water or other fuel leaks.
8) Water Tanks: Completely drain the water tanks by removing the pipe fitting at the bottom. To prevent dampness and corrosion, clear all drawers, foodstuff, paper, utensils and cleaning supplies. Clean all water from mufflers. Wipe surfaces and teak with a wet rag or sponge.
9) Hardware: Highly prone to corrosion, hardware needs to be cleaned thoroughly with a wet cloth and left to dry. Clean sinks and cockpit. Apply petroleum jelly to fixtures, clocks, barometers and lamps. Ventilate the cabins, check cabinets and prevent carpets from getting spoilt by placing them among carpet squares.
10) Accessories: Clean and wax the boat and motor. Cover your yacht. Remove prop, fittings, electronic equipments, life-rafts, furled headsails, mainsails and lube points. Check all exit blocks and lubricate all points up to the mast.
Leave your yacht in a vertical or downward position to prevent water from clogging and freezing. Check on it periodically.
Keep a winterization checklist, follow the directions well, thereby keeping your yacht’s propulsion system devoid of any snags and facilitate an enjoyable spring. Happy sailing!
It’s winter time once again and the boating season is over. You have to put your yacht away but it needs some care before its set to rest. Instead of visiting a boatyard, save costs by winterizing the hull and interiors of the yacht yourself, and keep it ready for spring.
Some practical tips to winterization:
1) Engine oil, drive train oil and oil filters: To prevent acids from building up, engine oil and oil filters must be changed. Engine air intakes and exhaust pipes must be closed with a duct tape. Clean the engine off all oil and refill with new oil, and run the engine for a while.
2) Fogging: Immediately after haul out, flush the engine with fresh water to remove all salt residues. Run the engine at an inoperative speed for 5 minutes. Fog the engine by spraying it into the carburettor while the engine is running or through spark plugs after stopping the engine.
3) Fuel Tank: Drain the yacht’s fuel tank completely and subsequently fill it again. Tend to the fuel with a biocide (for diesel)) or a stabilizing agent (for all engines). Next, run the engine for 10 minutes to allow circulation. Note: For gas and diesel boats, it is best to empty the fuel tank as much as possible.
4) Antifreeze: First warm up the engines and clean them off all water. Then add antifreeze without diluting it to the engine’s cooling system.
5) Batteries: Add distilled water to batteries, charge them completely, and disconnect. To prevent the batteries from getting frozen, store them in a heated room and charge them occasionally.
6) Bilges: Dry the bilges completely, disable bilge pumps, and the bilge area around the drain plug. The drain plugs and bilges should be devoid of any debris to prevent the drain from choking.
7) Bedding and Seat Cushions: Keep the bedding and seat cushions in a vertical position to prevent them from damage in water or other fuel leaks.
8) Water Tanks: Completely drain the water tanks by removing the pipe fitting at the bottom. To prevent dampness and corrosion, clear all drawers, foodstuff, paper, utensils and cleaning supplies. Clean all water from mufflers. Wipe surfaces and teak with a wet rag or sponge.
9) Hardware: Highly prone to corrosion, hardware needs to be cleaned thoroughly with a wet cloth and left to dry. Clean sinks and cockpit. Apply petroleum jelly to fixtures, clocks, barometers and lamps. Ventilate the cabins, check cabinets and prevent carpets from getting spoilt by placing them among carpet squares.
10) Accessories: Clean and wax the boat and motor. Cover your yacht. Remove prop, fittings, electronic equipments, life-rafts, furled headsails, mainsails and lube points. Check all exit blocks and lubricate all points up to the mast.
Leave your yacht in a vertical or downward position to prevent water from clogging and freezing. Check on it periodically.
Keep a winterization checklist, follow the directions well, thereby keeping your yacht’s propulsion system devoid of any snags and facilitate an enjoyable spring. Happy sailing!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Massage Therapy for Lou Gehrig's disease
Massage can help Lou Gehrig’s disease
Lou Gehrig’s Disease (also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurological disorder which attacks the nerves cells (motor neurons) of the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons connect the brain with the skeletal muscles. As the motor neurons degenerate (shrink and disappear), the muscles under their control become smaller, weaken (they no longer receive signals to move) and waste away. Lou Gehrig’s Disease victims become disabled, have difficulty in communicating, swallowing and are prone to infections (pneumonia). This disease paralyses only the voluntary muscles hence people suffering from this disease can often take control of their five senses, bowel and bladder movement. It also does not impair a person's mind, personality, intelligence, or memory.
Lou Gehrig’s Disease is rarely found amongst kids. It affects people between the ages of 40 to 70, and is more common in men than women. It is not contagious and can affect people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. Patients usually require ventilation and surgery to make a new opening in the stomach (gastrostomy). The cause of death is due to loss of respiratory function. The most common form of Lou Gehrig’s Disease is known as "sporadic" as it can affect anyone at anytime; though in some cases, this disease can be hereditary.
The exact cause of Lou Gehrig’s Disease is unknown. Symptoms are tripping, dropping things, slurred and nasal speech, muscle cramps, muscle stiffness and twitches, unintentional periods of laughing or crying, weakness of muscles affecting arms and legs, difficulty in chewing, swallowing, dressing, washing and buttoning clothes.
There is no way to completely cure or prevent Lou Gehrig’s Disease. However medicines, rehabilitation techniques and physical therapy can control symptoms and special equipments like wheelchair, braces, walker and ventilator can be used for relieving the discomforts.
Non-drug therapies or supportive therapies such as ‘massage’ can be used for the sore or cramping muscles thereby providing relief from muscle pain and cramps. Chinese acupuncture formulas such as partial massage is recommended for muscle stiffness.
Researches and clinical studies have shown that therapeutic massage is done after wet cell appliance. It concentrates on the spinal areas starting at the toes and proceeds upwards, comprising all extremities. The sciatic centre, the lumbar axis, and the brachial centre should be especially concentrated on, using a mixture of olive oil, peanut oil, and lanolin. Moderate passive ranges of motion can keep muscles and joints from getting stiff. Massage strokes can also enhance the blood supply into to muscle and decelerate muscle atrophy to a certain extent. However, if muscles are too atrophied, a hand, foot and scalp massage can also make the patient comfortable.
Any disease can cause stress and a massage therapy can be used to reduce stress as it decreases the quantity of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body. Other researches have shown that Swedish massage or Esalen massage also works well on people suffering from with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
If the physician approves, a good massage therapist can improve the quality of the patient‘s life and provide assistance for caregivers too.
Lou Gehrig’s Disease (also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurological disorder which attacks the nerves cells (motor neurons) of the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons connect the brain with the skeletal muscles. As the motor neurons degenerate (shrink and disappear), the muscles under their control become smaller, weaken (they no longer receive signals to move) and waste away. Lou Gehrig’s Disease victims become disabled, have difficulty in communicating, swallowing and are prone to infections (pneumonia). This disease paralyses only the voluntary muscles hence people suffering from this disease can often take control of their five senses, bowel and bladder movement. It also does not impair a person's mind, personality, intelligence, or memory.
Lou Gehrig’s Disease is rarely found amongst kids. It affects people between the ages of 40 to 70, and is more common in men than women. It is not contagious and can affect people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. Patients usually require ventilation and surgery to make a new opening in the stomach (gastrostomy). The cause of death is due to loss of respiratory function. The most common form of Lou Gehrig’s Disease is known as "sporadic" as it can affect anyone at anytime; though in some cases, this disease can be hereditary.
The exact cause of Lou Gehrig’s Disease is unknown. Symptoms are tripping, dropping things, slurred and nasal speech, muscle cramps, muscle stiffness and twitches, unintentional periods of laughing or crying, weakness of muscles affecting arms and legs, difficulty in chewing, swallowing, dressing, washing and buttoning clothes.
There is no way to completely cure or prevent Lou Gehrig’s Disease. However medicines, rehabilitation techniques and physical therapy can control symptoms and special equipments like wheelchair, braces, walker and ventilator can be used for relieving the discomforts.
Non-drug therapies or supportive therapies such as ‘massage’ can be used for the sore or cramping muscles thereby providing relief from muscle pain and cramps. Chinese acupuncture formulas such as partial massage is recommended for muscle stiffness.
Researches and clinical studies have shown that therapeutic massage is done after wet cell appliance. It concentrates on the spinal areas starting at the toes and proceeds upwards, comprising all extremities. The sciatic centre, the lumbar axis, and the brachial centre should be especially concentrated on, using a mixture of olive oil, peanut oil, and lanolin. Moderate passive ranges of motion can keep muscles and joints from getting stiff. Massage strokes can also enhance the blood supply into to muscle and decelerate muscle atrophy to a certain extent. However, if muscles are too atrophied, a hand, foot and scalp massage can also make the patient comfortable.
Any disease can cause stress and a massage therapy can be used to reduce stress as it decreases the quantity of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body. Other researches have shown that Swedish massage or Esalen massage also works well on people suffering from with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
If the physician approves, a good massage therapist can improve the quality of the patient‘s life and provide assistance for caregivers too.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Anti-semitism
Adolf Hitler and the Jews
Reasons for hatred leading to mass extinction
Why did Adolf Hitler hate the Jews? It's a question that has confounded historians for a long time. Did he hate only the Jews? Or was it others too such as gypsies, the handicapped, homosexuals, Russians (communists) and Poles?
The beginnings
Hitler’s hatred for the Jews seems to have been sparked by a number of causes. Some historians believe that during the early years of his struggle, Hitler lived in a state of poverty in Austria. He wished to become an art student, but the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts rejected his application. They did not want a landscape artist. He was further rejected by the Vienna School of Architecture because as he did not have a school leaving certificate. Hitler believed that 4 out of the 7 members of the board who rejected his application were Jewish and were responsible for his failure.
Historians also suggest that his mother’s death fueled the hatred, as she was not treated well by a Jewish doctor. Her death left an ineffaceable mark on the then 18-year-old Adolf. Although she died from breast cancer, Hitler could never forgive the Jewish doctor as he held the doctor responsible for his mother’s death.
The years from 1907 to 1913 were the most difficult for Hitler. As the eldest child of the family, he inherited some money from his father’s will and his father’s civil service pension to live on. He stayed in Vienna making postcards and clearing snow from the pathways of the beautiful town houses. He believed that rich Jews lived comfortably in these homes while he was on the streets. And by 1910, his mind was full of hatred.
Strengthening of views
Another theory is that Hitler’s hatred was a result of his experiences after World War I. At this time, Jews not only dominated but held high-ranking positions in the textile industry, commerce, crafts, medicine and legal practice; they owned almost half of the newspapers, banks and stores. With such governance, they nearly ran the markets. In Europe, many believed that Jews were communists and gave rise to the Judeo-Bolshevist conspiracy (anti-Semitic conspiracy which states that communism is a Jewish conspiracy). Hitler at this time was living in Munich when Jews played an important role in the revolution against the German monarchy in 1918. He blamed the Jews for the revolution in Russia, for the collapse of the German economy, and for its poverty and suffering. He also apparently believed that the Jews had deceived Germans (stab-in-the-back theory) in World War I. As Germany lost World War I and its economy was in ruins, Jews were held responsible for capitalism and the rise of Bolshevism. Amid the rumors and the middle class sentiment regarding Germany’s defeat in World War I, Hitler felt that it was normal to blame Jews, and he believed that they needed to be trodden upon.
After the Great Depression, Germany was in ruins. Anti-Semitism was deeply rooted in the European and American culture as Christianity initially blamed Jews for the death of Christ (In 1960, the Catholic Church stated that Jews were not to be blamed for the death of Jesus).
Anti-Semitism had set in Hitler’s mind.
Final Solution by the ‘prime mover’ of the holocaust
Hitler had been devastated by Germany’s loss and his already-poisoned mind led to further conflicts and frustrations. As Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf, “My views with regard to anti-Semitism succumbed to the passage of time, and this was my greatest transformation of all. Gradually, I began to hate them (the Jews)....For me this was the time of the greatest spiritual upheaval I have ever had to go through.. I had ceased to be a weak-kneed cosmopolitan and become an anti-Semite. As I recognized the Jew as the cold-hearted, shameless and calculating director of this revolting vice traffic in the scum of the big city, a cold shudder ran down my back...”
Jews had become the scapegoats.
Hitler and many Nazis were also influenced by the notorious anti-Semitic book called "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion." In a speech on anti-Semitic racism on July 1922 in Munich, Hitler said, "His is no master people; he is an exploiter: the Jews are a people of robbers. He has never founded any civilization, though he has destroyed civilizations by the hundred...everything he has is stolen. Foreign people, foreign workmen build him his temples, it is foreigners who create and work for him, it is foreigners who shed their blood for him." Hitler declared, "The war is to be a war of annihilation". His henchman Heinrich Himmler declared: "All Poles will disappear from the world. . . . It is essential that the great German people should consider it as a major task to destroy all Poles." Majority of Poles were Jews during Hitler’s supremacy and had become the mere victims of mass annihilation.
Hitler had begun to believe that only through bloodshed and brutality could the societal problems be solved. He was obsessed with hatred towards the Jews and he had utmost faith in his beliefs. He believed that if Jews were eradicated, there would be a new and united Germany. All these beliefs led to the horrible brutality of the holocaust during World War II (when the real Holocaust started in 1941). He built extermination camps and killed thousands of people at one time. He considered Jews, Poles, gays, gypsies, Russians and mentally challenged people as lower class and made them work as slave laborers. He considered them sub humans and gassed them. Hitler believed only he knew what was good for his country and everyone had to follow his orders.
Historians give a number of reasons for this hatred which led to genocide. But his irrational and fanatical behavior against the Jews and others still leaves people disturbed and wondering.
Reasons for hatred leading to mass extinction
Why did Adolf Hitler hate the Jews? It's a question that has confounded historians for a long time. Did he hate only the Jews? Or was it others too such as gypsies, the handicapped, homosexuals, Russians (communists) and Poles?
The beginnings
Hitler’s hatred for the Jews seems to have been sparked by a number of causes. Some historians believe that during the early years of his struggle, Hitler lived in a state of poverty in Austria. He wished to become an art student, but the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts rejected his application. They did not want a landscape artist. He was further rejected by the Vienna School of Architecture because as he did not have a school leaving certificate. Hitler believed that 4 out of the 7 members of the board who rejected his application were Jewish and were responsible for his failure.
Historians also suggest that his mother’s death fueled the hatred, as she was not treated well by a Jewish doctor. Her death left an ineffaceable mark on the then 18-year-old Adolf. Although she died from breast cancer, Hitler could never forgive the Jewish doctor as he held the doctor responsible for his mother’s death.
The years from 1907 to 1913 were the most difficult for Hitler. As the eldest child of the family, he inherited some money from his father’s will and his father’s civil service pension to live on. He stayed in Vienna making postcards and clearing snow from the pathways of the beautiful town houses. He believed that rich Jews lived comfortably in these homes while he was on the streets. And by 1910, his mind was full of hatred.
Strengthening of views
Another theory is that Hitler’s hatred was a result of his experiences after World War I. At this time, Jews not only dominated but held high-ranking positions in the textile industry, commerce, crafts, medicine and legal practice; they owned almost half of the newspapers, banks and stores. With such governance, they nearly ran the markets. In Europe, many believed that Jews were communists and gave rise to the Judeo-Bolshevist conspiracy (anti-Semitic conspiracy which states that communism is a Jewish conspiracy). Hitler at this time was living in Munich when Jews played an important role in the revolution against the German monarchy in 1918. He blamed the Jews for the revolution in Russia, for the collapse of the German economy, and for its poverty and suffering. He also apparently believed that the Jews had deceived Germans (stab-in-the-back theory) in World War I. As Germany lost World War I and its economy was in ruins, Jews were held responsible for capitalism and the rise of Bolshevism. Amid the rumors and the middle class sentiment regarding Germany’s defeat in World War I, Hitler felt that it was normal to blame Jews, and he believed that they needed to be trodden upon.
After the Great Depression, Germany was in ruins. Anti-Semitism was deeply rooted in the European and American culture as Christianity initially blamed Jews for the death of Christ (In 1960, the Catholic Church stated that Jews were not to be blamed for the death of Jesus).
Anti-Semitism had set in Hitler’s mind.
Final Solution by the ‘prime mover’ of the holocaust
Hitler had been devastated by Germany’s loss and his already-poisoned mind led to further conflicts and frustrations. As Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf, “My views with regard to anti-Semitism succumbed to the passage of time, and this was my greatest transformation of all. Gradually, I began to hate them (the Jews)....For me this was the time of the greatest spiritual upheaval I have ever had to go through.. I had ceased to be a weak-kneed cosmopolitan and become an anti-Semite. As I recognized the Jew as the cold-hearted, shameless and calculating director of this revolting vice traffic in the scum of the big city, a cold shudder ran down my back...”
Jews had become the scapegoats.
Hitler and many Nazis were also influenced by the notorious anti-Semitic book called "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion." In a speech on anti-Semitic racism on July 1922 in Munich, Hitler said, "His is no master people; he is an exploiter: the Jews are a people of robbers. He has never founded any civilization, though he has destroyed civilizations by the hundred...everything he has is stolen. Foreign people, foreign workmen build him his temples, it is foreigners who create and work for him, it is foreigners who shed their blood for him." Hitler declared, "The war is to be a war of annihilation". His henchman Heinrich Himmler declared: "All Poles will disappear from the world. . . . It is essential that the great German people should consider it as a major task to destroy all Poles." Majority of Poles were Jews during Hitler’s supremacy and had become the mere victims of mass annihilation.
Hitler had begun to believe that only through bloodshed and brutality could the societal problems be solved. He was obsessed with hatred towards the Jews and he had utmost faith in his beliefs. He believed that if Jews were eradicated, there would be a new and united Germany. All these beliefs led to the horrible brutality of the holocaust during World War II (when the real Holocaust started in 1941). He built extermination camps and killed thousands of people at one time. He considered Jews, Poles, gays, gypsies, Russians and mentally challenged people as lower class and made them work as slave laborers. He considered them sub humans and gassed them. Hitler believed only he knew what was good for his country and everyone had to follow his orders.
Historians give a number of reasons for this hatred which led to genocide. But his irrational and fanatical behavior against the Jews and others still leaves people disturbed and wondering.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Holidays and Domestic Violence
Holiday financial stress sparks domestic violence
Idealistic pressures lead to abuse
Holidays are a time for merriment, parties and family get-togethers. People exchange gifts and enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and News Year’s. But for many women and children, it is a time of fear, abuse, depression and increased domestic violence.
David Schneider, M.D., chair of family and community medicine at Saint Louis University, states that, “There’s a lot of stress associated with the holidays, from pressure to provide for the family and money issues to spending more time with distant family. Domestic violence often revolves around high stress times. Additionally, people tend to drink more alcohol around the holidays, and about half of all domestic violence occurs when either the perpetrator or victim is under the influence of alcohol.”
Statistics on domestic violence
Domestic violence increases around Christmas and New Year's all over the world. The US, UK and Australia report a rise of about 20% during this festive season. Overall, one in every four women experiences domestic violence in her lifetime. Most of it comes in the form of physical assault by the intimate partner. 85% of domestic violence victims are women. They are victims of stalking, torture, and physical or sexual assault. And the nasty truth is that most of the cases are never reported to the police.
Expectations and Reality
The economic downturn can lead to overall stress among all members of a family. But for many people, seasonal expectations lead to unrealistic demands, exacerbating the problem. Spending time and money on vacations and gifts leaves people at an edge for money. Some families just want to feel good among their peers, friends and families, spending until their budgets are in tatters. Stress is usually high which sometimes leads the family breadwinner to excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs, hence domestic violence.
Avoiding domestic violence
Too often, women do not complain or do not wish to see the seriousness of the issue until it becomes dangerous or fatal. Schneider warns that when a partner is threatening suicide or there are guns in house, these are very dangerous situations. If you find yourself in one of these situations, you need to find a way out.
- Communicate and let things cool down before starting a conversation.
- Plan according to your budget, stick to it and avoid being a spendthrift.
- Stand up for yourself, and go to a relative's or a friend’s house. Get away from a situation which is beginning to get downright nasty.
- Accept help from churches, shelters, or your local police department.
- Get a restraining order.
- If this is happening to a friend or a relative, offer support and encouragement, and arrange for transportation to either your own home or to a local woman’s shelter.
It’s important to not let the situation go out of hand. Manage financial pressures by taking a look at your budget. Don’t go overboard. And be realistic.
Idealistic pressures lead to abuse
Holidays are a time for merriment, parties and family get-togethers. People exchange gifts and enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and News Year’s. But for many women and children, it is a time of fear, abuse, depression and increased domestic violence.
David Schneider, M.D., chair of family and community medicine at Saint Louis University, states that, “There’s a lot of stress associated with the holidays, from pressure to provide for the family and money issues to spending more time with distant family. Domestic violence often revolves around high stress times. Additionally, people tend to drink more alcohol around the holidays, and about half of all domestic violence occurs when either the perpetrator or victim is under the influence of alcohol.”
Statistics on domestic violence
Domestic violence increases around Christmas and New Year's all over the world. The US, UK and Australia report a rise of about 20% during this festive season. Overall, one in every four women experiences domestic violence in her lifetime. Most of it comes in the form of physical assault by the intimate partner. 85% of domestic violence victims are women. They are victims of stalking, torture, and physical or sexual assault. And the nasty truth is that most of the cases are never reported to the police.
Expectations and Reality
The economic downturn can lead to overall stress among all members of a family. But for many people, seasonal expectations lead to unrealistic demands, exacerbating the problem. Spending time and money on vacations and gifts leaves people at an edge for money. Some families just want to feel good among their peers, friends and families, spending until their budgets are in tatters. Stress is usually high which sometimes leads the family breadwinner to excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs, hence domestic violence.
Avoiding domestic violence
Too often, women do not complain or do not wish to see the seriousness of the issue until it becomes dangerous or fatal. Schneider warns that when a partner is threatening suicide or there are guns in house, these are very dangerous situations. If you find yourself in one of these situations, you need to find a way out.
- Communicate and let things cool down before starting a conversation.
- Plan according to your budget, stick to it and avoid being a spendthrift.
- Stand up for yourself, and go to a relative's or a friend’s house. Get away from a situation which is beginning to get downright nasty.
- Accept help from churches, shelters, or your local police department.
- Get a restraining order.
- If this is happening to a friend or a relative, offer support and encouragement, and arrange for transportation to either your own home or to a local woman’s shelter.
It’s important to not let the situation go out of hand. Manage financial pressures by taking a look at your budget. Don’t go overboard. And be realistic.
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