Pollution Emissions= Zero
Trenton, New Jersey 1. Imagine a car that has no en-gine, burns no gasoline, gives off no air pollutants,makesvery clean noise, and has practically no vibration.That's what is possible with a battery-powered automobile. What's more, there are hundreds of such vehicles now in use.
2. Ordinary automobiles burn gasolineor diesel fuel, and,when that happens,poisonous gases suchas carbon monoxide, one of the gases that make smog, are released.The result is pollutedair that can be harmful to your health.
3. Although progress has been made in reducing the gases given off by fuel-burning engines,it is doubtful that they will ever be perfect.So, the search is on for nonpolluting ways to power cars and trucks. The electric car may be the best solution to the problem. Car makers and state and federal governments are spending millions on researching ways to make practical,affordable battery-powered vehicles.
4. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protectionand Energy-NJDEPE for short-is experimenting with an electric car. You can see the car in and around the streets and roads of Trenton,N. J. You'll know the car when you see it. It's a minivan with the sign "ElectricPowered" ona side panel.It probably won't be traveling in the fast lane of a highway, although it can go as fast as 52 miles an hour. You might get a little impatient if you are behind it at a stop street. The vehicle doesn't have a fast getaway.
5. Don't expect to hear the kind of roaring noise that ordinary vehicles make. The van's electric motor makes a soft, whining sound-somethinglikethe sound you hear coming from a refrigeratormotor. As reported in The Times(Trenton,N. J.), Nancy Wittenberg,a director in the
6. Electric PoweredVan
NJDEPE, took the electric car for a spin. Afterwards she was quotedas saying, "There'sno noise. It's very weird. But it's a regular van-nice, comfy seats, a radio and cassette player."
7. After about 60 miles on the road,the car's several batteries need recharging. No problem: just plug them into a special outlet outside your house or garage. Ms. Wittenberg spoke of the future when she said,"Someone's going to market an electric car with a long range, that's easy to recharge,andfor a good price, andit's goingto be successful." Let's hope she's right-we will all breathe easier.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Desert Storm Decision
In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, where the United Nations forces, led by Americans, ousted the invading Iraqi army from Kuwaifs soil, the cessation of combat took place in short order after the Allies were able to wrest control of the sldes from the infamous Saddam Hussein's air force.
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf the U.S. field commander, tended to bristle when asked by the media why he hadn't pursued the enemy all the way to Baghdad, saying:
"It would have been foolhardy for us to try to occupy that capital city and pile up American casualties from sniper attacks by Iraq's guerillas. That may be hard for you Monday morning quarterbacks to understand but I thoroughly agreed with the president who was convinced that such an action would have sent a bad message to the Arab world and would have splintered the Allied partnership."
Schwarzkopf reiterated that it was his mission to hurl back the invaders with a minimum of bloodshed but not, he added in a caustic tone, 'to splatter Saddam over the desert sands. That dictator's days are numbered," the general concluded, 'but I expect his end is likely to come at the hands of his own people."
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General H. Norman Schwarzkopf the U.S. field commander, tended to bristle when asked by the media why he hadn't pursued the enemy all the way to Baghdad, saying:
"It would have been foolhardy for us to try to occupy that capital city and pile up American casualties from sniper attacks by Iraq's guerillas. That may be hard for you Monday morning quarterbacks to understand but I thoroughly agreed with the president who was convinced that such an action would have sent a bad message to the Arab world and would have splintered the Allied partnership."
Schwarzkopf reiterated that it was his mission to hurl back the invaders with a minimum of bloodshed but not, he added in a caustic tone, 'to splatter Saddam over the desert sands. That dictator's days are numbered," the general concluded, 'but I expect his end is likely to come at the hands of his own people."
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Don't Interrupt Others or Finish Their Sentences
It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized how often I interrupted others and/or finished their sentences. Shortlly thereafter, I also realized how destructive this habit was, not only to the respect and love I received from others but also for the tremendous amount of energy it takes to try to be in two heads at once! Think about it for a moment.
When you hurry someone along, interrupt someone, or finish his or her sentence, you have to keep track not only of your own thoughts but of those of the person you are interrupting as well. This tendency (which, by the way, is extremely common in busy people), encourages both parties to speed up their speech and their thinking.
This, in turn, makes both people- nervous, -irritable, and annoyed. lt's downright exhausting. lt's also the cause of many arguments,because if there's one thing almost everyone resents, it's someone who doesn't listen to what they are saying. And how can you really listen to what someone is saying when you are speaking for that person?
Once you begin noticing yourself interrupting others, you'll see that this insidious tendency is nothing more than an innocent habit that has become invisible to you. This is good news because it means that all you really have to do is to begin catching yourself when you forget.Remind yourself (before a conversation begins, if possible) to be patient and wait.
Tell yourself to allow the other person to finish speaking before you take your turn. You'll notice, right away, how much the interactions with the people in your life will improve as a direct result of this simple act.The people you communicate with will feel much more relaxed.around you when they feel heard and listened to.
You'll also notice how much more relaxed you'll feel when you stop interrupting others. Your heart and pulse rates will slow down, and you'll begin to enjoy your conversations rather than rush through them. This is an easy way to become a more relaxed, loving person.
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When you hurry someone along, interrupt someone, or finish his or her sentence, you have to keep track not only of your own thoughts but of those of the person you are interrupting as well. This tendency (which, by the way, is extremely common in busy people), encourages both parties to speed up their speech and their thinking.
This, in turn, makes both people- nervous, -irritable, and annoyed. lt's downright exhausting. lt's also the cause of many arguments,because if there's one thing almost everyone resents, it's someone who doesn't listen to what they are saying. And how can you really listen to what someone is saying when you are speaking for that person?
Once you begin noticing yourself interrupting others, you'll see that this insidious tendency is nothing more than an innocent habit that has become invisible to you. This is good news because it means that all you really have to do is to begin catching yourself when you forget.Remind yourself (before a conversation begins, if possible) to be patient and wait.
Tell yourself to allow the other person to finish speaking before you take your turn. You'll notice, right away, how much the interactions with the people in your life will improve as a direct result of this simple act.The people you communicate with will feel much more relaxed.around you when they feel heard and listened to.
You'll also notice how much more relaxed you'll feel when you stop interrupting others. Your heart and pulse rates will slow down, and you'll begin to enjoy your conversations rather than rush through them. This is an easy way to become a more relaxed, loving person.
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Do Something Nice for Someone Else and Don't Tell Anyone About It
While many of us frequently do nice things for others, we are almost certain to mention our acts of kindness to someone else, secretly seeking their approval.When we share our own niceness or generosity with someone else, it makes us feel like we are thoughtful people, it reminds us of how nice we are and how deserving we are of kindness.
While all acts of kindness are inherently wonderful, there is something even more magical about doing something thoughtful but mentioning it to no one, ever.You always feel good when you give to others. Rather than diluting the positive feelings by telling others about your own kindness, by keeping it to yourself you get to retain all the positive feelings.
It's really true that one should give for the sake of giving not to receive something in return. This is precisely what you are doing when you don't mention your kindness to others --- your rewards are the warm feelings that come from the act of giving.The next time you do something really nice for someone else, keep it to yourself and revel in the abundant joy of giving.
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While all acts of kindness are inherently wonderful, there is something even more magical about doing something thoughtful but mentioning it to no one, ever.You always feel good when you give to others. Rather than diluting the positive feelings by telling others about your own kindness, by keeping it to yourself you get to retain all the positive feelings.
It's really true that one should give for the sake of giving not to receive something in return. This is precisely what you are doing when you don't mention your kindness to others --- your rewards are the warm feelings that come from the act of giving.The next time you do something really nice for someone else, keep it to yourself and revel in the abundant joy of giving.
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Driving While Drunk
Throughout literature we find recurring tales of forthright people who are outspoken in condemning illegal practices only to be brought low themselves when they, or members of their families, commit such acts.
Since literature reflects life, we can expect to find similar instances in which a person's ethics are compromised, and he falls prey to the pernicious evil that he had publicly denounced.
Take the story of Barry Vernon (not his real name), an aggressive Ohio district attorney. Vernon could be counted upon to make acrimonious remarks about anyone who was driving while intoxicated.
On numerous speaking engagements, he railed against drunkenness and swore that any such culprit who was found behind the wheel of a car would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
As fate would have it. Vernon's own son smashed into several cars, injuring four people seriously, and then failed a sobriety test.
Following that flagrant violation of the law, Vernon resigned from office, saying that as a private citizen he would continue his crusade against those who drive under the influence of alcohol. Meanwhile, he wished to spend more time with his son to try to understand the young man's behavior.
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Since literature reflects life, we can expect to find similar instances in which a person's ethics are compromised, and he falls prey to the pernicious evil that he had publicly denounced.
Take the story of Barry Vernon (not his real name), an aggressive Ohio district attorney. Vernon could be counted upon to make acrimonious remarks about anyone who was driving while intoxicated.
On numerous speaking engagements, he railed against drunkenness and swore that any such culprit who was found behind the wheel of a car would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
As fate would have it. Vernon's own son smashed into several cars, injuring four people seriously, and then failed a sobriety test.
Following that flagrant violation of the law, Vernon resigned from office, saying that as a private citizen he would continue his crusade against those who drive under the influence of alcohol. Meanwhile, he wished to spend more time with his son to try to understand the young man's behavior.
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Coffee
Coffee Drinkers Might Live LongerFor women, especially, the brew could boost heart health, study findsBy Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -
Good news for coffee lovers: Drinking up to six cups a day of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee daily won't shorten your life span, a new study shows.In fact, coffee might even help the heart, especially for women, the researchers found.
"Our results suggest that long-term, regular coffee consumption does not increase the risk of death and probably has several beneficial effects on health," said lead researcher Dr. Esther Lopez-Garcia, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Autonoma University in Madrid, Spain.Her team published its findings in the June 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.Lopez-Garcia stressed that the findings may only hold true only for healthy folk. "Peoplewith any disease or condition should ask their doctor about their risk, because caffeine still has an acute effect on short-term increase of blood pressure," she said.
the study, the Spanish team looked at the relationships between coffee drinking and the risks of dying from heart disease, cancer, or any cause in almost 42,000 men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and more than 84,000 women who had participated in the Nurses' Health Study. At the study start, all participants were free of heart disease and cancer.The participants completed questionnaires every two to four years, including information about their coffee drinking, other dietary habits, smoking and health conditions.
The research team looked at the frequency of death from any cause, death due to heart disease, and death due to cancer among people with different coffee-drinking habits, comparing them to those who didn't drink the brew.They also controlled for other risk factors, including diet, smoking and body size.The researchers found that women who drank two or three cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease during the follow-up (from 1980 to 2004) than non-drinkers.
Women also had an 18 percent lower death risk from a cause other than cancer or heart disease compared with non-coffee drinkers.For men, drinking two to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily was a "wash" -- not associated with either an increased or a decreased risk of death during the follow up, from 1986 to 2004.The lower death rate was mainly due to a lower risk for heart disease deaths, the researchers found, while no link was discovered for coffee drinking and cancer deaths. The relationship did not seem to be directly related to caffeine, according to the researchers, since those who drank decaf also had a lower death rate than those who didn't drink either kind of coffee.
In the past, studies have come up with mixed results on the health effects of coffee, with some finding coffee increased the risk of death and others not.More recently, research has found coffee drinking linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and preventing the development of cardiovascular disease, Lopez-Garcia said.The strength of her current study, she said, includes the large number of participants and long follow-up period.
While the study is interesting, it does have its shortcomings, said Dr. Peter Galier, an internal medicine specialist, former chief of staff at Santa Monica UCLA and Orthopedic Hospital and associate professor of medicine at the University of California Los Angeles' David Geffen School of Medicine.Self-reporting is one shortcoming, he said, because people may have under- or over-reported their coffee consumption, for instance. "I think what this study tells us is not so much that coffee is the answer to everything," he said. But, rather, that some compounds, such as the antioxidants found in coffee, may be healthy.
Galier's advice for consumers: "I would tell them to weigh the subjective risk of their coffee consumption," he said. For instance, "if they love coffee, but it makes them jittery, and they can't sleep, the need to adjust it," he said. "Look at your symptoms," he tells patients. "If decaf is no problem, I wouldn't put a limit on that."The research was funded by grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
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The History of Coffee
1. The history of coffee is as rich as the brew itself , dating back more than a thousand years. The first coffee plants are said to have come from the Horn of Africa on the shores of the Red Sea. Originally, coffee beans were taken as a food and not as a beverage. East African tribes would grind the coffee cherries together, mixing the results into a paste with animal fat. Rolled into little balls, the mixture was said to give warriors much-needed energy for battle. Later, around the year 1000 AD, Ethiopians concocted a type of wine from coffee berries, fermenting the dried beans in water. Coffee also grew naturally on the Arabian Peninsula, and it was there, during the 11th century that coffee was first developed into a hot drink.
2. The so-called stimulating properties of coffee were thought by many during these ancient times to give a sort of religious ecstasy, and the drink earned a very mystical sort of reputation, shrouded in secrecy and associated with priests and doctors. So, it is not surprising that two prominent legends emerged to explain the discovery of this magic bean.
3. According to one story, a goat-herder noticed that his herd became friskier than usual after consuming the red cherries of a wild coffee shrub. Curious, he tasted the fruit himself. He was delighted by its invigorating effects, and was even spotted by a group of nearby monks dancing with his goats. Soon the monks began to boil the bean themselves and use the liquid to stay awake during all-night ceremonies. The other story is about a Muslim dervish who wascondemned by his enemies to wander in the desert and eventually die of starvation. In his delirium, the young man heard a voice instructing him to eat the fruit from a nearby coffee tree. Confused, the dervish tried to soften the beans in water, and when this failed, he simply drank the liquid. Interpreting his survival and energy as a sign of God, he returned to his people, spreading the faith and the recipe.
4. The cultivation of coffee began sometime in the fifteenth century, and for many centuries to follow, the Yemen province of Arabia was the world'sprimary source of coffee. The demand for coffee in the Near East was very high. The beans leaving the Yemeni port of Mocha for trade with Alexandria and Constantinople were highly guarded. In fact, no fertile plants were allowed to leave the country. Despite the restrictions, Muslim pilgrims from across the globe during their pilgrimages to Mecca managed to smuggle coffee plants back to their homelands, and coffee crops soon took root in India.
5. Coffee also made its way into Europe around this time through the city of Venice, where fleets traded perfumes, teas, dyes and fabrics with Arabic merchants along the Spice Route. The beverage eventually gained popularity with the masses when street lemonade vendors began selling it in addition to cold beverages. Many European merchants grew accustomed to drinking coffee overseas and brought it back with them.
6. By the middle of the 17th century the Dutch dominated the world's merchant shipping industry, and they introduced large-scale coffee cultivation to their colonies in Indonesia on the islands of Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Bali. Coffee arrived in Latin America several decades later, when the French brought a cutting of a coffee plant to Martinique. But when a rare plant disease spread through the coffee fields of Southeast Asia in the mid 19th century, Brazil emerged as the world's foremost coffee producer, an honor the country still holds today.
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America's First Female Doctor
Elizabeth Blackwell [1821-1910] didn't always enjoy medicine. But once she chose to become a doctor, she let nothing stop her. In the mid-1800s, medical schools did not accept female students.
People believed then that women could never become capable doctors. This view made Elizabeth angry. She knew that many women would feel more at ease consulting a woman rather than a man about their health. Despite public opinion, she decided to follow her dream.
Elizabeth applied to dozens of medical schools, but she was rejected by each and every one. Refusing to be discouraged, Elizabeth made alternate plans for her education.
She read thick medical textbooks on her own. She convinced an understanding doctor to be her private tutor. She never stopped working, and she never gave up hope.
Finally, in 1847, a small college in upstate New York admitted Elizabeth Blackwell into its medical program. When she got there, she learned that her acceptance was a joke.
People treated her as an outsider. Teachers and classmates teased her. Others ignored her. But Elizabeth did not let such rude behavior keep her from accomplishing her goal.
An industrious student, she went to her classes and studied hard. She earned the admiration of her fellow students.
In January 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell graduated at the head of her class.She became the first woman in the United States to receive a medical degree.
At her graduation, she said, "It shall be the effort of my life to shed honor on this disploma." In so doing, she broke down the barriers that prevented women from practicing medicine.
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People believed then that women could never become capable doctors. This view made Elizabeth angry. She knew that many women would feel more at ease consulting a woman rather than a man about their health. Despite public opinion, she decided to follow her dream.
Elizabeth applied to dozens of medical schools, but she was rejected by each and every one. Refusing to be discouraged, Elizabeth made alternate plans for her education.
She read thick medical textbooks on her own. She convinced an understanding doctor to be her private tutor. She never stopped working, and she never gave up hope.
Finally, in 1847, a small college in upstate New York admitted Elizabeth Blackwell into its medical program. When she got there, she learned that her acceptance was a joke.
People treated her as an outsider. Teachers and classmates teased her. Others ignored her. But Elizabeth did not let such rude behavior keep her from accomplishing her goal.
An industrious student, she went to her classes and studied hard. She earned the admiration of her fellow students.
In January 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell graduated at the head of her class.She became the first woman in the United States to receive a medical degree.
At her graduation, she said, "It shall be the effort of my life to shed honor on this disploma." In so doing, she broke down the barriers that prevented women from practicing medicine.
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Sunday, October 26, 2008
Want to Run for Office?
In recent years, we have seen the phenomenon of incumbent politicians retiring in record numbers. When interviewed, many of them admitted that they had lost their taste for the job because of the abuse to which an aspirant for office is subjected.
"My last campaign was a sordid affair in which my opponent did everything to belittle my record and air scurrilous charges about my private life," said one congressman. "l don't have to stand still for such treatment," he added, "which was terribly embarrassing to me and my entire family."
Citizen groups, appalled by the candidates' mudslinging, have sought to do something about the situation. Committees have been formed in a number of states to study ways to elevate the tone of the process, reduce the emotionalism, and eliminate the frenzy of name calling that is generated as election day draws near.
"Unless we clean up this mess," said the chairman of an Illinois caucus, "we will lose the best and the brightest from the political arena. After all, who but a masochist wants to be a punching bag, the subject of daily vilification in the media, and a target for every malcontent in town?"
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"My last campaign was a sordid affair in which my opponent did everything to belittle my record and air scurrilous charges about my private life," said one congressman. "l don't have to stand still for such treatment," he added, "which was terribly embarrassing to me and my entire family."
Citizen groups, appalled by the candidates' mudslinging, have sought to do something about the situation. Committees have been formed in a number of states to study ways to elevate the tone of the process, reduce the emotionalism, and eliminate the frenzy of name calling that is generated as election day draws near.
"Unless we clean up this mess," said the chairman of an Illinois caucus, "we will lose the best and the brightest from the political arena. After all, who but a masochist wants to be a punching bag, the subject of daily vilification in the media, and a target for every malcontent in town?"
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The Best Laid Plans
Gloria Rogers overslept and then had to sprint to catch the same Greyhound Bus that she boarded on the last Thursday of every month. After a three-hour uneventful ride, she finally arrived at the bus terminal where a courtesy van was ready to transport bus passengers to Visitors Day at the State Penitentiary.
Although Gloria tried to act casual, she was more than a little nervous. Her boyfriend, Art, a convicted felon , had managed to gain admittance to the prison's hospital on the pretext of having a gall bladder attack.
Under her own slacks and bulky sweater, Gloria was wearing a set of clothes that she removed in the hospital bathroom and passed on to Art. He planned to use them after making his escape in the back of the prison ambulance that was parked outside his ward.
Art had spelled out his escape plan during Glorias last visit, spending an hour trying to cajole her into being his accomplice. All that she had to do was appear to have a seizure. Then she would fabricate a story about her epilepsy while Art, with the smuggled clothes concealed under his prison bathrobe, would slip out of the ward during the excitement.
Unfortunately for the schemers, a vigilant hospital guard spotted Art climbing into the rear of the ambulance and quickly foiled the escape attempt. The result was that Art had three years added to his sentence and Gloria was imprisoned for her role in the misadventure.
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Although Gloria tried to act casual, she was more than a little nervous. Her boyfriend, Art, a convicted felon , had managed to gain admittance to the prison's hospital on the pretext of having a gall bladder attack.
Under her own slacks and bulky sweater, Gloria was wearing a set of clothes that she removed in the hospital bathroom and passed on to Art. He planned to use them after making his escape in the back of the prison ambulance that was parked outside his ward.
Art had spelled out his escape plan during Glorias last visit, spending an hour trying to cajole her into being his accomplice. All that she had to do was appear to have a seizure. Then she would fabricate a story about her epilepsy while Art, with the smuggled clothes concealed under his prison bathrobe, would slip out of the ward during the excitement.
Unfortunately for the schemers, a vigilant hospital guard spotted Art climbing into the rear of the ambulance and quickly foiled the escape attempt. The result was that Art had three years added to his sentence and Gloria was imprisoned for her role in the misadventure.
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Reggie the Con Man
In the annals of crime, there are few scoundrels who could match the exploits of Reggie Hayes, who also used the names of Reginald Haven, Ricardo Hermosa, Father Harris, and dozens of other aliases.
Reggie's police record, principally in Chicago and Baltimore, is replete with scams that he perpetrated upon gullible people. Generally, his favorite target was a matron who should have known better.
Dressed as a priest ("Father Harris"), he was most convincing, however. His method of operation was to "find" a wallet stuffed with hundred dollar bills outside a supermarket and then implore an unsuspecting woman to share his good fortune, since there was no identification in the wallet.
But first, to establish her credibility, his victim had to put up a sum of money as a testimonial to her good faith. Mrs. Emma Schultz, age 72, tearfully told the police that she had withdrawn $14,000 from her bank and placed it in a shopping bag supplied by the helpful priest.
He told her to hold onto the bag while he went next door to a lawyer's office to make the sharing of their good fortune legal. After a seemingly interminable wait, Mrs. Schultz discovered to her chagrin that the heartless thief had skipped out the back way, leaving her "holding the bag"-a switched bag containing shredded newspaper-while he made his getaway with her life savings.
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Reggie's police record, principally in Chicago and Baltimore, is replete with scams that he perpetrated upon gullible people. Generally, his favorite target was a matron who should have known better.
Dressed as a priest ("Father Harris"), he was most convincing, however. His method of operation was to "find" a wallet stuffed with hundred dollar bills outside a supermarket and then implore an unsuspecting woman to share his good fortune, since there was no identification in the wallet.
But first, to establish her credibility, his victim had to put up a sum of money as a testimonial to her good faith. Mrs. Emma Schultz, age 72, tearfully told the police that she had withdrawn $14,000 from her bank and placed it in a shopping bag supplied by the helpful priest.
He told her to hold onto the bag while he went next door to a lawyer's office to make the sharing of their good fortune legal. After a seemingly interminable wait, Mrs. Schultz discovered to her chagrin that the heartless thief had skipped out the back way, leaving her "holding the bag"-a switched bag containing shredded newspaper-while he made his getaway with her life savings.
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