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Wednesday, 09 July 2008 05:01 |
A new killer flu virus is on its way. Ducks and geese carrying this virus are now winging their way across the globe, spreading the disease wherever they go. Started in Asia, it has now spread to Europe. Soon it will be in North and South America.
So far it has only killed a few dozen humans. It is, after all, a virus that’s passed from bird to bird. Or from bird to animals. So far it can’t be transmitted from human to human. But flu viruses are crafty. They have the ability to change. This is what happened in 1918 when the Spanish Flu Pandemic swept over a war weary planet killing 50 – 100 million people – far more than were killed in the war.
This time it will be much worse. After all, we now have 4 times the number of people living on the planet. And most of them live in cities. Large, crowded cities. The five largest cities in the world have over 100 million people living in them. A killer virus that can be passed from human to human, let loose in our major cities where people are living elbow to elbow, would have a catastrophic effect.
And consider thisÂ…back in 1918 it was a much bigger world. It took weeks to get from one side of the world to the other. It took days to get from one side of the continent to the next. Today it takes hours. Last year more than 46 million international visitors came to the United States. If only one infected visitor passes on the virus to 2 others, who pass it on to 2 others, and so on, by the end of a month everyone in the US could be infected.
I donÂ’t even want to consider the implications if this idea ever occurs to muslim terrorists who are only too happy to blow themselves to bits in order to take out a few infidels.
So what can we do?
Fortunately itÂ’s not all doom and gloom. There are some very specific steps you can take to minimize the dangers and protect yourself and your loved ones.
1. Draw up a Plan. Outline the steps you and your family need to take, both pre-pandemic and during. Identify responsibilities for each family member. Make lists of supplies required. Find appropriate sources. Develop a realistic timeline. By establishing a plan now, you will avoid becoming a victim of the panic that will grip the general population, resulting in civil chaos and pandemonium.
2. Keep Informed. If and when the virus mutates so that it is being spread from human to human, it is likely to start in Southeast Asia. Pay attention to the news. When you hear that this has taken place, it"s time to act. We might only have weeks before the pandemic reaches North America, but with international travel so fast and easy it could be much sooner. Sign up for free newsletter notifications at http://www.survivetheflu.com .
3. Prepare Your Child for Home Schooling. Most flu outbreaks get their start at schools. You can be certain that the schools will be closed. And if they"re not, you should give very serious thought to keeping your children at home.
4. Minimize Contact with Others. The H5N1 avian flu virus can be transmitted for two days before a person is showing any symptoms and for a week after symptoms have disappeared. You never know who isn"t and who might be infected. If possible you should stay home. Every time you go into an area where there are people you are at risk.
5. Wash Your Hands Often. Sneeze particles can travel across a room at 600 miles per hour. If the person sneezing has the flu, everything in that room is covered with flu virus. And when you touch anything, the virus is transmitted to your hand. Eventually it will be transmitted to your mouth. Your only protection is to wash your hands, well and often. Each washing should involve vigorous scrubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds.
6. Stock up on Food & Water. Supermarkets only have enough food for about a week or less. It"s critical that you stock up on enough food to last you for the duration which could be 3-4 months.
7. Buy Enough Anti-Viral Medication for Every Member of your Family. Currently there are two drugs that can help mitigate the effects of the avian flu virus. One is called oseltamivir, or Tamiflu. It comes in a tablet form. The other is zanamivir, or Relenza, which is inhaled. You will need a prescription for either of these drugs. They should be taken within 2 days of the onset of symptoms and taken twice a day for 5 days. These drugs are in very short supply, especially Tamiflu which is considered the drug of first choice. You should attempt to secure enough for your family as soon as possible, since once a pandemic hits they will be impossible to obtain. Currently you should be able to buy them at your drug store, or you can order them online.
8. Stock up on Face Masks. You will need to wear these when you absolutely have to come into close contact with others. It"s likely that any public businesses or government offices that remain open will make it mandatory that you wear a mask before entering. Make sure that your mask has a rating of N100. The more common N95 masks will not give you enough protection.
There is one mask -- the NanoMask® -- which not only blocks the H5N1 virus, but kills it as well.
9. Exercise. According to the American Council on Exercise, research has shown that moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) brings about measurable changes in the immune system, sending white blood cells zipping around the body to find intruders and kill them. But after a few hours, the immune system returns to normal so itÂ’s best to exercise regularly.
10. Spread the Word. Regardless of how much coverage the avian threat is receiving in the media, most people are reluctant to act. Perhaps if they don"t acknowledge the danger they think it will somehow go away. Or maybe they think the government will look after the situation.
Desperate, panic stricken people are arguably even more dangerous than the virus. The more people surrounding you who are prepared for the pandemic, the safer you will be. You"ll be secure in the knowledge that your neighbors won"t be eyeing your resources. So please spread the word. And don"t give up, even though you may feel like the voice in the wilderness. Eventually, if they hear it often enough, some people will take notice. And then they will also spread the word. And in this way we"ll all be a little safer.
"Up to one billion people could die around the whole world in six months.... We are half a step away from a worldwide pandemic catastrophe." Dmitry K. Lvov, Director, D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
Whether or not it will happen this year, and whether or not it will be as catastrophic as many virologists are predicting, one thing is clear: There WILL be a pandemic of unimaginable proportions some time soon.
We can either bury our heads in the sand and hope it won"t happen, or we can begin taking immediate steps to ensure that in a worst case scenario, we"ve given ourselves and our loved ones the best possible chance for survival.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
A mother of 4, living in central British Columbia, Julie Butler became curious about Avian Flu on a recent trip to California, where residents are required to report dead birds to authorities. Her website at www.survivetheflu.com provides updated information and timely tips for dealing with the deadly H5N1 virus.
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Tuesday, 08 July 2008 13:01 |
If you are in need of a relocation service, you will have many things to worry about. But, if you can find the right service to work out, you are likely worrying for nothing. There are many companies out there that want to serve your needs. They want to help you relocate and they will pull out all the stops to say so. But, what you need is quality, communication, and affordability. It is also important to be able to trust in your relocation service.
First, you need to be able to have a quality relocation service. To find the quality service that you need, simply look at the companies closely. Compare company history, consumer reviews that youÂ’ll find on the web as well as taking the time to look them up on the Better Business BureauÂ’s website. Are their customers satisfied?
Next, you need to be able to communicate with them. Do they provide you with the understanding attitude that you need? Do they allow you to tell them what it is that you are after? If they plan to provide service to you, they need to be able to communicate with you about your needs, availabilities and worries that you may have. A good relocation service will provide these aspects.
The company that provides you with relocation service also needs to provide you with affordability. After you take care of the other aspects, make sure that the service can provide for you a good deal or discount. In fact, their normal prices need to be good as well. You are moving and more than likely, you donÂ’t have the time or money to be ripped off!
Lastly, the relocation service needs to provide you with a good reason to trust them. It could be that all of the things we mentioned are great choices. That may be enough to make them be the right company to trust. You know when you trust someone so look for this quality in the relocation service you choose.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
For more information please see www.relocation-service-info.co.uk
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Tuesday, 08 July 2008 06:01 |
Both Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art have gained international recognition as valuable art forms over the past few decades. However, the rising popularity of both Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art has resulted in the increased proliferation of imitations and mass-produced reproductions of original Native arts. Some obvious fakes are made in Asia from molds where the finished pieces are forms of plastic, resin or ceramic.
Other fakes are actually made of cast stone simulating actual Inuit Eskimo art carvings and wood for imitation Native American carvings. These fakes, which are harder to distinguish from authentic artwork, are often hand carved reproductions of an original piece of artwork. Workshops have illegally reproduced hundreds of copies without the artisanÂ’s permission. The counterfeiting companies would then attach some type of tag that claims the fake pieces were influenced by aboriginal artisans and even background information on the Native designs used in the artwork. Some even go as far as adding in Inuit syllabics on the bottom of the fake Inuit Eskimo art carvings.
These are very deceptive tactics on their part since they give the consumers the impression that the imitations are authentic and income producing for the aboriginal communities. Fakes and imitations have lowered the image of authentic Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art. Sales of genuine aboriginal artwork have declined which in turn have deprived aboriginal artisans of income. The argument against these claims is that not every consumer can afford to buy authentic Inuit Eskimo art or Native American art so the souvenir level reproductions legitimately meet this part of the market. The imitations, which are usually low priced, enable students visiting Canada for example, to bring home a Canadian souvenir without breaking their travel budget. This claim would have more support from Native communities if aboriginal artisans were paid a fair royalty as income for each imitation and reproduction piece sold. However, this is seldom the case since most of the time, no royalties are paid at all.
The obvious fakes can be spotted quite easily. An imitation of an Inuit Eskimo art carving spotted at a gift shop was not made of stone as it was not cold to the touch. It was very light in weight unlike a stone which has some mass to it. The detail and the bottom of the piece had the molded look to it. There was even a sticker on the bottom with the company name Wolf Originals. Side by side comparisons of similar pieces in the souvenir store revealed that they were all identical in every detail, which is impossible for original artwork.
A black totem pole had a very flat uniform back and bottom again giving away the fact that it came from a mold. Other totem poles made from wood or mixed wood with a claim that they were hand painted were among many similar pieces in the store. All of these examples were each priced less than $20 Canadian which was another indicator that they were not original artwork.
Imitations of Inuit Eskimo art sculptures were recently spotted for sale in shops located at major Canadian airports. From a distance, these Inuit Eskimo art sculptures of hunters, polar bears and Inuit women with children looked very authentic. However, each piece had several identical copies on the same shelf.
To avoid accidentally buying a fake or imitation, it is suggested that consumers buy Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art from only reputable galleries and dealers rather than from tourist souvenir shops. A piece of original, authentic Inuit Eskimo art or Native American art is one of a kind. There should be no other identical pieces on the shelves. In addition, original Inuit Eskimo art carvings should come with an Igloo tag (or sticker) which is a Canadian government registered trademark. Inuit Eskimo art carvings that are certified by the Canadian government to be handmade by Inuit artisans, come with Igloo tags.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Also numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit art and Native American Indian art.
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