Dealing with Cellphones in our Classrooms

This is an issue all teachers and administrative have to deal with these days. By one side is the students that argue they really need to be in touch with the outside world while they're in class and by the other, the teachers that think they are being violated in their privacy. Nobody is unaware of the bullying among students and of course the mocked teachers what what we have here is a new generation of grow ups and teen who had been born in techie environment. Most of schools are banning the use of cell phone while in its grounds, some other have strict rules for such devices.

The problem is some of our students are tapping teachers activities for very short period of time which creates a (distortioned) image of the classroom teacher. Let's look at the experiment conducted by Kevin Metcalf who happens to be teaching at North Rockland High School in Thiells, N.Y. He tries an experiment with his students. He asks them to whip out their cellphones —whose use is otherwise forbidden in the classroom under school rules— while he puts his head down on his desk for a second and acts as though he’s doing nothing. He then asks them that if they were to take a picture and put it on YouTube, what would people think of his teaching?

He'd got answers like ‘lazy,’ and ‘doesn’t care.’ He tries to explain his students he would be judged by their peers on one second of a 45-minute class. The experiment, he says, brings home to the students how such an action could misrepresent the truth and have serious consequences for someone. And this is not a threatening situation. Imagine how distorted might become an issue inside the classroom if an student just tapes seconds of a disruptive class?

Now, I am not against use of technology because we already are way ahead of the counterculture of the 6O's where the youngsters were thinking the computers were about to replace men. I am part and I am living the cyberculture generation (G-gen) and of course we have to learn and teach how to use technology in classrooms, we've moved beyond projectors and VHS. Now we have very small and reliable devices to register any kind of information. We do have to allow our kids to use their cell phones but we have to teach them no how to operate them because they might the teachers in that particular situation but, show them the consequences of not using it properly. How their very own safety is involved, their families, their loved ones and even their friends.

Once they learn the consequences it will be up to them. We all know (they too) the consequences of violating safety regulation, the secrecy of our personal acts and the power involved in having a device emitting short waves to highest frequencies. Unfortunately, according to Vaishali Honawar and his post Cellphones in Classrooms Land Teachers on Online Video Sites points to two cases in Court: Evens v. L.A. Unified School District; and, Roberts v. Houston Independent School District.

From those two cases we can conclude that only whether students refer to threatening comments, a Judge will pay attention to a teacher's complain. Legislation vary according to each state but the variety of issues with cellphones in schools, the United States, legal experts say, school districts tend to ignore videos that are simply embarrassing to a teacher, but do act when they find that the taping is a threat to the school or teacher or is disruptive to learning. The court holds that a teacher must always expect public dissemination of his or her classroomcommunications and activities.

A have a kid in 5th grade and he's not using a cellphone yet but I am about to give him one for Christmas and he knows how to use the lap top and links perfectly with YouTube. My question is: Will a fellow teacher feel ashamed if my kid shoots a photo and posts it on YouTube, modified or unmodified? It will be hard for the school to show disruption just because of it. We are talking about First Amendment speech here.

For more contributions read: [http://education.ning.com] or [http://dww.ed.gov]

Advocating a better education system for the 21st. century

This is the subtitle the author has been using in her page Change Agency. Stephanie Sandifer is a professional in education working in the southern Houston. I wasn't reading my subscriptions lately and I haven't realized how much information our mind had lost. We are followers of what Change Agency publishes everyday!

What today caught our attention was the dynamics of this page: interesting post links for teacher's business, introduction of new hand-on experiences, quotes, etc. Et al.

teh i11it3r4t3 o teh 21 c3ntury w0nt b th0s3 wh0 c4nt r34d & wr1t3 but th0s3 wh0 c4nt 134rn un134rn & re134rn

Why should we quote like this? Don't ask me, ask her!

Stephanie has being talking about interesting experiences that we believe every teacher should be paying attention, it's no matter of vanish some technology tools or application but how we teach them and a different approach how we are using the technology in education. Read her IMing experience.

Do you know what is the Ghost Walk concept? Well, let us ask again Stephanie Sandifer.

Don't leave yet. The most interesting topic still coming. Did you ever happen to use Google Doc in the classroom? I'm not. I do have this application in use but for other business than education. Follow the mob and for any reason miss this screencast that explains everything!

The Economist Debates Education -K12Online07

Education is a resource every country should pay close attention and the next moth two events are coming and are related to the Educational businesses. BizDeansTalk speaks of a The Economist organizing what they called Debate Series, five propositions have now been short-listed to address the most far-reaching and divisive aspects of the education debate: the place of foreign students in higher education; the position of corporate donors; and the role of technology in today's classrooms. The highest ranking propositions will be debated, with the first launching on Oct 15th.

The following are the propositions:

1. This house believes that the continuing introduction of newtechnologies and new media adds little to the quality of mosteducation.
2. This house proposes that governments and universities everywhereshould be competing to attract and educate all suitably-qualifiedstudents regardless of nationality and residence.
3. This house believes that companies donate to education mainly to winpublic goodwill and there is nothing wrong with this.
4. This house believes that the "digital divide" is a secondary problemin the educational needs of developing countries.
5. This house believes that social networking technologies will bringlarge changes to educational methods, in and out of the classroom.

In the other hand, October 8th, the k12 Online Conference 2007 is coming. I wasn't tagged but I would love to spread the word of mouth and list my three reason why I might be in such a conference:

1. Opportunities to meet new educational big tanks.
2. Learn at your own pace, in your own space.
3. Is your school district offering professional development at this level?

There might be more (there are for sure) reasons to attend. Welcome all educators.

How to validate online information?

It comes as a subject in Wesley Fryer' page. And it has to be with the approach Mr Obama just had to the popular Flickr. How do we know whether Obama is really behind that account? Yes, we know he's many people to help him out but as Fryer says, we can go to his page and verify effectively there is a link to his Flick account. So, no spoof at this point. However, in school how these kids and students can learn to validate this kind of info?

If one or more of your current or past students created a “spoof page” purportedly made by you on any social networking website, how would others be able to verify whether or not it was truly yours? Do you have a personal website where you link to other websites you maintain and have actually made? I know most teachers don’t, but should they? It’s an interesting question to consider.

Until then follow Wesley suggestion: check back with The Quality Information Checklist.

Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsability

One thing almost all parents lack, is the great oportunity parents have to visit their son's schools and what a better opportunity to go and have meeting and chats with the teachers during the American Educacion Week scheduled to beging on November, 12th.

You should pay attention to this report: Childrens, Family, and Media: A Benchmark where the awarded Michael Cohen Group(Research & Consulting) arrive to interesting conclusions related to the Digital Divide in American Schools. A round of questions were answered during a chat-interview conducted by Janelle Callahan, associate of the EPE Research Center. What would it be you best answer for the following question:

Far too often teachers and school leaders assume that students have access to computers and the internet at home. Typically, homework and projects now require easy access to computers and the internet (even in the primary grades). Without it, low income students are "left behind." Not only do they earn poorer grades, they become "marginalized" early on...because they recognize that they are different. Can you suggest some realistic solutions, given the reality that income still dictates whether or not resources are available in homes and communities. -Annette Clayton, Lead School Social Worker, Newport News Public Schools.
Everyone outside US thinks we here don't have poverty or social issues, that everything seen and taught in the American society should be imitated. Far from the real thing! The Cohen Group points: "this study serves as a benchmark, allowing us to measure change over time for years to come. Identifying change in dynamics such as media ownership, media use, and preferred content provides an invaluable tool for researchers, policy makers,educators, and others.

"The results as they say, confirm mine/ours collective sense that media is increasingly integral to family and personal life. These are the five outstanding research conclusions:

1) A wide range of media and media technologies are owned and utilized by familiesand young children.
2) Families and individuals at every economic level participate in media andtechnology ownership and use.
3) There are differences in the incidence of ownership by income level for somemedia, particularly in more expensive and emerging media technologies that areless commonly found at lower income levels. Other technologies enjoy nearuniversal penetration.
4) Ownership and involvement in media and technology is about both affordabilityand perceived value(s); not everyone necessarily wants all media.
5) The use of media—or the functions that media technologies serve—is similaracross the income spectrum. Once owned, there is little variation in how thesetechnologies are used.

Exposure: Hispanic Students Don't Have the Same Oportunities as White Ones

The problems comes reflected of what's going on in society. Minorities for example can be heard throughout Radio or TV because big companies own such channels of distribution and then only people with those very same interest can use the waves to transmit messages to the consumers. Univision es a very large hispanic network but is the only one and it doesn't cover more than the 37 millions of hispanics in the US. How an black or Hispanic person can own a radio or channel of TV if they don't have the money to compete with big networks as MSNBC or any of the only six proprietors of the american opinion?

That's what happening in schools. A recent analysis of 93,845 public school enrollment data by the Pew Hispanic Center revealed some interesting findings. The Center examined ethnic make up in public schools between 1993-94 and 2005-06 and discovered that while non Hispanic white students were less isolated from minority students black and Hispanic students became a little more isolated from non Hispanic white students.

I would like to hear for example how many students from hispanic roots and studying in public school are trained in how to run a blog as an academic tool and what willbe the benefits of having a blogroll in one side of such a page. I would also like to get information of what will the impact on academic development if those same students learn how to optimize the observation and analysis of educational videos produced in YouTube but through the Firefox extention called, Better YouTube.

I have to say that in some cases from my very own experiences the parents had deep responsability on this matter. If kids spent more time with parents, if they were able to help them with homework, if they spend quality time with their family; hispanic students will outerperform those insolated ones in a very short time. Let us know your opinions.

Teaching how to read and write in different modes

Pushing Writing Literacy from W. Richardson says all:

I always ask how many of the teachers in the room are teaching their students to read and write in different modes, in hypertext, with art and photos, in audio and video, using all of them combined. I’m surprised if I get more than a hand or two going up.

Students are in charge of their own learning. Period!

I just got the report for the first marking period and after checking out percentages of my son I came to the conclusion that being a 10 years old kid, he's in charge of what he wants to learn. I know, many of you might be saying: yeah alright! Of course as David Warlick points out, our kids now are using the internet in a very different way that we were familiar 5-10 years ago:

Today, however, our children seem to be spending more time interacting in their social networks, and, in my opinion, discovering and even inventing new ways to learn through those interactions. But we don’t understand this.

However, the older generation still thinks of resourceful and ruthless process of learning. What about those kids without the computers, do they have to fall behind in knowledge just because the lack of skill and resources when other people don't even know what to do with their computers? We do have to rely on internet and our kids socialnetworking skills but please do not forget about those families without internet access or even those poor kids worldwide.

Books, Magazines, Newspapers and more

I've illustrated children's books intended for both public release and in-house use by organisations working directly with children, as well as comic books, newspapers, and more personal projects. The results have always been very well received all round.

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5 Ways to Attract More Comments

Posted by Ben Cook:

One of the easiest ways to find out how well your blog is reaching people is to look at the level of comments. Are people interacting on your site? Are they actively participating with you and your content or are they just consuming (reading) and moving on? The comment level on this blog seems to mimic a wave but overall, I’m pretty happy with it. However, if you’re not satisfied with the current number of comments on your blog, here are 5 ways to Attract More Comments.

5. Make them:
Regular readers of this blog will probably eventually get sick of hearing this (if you’re not already) but commenting on other blogs really is one of the most effective and worthwhile activities in blogging. When it comes to attracting more comments on your blog, it once again makes the list. By commenting on other blogs you demonstrate that you’re an active participant in the blogging community. It implies that you see the value in the types of discussions that occur on blogs because, after all, if you didn’t you wouldn’t be commenting. Also, it’s basically an ice breaker. Even in this rather anonymous online world, people are often nervous about interacting with a new person. By commenting on other blogs, you initiate the conversation. Something as simple as “Hi, I just found your site via ____ and I’m really enjoying it.” can often lead to multiple comments on your blog as well as a new reader or subscriber.

4. Reward them:
Someone once said that to get anyone to do anything, you have to show them the benefits. I’m probably butchering some great marketing genius’ advice but the point is, if there’s a benefit to the action, people are a lot more likely to do it. So, applying that idea to blog commenting, it stands to reason that if you openly reward those who comment on your site, you’ll generate more comments! This can take all sorts of forms, but the easiest and most obvious is the Top Commentators plugin. The plugin has been covered at length on several different blogs so I’m not going to get too far into it but basically you reward your most frequent commentators with a link on your site.

Another method of rewarding comments, and something I try to do on this blog as often as possible, is to highlight a comment in your post. Whether you’re answering a question directly, or a comment inspired you to discuss a certain topic, it’s a chance for you to openly thank and reward someone that leaves a comment. The more ways you can display this type of behavior, the more likely people will be to comment on your posts. Why? Because they can clearly see the benefit in doing so.

3. Bait them:
Take a quick look at the list of “Most Commented Posts” for this blog and you’ll see two examples of posts that inherently elicit responses from readers. Any type of controversial post or topic is a fantastic opportunity to generate comments on your blog. Not only does controversy generate more traffic and more links, but it almost always generates more comments. Whether people agree with you, or disagree with you, most will feel the need to weigh in on the issue. Once that happens, just sit back and watch your comment numbers grow. Not only will people begin to support or argue your point, they’ll also begin to engage each other and spawn whole new conversations and topics for debate. Despite what you may think of his blog, John Chow has been a master of this. He’ll throw a post out there and then some idiot like myself will decide to weigh in. Before you know it, you’ve got a handful of people attacking your point, and (hopefully) a handful of people defending you! Bottom line? If you can touch a nerve, you’re guaranteed to get a comment (or 20).

2. Respond to them:
This point seems fairly obvious but you’d be surprised how many bloggers seem to forget about it. If you want to attract more comments on your blog, you absolutely MUST let people know that you’re hearing them. If someone leaves a comment on your blog, respond to it! Thank them for it, answer their question, or just simply continue the discussion. However you go about it, let them know you read and appreciated their comment. Personally I try to respond to as many comments as I can, but I make it a point to interact with someone the first time they comment. The Comment Relish plugin helps with this by automatically generating a response to a new commentator, but I try to take it even further and respond on the blog as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve commented on a blog and come back to find absolutely now acknowledgment of it. Did the blogger see it? Did they not like my comment? Are they not actively blogging anymore? All those questions usually lead to me not commenting again and I’m not alone in that. If you want more comments on your blog, be sure to respond to the ones you do get.

1. Ask for them:
Once again a fairly obvious point, and yet, still the most effective way I’ve found to attract more comments is to simply ask for them. At the end of a post, ask for your readers’ feedback. Let them know their input is appreciated. If you can also highlight the benefits of commenting that we discussed in point 4, even better. This doesn’t have to be some big long plea for comments, it can be something as simple as “What do you think?” or “If I missed anything, let me know!” Darren Rowse of ProBlogger and Chris Garrett of Chrisg.com are experts at this. At then end of most posts they have some sort of call to action prompting their readers to comment and it’s easy to see the results of their efforts. I think of it kind of like a speech or a presentation. You write your post which presents the idea or the concept or your opinion, and once you’re done you open it up for questions or comments. If you never turn over the floor so to speak, you’re not likely to get nearly as many comments.

So there you have it, 5 Ways to Attract More Comments. As you saw there’s not some secret sauce or special formula to it. In fact, many of these things are common sense, but I’ve found a lot of times it’s the simple things we struggle the most with. For example, I’m sure other bloggers have written on this subject and I’ve probably read one or all of these points before. However, while writing this up I realized I’d done a poor job in a couple of these areas recently and the number of comments reflects that. So even if you’ve heard it all before, I hope you benefit from this little refresher as much as I did in writing it.

If you have any tips or suggestions for other ways to attract more comments, let us know in the comments below. After all, not only do I make use of the Top Commentators plugin, but you never know when I’ll turn your comment into the focus of a whole new post!

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Top 6 Dieting Mistakes Women Make

It seems to me, there’s no woman among friends of mine who have never tried to lose weight by dieting. I myself heard the word “diet” already in my childhood. I remember my mom eating only boiled meat or only drinking kefir during the whole day to become slimmer. She read about such diets somewhere in a newspaper or they were recommended by her friends. But did my mom do this the right way? And do you do it correctly? Here are top 6 mistakes women make while dieting. I hope, you can correct them.

Dieting Mistake 1. Dieting without Doctor’s Consultation

Never start a new diet without an expert’s consultation. Every organism is unique and has its own peculiarities, this is why the diet which made your friend slim is not necessarily going to make you lose a lot of excess weight, too. When choosing a diet, take into consideration the peculiarities of your health and environment: weight, age, profession and so on. The causes of your excess weight may be different as well. Some people gain weight only because of a wrong diet, while some may be ill, which makes them obese.

Dieting Mistake 2. Eating Only Unvaried Food

There’re a lot of myths about how nice it makes one lose weight, if they eat only buckwheat, for example. Any diet containing unvaried food is very dangerous, as it makes your body receive only a certain set of vitamins and minerals, while it still needs other ones, too. Extremely dangerous are those diets excluding animal proteins, that is, meat. If you have decided to become vegetarian, start eating vegetable food very carefully. Make sure, that your body receives enough iron. Dairy products are of vital importance, as they provide your body with calcium. Imagine, what can be said about starvation diet. Remember, that lack of food can do a lot of harm to your body.

Dieting Mistake 3. Trying to Lose Weight Only by Dieting

This is a big mistake to believe, that it’s possible to lose weight, if you only diet. Well, you can probably lose some kilograms, but you will gain them back, as soon as you stop your diet. A thin body can be achieved only by combining dieting with physical exercises, as well as changing your way of life. It’s not so important, what you eat and how much of it you eat. Pay more attention to how much you move. So, you need both a healthy diet and a healthy living.

Dieting Mistake 4. Combining Dieting with Stresses

Avoid stresses. There’re lots of people, who may lose their temper and start eating everything they see exactly in stress situations. If you notice such behavior of yours, it’s a problem for dieting. Don’t start dieting, if you’re not sure you will be able to complete what you’ve started.

Dieting Mistake 5. Losing Too Much Weight Too Quickly

Don’t strive for losing as much kilograms as possible as soon as possible. One could lose flesh during the first month due to the lack of excess water in the body. But loosing more than 3 kilograms in one month can be dangerous for your health. If it happens, your body loses non-fatty tissues as well as fatty ones, which is inadmissible.

Dieting Mistake 6. Combining Various Diets

Don’t try to combine different diets. One weightloss method can contradict another one. And combining such diets may be harmful to your health.

Remember, that after dieting for some period of time and achieving a slim bodyhealthy dieting and exercising. So, take some time for regular physical exercises and take care of what you eat over the period of your entire life. you were striving for it’s possible to gain all your kilograms back, if you stop

Unhealthy Foods Can Be Healthy

Today many people take care of their health. We try to eat less and avoid eating some foods, which are regarded to as unhealthy. Such ones are junk food, sweets, fried foods and so on. The consumption of some of the food we think is unhealthy should be restricted, such as pork (as it contains a lot of fat) and eggs (as they are rich in “bad” cholesterol). Some should be not consumed at all, such as coke. Some foods we just try to avoid, as we are sure, they can make us fat and unhealthy, but these foods are in reality not so bad and can even do you good. Here are some of them.

Red Meat

100 grams of beef contain 129 kilocalories and 4,5 grams of fat, while the same 100 grams of chicken also have 129 kilocalories and 4,5 grams of fat. At the same time beef contains three times more iron and four times more zinc, which are needed by your body.

Ice-cream

It has occurred, ice-cream is digested slowly, this is why one needs only a little ice-cream to feel satiated for a long time. Choosing from various diets, note, that a scoop of ice cream (75 grams) contains 114 kilocalories and 6 grams of fat, while a usual cheese bun contains 511 kilocalories and 43 grams of fat.

Butter

Some people don’t eat butter at all to prevent some diseases, while it’s so beneficial to our health. In reality you can’t eat a lot of butter, for example, you would need only a little butter for a sandwich, that is, 8 grams of fat, which won’t, of course, cause a cardiovascular disease immediately. Butter is one of the rarest foods containing vitamin В and beta-carotene – antioxidant, which is healthy for your heart and lungs.

Mutton Kebab

Strange as it may seem, a portion of kebab is one of the “safest” fast foods. One portion contains 232 kilocalories and 6 grams of fat, while a standard hamburger has 250 kilocalories and 8 grams of fat.

Most foods we know can be both healthy and in some cases cause illnesses. Moderate consumption of various kinds of foods can be beneficial to your health. Don’t overeat and make sure your body consumes enough necessary vitamins, minerals and other healthy substances with food you eat.

Cereals Prevent Breast Cancer

Most women trying to be thin and lose weight don’t eat bread. But in reality coarse meal bread and whole grain bread can reduce the risk of breast cancer in young women. This has been found due to a seven-year study of 35000 women. According to the researchers, 350 patients developed malignant breast tumor before menopause. All of them consumed food rich in proteins instead of fibers. As a result, this type of diet was one of the causes of breast cancer. Pr. Janet Cade from University of Leeds claims, that nutrition can have a dramatic impact on cancer development in young women.

The researchers did not find the link between diet and breast cancer for older women, but before menopause particular diets contribute to breast cancer. This means, that those preferring healthy food rich in fibers are less likely to develop breast cancer. To prevent breast cancer eat cereals, muesli, grains, bread, pasta, fruits and vegetables, as they are rich in fibers.

Blue Shade Glasses to Lose Weight

Hey, don’t go to the kitchen! Stop! Don’t open the fridge, no-nooo! Please, stop it. No, please, not the cake and not the coke. At least not now – it’s 10 p.m. already. Hey, put it back right now! Close it! What about your figure? Don’t open your mouth! Don’t eat it!
Don’t!
No!
NOOOO!

Sometimes you just can’t resist eating a cake, chips or some fried pork before sleep. And you are sure to drink something absolutely unhealthy with it. It happens, because you see the food and it looks very appetizing. You may try lots of dieting plans, weight loss pills, read special books to the topic, but there will be a day, when you finally fail and start to eat what you want and when you want. To rid you of this problem, Japanese scientists have developed Blue Shade Glasses, which make food less attractive. This gadget is a pair of glasses with blue lenses, which “colors” the food blue. Blue is the color which decreases appetite. Food appearing in blue colors looks weird and absolutely not so irresistible.

Compare these two pictures of the same appetizing dish.

This is an example of how food changes due to the blue shade glasses. It differs a lot, right?

It’s a well-known fact, that nutritionists recommend to eat from blue plates to lose weight, but as you can’t take blue dishes with you everywhere, there have been developed weight loss blue shade glasses. I haven’t tried the glasses myself, but I would like to know, how they work in practice. The weight loss shade glasses can be now bought only in Japan for $20. Looking forward to them in other countries.

Probiotics in Yoghurt Drinks Affect Metabolism

A new study conducted by Nestlé Research Center along with a team from Imperial College London has found, that probiotics, such as drinking yoghurts, which contain live bacteria, may have a serious effect on the metabolism. As probiotics contain potentially beneficial bacteria playing an important role in the metabolism, they have an effect on the biochemistry of the gut microbes. Probiotics contain so-called “friendly” bacteria, which help the digestive system. The study of how exactly it occurs was the goal of the research.

Probiotics Effect Fat Amount

The researchers had used two groups of mice for figuring out, how probiotics effect the metabolism. One group had received probiotic treatment, and the other one had not. Then different metabolites in the liver, urine, blood and faeces of both groups were compared. The researchers observed many biochemical changes in how the mice treated with probiotics metabolized bile acids. These acids are produced by the liver and their primary function is to emulsify fats in the upper gut. As probiotics had an effect on the way in which bile acids are metabolized, then they can influence the amount of fat the body can absorb.

How Probiotics Influence the Metabolism

The study shows, that adding the “friendly” bacteria contained in probiotics change the makeup of the bugs in the gut. It increases the number of these bacteria and works with other bacteria in the gut amplifying their effects. Probiotics interact with other bacteria and indeed influence the local microflora. The changes probiotics bring about have to be studied further to find out the influence on overall health. But what is established is that probiotics can change the dynamics of the whole microbes population in the gut. Further researches will open up the possibility of developing new probiotic therapies and finding customized nutritional solutions to maintain or enhance health at an individual level.

Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Wards off Childhood Asthma and Allergy

A two-stage study has shown, that women, who follow Mediterranean diet in pregnancy, also protect their babies from childhood asthma and allergy. During the first stage of the study, 1997, doctors recruited 507 women who attended an antenatal clinic on Menorca, Spain. These women were quizzed about their dietary habits. Six years later the children of these women were examined for asthma and were tested to see if their organisms responded to six common allergens. The researchers found, that the diet of children did not influence the fact whether they had these problems. The main reason was the dietary intake of the mothers while pregnant.

Study Results

The researchers elaborated the Mediterranean Diet Score System, which measured the consumption of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, legumes, fish and wholegrain cereals. One third of the quizzed mothers had a low rating on this score, while two-thirds had a high score. At the same time children from the “low score” group were almost twice likelier to develop allergies and about four times as likely as children from the “high score” group, to develop asthmatic symptoms.

What is the Mediterranean Diet

There are two main components in the Mediterranean diet: antioxidants (vitamin compounds that kill free radicals) and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In our case the first ones were found effective against asthma in babies, the second ones protected against inflammation.

In general, the Mediterranean diet consists of the following products:

• lots of fruits and vegetables,
• fish,
• bread
• wheat and other cereals,
• moderate amounts of red wine.

Mediterranean diet differs from that one typical to the Americans a lot: the second one has the high amount of animal fats, while Mediterranean diet means first of all the consumption of a lot of olive oil, which lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, blood sugar level and blood pressure. This is why Mediterranean diet is associated with longevity.

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It came the day when I realized that I am mired with a lot of loans to pay. I did not know how to make good financial decisions in the first place. I turned to the internet and sought help. It was then that I discovered these sites, DebtFreeSteps.com and mydebtconsolidationadvice.com. I followed their advices on how to deal with this financial problem. I realized that it was not too late for me to pick up and avail of the debt relief products that are posted on their sites.

Debt consolidation is the prime product of these sites. It puts all the loans and debts that you have to pay regularly into a single bill, which is easier to manage. Lower interest rates are also an added benefit that comes with this service – as compared to paying everything separately. These two portals provide the means to find what you think is the most fitting
debt companies – you can simply find one that is rightly accessible in your location.For as low as $2,000 anyone can start getting free from debt. However, DebtFreeSteps.com caters only to US residents, while mydebtconsolidationadvice.com is available in both US and UK residents. If you are a Christian, go for mydebtconsolidationadvice.com, as it extends a more spiritual and biblical approach on attaining financial freedom. Students who are already sitting on a debt may want to go for DebtFreeSteps.com.

I am optimistic that I will finally be able to get debt free. I think getting debt consolidation is a good financial decision. I finally learned how to manage my finances through their plethora of articles and everything is comes in a single billing. Debt consolidation has solved my financial problem, and now I just have to focus on other things that matter in my life

Settling your debt

Debt Negotiation involves negotiating with creditors to lower the amount that a consumer owes. Through debt negotiation and debt settlement, client can dramatically reduce their debt levels and become debt free faster than they ever would deem possible. It’s a new approach to debt relief and the fastest way to become debt free while avoiding bankruptcy.
All debt can be settled before or after arbitration and litigation. Debt negotiation is primarily useful in settling collections accounts, credit card debt, deficiency balances from repossessions of cars or automobiles, and medical bills.

Credit Report

Considered important for us in life especially when someone applies for a loan, insurance- auto, home, or personal, rents an apartment, or applies for a job, is an individual’s credit report, financial information, and financial history. The credit reports usually contain our personal data, credit history, inquiries, public records, and personal statement.

I plan to invest in certificates of deposit. This is similar to savings accounts in that they are insured and thus virtually risk-free. It is different from savings account in that the CD has a specific, fixed term- often three months, six months, or one to five years, and, usually, a fixed interest rate.

Bad credit loans

You can find two types of people that might be viewed at credit risk to credit card issuers, those that have a bad credit in past and those who have no credit in past. Fortunately for such people, bad credit credit cards could help them generate a positive credit rating and have great credit future. Such type of credit card is actually a great way to prove that the creditors could trust these customers. If you are in need of bad credit loans then check out badcreditoffers.com. You can try out their top 10 credit cards for consumers with a bad credit rating. Not only that, apart from quick and easy approval, you are also eligible to rebuild your positive credit rating with some of the major bureaus. Some of the cards offered on this site are, first premier bank gold MasterCard, cash yes MasterCard and rewards 660 visa card. Visit the website for more info!

How to Apply Eye Shadow

We often hear the adage that the eyes are the windows to a person’s soul. In a sense it is true, because we can almost always know what kind of person someone is, or what is the underlying meaning of the words he or she speaks, simply by looking at the eyes. The eyes are prominent features of the face and are used a lot in communicating through non-verbal language. A person’s eyes are the features that attract attention whenever other people look at the face, women would do well to play up their eyes to enhance the face. There is nothing more attractive than lovely, tantalizing eyes.

The trick to creating eyes that will merit more than a second glance lies in the proper application of eye makeup, particularly the eye shadow. Here are a few tips and tricks guaranteed to make the eyes look enchanting.

Blend it Well

One of the keys to perfectly made-up eyes is in how the colors of the eye shadow are blended on the lids. The colors of your eye shadow should be flowing smoothly and harmoniously from one shade to the other upon your lids. To do this, you will need to use three colors for your eye shadow: the base color, the main color, and the highlighter. Apply the base color on your eyelids first, and then put on the main color. Afterwards, highlight the crease of your eyes.

Bring out the Color of Your Eyes

The colors of your eye shadow should bring out the color of your eyes, whether to match it or to go in contrast. Experiment with colors and see how well they go with your eyes.

Leave Your Brow Bone Alone

Putting eye shadow on your brow bone is too much; simplicity goes a long, long way. Put color up to your brow bone, but leave the brow bone itself alone.

Highlight Carefully

The purpose for putting highlighting color on the eyes is to set the eyes off and to complete the effect you are trying to achieve with your eye makeup. So it is important to apply your highlighter carefully. Blend your highlighter at the outer edge of the crease to make your eyes look larger. If your highlighter is too close, you will end up with beady-looking eyes.

Use a Primer

Use a primer before applying your eye shadow. Using it makes your eye shadow look smoother and also makes it last longer on your eyes.

Tone down the Shimmer

Shimmer is great for bringing out the eyes, but be careful in laying it out – it can bring out not just the eyes, but also the lines and the wrinkles.

Limit the Smoky Hue

If you are trying your hand at a smoky eye, try to keep your color on the eyelid and don’t let it come close to the crease.

Work the Lips

If you want to have dramatic red lips, keep your eye shadow light and use a concealer to hide unsightly lines on your lids. You would not want to look like a clown with red lips and heavy eye shadow.

Brighten with White

To make your eyes seem brighter, add a few dots of white just on the inside of eyes.

Color, Color, Color

Experiment with various shades of eye shadow. If you have bought something that you find too dark or bold for you, try to mix it with other colors.

French Manicure – Trend of the Past?

The origins of the classic French manicure are difficult to trace. Some insist that the simple design, a clean pale pink nail with white tip, originated in France in the 1800’s, while others credit Max Factor for creating the look for Paris fashionistas in the 1930’s. American brand Orly definitely trademarked the term here in the States in 1978 with their popular at home kit. Yet, in recent years, the prevalence of statement-making hues like Chanel’s Vamp and Black Satin have attracted all of the attention while the sad French manicure languished in the corner. And though women in middle America may sport the French mani regularly, it’s a rare occurrence to see a chic woman in New York with the design. It makes one think…is the French manicure a trend of the past? Here are four different opinions of polish experts on the topic.

Opinion #1. French Manicures are passé

French Manicures are definitely passé. They used to be done to make believe that the nail plate was longer and used to create an illusion. To me, they are not elegant at all. The most elegant is the short, clean and natural nail plate. Use a shape that is natural to your finger - not overly square or too rounded. The only reason I would ever recommend a French manicure is a form of treatment for people with extremely short nails….a form of make-up so to speak to make them look longer.

Opinion #2. Most French Manicures Look Fake and Tacky

A French manicure can look polished and classic if done well using an ivory or off white tip, dubbed the American Manicure. The problem is that most French manicures I see look fake and tacky because they have a stark white tip and are usually done on thick poorly executed acrylic nails. Besides there is such an incredible color range of polish on the market, why not have a little fun with your nails?

Opinion #3. Black Nails are the New French Manicure

They are so Cathy Lee “Over!” Why? Because the French really had nothing to do with that… Second, one of the top editors of a major fashion mag here in NY told me so…Black nails are the new French manicure.
That said, there is a whole group of women that still LOVE the French and can’t let go, so if you must, make sure you don’t get French on the same day you wear a David Cassidy hair cut and highwaisted Jordache Jeans. A ton of people will agree that a French still looks pretty good…but one bit of advice - STOP wearing it on your feet!
Here’s some good news: wear what you like and what works for you. If you like it and wear it with confidence, who cares…

Opinion #4. French Manicures Have Stood the Test of Time

French manicures are considered the “sexy woman’s red” or perfect for the “classic, sporty soccer mom.” They have stood the test of time and have become a standby for many special occasions for women, although it’s important to note that not every woman can sport the French manicure! If someone is a nail biter or has short chubby fingers, a French manicure will only enhance these flaws. If this is the case, it is then best to go with the color of the season, and this season colors are so rich and pigmented that they are hard to resist.

5 Methods of Making Stretch Marks Less Noticeable

Every woman can have a particular time in her life, when she is prone to develop stretch marks. Some women just have a genetic predisposition to stretch marks and get them without significant reasons. Other women never develop stretch marks even after 4 pregnancies, but such lucky beauties are rare species. I have already written about the occurrence of sretch marks and some ways of their preventions. In this story I am sharing with you are some other remedies for stretch marks, which, though they are effective against stretch marks, can be made at your home.

Unfortunately it is impossible to totally get rid of stretch marks using only home remedies. What you can do at home to stretch marks is to make them less noticeable. Here are some useful tips for it:

1. Exercise more, because it tones your muscles and makes your skin more elastic.
2. Eat food with plenty of protein and rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, because they promote good tissue growth.
3. Massage your body in the places, where stretch marks occurred. In order to make the massage more effective, use olive oil.
4. Apply cocoa butter and elastin cream on the stretch marked areas of your body.
5. You can also try the following recipe against stretch marks.

1/2 cup virgin olive oil.

1/4 cup aloe vera gel.

liquid from 6 capsules of Vitamin E.

liquid from 4 capsules of Vitamin A.

Take these ingredients, mix them together in a blender. After that pour the mixture into a jar and store it in the fridge. Apply the substance on the body areas, where you have stretch marks and, as you are prone to them, apply it also on other zones without stretch marks, but where stretch marks normally appear (abdomen, hips, thighs and breasts). This will help reduce the size and appearance of the existing stretch marks and prevent their further occurrence.

How to Prevent Stretch Marks and Be a Beauty

Normally our skin is elastic, but if you grow really fast, there appear lines on the body which are called stretch marks. It can happen during puberty, pregnancy or postpartum, when the body changes a lot and quickly. The usual places for them are abdomen, breasts, armsthighs – that are all body parts with larger amounts of fat. Postpartum depressions is also not a rare case. When here appear stretch marks too, postpartum period is becoming nearly beyond endurance. Sometimes stretch marks become almost imperceptible after some postpartum time passes. But sometimes they are so deep that they could even be felt by their haver. and

What is a stretch mark?

Our skin consists of three layers: the epidermis (the outer), the dermis and the subcutaneous stratum (the inmost). No stretch mark can appear if there’s enough support in the dermis. The hormones, responsible for the occuring of stretch marks, prevent the forming of collagen and elasting fibers in the fibroblasts. Collagen and elasting fibers are the main and very important supportive materials when the skin is quickly stretched. As a result of their lack the dermis and the epidermis tear. I these places occur unpleasant stretch marks, spoiling the appearance of our beautiful bodies.

How to prevent stretch marks?

In order to prevent stretch marks, some doctors recommend stomach moisturizing during pregnancy. But it doesn’t mean it could help everyone. For some women stomach moisturizing prevents stretch marks, but some are simply prone to them. About 80% of pregnant women develop stretch marks to some degree. The skin needs to be more flexible to be prepared for pregnancy. Balanced diet, being well-hydrated and moisturizing the pregnant belly help avoid stretch marks. What is also to do with stretch marks is to use creams or undergo laser treatments; dermabrasion is one more remedy. Collagen hydrolysates, Gotu Kola extract and vitamin E can reduce the chance of the occurrence of stretch marks. In case they are too deep they can be removed by more drastic methods provided by the modern medicine. But if it’s not the case, the mentioned ingredients help significantly improve the appearance of the existing stretch marks.

Whether your stretch marks are deep or superficial, don’t hung up on the bad, you are beautiful even with stretch marks!

Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 Beta

Yahoo Messenger 9.0 Beta released.
Now with a new friend-happy design!

This new version has a whole new look and feel, along with some great new features that make it well worth the upgrade. These are some features that make you want to download it-

A whole new look for your contact list.

Keep it in detail view to see larger Avatar images for your friends, or switch to compact list view (in the Contacts menu). Plus, you can just hover and click to IM, SMS or call a friend.-

Brand new skins and emoticons!

Click the dot near the top of your Messenger window to choose a skin, and check the emoticon menu for the new ones that were inspired by user entries in our Emoticontest earlier this year (more on our winners in a future post).-

New Flickr integration in the photo sharing feature.

Easily share photos from your Flickr.com account, or save photos shared with you directly to Flickr.-

A new in-line media player that makes it easy to view maps, photos and videos from sites like Yahoo! Video and YouTube right in the IM window. No plug-ins needed, no extra downloads — it’s built right in. Just send a video, map or photo link to another friend who’s also on 9.0 to try it out.-

New features for voice calls.

You can have your incoming Phone In or free PC calls forwarded to another number like your mobile, home or office phone, even if you’re signed out of Messenger (Phone Out account required). Plus there’s a new way to get voicemail. When someone leaves you a voicemail in Messenger, an email is sent to you with an MP3 of the voice message attached.

The new Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 also offers localized versions in six new markets: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan (Urdu), and Vietnam. With these additions, Yahoo! Messenger is available in 25 international markets.

Click Here To DOWNLOAD ( Yahoo )

Payday advance

For a number of reasons, Payday Advance becomes popular. I also have been put in the unenviable position of unexpectedly needing some cash for an unexpected car repair bill recently and need immediate cash and I just do not have it. Payday loan was my last resort since I do not have to go through the hassle of a credit check, I can readily apply on the phone or on the Internet, the process takes less than 10 minutes, and the loan proceeds are automatically deposited into my bank account within 24 hours. Furthermore, it is affordable, discreet and secure.

If you have reasons to get rid of the stress of being short of cash, Oasis Payday Loans is here to help you too, which offers fast solutions. It’s a quick fix and you can cover the shortage, and get on with your life. Enjoy the fast and convenient online service to obtain pay day loans through Oasis Payday Loans.

Urgent Cash Relief Cash Advance

I am 23 years old and have a source of income but not enough to pay for my son’s hospitalization. I tried to search the internet to find quick cash assistance. I accidentally have visited Cash Advance site and linked me to Urgent Cash Relief Cash Advance perfect for my financial needs. I have submitted my application online and my payday loans approval is very fast and very efficient and I have received cash the next day.

Payday loan is really quick and easy way to bridge my cash needs between pay days without a credit check. It can really solve to these short-term cash needs effectively. For those who need immediate cash, money for car problems, medical emergencies, past due bills or just a quick grocery run Urgent Cash Relief Cash Advance is the perfect site for you too. The site is also specializes in finding quick, small amount loans to assist us with pressing cash needs

Avoiding Cash Advance

Upon receipt of your online credit card authorization, to sit and wait for your credit card, a 0% intro APR. Upon receipt of your credit card you are aware that it is not enough for your needs. Fortunately, you can make a pre-payment of funds on your credit card, if you fast cash. It is a simple thing to do, and you can benefit from each ATM, to your credit card.

Use a credit card, especially for the progress made in cash, is very simple. But the loan will not. Read and learn why you should avoid the advances of funds on your credit card every time.

The first reason for which you need in order to avoid the fund advances on your credit card is an advance payment of the cost of money. If you have money at any ATM, you must obliged, two indictments automatically by some of the credit card companies. The first is for the costs of treatment. This could be one percent of the amount or that the minimum amount of your transmitter, which is always higher. The other indictment, the owner of the ATM, the other bank. When you receive your bill, so does the amount of the fees for the cost of the transaction, which may be a fixed amount or a percentage that you have made on her ATM.

Highlights of the Rs 1.599 Trillion 2007-08 Federal Budget.

Courtesy of The News
news added on 6/10/2007

ISLAMABAD: The federal budget for 2007-08 with an outlay of Rs 1.599 trillion presented in the National Assembly on Saturday contains huge subsidies and relief for the masses and the public sector entities.

The subsidies amount to Rs 133.9 billion, while relief to the people included major increase in salaries of the government employees by 15 per cent, pensions by 15 to 20 per cent and reduction in customs duty on raw material for industries, tariff rationalisation on vehicles, and zero duty on sewing machines, bicycles and cottonseed oil.The Rs 1.599 trillion federal budget includes Rs 1.056 trillion current expenditure and Rs 543 billion development expenditure. The federal budget for 2007-08 is 11.9 per cent higher than the revised estimates of the budget 2006-07.

However, it is up by 21.7 per cent than the size of budget estimates of the current fiscal year.Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub Khan announced the overall size of the budget that stands at Rs 1.874 trillion, which includes budgets of the provincial governments also. Most of the budgetary expenditures have been shown under the general public services, which include debt servicing, pensions and other items. The pension bill of Rs 46.130 billion mostly goes to the military pensions, which are parked in the civilian budget.Defence has got Rs 275 billion in the budget, while the combined federal spending on education and health is Rs 29.398 billion. Total resources are estimated at Rs 1.475 trillion, which include external receipts of Rs 259 billion.

The budget deficit is four per cent of GDP that comes to Rs 398 billion.A tax revenue target of Rs 1.025 trillion has been fixed for the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) against the expected collection of Rs 835 billion during the outgoing fiscal year. The budget announced by Omar Ayub Khan, the State Minister for Finance, is the 8th since the military takeover of October 12, 1999, and third of the Shaukat Aziz government.Rs 113.9 billion has been marked for subsidies and relief to the masses. A huge sum of Rs 82 billion has been marked under the head of subsidies for Wapda, KESC, FFC Jordan, Trading Corporation and other public sector entities.

The budget assumes Rs 75 billion privatisation proceeds for next year, as well as a huge bank borrowing of Rs 130.937 billion to finance the budget deficit.The government has increased pension of government pensioners by 15 to 20 per cent. Increase in pension is being given in two tiers: old pensioners (retired before 1997) will get 20 per cent raise while new pensioners (retired after 1997) will get 15 per cent raise. The government also promoted the employees in BPS-5, BPS-7 and BPS-11 to BPS-7, BPS-9 and BPS-14 respectively. A total of 87,500 federal employees will benefit from this measure.

The budget proposes the withdrawal of customs duty from the machinery used in horticulture, furniture, marble and granite, surgical and medical instrument-business. It also proposes withdrawal of customs duty or reduction by five per cent on raw material used in electrical, capital goods, paper and paperboard, chemicals, plastic and rubber industries.The country is facing acute shortage of electricity and to provide relief to the people and industrial establishments, the minister said, it is proposed to withdraw customs duty on generators for home consumption.

Similarly, reduction in customs duty is proposed on generators for industrial consumption.Likewise, it is also proposed to withdraw customs duty on components used in alternative energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy. The sales tax at import stage on these items has also been waived off. To encourage energy saving lamp, customs duty is proposed to be reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent.

Omar Ayub said at present CVT is levied on imported cars, while the domestically manufactured vehicles are exempted. In order to remove this disparity withdrawal of CVT on imported vehicles is proposed. However, to maintain protection level intact, adjustment in customs duty at the rate of five per cent, 10 per cent and 15 per cent for different CCs of cars is proposed.There is a proposal to levy five per cent withholding tax on local vehicles. To facilitate the middle-income groups, customs duty on 800 CC cars is not being charged.

Finally, the capping for old and used cars previously for five years is being reduced to three years so that the domestic industry attains stability. The condition of three years will be applicable to TR, the gift scheme, and the baggage rules.He said that textile is the backbone of the economy, which needs more attention to make it internationally competitive. Sometime ago R&D facility was provided to this sector.

Now the DTRE system is being revamped whereby the import of PSF will be allowed. Through DTRE R&D the facility will also be available to fibre manufacturers at a rate of 3.5 per cent, which will be availed through SBP. The facility of debt/swap to the spinning sector is granted. Similarly, for exporters the existing WHT rate of 0.75 per cent to one per cent is being rationalised and one per cent rate of WHT is being proposed. “The textile exporters will also be the beneficiaries.

We hope that with these initiatives, the textile sector will flourish further,” said the minister.To overcome the issue of growing imports that have adverse impact on the trade deficit, one per cent special surcharge is levied on all imports with the exception of petroleum products, edible oil, fertilisers, medicines and necessary food items (vegetable and pulses).Furthermore, the already exempted items will continue to remain exempted from this levy.

The minister also announced that the scope of zero rating is being widened to include sewing machines, bicycles and cotton seed oil.Cable TV is a basic necessity of daily life, therefore, excise duty on cable TV is proposed to be withdrawn, he maintained.He said that traders belonging to Fata and Pata are facing difficulties in carrying out their businesses due to unresolved disputes lying pending with the courts.

Therefore, in consultation with them, the sales tax already due is proposed to be waived, enabling them to carry out their business.In the country, iron and steel, plastic and paper industries are fast growing but unfortunately majority of them are functioning in un-organised sectors, resultantly the government as well as the organised sector industry are facing continuous losses. In order to establish equilibrium, the sales tax of 15 per cent is proposed to be enhanced to 20 per cent on raw material imported for iron and steel plastic and paper industries. However, the rate of 15 per cent sales tax on final product for these sectors will remain the same. He said that a task force was constituted to bring improvement in the provisions of law relating to holding companies.

In view of the recommendations made by the task force, amendments are proposed to legislation relating to holding companies; 75 per cent shareholding will be required if none of the companies is a listed public company; 55 per cent shareholding will be required if one of the group companies is listed public company; current losses can be surrendered by holding company to a subsidiary or between subsidiaries which fulfil the requirements of shareholding; inter-corporate dividend shall be liable to 10 per cent adjustable withholding tax.“For computation of income of the banking companies a separate schedule will be added to the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.”

This measure is being taken on the recommendations of the SBP and PBA on the analogy of taxation of insurance companies. Inter-corporate dividend is proposed to be subjected to adjustable 10 per cent withholding tax.Omar Ayub said: “The amount of money spent on poverty reduction and employment generation during last five years is Rs 1.441 trillion which is commendable, especially in comparison with all previous governments.”During 2006-07 an amount of Rs 418 billion was transferred to provinces under the amended NFC award, while Rs 497 billion would be transferred during 2007-08, which would be 46 per cent of the total amount.

The transfer from divisible pool would reach 46.25 per cent by the year 2010-11. If subventions are added, transfer of provinces would get 50 per cent of the total amount.The Ministry of Housing and Works will immediately construct 37,000 houses for the low paid employees and give it to them on ownership basis. In phase-I, work on the construction of 5,000 units will immediately start for which land will be provided by CDA at official rate. The government employees will have the facility to get loan for construction of house. Low cost Housing Scheme would also be started in collaboration with provincial and district governments.

Loan from HBFC will be available. under this scheme and an estimated number of 250,000 units would be constructed in the next five years.The government has decided upgradation of basic scales in Railways by one step for the remaining 62,482 staff excluding secretarial staff. Long-standing demand of Railways employees regarding up-gradation of posts has already been accepted along with increase in their allowances.Minimum wage of unskilled worker is being increased from Rs 4,000 per month to Rs 4,600 per month. Old age pension, old and new both, has been increased by 15 per cent.

Minimum pension has been increased from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500 per month. Worker’s widow shall now get pension of her deceased husband as per entitlement.This restriction that the workers receiving more than Rs 6,000 per month were not entitled to compensation on account of disability has been removed and now all the workers regardless of their wage level would be entitled to compensation on account of disability caused during the course or as a result of performance of duty. Contract employees have been made entitled to receive companies profit under the Companies Profit (Workers Participation) Act 1968. The limit of profit has been enhanced from Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000. Workers Welfare Fund Ordinance 1971 is being amended to allow industrial workers to get medical, education, housing and death grant from Workers Welfare Fund.

This facility shall apply to those units having an annual income in excess of Rs 500,000. Workers Welfare Fund Ordinance 1971 has been amended to increase the limit of death grant from Rs 200,000 to Rs 300,000.Pulses, Chana, Moong and Mash, which is being sold in market at Rs 38, Rs 56 and Rs 72 per kg would be sold in Utility Stores at Rs 29, Rs 47 and Rs 57 respectively.From today (Sunday) there would be a relief of Rs 10, Rs 5 and Rs 5 per kg on tea, sugar and rice respectively.

At present, the price of cooking oil is increasing rapidly in the international market. On the direction of the prime minister it would be sold at the utility stores at Rs 67 as against the market price of Rs 80 per kg. It has been decided to increase the number of utility stores by additional 5,000 and provide a utility store at every union council in the next 4 months. It will also result in creation of employment opportunities. At these stores, necessities of life like pulses, rice, sugar, ghee and basic medicines would be available and due to their close proximity people will save time and money by not going to the distantly located markets. In Pakistan, for the first time people will get medicines at reduced rates. People would not have to travel for miles but would get the facility at their doorsteps.

Omar Ayub said that CDA has been directed to allocate a sector for three to five Marla plots. In sector I-15 a total of 5,500 plots and 8,500 apartments have been reserved for low-income people who will have the facility of loans from banks. This will solve the problem of low-income people. Moreover, work in 4 sectors of Islamabad has started after 17 years. To provide direct relief to the poorest of the poor, a sum of Rs 7.5 billion has been allocated for Pakistan Baitul Mal which is Rs 2.5 billion more than the allocation of last year. The Pakistan Baitul Mal is at present helping 1,500,000 households through its Food Support Programme.

This year 700,000 more households will benefit thus bringing the number of beneficiaries to a total of 2,200,000. The government will extend a subsidy of 20 per cent to agriculture tube wells payable on electricity charges. This subsidy will be shared by the Centre and the provinces equally.The subsidy to farmers will increase from Rs 400 per bag of DAP to Rs 470 per bag. As a result of this, the price of each bag of DAP will be reduced by Rs 70.President General Pervez Musharraf announced the Rozgar Scheme in last financial year which has been very successful. The small amounts advanced at low rate of mark-up of six per cent enabled the youth to start their own businesses. These small businesses also generated employment.

Under the scheme, 1.8 million youth will be able to stand on their feet, and provide support to their families. In the last financial year 10,321 applications were approved under this scheme and Rs one billion disbursed. The youth set up PCOs, established transport businesses, utility stores, mobile general stores and telecentres. Rs 104.7 billion will be disbursed under this scheme in the next five years. Each graduate will be provided a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month. As of now 8,000 interns are working and this figure will increase to 30,000 next year.

The government will provide micro credit to 3 million people in next three years. As many as 815 medical clinics are being set up at the union council level. In each medical clinic there will be a doctor, lady health worker and dispenser who will provide medical consultancy close to people’s places of residence. In these clinics staff will be recruited from local union councils which will provide 4,917 employment opportunities. Mentioning about the mega projects, he said the design of Bhasha-Diamir dam will be completed in 2008. Rs 500 million have been reserved for this project in the PSDP. Along side this, work on Gomal-Zam Dam, Kurram Tangi Dam and Subak Zai Dam is in full swing.

Work on the raising of Mangla dam started by Wapda is close to completion. As a result, 2.09 million acre feet additional water will be available for storage and 644 MW electricity will be generated. By construction of these dams, 2.6 million acres land will be irrigated. Under-developed areas will be transformed into prosperous pieces of land. The government has allocated a sizeable amount for the Greater Thal Canal, Reni Canal and Khitchi Canal on which the work is in full swing. The government is also starting work on expansion of Karakuram Highway.

The work on expansion of Hasanabdal-Mansehra section will start in the next few months. The N-5 Highway will be linked with the National Trade Corridor. For this purpose, it has been decided to provide the National Highway Authority with an allocation of Rs 29 billion. The National Highway Authority will, during this year, start construction of 1,585 km long highways at a cost of Rs 147 billion. So far an investment of Rs 13.5 billion has been made in the Gwadar deep seaport.

This amount excludes foreign investment. The Coastal Highway, which links Karachi to Gwadar, has already been completed. Gwadar will emerge as an important port for the region because it will provide a transit route to Central Asian States and China. As a result, both Balochistan and Pakistan will benefit.