At any given moment disaster may strike. Many of us sit thinking we are safe at home, or in that cushy office chair, but the simple truth is that problems happen. Be it an earthquake, a fire, a flood, or something as simple as a power outage, disasters may come; and when they do our illusion of safety is often shattered.

When it comes to enterprise, it really surprises me how many businesses don’t have a plan to cope with problems. As simple power outage is sometimes all it takes to cause a business to close up shop for the day, and wait for someone else to provide the solution. That of course is the simplest type of problem, what happens when that same business is faced with a fire or a flood?

The truth of the matter is that planning for disaster is important to be able to maintain operations in the face of a problem. Without a proper plan in place, many businesses suddenly find themselves unable to continue when faced with disaster. The management and employees suddenly find themselves without an income, and that customer base that they worked so hard to build begins to turn elsewhere while the business works to recover. Proper planning is the most important element in maintaining business continuity when problems occur.

WHAT IS BUSINESS CONTINUITY?

Before we look at how to plan for disaster let’s first define business continuity. The term itself can become rather obscure if you account for everyone’s idea of what it is. So to start let’s look at the definition.
According to the United Nations Archive and Records Management, business continuity is: Procedures to ensure an organization’s ability to continue operating outside of normal operating conditions.

Creating a continuity plan then becomes: the procedures taken, right now, to maintain your business when it is faced with problems tomorrow. It is planning for the worst, by ensuring you can continue no matter what may occur. It is ensuring that, when a problem occurs your business maintains its ability to deal with customers, suppliers, and to continue to generate revenue.

DATA BACKUPS FOR BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Most businesses today are completely reliant on their computers for day-to-day operations. So the first step in creating a continuity plan is to ensure those systems are there when you need them. Often this is as simple as backing up your data.

For a business where their systems rely on a single point of sale system, backing up is as simple as performing daily backups of that system. This will ensure that is a disaster (a fire for example) occurs; all that is required is to find another computer and restore the system.

It’s when businesses rely on networks, and interoffice networks that things tend to get more complicated (at least from the managements point of view). They look at their 23 PC’s housed in office, the two servers that those computers rely upon, and the 10 laptops that their field works use, and are overwhelmed. This is often the reason why a backup plan was never put into place.

Even for that type of enterprise situation, backing up doesn’t have to be difficult. There are software solutions, such as our own data backup software, that allow for simple backup of PC’s across the network, and even from remote locations. When a problem occurs, any computer on the network can be brought back online using a simple point-in-time restore with a few clicks of the mouse.

When it comes to enterprise having a plan to maintain business continuity is important. As a first step, a proper computer backup plan is the right way to get started. With the ability to easily restore important systems and data, you enable your business to continue while the business next door, who didn’t take the same steps, is struggling to get going again.

Traditionally, Muslims have recognized many different forms of clothing as satisfying the demands of hijab. Debate focussed on how much of the male or female body should be covered. Different scholars adopted different interpretations of the original texts. Sunnis recommend that women wear loose clothing that is not form fitting to the body either modest forms of western clothing (long shirts and skirts), or the more traditional jilbab, a high-necked loose robe that covers the arms and legs. A khumūr or shayla, a scarf or cowl that covers all but the face is also worn in many different styles. Most salafi (sunni) scholars encourage covering the face. Many of them say it is mandatory to cover the face. Other scholars oppose face covering, particularly in the west for personal safety where the woman may be a victim of islamophobia. These garments are very different in cut than most of the traditional forms of hijab, and they are worn worldwide by Muslimas.

a woman wearing a headscarf in Kalkan, Turkey

Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, an Islamic scholar well-known for historical contextualization of Muhammad’s revelation(p.93), argues that Qur’an mentions khumūr only as a 7th century Arabian dress, but there is no command to wear it in specific. In his interpretation of verse ^{[Qur'an 33:59]}, he argues that “they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble” and the context of the verse shows that the directive to wear jalābib was for a specific situation. He also believes that the special restrictions for wives of Muhammad are not applicable to all women at all times. He considers “head-covering” for women a cherished part of Muslim social custom and tradition but not compulsory.

Most other scholars, however, have provided evidence as to why the hijab is mandated. There have been very few Muslim scholars who argued that covering the hair is not obligatory.

Some contemporary Muslims believe that the commandment to modesty must be interpreted with regard to the surrounding society. What is considered modest, or daring, in one society may not be considered so in another. It is important, they say, for believers to wear clothing that communicates modesty and reserve in the situations in which they find themselves.

a women wearing a burqa in Afghanistan

Detailed scholarly attention has been focused on prescribing female dress. Most scholars agree that the basic requirements are that when in the presence of someone of the opposite sex (other than a close family member - see mahram), a woman should cover her body, and walk and dress in a way which does not draw sexual attention to her. Some scholars go so far as to specify exactly which areas of the body must be covered. In some cases, this is everything save the eyes but most require everything save the face and hands to be covered. In nearly all Muslim cultures, young girls are not required to wear a hijab. There is not a single agreed age when a woman should begin wearing a hijab; however, in many Muslim countries, puberty is the dividing line.

In private, and in the presence of mahrams, the rules on dress are relaxed. However in the presence of husband, most scholars stress the importance of mutual freedom and pleasure of the husband and wife^[10].

The burqa is the most observant example of this belief: not even a woman’s eyes are visible. Originating in what is now Pakistan, it is more commonly associated with Afghanistan. Typically, a burqa is composed of many yards of light material pleated around a cap that fits over the top of the head. There is an embroidered openwork grille where the burqa passes over the eyes. This type of veil is cultural as well as religious.

Traditionally Muslims, Salafis particularly and others generally, believe that the garments known today as jilbab and khumūr are the very garments demanded by the Qur’an. However, Qur’an translators and commentators translate the Arabic into English words with a general meaning - such as veils, head-coverings and shawls. While some scholars argue that verses ^{[Qur'an 24:30]} teach etiquette for male and female interactions, where khumūr is mentioned in reference to the clothing of Arab women in the 7th century, but there is no command to actually wear them in any specific way. Hence they consider head-covering a preferable practice but not a directive of the sharia (law).

By : Shahid Athar, M.D

There are over I billion Muslims in the world, including about 8 million in North America. The majority of them observe total fasting (no food or water) between dawn and sunset during the month of Ramadan. They do so not to lose weight or for any medical benefit, but because it is ordained in the Quran which says, “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed for those before you (i.e. Jews and Christians) so that you may (learn) self-restraine” (2:183).

According to Islamic Law, children below twelve, sick patients, travelers and women who are menstruating or nursing a baby are exempt from fasting. In addition to staying away from food or water for the whole day, they are asked to stay away from sex, smoking or misconduct during the time of the fast. In addition, they are encouraged to do more acts of piety: prayer, charity, or reading the Quran during this month.

Food is needed by the body to provide energy for immediate use. This is done by burning up carbohydrates, that is, sugar. Excess of carbohydrates which cannot be used are stored up as fat tissue in the muscles and as glycogen in the liver for future use. Insulin, a hormone from the pancreas, lowers blood sugar and diverts it to other forms of energy storage, that is, glycogen. To be effective, insulin has to be bound to binding sites called receptors. Obese people lack receptors. Therefore, they cannot utilize their insulin. This may lead to glucose intolerance.

When one fasts (or decreases carbohydrate intake drastically), it lowers one’s blood glucose and insulin level. This causes a breakdown of glycogen from the liver to provide glucose for energy needs and break-down of fat from adipose tissue to provide for energy needs. On the basis of human physiology described above, semi-starvation (ketogenic diets) have been devised for effective weight control. These diets provide a calculated amount of protein in divided doses with plenty of water, multivitamins, etc. These effectively lower weight and blood sugar, but because of their side effects, should be used only under the supervision of physicians.

Total fasting reduces or eliminates hunger and causes rapid weight loss. In 1975, Allan Cott in his Fasting as a Way of Life, noted, “Fasting brings a wholesome physiological rest for the digestive tract and central nervous system and normalizes metabolism.” It must be pointed out, however, that there are also many adverse effects of total fasting. That includes hypokalemia and cardiac arrhythmia associated with low calorie starvation diets used in unsupervised programs.

STUDIES ON ISLAMIC FASTING

Dr. Soliman from University Hospital, Amman, Jordan has reported that during the month of Ramadan 1404 AH (June-July, 1984 AD) healthy Muslim volunteers@2 males and 26 females ranging in age from 15-64 and 16-28 years respectively-were studied. They were weighed and their blood levels of cortisol, testosterone, Na, K, urea, glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG) and serum osmolality were measured at the beginning and at the end of Ramadan. There was significant loss of weight in males from a mean of 73.8 +/-6.2 kg to 72.0 +/-7.1 kg (P less than 0.01) and in females from 55.2 +/-4.8 to 54.6 +/-4.2 kg (P less than 0.05). Blood glucose levels rose in males from 77.7 +/-23.6 mg/dl to 90.2 +/31.2 mg/dl (P less than 0.05) and in females from 76.0 +/-7.6 mg/dl to 84.5 +/-11.1 mg/di (P less than 0.002). All other parameters did not show significant changes.

Dr. F. Azizi and his associates from the University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran has reported the following. Serum levels of glucose, bilirubin, calcium, phosphorus, protein, albumin, FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin, TSH, T4, T3, and T3 uptake, as well as prolactin and TSH responses to TRH were evaluated in a group of nine healthy men before and on the 10th, 20th, and 29th days of Ramadan. Mean body weight decreased from 65.4 +/- 9.1 to 61.6 +/- 9.0 kg at 29th day. Serum glucose decreased from 82 +/- 4 mg/dl on the 10th day, and increased thereafter (76 +/- 3 and 84 +/- 5 on the 20th and 29th days of fasting respectively). Serum bilirubin increased from 0.56 +/- 0.17 to 1 43 +/-.52 mg/dl on the 10th day, and decreased thereafter (I. I. +/- 0.4 on the 20th and 29th days). All changes returned to basal values four weeks after fasting. There were no significant changes in serum levels of Ca, P. protein, albumin, and any of the measured hormones. Prolactin and TSH responses to TPH were also unaltered. He concluded that 1) intermittent abstinence from food and drink for 17 hours a day for 29 days does not alter male reproductive hormones, hypothalamic-pituitary- thyroid axis or peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones and 2) physicians caring for Muslims should be aware of changes of glucose and bilirubin during Ramadan.

Therefore it is concluded from the above two studies that the pre- scribed fast does not cause any adverse medical effect and on the contrary, may have some beneficial effect on weight and lipid metabolism.

WHY ISLAMIC FASTING IS DIFFERENT FROM ORHER TYPES OF FASTING

The prescribed fast of Muslims is different from the so-called “Diet Plans” because it has beneficial features of both plans. Its unique medical benefits are due to the following factors:

1. As compared to other diet plans, fasting in Ramadan does not cause malnutrition or inadequate calorie intake since there is no restriction on the type or amount of food intake before beginning the fast or upon ending the fast at sunset. This was confirmed by M.M. Hussaini in 1974, when he conducted dietary analysis of Muslim students at the University of North Dakota, State University at Fargo during Ramadan. He concluded that calorie intake of Muslim students during fasting was at two-thirds of NCR-RDA.

2. Fasting in Ramadan is voluntarily undertaken. It is not a prescribed imposition from a physician. In the hypothalamus part of the brain there is a center called “lipostat” which controls the body mass. When severe and rapid weight loss is achieved by starvation diet, the center does not recognize this as normal and, therefore, reprograms itself to cause weight gain rapidly once the person goes off the starvation diet. So the only effective way of losing weight is slow, self-controlled, and gradual weight loss which can be achieved by modifying our behavior and changing our attitude about eating especially by eliminating excess food. Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and self-training in terms of food intake thereby causing hopefully, a permanent change in lipostat reading.

3. With the prescribed fast, Muslims are not subjected to a diet of selective food only (i.e. protein only, fruits only etc.). An early breakfast, before dawn is taken and then at sunset the fast is broken with something sweet i.e. dates, fruits, juices to offset any hypoglycemia followed by a regular dinner later on.

4. Additional prayers are prescribed after dinner which help metabolize the food. Using a calorie counter, I counted the amount of calories burnt during the special night prayer of Ramadan (tarawih). It amounted to 200 calories. This form of prayer as well as the five daily prescribed prayers use all the muscles and joints and can be considered a mild form of exercise in terms of calorie output.

5. Ramadan fasting is actually an exercise in self discipline. For those who are chain smokers or who nibble food constantly, or drink coffee every hour, it is a good way to break the habit.

6. The psychological effect of Ramadan fasting are also well observed by the description of people who fast. They describe a feeling of inner peace and tranquility. The prophet advised those fasting, “If one slanders you or aggresses against you, tell him ‘I am fasting.”‘ Thus personal hostility during the month is minimal. The crime rate in Muslim countries falls during this month.

It is my experience that within the first few days of Ramadan, I begin to feel better even before losing a single pound. I work more and pray more. My physical stamina and mental alertness improve. As I have my own lab in the office, I usually check my chemistry, that is, blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride before the commencement of Ramadan and at its end. I note marked improvement at the end. As I am not overweight, thank God, weight loss is minimal. The few pounds I lose, I regain soon after. Fasting in Ramadan will be a great blessing for the overweight whether with or without mild diabetes (Type 11). It benefits those also who are given to smoking or nibbling. They can rid themselves of these addictions in this month.

FASTING FOR MEDICAL PATIENTS: SUGGESTED GUIDELINES

As mentioned earlier, the sick are exempt from fasting. But some, for whatever reasons, do decide to observe fasting. For physicians treating Muslim patients, the following guidelines are suggested.

Diabetic Patients: Diabetics who are controlled by diet alone can fast and hopefully, with weight reduction, their diabetes may even be cured or at least improved. Diabetics who are taking oral hypoglycemia agents like Orinase along with the diet should exercise extreme caution if they decide to fast. They should reduce their dose to one-third and take the drug not in the morning, but in the evening at the time of ending the fast. If they develop low blood sugar symptoms in the daytime, they should end the fast immediately. Diabetics taking insulin should not fast. If they do, at their own risk, they should do so under close supervision and make drastic changes in the insulin dose. For example, they should eliminate regular insulin altogether and take only NPH in divided doses after ending the fast or before the pre-fast breakfast. Diabetics, if they fast, should still take a diabetic diet during the pre-dawn meal, the ending of the fast meal, and dinner. The sweet snacks common in Ramadan are not good for their disease. They should check their blood sugar before breakfast and after ending their fast.

Hypertensive or Cardiac Patients: Those who have mild to moderate high blood pressure along with being overweight should be encouraged to fast, since fasting may help to lower their blood pressure. They should see their physician to adjust medication. For example, the dose of water pill (diuretic) should be reduced to avoid dehydration, and long acting agents like Inderal LA or Tenormin can be given once a day before the pre-dawn meal. Those with severe hypertension or heart diseases should not fast at all.

Migraine Headache: Even in tension headache, dehydration or low blood sugar will aggravate the symptoms, but in migraine during fasting, there is an increase in blood free fatty acids which will directly affect the severity or precipitation of migraine through release of catecholamine. Patients with migraines are advised not to fast.

Pregnant Women (normal pregnancy): This is not an easy situation. Pregnancy is not a medical illness. Therefore, the same exemption does not apply. There is no mention of such exemption in the Quran. However, the Prophet said that pregnant and nursing women do not have to fast. This is in line with God not wanting anyone, even a small fetus, to suffer. There is no way of knowing the damage to the unborn child until delivery, and that might be too late. In my humble opinion, during the first and third trimester (three months) women should not fast. If however, Ramadan happens to come during the second trimester (4th-6th months) of pregnancy, a women may elect to fast provided that 1) her own health is good, and 2) it is done with the pen-nission of her obstetrician and under close supervision. The possible damage to the fetus may not be from malnutrition provided the Iftaar and Sahoor are adequate, but from dehydration, from prolonged (10-14 hours) abstinence of water. Therefore it is recommended that Muslim patients, if they do fast, do so under medical supervision.

]]> http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/31/medical-aspets-of-islamic-fasting/feed/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/30/internet-business-scams/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/30/internet-business-scams/#comments Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:57:57 +0000 ratih_euy http://ratihchubby.net/?p=137 Everyone I know is interested in starting a home based Internet business, or an online business, which would bring them an extra supplementary income. However, how many of us know that for every Internet business there is, there are scams too that cause the owner to crash out? What are these, and how does one [...]]]>

Everyone I know is interested in starting a home based Internet business, or an online business, which would bring them an extra supplementary income. However, how many of us know that for every Internet business there is, there are scams too that cause the owner to crash out? What are these, and how does one go about being careful about them?

Recently, the FBI reported that web based frauds and scams have multiplied over the past few years, and that the most targeted are those people who have invested their money in a semi automated or fully automated ‘making money from home businesses’. Scammers target work-at-home individuals, as well as home based Internet businesses, and while the former may include asking users to pay a registration fee to start ’stuffing envelopes’, or ‘assemble crafts’, so that you become an employee of the company, and the company pays you for your work, the latter involves the company offering to ‘help’ you start your home based Internet business, where you can become a networker, or a marketer.

You may think, how can these Internet business scams be so successful? Why would anyone fall for these scams? The truth is that these scammers target specific groups, like for example, the elderly and the retired, stay at home moms, families with no incomes, and individuals who want to ‘make money quick’. Take for example the Internet business of crafts assembly. The user pays a fee, gets his kit, and he makes dolls and toys at home. However, when he sends it to the company, he is told that the product does not meet their specifications. This is nothing but a scam! Another clear home Internet business scam is that of ‘typing at home and making good money’. After you pay the fee, you receive a CD, and a set of instructions telling you how to place these same adverts, so that someone else falls into the scam, just like you did! Yet another Internet business scam is that of the famed MLM, or the so called ‘Multi Level Marketing’. Although it may be true that some legitimate companies do use this, others concentrate efforts on ladder climbing alone, and not on the actual marketing of products and services. What is even worse about this particular scam is that the Federal Trade Commission may find you, yes, you, guilty of committing fraud, and award you a hefty fine. Sending and receiving chain letters is yet another scam. This involves sending an email, and also some small amount of money to all the names on the top of the list that you have received, and then putting your own name at the bottom of the list. The promise is that one day, you will receive the money, and become a millionaire! Not only is this illegal, but it has also been banned, and you could be arrested for fraud. The envelope stuffing scam is one of the worst scams of all, and it has probably been around from the 1920’s onwards! You register with the company, send them the money, and you start stuffing envelopes. You are guaranteed a payment of $1 to 2 for every envelope you stuff. You receive form the company an envelope stuffed with flyers that you have to put up, advertising an Internet, home based business. When people respond, they send you $2 in an envelope, and on and on it goes. Not only is this illegal, it is also a crime.

The next time, please pay careful heed to all the scams that I have listed out for you, and only then, get into any home based, making money online, or an Internet based scheme, guaranteed to bring you fast bucks! Beware, or you could end up losing a lot of money, and also being fined for fraud and scam.

]]> http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/30/internet-business-scams/feed/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/29/death-race/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/29/death-race/#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:50:05 +0000 ratih_euy http://ratihchubby.net/?p=129 Three-time speedway champion Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is an expert at survival in the harsh landscape that has become our country. Just as he thinks he has turned his life around, the ex-con is framed for a gruesome murder he didn’t commit. Forced to don the mask of the mythical driver Frankenstein—a crowd favorite who [...]]]>

Three-time speedway champion Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is an expert at survival in the harsh landscape that has become our country. Just as he thinks he has turned his life around, the ex-con is framed for a gruesome murder he didn’t commit. Forced to don the mask of the mythical driver Frankenstein—a crowd favorite who seems impossible to kill—Ames is given an easy choice by Terminal Island’s warden (Joan Allen): suit up or rot away in a cell. His face hidden by a metallic mask, one convict will be put through an insane three-day challenge. Ames must survive a gauntlet of the most vicious criminals in the country’s toughest prison to claim the prize of freedom. Driving a monster car outfitted with machine guns, flamethrowers and grenade launchers, one desperate man will destroy anything in his path to win the most twisted spectator sport on Earth.

The Transporter star Jason Statham takes the wheel in director Paul W.S. Anderson’s remake of the Roger Corman classic about a hyper-violent cross-country race that breaks all of the traditional rules of the road. The time is the not-so-distant future, and as America’s prisons begin overflowing with violent criminals, the powers that be devise a grisly game that will free up space in the cells and entertain the masses at the same time. Jensen Ames (Statham) is a three-time speedway champion with a dark past. A survival expert and ex-con whose sordid history comes back to haunt him when he is framed for a murder he didn’t commit, Ames is forced to choose between donning the metallic mask of a mythical racer known as Frankenstein or languishing away on Terminal Island — America’s most notorious penitentiary. Over the course of the next three days, this unlikely champion will get behind the wheel of a nightmare machine outfitted with machine guns, grenade launchers, and flamethrowers in a desperate attempt to outrun some of the most violent criminals ever imprisoned. Should Ames be the first to cross the checkered flag, he will win his freedom; should he come in second, however, death would be preferable to a grim future in a cramped concrete cell. Co-stars include Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Natalie Martinez, and Tyrese Gibson, who takes over the role of Machine Gun Joe, made famous by Sylvester Stallone in the original.

• Cast: Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane, Joan Allen, Natalie Martinez

• Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

• Genres: Sci-Fi Action, Science Fiction

Recent research shows that specific chemicals in foods such as sulforaphane, a phytochemical in broccoli - work with your genes to ratchet up your body’s natural defense systems, helping to inactivate toxins and free radicals before they can do the damage that leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even premature aging.

Many people think popping a multi-vitamin supplement to get their nutrients is just as good as what comes from real foods. They don’t realize that it is far better to get vitamins and minerals from natural foods and juices. Our bodies utilize the vitamins and minerals from real foods more efficiently.

And most people find it much easier to select a variety of whole foods they enjoy eating instead of trying to make heads or tails of the entire selection of vitamin and mineral supplements that are available. And any of us who’ve swallowed a multi-vitamin or a mineral supplement can say without a doubt that the taste leaves a lot to be desired

Supplements are also difficult for our bodies to break down and use, making it difficult to get the full punch from the vitamins and minerals they contain.

Conversely, by consuming plenty of nutrient-dense food to get the equivalent means the nutrients are going to be easier for the body to process and utilize, and less likely to be wasted. We are also processing nutrients throughout the course of the day when we obtain them from food, instead of just getting them from the one a day approach.

Many of the supplements available today use fillers and binders to hold them together, plus coatings on the tablets themselves. These are products the body does not need and will not use. Some people find they are allergic to the dyes and fillers used in vitamin pills.

However, the body uses the fiber that binds fruits and vegetables. Often the skin of a vegetable, like the potato, is the most nutritious part. In addition, sometimes the vitamin and mineral supplements can upset our stomachs, making taking them even more difficult the next day.

In many cases, combining supplements can counteract their effectiveness and can produce stomach upset when dealing with the taste and smell of some supplements. On the other hand, a variety of fruits and vegetables enhance the flavor of a nutritious meal and their fiber aids digestion.

If you’re looking to lose weight, eating fresh food is vital to a weight loss plan. Also, eating fresh fruits and vegetables help hair, skin and teeth stay attractive and healthy. And when you think about it, fruits and vegetables are the original to go food.

It’s simple to grab for an orange, apple, banana, grapes, or quickly toss a few vegetables together for a salad to take to work.So when you’re looking for well-balanced, healthy, reliable nutrition, don’t reach for the bottle. Reach for the food!

Contrary to popular myth that cellulite is irreversible, cellulite can be removed!

However, you need to have an effective treatment as cellulite is a build up of several years and is not an overnight accumulation. It is the improper distribution of fat which is joined to the connective tissues in the body. The connective tissues are those which help n the distribution of fat below the skin surface and sometimes due to accumulation of toxins in the body, uneven distribution takes place leading to cellulite or lumping. You need not be obese to have cellulite, as even models are known to suffer from it!

It has a drastic effect on your self esteem and especially in the summer months you feel embarrassed wearing short skirts and minis. However, it not restricted to women as equal number of men suffer from it. Cellulite accumulates usually on the buttocks, things and hips which makes it unsightly when you need to wear a swimsuit.

Accumulation of toxins is one of the biggest reasons for cellulite formation as built in toxins hinder proper blood circulation. You must be wondering as to what you eat to accumulate so many toxins- well, think about all the preservatives, alcohol consumption, smoking, colors and artificial flavors all contribute to some extent for the toxin built up in the body. Improper drinking of water becomes the last straw.

To completely flush out toxins, one must drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water which goes a long way to eliminate cellulite also as all of these are inter connected. Proper exercise and inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetable also helps. With research and study, many herbal creams and oils are now available which help in smoothening out the skin. The orange peel look is attributed to lumping up of fat cells under the thin layer of the skin. Effective remedies help in breaking the fat cells accumulations while walking, leg squats, leg exercises also help in proper blood circulation. A rejuvenating massage is also a good idea to reduce the cellulite lumps as massage helps to increase blood circulation and breaks muscle, fat lumps in the body.

There are many anti-cellulite creams, essential oils and lotions available which are known to be effective in curing cellulite completely. However, left alone cellulite creams will not be effective unless you exercise and increase blood circulation in the body but it can definitely go away, is a fact.

The best role of business online is that of interdependency. We’ve all heard the old saying, “No man is an island.” When it comes to online business this is especially true.

If a business owner who takes their business into the online world determines they will be self reliant and never accept the help of anyone then that individual will not be in business long enough to change their minds.

It is accepted fact that the greatest tool for long-term exposure to your website is through Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Without it potential customers can’t find you. It is unreasonable to expect that you can adequately develop a website without optimizing your website for the best possible search engine ranking.

Search engines also place a high value on sites that have links placed on existing sites. These ‘backlinks’ demonstrate to search engines that others trust your site. By placing your link on their website these other businesses indicate a trust and recommendation for your site.

In effect the two strategies listed above rely exclusively on what others can do for you when it comes to your online business.

Shirley Temple once proclaimed in her movie Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, “I’m very self-reliant.” American westerns are filled with lines dealing with pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and holding down the fort. Many of us have grown up to believe if we want something done right we have to do it ourselves.

This thinking is in opposition to the rules associated with an online business.

The online world can only exist because people share. Individuals share technology, but the also share links, reviews, blogs, forums and a wide range of other marketing strategies that find a commingling of interdependency.

In online business you are as dependent on others as they may be on you. Unlike the word ‘dependent’, the term interdependent indicates a mutual dependency. In other words you are depending on others to help provide links back to your site while they are equally dependent on you (or others) for the success of their business.

Have you really taken a proactive approach to networking? It’s possible you are reading this today and you’ve never considered asking someone else to place a link to your site on his or her online business site.

It can feel awkward depending on others to achieve online success especially if you’ve been lead to believe reliance on others is also a sign of imposing on their otherwise brilliant generosity.

I suppose it could be a deep-seated sense of pride that makes it hard to consider the need to ask others for help. However, the truth is depending on others is really what has made the Internet possible. The growth of this online world is comprised of a link of computers, networks and servers that are connected in a way that provides the maximum benefit for all.

Building an online business can feel a bit like trying to build a house of cards. Without the ability to rely on the other ‘cards’ around you it is virtually impossible to build.

Most Muslim women today do not wear a full face veil. It is more common to see women in hijab, loose clothing topped by a type of scarf worn around the head and under the chin. Women don’t share a common style nor have the same reasons for wearing hijab. For many it reflects the belief that they are following God’s commandments, are dressing according to “the correct standard of modesty,” or simply are wearing the type of traditional clothes they feel comfortable in.

A Complex History of the Veil
What constitutes modest clothing has changed over time. Like most customs, what women wear has reflected the practices of a region and the social position of the wearer. The veil itself predates Islam by many centuries. In the Near East, Assyrian kings first introduced both the seclusion of women in the royal harem and the veil. Prostitutes and slaves, however, were told not to veil, and were slashed if they disobeyed this law.

Beyond the Near East, the practice of hiding one’s face and largely living in seclusion appeared in classical Greece, in the Byzantine Christian world, in Persia, and in India among upper caste Rajput women. Muslims in their first century at first were relaxed about female dress. When the son of a prominent companion of the Prophet asked his wife Aisha bint Talha to veil her face, she answered, “Since the Almighty hath put on me the stamp of beauty, it is my wish that the public should view the beauty and thereby recognized His grace unto them. On no account, therefore, will I veil myself.”

As Islam reached other lands, regional practices, including the covering of women, were adopted by the early Muslims. Yet it was only in the second Islamic century that the veil became common, first used among the powerful and rich as a status symbol. The Qu’ranic prescription to “draw their veils over their bosoms” became interpreted by some as an injunction to veil one’s hair, neck and ears.
Throughout Islamic history only a part of the urban classes were veiled and secluded. Rural and nomadic women, the majority of the population, were not. For a woman to assume a protective veil and stay primarily within the house was a sign that her family had the means to enable her to do so.

Since nomad women rarely veiled, in the early stages of those Islamic countries with nomadic roots, women often were allowed to go unveiled, even in town. In the years of the early Safavid dynasty, women were unveiled, although the custom was changed by late Safavid times. Among the Turks, who came into Anatolia as nomads, Ibn Battuta in the fourteenth century saw what he called a “remarkable thing. The Turkish women do not veil themselves. Not only royal ladies but also wives of merchants and common people will sit in a wagon drawn by horses. The windows are open and their faces are visible.”

The Middle Ages
The veil did not appear as a common rule to be followed until around the tenth century. In the Middle Ages numerous laws were developed which most often placed women at a greater disadvantage than in earlier times. In some periods, such as under the Mamluks in Egypt, repeated decrees were issued, urging strictness in veiling and arguing against the right of women to take part in activities outside their home. One commentator, Ibn al-Hajj, claimed this was a good thing because a woman in Cairo would “go out in the streets as if she were a shining bride, walking in the middle of the road and jostling men.” He cautioned shop keepers to be careful when a woman came in to buy, “for if she was one of those women dressed up in delicate clothes, exposing her wrists, he should leave the selling transaction and give her his back until she leaves the shop peacefully…”

The Nineteenth Century
By the second half of the nineteenth century, intellectuals, reformers, and liberals began to denounce the idea of women’s protective clothing. This group was sensitive about the advances western nations had made, and wanted to push their countries toward a more western-style society. One way of achieving this, they felt, was to change the status of women. To them this meant abandoning traditional customs, including protective covering and the veil which they saw as a symbol of the exclusion of women from public life and education.

In the early years, men were in the forefront of this effort. Qasim Amin, who in 1899 wrote The Emancipation of Woman, called for new interpretations of the Quran with regard to limited divorce, polygamy, and wearing the veil. He argued that such practices had nothing to do with Islam, but were a result of customs of peoples who had become Muslims. Enormous debate followed his work. Some of his detractors were women. Egyptian writer Malak Hifni Nassef worried about women “moving from that dark and familiar state” before they were ready. She said that first women needed a “true” education and better knowledge of the world, and men needed to learn not to harass unveiled women. She resented men telling women what they should do: “If he orders us to veil, we veil, and if he now demands that we unveil, we unveil. There is no doubt that he has erred grievously against us in decreeing our rights in the past and no doubt that he errs grievously in decreeing our rights now.”

The Impact of Nationalism
The ideas of Qasim Amin reflected those who closely linked the emancipation of women and rejection of veiling to national movements for independence. For this group, the changing roles of women in society were important ways to convince the overseas colonial rulers that their subject nations were ready to govern themselves. Women were encouraged to be symbols of the new state. Those who resisted these ideas of social progress were mocked. Turkish elites, for example, mocked women covered in black, calling them “beetles.” Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who began to build a secular nation-state in 1923, denounced the veil, calling it demeaning and a hindrance to civilized nation. But he did not outlaw it. Shortly after, in Iran in the 1930s, Reza Shah Pahlevi did, issuing a proclamation banning the veil outright. For many women, this decree in its suddenness was not liberating but frightening. Some refused to leave home for fear of having their veil torn from their face by the police.

Male leaders of nationalist movements encouraged women to join them and appear more freely in public. Slowly some women did. In 1910, a young Turkish woman attracted attention by daring to have herself photographed. At about the same time, educated women in Turkey began to leave the house unveiled, but still wearing hijab. The most dramatic public unveiling was undertaken by Huda Shaarawi in Egypt in 1923. Following suit were Ibtihaj Kaddura in Lebanon, Adila Abd al-Qudir al-Jazairi in Syria, and much later Habibah Manshari in Tunis. Moroccan scholar Fatima Mernissi remembers the fight her mother had with her father about replacing her heavier traditional veil with “a tiny triangular black veil made of sheer silk chiffon. This drove Father crazy: ‘It is so transparent! You might as well go unveiled!’ But soon the small veil, the litham, became the fashion, with all the nationalists’ wives wearing it all over Fez - to gatherings in the mosque and to public celebrations, such as when political prisoners were liberated by the French.”

Women’s organizations also played an important role in transforming dress, although this was a minor issue in their struggle for women’s political rights and for legal reforms. It should be stressed that for many women it was not the fact of wearing the veil that was the issue, but that the veil symbolized the relegation of women to a secluded world that did not allow them to participate in public affairs…

As the century progressed, a revival of veiling and introduction of more modest dress reasserted itself. Opposition to Islamic required clothing had never been truly universal. Among the lower middle classes it had always tended to be defended in the face of change. Even in Turkey where the state had pushed the idea of reform, new ideas and styles of dress did not reach women in the hinterland.

In areas where Islam was resisted and believers felt threatened, like Indonesia and the Philippines, Muslim women began to dress more conservatively as a way to assert who they were. During militant struggles for independence, such as that against the French in Algeria or the British in Egypt, some women purposely kept the veil in defiance of western styles. It meant they also could take part in veiled and silent demonstrations, or could hide weapons under long robes.

There were other reasons for taking up and defending hijab. One was the growing reaffirmation of nation identity and rejection of values and styles seen as western. In response to Egypt’s catastrophic loss to Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, and the seeming failure of secularism, there also was a push to return to Islamic laws which had been abandoned. Modernization was seen as negative, a phenomena which encouraged people to reject not only Islamic but all indigenous traditions. Wearing hijab came to symbolize not the inferiority of the culture in comparison to western ways, but its uniqueness and superiority.

The real surge toward donning hijab came with Iran’s revolution. Women were seen as key elements in achieving changes in public morality and private behavior. Unveiled women were mocked, called unchaste “painted dolls,” and were punished if they appeared in public without proper covering. In countries beyond Iran in the 1970s, demonstrations and sit-ins appeared over opposition to the required western style dress code for university students and civil servants.

Today
With the trend to revive or create Islamist movements, women have continued to take up the modest covering of the hijab. Within women’s groups the debate over its use also continues. Some progressive groups, such as the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) in Pakistan, explicitly condemn all attempts to impose a dress code on women. They argue that those who do not conform to it are stigmatized. They say that it denies women the freedom to decide on their own appearance. Women’s groups endorsing a strict interpretations of Islam, on the other hand, aggressively promote dress codes, putting out information sheets listing its requirements…

For women wishing to pursue professional and public social lives, wearing hijab allows freer movement outside the confines of the home. In leaving their homes, this upwardly mobile group is actually defining new roles for themselves, not defending traditional ones. In the same way, students who take up hijab are able to move into areas that were once closed to them, such as attending classes, discussion groups and religious activities. Wearing conservative clothing protects them from sexual harassment and objectification. An Iranian school girl states, “We want to stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks.”

]]> http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/27/islamic-dress/feed/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/23/alternative-sources-of-standby-back-up-power-protection/ http://ratihchubby.net/2008/08/23/alternative-sources-of-standby-back-up-power-protection/#comments Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:14:07 +0000 ratih_euy http://ratihchubby.net/?p=110 In today’s ‘energy-challenged’ business environments where demand is beginning to outweigh supply and costs are rising ever higher, heads of business are looking for alternative sources of standby back-up power protection to reinforce uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and provide a continuous source of electricity during mains power failures. The primary criteria in deciding which alternative to [...]]]>

In today’s ‘energy-challenged’ business environments where demand is beginning to outweigh supply and costs are rising ever higher, heads of business are looking for alternative sources of standby back-up power protection to reinforce uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and provide a continuous source of electricity during mains power failures.

The primary criteria in deciding which alternative to choose are usually: space constraints, location, cost, load types and application. Diesel generators, in particular, require dedicated space away from protected loads and primary work areas, plus room for fuel storage. They are often housed in purpose-built enclosures for which planning permission must be granted and sometimes this can be a challenge in primary urban areas where building and planning restrictions may exist. The issue of cost can often preclude up-coming alternatives like fuel cells, which can overcome some of the difficulties associated with diesel generators but at a price. Load types, too, can be a challenge in terms of how they draw voltage waveform and its effect on standby power generation equipment. However, the following are alternatives that are commercially available:

Diesel Generators: a generator is a mechanical device capable of providing a source of ac electrical power on-demand or as an alternative to mains power supply. In an uninterruptible power supply scenario a generator is used as a standby source of three or single-phase ac power to supplement the runtime provided by the UPS battery set or alternative source of dc power. It may also directly power essential loads such as alarms, air-conditioning or emergency lighting in the event of a power cut.

A generator typically takes up to a minute before it can deliver a suitable supply on start-up, which is why an uninterruptible power supply sits between it and the source of mains power.

Generators burn fuel (diesel being the most common and cost-effective) but they emit heat, noise and exhaust gasses. Generator fuel is usually stored in what is referred to as a ‘day tank’, located on-site, which typically contains eight-hours of supply. This can be supplemented by bulk tanks, also located on-site. Fuel storage on-site introduces health & safety and environmental regulations that must be observed. Some experimentation has been done using bio-fuels but the problem is not so much in usage as in storage. Because they are comprised of organic matter bio-fuels cannot be stored.

Fuel Cells: are increasing in popularity across a number of applications due to their high-efficiency and purported ‘green’ credentials i.e.: zero exhaust emissions. A fuel cell uses a chemical reaction, which occurs when Hydrogen and Oxygen combine to produce water. It harnesses this reaction to produce electrical energy. Fuel cells have two potential UPS applications: an alternative source of ac power to mains or as support to an existing battery set.

UPS Batteries: today’s UPS batteries are typically sealed lead acid and maintenance-free with a design life of five years. As they rely on a chemical process they are prone to deterioration and the speed at which this happens is dramatically affected by room temperature and number of charge/discharge cycles the battery has to perform during its lifetime.

A ‘battery block’ is a self-contained electro-chemical device that can store electrical energy for later use. A UPS battery set comprises a number of battery blocks connected in series into a ‘string’, or number of battery strings.

Flywheels: are energy storage devices based on the principle of Kinetic energy, whereby a motor-generator is used to rotate a mass at high RPM in a vacuum on frictionless bearings inside a floor-mounted cabinet. They provide a source of short-duration dc power and can be used with large application UPS, around 60kVA upwards. As energy is discharged to the load on demand, flywheels can be used in place of a battery set to ride through the time required for generator start-up.

Gas Turbines: a descendent of the Jet engine, like generators, Gas Turbines are a combustion device with similar installation and operational issues. Advances in technology have lead to the development of commercially viable energy-saving applications and the devices are finding useful roles within power protection projects. There are two designs: single shaft (which has a turbine and compressor on the same shaft and output of which is speed controlled by the fuel supply) and two-shaft (which has a higher operating efficiency but poor response to load change). A micro-turbine operates at even higher speed, is compact in design, lighter weight and can run on a variety of fuels.

Super Capacitors: store electrical energy, which can be released on discharge. For small uninterruptible power supplies this can be used in place of a battery set or to reduce the potential for battery discharge during momentary mains power supply failures. The amount of energy that can be stored depends upon the active material used and the capacitor design.

The energy within a capacitor is quickly available. They can extend the working life of a UPS battery set (if used in conjunction) by inhibiting battery cycling for momentary or small interruptions (the majority of power interruptions last for less than five seconds). Super capacitors are also happy to operate in temperatures ranging from -30-45 degrees centigrade but they are pricey in comparison to UPS batteries.

Whilst generators remain the most popular source of standby power in uninterruptible power supply applications, there are alternatives, which may be more relevant and suitable in certain instances. Where planning permission cannot be granted for external generator housing, for example, a fuel cell may be an ideal alternative. Flywheels may also be a viable option as an alternative power protection energy source for larger uninterruptible power supplies.

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