a generic blog
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Giant Panda in China rips off man's jacket
¶ 9:17 PM 0 comments 
| China: Tourist has jacket ripped off his back by Giant Panda in open cage at Nature Reserve dedicated to survival of the endangered species 02 Nov 1992 A recent visitor to a Chinese zoo had a narrow escape when his jacket was torn off his back by a giant panda. The visitor to Chengdu Zoo sat with his back against the panda's railings for a picture to be taken. His jacket attracted the 75-kilogram (165 pound) panda's attention and the creature grabbed it, while the man was held by his friends, setting up a 'tug of war'. Eventually, the panda got the jacket, then rolled around nuzzling it, to the delight of some onlookers. Future prospects for giant pandas have just been strengthened by a Chinese 10-year plan that will cost about 50 million United States dollars. Officials have realised that more funds are needed to save the panda, which could otherwise become extinct in 50 years time. Only 1,000 giant pandas are believed to be alive today. Officals in Chengdu have the greatest success in breeding captive giant pandas. Keywords: Panda, China, animals, baby, cute, sweet, rare, funny, naughty, zoo, unusual. Reuters 6916/93 | |
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health - KYTA Bulletin Highlights :
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health - KYTA Bulletin Highlights :
Pregnancy is a wonderful time for a woman to start a yoga practice because she's already inwardly focused and in her body. For pregnant women, the gentle practice of Kripalu Yoga is ideal for becoming more aware of body and breath and learning relaxation techniques for pregnancy, labor, and delivery. However, teachers should be aware of certain precautions and contraindications. The following guidelines will help you provide a safe yoga experience for pregnant women.
* If a student becomes pregnant and wants to stay with your class rather than switching to a prenatal yoga class, you'll need to pay particular attention to her practice. Unless she's very familiar with yoga and with her body, she may push too hard or attempt postures that could be harmful.
* The risk of miscarriage is greatest in the first trimester of pregnancy. Most miscarriages are caused by genetic disorders, not the actions of the mother. However, your students should be under the care of a physician or midwife and if they experience spotting or cramping, they should let their practitioner know and stop all activity until told otherwise.
* Dirgha and ujjayi breath and nadi sodhana are fine to practice and are helpful for keeping the abdomen toned. The practice of dirgha breath may be more difficult because of the enlargement of the uterus and the rearrangement of other organs to accommodate it.
* Kapalabhati in both its forms is a precaution throughout the entire pregnancy—during the first trimester because the embryo is not firmly planted in the uterus and after that because it brings increased energy and heat to the abdominal region.
* Hot or vigorous yoga experiences are not recommended because of the danger of overheating.
* Contracting and releasing the perineum (kegels), as in core lift, is great for toning the pelvic floor and helpful in delivery and restoring muscle tone after the birth.
* Encourage sounding. Releasing the throat during labor can help to open the cervix. Chanting Om, the vowel sounds or another mantraâ€â€perhaps a lullabyâ€â€can help relax the throat.
* Belly-down postures are contraindicated after the first trimester. You can modify some of these postures by practicing them on hands and knees. When practicing backbends in this position, pay attention to how far the back sways with regard to the increased weight on the abdomen and the muscles of the back. Be aware that there is already quite a bit of stretching in the abdominal region and encourage your students to stay within their comfort zone.
* Postures practiced while lying on the back are contraindicated after the second trimester. In the supine position, the inferior vena cava, which runs down the right side of the back and returns blood to the heart, is compressed by the weight of the uterus. This is true whether or not the woman is uncomfortable in this position. For some women, lying on the back becomes uncomfortable well before the third trimester; encourage her to listen to her body. Modify Savasana by having your students lie on the left side with a pillow under the head and between the legs.
* Avoid constricting the belly in twists and forward bends. Many of these postures can be done by opening the legs wider.
* Pregnancy causes an increase in the amount of blood in the body and can lead to high blood pressure. Therefore, long holdings, especially in strenuous postures, inversions, or with the arms overhead can be a precaution.
* Toward the end of pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity changes rapidly. For balancing postures, have her stand near a wall or chair so support is available if needed. Working with balance in yoga class can help improve her balance during daily activities.
* Also toward the end of the pregnancy, hormones are released which loosen the ligaments. At this stage, be very careful not to overstretch, particularly in the pelvic area. Postures such as Warrior I and Pigeon should be practiced with care and entered only partway. Pigeon should be practiced with the heel underneath the buttock so the knee does not turn out to the side.
* For students who experience leg cramps, particularly at night, recommend stretching the calf muscles before bed. For a student who is confined to bed, suggest ankle exercises, dirgha pranayama and sounding.
* Most of all, encourage your students to attune to the child in class and in their lives and to revel in this time of growth and joy. ¶ 11:16 PM 0 comments
Pregnancy is a wonderful time for a woman to start a yoga practice because she's already inwardly focused and in her body. For pregnant women, the gentle practice of Kripalu Yoga is ideal for becoming more aware of body and breath and learning relaxation techniques for pregnancy, labor, and delivery. However, teachers should be aware of certain precautions and contraindications. The following guidelines will help you provide a safe yoga experience for pregnant women.
* If a student becomes pregnant and wants to stay with your class rather than switching to a prenatal yoga class, you'll need to pay particular attention to her practice. Unless she's very familiar with yoga and with her body, she may push too hard or attempt postures that could be harmful.
* The risk of miscarriage is greatest in the first trimester of pregnancy. Most miscarriages are caused by genetic disorders, not the actions of the mother. However, your students should be under the care of a physician or midwife and if they experience spotting or cramping, they should let their practitioner know and stop all activity until told otherwise.
* Dirgha and ujjayi breath and nadi sodhana are fine to practice and are helpful for keeping the abdomen toned. The practice of dirgha breath may be more difficult because of the enlargement of the uterus and the rearrangement of other organs to accommodate it.
* Kapalabhati in both its forms is a precaution throughout the entire pregnancy—during the first trimester because the embryo is not firmly planted in the uterus and after that because it brings increased energy and heat to the abdominal region.
* Hot or vigorous yoga experiences are not recommended because of the danger of overheating.
* Contracting and releasing the perineum (kegels), as in core lift, is great for toning the pelvic floor and helpful in delivery and restoring muscle tone after the birth.
* Encourage sounding. Releasing the throat during labor can help to open the cervix. Chanting Om, the vowel sounds or another mantraâ€â€perhaps a lullabyâ€â€can help relax the throat.
* Belly-down postures are contraindicated after the first trimester. You can modify some of these postures by practicing them on hands and knees. When practicing backbends in this position, pay attention to how far the back sways with regard to the increased weight on the abdomen and the muscles of the back. Be aware that there is already quite a bit of stretching in the abdominal region and encourage your students to stay within their comfort zone.
* Postures practiced while lying on the back are contraindicated after the second trimester. In the supine position, the inferior vena cava, which runs down the right side of the back and returns blood to the heart, is compressed by the weight of the uterus. This is true whether or not the woman is uncomfortable in this position. For some women, lying on the back becomes uncomfortable well before the third trimester; encourage her to listen to her body. Modify Savasana by having your students lie on the left side with a pillow under the head and between the legs.
* Avoid constricting the belly in twists and forward bends. Many of these postures can be done by opening the legs wider.
* Pregnancy causes an increase in the amount of blood in the body and can lead to high blood pressure. Therefore, long holdings, especially in strenuous postures, inversions, or with the arms overhead can be a precaution.
* Toward the end of pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity changes rapidly. For balancing postures, have her stand near a wall or chair so support is available if needed. Working with balance in yoga class can help improve her balance during daily activities.
* Also toward the end of the pregnancy, hormones are released which loosen the ligaments. At this stage, be very careful not to overstretch, particularly in the pelvic area. Postures such as Warrior I and Pigeon should be practiced with care and entered only partway. Pigeon should be practiced with the heel underneath the buttock so the knee does not turn out to the side.
* For students who experience leg cramps, particularly at night, recommend stretching the calf muscles before bed. For a student who is confined to bed, suggest ankle exercises, dirgha pranayama and sounding.
* Most of all, encourage your students to attune to the child in class and in their lives and to revel in this time of growth and joy. ¶ 11:16 PM 0 comments
Telephone telepathy -- I was just thinking about you - Yahoo! News
Telephone telepathy -- I was just thinking about you - Yahoo! News
Telephone telepathy -- I was just thinking about you
Tue Sep 5, 9:29 AM ET
Many people have experienced the phenomenon of receiving a telephone call from someone shortly after thinking about them -- now a scientist says he has proof of what he calls telephone telepathy.
Rupert Sheldrake, whose research is funded by the respected Trinity College, Cambridge, said on Tuesday he had conducted experiments that proved that such precognition existed for telephone calls and even e-mails.
Each person in the trials was asked to give researchers names and phone numbers of four relatives or friends. These were then called at random and told to ring the subject who had to identify the caller before answering the phone.
"The hit rate was 45 percent, well above the 25 percent you would have expected," he told the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. "The odds against this being a chance effect are 1,000 billion to one."
He said he found the same result with people being asked to name one of four people sending them an e-mail before it had landed.
However, his sample was small on both trials -- just 63 people for the controlled telephone experiment and 50 for the email -- and only four subjects were actually filmed in the phone study and five in the email, prompting some scepticism.
Undeterred, Sheldrake -- who believes in the interconnectedness of all minds within a social grouping -- said that he was extending his experiments to see if the phenomenon also worked for mobile phone text messages. ¶ 7:22 PM 0 comments
Telephone telepathy -- I was just thinking about you
Tue Sep 5, 9:29 AM ET
Many people have experienced the phenomenon of receiving a telephone call from someone shortly after thinking about them -- now a scientist says he has proof of what he calls telephone telepathy.
Rupert Sheldrake, whose research is funded by the respected Trinity College, Cambridge, said on Tuesday he had conducted experiments that proved that such precognition existed for telephone calls and even e-mails.
Each person in the trials was asked to give researchers names and phone numbers of four relatives or friends. These were then called at random and told to ring the subject who had to identify the caller before answering the phone.
"The hit rate was 45 percent, well above the 25 percent you would have expected," he told the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. "The odds against this being a chance effect are 1,000 billion to one."
He said he found the same result with people being asked to name one of four people sending them an e-mail before it had landed.
However, his sample was small on both trials -- just 63 people for the controlled telephone experiment and 50 for the email -- and only four subjects were actually filmed in the phone study and five in the email, prompting some scepticism.
Undeterred, Sheldrake -- who believes in the interconnectedness of all minds within a social grouping -- said that he was extending his experiments to see if the phenomenon also worked for mobile phone text messages. ¶ 7:22 PM 0 comments
