Ebola virus disease

 
Since recently countries have been taking the necessary precautions to disallow people with the virus or persons traveling from parts of Africa from entering their territory. This virus has been around since the 70's but recently has started to spread throughout the Africa Region. The current outbreak in west Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined. It has also spread between countries starting in Guinea then spreading across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia, by air (1 traveller only) to Nigeria, and by land (1 traveller) to Senegal.

Here are some Facts about the Ebola Virus

• Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
• The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
• The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.
• The first EVD outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but the most recent outbreak in west Africa has involved major urban as well as rural areas.
• Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation.
• Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralise the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.
• There are currently no licensed Ebola vaccines but 2 potential candidates are undergoing evaluation.

Jamaicans For Justice

Jamaicans For Justice- A True Patriotic Organization Despite Its Images.
By Winston Donald
In an interview with Kay Osbourne, Executive Director of Jamaicans For Justice, she recognized that two images of her organization pronounced in the Jamaican space are anti-police and hegemony by white and brown-skinned wealthy or /and middle class Jamaicans. I must say her response was a lucid and brilliantly answered.
Her recognition of these  two  prominent images are certainly legitimate and profound. As one who have worked in services organization demanding a significant relationship with all classes of persons , I must say that most policemen who I know either as friends, acquaintances or customers see and believe the JFJ as anti –police. But this is whee I differ from these cops or security officers who I know.
The abuse of police of working class people , the volume of extra judicial killings are no fable or myths. I myself have from high  school days experienced police abuse. In fact coming from a Wolmer’s graduation in the late 70’s , the driver of a brand new Subaru who gave us a ride on those then lonely roads to Edgewater was nearly riddled with bullets by police who insist the Young Salesman from T Geddes Grant was driving a stolen vehicle. It was only a miracle that saved us that night as we would have experienced death and ask questions after.
I myself having gone to a dance in a Portmore Community was detained and taken to No Man’s land , Bay Farm Road , an alien political turf to the one I was visiting , only because the police on supporting the then potential winner of the 1980 General election  falsely accused the dance revelers as supporters of the PNP.   I also as one who is from the bosoms of the people have known of persons gun down by the police and whose death were said to be as a result of a police shoot out. Of course I could go on to state incidents , but as Jamaicans say , “a nuh everything mouth mek fi say.”
For years police brutality and murders was a common strand in the culture of marginalized and working class citizens . It was therefore timely that conscious Jamaicans despite their class background sought to stand up for the rights and justice of those in the society who did not have the power derived from falling in the middle class or lighter hues.
 So here comes the JFJ and our history especially that since the 1830’s that it is not our black Jamaicans who are at the mainstream of justice. Back track to our history and all Jamaicans know of the effort of George William Gordon,  Missionaries Thomas  James Philipo, Thomas Burchell,  Thomas Clarkson and in our recent history  Hugh Hart, Norman Manley, Edward Seaga, Michael Manley  fighting on behalf of the poor. The skin pigment of later days fighters should not be an issue although we really acknowledged it is legitimately a touchy issue.
Personally, I believe the lighter Jamaicans are empowered with education and income and having these powerful tools find it easier to lead than many of us deprived by  colonialisation and post colonialisation. Therefore, if in their conscious and having certain power relations, then nothing is wrong to dialogue and work on behalf of the majority of us who are at the bottom of the social ladder abused by the state security machinery which devolve itself of protection and secure.
It is time however for Jamaicans for Justice ,inspite of the tremendous work on behalf of those suffereing at the hands of the police, to correct the image of class hegemony in its leadership. 
It does not matter how great your organization is, how great the work you have done, how much you have assisted your unfortunate neighbor if bad or perceived  negative images are perceived , then it will not augur well for your history. And , one cannot blame the masses for perception as perception is not abstract there is always meaning made from perceptions. In other words it is  like examining what makes or define culture.

BULLYING AND PHYSICAL ABUSE

BULLYING AND PHYSICAL ABUSE – THE TREND AT CLARKSON-VILLE ALL AGE IN THE 1970’S
By Winston Donald
The last two years had me reflecting on life at elementary school in St. Ann, the values and socialization and what affected or impacted our academic performance. By delving into the past and sharing the discussion for many of us who attended Clarkson-ville All Age School in the 1970’s , a constant concern and conversation pertaining to that era-   was the trauma and fear experienced by those inflicting pains and abuse. I now want all those were responsible to apologize , to apologize for  being the young Hitler they were and  the physical abuse to their fellow classmates and students. I was shocked during the conversations that so many of us had these experiences.
Students at Clarkson-ville were  severely bullied by a core group of tough bullies and physically abused by the Principal Mr. Guy Lemonious and his wife Mrs. Lemonious  under the guise of discipline.
First the bullies were the same for nearly all of us of the early seventies: Brenton Campbell, his brother Len, Brenton’s cousin John , Junior Edwards, Enos Ingram,  and Coaxie Barrett (Miss Hearty Barrett’s son). Fear and trepidation was apart of us encountering these six  youths.  The bullies were from homes where parents  disregard or  pretended their sons were incapable of  hatching injury on  their peers  had a field day for several inflicting pain and creating psychological mayhem  on  others. Their parents also were the set who denied their sons were doing wrong to their class cohorts. In fact reporting these delinquents to their parents meant nothing. The girls also had their bullies, normally girls from homes in Cedar Valley but for this article , the concentration is on the abuse to the males at CAAS.
Wherever these men are , (and most if not all are resident in the UK and the USA, ) they must now  own up to their misdeeds and anti-social behavior  and wholeheartedly apologize to those they had hurt, particulary  those who were in class with them between the years of 1969 to 1973.  The Clarksonville All Age  bullies acted disgustingly without regard  to the physical and emotional welfare of their fellowmen. They had selfish and evil motive which precipated  their  action in beating up on others slapping and their delight  for repeatedly slapping the heads of those of us whose parents had given us a low cut or “bald head” at the favourite barbers of the day Messrs: Newton Barrett, Headley Waugh and David Easington. Those who received their hair cuts from Waugh were in worst position for the bullying as Waugh’s shears and razors took the trim to the scalp. This made us more susceptible to bullies like Junior Edwards, Coaxie Barrett, Enos Ingram and Brenton Campbell. When  other bullies took a break from inflicting injury, those mentioned would ensure students experienced a marathon of slapping from the hands.
Yes many of us complained to our parents while others like Oh My God, Jackie (Millford ) greaves was shocked to even report it to his beloved mother Miss Icy. Personally, on telling my grandma who seek audience with their parents , it was t no avail. The next month would be a repeat of the abuse. The bullies parents imparted no value of respect for others. One parent in particular, Mum Williams  would deny her son was a rotten egg.  Strangely the bullies were pathetic academic performers, some were what we refer to as “dunce”. The only consolation is when it was class exams and they know they had to copy from your books , then you discovered they become “comfy” to steal your answers, in fact, some openly begged you to show them the answer and promised not to harm you in the future.
Interestingly, very few bullies lasted to Grade 9. At the end of Grade 8, Barett, Campbell and Ingram had to go. They had spent their energies slapping and beating their peers  so much that their school work suffered severely. Both numeracy and reading skills were inadequate for promotion to Grade 9. This was coupled up with many of them reaching 15 years old , even at Grade 7.
Lemonious  abd his wife in his role as Maximum Principal and Maximum Vice Principal  envisaged  learning outcome and discipline as  a function of the amount of  “licks” administered to students. The couple invented the ideal mathematical function for beatings and Common Entrance result , which alarmingly was pathetic as no more than 2 students passed per year. To the Lemonious’s  physical abuse was the template for teaching success. Their entire non charismatic persona  was built on drilling for  educational output  with  the canes and  famous broad  belt as the tools of  motivation. To the  Lemonious’s  every wrong answer was welcomed with a caning and every misunderstanding a piece of “beating on  your backside.” Strangely, Lemonious was not prompt  or predisposed  towards  caning his mischievious  and  rotten behaving children Steve or Rollie.
Lemonious should answer to many of those children who he both  scarred  and scared. I personally am convinced wherever in Manchester he resides , he should find himself at some appropriate  venue, perhaps, the good ole Baptist Church to answer to his coarse pschye in denying many  from learning and from attending “Scholarship class” as a result of his physical abuse. I personally say, Lemonious , time for you to apologise not only to yesterday’s  abused youths but to their parents and grandparents, dead and alive!!!  In this regard , I shall be calling upon the Moravian Church which he serves to get a hearing from him. Just last year I nearly send him a list of names of students who are “vexed” to this day by the scores of caning he administered to poor village boys and girls also. What would cause a Principal to cane a young female student until she passed her urine? What would cause a Principal and his wife to beat a student by inflicting a dozen or more strokes of the cane? Do you call such physical beating discipline? Only the most backward society would tolerate getting 15 cane strokes as the norm.
We hope that todays’  students at Clarksonville All Age are not acquainted with what we had to undergo four decades ago  or to face the degree of bullying  and physical beatings by peers, teachers or educational stakeholders. Thank God we had strong Christian parents, otherwise we might have been psychologically scarred to this day.
Caning can never correct the ability to learn, rather understanding, care, commitment and diverse methods of teaching are the panacea for  learning by those who are slow, who are late starters or simply ignorant to the method of instruction.
If there is anyone who can challenge this article ,  let he or she does so and do so with strong , accurate and factual rebuttal.

Easter

What is Easter and what does it mean to you?
 
Easter Season

In Western Christianity, Easter marks the end of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed.
Because of Easter's pagan origins, and also because of the commercialization of Easter, many Christian churches choose to refer to the holiday as Resurrection Day.

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches.
Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Easter in the Bible

The biblical account of Jesus' death on the cross, or crucifixion, his burial and his resurrection, or raising from the dead, can be found in the following passages of Scripture: Matthew 27:27-28:8; Mark 15:16-16:19; Luke 23:26-24:35; and John 19:16-20:30.

Paul Walker's brothers help finish 'Fast & Furious 7' action scenes

 

Fast & Furious 7 one of the most anticipated films since the late Paul Walker has began putting things in place to get it completed. This was published on the CNN website - Paul Walker's brothers are helping "fill in small gaps" in "Fast & Furious 7" action sequences not finished before the actor's death, producers said Tuesday. Walker died in a fiery car crash during a Thanksgiving break in filming last November, forcing a halt to production.

"We had to take time to grieve Paul, the brother we love and lost, and to figure out if we should move on with our film," producers wrote to fans in a Facebook post Tuesday.

The decision to resume filming was "the only choice," the note said. We believe our fans want that, and we believe Paul would want that, too."

Walker's dramatic scenes were completed before his death but some action sequences were unfinished, they said.

"We have resumed shooting and now welcome Paul's brothers, Caleb and Cody, into our 'Fast' family," the post said. "Caleb and Cody are helping us complete some remaining action for their brother and fill in small gaps left in production. Having them on set has made us all feel that Paul is with us, too."

The movie was to have been released this summer, but Universal pushed it back to April 10, 2015.

Who is God?

 
I found this article online from godandscience.org and i find it very interesting so i decided to share it.
Many religions describe a being referred to as "God." Some of these religions describe the being God as one of many other gods created by more powerful gods or councils of gods. However, for the purpose of this paper, we are going to use the definition of God contained in the Bible. As such, God is the Spirit hovering over the waters of the primordial Earth—Creator of the universe (matter, energy, space, and time), along with other principalities and beings whose primary existence is outside this universe. However, God did not just create the universe and leave it to its own fate as deists proclaim. God is the personal being who walked and talked with Adam and Eve, the first human beings, in the garden of Eden. God is also Savior of mankind, coming to Earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth to provide the ultimate example of holiness and the ultimate sacrifice for humanity's evilness, in order to restore our personal relationship with Him.

WHO IS GOD?

According to Christianity, God is the self-existent One, having no need of being created, since He has existed forever and is the cause of all things, including the dimension of time, to which He is not subject. Likewise, God is not subject to the physical creation, but is spiritual in nature, residing in the spiritual dimensions of heaven. God's power over the physical creation is absolute, such that He can manipulate matter, energy, space, and time at will. For this reason, God is said to be all powerful—able to accomplish any possible task He wills to do. Along with being all powerful, God is also all knowing—having knowledge of all things that are possible to be known, including the entire history of the universe—past, present, and future. Because God is all powerful (omnipotent) and all knowing (omniscient), He is also able to be present at all places at all times (omnipresent). God is also all loving—according to the Bible, "God is love" (1 John 4:16). The love of God prompted Him to create human beings in His image, in order to share His love with us. The Christian scriptures say that we can fulfill the entire law of God by loving Him and loving our fellow human beings (Matthew 22:37-40). God is absolutely holy—without any moral or character defect. In fact, the Bible says that God is incapable of doing any evil, despite being all powerful. God is unchangeable. In other words, He does not change any of His attributes or character at any time. Despite humanity's tendency to change its definition of morality, God's moral character does not evolve with the times, but remains constant.

WHERE IS GOD?
The Bible says that God cannot be contained within the universe (1 Kings 8:27). In addition, the Bible says that God fills both heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24), which is a Hebrew idiom to describe the entire universe. So, God is both transcendent and immanent simultaneously. God's normal abode is in heaven, which is not located within the physical universe. According to the Bible heaven seems to operate under different physical laws, with the laws of thermodynamics seeming to be absent. So, the question "Where is God?" is not one that can be answered with the knowledge we posses.


WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE?
Since human beings are created in the image of God, most artist's renditions picture God as looking like a human male. Although the Bible uses the personal pronoun "He" to describe God, it never says God looks like a human male. Word pictures describing God usually use words such as "like" or "as" in their descriptions. So, we find that both males and females were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), although God is not a hermaphrodite. Likewise, there are descriptions of God that describe Him with wings and feathers (Psalm 91:2-4), although nobody would suggest that God is an overgrown chicken. In fact, the Bible says God is a spirit (John 4:24)—without physical form (i.e., not composed of ordinary matter). Although God's primary nature is spiritual, He is able to take on physical form in order to interact with human beings on Earth. In fact, the Bible says that God took on human form, coming to earth as Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible says that believers who die will go to heaven and "see Him just as He is" (1 John 3:2), because they will be like Him, possessing "spiritual bodies" (1 Corinthians 15:44). So, there is no way to know what God actually looks like in heaven, until we actually get there


WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM US
If God created the entire universe as a place to accommodate human beings, He must have had some sort of plan in mind. The Bible says God wants as many people as possible to choose to love Him and spend eternity with Him. Since God's standard for behavior is perfection in thought and deed, we are going to find it very difficult to meet God's standard on our own. However, since God loves us so much, He has provided another means by which we can attain perfection. Jesus, as God, took on the form of a human being and lived on the earth in the first century (Philippians 2:5-8). Besides teaching, His main purpose was to provide the ultimate sacrifice for sins (bad things we do), by living a completely sinless life (Hebrews 4:15), dying on a cross (Colossians 1:19-20), and rising from the dead (Romans 6:9-10). It is through belief in Jesus and His sacrifice for sins that one is declared righteous and free from sin. One who believes in Jesus follows Him, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who guides Christians as they become conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). So, those who believe in Jesus are declared righteous and will spend eternity with Him in heaven.

God is the ultimate Being in existence, perfect in power, love, and character. Since God wanted to share His love with others, He created the angels and human beings—spiritual creatures who can related to Him. Because God is love, He wants us to love Him and love other people (Matthew 22:37-40). God came to earth in human form as Jesus of Nazareth to teach us about Himself and to provide the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, so that those who believe can have fellowship with Him. The Bible encourages all people to turn from their selfishness to become lovers of God, to fulfill God's perfect law of love

What Happens When You Die?

People always want to know what happens when someone die but there's only one group of people who really know what happens when you die: the dead. And since the dead won't be revealing their secrets anytime soon, it's up to scientists to explain what happens when a person dies.
Death, just like life, is a process, scientists say. The first stage of this process is known as clinical death. It lasts from four to six minutes, beginning when a person stops breathing and the heart stops pumping blood. During this time, there may be enough oxygen in the brain that no permanent brain damage occurs. Other organs, such as the kidneys and eyes, also remain alive throughout clinical death.
In the second stage of dying, known as biological death, the cells of the body begin to degenerate, and the body's organs — including the brain — shut down. Doctors are sometimes able to stall biological death by inducing hypothermia — cooling the body to below its normal temperature. This method can stop the degeneration of cells and has been used to revive cardiac-arrest patients. These stages of death are well understood, but what remains elusive is what happens to a person once he or she is both clinically and biologically dead. To get some insight into this mystery, researchers turn to the study of near-death experiences (NDEs). According to the Out-Of-Body Experience Research Center in Los Angeles, more than 8 million Americans have reported NDEs, which occur when a person is either clinically dead, near dead or in a situation where death is likely or expected. Many people who have had near-death experiences report similar sensations: feeling as though they were floating outside of their bodies, moving rapidly through a tunnel toward light or seeing deceased loved ones. Researchers continually study NDEs in an effort to make sense of the biological and neurological processes that may be behind such events. Some studies claim that NDEs are just another form of lucid dreaming, while others link these experiences to oxygen deprivation in the brain.

All about Ectasy Drug

Ecstasy or methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as MDMA is a synthetic creation that was patented by the German pharmaceutical company Merck. Considered for its potential as a diet pill, MDMA was soon dropped by Merck for reasons unknown. Virtually dormant until 1953, MDMA was researched-and used-by a former pesticide chemist named Alexander Shulgin. Shulgin was on a quest for the ideal psychoactive drug but was frustrated by the regulations and required trials mandated before a medication could be brought to market. Other scientists met similar obstacles. Ecstasy abuse came under scrutiny in 1985 when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration banned its use due to its potential as an agent of brain damage. It remains on the list of drugs prohibited from sale or use until today, though the Food and Drug Administration has conducted tests of the compound’s effect on humans. Its usage is popular at parties and celebrities tend to be fond of the drugs, it can be heard in artist music and seen in a number of drug related movies.

Shortly after taking ecstasy, the user may experience a positive increase in energy levels and a euphoric state of being. Feelings of emotional peace and empathy are also common among those who are high on ecstasy. When recounting what the ecstasy high is like, many users report perceived perversions in time and space, as well as in their sense of touch. Another short term effect of the drug is the suppression of certain basic physical needs, like eating, drinking and sleeping. As a consequence, contemporary “rave” parties where ecstasy is present can exceed 24 or even 48 hours in duration.

Like any drug, ecstasy can produce unexpected side effects. Some physiological effects of the drug include the following:

• Nausea
• Hallucinations
• Sweating and chills
• Fever
• Shaking and tremors
• Muscle cramping
• Blurred vision

The side effects of ecstasy overdose are more extreme. These symptoms merit immediate medical treatment:

• High blood pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Panic attacks
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Extreme increase in body temperature

At its most extreme, ecstasy overdose may cause death by heat stroke and heart failure. Because it masks the need for food, water and rest, this substance has also been implicated in dehydration and exhaustion. While research on the long term effect of ecstasy is ongoing, certain traits are shared by regular users. For example, a 1998 study asserted that irreparable damage to serotonin neurotransmitters was observed in a subject group of users. Since serotonin levels affect learning, sleep and emotional processes, such damage can leave users severely impaired. Without proper functioning of the neurotransmitters, conditions such as depression, anxiety and memory loss are much more likely to occur. Of course, continued use can also bring about an addiction.

Solar Energy and some of Its Uses

 
The use of solar energy is getting very popular in most countries due to huge longer-term benefits, which includes increasing countries’ energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating climate change, and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise.

Solar energy or heat from the sun is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal electricity, solar architecture and artificial photosynthesis. Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

In Urban Planning
Sunlight has influenced building design since the beginning of architectural history.
The common features of passive solar architecture are orientation relative to the Sun, compact proportion (a low surface area to volume ratio), selective shading (overhangs) and thermal mass. When these features are tailored to the local climate and environment they can produce well-lit spaces that stay in a comfortable temperature range. Socrates' Megaron House is a classic example of passive solar design. The most recent approaches to solar design use computer modeling tying together solar lighting, heating and ventilation systems in an integrated solar design package. Active solar equipment such as pumps, fans and switchable windows can complement passive design and improve system performance.

In Agriculture
Agriculture and horticulture seek to optimize the capture of solar energy in order to optimize the productivity of plants. Techniques such as timed planting cycles, tailored row orientation, staggered heights between rows and the mixing of plant varieties can improve crop yields. While sunlight is generally considered a plentiful resource, the exceptions highlight the importance of solar energy to agriculture. During the short growing seasons of the Little Ice Age, French and English farmers employed fruit walls to maximize the collection of solar energy. These walls acted as thermal masses and accelerated ripening by keeping plants warm. Early fruit walls were built perpendicular to the ground and facing south, but over time, sloping walls were developed to make better use of sunlight. Greenhouses convert solar light to heat, enabling year-round production and the growth (in enclosed environments) of specialty crops and other plants not naturally suited to the local climate. Primitive greenhouses were first used during Roman times to produce cucumbers year-round for the Roman emperor Tiberius. The first modern greenhouses were built in Europe in the 16th century to keep exotic plants brought back from explorations abroad. Greenhouses remain an important part of horticulture today, and plastic transparent materials have also been used to similar effect in polytunnels and row covers.

In Transport
Development of a solar-powered car has been an engineering goal since the 1980s.
Some vehicles use solar panels for auxiliary power, such as for air conditioning, to keep the interior cool, thus reducing fuel consumption. In 1975, the first practical solar boat was constructed in England. By 1995, passenger boats incorporating PV panels began appearing and are now used extensively. In 1980, the Gossamer Penguin made the first piloted flights powered solely by photovoltaics. The Zephyr, developed by BAE Systems, is the latest in a line of record-breaking solar aircraft, making a 54-hour flight in 2007.

Solar Thermal
Solar thermal technologies can be used for water heating, space heating, space cooling and process heat generation. Solar hot water systems use sunlight to heat water. In low geographical latitudes (below 40 degrees) from 60 to 70% of the domestic hot water use with temperatures up to 60 °C can be provided by solar heating systems. The most common types of solar water heaters are evacuated tube collectors (44%) and glazed flat plate collectors (34%) generally used for domestic hot water; and unglazed plastic collectors (21%) used mainly to heat swimming pools.
As of 2007, the total installed capacity of solar hot water systems is approximately 154 GW. China is the world leader in their deployment with 70 GW installed as of 2006 and a long term goal of 210 GW by 2020. Israel and Cyprus are the per capita leaders in the use of solar hot water systems with over 90% of homes using them.

Water Treatment
Solar distillation can be used to make saline or brackish water potable.
Solar water disinfection (SODIS) involves exposing water-filled plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to sunlight for several hours. Exposure times vary depending on weather and climate from a minimum of six hours to two days during fully overcast conditions. It is recommended by the World Health Organization as a viable method for household water treatment and safe storage. Over two million people in developing countries use this method for their daily drinking water.
Solar energy may be used in a water stabilization pond to treat waste water without chemicals or electricity. A further environmental advantage is that algae grow in such ponds and consume carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, although algae may produce toxic chemicals that make the water unusable

10 Attractions in Jamaica

 

Dunn's River Falls

Dunn's River Falls is a spectacular waterfall near Ocho Rios, where cold mountain water cascades 1,000 feet (300 meters) down naturally terraced steps. Visitors can climb the falls alone or in a guided "human chain," but there's also plenty of swimming, sunbathing and sightseeing to do as well. Those interested in geology will be fascinated with the way the falls renew themselves via regular deposits of calcium carbonate and sodium.

Nine Mile

Nine Mile is synonymous with one of Jamaica’s most famous sons, the late great master of reggae Bob Marley. Thanks to guided tours led by Rastafarian guides, you can visit the former home of Bob Marley, as well as the musician’s beloved Mt. Zion Rock and his mausoleum. Many of the guides are Bob’s fellow musicians, relatives, and friends.

Bob Marley Experience

If you’re visiting Jamaica, chances are you’re a fan of Bob Marley. What better way to celebrate the King of Reggae’s life and music than a tour of his birthplace, house, and mausoleum?

When you visit the Bob Marley Museum, you get a sense of his daily life, as it is located in his boyhood home in Nine Mile. There's his hammock and his herb garden, as well as the beat-up Land Rover he drove around the island, not to mention the frescoes on the house depicting everything he loved.

Dolphin Cove

Swimming with dolphins is on most people’s must-do lists, and Dolphin Cove offers a one-on-one encounter with dolphins and sharks like no other in Jamaica.

You can touch, hold, feed and of course swim with the dolphins, and even interact with sharks.
For the most in-depth dolphin encounter, be a sea keeper for the day and help feed and train these fascinating creatures

Martha Brae River

The Martha Brae River is the tranquil home of river rafting in Jamaica, the best way to discover the country's tropical interior. Guided tours include refreshment, lunch and lagoon swim stops, and quite often the guided rafting trips pass riverside crafts stalls. Rafts are ecologically friendly, made from bamboo, and the trips along the river pass Luminous Lagoon, where a natural phenomenon causes the water to glow.

Rhodes Hall Plantation

Get a sense of how life used to be in Jamaica at the Rhodes Hall Plantation - a historic property and working plantation set on a private 550 acre (222 hectare) estate, 5 mi (8 km) outside of Negril.

You can visit, go horse riding or stay at the estate, which has two private beaches, a nature trail and a crocodile reserve. Operating since the 1700s, the plantation has its history in sugar cane and rum and several artifacts and copies are on display from the era, including the cauldrons originally used by slaves to boil down sugar cane.

Rose Hall Great House

Built in the latter part of the 18th century, Rose Hall is the most well-known great house in all of Jamaica. The massive Georgian mansion is the centerpiece of a plantation that covers over 6,500 acres, but it's most notable for its famous occupant, Annie Palmer, better known as the White Witch of Rose Hall.

Said to have dabbled in witchcraft, Annie Palmer allegedly poisoned her three husbands. Stories allege that she routinely took slaves as lovers and had them killed when she grew tired of them. She was supposedly smothered with a pillow in her bed in 1830s by a vengeful slave.

Rio Bueno

Rio Bueno is a small village located 32 miles (51.5 kilometers) east of Montego Bay on the island of Jamaica. The Rio Bueno Harbour is the deepest harbor in Jamaica and the site where Columbus is believed to have first touched land in Jamaica. Visitors to Jamaica flock to this small fishing community to experience one of the most exhilarating excursions on the island: adventures along the Rio Bueno River. 

Croydon Plantation

When you need to relax and want a break from the beach, book a tour of Croydon Plantation! Located twenty miles inland from Montego Bay, Croydon Plantation is a beautiful way to spend an afternoon.  You’ll travel through breathtaking, mountainous scenery, explore a working plantation and enjoy a delicious, traditional Jamaican barbeque amid the beautiful Catadupa Mountains.

Negril Lighthouse

Lighting up the westernmost point of Jamaica, Negril's Lighthouse stands at 20 meters (65 feet) tall and is one of the earliest concrete lighthouses, having warned ships away from the promontory since 1894.

Originally powered by kerosene, the Lighthouse switched to solar power in 1985 and flashes every two seconds.You can still climb its 103 steps today for unparalleled views over the Caribbean. It's a popular spot at sunset.

Samsung S5

The Samsung S5 release date is almost here and i know for a fact that Jamaicans are huge fans of the Samsung brand. On the other hand i don't like to follow the crowd...i like unusual and uncommon things plus i don't see any major changes that the Samsung S5 is bringing to the table it only has the most recent updates that all android phones are implementing and the camera features are not so impressive coming from a S4 I9506 Galaxy perspective.

Main Differences

-The S5 is a bit heavier 
-Fingerprint sensor (PayPal certified)
- IP67 certified - dust and water resistant
- Water resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes
- 128 GB (external storage) compare to previous 64GB
- 16MP Camera - compare to previous 13MP
- Talk time up to 21Hrs compare to previous 17Hrs


Check out the full phone specifications below.

General 2G Network     GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 4G Network LTE (market dependent) SIM Micro-SIM Announced 2014, February Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, April Body Dimensions 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm (5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 in) Weight 145 g (5.11 oz) Display Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors Size 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.1 inches (~432 ppi pixel density) Multitouch Yes Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 3 - TouchWiz UI Sound Alert types Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones Loudspeaker Yes 3.5mm jack Yes Memory Card slot  microSD, up to 128 GB Internal 16/32 GB storage, 2 GB RAM Data GPRS Yes EDGE Yes Speed HSDPA, 42.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot Bluetooth Yes, v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, LE NFC Yes Infrared port Yes USB Yes, microUSB v3.0 (MHL 2), USB On-the-go, USB Host Camera Primary 16 MP, 5312 x 2988 pixels, phase detection autofocus, LED flash Features 1/2.6'' sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size, Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, HDR Video Yes, 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, HDR, video stabilization, dual-video rec. Secondary Yes, 2 MP, 1080p@30fps, dual video call Features OS Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat) Chipset Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 CPU Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 GPU Adreno 330 Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, temperature, humidity, gesture, heart rate Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS Browser HTML5 Radio No GPS Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator Colors Black, White, Blue, Gold - Wireless charging (market dependent) - ANT+ support - S-Voice natural language commands and dictation - Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll - Air gestures - Dropbox (50 GB cloud storage) - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - TV-out (via MHL 2 A/V link) - SNS integration - MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player - Organizer - Image/video editor - Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa - Voice memo/dial/commands - Predictive text input (Swype) Battery                 Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery Stand-by  Up to 390 h Talk time  Up to 21 h

All about Depression

 
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being. Depressed people can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, hurt, or restless. They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions, and may contemplate, attempt, or commit suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains, or digestive problems may also be present. Chances of suffering with major depression is higher for adults with coronary heart disease. Depression is one of the leading sources of disability. 
Depressed mood is not always a psychiatric disorder. It may also be a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom of some medical conditions, or a side effect of some drugs or medical treatments. Depressed mood is also a primary or associated feature of certain psychiatric syndromes such as clinical depression.

Causes
Lifestyle factors that may play a role in depressed moods include irregular sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Obesity and depression are correlated with each other. Depression can be a risk factor resulting from obesity; but obesity can also be resulting due to the existence of depression already present. Depression is also linked to socioeconomic status

Life events and changes that may precipitate depressed mood include childbirth, menopause, financial difficulties, job problems, a medical diagnosis (cancer, HIV, etc.), bullying, loss of a loved one, natural disasters, social isolation, relationship troubles, separation, and catastrophic injury.

Certain medications are known to cause depressed mood in a significant number of patients. These include hepatitis C drug therapy and some drugs used to treat high blood pressure, such as beta-blockers or reserpine. Medications to cure physical illness can cause depression.

Treatment
Depressed mood may not require any professional treatment, and may be a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom of some medical conditions, or a side effect of some drugs or medical treatments. A prolonged depressed mood, especially in combination with other symptoms, may lead to a diagnosis of a psychiatric or medical condition by a counselor or doctor, which may benefit from treatment. Different sub-divisions of depression have different treatment approaches. The promotion of a healthy lifestyle is a positive approach to living that leads individuals toward realizing their highest potential for well-being - a life free from any sort of illness. Lifestyle strategies that may improve depressed mood include wake therapy, light therapy, eating a healthy diet, meditation, exercise, and smoking cessation. Exercise is found to be as effective as psychotherapy on depressed individuals. Exercise also helps lowers levels of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity which are disorders that possibly lead to depression.

Adidja Palmer - Vybz Kartel

 
Despite been sentenced to life in prison for the August, 2011 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams, this biography shows how he started and rose to stardom showing less controversy.

Adidja Palmer started his career as a teenager in 1993 with his first recording "Love Fat Woman", released on Alvin Reid's label "One Heart", using the moniker "Adi Banton", an homage to Buju Banton. Palmer was later part of the three-member group "Vybez Kartel", keeping the slightly altered name after group split up, and became a protege of Bounty Killer, for whom he claims to have written nearly 30 songs.



Vybz Kartel rose to prominence in 2003 after a string of hits in Jamaica. The year culminated in a pre-planned on-stage clash with Ninjaman at the annual dancehall festival Sting in Kartel's hometown of Portmore. The clash turned violent when Kartel's crewmembers, as well as Kartel himself, threw punches and assaulted Ninjaman onstage. While Kartel's manager initially blamed Ninjaman for the fracas, Kartel himself quickly apologised to Ninjaman and Sting organizers for the fracas. Four days after the incident, the two artists appeared before the press to announce a settlement of their differences and to end any animosity.





He established his own label Adidjahiem/Notnice Records with his business partner and producer Ainsley "Notnice" Morris. Kartel has worked on collaborations and remixes with hip hop and R&B musicians Jay-Z, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, M.I.A, Pharrell Williams, Kardinal Offishall, Akon, Jim Jones, Lil Wayne and Eminem. His 2010 single "Clarks" was one of his biggest international successes, remaining in the top 3 Reggae Singles gaining the most radio plays in North America for 40 weeks.

After splitting with Bounty Killer-led Alliance in 2006, Kartel founded the Portmore Empire, a group of dancehall DJ's and singers from his Portmore neighborhood that he signed to his newly founded Adidjahiem/Notnice Records. Members of the group as of 2011 were: Popcaan, Gaza Slim, Shawn Storm, Sheba, Gaza Indu, Tommy Lee, Singing Maxwell, Singa Blinga, Lenny Mattic. Former members include Lisa Hype, Gaza Kim, Blak Ryno, Jah Vinci, Dosa Medicine and Merital Family.


In 2008, Vybz Kartel launched his own liquor line; Street Vybz Rum. He hosted a weekly dance party Street Vybz Thursday, at the Building, a Kingston nightclub he managed with Street Vybz Rum business partner, Corey Todd. The rum is officially distributed by Vybz Distillers Limited. The same year, he also released his own condom line, Daggering Condoms. Street Vybz Rum production was stopped in 2011 because of a disagreement between him and Corey Todd. However, the collaboration resumed in 2012 as the two settled their differences, and despite Kartel's ongoing incarceration. In 2011, he released his own shoe line, named Addi's, as well as his own line of "cake soap".




When his singles "Clarks", "Clarks 2 (Clarks Again)" and "Clarks 3 (Wear Weh Yuh Have)" featured the British shoe brand Clarks in 2010, its sales numbers and prices in Jamaica increased considerably.
Vybz Kartel has also hosted his own reality television show "Teacha's Pet" on CVM Jamaica broadcast channel, the first reality television show hosted by a dancehall artist in Jamaica. The premise of "Teacha's Pet" found 20 women living in a Kingston house vying for the artist's affection; the show's lascivious content elicited condemnation of its sponsor, telecommunications company LIME.

Tsunami - Effects and Mitigation

 
After watching the Impossible a 2012 disaster drama film based on the experience of María Belón and her family in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami i had to publish some information regarding a Tsunami.

A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, generally an ocean or a large lake. Disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami for example earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions.
Tsunamis generally consist of a series of waves with periods ranging from minutes to hours, arriving in a so-called "wave train". Wave heights of tens of metres can be generated by large events and their destructive power can be enormous and they can affect entire ocean basins. Major areas of current research include trying to determine why some large earthquakes do not generate tsunamis while other smaller ones do; trying to accurately forecast the passage of tsunamis across the oceans; and also to forecast how tsunami waves would interact with specific shorelines. Drawbacks can serve as a brief warning. People who observe drawback (many survivors report an accompanying sucking sound), can survive only if they immediately run for high ground or seek the upper floors of nearby buildings. A tsunami cannot be precisely predicted, even if the magnitude and location of an earthquake is known. Geologists, oceanographers, and seismologists analyze each earthquake and based on many factors may or may not issue a tsunami warning. However, there are some warning signs of an impending tsunami, and automated systems can provide warnings immediately after an earthquake in time to save lives. One of the most successful systems uses bottom pressure sensors, attached to buoys, which constantly monitor the pressure of the overlying water column

Mitigation

In some tsunami-prone countries earthquake engineering measures have been taken to reduce the damage caused onshore. Japan, where tsunami science and response measures first began following a disaster in 1896, has produced ever-more elaborate countermeasures and response plans. That country has built many tsunami walls of up to 12 metres (39 ft) high to protect populated coastal areas. Other localities have built floodgates of up to 15.5 metres (51 ft) high and channels to redirect the water from incoming tsunami. However, their effectiveness has been questioned, as tsunami often overtop the barriers. The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster was directly triggered by a tsunami that exceeded the height of the plant's sea wall. The Okushiri, Hokkaidō tsunami which struck Okushiri Island of Hokkaidō within two to five minutes of the earthquake on July 12, 1993 created waves as much as 30 metres (100 ft) tall as high as a 10-story building. The port town of Aonae was completely surrounded by a tsunami wall, but the waves washed right over the wall and destroyed all the wood-framed structures in the area. The wall may have succeeded in slowing down and moderating the height of the tsunami, but it did not prevent major destruction and loss of life.

Skin Bleaching

 
Skin whitening, skin lightening, and skin bleaching refer to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin. This is very common in Jamaica and despite people knowing the danger of this practice there seems to be an increase island wide. The first person that will come to Jamaicans mind when they hear about skin bleaching is vybz kartel but this has been going on long before he started doing it, the only thing i will agree with is that he made it popular in a fashion sense. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proved to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles, adding to the controversy surrounding their use and impacts on certain ethnic groups.

A survey carried out by the British Skin Foundation found that 16% of dermatologists believe lightening creams are ‘completely unsafe’ and 80% feel they are only safe when prescribed by a dermatologist.
Unfortunately, many skin-lightening creams contain illegal compounds that can damage your health, the most common compounds are high-dose steroids. Some creams also contain hydroquinone, a bleaching agent that is banned from use in cosmetics (but can be prescribed by doctors for medical reasons).
In March 2009, a man who sold unlicensed medicines and banned cosmetics, including skin-lightening creams containing corticosteroids and hydroquinone, was ordered to pay £80,000 in fines, costs and repayment of illegal earnings. 

Skin lightening risks

Although steroids can be useful in treating some skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema, this must take place under the supervision of a skin specialist.
Unmonitored use of high-dose steroids can lead to many problems,
Skin lightening creams can cause:

• permanent skin bleaching 
• thinning of skin
• uneven colour loss, leading to a blotchy appearance
• redness and
• intense irritation 

A number of other risks exist but if people are not afraid of what smoking does, why will they be terrified over skin bleaching effects....just saying.