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What's In Your Weather Forecast?

Weather calamities seem to have an eye for Asia this summer although many other parts of the world are far from immune to Mother's growing chaos. In case you do not follow the weather news, here are some of the latest headlines:

Romania on Flood Alert
South Asia monsoon toll passes 2,000.
At least 13 dead in Pakistan rains.
Rivers above alert levels as rain subsides over central Europe.
Storms batter Ohio.
Extreme floods hit 500 million people a year.
Floods, landslides kill 35 in China.
Floods show need for disaster risk reduction: UN.
Hong Kong issues cyclone warning.
Did global warming cause NYC tornado?

There are a lot more headlines dealing with the tornado in Brooklyn, rising death toll in Asia due to flooding, sweltering heat that is still rampant in parts of the U.S., deaths from flooding and starvation in Vietnam, deaths from storms in the Philippines, a mini-tsunami in Algeria and an announcement by the UN that many parts of the world have confronted record breaking heat waves, floods, storms and cold snaps including snowfall in Africa.

What is evident from many of these stories is that governments are not ready to deal with repeated natural disasters. In 2005 an agreement, the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, was signed by 168 countries in Kobe, Japan. Between 2001 and 2005 84% of deaths due to natural disasters were caused by flooding. It is clear that, like many well meaning agreements, that many governments have not taken their commitments to heart. Given that more and increased flooding is inevitable, what will governments do to prevent further loss of life and property? When will governments get their heads out of the sand and realize that climate change is a much bigger threat than terrorism? The ISDR says that modest investments in early warning systems, evacuation plans, public education and better building standards can greatly reduce the loss of life and property. Unfortunately, many nations are too poor for even these modest efforts and if disaster strikes, limited funds must go to relief. The richer nations have tended to take an It wont happen here attitude and the effects of that line of thing have been clear in the U.S., england and central Europe.

One must keep in mind that much of this flooding is due to heavy and long rains and does not include what may happen in terms of hurricanes and monsoons. Add to these equation problems from heat waves, earthquakes, droughts, freak snows and tornadoes hitting the downtown areas of cities and it is evident that we could be facing some real problems. All of these natural disasters are costing billions of dollars in property loss, disrupting economies, creating social chaos and costing lives. How deep are the pockets of relief agencies and charitable organizations?

We are standing in the middle of the environmental highway and Mother Nature is driving right at us. There is a lot of talk and very little action. Policy makers are still acting like we have scores of years to begin to solve these problems. Perhaps it is so out of hand that governments fear telling people how bad things may get. Panic is not a pretty sight. It has been said that disasters can bring out the best in people but events in Pakistan and India have put that notion to a severe test; the grade is not encouraging.

It is a little easier to offer assistance when only a relatively small or remote population is affected by disaster. When disaster is widespread, however, disaster brings out the worst and not the best of human nature. As the American economy begins to falter under the pressures home foreclosures and increasing debt, will the U.S. be so generous to foreign lands drowning under monsoons and other environmental disasters? When we face another Katrina, how much will be left for others particularly when we do know how to effectively and efficiently deal with such issues? As it is said in the 11th Hour, the clock is ticking. What is in your weather forecast?

Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New england. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education.

Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated and featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy and writing features for literary E-zines. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL has been released by Cambridge Books. Contributing writer for UPI's Religion&Spirituality web site.

posted by 88089 @ 9:02 AM 0 comments

Fat Loss and Diets - My Experience

No matter where you look today, you will find or see something to do with fat loss or diets. The mass majority of them will either say all or high Protein and no carbohydrates or just the opposite. I have tried to diet with both of these concepts.

The protein diet for fat loss. I must say it was the fastest way for me to drop 30 pounds. I did it in 30 days. I eat nothing but meats, fish, nuts and very little amounts of vegetables and fruits. I held my carbs to less than 25 grams a day. I also held my calorie intake to 1200 a day or less. And most days it was under that. This will put your body in to a state of ketosis. This forces your body to burn your fat. It has no carbohydrates to use for fuel. For me the side effect of this diet was constipation. Not a very pleasant thing at all.

After dropping all of my weight I began to eat as I did before going on the protein only diet. Needless to say I gained all of my weight back and then some.

Next I thought I would give the no fat Fat loss diet a try. So basically I ate everything that had no fat to it. Now here is were it can get very interesting. If you eat allot of grains or grain products, like breads, sugar rich foods you will lose nothing and probably gain allot of weight. I could not loss any weight at all till I started to eat only fruits and vegetables. Here again I had to eat only a small amount to lose any weight at all. I will say to I did not lose the weight I lost on the protein diet. I tired of it very quickly and gave up on it. I will also say with both diets I was on I did not exercise at all.

Still looking for that magic bullet I ran across a diet that will let you eat both carbs and protein. The best of both worlds so to speak. Now there are curtain foods that you should stay away from, like refined grain products, breads crackers and that kind of foods. anything with sugar it it also. Now you can eat meats, fish and proteins. Also carbohydrates like most vegetables and fruits. All of the allowed fruits and vegetables are high in fiber to help keep you feeling full longer. I am just now giving this diet a try. In about a week I did lose 4 pounds. It is not as fast as the protein diet but I think it is allot healthier.

I think one of the most important things you must do in order for any diet to work is that you have to be in the right mind set. Also no matter what you are eating you can not over eat anything. Face it! Dieting is nothing but a numbers game. You must take in less calories than you are burning to lose any weight.

By Douglas Miller, This has been my experience at weight loss so far.

If you would Like to get any more information on dieting and my progress you can go to http://www.fatloss-that-you-can-live-with.blogspot.com or you would like some information on being healthy and fit go to http://www.healthyfitness-diet.com

posted by 88089 @ 3:31 AM 0 comments