FIFI & Euthanasia Jan 18, 2009 6:44 pm 2485 Views Euthanasia (literally "good death" in Ancient Greek) refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Pramod and Amir are taking Fifi to the Golf Rose Animal Hospital tonight. 19 Comments

COLD SHOWER Jan 18, 2009 1:13 pm 2111 Views I've been so sick this past week that I missed work for a few days. I was sleeping in bed for three days without bathing or food. I finally get the energy to take a shower today, and the water was so cold. The heated water only goes so far! Apparently, Amir was in the other bathroom taking a shower at the time I was. His shower was fine. MINE WAS SO COLD! I shivered through washing my hair and everything else. It was so cold, that I couldn't shave my legs. I was so mad afterwards, but then later thought about it... I shouldn't be mad. He's used to me bathed and out the door before he wakes up. 7 Comments

NEW YORK PILOT IS HERO! Jan 16, 2009 10:07 am 2157 Views NEW YORK, Jan 16 (Reuters) - New York feted its latest hero, the pilot who landed a distressed US Airways (LCC.N) jetliner on the Hudson River, saving all 155 on board in what experts called a masterful job under life-or-death pressure. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger had yet to appear in public one day after he brought the Airbus A320 to a textbook emergency landing on the river between New York City and New Jersey in what New York Gov. David Paterson called "a miracle on the Hudson." 8 Comments

HARSHIT IS GETTING MARRIED! Jan 15, 2009 8:58 pm 2265 Views My baby is getting married. I feel like a proud mama. 12 Comments

I GAVE AMIR THE FLU! Jan 15, 2009 6:56 pm 2204 Views I feel so bad about this. It's kind of funny, though. I told him and everyone else to stay out of my face due to germs. 7 Comments

I HAVE WEBCAM NOW! Jan 15, 2009 8:27 am 2163 Views I've not activated it, yet. I guess I will have to read the manual for my new laptop. FACT: Most knowledge is acquired due to necessity. I'm not familiar with webcam's, so this may be a lengthy process. I probably should've kept Praveen around long enough to get the webcam running. God, I know he is just waiting for me to call him. 20 Comments

IT'S SO COLD IN CHICAGO TODAY... Jan 15, 2009 6:53 am 1709 Views FACTS ABOUT TODAY: Juno, Alaska is 60 degrees warmer than Chicago. The South Pole is only 10 degrees colder than Chicago. Richard Simmons is wearing pants. <-- this is funny! Most schools are closed today in Chicago due to COLD. Aurora, Illinois is 47 degrees below zero. 14 Comments

MY THIRD TIME HAVING THE FLU! Jan 13, 2009 5:40 pm 1654 Views I've only had it three times in my life that I can remember. I'm finally getting over the flu this week. I'm not sure when I caught it, but the symptoms hit me hard on Saturday morning. I was sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose, sweating with chills, vomiting and aching pains all over my body. This is just when I started my new shift at work, too. I absolutely could not miss work. I suffered through 4 days of torture hearing everyone say how awful I looked and "bless you" after every sneeze. Today, the symptoms are going away. I can finally breathe now. ---- Compliments of Wikipedia Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses). The name influenza comes from the Italian: influenza, meaning "influence", (Latin: influentia). In humans, common symptoms of the disease are chills and fever, pharyngitis, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly in young children and the elderly. Although it is sometimes confused with the common cold, influenza is a much more severe disease and is caused by a different type of virus. Influenza can produce nausea and vomiting, especially in children, but these symptoms are more characteristic of the unrelated gastroenteritis, which is sometimes called "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu". Typically, influenza is transmitted from infected mammals through the air by coughs or sneezes, creating aerosols containing the virus, and from infected birds through their droppings. Influenza can also be transmitted by saliva, nasal secretions, feces and blood. Infections also occur through contact with these body fluids or with contaminated surfaces. Flu viruses can remain infectious for about one week at human body temperature, over 30 days at 0 °C (32 °F), and for much longer periods at very low temperatures. Most influenza strains can be inactivated easily by disinfectants and detergents. Flu spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands annually — millions in pandemic years. Three influenza pandemics occurred in the 20th century and killed tens of millions of people, with each of these pandemics being caused by the appearance of a new strain of the virus in humans. Often, these new strains result from the spread of an existing flu virus to humans from other animal species. A deadly avian strain named H5N1 has posed the greatest risk for a new influenza pandemic since it first killed humans in Asia in the 1990s. Fortunately, this virus has not mutated to a form that spreads easily between people. Vaccinations against influenza are usually given to people in developed countries with a minor risk of contracting the disease and to farmed poultry. The most common human vaccine is the trivalent influenza vaccine that contains purified and inactivated material from three viral strains. Typically, this vaccine includes material from two influenza A virus subtypes and one influenza B virus strain. A vaccine formulated for one year may be ineffective in the following year, since the influenza virus changes rapidly over time, and different strains become dominant. Antiviral drugs can be used to treat influenza, with neuraminidase inhibitors being particularly effective. 11 Comments

8 BELOW ZERO on JANUARY 15, 2009 Jan 11, 2009 7:36 pm 1714 Views It is expected to be 8 below zero Fahrenheit in Chicago! Thank goodness, it will be my day off from work. I'll be home nice and toasty. 20 Comments

CIRCUMCISION IS BETTER FOR MEN! Jan 11, 2009 7:18 pm 1571 Views And me! Compliments of Wikipedia... Male circumcision is the removal of some or all of the foreskin (prepuce) from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin circum (meaning "around") and cædere (meaning "to cut"). Early depictions of circumcision are found in cave drawings and Ancient Egyptian tombs, though some pictures may be open to interpretation. Male circumcision is considered a commandment from God in Judaism. In Islam, though not discussed in the Qur'an, circumcision is widely practiced and most often considered to be a sunnah. It is also customary in some Christian churches in Africa, including some Oriental Orthodox Churches. According to the World Health Organization (WHO ), global estimates suggest that 30% of males are circumcised, of whom 68% are Muslim. The prevalence of circumcision varies mostly with religious affiliation, and sometimes culture. There is controversy surrounding circumcision. Advocates for circumcision state that it provides important health advantages which outweigh the risks, has no substantial effects on sexual function, has a low complication rate when carried out by an experienced physician, and is best performed during the neonatal period. Opponents of circumcision state that it is extremely painful, adversely affects sexual pleasure and performance, may increase the risk of certain infections, and when performed on infants and children violates the individual's human rights. The American Medical Association stated in 1999: "Virtually all current policy statements from specialty societies and medical organizations do not recommend routine neonatal circumcision, and support the provision of accurate and unbiased information to parents to inform their choice." The World Health Organization (WHO; 2007), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS; 2007), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2008 ) state that evidence indicates male circumcision significantly reduces the risk of HIV acquisition by men during penile-vaginal sex, but also state that circumcision only provides partial protection and should not replace other interventions to prevent transmission of HIV. 18 Comments

 Candygram

36 F