Aspirin More Beneficial if Taken at Night

People who take aspirin to keep their blood pressure down will get more benefit if they take it at bedtime, researchers say.

The hormones and other chemicals the aspirin acts on are most active at night, they say.

Though blood pressure tends to drop at night, that is the time when the body is setting everything in motion for the pressure to go up the next day, during waking hours, said Ramón C. Hermida of the University of Vigo in Spain.

“If you take the aspirin in the morning, it is not going to be effective because aspirin basically has an effect for fours hours or so,” Dr. Hermida said.

While doctors often advise patients to take aspirin to help control their blood pressure, he said, they generally do not give any advice about the time of the day.

For the study, presented at a conference of the American Society of Hypertension, researchers looked at more than 240 people with a condition known as prehypertension over three months. Some took aspirin in the morning, others at night and some not at all. Their blood pressure was taken regularly during the study, and the researchers also kept track of physical activity.

Older Brain Really May Be a Wiser Brain
When older people can no longer remember names at a cocktail party, they tend to think that their brainpower is declining. But a growing number of studies suggest that this assumption is often wrong.
Instead, the research finds, the aging brain is simply taking in more data and trying to sift through a clutter of information, often to its long-term benefit.
The studies are analyzed in a new edition of a neurology book, “Progress in Brain Research.”
Some brains do deteriorate with age. Alzheimer’s disease, for example, strikes 13 percent of Americans 65 and older. But for most aging adults, the authors say, much of what occurs is a gradually widening focus of attention that makes it more difficult to latch onto just one fact, like a name or a telephone number. Although that can be frustrating, it is often useful.
“It may be that distractibility is not, in fact, a bad thing,” said Shelley H. Carson, a psychology researcher at Harvard whose work was cited in the book. “It may increase the amount of information available to the conscious mind.”
For example, in studies where subjects are asked to read passages that are interrupted with unexpected words or phrases, adults 60 and older work much more slowly than college students. Although the students plow through the texts at a consistent speed regardless of what the out-of-place words mean, older people slow down even more when the words are related to the topic at hand. That indicates that they are not just stumbling over the extra information, but are taking it in and processing it.
When both groups were later asked questions for which the out-of-place words might be answers, the older adults responded much better than the students.
“For the young people, it’s as if the distraction never happened,” said an author of the review, Lynn Hasher, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist at the Rotman Research Institute. “But for older adults, because they’ve retained all this extra data, they’re now suddenly the better problem solvers. They can transfer the information they’ve soaked up from one situation to another.”
Such tendencies can yield big advantages in the real world, where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important. A seemingly irrelevant point or suggestion in a memo can take on new meaning if the original plan changes. Or extra details that stole your attention, like others’ yawning and fidgeting, may help you assess the speaker’s real impact.
“A broad attention span may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and the indirect message of what’s going on than their younger peers,” Dr. Hasher said. “We believe that this characteristic may play a significant role in why we think of older people as wiser.”
In a 2003 study at Harvard, Dr. Carson and other researchers tested students’ ability to tune out irrelevant information when exposed to a barrage of stimuli. The more creative the students were thought to be, determined by a questionnaire on past achievements, the more trouble they had ignoring the unwanted data. A reduced ability to filter and set priorities, the scientists concluded, could contribute to original thinking.
This phenomenon, Dr. Carson said, is often linked to a decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex. Studies have found that people who suffered an injury or disease that lowered activity in that region became more interested in creative pursuits.
Jacqui Smith, a professor of psychology and research professor at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, who was not involved in the current research, said there was a word for what results when the mind is able to assimilate data and put it in its proper place — wisdom.
“These findings are all very consistent with the context we’re building for what wisdom is,” she said.

Kuch baras idhar ya udhar kya farak padta hai,
Raaste vahin rehte hain, musafir badalta hai.

Mujhse roshni ki jusjoo jayaz hai shayad,
Lau toofaan mein jab ho to dar lagta hai.

Sheher mein log beshumaar jab ho jaayein,
Apnon ko bhi dhoondhne mein waqt lagta hai.

Boondein, bariishein, sondhi mitti ki khushbuyein
Mein tarasta raha, aasman tum par barasta hai

Ye hausle kab tak buland rakheingey,
Manzilein kho na jaayein, vaham sa lagta hai.

Likhne waale ne likhi hai har kahani juda magar,
Zindagi ke aakhirri panne pe maut likhta hai.

har deewar ko sikhaya hai muskurana maine,
ghamon ke andhere mein yun ghar apna chamakta hai.

Theher jao thodi der ke liye so jaao,
Din se pehle aasmaan bhi palak jhapakta hai.

Saans, khushboo, sukoon aur khwahish,
Ye dikhta nahi sabko, sirf hota hai.

Israel was formed on 15th May 1948.

Palestinians mark this day as ‘Nakba’ or Catastrophe Day.

Salvation is the name of an anti-immigration group in Russia

Eight members of Salvation group bombed Cherkizovsky market in Russia in 2006 killing 14 persons and injuring 40.

Vast majority of the casualities in this bombing were of Chinese and Vietnamese origin.

The extreme right-wing violence against the immigrant community in Russia is at all time peak right now.

Military junta in Myanmar have strictly refused to give access into the country to Internation aid agencies

Fresh storms have battered Myanmar military government aid programmes towards the devastated littoral (meaning: shore region) Irrawaddy delta.

The aid sent by US and other countries to Myanmar (post Nargis) is being diverted and siphoned off by local military units and is being sold for profit.

 

Feeding:
You can choose to not feed them at all because Koi are bottom feeders, and the more you feed them the less algae they will eat. Feeding koi is done only for entertainment reasons. The fish have plenty of things to nibble on in the pond, and the more you feed the fish, the more waste they will produce. The only time you have to feed your koi is when a new pond is installed, because there is no algae for the fish to eat. Also you must feed your koi fish less in the wintertime, asthe fish metabolism is slowed down and won't be able to process the food.

Signs of healthy fish: Look for a lively deposition, erect fins, bright colors, balanced swimming, and a good appetite. Some signs that a fish is unhealthy are raised scales, a swollen abdomen, bulging eyes, ulcers, an overlarge head, lack of movement, loss of balance, damaged fins and scales, fungal growths, or the fish is scratching itself up against objects.

Keep fish stress-free: Bymaintaining ph level around 7.0, putting conditioned tap water, Adding vitamins or special clay that will help your koi fight off any parasites or disease. Never feed koi old fish food. Add non-iodized salt to water which will help their gills function correctly. Aeration - make sure your pond/ aquarium has proper oxygen. Never over-stock your koi. The increased levels of ammonia and nitrite will stress out your fish. Try not to chase your fish around with a net. Make sure there is shade in your pond. The harmful U. V. rays of the sun will stress out your fish. Keep predators out of your pond, such as raccoons, herons etc.
Large fish small fish: It all depends on the species of the fish. Koi and goldfish are docile fish, but will still swallow a small fry if they can. Predators like Bass and Pike will devour all other fish that can fit in their mouths.

F
ish see color: Yes, koi and goldfish can see color. This is because their retina is generously equipped with cone cells, which are responsible for the ability to perceive colors.

Do fish hibernate?: Yes, koi and goldfish do go dormant in the winter time. Their metabolism automatically slows down when the temperature drops. It is suggested to not feed your pond fish while they are hibernating. Because of the almost dormant metabolism, the food will rot in your fish's intestine causing them to die.
An exotic fish: Any fish that originates from another country. Actually goldfish are exotic to every country except China and Siberia.

Koi fish breeding: When around 8-12 inches they will tend to breed. The first sign is that your female fish will become large with eggs and the males will start to franticly chase the females around. Koi breed once a year around spring time when the temperature changes. Be careful though, female koi can get badly hurt, or die, from the male koi bashing her on rocks. You should make sure you pond has lots of plants around for the female to lay her eggs in. You can also buy some spawning mats, these mats are layers of soft fibers used to prevent injury.

How many eggs do koi fish lay?: There are many factors that determines the amount of eggs a koi will produce. Diet or the fish's state of health can affect it. For a koi fish in good health and approximate figure is about 45,000 per pound of fish. Don't worry, the other koi fish will eat most of these eggs.

How long do koi live?: The oldest koi that was found was 226 years old!

Koi don't have a stomach: Yes, koi do not have a standard stomach. They have an alimentary canal used to assimilate nutrients. This is one reason why one shouldn't over feed their fish.

How do I get my fish to eat out of my hands?: First you must get them to notice that you are the one feeding them. After they see you, take some steps back until the fish feel comfortable to eat. After some time your fish will begin to trust you and you will not have to walk so far away. Once they are at the point where you put your hand out and they all come up to the surface, start to lower your hand in the water with the food. Before you know it they will be eating right out of your hand.

When Winning Is Everything

Key ideas from the Harvard Business Review article by Deepak Malhotra, Gillian Ku, J. Keith Murnighan

Have you ever made a decision in the heat of competitive battle only to ask yourself later, "What was I thinking?" If so, you've experienced competitive arousal, a desire to beat rivals at any cost. This adrenaline-fueled, emotional state can lead to expensive mistakes in business decisions, including overpaying for acquisitions or managerial talent when other players enter the fray.

To combat competitive arousal, Malhotra, Ku, and Murnighan recommend two steps. First, understand the affliction's three drivers: 1) intense rivalry (especially in a small field), 2) time pressure, and 3) the presence of an audience (including media attention and colleagues' scrutiny). Then take preventative action; for example, reduce time pressure during a high-stakes negotiation by insisting on a short time-out.

Manage the risk factors for competitive arousal, and you focus your competitive energies on winning contests where you have a real advantage--and away from those where winning comes at too high a price.

The Idea in Practice

To avoid falling prey to competitive arousal, consider these practices:

Understand the Drivers of Competitive Arousal

Competitive arousal comes from these drivers:

Rivalry. Going head-to-head with one or two opponents creates strong feelings of excitement and anxiety, which intensify arousal. Time pressure. An externally mandated or self-imposed deadline increases psychological arousal, which then prevents you from finding and applying relevant information to make a decision. So, you may overrely on simple decision rules (such as "Strategies that worked before will help me now"). Presence of an audience. Imagine the media or your colleagues watching your every move during a high-stakes decision. When you're in the spotlight, it's hard to avoid a rush of adrenaline and to resist the urge to show you're a winner.

Any of these drivers fuels competitive arousal. When they're all present, the risk of making a bad decision increases exponentially.

Manage Compe
titive Arousal

You can't avoid dealing with rivals, making quick decisions, and operating in a spotlight. But you can minimize the potential for competitive arousal and the harm it can inflict.

First, consider circumventing competition entirely. For example, noncompete clauses can help you avoid hyper-rivalry with firms eyeing your star employees.

Second, mitigate the drivers. For instance:

To defuse rivalry: Remember: competitors aren't evil; they're simply parties with their own interests--like you. You'll view them with a cooler eye.

Be willing to step away from the bargaining table if you can't control your competitive fire in an intense rivalry. Put someone else in charge of the negotiation who's less emotionally invested and who can act as a devil's advocate regarding the worth of the deal.

To reduce time pressure: Ask yourself: "Do I really need to make this decision today?" If not, extend or eliminate arbitrary deadlines.

An executive used to negotiate important deals over breakfast because he was at his best early in the day. But he realized this gave him insufficient time to consider and respond to unexpected proposals. He had often agreed to price concessions he later regretted. He abandoned the breakfast-only rule.

To deflect the effects of an audience: Spread responsibility for critical decisions across team members, so no one will stand alone in the spotlight.

If you anticipate that an acquisition will make headlines, calculate the price above which you're unwilling to go before word of your potential bid hits newsstands. Include premiums you're willing to pay; for example, paying extra to eliminate a competitor.

Every year on March 29 Earth Hour is celebrated in Australia, US and worldwide.

Earth Hour began last year in Sydney, Australia, as a way to get an entire city to help do something about climate change. A symbolic act, it nevertheless managed to cut individual energy use by a fraction as people across the city shut off the lights.

More than 150,000 individuals and tens of thousands of schools, businesses and other organizations participated this year by shutting out all the lights for an hour between 8 and 9 p.m.

The benefits of the Earth Hour idea are also evident for backyard stargazers, whose view of the night sky is typically obscured by light pollution.

Honda robot conducts Detroit symphony

DET
ROIT , Michigan (AP) -- The lights dimmed, the sold-out hall grew hushed and out walked the conductor -- shiny, white and 4 feet, 3 inches tall. ASIMO, a robot designed by Honda Motor Co., met its latest challenge Tuesday evening: Conducting the Detroit Symphony in a performance of "The Impossible Dream" from "Man of La Mancha."

"Hello, everyone,
" ASIMO said to the audience in a childlike voice, then waved to the orchestra.

As it conducted, it perfectly mimicked the actions of a conductor, nodding its head at various sections and gesturing with one or both hands. ASIMO took a final bow to enthusiastic shouts from the audience.

"It is absolutely thrilling to perform with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. This is a magnificent concert hall," ASIMO said. Watch ASIMO lead the symphony »

Later, cellist Yo-Yo Ma joined ASIMO onstage to receive an award for his efforts in music education. Ma bent to ASIMO's height and shook the robot's hand. Ma performed later on the program but didn't take questions from the media about ASIMO.

Honda s
pokeswoman Alicia Jones said it was the first time ASIMO has conducted an orchestra, and it may be the first time any robot has conducted a live performance. ASIMO stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility.

ASIMO has its limits. ASIMO's engineers programmed the robot to mimic Charles Burke, the Detroit Symphony's education director, as he conducted the piece in front of a pianist about six months ago. But it can't respond to the musicians.

During the first rehearsal, the orchestra lost its place when ASIMO began to slow the tempo, something a human conductor would have sensed and corrected, said bassist Larry Hutchinson.

"It's not a communicative device. It simply is programmed to do a sense of gestures," said Leonard Slatkin, the orchestra's musical director. "If the orchestra decides to go faster, there's nothing the robot can do about it. Hopefully, I keep that under control."

But several musicians also said ASIMO was more realistic than they expected.

"The movements are still a little stiff, but very humanlike, much more fluid than I thought," Hutchinson said.

Honda has been developing walking robots since 1986. The latest version of ASIMO debuted last year. Honda eventually intends its robots to be companions for the elderly and others in need, such as schoolchildren navigating crosswalks. ASIMO can run, walk on uneven slopes and respond to simple voice commands. It can also recognize faces with its camera eyes.

Honda brought the robot to Detroit to highlight its recent $1 million gift to the orchestra for a music education fund.

Myanmar-another cyclone brewing

Another "significa
nt" tropical cyclone is brewing in the Andaman Sea, and it has Myanmar's major city, Yangon, in its cross-hairs.

While the storm is only forming now, it still is dropping rain on the ravaged region, and packs sustained winds of up to 35 mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

This cyclone is approaching Yangon from the opposite direction that Tropical Cyclone Nargis did. That storm formed in the Bay of Bengal, headed east, and struck with Category 4 hurricane strength in the Irrawaddy River Delta region. This second storm is forming in the Andaman Sea, headed West and may gain strength after it passes Myanmar and heads out into the Bay of Bengal.

With the official death toll climbing by the day, and Myanmar's military junta still restricting the access of relief workers, some 2 million people may be at risk of starvation or disease because of atrocious living conditions in the wake of Nargis.

Most of us can’t go an hour without cell, and usually our battery seems to be losing the ability to hold juice. So we carry the charger around with us, asking for an outlet in some of the most inappropriate places, like restaurants etc. If only you had known when your battery was new about the precautions that would help preserve its life. Unfortunately, there's no bouncing back for a worn-down battery, other than buying a new one, adding it to the expanding cell phone parts and accessories waste stream, but here are a few tips to help save your cell phone battery from a similar fate.

1. Stop charging overnight! The longer a battery is charging, the longer it's exposed to heat, which can wear it down. Most cell phone batteries fully charge in under two hours, so as soon as all bars have been restored, unplug your phone. And while you're at it, unplug the charger, which constantly drains power even when it's not juicing up your phone.

2. All heat sources--not just the charger--can damage the battery, so whenever possible, keep your phone out of the heat. Put it in your pocket instead of on the table on hot days. Avoid parking it on the dashboard of your vehicle.

3. Adjust to power-saving settings. Lighting the screen drains the most battery power, so cut the LCD brightness down as far as you can without causing eye strain, and, if your eyes can take it, turn down the backlight setting so that it dims in just a few seconds.

4. During periods when you'd rather not be bothered, like in the movie theater or while sleeping, turn the phone off completely.

And keep in mind that power is draining whenever the phone is in use, even if it's not for a phone call, so only play Tetris when you absolutely have to.