--LOVE SEED--

this is the place I hang my head

the dreams i dreampt are long since dead

in the time it takes to write a verse

another shot is twice disperced

~

this is the place i sew the seed

of the lie that flourished(an became a tree)

now a garden never mowed

an empty shell of a former soul

~

this it the time i slung so low

that i grazed my hand on sand and stone

never knowing is to never care

and on and on till lungs cant bare air

~

this is the place I end my rhyme

executed in walls of precision time

I'll leave you with another line...

i loved and lost in too short a time....

--Recovering Addict to-do List--

1. Stop Isolating either literally or in some other politically correct way.
2. Get to a 12 Step meeting of some sort, if you have been attending your "home-group" regularly and still have some anxiety issues try a new meeting out, it is quite common for an addict to even isolate in their own home group.
3. Call your sponsor.
4. Do what is on your plate for the day and prioritize tasks, don't try to do everything at once.

Do not medicate, recovery does not always feel good - trying to feel good was what got you into all the messes in the first place.

~

~http://www.addictionz.com/do_things_for_recovering_addict.htm

--Bugatti Veyron--

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4’s home is in Molsheim-Dorlisheim, the French town where, almost 100 years ago, Ettore Bugatti began to realize his lifelong dream of being a car manufacturer. The new workshop is not just where the engine and vehicle are assembled and tested, it is also the place where customers collect their Bugattis and drive them out onto the streets for the first time.

The aim is to turn Molsheim into an all-round Bugatti centre once again. While up to 70 new vehicles a year are built by hand in the new facility, neighbouring specially-equipped workshops are the scene of expert restoration work on historic Bugatti vehicles. Both past and future have found a new home here.

Specs at a Glance:

Seating Capacity: 2
Available Engines: 8.0L W-16 64 valve DOHC direct gasoline injection
Drivetrains: Full-time all-wheel drive
Horsepower : 1,001hp @ 6,000RPM
Torque : 922 lb.-ft. @ 2,200RPM

Curb weight : 4,162lbs (1,888kg)

0-60 in under 3 seconds.

MSRP: $1,500,000

~

~

~http://www.forbesautos.com/showmodel/2008/bugatti/veyron_16_4/

~

~http://www.topspeed.com/cars/bugatti/2006-bugatti-veyron-164-ar1687.html

--WHERE IS STARDUST NOW?--

Looking Down on the Sun
This image shows the current position of the STARDUST spacecraft and the spacecraft's trajectory (in blue) around the Sun.

Looking Down on Stardust
This image shows a closer view of STARDUST's orbit. The spacecraft's orbit is in blue, the orbits of the planets are shown in white.

Stardust's View of Earth
STARDUST was launched on February 7, 1999 and made an Earth flyby in January 2001.

Looking Down on the Sun
This image shows the current positions and orbits of the STARDUST spacecraft and Comet Wild 2. The spacecraft's orbit around the Sun is shown in darker blue.

~

~

~http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/details.html

~

~http://www.nasa.gov/missions/index.html

--Change @ 51..?--

--Forrest Gump (1994)--

Forrest, Forrest Gump is a simple man with little brain activity but good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, starts a table tennis craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone

"Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get"

~

~

Cast
Tom Hanks -- Forrest Gump
~
Robin Wright Penn -- Jenny Curran (as Robin Wright)
~
Gary Sinise -- Lt. Dan Taylor
~
Sally Field -- Mrs. Gump
~
~
~http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/

--BRAIN Test--

You are a right brain dominant student!
You probably get bored during long lectures and prefer to take classes with a lot of freedom of movement and thought. You like to write stories and even tell stories about your funny experiences. You might be a little suspicious of other people's motives sometimes, but that's only because you can usually tell whenever someone is lying or when they're up to no good. You are a little on the dreamy side--or a lot. You plan books or movie plots but you don't always follow through on things you think about. You should work on that. You are fun and spontaneous, and probably active in sports or clubs. Your feelings run deep, and it shows. You have strong instincts, and you solve problems on hunches and feelings. You are artistic in some way. You can believe in things based on experience, without seeing scientific proof. You might be a finalist on Survivor some day, since you know how to read people so well, and you have great survival instincts.
~
Do you get bored when teachers lecture too much? Do you feel like you can size up people easily by watching them? If so, you may be right-brain dominant.
~

Characteristics of Right-Brain Students

• You take notes but lose them. You may have a hard time keeping track of your research
• You might have a hard time making up your mind
• You are good with people
• You don't fall for practical jokes as easily as some
• You seem dreamy, but you're really deep in thought
• People may have told you you're psychic
• You like to write fiction, draw, or play music
• You might be athletic
• You like mystery stories
• You take time to ponder and you think there are two sides to every story
• You may lose track of time
• You are spontaneous
• You’re fun and witty
• You may find it hard to follow verbal directions
• You are unpredictable
• You get lost
• You are emotional
• You don't like reading directions
• You may listen to music while studying
• You read lying down
• You may be interested in “the unexplained”
• You are philosophical

Advice for Right Brain Students

• Choose to do personal essays
• Watch your daydreaming—keep it under control
• Let your imagination work for you in the arts
• Let your intuition work for you in social situations
• Let your deep thinking work for you during essay tests—but don’t ponder too long
• Be creative with essays. You can use colorful language well
• Use images and charts when you study
• Write down directions
• Try to be more organized!
• Don’t be overly suspicious of others
• Make outlines to organize your thoughts.
• Choose fiction in reading assignments
• Try to avoid teachers who lecture a lot; choose teachers who use activities
• You tell stories well, so write some!
• Put information into categories for better understanding
• Avoid getting bogged down by thinking of all possibilities when answering questions
• Finish things! You have so much talent, but you don’t always complete things.
• You have great instincts and survibal skills. If you study hard, you might be a finalist on Survivor one day!

~

~http://homeworktips.about.com/library/brainquiz/bl_leftrightbrainb.htm

--HELP is on THE WAY?--

Ask for help

The first rule of recovery is to be able to ask for help, to reach out and get support from others. If you need assistance there will be plenty of people in recovery only too willing give it. Just ask!

~

Eat properly

See the Nutrition and exercise section for tips on how to best take care of your nutritional needs.

~

Exercise regularly

Exercise is a mood enhancer and will lift our spirits and give us something else to think about other than our craving or addiction.

~

Don’t be isolated

Our addictive side thrives on isolation, so when you find yourself wanting to be alone and not in company most of the time and not in company, ring your own internal alarm bell and get connected swiftly!

~

Be honest

Honesty in recovery is paramount; if we lie to ourselves and others it is impossible for us to get well.

~

Use positive affirmations

Sadly, our own inner voices or internal dialogues are usually our own worst enemies. Truthfully, if we spoke to our friends the way we speak to ourselves most of the time, they would probably have all deserted us by now! Can you treat yourself as you would a dear friend and say encouraging things to yourself rather than use negative expletives? Remind yourself of your good points, of what you are doing well, of traits and characteristics you like about yourself. You need to learn how to be your own best friend and dump the enemy, who is certainly not helping you.

~

Live in the here and now

Addicts have a habit of living in the future or in the past. We disconnect from the present moment and turn our attention instead to our internal dialogue and fantasies. Counter this tendency by making concerted efforts to stay in the present. Keep your thoughts in the moment without projecting into the future or forever re-running the past.

~

One final point!

It is imperative that as part of your recovery you learn about the relapse process and devise your own plan to help prevent it happening to you. You need to develop your own strategy and look at ways to avoid your personal triggers and know what warning signs are significant for you. Please look at the relapse prevention planner and questions so that you can design your own recovery plan. This will give you a prevention procedure that will aid your recovery greatly and give you the tools you need to maintain sobriety in the long term.

~

~

~http://www.trntv.co.uk/family-and-friends/relapse-prevention/how-to-recognise-relapse-4/

--How to recognise Relapse--

One of the major challenges in recovery from any addiction is the reality that relapse may occur, particularly in the early months of abstinence when relapse rates are high. At this time, we need to be extra vigilant and highly self-aware in order to stay committed to our newly found path and avoid being tempted back into our old addictive patterns.

Relapse is not a single event, as is often believed, but a process that builds up days, weeks, or even months before the addictive cycle recommences. Relapse is not unusual and indeed is probably better viewed as part of the journey towards recovery. The majority of addicts repeat the cycle of change many times before they are able to sustain long-term sobriety. If you do relapse, learning why may help you avoid it next time.

Signs of relapse
Being clean from any addiction is an ongoing process that requires both abstinence from mood-altering substances and changes in your behaviour, attitudes, feelings and thinking. When we are at risk of relapse, we may allow more negative behaviour, thinking, attitudes and feelings to creep in. Below is a list of relapse symptoms, the list is not exhaustive but may help you recognise whether you are in danger.

Behaviour

• Arguing more frequently for no apparent reason
• Getting angry easily
• Smoking more/increasing caffeine intake
• Eating irregularly or more than before
• Being compulsive in another area, such as cleaning, washing or exercising
• Losing your daily structure
• Attending fewer fellowship meetings or stopping altogether

Attitudes

• Convinced you will never ever use again
• Negative about life
• Lying and manipulating others
• Openly rejecting help from others
• Dissatisfied with life
• Losing confidence in your ability to remain abstinent
• Imposing your recovery on other people
• Adopting a non-structured lifestyle, no boundaries
• Not caring about sobriety

Feelings

• Moody and/or depressed
• Angry with self or others
• Euphoric
• Bored
• Self-pitying with self-defeating beliefs
• Lonely and isolated
• Unresolved guilt and shame
• Unreasonably resentful
• Hopeless, there seem to be no solutions
• Wanting to be happy but not knowing how
• Fearful about the future or life without using
• Hungry, angry, lonely or tired and believing using would relieve the symptoms

Thinking

• Believing you are cured and could now control your intake (reactivation of denial)
• Minimising the effects and consequences of addiction on your life
• Thinking you can drink as long as you stay off cocaine or cross-addicting to another process or substance
• Being unable to concentrate or achieve tasks or goals
• Focusing solely on one area of your life (having tunnel vision)
• Having periods of confusion
• Being less able to plan constructively, inattention to detail
• Daydreaming, always thinking “if only…”
• Believing alcohol/drugs/using is necessary in order to have fun
• Growing impatient with the recovery plan, things aren’t happening fast enough

Typically, relapse progresses from stability through a period of increasing distress that leads to physical or emotional collapse. To understand how warning signs can progress, it is important to look at the interaction between the recovery and relapse processes, both of which have six key stages.

The recovery process

• Abstaining from alcohol, food, drugs, gambling, sex, co-dependent behaviour etc
• Separating from people, places and things that promote the use of addiction and establishing a social network that supports recovery
• Stopping self-defeating behaviours that prevent awareness of painful feelings and irrational thoughts
• Learning how to manage feelings and emotions responsibly without resorting to compulsive behaviour or the use of alcohol, food, drugs, gambling etc
• Learning to change addictive thinking patterns that create painful feelings and self-defeating behaviours
• Identifying and changing the mistaken core beliefs about oneself, others and the world that promote irrational thinking

The relapse process

When people who have had a stable recovery begin the relapse process, they simply reverse the six stages of recovery. Therefore they begin to:

• Have a mistaken belief that causes irrational thoughts
• Return to addictive thinking patterns that cause painful feelings
• Engage in compulsive, self-defeating behaviours as a way of avoiding the feelings
• Seek out situations that involve people who use alcohol, drugs, etc.
• Find themselves in more pain, thinking less rationally and behaving less responsibly
• Manage to find themselves in a situation where using seems like a logical escape from their pain, they return to their addiction

~http://www.trntv.co.uk/family-and-friends/relapse-prevention/how-to-recognise-relapse-1/

--First Step--

‘All addicts are fearful of taking the first step.

Action on Addiction was the bridge that helped me move from the dark to the light.’

~TOM~

~

~http://www.actiononaddiction.org.uk/

~

~http://www.trntv.co.uk/family-and-friends/useful-links/

~

~http://www.addictiontoday.org/addictiontoday/contact-us.html

~

~http://www.al-anon.org/contact.html

~

--Addict's Family & Friends--

How many people are involved in the life of any one addict? Family, friends, employers, co-workers … we are all affected by addiction – not just the addict. While our loved one struggles to feed his or her addiction, we have to cope with the fallout.

The distress suffered by families and friends of addicts is severely underestimated. Through embarrassment and shame we often become isolated from friends and the wider community. We may start to question our own judgement because we’ve been lied to so many times or have been abused by the addict.

We probably feel like we’re living on a rollercoaster of emotions: anger, frustration, helplessness, confusion, hopelessness, guilt and shame. Stress takes its toll and manifests itself in health problems such as anxiety, depression, headaches and digestive disorders. We may even have suicidal feelings.

Usually we become so focused on the behaviour and problems of the addict that we completely lose sight of ourselves. All our energy is directed into caring for and covering up for the addict so that in the end, all we are doing is enabling him or her to pursue the addiction. The irony is that unless we care for ourselves, the vicious cycle of addiction is likely to continue because we have unwittingly built up a culture of dependency.

Changing our behaviour can be uncomfortable and very difficult, but we need to take responsibility for ourselves and our own recovery. There is evidence to suggest that when we take care of ourselves for our own sake, addicts may begin to seek help.

At The Recovery Network, we are committed to providing support for family members and friends who are often overlooked as victims of this illness.
~
~
~http://www.trntv.co.uk/family%2Dand%2Dfriends/

--Malaysia Budget 2009--

--The Brown Bunny (2003)--

It's the story of one man's tragic loss of the love of his life. He is Bud Clay, and he races motorcycles. He rides in the 250cc Formula II class of road racing. Around and around he goes, repeating laps over and over until the race is over. The story begins with Bud racing in New Hampshire. His next race is in California in five days, and so his cross-country journey begins. Every day, Bud is haunted by the same memories of the last time he saw his true love. He will do anything to make those memories disappear, and every day he tries to find a new love, making outrageous requests of women to come with him on his trip and then leaving them behind after they've agreed. He can't replace Daisy, the only woman he's ever loved and the only woman he will ever love, but every day he tries.
~
Cast
Vincent Gallo -- Bud Clay
~
Chloë Sevigny -- Daisy
~
Cheryl Tiegs -- Lilly
~
~http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0330099/

--NASA 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala--

NASA will celebrate 50 years of scientific and technological excellence. NASA has powered us into the 21st century through signature accomplishments that are enduring icons of human achievement. Among those accomplishments are technological innovations and scientific discoveries that have improved and shaped our lives on Earth in a myriad of ways. Please join us as we celebrate the past and look forward to a promising new era of inspiration, innovation, and discovery.

~

~http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/anniversary_gala.html

~

~http://www.nasa.gov/50th/home/index.html

--Cause of Death -- Sloppy Doctors--

Iatrogenic -- a word you should know…

According to Webster's, it means: Induced in a patient by a physician's activity, manner, or therapy. In other words: Caused by a doctor.
Now doctors can cause all kinds of things. Cures. Wellness. Hope. But what about death? Is that something we're used to thinking is caused by our doctors? Well, if you've been reading the Daily Dose -- or my Real Health newsletter -- for any length of time at all, you'll probably answer a resounding YES to that last question. But if you're new, I want to bring you up to speed on a truly frightening statistic -- one that'll shake you to your soon-to-be-ex-mainstream core:

Doctors' sloppy kills more than 7,000 people annually. It's a shocking statistic, and, according to a July 2006 report from the National Academies of Science's Institute of Medicine (IOM), preventable medication mistakes also injure more than 1.5 million Americans annually. Many such errors result from unclear abbreviations and dosage indications and illegible writing on some of the 3.2 billion prescriptions written in the U.S. every year.

The U.S. health care system may contribute to poor health or death. According to Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, 250,000 deaths per year are caused by medical errors, making this the third-largest cause of death in the U.S., following heart disease and cancer.

ALL THESE ARE DEATHS PER YEAR in THE USA:

12,000 --- unnecessary surgery
7,000 --- medication errors in hospitals
20,000 --- other errors in hospitals
80,000 --- infections in hospitals
106,000 --- non-error, negative effects of drugs

References

1. Schuster M, McGlynn E, Brook R. How good is the quality of health care in the United States? Milbank Q. 1998; 76:517-563.
2. Kohn L, ed., Corrigan J, ed., Donaldson M, ed. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999.
3. Starfield B. Primary Care: Balancing Health Needs, Services, and Technology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998.
4. World Health Report 2000. Available at http://www.who.int/whr2001/2001/archives/2000/en/index.htm. Accessed June 28, 2000.
5. Kunst A. Cross-National Comparisons of Socioeconomic Differences in Mortality. Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Erasmus University; 1997.
6. Law M, Wald N. Why heart disease mortality is low in France: The time lag explanation. BMJ. 1999; 313:1471-1480.
7. Starfield B. Evaluating the State Children's Health Insurance Program: critical considerations. Annual Rev. Public Health. 2000; 21:569-585.
8. Leape L. Unnecessary surgery. Annual Rev. Public Health. 1992; 13:363-383.
9. Phillips D, Christenfeld N, Glynn L. Increase in U.S. medication-error deaths between 1983 and 1993. Lancet, 1998; 351:643-644.
10. Lazarou J, Pomeranz B, Corey P. Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients. JAMA. 1998; 279:1200-1205.
11. Weingart SN, Wilson RM, Gibberd RW, Harrison B. Epidemiology and medical error. BMJ. 2000; 320:774-777.
12. Wilkinson R. Unhealthy Societies: The Afflictions of Inequality. London, England: Routledge; 1996.
13. Evans R, Roos N. What is right about the Canadian health system? Milbank Q. 1999; 77:393-399.
14. Guyer B, Hoyert D, Martin J, Ventura S, MacDorman M, Strobino D. Annual summary of vital statistics, 1998. Pediatrics. 1999; 104:1229-1246.
15. Harrold LR, Field TS, Gurwitz JH. Knowledge, patterns of care, and outcomes of care for generalists and specialists. J Gen Intern Med. 1999; 14:499-511.
16. Donahoe MT. Comparing generalist and specialty care: discrepancies, deficiencies, and excesses. Arch Intern Med. 1998; 158:1596-1607.
17. Anderson G, Poullier J-P. Health Spending, Access, and Outcomes: Trends in Industrialized Countries. New York, NY: The Commonwealth Fund; 1999.
18. Mold J, Stein H. The cascade effect in the clinical care of patients. N Engl J Med. 1986; 314:512-514.
19. Shi L, Starfield B. Income inequality, primary care, and health indicators. J Fam Pract.1999; 48:275-284.

~http://www.infoimpact.com/newspdf/Cause%20of%20Death_%20Sloppy%20Doctors.pdf
~
~http://www.naturodoc.com/library/public_health/doctors_cause_death.htm
~
~http://www.missingangelsbill.org/news/20040405.html
~
~http://www.ghchealth.com/doctors-leading-cause-of-death.html
~
~http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1578074,00.html
~
~http://www.douglassreport.com/dailydose/dd200303/dd20030318a.html

--Human rights in Malaysia--

There are some major human rights violations in Malaysia and some of the non-governmental organisations working in this field are:

• Suaram
• Hakam
• WAO

Human Rights violated include:

• The right to vote freely
• Freedom of Religion
• Equality of Religion
• Independence of the legal system
• Freedom from Torture
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom from Discrimination
• Homosexual Rights
  
  
  

In addition, there is the government-sponsored Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, Suhakam

~

~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Malaysia

--HANCOCK 2008--

John Hancock (Will Smith) is an unhappy and reluctant superhero who is living in his own world. For some unknown reason, Hancock is depressed and has started drinking very heavily. He has saved many lives in Los Angeles over the years, but in doing so, he has no regards for damaging buildings, trains, roads, cars, or anything that gets in his way of getting the job done. The last time he captured several criminals, it cost the city $9 million to fix the damages. The public has had enough of Hancock, and they want him to stop or go to another city. Then one day, Hancock saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from being run over by a train. Ray is a public relations executive who now can go home to his wife and child, because Hancock was there. Ray owes Hancock his life, and he makes it his mission to change his superhero's image and have the public cheering him. Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), believes Hancock cannot be fixed, and she doesn't want Ray to be hurt...

~

Cast

Will Smith -- John Hancock

~

Charlize Theron -- Mary Embrey

~

Jason Bateman -- Ray Embrey

~

~

~

~http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/

--Looking for The Best--

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has accused protesters in Bangkok of trying to foment another coup."They want bloodshed in the country," he told journalists.In a day of stormy protests, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) invaded government buildings and a state-run television station.Organisers of the demonstration have ignored a deadline to leave, vowing to keep supporters on the streets until the government falls.The protesters accuse Mr Samak of running the country on behalf of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now in self-imposed exile amid corruption charges.This is just the latest of a series of shows of force staged by the PAD over recent months.

~

-Partial news from bbc.co.uk (Asia Pacific)

~

~http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/nationvdo/showvdo.php?id=817&name=News&cateid=13

~

~http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/thailand

~

~http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7581565.stm

--HELP and SUPPORTs--

The celebrated physician and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, once stated: "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flames by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." Indeed, no man is an island, and human beings are by nature interdependent on one another for their emotional survival. Oftentimes, individuals feel helpless and hopeless when confronted by a crisis. Support groups are a reminder that they are not alone, and that help is just a meeting away. Research corroborates the belief that the peer support mechanism furthers the recovery process. According to two studies conducted in the cancer research field, patients who attended support groups and followed their medical treatments, had a higher longevity and experienced depression and anxiety to a lesser degree than those who did not participate. Many experts maintain that receiving emotional encouragement from others in a support group environment decreases one's mental distress and anxiety, as well as enhances one's mood. This in turn boosts the peer group member's immune system and emotional well-being.
~
~
~http://www.treatment4addiction.com/recovery/support-groups.aspx

--Socialism--

Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other ordinary activities. While many people with social phobia recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation.
~
Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation — such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating, drinking, or writing in front of others — or, in its most severe form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people. Social phobia can be very debilitating — it may even keep people from going to work or school on some days. Many people with this illness have a hard time making and keeping friends.
~
Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. If you suffer from social phobia, you may be painfully embarrassed by these symptoms and feel as though all eyes are focused on you. You may be afraid of being with people other than your family.
~
People with social phobia are aware that their feelings are irrational. Even if they manage to confront what they fear, they usually feel very anxious beforehand and are intensely uncomfortable throughout. Afterward, the unpleasant feelings may linger, as they worry about how they may have been judged or what others may have thought or observed about them.
~
Social phobia affects about 5.3 million adult Americans. Women and men are equally likely to develop social phobia. The disorder usually begins in childhood or early adolescence, and there is some evidence that genetic factors are involved. Social phobia often co-occurs with other anxiety disorders or depression. Substance abuse or dependence may develop in individuals who attempt to "self-medicate" their social phobia by drinking or using drugs. Social phobia can be treated successfully with carefully targeted psychotherapy or medications.
~
Social phobia can severely disrupt normal life, interfering with school, work, or social relationships. The dread of a feared event can begin weeks in advance and be quite debilitating.
~
~
~http://health.discovery.com/centers/mental/anxiety/socialphobia.html

--PREVENTION better than CURE--

Facts
~
• For one in 13 American adults, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence (alcoholism) causes substantial harm to their health and disruption in their lives.
• There are more deaths and disabilities each year in the U.S. from substance abuse than from any other cause.
• About 18 million Americans have alcohol problems; about 5 to 6 million Americans have drug problems.
• More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or problem drinking.
• More than nine million children live with a parent dependent on alcohol and/or illicit drugs.
• One-quarter of all emergency room admissions, one-third of all suicides, and more than half of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.
• Heavy drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, cancer and stroke.
• Almost half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.• Between 48% and 64% of people who die in fires have blood alcohol levels indicating intoxication.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading known cause of mental retardation.
• Alcohol and drug abuse costs the American economy an estimated $276 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenditures, crime, motor vehicle crashes and other conditions.
• Untreated addiction is more expensive than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined.
• Every American adult pays nearly $1,000 per year for the damages of addiction.
~
~source: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
~
~
~http://health.discovery.com/centers/addiction/drugs_alcohol/facts.html

--Schindler's List (1993)--

Schindlerjuden, literally translated as "Schindler's Jews," were roughly 1,000 to 1,200 Jews who were saved by Oskar Schindler during the Holocaust. Their story has been depicted in the book Schindler's Ark, and Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of the novel, Schindler's List.
The end of the film shows actual, color footage of the Schindlerjuden depicted each putting a stone on Schindler's grave. They (or their surviving relative/s) are each accompanied by the actor who portrayed them as they do so. Other mourners in the scene include Schindler's widow, Emilie Schindler, and the actor who portrays Schindler himself in the film, Liam Neeson. Neeson is the last one to approach the grave, and instead of a stone he places two red roses in the center. Appropriately, he is accompanied by no one.
In 2006, there were estimated to be over 7,000 descendants of Schindler's Jews living in the US, Europe, and Israel.

~

The Movie

Oskar Schindler is a vain, glorious and greedy German businessman who becomes unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews. Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler who managed to save about 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp. A testament for the good in all of us.

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Cast
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Liam Neeson -- Oskar Schindler
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Ben Kingsley -- Itzhak Stern
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Caroline Goodall -- Emilie Schindler
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~http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/
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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schindlerjuden

--Total Stranger--

I stand in front of the monitor

And wipe the fog away

My vision is still hazy

From ridding myself this way

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If I can endure for this moment,

whatever is happening to me.

No matter how heavy my heart,

or how dark the moment may be.

If I can but keep on believing,

what I know in my heart to be true.

Then darkness will fade into morning,

and with this dawn a new day, too.

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Thanks Again my Friend...

--The HOPE - RECOVERY--

Recovery
Addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, nicotine, sex or other substances and behaviors is a form of bondage holding its prisoner's mind and body hostage. Recovery is the addict's answer to a personal cry for help and a manifestation of his or her will to break the chains of addiction. After losing their sense of direction and finding themselves psychologically-shipwrecked somewhere along life's shores, substance abusers must learn to ask for help. They must then be ready and willing to follow a structured, progressive plan for addiction recovery. By exercising willpower and demonstrating the courage to confront the truth as well as the discipline to complete a methodical recovery program, addicts improve their prospects for a healthy, balanced, and meaningful life. While the road to recovery may be long and winding for some chemically-dependent individuals, the destination of sobriety and clean living is within reach for all addicts. Through self-healing, sober-minded individuals can also heal their relationship to society and loved ones. Regardless of which substance abuse or drug recovery program the addict chooses to initiate a long-term cure, the cornerstone of success is his or her admission of a problem.
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Any genuine recovery process consists of a number of critical steps including the following:
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1. Overcoming denial
The first step in addiction recovery involves the surrender of denial and the honest admission by which addicts admit, either to themselves and/or to others, that they have a substance abuse problem. It is imperative that individuals who seek to be sober realize and accept the necessity to change addictive patterns of behavior.
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2. Seeking help
There are numerous avenues for obtaining support and guidance, such as a 12 step program, a drug & alcohol rehabilitation program (including our Treatment4Addiction Center), and individual counseling.
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3. Completing a detoxification program
The next step involves checking into a detox rehabilitation center for the purpose of ensuring a safe and thorough withdrawal from the substance in question.
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4. Entering and engaging in addiction recovery program
The addict may need to continue treatment in a residential, outpatient or inpatient rehabilitation center, depending on his or her overall temperament and age, as well as the duration and severity of his or her addiction.
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5. Maintaining sobriety
For many recovering substance abusers, staying sober is a lifelong process. To help them cope with personal issues and keep them on the right track, they may choose to avail themselves of the following types of aid: (1) a 12 step program or alternative 12-step program, (2) psychological support and transportation from friends and family, (3) employee assistance, (4) individual or group therapy; (5) legal assistance, and/or (6) medical and psychological services. Some addicts choose to help others through advocacy and activism, as well as through non-profit organizations.
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Many studies have shown that permanent abstinence is achieved by nearly one-third of addicts from their initial recovery-geared efforts. Another one-third achieves lasting abstinence after a few short-lived relapse episodes. The last third undergoes chronic relapses that ultimately lead to death as a result of chemical dependency. Since relapse is a probability for some and a certainty for others, prevention strategies are primordial in that they serve a useful purpose. The key is to recognize and manage the warning signs before they degenerate into a using incident. Through relapse prevention therapy, addicts learn to become cognizant of the symptoms and triggers that tempt them back to their substance of choice. Common triggers include associating with other substance abusers, entering a bar, looking at a particular photograph, or smelling a certain odor.
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To ensure progress along the path to sobriety, addicts should (1) choose healthy and positive substitutes for their problematic substance, (2) form a wholesome support group, and (3) avoid or reduce contact with enablers and toxic individuals. The substitutes chosen to replace the object of craving will vary from one addict to the next. Addicts are also encouraged to take stock of the consequences of relapse and may receive training in thought-stopping. Some effective strategies for preventing or derailing relapse and refocusing energy on a constructive activity include the following:
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• Channeling self-destructive energy into yoga, meditation, and exercise
• Consuming products containing sugar or caffeine
• Engaging in religious activities and prayer
• Working in the yard
• Speaking to a friend, therapist or sponsor when 'permission thoughts' emerge
  Strengthening communication and interpersonal skills with the help of a therapist
• Seeking individual or group counseling
• Joining support groups or a 12 step recovery group such as Alcoholics Anonymous
  

A wide range of addiction recovery programs is available for individuals coping with substance abuse problems or compulsive or dysfunctional behaviors. Some of the most beneficial programs are as follows:

1. 12 step program
The vast majority of drug and alcohol rehab centers throughout the U.S. integrate portions of the 12 step program into their therapeutic modules. Initially intended for alcoholics in recovery (Alcoholics Anonymous), this program has since become the foundation for other 12 step recovery groups such as (1) Narcotics Anonymous, (2) Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, (3) Pills Anonymous (for prescription pill addicts), (4) Marijuana Anonymous, (5) Gamblers Anonymous, (6) Cocaine Anonymous, (7) Methadone Anonymous, and 6) Nicotine Addiction Anonymous. The 12-step program centers on spiritual awakening principles that involve replacing egocentrism with moral awareness, selfless constructive behavior, and altruism. Some of the precepts incorporated into the 12 steps are as follows:

• Recognizing the presence of a Higher power;
• Reaching out to other addicts;
• Living a new life by adopting a new behavioral code;
• Making amends for past behavior; and
• Analyzing substance abuse transgressions with a sponsor's help.

2. Alternative 12-step program
Addicts may instead opt for an alternative treatment program, whether religious-based, secular and rational, or online. Some of these programs adhere to the belief that drug and alcohol addiction is not a disease, and that addicts are not powerless over substance abuse. Individuals may choose from an extensive array of 12 step alternative programs, such as:

• Meditation, Tai Chi, and yoga training
• Holistic therapy
• Alternative medicine
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Psychological counseling
• Biofeedback
• Life skills training
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Self-esteem boosting skills
• Motivation therapy

3. Wellness coaching
Addicts may consult a wellness coach for guidance and recommendations concerning (1) management of health risks, (2) stress reduction, (3) fitness, (4) weight management, and (5) nutrition.

4. Self help
Self help measures are also available to sobriety-minded individuals, and these include:

• Self help support groups;
• Online resources such as recovery events, meeting locators, articles, online blogs and journals, internet discussion groups, and message boards;
• Sobriety videos; and
• Books on recovery.

Help Link;
12 step programs -- Alcoholics Anonymous -- Cocaine Anonymous -- Codependents Anonymous -- Crystal Meth Anonymous -- Gamblers Anonymous --
Marijuana Anonymous -- Narconon -- Narcotics AnonymousNicotine Anonymous -- Overeaters Anonymous -- Sex Addicts Anonymous

Support groups

Wellness Coaching

Self Help

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~http://www.treatment4addiction.com/recovery

--Meet in 2012 LONDON--

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, are due to be celebrated in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012.
London will become the first city to officially host the modern Olympic Games three times, having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948.

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Host city
London, United Kingdom

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Events
300 in 26 sports
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Stadium
Olympic Stadium