Chicago is a city in northeastern Illinois, on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Chicago is the third largest city in the United States and one of the country's leading industrial, commercial, transportation, and financial centers. Chicago occupies a flatland that is crossed by two short rivers: the Chicago River and the Calumet. Both rivers are linked by canals with the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, establishing Chicago as the connecting point in the waterway between the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Seaway. Chicago has a highly diversified economy that has been aided by an extensive transportation and distribution network. It is the nation's most important rail and trucking center and is the location of one of the busiest airports in the United States, Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. The city is a significant port for both domestic and international trade. Great Lakes freighters and river barges deliver bulk commodities such as iron ore, limestone, coal, chemicals, petroleum, and grain. Foreign vessels arrive via the Saint Lawrence Seaway, bringing products such as automobiles, steel, fish, and alcoholic beverages.
The Chicago River divides the city into three broad sections, known traditionally as the North, West, and South sides. The North Side is largely residential, interspersed with industry. The West Side generally is a lower-income residential area and contains numerous industrial, railroad, and wholesale-produce facilities. The South Side occupies almost half the city and contains diverse residential neighborhoods, ranging from decayed tenement districts to areas of modest detached houses.
Almost the entire lakefront is devoted to recreational uses, with beaches, museums, harbors, and parks. The downtown area, known locally as the Loop (from the fact that it is encircled by elevated railway tracks), is an important retail and entertainment district. The world's first skyscraper was constructed in Chicago in 1885. Several of the tallest buildings in the world are located in the central part of the city, including the world's second tallest, the Sears Tower.
Institutes of higher education include the University of Chicago (1890), Northwestern University (1851), and De Paul University (1898). The city's many museums include the Field Museum (1893); the Art Institute of Chicago; and the John G. Shedd Aquarium, the world's largest. The Chicago Cubs baseball team plays at Wrigley Field; the Chicago White Sox baseball team, at Comiskey Park; the Chicago Bears football team, at Soldier Field; and the Chicago Blackhawks ice hockey and Chicago Bulls basketball teams, at the United Center.
As for activities and attractions here evreyone may find what he seeks:sights,theaters,clubs.The ones wanting to know more about the culture of Chicago has the best museums in the world and great architectural landmark to visit.A first choice may be the Art Institute of Chicago: This Classical Renaissance structure, guarded by two bronze lions at its entrance, boasts one of the world's great art collections, including the trademark "American Gothic."
One of America's premier natural history museums, Field Museum,now houses "Sue," the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered. Chicago History Museum brings the Second City's long history to life.Here there are exhibits on everything from the Great Fire of 1871 to the city's rich background insports.
A ride to the top of the city's tallest building, Sears Tower gives a great view of the architecture, neighborhoods and lake that make Chicago unique. A true Chicago landmark is Water Tower.This structure was bulit in 1869 antd it was one of a few buildings to survive the 1871 fire. Nowadays here it is the City Gallery, an exhibition space for Chicago photos and photographers.
Chicago doesn’t not forget about family fun.Navy Pier and Lincoln Park Zoo are a delight for children and two of the finest zoos in the country
Navy Pier offers 50 acres of parks, gardens (beer and botanical), shops, restaurants, cultural attractions and a 150-foot Ferris wheel. Established in 1868, Lincoln Park Zoo has a surface of 35-acre, and is one of America's last free-admission zoos, opened every day of the year. The Great Ape House has one of the best assemblages of gorillas and chimpanzees in the world.
If children can get what they want, also can the parents. Buddy Guy's Legends include his own reputation, plus the amazing array of local and national blues performers drawn to this music hotspot. Green Mill is oldest jazz club in the U.S. opened in 1907. The city has the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet, and several modern and jazz dance troupes. On the city's classical music scene there are companies including Music of the Baroque, Chicago Opera Theater, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, Chicago a cappella, and many others.
Chicago is known for its Chicago blues, Chicago soul, Jazz, and Gospel. This strong tradition of music and musical innovation have continued into contemporary styles. The city is the birthplace of the House style of music, and is the site of an influential Hip-Hop scene. In the 1980s the city was a center for industrial, punk and new wave .this influence continued into the alternative scene of the 1990s, with The Smashing Pumpkins emerging out of Chicago onto the global stage in the early 1990s. Chicago was an epicenter of the development of rave culture in the 1980s even through today. There is a flourishing independent rock scene, including the recent explosion of Chicago emo acts, with multiple festivals featuring various acts each year
No matter what time of year you visit Chicago, there is bound to be special events that you won’t want to miss. Many of the special events are held in the summer.
Chicago is the synonim also of great food. Dine at four-star French restaurants or munch on a Chicago-style pizza or Italian beef. Choices can be made from spicy Thai, sophisticated Mexican or simple burgers and fries. There are hundreds of great restaurants serving Greek, Cantonese, Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Afghani, African, Turkish, Korean and vegetarian food. Visit China Town for great Dim Sum, Greek Town for flaming saganaki or Old Town for great steaks and folk music. The Downtown Theater District is home to some of the most satisfying restaurants in the city, making the need to combine epicurean delights with unequaled entertainment easy to satisfy.There is also a Brazilian restaurant where meat lovers have a never-ending parade of 15 types of grilled meats brought directly to the table. A salad bar and a variety of side dishes, from fried bananas to mashed potatoes, round out the meal You may find also contemporary American cuisine on the menu serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can choose over 50 selections of cheese and there's a huge menu of wines served by the glass. An express lunch menu promises to have you in, fed and out in 36 minutes!
Shopping is a pleasure?If yes, Chicago is the answer.Here there is a paradise for shopping lovers.You can find the perfect present at Chicago's bustling department stores and chic designer boutiques.Go to the city's quiet, tree-lined shopping neighborhoods as well as the pulsating downtown shopping districts for beautiful clothes, leather goods, hand-crafted jewelry, antiques, furniture and more. State Street - that great street - sits amidst Chicago's Downtown Theater District creating the ideal day of shopping and entertainment. So whether you are looking for the prefect lithograph in a River North Gallery, a hand-painted silk scarf in Wicker Park or the latest designer suit in an historic downtown department store, when it comes to shopping. Chicago offers something for every taste and budget.
If you put all of Chicago’s advantages together, there is no doubt why so many events choose this city. In fact, Chicago offers the best overall package for convention and trade show managers in the nation. Once a day’s business is over, everyone can enjoy a world-class city with exciting restaurants, theaters, museums, shopping, nightlife and attractions.Chicago has also a wealth of the most qualified labor in the industrywhere professionals are highly trained with years of experience
Chicago is the crossroads of the nation and the world, making it accessible from any place on the planet. As North America’s only dual hub for commercial air travel, the city is easy to get to from anywhere. Getting to Chicago is easy and affordable, and has accessibility for both domestic and international visitors. O’Hare International Airport is the world’s busiest airport, and Midway International is the fastest growing airport in North America.
The city has many and divers hotels: 30,000 downtown hotel rooms located in close proximity of the convention centers and more than 100,000 rooms in the entire metropolitan area.The different types of hotels offer luxury, convention-style, boutique, and limited service properties.
While Chicago is better known as a city to do business, there are so many to do here which makes the city a world-class destination that offers something for every taste and every budget, whether it’s amazing live theatre, alive nightclubs, or inspiring architecture.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
funeral
The spiritual experience
It was never easy to talk about losing someone dear, or someone close. None of us can speak easily about that. Death, it is said, is what makes us so afraid. Death is the end of all roads for us as living beings and the beginning of another state when we shall be judged in front of God. We live our lives with the subconscious sense that the end is there, the approximate finish, and we have some time to meet a deadline. That is what actually motivates us and serves us as pretext or motive to create. Death is motivating because we are scared of it, and fear puts us into motion and makes us explore our power, our sense of survival. We cannot refuse life, because, with the passing of generations, we have made it too interesting not to take advantage of it. We have every chance to fail if we do not try but we have a chance to win if we try. I think the latter is more profitable.
You cannot talk about death without supporting it with the idea of life. They are in contrast but they are created one from the other. Death implies the idea of life. If it weren’t for life we wouldn’t have had death. An end automatically implies the existence of something. So we cannot argue about death without constantly referring to life.
It is supposed that being dead is not painful. It is said that death is more painful for those left behind and ultimately for the dead ones, who may suffer – or not – before they die. The departed is bereaved, remembered, celebrated, loved forever, more sincerely I might say. He immediately becomes a respected being for having crossed the border between the two worlds. They say “not to speak ill of the dead”. Why do they say that? Because they might come back under the shape of a curse or we might meet them after we ourselves die and they might take revenge on us? Who knows?
After someone dies they gain a sort of aura that makes them untouchable. Irrespective of the status they had while alive: criminals, bad poets, dictators, racists, terrorists, monks, blondes, poor or wealthy. Even if some of them are hated they still enrich themselves with something: it’s like a drawing that you love or hate. But after one dies that drawing is embossed, the margins thicken in black and become untouchable – whether it is by love or by hate. They are entitled to one space on a shelf somewhere high- or very low- where neither the love nor the hate and everything in between can transpire. We may pour our sour venom or our sweet love but the book is closed, and the words and feelings vanish for the departed. They actually bounce back and affect us, who still have a life to create.
As we live we make friends, we have our family. We sweeten the state of wellness through our enemies and bad experiences. The bad is there to remind us about the good things and the good people. So as life passes we establish connections and commit ourselves to just a few of them. What hurts us the most is when human contact is broken and human, rational support is broken by death. One uf us is taken away and we need to learn to manage alone. For some people committing to someone else takes up their entire lives; they to learn to respect, give without expecting anything in return, acquire selflessness and forget about judging. And then death suddenly slips in and they are forced to take that same route backwards. But they a lot less time to do that instead.
Losing someone is like ripping off a part of yourself and giving it to someone you can’t even see, touch, feel or understand: death. It asks and you shall give it to it. Then comes the usual, overrated question: “Why?”. There isn’t a more stupid question than why, but history shows us that it leads to progress. Although none concerning the logic of death. Maybe because it has none. Just as life – which may sound outrageous but predictable coming from someone who has lost a loved one and is still recovering. But we cannot stay mad on God forever, as He has His ways.
The psychological and social effect
Slowly stepping out of the metaphorical landscape, death should be considered a privilege because living forever would be cruel and unbearable. Death is just a tool of measurement, an impulse to hurry up and be a lot more productive. When someone you love dies you learn a lesson. You learn about yourself and about the others by their reactions to such a happening. Most of us feel the regret of not having made the most of the time when de departed was still with us. Regret settles in and thus we try to make amends while we can with those who deserve better from us. We relinquish our egotistic tendencies because tomorrow might be too late to do that.
Death makes us better people. The memory of our lost, loved ones is filled with beautiful, happy times. We remember the promises that we made to them, how much they believed in us and the great people they expected us to become. Death gives us power. We learn to move on and fallow our ambitions with striving impetus.
Conversely, weak persons fall to the ground and never stand up, not even with help. The loss is too great to mend the pain or restore the system of illusion that helps one go on. Constantly living in the past, regretting the present and refusing the future suffocate and block the psyche, making one unable to keep up with the passing of time.
The cultural background
Last but not least, death is a ritual because it marks one of the most important moments in life and in a society: the end of a process.
Tibetan Buddhists place great emphasis on preparing themselves for death, and for them it is important to face it as peacefully and noble as possible – which suggests respect for both life and death. The uptake of death gives meaning to the life you have lead, and proves you have learned and are worthy of a mature soul. For Tibetans the approaching death is an experience to recognize the sufferings of others and pray for them. After death the body is washed then taken to be cremated. For a couple of weeks the body is in “intermediate state” and within 49 days it is reborn.
In Muslim countries death is a test. They ask for forgiveness and turn their look towards Mecca. The body is buried and not cremated, directly into the ground without a coffin. They do not question death in any way because they believe it is the way of Allah, aspect which comforts and eases them.
Christianity teaches us to overcome sin and believe in God, in Jesus Christ, because only by sharing His way of life we will reunite with Him. Death is just a stage towards Him, the door to another life, a holly one.
These are but few examples of how religion helps us deal with the idea of death, each of them offering its unique source of comfort. The great thing they have in common is ACCEPTANCE of death as a natural course on earth, which we should embrace when the time comes and not try to fight it.
The Funeral Home
The funeral service that a funeral home provides are according to the wishes of the family: the coffin – the material from which it is made of; open or closed, the wake, the chapel, takes care of the necessary paperwork, posts obituary in the media, makes arrangements with the cemetery. The body is embalmed or left as it is.
The funeral homes are usually owned by families by whom they are also operated.
All of these may sound trivial and somewhat commercial, taking into account the sobriety and solemnity of the event. But these are aspects which need to be arranged, organized and paid for. Death provides financial income.
In today’s society governed by consumerism, funeral services are advertised. Death is a business, as little as we might like it. We need to provide a decent burial for the departed and thus showing a type of respect, and the funeral homes ensures us with good services the best we can afford.
An expensive and nice place to rest is our last favour tjob
OB RECRUITERS – FINDING A JOB
It is generally agreed that nowadays society has impressively developed and that the importance of human resource represents one of its dominant features. This statement can be easily verified through highlighting the present situation of successful companies that have reached the climax of their development by means of professional employees, devoted to their work and having an orientation towards the interests of the companies. The employee becomes this way an indispensable resource; no matter the way in which he contributes to the development of the company he belongs to, whether he uses his intellectual skills or his physical abilities. The companies that have acknowledged the importance of this fact no longer see their employees as a supplementary cost, but as a long-term investment. For this reason, the selection of the personnel is a rigorous one, the future employees need to reach some standards, to approach the company’s requests. The selection process represents the moment when job recruiters take control in order to establish a connection between the candidates and the employers.
Helping Employers.
Studies have proved that a longer organizing helps to a shorter implementation. By drawing an analogy, the same thing can be said about the recruitment of a new personnel, namely, the shorter the time spent on searching new employee is, the bigger is the company’s success. Employers pay much more attention to specialized recruitment companies because the modern system has proved to be a viable and efficient one. The costs of a recruitment programme are lower when appealing to a specialized company than they are when resorting to the employer’s own methods and resources for finding potential candidates. Naturally, the results are more efficient since the candidates approach more to the criteria requested for being able to occupy the vacant position. Within the services of a recruitment company, the employers may concretely expose their requests with regard to the profile of the potential candidate, as long as his statements do not represent discrimination.
Thus, the employer may ask for the exact information connected to: the domicile and residence, age, sex, previous work experience, education, knowledge of foreign languages, knowledge of using the computer, possession of a driving licence as well as the candidate’s expectances regarding the job he is applying for. The employer has to be aware of the fact that the more rigorous the conditions are, the lower will be the number of applicants, but the higher will be their quality as well as the opportunity of reaching the needed person.
The importance of a recruitment company consists as well in the fact that there are specialized people who have the ability of offering the employer the necessary counselling regarding his current personnel. For instance, a company manager may receive consultancy in what concerns organizing trainings, coaching or teambuilding for a better cooperation between employees. The final result will be a satisfactory one both for the employers and for the employees. The job recruiter must be mentioned as well, as he will have his own work satisfaction.
Helping Potential Candidates.
It is well known the fact that the individual expectations with regard to the ideal work are rising as far as the candidate has a wider previous work experience and a higher education. It is hard to admit that a college graduate would accept a menial job, unless he has no alternative. However, this is unlikely to happen, since there are a large variety of jobs on the labour market, nowadays. For example, someone looking for a job has the opportunity of finding one in domains such as: administration, sales, advertising, human resources, technical department, computers and so on. A well prepared person will definitely find a proper job that will satisfy them both professionally and financially. One of the easiest ways of finding a job is appealing to job recruiters, who add the candidate’s CV to their data base and try to find the most appropriate match between the employer’s request and the candidate’s profile.
Despite the recruiter’s struggle, it all depends on the employer as well as on the potential employee as well. Not all the CVs added to the existing data base of a recruitment company get selected for an interview and not all the selected person for the interview get a job. It depends on the candidate’s abilities and skills and it also depends on the employer’s custom conditions. The job recruiter cannot influence the employer’s decision. All that he can do is to try to find the job that would approach the best to the candidate’s profile and he can also give some useful pieces of advice regarding how to write a better CV, a letter of intention or a letter of recommendation, regarding things that should and things that should not be said or done during an interview.
Naturally, all this information is extremely important and one should consider the given advice before applying for a job or before going to an interview. The inner side is important too, the abilities and the skills that we have, however, the exterior counts a lot when it comes to an interview and the way a candidate looks or acts can say many things about his behaviour.
For instance, if the candidate has an accurate aspect and has controlled actions it may signify that the person in case is a well organized one. On the contrary, a messy physical aspect does not make a good impression over the interlocutor. All in all, the job recruiter helps the candidates but cannot assure their professional success.
The Job of Searching Jobs
Recruitment companies have majorly developed in the recent years, due to the necessity of remaining up to date with the evolution of the labour market. Things change in a society, things like people’s expectations regarding a work place as well as employers’ expectations regarding the efficiency of its personnel. The standards have increased on both sides. Job recruiters represent the intermediary persons who must try to find the best match between these two sides. They must be fully competent in what concerns their work and, most of the times, they are Human Resources graduate. Their educational preparation represents an imperative fact, due to the implications of their job; they need to fully understand the importance of their decisions, their work subject is a fragile one, namely, the human and its life. The decision a job recruiter makes may change the life of the candidate into better or worse. However, the importance of the recruiter’s actions may as well influence the dynamic of the company that has requested its services. If the job recruiter does not recommend the appropriate candidates for the needed position, the selection process is slowed down which may affect in a negative way the company development.
Therefore, being a job recruiter implies an amount of responsibilities. Recruiting companies are aware of the labour market dynamics and can offer useful consultancy and tips to the employers. A professional recruiting company will never make a thoughtless decision, overstepping apparently useless and unimportant stages, because a specialized company must have the necessary resource, time and thoroughness in order to accomplish and offer an efficient and fast result. Most of the recruiting companies make use of all means in order to make themselves known on the recruitment market. They post ads in the newspapers, they resort to advertising themselves on the television, they participate to labour offer fairies, but its great majority appeals to the internet. That represents the most attractive way of making themselves popular among the possible employers and employees as well. They create their own website where people who access it can find out the necessary information. They have special columns, one for people trying to encounter the perfect employees and another one for people searching for the perfect job.
Recruiting rules.
There are some consecutive steps that must be followed in the process of selecting the needed candidates. Once a company has contacted the job recruiter and stated all the necessary details with regard to the requested position and the company he manages, the job recruiter begins playing his role and starts searching for the appropriate candidate. Firstly, there has to be established a detailed analysis regarding the aimed vacant position as well as regarding employer’s organisational culture and strategy and the profile of the ideal candidate.
Furthermore, is has to be stated the information that will be delivered to the potential candidates in the recruitment process (company description, job description, general conditions). Identifying the potential candidates from the company’s data base and among those who are looking for a professional change at that moment is the next step. No matter the way in which the advertising of the vacant job is made, the job recruiter must find applicants as may as possible in order to have the possibility to get the best people for that job. Most of the CVs are received on the internet. From a number of potential candidates only a certain part will get selected for an interview. The selection is made by job recruiters by means of filtering the CVs using employers’ custom conditions such as experience, salary expectancy, age, possession of driving licence, knowledge of foreign languages, education.
Subsequently, the remaining persons are invited through the mobile phone to come to the interview and, naturally, its number will decrease due to the fact that many of them apply randomly, without having a real interest in the specified job or will realize that the position they have applied for does not particularly suit them. Secondly, after testing and interviewingthe remaining candidates, who had the willingness and determination to respond to the job recruiter’s requestthe recruitment company usually finds only a small number of people who fit the required profile of professional features, expressed by the employer. After submitting the results to the employer, only a few candidates will want to pursue the second interview at the company’s office, those few having maybe the real ambition and ability to work for that job.
Thus , the selection process is a long one, but , with thejob recruiter’s efficiency and active involvement, the period of the selection process can be majorly decreased. Being a job recruiter may seem to be exaushive, but it may be satisfactory as well. The job of searching a job has proved to be a well-payed one, since more and more people chose to work within the Human Resources Department.
To conclude, it can be said that both the employer and the possible empoyee can find a job recruiter as being one of the most useful resources. Time is too valuable too waste it so easily on something that can be successfully done by specialized persons, who are competent in what they’re doing and who can offer them the results they have expected, namely: the ideal candidate and the ideal job. The search for these ideals can be in vain. As mentioned earlier, the expectations have increased a lot due to the economic, social, cultural, economic standards of living and a perfect match becomes harder and harder. Despite this fact, when the match does take place, the satisfaction is a triple one: on the employer’s side, on the candidate’s side and on the job recruiter’s side. And what could be more important than being aware that someone’s life may have changed into a better one due to your devotement to your job, be it a job of searching jobs?!
7777
Cha de Bugre
Cha de Bugre is the commonly used name for cordia salicifolia or cordia ecalyculata, a small tree that can be found in the tropical forest in Argentina, Paraguay and mostly in Brazil, inside its territory, in regions like Minas Gerais, Bahia, Acre and Goias.
This tree can grow up to 6-8 meters in height and up to 60 centimeters in circumference. In Brazil, it has various names, one equally popular with ‘cha de bugre’ beeing ‘café de mato’ which can be translated by ‘coffee of the woods’, because of its red fruits resembling coffee beans. It has a very rich foliage, it’s corolla can be equally high to its trunk. Cha de gubre has green, longish leaves that resemble to the laurel’s leaves, and small red berries, fruits, very similar to coffee beans.
Although its properties were never really scientifically studied (until about ten years ago), the leaves and fruits of cha de bugre are widely used in Brazil for centuries. The natives have discovered its diuretic properties long before this plant began to be comercialized under the shape we see today.
A few years ago, a small company in Brazil, launched this product on the market and the cha de bugre commerce exploded. Today, the leaves are sold in Brasil in tea bags, as appetite decreaser, natural diuretic and cellulite reducer. Studies have proven that the cha de bugre extract is part of the daily diet of most brasilians.
Despite its huge succes on the brasilian health food market, the plant hasn’t been chemically studied, until eighteen years ago, when a Japanese company analyzed cha de bugre’s chemical composition and verified its presumptive properties. After several animal experiments during the ‘90s, they discovered that the leaves extract can reduce herpes symptoms by 33% and the frequent use of cha de bugre tea can reduce the viruse’s penetration by 99%. That discovery was huge and everybody thought they’ve touched the maximum potential of this ‘wonder-tree’. But a few years later, the same Japanese company made an announcement that there is still more to discover from cha de bugre’s properties: the mixed extract from leaves and crust could fight some forms of cancer, by inhibiting the ill cells by 40%. Also, the experiments proved cha de bugre is a natural cardiotonic, facilitator of the blood pressure, febrifuge and a great auxilliar treatment in renal inssuficiency.
The researchers also studied cha de bugre’s leaves and fruits chemical composition; the leaves contain potassium, allantoin and allantoic acid. This explains a lot of the plant’s properties, because allantoic acid is known to help reducing fat and preserving muscular tissue. The potassium also supports muscles and muscular activity, helping this way to burn more energy and to transform the fat deposits in to muscular fiber. Beside the ‘muscle versus fat’ part, the allantoic acid could explain the use of the leaves extract in digestive acidity, kidney stones, but also in external treatment of the wounds, arthritis and rheumatism. Dr. G. L. Cruz, a known herbalist, who wrote the 3rd-5th edition of the ‘Dictionay of the plants used in Brazil’, sustained the qualities of the cha de gubre extract as great diuretic, and natural aid in weight loss.
Cha de bugre is known as a natural health tonic: it increases endurance of the immunity system, improves the functionality of the kidneys, liver and colon. And, because of its impact on the uric acid and the renal disfunctions, it’s a great treatment helper for people suffering from gout.
In 2006 an interesting experiment was conducted, in order to observe if cha de gubre has hipolipidemic effect. For the experiment, there were used two groups of rats, some with normal glycemic values and some diabetics. The control group received a placebo (water) and the diabetic rats received cha de gubre powder disolved in water. After 15 days since the experiment started, the blood was collected from the rats and the tests showed an important decrease of 5% in the glycemia values. However, there were no signs of appetite supression or diuretical effects among the rats.
The fruits of cha de bugre were found to contain an amount of caffeine (5mg/g). The natives use the fruits as a substitute for coffee, after roasting and grinding them. On ocasions-festivals, parties, and hollydays- the teas and coffee made from cha de bugre’s fruits extract is served as beverages, helping the natives sustaining themselves through the night. Although the caffeine level in one pill is relatively low, the effects are simillar to those of two medium cups of coffee.
After Ephedra-the well-known energy medicine- was found to produce heart complications, everybody was asking about cha de bugre’s side effects. In the reports, there were no contraindications or interactions recorded. However, there are some speculations that the caffeine contained by the cha de bugre’s fruits can speed up the heart so, until further investigations, it is not recommended to people suffering from heart diseases or people under 18.
The shape we can find cha de bugre’s extract today is in tea bags (the leaves), in pills (the powder), and in tincture (for external usage).
Of course, after a huge commercial explosion like the one cha de bugre provoked on the market, it was expected that tens of laboratories and companies to introduce cha de bugre as a ‘secret’ ingredient in their products. So, it appeared a great number of weight loss products based on the cha de gubre extract. The problem is that not all of them are certified and are coming from a well known source. Many amateurs are selling powder of tea leaves as cha de gubre at high prices to the tourists among the coast of Brazil. Because cha de gubre is not grown for commercial purposes, the natives have specialized themselves in picking the leaves and the fruits from the rich foliage and selling them to the companies worldwide. That’s why buyers should be very carefull where they take their stuff from, and should buy it only from companies who have contracts with manufacturers in Brazil.
In the United States, the extract is not that well known, but it is thought to be wide spread in the next few decades. Different labs are permanently performing tests to verify the quality of the product and its chemical properties.
Because of the first small company who launched the product in Brazil and call it porangaba (after a brazilian town, the word itself meaning ‘beautiful’), ten years later the name it became a headaches and misunderstandings source. Apparently, there is another plant called porangaba, who has nothing to do with cha de bugre, but who was traded on the market by amathors willing to get rich profiting of naïve tourists and companies.
Regarding the daily dosage, this depends of the form you are using. For example, the most spread way of using the extract is infusion of leaves, a cup and a half with an hour before meals. Tincture is used externely 2-3 times daily, and capsules- 2-3 mg twice daily.
Being an appetite suppressant, isn’t it dangerous? The answer is no, because unlike other food supliments, the cha de bugre’s extract doesn’t inhibit the appetite, but rather gives the full-sensation to the person, after eating only a small meal. Used with an hour before meals, the allantoic acid has time to dilute the gastric fluid and the satiety appears faster. It is not the hunger that dissapears, but the feeling that you haven’t eaten enough. This way, the person eats less, but more often throughout the day, helping its body to produce the energy he needs, without stuffing it with food. More, the usage on long term, can help changing methabolism and achieving a balance between diet and health; in other words, the person is getting used to eating less and satisfying its hunger faster.
Cha de bugre has an impact also on the cellulite, by improving circulation in the areas where cellulite forms ( thigh, hips). Many women don’t have cellulite problems because of their body fat, but because a very bad blood circulation and a static life.
Another problem thousands of men and women have is the liquid retaining, which is believed to be caused by the amount of salt we use daily. This way, the liquid stays in the stomach preventing the aliments to be digested. Not being able to go through all the processes of digesting, the aliments become unwanted fat. That’s why cha de bugre, a great diuretic helps eliminating the unnecessary water inside one’s body and helps digestion do its job.
What is very interesting is that cha de bugre has simultaneous both an inhibitory and a exhibitory effect. That’s why no contraindications have been found yet; most of the energy boost medications or food supliments have one function or the other: to exhibit the energetical level (faster moves, faster brain activity, faster energy consumption)or to inhibit the appetite. But not cha de bugre. He can both increase the energy level and inhibit the appetite at the same time.
The biggest enemy for our supleness and health of the body is, as we all know, the sugar, under any form. The reason why people crave for sugar it’s their need for energy in a world of speeding. The problem is that we never get to consume the energy our body produce from the food, and so we have a bigger amount of glucose in our body, which will become fat tissue. Cha de bugre has a double-side effect: provides the energy we need throughout the day, so we won’t feel the need for sugar, and produces the feeling of satiety after a small amount of food, so there will no longer be a danger to have an excess of food in our body. This is being done to prevent further weight-gaining, but what is happening with the weight surplus we have now? Well, at first the body will still be used to have more energy than it needs to, but because he won’t take it from food, he will be forced to use its body fat deposit to take its energy from. And the fat will be transformed into muscular tissue.
Throughout the world, there are conferences and studies about the effects cha de bugre has on the human body. Its green, longish leaves are sold on all beaches in Brazil, and tea made from its fruits can be found in all teahouses and coffee shops.
From Haiti, where the extract is used as a digestive stimulant, to Japan, where its antiviral and antiherpes properties are prior, and back to its home-country, Brazil, where it is a heart tonic, circulatory stimulant, and diuretic, cha de bugre desirves its title of wonder-tree.LASIK eye Surgery
LASIK eye Surgery
Nowadays more and more people became attracted by the LASIK eye surgery which seems to be the solution for those who have problems with the sight.
What is LASIK?
LASIK is an acronym for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.It is a surgical method in order to reduce or eliminate the person’s dependency on glasses or contact lenses LASI is a procedure to correct defective visions of the eyes with the help of the laser technology. The first LASIK eye Surgery happened in 1990 and only in 1999 it was recognized by the German Ophthalmology Society (DOG) and by the Professional Association of the Opticians (BVA) as a welfare procedure. Problems like myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism can be treated with the help of this type of surgery .Besides the LASIK method there are also two main types of eye laser surgery: LASEK surgery which is used on patients with moderate or mild short sight and PRK which was the standard eye laser surgery for many years .The difference between the PRK and LASIK treatment is that the recovery after the PRK surgery is longer and both eyes can not be treated in the same time. But with LASIK, vision can be clear and focused in a day, and both eyes are generally done at the same time .In recent years laser surgery became something very common even if the costs still remain a problem for the most part of the patients.
Even if more and more people choose to give up to spectacles or contact lenses this type of surgery is not suitable for everybody. Eye laser surgery is only suitable for certain people. It is usually only performed on healthy adults .This means that if you have under the age of eighteen and you wish to resort to this operation in order to ameliorate your sight you can’t do it. There are a number of medical conditions that some people have that make them poor candidates for this refractive procedure.
People who have just mild eyesight problems are not generally considered good candidates. Similarly, those whose eyesight has changed significantly in the past 12 months may also be refused because their eyesight is still getting worse.
People who suffer from diseases like Diabetes ,arthritis and other similar diseases are not accepted to do the operation. This thing happens also with pregnant women.
There are many steps to be followed before the operation .The first step is to find a good surgeon .In order to decide if you are a good candidate for the surgery your doctor will examine your eyes to determine their health, what kind of vision correction you need, and how much laser ablation is required .The doctor will also look for signs of dry eyes which must be treated and cleared up before LASIK can be performed .The eyes of the patient are verified with the help of a corneal topographer .This device photographs the eye and creates a kind of "map" of your cornea .After some tests and some questions about your health and medications you are ready for the LASIK treatment.
What you must know is that LASIK technique is more advanced and accurate than others, where laser treatment is given under a hinged corneal flap and this flap is placed back after the laser procedure. This flap is self-healing and does not require any stitches. In this procedure, the Bowman's layer of the cornea is left intact making this technique safe and more predictable. The corneal flap is made with the help of a special instrument called the 'Microkeratome'. The entire procedure takes 20 minutes with the actual laser time varying between 15-145 seconds. The procedure is done under topical anesthesia (use of drops) and it is virtually painless. The patient does not have to stay in the clinic and can resume work after three days.
A question that is very common among people who are interested in this surgery is “Are these treatments safe?”
The answer to this question is that the treatment is safe only if it is performed by experienced doctors who use advanced equipment. However, medical opinion is somewhat divided over some of the newer treatments. While the LASIK procedure is a relatively quick and easy surgery, there can be risks and complications. The LASIK surgery can often drastically improve the vision of many people .Statistics show that about 94 percent of all patients find that they have improved vision almost immediately after the surgery .Only a few patients reported some complications with this procedure including seeing halos around lights at nighttime, worsened vision and infections .It is important to understand that since the modern technique of LASIK has only been used for about ten years, doctors do not know the long-term effects. Scientist who research and track LASIK complications, believes that there are probably no significant long-term effects from this surgery. It is known that early forms of vision correction seemed to work well and did not have negative long-term effects.
Here are the benefits of the LASIK surgery :
-this is a very safe method, almost used routinely
-it means a lasting solution for life
-clear vision guaranteed for 24 hours a day
-the morning and evening rituals with the contact lenses are over
-the unpleasantness of wearing glasses is over
-no risk, the sight improvement is for sure
-more than 12 years of experience guarantee the result
-more than 100% visual acuity can be reached with today's technology
- only one laser treatment is necessary which takes only 1-2 minutes
-it is an out-patient procedure, no need for hospital stay
-the possibility of seeing clearly immediately after the treatment
-the visual acuity reached by laser treatment will not deteriorate over the years
-there is no visible sign of the treatment
-it is economical, the sum spent on treatment is regained in a few years
-this is a well proven method all over the world and approved by ophthalmologists
-the laser treatment confers no disadvantage in case of an accident or eye disease in later lifeMonday, May 14, 2007
Texas
Texas is a great state with a lot of beautiful land and a wonderful place to buy property and settle down with a family. It occupies the southern and southwestern regions of the United States of America, having a geography characterized by a great variety of features. The Great Plains covering the southern part of the country offer great opportunities for a prosperous economy and, at the same time, form an unexpected passage towards the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico.
Apart from representing an extraordinary region, geographically speaking, Texas also has valuable natural resources of petroleum. For this reason the state has a prosperous industry. The existence of plains makes possible the development of agriculture, as this region offers large opportunities not only for cattle ranching, but also for the culture of cotton, one of the most important products. Wheat, corn, watermelons, cabbages, spinach and other grains are also important for the economy of Texas. In other words, cattle ranching and agriculture (among which cotton farming- common for the south of the country) remain the most important branches of Texas’ economy.
Dallas and Houston represent the two major economic centers. The former represents the center of information technology labor market in Texas, while the latter has become famous for the petrochemical and biochemical research trades.
Other well- known cities are Austin, San Antonio and El Paso, all of them important economic and cultural centers.
Dallas is situated in the centre of the country and its industry is characterized by petroleum manufacturing, telecommunications, computer technology, banking and transportation. On the other hand, the city represents a major centre of education, containing several universities, colleges, trade schools and educational institutes. All these offer to the inhabitants great possibilities of studying and get a proper job after graduating, and also offers to anyone living here an important view about what historical culture signifies, because it is well known that a people lives through its past and culture. The city has also a well developed free- way system, consisting of a great number of high ways and large streets. As a result, it offers possibilities of easy transportation from a place to another, which is convenient for the tourists and not only.
On the other hand, Houston’s economy is namely based on energy, aeronautics and technology industry. Here can be found the Rice University and also the University of Houston, two of the most important cultural centers of the country. Their existence, along with the Museum District, which is home to many cultural institutions and exhibition, makes Houston a multicultural center, which attracts a lot of foreigners every year. Apart from this, Houston also represents the seat of Texas Medical Center, containing the largest number of research and healthcare institutions.
In its turn Austin represents another important city of Texas, as it offers many attractions for the tourists. Among these can be mentioned the Blanton Museum of Art. San Antonio is famous for its attractions and visited by a large number of tourists as well. The art community specific to San Antonio reflects the rich history and culture of the area. It is a unique city, which offers some of the best cultural institutions and restaurants, representing a reason for which not only natives, but also visitors enjoy every day. In San Antonio are held every year attractive and interesting cultural events. On the other hand, the city of El Paso is also known as a wealth of Texas, as it contains many attractions: cultural institutions, museums, theatres.
Each of these five cities of Texas has its own specific culture and history, its specific institutions and its specific economy. Each of them represent a distinguishable entity and a good place to settle down and live a wonderful life, colored with genuine truths of culture, historical information, prosperous existence. In a word, these five cities offer the same economical and cultural opportunities, no matter if you are a native or a simple tourist. In addition to this the landscape is wonderful and pleases everyone. This is where civilization lives through itself. This is where you can live in peace and harmony, enjoying the beauty of the sights and appreciating the multitude of great opportunities of all kind offered to everyone.
44
How an Accountant Can Save You Money
When you start a business, you might think why should I hire an accountant? I made it so far, why do I need an accountant?
The answer is simple. The papers occupies your precious time, time which can bring you more customers or new deals, so if want that your business grow faster, you will need an accountant who manages your papers and provide you tips how to save money.
If you don’t want to hire an accountant or you can't afford one, you can sue an accountants firm which can help you, and you will pay them periodically. They can provide you the best package of accountancy you need, but they provide you consultancy too.
Your accounts will be safer in the hands of an accountant, and his advices will grow your cashes and your business too. They can give you advices how pay taxes but in the same time how to pay them more efficiently.
If you think that you don’t hire an accountant or if you don’t pay an accountants firm you will save money, it’s wrong. You may not know all the laws, and you may err the balance of the account or the check.
The accountant can take care of your receipts and money, providing you information how can you save more money and how to save the money legally.
To be more efficiency, you have to find an accountant with experience, and who really want to help you.
The accountant can assist you, determining your business grow every day, and make you save money and time, more than you expected before. He can guide you through the labyrinth of laws, which can you make a wrong step. He knows when and what tax you should pay, how much and how can you depreciate your start-up costs.
They can tell you how to roll your personal property into business property only for taxation purpose, if it's safe to use your house or your car for business purpose.
They can learn you and help with the deductible tax, and how to keep personal expenses away from the business expenses, but the important cause which make you to hire an accountant is that he understand the financial statements and can learn you too. They know how to handle with the retirement not only for your employees, but for you too, and what health insurance is better for you.
If you are better informed you will have bigger success, but the laws are changing every year, and you'll never be able to know all laws plus to keep your business working and growing.
You probably don’t know what kind of insurance you’ll need, in special if you need a special one, but an accountant can tell you that.
An accountant can help you to establish the salaries and how much to take out from salaries for taxes and all payments.
The profit it’s safer in the hands of an accountant, because he knows how to handle with taxes, laws, papers and everything which belongs to accountancy.
Taxes are easily underestimated by all of us, with business or not, in special who own a business. But an accountant knows how to handle them, when to pay them and how to find a way to a major economy.
The accountant knows how to keep the records as automated as it’s possible, how to keep the records clean and clear, how to make the simple paperwork, how to run the books and bookkeeping.
An accountant can make for you reviews, compilations, business consulting, business valuation, and financial planning, actions that for you can be hard and you can mistake on your own money.
So, remember: if you want to save money and have clean papers, hire an accountant. He can make all these better and faster than you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)