Hare Rama Hare Krishna: March 2014

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Brazilian Women Bare All To Remind Brazil They Don't 'Deserve To Be Raped' (NSFW)

Earlier this week, a study was released that said a startling 65.1 percent of Brazilians either partially or wholly believe that "if dressed provocatively, women deserve to be attacked and raped." In addition, the study revealed a 58.5 percent complacency with the belief that "if women knew how to behave, there would be less rape."
The study, conducted by Brazil's Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), showed that 66.5 percent of the surveyed pool were in fact, women. The institute interviewed a reflective sample of 3,810 Brazilians via questionnaire across 212 cities between May and June of 2013.
Brazilian women instantly reacted and took to social media and blogs to start a conversation about the study's revelations, keeping the story relevant and trending for more than 24 hours. In protest, Brazilian journalist Nana Queiroz created a Facebook event and hashtag to confront the outrage. The hashtag is appropriately titled #NãoMereçoSerEstuprada, which translates to '#IDon'tDeserveToBeRaped.'
In an organized call to action, on March 28 at 8 p.m. Brazilian local time, women were encouraged to share photos of themselves topless while covering their breasts with a sign that showcased the aforementioned hashtag. The Facebook event also specified that if women were uncomfortable posting topless photos, they should pose fully clothed. The important thing, the journalist explained, was that "they, as women, demonstrate that no one can claim ownership over their bodies either than themselves."
Here are some of the powerful images contributed to the online protest:
"I don't deserve to be raped..."
eunao1

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"I also don't deserve to be raped..."
eunao7

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eunao8

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"I don't deserve to be raped, nobody deserves to be..."
eunao13

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eunao6

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"No one deserves to be attacked or raped..."
eunao5

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"We don't deserve it..."
eunao4

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"Clothes don't define character!"
eunao16

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"I don't deserve to be raped, NEVER!"
eunao11

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The full IPEA study in Portuguese is available to read here.
More contributions to #NãoMereçoSerEstuprada here.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

What is Life and How it Works?

What is Life? - Life is your jouney on earth. We are all passengers.

How life works - Life is good to be happy and if you wait for the best time. You will always be delighted to know the real fruit that you have gained after so many debacles, tears, heart-breaks, mistrust and success but if you live well you will certainly die well. Never think that you are not doing anything great in the world. Your contribution to the world is a donation to the Humanity. The more you give the more you will get to give to get more. Future is decided the way you have been born under whose guardianship you have studied the Basics of Life. Intermediate Life is when you get married or stayed single forever. In this phase you will learn the depth knowledge to challenge the world.

Once you die or your partner dies in this phase you entered final. If you die before your partner. You were intelligent to understand the games of Life and there is no necessity to learn where you have mastered in life. If your partner dies before you. You were not a good student to advance to the new zone of life. The last years are like a time to repent, reconcile and recollect the lost wisdom and try to infuse this into the new generation.

24 Thought Provoking Questions You Need To Answer To Know Yourself

    What would people say about you at your funeral?
    What do you believe stands between you and complete happiness?
    When will you be good enough for you? Is there some breaking point where you will accept everything about yourself?
    If you were at heaven’s gates, and God asked “you why should I let you in?”, what would you say?
    Do you fear death? If so, do you have a good reason?
    If you lost everything tomorrow, whose arms would you want to run into? Does that person know how much they mean to you?
     If you had the chance to go back in time and change one thing, what would you change?
    If you could make a 30 second speech to the entire world, what would you say?
    If you had all the money in the world but still had to have some kind of job, what would you choose to do?
    What would you change if you were told with 100% certainty that God does not exist? Or if you don’t believe in God, that he does exist?
    What would you change if you knew you were NEVER going to die?
    If this were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you were about to do today?
    If your life was a movie, what would be the title?
    If you could ask for one wish, what would it be?
    How could you describe yourself in 5 words?
    Are there chances you’ve passed up that you wish you’d have taken?
    How old would you be if you didn’t know how old are you?
    If not now, then when?
    What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
    Are you aware that someone has it worse than you?
    If you had to choose between a book or a movie what would you choose?
    If you could see your whole life till now on a movie would you enjoy it?
    If you could ask 1 person just one question, and he would answer honestly, what would you ask him and who would you ask?
     What would you do different if you were reborn?

http://motivationgrid.com/24-thought-provoking-questions-to-know/

24 Thought Provoking Questions You Need To Answer To Know Yourself Better

What would people say about you at your funeral?
What do you believe stands between you and complete happiness?
When will you be good enough for you? Is there some breaking point where you will accept everything about yourself?
If you were at heaven’s gates, and God asked “you why should I let you in?”, what would you say?
Do you fear death? If so, do you have a good reason?
If you lost everything tomorrow, whose arms would you want to run into? Does that person know how much they mean to you?
If you had the chance to go back in time and change one thing, what would you change?
If you could make a 30 second speech to the entire world, what would you say?
If you had all the money in the world but still had to have some kind of job, what would you choose to do?
What would you change if you were told with 100% certainty that God does not exist? Or if you don’t believe in God, that he does exist?
What would you change if you knew you were NEVER going to die?
If this were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you were about to do today?
If your life was a movie, what would be the title?
If you could ask for one wish, what would it be?
How could you describe yourself in 5 words?
Are there chances you’ve passed up that you wish you’d have taken?
How old would you be if you didn’t know how old are you?
If not now, then when?
What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
Are you aware that someone has it worse than you?
If you had to choose between a book or a movie what would you choose?
If you could see your whole life till now on a movie would you enjoy it?
If you could ask 1 person just one question, and he would answer honestly, what would you ask him and who would you ask?
What would you do different if you were reborn?

Thursday, March 27, 2014

How business and life works?

How business works-- People on high drugs are confined to reveal what could be the next innovation that you see while being in Trans state. This helps to develop the concept of Maya and the way it will make people slave to her.

How life works -Life is good to be happy and if wait for the best time. You will always be delighted to know the real fruit that you have gained after so many debacles, tears, heart-breaks, mistrust and success but if you live well you will certainly die well. Never think that you are not doing anything great in the world. Your contribution to the world is a donation to the Humanity. The more you give the more you will get to give to get more. Future is decided the way you have been born under whose guardianship have you studied the Basics of Life and Intermediate Life is when you get married or stayed single forever. In this phase you will learn the depth knowledge to challenge the world.

Once you die or your partner dies in this phase you entered final. If you die before your partner. You was intelligent to understand the games of Life and there is no necessity to learn where you have mastered in life. If your partner dies before you. You were not a good student to advance to the new zone of life. The last years are like a time to repent, reconcile and recollect the lost wisdom and try to infuse this into the new generation.

100 Free Foreign Language Classes Online

Whether you want to learn one of the major world languages or want something a little less popular, there are sure to be lessons here to help you start to speak whatever language you are interested in learning.
French
If you want to learn French, no matter your experience level, then check out these free classes.

BBC Languages French. Beginners and intermediate French students can find a wealth of lessons and activities here.
The French Tutorial. Select the standard edition of this class to get free access to 13 chapters of lessons and over 200 audio files to help you learn French.
Français Interactif!. This course from the University of Texas, Austin provides lessons, audio, video, vocabulary, and more based on a summer program in Lyon, France.
French I. From MIT in Cambridge, this beginning French class focuses on vocabulary and grammar.
French II. The second class of the French courses offered at MIT is here with even more French lesson fun.
Introduction to French Culture. Be sure you already have a working knowledge of French before starting this course that covers French culture and society since the Revolution.
French I and II. Carnegie Mellon offers French I and French II here. Each course takes approximately 15 weeks to complete and includes the basics to learn French speaking, comprehension, reading, and writing.
French: Ouverture. Audio, video, and printed materials will help you learn French from this course that explores the French people on vacation.
French: Le quatorze juillet. Following from the prior course, this one takes a look at the history and current celebration of Bastille Day.
French: En ville. This intermediate French class will help you learn all you might need to know to navigate around a French town.
French: Bien dans sa peau. Learn French while exploring what it means to keep your mind and body healthy in this intermediate class.

Spanish
From the basics to more advanced college courses in Spanish, see what is available in this listing.

Learn Spanish. Sign up for a free membership here to get a ton of great tools and activities to help your Spanish lessons take off.
BBC Languages Spanish. Learn beginning Spanish, find out about cool Spanish language, test yourself, and complete crosswords in Spanish.
Spanish Language and Culture with Barbara Kuczun Nelson. Get nine study modules plus plenty of other activities to help learn Spanish here.
Spanish 1. If you are starting from the beginning with no knowledge of Spanish, then this is a great place to begin. This course from MIT is based on 26 half-hour video lessons.
Spanish 2. Continue with the video-based lessons that will strengthen your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Spanish III. This intermediate-level class has students participating in a variety of different activities to enhance their Spanish language skills.
Spanish 4. Examine social, political, and cultural issues of Spanish-speaking communities around the world while you continue to learn Spanish.
Oral Communication in Spanish. This second-year intermediate course from MIT asks students to practice their Spanish through watching Spanish-language films, writing Spanish journal entries, and preparing for a simulated trial.
Spanish Conversation and Composition. Continue with this third-year intermediate Spanish course that features three group projects as well as viewing of films and readings of plays and short stories.
Advanced Spanish Conversation and Composition: Perspectives on Technology and Culture. This course, taught in Spanish, explores the impact of technology on a variety of cultural and societal issues in Hispanic societies.
Introduction to Contemporary Hispanic Literature. Study important works from 20th century Spanish and Latin American literature in this class that requires all reading and writing be done in Spanish.
Twentieth and Twentyfirst-Century Spanish American Literature. Explore a variety of forms of literature and film from modern Spanish American sources in this class that is conducted in Spanish.

German
Learn German from these free classes.

BBC Languages German. This beginner’s course offers weekly tips, a phrase of the day, quizzes, stories, grammar help, and more.
Deutsch Interaktiv. Whether you know a little German or none at all, this free course is just right for you.
Learn German Online. This site offers 10 lessons for beginners and 24 lessons for students with more advanced German knowledge as well as other resources to help you learn German.
German I. From MIT, this is the first in a series of courses that starts out with an introduction to German culture as well as the language.
German II. Keep learning German in the second class that provides more vocabulary and grammar practice.
German III. Speaking, reading, listening, and writing are emphasized in the third of this series from MIT.
German IV. Students will continue their German language lessons by studying both literary texts and contemporary media texts.
Germany Today: Intensive Study of German Language & Culture. This course from MIT is designed for students who plan to work or live in German and provides many opportunities to strengthen German language skills while learning about the culture.
German: Lebensumstände. This intermediate-level German class explores the German family while emphasizing speaking, reading, and writing.
German: Regionen, Traditionen und Geschichte. Explore German cultures, including their history and politics, while studying the German language in this advanced class.

Italian
Some of these Italian classes are from Italian websites, so you know it can’t get much more authentic than this.

Italian Language Course. Use this open-content text book full of lessons, grammar, and more to help you learn Italian.
BBC Languages Italian. This class includes many fun features such as a 10-part video introduction to Italian, tips, phrases of the day, and suggestions for how to get the most from Italian radio and TV.
Dentro l’Italiano 4.0 Corso Elementare. This free course is straight from Italy and promises to get your lessons off to a great start.
Oggi e Domani. Find 20 lessons in this course that teaches the basics of Italian.
Centro Studi Italiani. If you know the basics, try this online classroom for expanding your Italian language skills.
Italy Magazine Italian Lessons. Scroll down this page to select a series of lessons for beginners, intermediate, or advanced students.
LearnItalianPod. Subscribe to these free podcasts to learn Italian in just five minutes a day.
Parliamo italiano!. With about 60 different lessons available, this free resource is sure to have you speaking Italian like a pro.
Start Learning Italian. This course from About.com provides a ton of great resources and lessons to help you learn Italian.
Speak7 Learn Italian. Find seven lessons here to teach you the basics of Italian.

Portuguese
Whether you want to learn Brazilian or European Portuguese, these classes will help you out.

BBC Languages Portuguese. In addition to learning beginning Portuguese, you will also learn about Portugal and Brazil, get quick fixes, worksheets, and tips.
Learn Portuguese. Find 12 beginner lessons and 11 intermediate lessons plus plenty of other great tools to help you learn to speak Portuguese.
sonia-portuguese.com. This teacher focuses specifically on Brazilian Portuguese, but also has resources for European Portuguese too.
Introduction to Portuguese. Get a text and nine lessons with this introductory course available through Wikiversity.
Learning Portuguese. This course provides helpful information on pronunciation, grammar, conversation, and a reference guide.
Tá Falado. This site is specifically designed to help those with a background in Spanish learn to speak Brazilian Portuguese.
Learn Portuguese Now. Find lessons, pronunciation tips, common words, and much more here.

Japanese
Master Japanese when you take these great free classes.

Beginning Japanese I. Learn the basics of Japanese with this class from MIT that will have students learning katakana and hiragana as well as 50 kanji.
Beginning Japanese II. By the time you finish this second unit in the series of Japanese classes from MIT, you will be able to carry on a basic conversation in Japanese.
Intermediate Japanese I. Take this class to build on what you learned in the first two classes plus gain another 80 kanji.
Advanced Japanese I. Continue working on polishing your speaking skills in this class that has students practicing conversation in a variety of settings.
Advanced Japanese II. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing Japanese comfortably is the goal of this final class in the series from MIT.
BBC Languages A Touch of Japanese. Learn about the three alphabets used in Japanese, study basic phrases, find out how to avoid embarrassing yourself with social gaffes, and get basic facts about Japan.
Nihongo o Narau. This site is packed with information that is all free of charge and designed specifically for English speakers to learn Japanese.
Japanese Phrases for Travelers. A voice actress in Japan provides the audio for these lessons that cover everything from ordering food to being polite.

Chinese
Find plenty of awesome free classes here to help you learn Chinese.

Chinese I. This class at MIT is the first of a long series that teaches Mandarin Chinese.
Chinese II. Take up your basic Chinese lessons with the second in this series of free classes.
Chinese III. Focus on building the basics of reading, writing, and speaking Mandarin in the third of the series.
Chinese IV. Round out the first four classes from MIT with this one designed to strengthen reading and listening skills.
Chinese V (Regular): Chinese Cultures & Society. The next class in this series moves on to building more advanced Chinese language skills while also learning about the culture.
Chinese VI (Regular): Discovering Chinese Cultures and Societies. This final class from MIT continues studying the culture and societies in China while improving language skills.
Mango Languages. Mango Languages provides free online Chinese lessons through your public library.
Learning Chinese Online. This course focuses on everything from pronunciation to learning numbers to grammar.
CSLPod. Get lessons, podcasts, and more in this course when you sign up for a free membership.
Peace Corp Mandarin in China. Courtesy of the Peace Corp, get several lessons, sign up for their podcast, and more.
BBC Languages Chinese. The learning games, pinyin guide, tone guide, and other great features of this class will have you speaking Chinese in no time.

Russian
From learning the Russian alphabet to mastering the art of hearing and understanding Russian, these classes cover it all.

BBC Languages A Touch of Russian. Become familiar with the Russian alphabet, get basic phrases, and even study a Russian soap opera written just for learning the language.
Ruslan Russian Language Services. This lesson is the only one provided for free, but is a great start if you don’t know any Russian.
Russian in Kazakhstan. Download the text and listen to 14 lessons in this course from the Peace Corp.
Best Russian Websites. While this site doesn’t offer just one specific course, it is a compilation of several different resources collected by Jim Becker of University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA expressly for learning Russian.
LearningRussian.net. This course offers free lessons, audio recordings, dictionaries, Russian literature, and more.
RussianLessons.net. Learn about the Russian alphabet, get resources to help with vocabulary and grammar, and much more with this free course.
MasterRussian.com. This course offers tons of free lessons that range from common words to personal pronouns to greetings as well as plenty of other resources to help you master Russian.
Listen 2 Russian. The beginner’s course and lessons here are designed to help you understand the spoken word instead of just learning to read Russian.
Russnet. These learning modules here provide advanced Russian language students an opportunity to strengthen their Russian while learning about Russian culture.

Other Languages
Browse through this list to find classes offering free lessons in Greek, Arabic, Farsi, Swedish, Kenyan Sign Language, Thai, and Ukrainian.

BBC Languages Greek. Get lessons on basic Greek, learn about the Olympics and Greece, find worksheets, and much more.
Learn Greek. You will find seven Greek courses ranging from beginning to advanced and even an ancient Greek course here.
Filoglossia. This free course is for those learning beginning Greek and is based off a CD program that is available for a fee.
Arabic Reading Course. This course provides 18 lessons to help you learn to read Arabic.
Arabic Language Course. After taking the Arabic Reading Course, move on to this course that will help you learn to master Arabic.
Arabic in Jordan. Subscribe to this podcast or get ten lessons and a few bonus materials in this class from the Peace Corp.
Farsi 1. Learn the basics of Farsi with these five lessons.
Bjorn Engdahl’s Swedish Course. This online course features a pronunciation guide, seven lessons, a list of irregular verbs, and a final exam to see how much you learned by the end.
Kenyan Sign Language. This video tutorial was put together by six Peace Corp volunteers and teaches Kenyan Sign Language.
Thai. Find 14 lessons as well as additional resources here to help you learn Thai.
Ukrainian. Get 20 Ukrainian lessons, music, a story, and more here.

Multiple Languages
These sites offer free classes for a range of different languages, so check them out no matter what you are learning to speak.

Languages Online. Select from French, German, Spanish, or Italian to get lessons and grammar tips for free.
Word2Word. Select from over 100 languages to take free classes here.
eLanguage School. Get lessons on a variety of languages from this resource, including Chinese, Dutch, French, Korean, Russian, Japanese, German, and more.
Internet Polyglot. Find a huge number of language lessons on this site where you can select both your native language and the target language you wish to learn.
FSI Language Courses. These language courses are developed by the Foreign Service Institute and offer free classes in everything from Arabic to Vietnamese.
Peace Corp Translations. This multimedia site provides a variety of lessons where students can hear conversations and folk tales told, watch slide shows, and watch videos in a variety of languages, including Chinese, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
UniLang. Find over 150 courses of varying length, watch videos, listen to podcasts, connect with native speakers, and much more at this site that provides everything for free.
italki. This site provides opportunities to speak with native speakers of the language you want to learn, participate in group discussions, and more for all the major languages.
Livemocha. Choose between free lessons or premium lessons for a fee here, plus take advantage of all the other free services such as being a part of a language-learning community and tests to see how you are progressing.
xLingo. Get flashcards, language partners, and participate in forums to practice whatever your target language may be.
MyHappyPlanet. Get member-created lessons, practice with native speakers, and more on this free site designed for language learning.

"Deep Thoughts and One-line Proverbs"

Life is...paradoxically coincidental to the ironical tyranny applicable to the unparalled definition of reverse entropy.

Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.
Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.
It's your attitude and not your aptitude that determines your altitude.
If you go out looking for friends, you're going to find they are very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere. (Zig Zigler)
All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream. (Edgar Allen Poe)
Imagination is more important than intelligence.(Albert Einstein)
Never let formal education get in the way of learning. (Mark Twain)
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. (Henry David Thoreau)
Life is not so much a matter of position as of disposition.
A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks.
Failure is the path of least persistence.
The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a life time.
The future is purchased by the present.
One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.
Lost time is never found again.
Childeren need more models than critics.
Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time. (Motto o fthe Baltimore Grotto)
Be curious, not judgemental. (Walt Whitman)
Brain cells create ideas. Stress kills brain cells. Stress is not a good idea. (Richard Saunders)
If you want your dream to come true, don't over sleep.
People don't fail, they give up.
A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.
The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
Every man dies; but not every man really lives. (Braveheart)
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot chabge, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. (St. Francis of Assisi)
The more I know, the more I know I don't know.
One good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings others.
To err is human, to blame it on someone else is more human.
When you are arguing with an idiot, make sure the other person isn't doing the same thing.
Minds are like parachutes-they only function when open.
You can't direnct the wind, but you can adjust the sail.
The lead dog gets the best view. the rest of the dog's view is butt ugly. Of course, the lead dog is also the first to fall into a ravine. (Richard Saunders)
Sometimes the best way to figure out who you are is to get to that place where you don't have to be anything else.
Don't confuse me with facts, I prefer to remain ignorant.
If you are never scared, embarrassed of hurt, it means you never take chances.
Desire for nothing except desirelessness, hope for nothing except to rise above all hopes, want nothing and you will have everything.
Humans are like tea bags. They never realize their strength until they are put in hot water.
When you remain true to yoru beliefs, loyal to yoru ideas and faithful to your dreams, you remain free forever.
What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
We live in a society where pizza get to your house before the police.
Some people tink holding on makes them strong, sometimes its letting go.
Blowing out another man's flame doesn't make your shine any brighter, but less.
The secret of true greatness is simplicity.
Better to understand little than to misunderstand a lot.
There are days when it takes all you've got just to keep up with teh losers. (Robert Orben)
The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved: loved for ourselves, or reather, loved in spite of ourselves.
Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for, because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything. (Peter Marshall)
7/5th of all people do not understand fractions.
The trouble with dong something right the first time is that nbody appreiates how difficult it was.
It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
It has recently been discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
An Educational system isn;t worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life.
Which dreams indeed are ambition, for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream. (William Shakespear)
It is better to have bad breath than to have no breath at all.
The future belongs to those who believ in the beauty of their dreams. (Eleanor Roosevelt)
You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated.
Keep away from people who try to bellittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great. (Mark Twain)
To find the person you can truely trust, look no futher that nthe nearest mirror.
Preach the Gospel at all times...if necessary, use words. (St. Francis of Assisi)
The purpose of prayer is not to get answers, things or anything-not even holiness. Valuable though they are, all of those are side effects. The purpose of prayer is to get acquainted with God. Anything else is a bonus. (Alfred C. McClure)
Whoever said, it's not wheter you win or lose that counts, probably lost. (Davet Rayala)
God put me on this Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, I'm so far behind, that I will never die.
Some succeed because they are destined to. But most suceed because they are determined to.
A bump in the road is either an obstacle to be fought or an opportunity to be enjoyed...it is all up to you." (Davet Rayala)
Nothing in this world is impossibile to a willin heart.(Davet Rayala)
To those who dream, there is no such thing as impossible.
The most beautiful thing we can experience is teh mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. (Albert Einstein)
You will find God in the church of your choice. (Bob Dylan)

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Top 100 Listed Marwari-Owned Companies in India

http://forbesindia.com/article/marwari-power/top-100-listed-marwariowned-companies/37407/0

Countries with best Health Care Systems in the World

Health care is one of the basic necessities that a government should provide to its citizens. In some countries, it is amazing how they are able to maintain health care systems that are indeed catered towards the well-being of its citizens. Although some may be a bit costly, most of these health care systems truly regard their people’s health as their main priority.
Here is a list of the 10 best health care systems in the world.

10. Cuba

Even with all the controversies that the Cuban government is facing regarding their health care system, there is one thing that Cubans are pretty good at, and that is preventive care. They make sure that citizens are always aware of the need to exercise, have a proper diet and maintain good hygiene. There are practitioners that do home inspections so that they could monitor the household situation.

9. Italy

Most citizens in Italy do not have any private insurance because their government is able to cover most of their health care needs. This is true despite the fact that they have one of the lowest rates of health care spending per capita compared to first world nations like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland. With the average Italian living up to 80.5 years, it’s no wonder that Italy ranks 12th in the world in terms of life expectancy. Whether they choose public or private care, Italians are assured of receiving quality health care.

8. Japan

The average Japanese are expected to live up to 86 years, which is an indication of how advanced and citizen-friendly the country’s health care system is. They also boast of a low per capita health care costs compared to their other Asian counterparts. They have one of the best recovery rates from major illnesses in the entire planet and have one of the lowest infant mortality rates at only three deaths for every 1000 live births.

7. France

In recent years, France has been regarded to be one of the top countries that have the best health care system in the world. This is due to the fact that they have a universal health care system that is funded by their people’s contributions, which is based on their income. Therefore, the government in return is able to reimburse almost 70% of its citizens’ medical bills.
The French people are even given the freedom to choose any health provider they prefer and some could even go on a same-day appointment. Meanwhile, those that can afford a private health plan may opt to avail one instead. This can cover the balance of any medical expense that goes beyond what the government can support. Although there were talks about the government’s high spending, the people still receive the best health care and maintenance for their money. According to a study, France accumulated the lowest numbers of deaths that could have been prevented with basic health care.

6. Germany

It is imperative for all citizens to have medical insurance in Germany. They purchase these from non-profit funds. Of these 200 plans available, no entity is allowed to deny a citizen of coverage, even for pre-existing conditions. To afford this kind of health care, Germans dedicate 8% of their salaries into a sickness fund and their employers consequently match it.
Public assistance is available for those who can’t afford it. Children, however, are covered by taxpayers’ fund. Disease management programs have been made successful in Germany as well. They found that when doctors or nurses follow up on patients through counseling, rates of prevalent diseases such as heart defects and diabetes substantially decrease. However, German doctors feel that they are somewhat underpaid because instead of charging per test or per appointment, they are provided with quarterly budgets that are determined by the average number of patients they see.

5. Britain

The British people have rationalized their health care system. Therefore, aside from paying for people’s insurance, the government is also in charge of employing doctors and running hospitals. So when a patient goes to a medical facility, all of the services he avails are already prepaid. This does not, however, cover prescription drugs. There is a $45,000 threshold for these services though, and it is the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) job to approve requests to use it.

4. Canada

Canadians receive proper health care that are funded via their income and sales taxes. Unlike the British system, doctors and hospitals are private entities. Canadian health care providers bill the government so that citizens only have to pay for dentistry, optometry, and prescription drugs. Although it is said that health care is beginning to be quite costly in Canada, they still spend less than their counterparts in the United States.

3. China

Amidst issues faced by China regarding their health care system a few years back, China today is now in the midst of a major health care reform initiative. The Chinese government allots $124 billion for health care, ensuring that at least 90% of their population have health insurance. The country is also set to build 700,000 new clinics for its citizens.

2. Switzerland

The Swiss have had universal coverage since 1994 and it is provided by private insurance. It is said though that Switzerland has the most expensive health care cost, second to the United States. Unlike the ones in the U.S., insurance in Switzerland is not employment-based. Citizens choose from a variety of private plans and those who can’t afford it could receive subsidies from the government. In addition, everyone’s premium is the same. Private insurance companies aren’t allowed to price basic health care too, only dental and alternative medicine.

1. Taiwan

The Taiwanese government pays for all its citizens’ health care needs. They were able to cover the needs of the population yet have managed to decrease health care costs. Much credit is given to the rise in the use of smart cards. These smart cards already contain the patient’s medical history from birth, making it easy for doctors to diagnose any health issue. This also significantly cuts down time on paperwork, which could be a probable cause of additional costs from medical providers. This system is employment-based, therefore, the elderly and those who can’t afford the system are given subsidies.
http://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/lifestyle/top-10-best-health-care-systems-in-the-world/

Monday, March 24, 2014

23 Inspiring Business Quotes From Mark Cuban

Billionaire Mark Cuban is a force to be reckon with in the business world. He sold his first company, MicroSolutions, for $6 million and went on to sell his next company, Broadcast.com, for over 1 billion. This billionaire investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks has a no-holds-barred approach to business, and believes you need to just get up and get it done. And if there’s anyone you should take business advice from, it’s him.

If you’re prepared and you know what it takes, it’s not a risk. You just have to figure out how to get there. There is always a way to get there.”

What I’ve learned in these 11 years is you just got to stay focused and believe in yourself and trust your own ability and judgment.”

Wherever I see people doing something the way it’s always been done, the way it’s ‘supposed’ to be done, following the same old trends, well, that’s just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else.”

I still work hard to know my business. I’m continuously looking for ways to improve all my companies, and I’m always selling. Always.”

It is so much easier to be nice, to be respectful, to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and try to understand how you might help them before they ask for help, than it is to try to mend a broken customer relationship.”

I create offbeat advice; I don’t follow it. I rarely take third-party advice on my investments.”

I’ve learned the number one job of a pro manager is not to win championships but to keep their job.”

Go out there and get rich. Get so obnoxiously rich that when that tax bill comes, your first thought will be to choke on how big a check you have to write.”

In the past, people used to tell me to shut up a bit. But what I believe is to put out your opinion and let everyone else react. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.”

It’s not in the dreaming, it’s in the doing.”

Make sure you are the boss. I don’t think I would encourage executives that work for me to blog. There can be only 1 public vision for an organization.”

I look at my annual budgets for everything and anything, and I look to see where I can save the most money on those items. Saving 30% to 50% buying in bulk – replenishable items from toothpaste to soup, or whatever I use a lot of – is the best guaranteed return on investment you can get anywhere.”

What I’ve learned is that if you really want to be successful at something, you’ll find that you put the time in. You won’t just ask somebody if it’s a good idea, you’ll go figure out if it’s a good idea.”

Learn to sell. In business you’re always selling – to your prospects, investors and employees. To be the best salesperson put yourself in the shoes of the person to whom you’re selling. Don’t sell your product. Solve their problems.”

One thing we can all control is effort. Put in the time to become an expert in whatever you’re doing. It will give you an advantage because most people don’t do this.”

Don’t get caught up in how many hours you work. Judge success based on having goals and measuring your results. Hard work, and lots of it, is certainly needed, but focus on what you get done.”

Treat your customers like they own you. Because they do.”

A sure sign of failure for a startup is when someone sends me logo-embroidered polo shirts. If your people are at shows and in public, it’s okay to buy for your own employees, but if you really think people are going to wear your branded polo when they’re out and about, you are mistaken and have no idea how to spend your money.”

Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it’s not an obsession.”

If you have managers reporting to managers in a startup, you will fail. Once you get beyond startup, if you have managers reporting to managers, you will create politics.”

Always wake up with a smile knowing that today you are going to have fun accomplishing what others are too afraid to do.”

Most people think it’s all about the idea. It’s not. EVERYONE has ideas. The hard part is doing the homework to know if the idea could work in an industry, then doing the preparation to be able to execute on the idea.”

What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? It takes willingness to learn, to be able to focus, to absorb information, and to always realize that business is a 24/7 job where someone is always out there to kick your ass.”

Pakistan: The Most Heroin-Addicted Country in the World

Pakistan, a country already tormented by regional insurgencies, is fighting a losing battle against a different kind of foe: drug addiction. In the country’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), an estimated 11 percent of residents use illicit substances – primarily heroin. Peshwar, the provincial capital of KPK, is a city rife with homeless addicts and dirty needles.

“Pakistan’s illegal drug trade is believed to generate $2 billion a year [making] Pakistan the most heroin-addicted country, per capita, in the world,” wrote David Browne, who covered the mujahideen insurgency in the 1980s, in a recent exposé for The Telegraph. “Peshawar is at the center of this phenomenon, in close proximity to extensive opium-poppy fields in the Afghan provinces of Badakhshan, Kunar and Nangarhar, and the rudimentary heroin-processing labs clustered around Landi Kotal in the adjoining Khyber tribal agency.”
The booming drug trade, which goes hand-in-hand with local Islamist groups, has transformed Peshwar from a city popular with tourists for its outdoor bazaars to a violence-ridden wasteland. Public offices are hidden behind extensive barricades and blast walls to protect from suicide bombers. Travelers have been replaced by derelicts, constantly in search of their next hit.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in a report titled “Drug Use in Pakistan 2013,” 6.7 million Pakistanis used drugs last year. A staggering 4.25 million are thought to be drug dependent. Drug rehabilitation programs and other treatments were provided for only 30,000 of the country’s addicts in 2013.
While cannabis was listed as the most commonly used drug in Pakistan, opiates (including opium and heroin) were a close second. It is estimated that 44 tons of processed heroin is smoked or injected in Pakistan each year – a figure that suggests a rate of use that is two or three times higher than in the U.S. An additional 110 tons of Afghani heroin is trafficked through Pakistan each year on its way to international drug markets.
Oussama Tawil, UNAIDS country coordinator for Pakistan, noticed a sharp spike in the number of addicts in Pakistan who consume their drugs intravenously.
“In 2007, Pakistan had an estimated 90,000 [injecting drug users] and the number has now risen to around 500,000,” Tawil said. He blamed the rise on location, with the most-addicted areas bordering Afghanistan’s fertile poppy growing provinces.
Intravenous drug use is a popular conduit for the transmission of blood-borne disease if the needles are shared – another increasingly common practice.
“In one recent survey of regular injecting opiate users in Pakistan 73 percent of respondents reported sharing a syringe, and it is estimated that about a third of those are HIV-positive,” Browne added.
In 2005, only 11 percent of Pakistani drug users were HIV positive. That number rose to 40 percent in 2011, according to the latest study.
“A majority of the population doesn’t have any idea about the risk of sharing needles and women also entered prostitution to make money to buy drugs,” Cesar Guedes, a UNODC representative, told The Hindu.

UNODC has called on the Pakistani government to address the problem through wide-ranging policy changes, HIV prevention campaigns, and a support network for those struggling with addiction.
If the case of Khadija Shah – a British drug mule arrested with 63 kilograms of heroin at Islamabad Airport in May 2012 – is any indication, Pakistan is willing to get tough on those involved in the drug trade. The 26-year-old woman, who gave birth while in prison, was sentenced to life behind bars last week.

http://thediplomat.com/2014/03/pakistan-the-most-heroin-addicted-country-in-the-world/

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Must-See Historical Photos

While some photographs capture our attention because of how the artist behind the picture has decided to compose the shot, others are fascinating simply because of the subjects that they depict. Below are some captivating photographs that tell stories about our past, depicting the people, places and events that have shaped the course of history. Some of these pictures tell us about history in a way that books and documents will never be able to.

Source: boredpanda