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Survey Shows Canadians Unaware of Harsh Realities Faced by Shelter Dogs

June 8, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Jun 07 (MARKET WIRE) —
Attn: Lifestyle Editors / Pet Reporters

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

When it comes to shelter dogs, the only thing worse than clinging to the
hope of one day being adopted by a loving family is the stigma and
wide-spread misconceptions they undeservingly face.

A recent survey commissioned by the makers of PEDIGREE(R) and conducted
by Harris/Decima revealed that only two per cent of Canadians could
accurately estimate the number of dogs waiting to be adopted. The
national survey also uncovered that 62 per cent of Canadians believe the
main reason dogs are admitted to a shelters is because their owners
underestimated the responsibility associated with owning a pet. However
PEDIGREE’s(R) 30 partner shelters confirmed that the majority of dogs
that come under their care are because they are strays or have been
abandoned.

Though the most frequently cited figure by survey respondents on the
number of dogs admitted into a shelter over the course of the year was
10,000 (11%), recent statistics peg the number to be at over 36,000. And
while nearly half of Canadians, (49 per cent) feel that not enough is
being done to raise awareness about shelters, a surprising 81 per cent of
state they themselves are not currently helping shelters.

The makers of PEDIGREE(R) have kicked off the third annual PEDIGREE
ADOPTION DRIVE(TM) Campaign to help the thousands of dogs admitted into
shelters each year by encouraging Canadians to consider adopting from a
shelter and to celebrate those four-legged heroes who have found loving
homes.

The 2010 PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE(TM) campaign includes several
cross-country initiatives to encourage Canadians to consider adopting a
dog or supporting their local shelter. This year’s program includes:

— A travelling chalk art exhibit that will celebrate a shelter dog’s
journey towards adoption, with stops in Halifax on June 5, Toronto on
June 12, Montreal on June 16, Winnipeg on June 19, Calgary on June 23 and
Vancouver on June 26.

— World Figure Skating Champion and self proclaimed ‘dog lover’, Kurt
Browning is back as the campaign spokesperson and will be on hand at the
PEDIGREE(R) branded booth at Woofstock on June 12, the largest North
American outdoor festival for dogs, to meet local dogs and their owners
and to speak to the benefits of adoption.

— A donation of $150,000 has been made to the 30 PEDIGREE ADOPTION
DRIVE(TM) campaign partner shelters based in communities across Canada,
who will receive a minimum of $5,000 CDN each from the makers of
PEDIGREE(R) to provide support for dogs in their care.

— An online donation opportunity through the PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Tales
is the latest addition to PEDIGREE(R)’s website that showcases true-life
adoption stories from dogs that were housed in PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE(R)
campaign partner shelters. For every adoption video viewed at
www.mypedigree.ca/adoption, the makers of PEDIGREE(R) will donate $1 CDN,
up to a maximum of $50,000 CDN in 2010, to help dogs in participating
shelters across Canada.

“Shelters across Canada work tirelessly to give animals the loving
care they need,” said Jenni Gunn, Brand Leader for PEDIGREE(R).
“The makers of PEDIGREE(R) are very proud to recognize this
commitment by raising awareness about animal adoption and to continue
providing support that will help shelter dogs find loving homes. To date
we have helped raised over $500,000 CDN, between 2008 and 2010, for
shelters across Canada which has been used to cover the costs of vet
care, vaccinations and food.”

“As someone who has grown up with dogs, I am so passionate about
educating Canadians on why they should turn to a shelter when looking to
add a dog to their family,” said Kurt Browning. “Shelter dogs
are treated by veterinarians and socialized by staff to ensure they are
ready to begin a new chapter in their lives. More importantly, as anyone
who has ever adopted from a shelter will confirm, you’ll never feel more
love and gratitude from a dog than one rescued from a shelter.”

Misconceptions of Shelter Dogs

Other statistics from the national survey include(i):

– 28 per cent of Canadians currently have a dog in their household and
most, 43 per cent, acquired their dog from a breeder.
– Over half of dog owners from British Colombia who responded to the
survey, 51 per cent, acquired their current dog from a breeder, the
highest response of any province.
– 17 per cent of Canadian dog owners adopted their current dog from a
shelter, with the highest percentage in Alberta at 24 per cent and the
lowest in Ontario at 14 per cent.
– 60 per cent of Canadians surveyed stated they would adopt from a shelter
if they were considering adding a dog to their household. At 49 per
cent, Quebecers were the least likely to consider getting their next pet
from a shelter.
– 19 per cent of those who wouldn’t consider getting a shelter dog believe
dogs end up in shelters because of behavioural problems. At 26 per cent,
respondents from the Prairies who won’t consider getting a dog from a
shelter were most likely to believe this.
– The majority of Canadians (64 per cent) who support shelters do so with
a financial donation. Among those, women were 10 per cent more likely
than men to donate money to shelters – 47 vs. 37 per cent, respectively.
– 18 per cent of Canadians are currently supporting
initiatives/organizations that help dogs living in shelters. Among
those, Quebecers at 39 per cent, are most likely to support third party
initiatives or organizations that support shelter animals through
purchases they make, while Atlantic Canadians, at 22 per cent, were most
likely to volunteer versus the national average of 5 per cent.

For more information on the 2010 PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE(TM)campaign,
please visit www.mypedigree.ca

About the PEDIGREE(R) brand

PEDIGREE(R) is the number one brand of dog food in the world offering a
wide variety of products for different dog life stages. As an innovative
market leader, the makers of PEDIGREE(R) are at the forefront of dog
nutrition and understand dog owner needs by providing a range of
innovative food products and resources. PEDIGREE(R) products are
available at grocery, pet specialty and mass merchandise outlets.

About the survey

The data was gathered between April 29th through May 2nd, 2010 through
Harris/Decima’s weekly teleVox, the company’s national omnibus survey. A
representative sample of 1,008 Canadians were surveyed, and the
corresponding margin of error for results based on the full sample is
+/-3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

(i)Some regional stats have sample sizes of less than 30 completes; as a
result the data are directional in nature.

For more information, visit www.mypedigree.ca.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the
following link:

http://www.marketwire.com/library/20100607-Kurt_Browning_l.jpg

Contacts:
Fleishman-Hillard
Janessa Bishop
416-598-5774
Janessa.Bishop@fleishman.ca

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Adopting A Dog, Art Exhibit, Canadians, Chalk Art, cross-country, decima, Halifax, harsh realities, Lifestyle Editors, Loving Family, misconceptions, national survey, pedigree, Reason Dogs, Shelter Dogs, stigma, Strays, Survey Respondents, toro, Toronto Ontario

Akmal threatens to sue Pakistan coaches over fix claims

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has threatened to sue former Pakistan coaches Intikhab Alam and Aaqib Javed for defamation unless they apologise for suggesting his performance in Australia may have been linked to bookmakers.

Akmal said on Saturday Alam and Javed should substantiate their allegations or make a public apology to him.

“I am fed up with these allegations. My family is disturbed. I go out and people hoot me and I am mentally disturbed. I want to clear this unwarranted stigma with my name,” he told Reuters.

“I want an apology from these people. I will be speaking to the chairman of the board about this as they are employees of the board. If they don’t apologise I intend to go to court in my personal capacity.”

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit said on Thursday it was examining Pakistan’s dismal tour of Australia this year when they were whitewashed in the test and one-day series.

However, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told reporters the board had informed the ICC they had found no evidence of match-fixing by any player on the Australian tour.

Pakistan slumped to defeat in the second test in Sydney after they appeared to have victory in their grasp with Akmal dropping three catches and missing a run out.

His performance came under scrutiny during a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) probe into the team’s poor tour with the two former coaches suspecting Akmal may have links with bookmakers.

The pair’s statements caused an uproar in Pakistan when video recordings of the inquiry committee proceedings were leaked to a television channel this week.

“The point is (if) these people suspected me of deliberately under-performing why did they keep on selecting me for other matches?” Akmal said.

Akmal said it was about time someone took action against people making baseless allegations of match-fixing or the ordeal for Pakistani players would never end.

Alam and Javed were removed as team coaches after the Australian tour but given top positions in the national cricket academy by the board.

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Infected girl’s ‘dine with a stranger with Hepatitis B’ awareness campaign

May 18, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 18 (ANI): A Chinese girl with Hepatitis B found a unique way to raise awareness about the virus—she took to the streets holding a sign saying “Will you have dinner with a HBV carrier”.

The girl, an overseas returnee who calls herself Chucao, told reporters in downtown Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, that she was diagnosed as a carrier of HBV – Hepatitis B Virus – during a physical examination to enter high school.

However, her family got scared of the stigma attached to the illness and forced her to keep it a secret and move away.

Chucao then entered a college in Japan, where she found HBV is not regarded as a terrible disease like it is in China, reports the China Daily.

Back in China, Chucao encountered some other HBV carriers though the Internet and they formed an organization named Green Chucao.

The organization committed itself to publishing scientific knowledge of HBV by carrying out activities such as inviting people to have dinner with sufferers.

Before coming to Wuhan, Chucao carried out similar activities in Guangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Kunshan.

Not only did she encounter difficulties, but also kind-hearted people—one girl even donated 300 yuan.

In the afternoon, 14 volunteers agreed to go to a restaurant to have dinner with Chucao.

They used disposable dishware and the atmosphere was reported as relaxing.

Medical expert said healthy people who have dinner with HBV carriers would not become infected as transmission does not occur through daily contact.

Chucao hoped the news would help get rid of people’s discrimination of HBV carriers. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: atmosphere, awareness campaign, Capital Of Hubei Province, chinese girl, discrimination, Disposable Dishware, Hbv Carriers, hepatitis, hepatitis b, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis Virus, medical expert, New Delhi, physical examination, scientific knowledge, stigma, stranger, Suzhou, volunteers, Yuan

Support night to unite community

April 10, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

People living around Packsaddle are encouraged to attend a social and support night tonight, hosted by the south-eastern section of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The night is also organised by local support groups, and is designed to bring people together along with giving them information, whether it be financial advice, funding assistance or counselling.

A drought support worker from the Department of Industry and Investment, Danny Byrnes, says he hopes people take something away from the evening.

“A better understanding of mental health, hopefully some of the stigma is taken away again we keep breaking down the stigma of mental health and just a night where they can go home and say that was good, that was good to have a chat with their mates and maybe having an awareness of looking out for each other in these times,” he said.

A social and support night is also planned for Tibooburra on April 23.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Broken Hill, byrnes, community-and-society, drought, financial advice, Flying Doctor Service, investment, mates, mental health, Royal Flying Doctor, Royal Flying Doctor Service, South Eastern Section, stigma, Support Groups, tibooburra

Innovative teaching tools to aid visually impaired students learn math

March 16, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 16 (ANI): In what could be a boon for kids with visual disabilities, researchers at the University of Illinois are creating innovative teaching tools that are expected to help the children learn mathematics more easily – and perhaps multiply their career opportunities by the time they reach adulthood.

Sheila Schneider, who is a senior and the first student who is legally blind to major in sculpture in the School of Art+Design within the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Illinois, is creating a series of small sculptures with mathematical equations imprinted on them in Braille that will be used to help children with visual impairments learn mathematics.

The equations will be written in Nemeth Code, a form of Braille used for mathematical and scientific symbols.

“The sculptures are organic forms that are designed to be hand-held by children around the ages of 7-10. They’re designed from the viewpoint of a younger child,” said Deana McDonagh, a professor of industrial design and the lead investigator on the project.

“They’re very engaging, fun educational tools, and when the children run their hands over them, they’ll realize that there are Braille equations embedded within the forms. We’re hoping that they’ll become mainstream educational tools,” added McDonagh.

Traditionally, children with visual disabilities are taught to solve mathematical problems using abacuses, tools that may seem antiquated in today’s world and foster stigmatization, Schneider said.

“We’re trying to bring the education of visually impaired children more up to date, rather than relying on staid methods of doing things. We’re hoping to eliminate this idea that blind children have to learn math with an abacus because they can’t see to write on a piece of paper. We’re trying to eliminate the stigma and provide them with a method of engaging in and with math,” said Schneider.

“We’re hoping that as they grow older, they’ll become more interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.”

Schneider sculpted six models, each a few inches in diameter, from cubes of balsa foam.

The models are being translated into three-dimensional computer images to finalize the shapes and position the equations before the sculptures are cast from bronze, a durable material that can withstand extensive handling and occasionally being dropped.

“Where you and I might place the Braille equations is of no consequence. When children with visual impairments are handling the sculptures, and reading them with their fingertips, it’s got to make sense to them where we place the Braille in three-dimensional space,” said McDonagh.

Once the sculptures have been cast, the next step will be to have children with visual impairments and their teachers use them in math instruction to assess the sculptures’ efficacy as teaching tools. (ANI)

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Income management harms health: Doctors

March 15, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association has called for a halt to compulsory welfare quarantining for Indigenous people in the Northern Territory.

The Association has released a health impact assessment report of the Northern Territory Emergency Response.

The report says the short-term physical health benefits of restricting half of a welfare recipient’s income to food and other essentials will be cancelled out by the psychological consequences of the policy.

The Association says the shame and stigma attached to the program will have significant effects on the mental health of recipients and their children that will have serious, harmful impacts on physical health later in life.

It recommends compulsory income management be used only where there is clear evidence of abuse and neglect or a lack of school attendance.

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Indian gender challenged athlete Santhi prays Semenya doesn’t get suicidal like her

September 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sep 20 (ANI): Considering her bitter experience after she failed her gender test, Indian runner Santhi Soundarajan prays that South Africa’s champion runner Caster Semenya doesn’t considers suicide.

Soundarajan failed a gender test after finishing second in the women’s 800-meter race at the 2006 Asian Games and was forced to return her silver medal.

Semenya, the 800-metre world champion who is also going through the same type of test to prove that she is eligible to compete as a woman, is facing the same future.

“I pray that Semenya does not go through what I’ve been through, it almost drove me to committing suicide,” the Sunday Express quoted Soundarajan, as saying.

“I’ve suffered immensely due to the stigma of the failed gender test,” she added

Soundarajan, who came from a poor family, was forced to drop out of competitive athletics after she failed the gender test.

Finding a job and earning enough money to eat then became a daily struggle. Semenya also comes from a poor background, but she managed to win the world 800m in one minute 55.45 seconds.

“With so much of the workload athletes go through, there will be hormonal changes. It’s bound to happen. The authorities should bear this in mind. I cannot forget what I had to go through after my medal was taken back. I hail from a poor family and no one would give me a job,” Soundarajan said.

“My entire family suffered as people began looking at me with a jaundiced eye,” she added. (ANI)

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Gay couples tie knot in Chandigarh

July 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Chandigarh, July 8(ANI): Within a week of Delhi High Court negating the ban on homosexuals, lesbians and gay sex with reference to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, Chandigarh city witnessed two gay couples tying the nuptial knot.

The couples admitted of being in high spirits, as now they can stay together without any social stigma of police harassing them for their ‘odd sexual orientations’.

“Before the High Court’s verdict we could not meet openly. The police used to trouble us and people used to comment on us. But now we are not afraid of anything. Now I can give money to my partner and we will take up a place together,” said Joginder Singh, one the newly wed.

Hailing the Delhi High Court’s ruling, the couples said on Tuesday that they can now come out in the open and would not have to keep their relationship under wraps.

“We are very happy. We were in love, but we had to keep it secret. But after the verdict of the court, we have come out and got married,” said Sachin, another newly wed gay.

After the verdict, many from the gay community have come out in the open.

Reportedly, in Chandigarh alone, there have been almost seven gay marriages in the past few days.

“Since the decision has been taken by the court, the gay community has opened up. There have been seven gay marriages in the past six days,” said Vinod Kumar, Deputy Director of the Haryana Aids Control Society.

Earlier on July 2, the Delhi High Court had ruled that gay sex was not a crime. A two-judge bench of the court had said that consensual sex amongst adults is legal, which includes even gay sex and sex among the same sexes. (ANI)

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Brits flocking nudist camps for full-body tans

July 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 4 (ANI): Ever since the heat wave has begun, Britons are heading towards nudist colonies in large numbers in a bid to get all-over body tans.

The British Naturism Foundation said that the number of people contacting its sun clubs and nudist beaches rose from 2,000-a-week to 12,000 as temperatures rose to more than 86F (30C).

“It’s been staggering, much more than the usual levels of interest we get. And the rise is mainly through women wanting that perfect tan, particularly the younger generation,” the Telegraph quoted spokesman Andrew Welch as saying.

“It’s certainly a really surprising response, especially from women who normally tend to be more shy about getting their clothes off.

“But it’s a perfectly natural thing – we’re happy to welcome them along. The tanning aspect of naturism isn’t new as for years we’ve been welcoming people who want to do away with the white lines,” he added.

Welch said that the stigma of nudism was getting diminished with a shift in cultural taboos and open-mindedess about the body image.

“Of course many people still think there is some sort of erotic thrill behind the reason to get naked. And you’ll be surprised by how liberating couples say it is when they strip off,” he said.

The Invicta Sun Club, near Dover in Kent, is just one of the many woodland ‘sun clubs’ which has seen a rise in enquiries over the last week.

David Shaw, spokesman for the club, said: “It’s certainly gone up and it’s no surprise that nationally the numbers are on the rise. On days likes these what could be nicer than stripping off and jumping naked into a nice cold pool.” (ANI)

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AIDS victim sets himself on fire in Gaya

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Gaya (Bihar), July 3 (ANI): An AIDS patient in Bihar’s Gaya district committed suicide by setting himself on fire.

Satyendra Malakar, who worked as a daily wage labourer in Gujarat, returned to Barorah village after falling sick. Malakar was tested HIV positive after he underwent treatment at the Patna Medical College in Patna.

Malakar went into a depression when he realised that he had also infected his wife and their children.

“He went along with his wife and children to work in Gujarat. After coming from there he got himself checked at a hospital in Patna where he got tested positive for AIDS,” said Mira Devi, Malakar’s mother.

The village headman said that Malakar was never considered as a social outcast by the village folk and his family participated in religious and social ceremonies.

“No one in the village discriminated against him. His family recently attended a function in the village. He also ran a grocery store,” said Rajiv Ranjan, village headman.

Ruling out foul play, the police did not carry out a post-mortem and the villagers later performed his last rites.

India has 5.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS, according to the United Nations.

Lack of awareness and widespread stigma has contributed to paranoia among many people about the virus and forced thousands of patients to hide their infection and later ending up their lives. (ANI)

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Rehabilitation centre for HIV-AIDS affected kids in Mizoram

June 30, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Aizawl (Mizoram), June 30(ANI): A rehabilitation centre in Aizawl has emerged as a big hope for many orphans affected with HIV-AIDS in Mizoram.

Gan Sabra, the rehabilitation centre, is today a permanent abode to these orphans, who have been abandoned by their families.

“In many ways for our children who are infected with HIV-AIDS, for them it’s a bit like a desert because of the discrimination, because of the stigma, because of different problem that they face but then they will survive and we are trying to provide a family for them in this home because we feel that is what they need, a family where they can be loved, cared and protected” said Lucy Maruati, founder of the Gan Sabra.

The Gan Sabra presently provides shelter to 14 children, who are aged between 20 months to 16 years.

These children get to live in a homely environment, where they take care of each other. However, each of them has a sad story to narrate.

“I am HIV positive and I got it from my parents. Now they are no more, so I live here. We stay here as a family and take care of each other,” said Lalchawndamian, a HIV-AIDS affected child.

The rehabilitation centre, which is run through public donations, also provides free medical treatment to students.

First and the only transitional children’s home in Mizoram, it is an innovative project of Lucy Maruati. She had adopted a girl child in 2006, who was abandoned by her parents as she was tested HIV positive during birth.

Apart from taking care of the children, Lucy and her volunteer friends also conduct regular awareness and workshop campaigns on prevention of AIDS. (ANI)

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Gay community stages rally in Bhubaneswar

June 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bhubaneswar, June 28 (ANI): People belonging to sexual minorities staged a rally in Bhubaneswar demanding their rights.

Gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexuals put up plays and also took to streets to participate in the ‘Rainbow Pride Walk’ to make people aware about their plight.

“The reason for organising this rally is that people look down upon us in the society. There is a stigma attached to sexual minorities in our society. We want to live with respect,” said Tulu.

Members of the sexual minority community said they wanted the society to treat them with respect and wanted equal rights like any other citizen.

“The purpose is to make people aware that the society in India, in Orissa, in Bhubaneswar, – wherever lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender are, – every where, they have equal rights like any other citizen of this country. India is a democratic country. We have the right to express our problems, our concerns to larger society and we expect the civil society, the private sector and even the NGO sector to understand our problems better,” said Pawan Dhall, organiser of the march.

The ‘Rainbow Pride Walk’ held annually aims to draw sexual orientation, gender identity and associated sexual health issues into the larger human rights movement in the country.

It draws its inspiration from the Stonewall Riots held in New York, USA in June 1969.

The riots occurred as a mark of protest by sexual minorities in the US against police harassment that was a daily feature of their lives in those days and sparked off what can be said to be the modern movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the West. (ANI)

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New audio reveals former US President Nixon’s mixed views on abortion

June 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New York, Jun 24 (ANI): Newly released tapes on former President Richard Nixon have shown that he had mixed views about abortion.

From the tapes, released on June 23, it sounded like Nixon saw abortion as a useful option for ending mixed-race pregnancies.

“There are times when abortions are necessary – I know that,” the New York Daily News quoted Nixon as telling his aide Charles Colson on January 23, 1973.

“That’s the thing about a black and a white,” Nixon explained in the secretly recorded conversation.

“Same kind of thing, you know what I mean. There are times,” Nixon told his aide in a hideaway next door to the White House.

However it was not clear if Nixon actually favoured ending interracial pregnancies or if he was simply acknowledging the prevalent social stigma of that era about black and white couples.

While the former president aired his abortion views he was also lamenting about the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe vs. Wade decision that day, which legalized abortion.

According to him, underage girls might be encouraged to quit using birth control and “go get knocked up” because of the high court ruling. (ANI)

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Fat women have ‘lower quality relationships’

June 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, June 24 (ANI): Fat women are likely to have lower quality relationships, but the same doesn’t hold true in case of men, finds a new study.

Dr. Janet D. Latner, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa said that heavier women had lower quality relationships, which they predicted were more likely to end.

In addition they partnered with less desirable men and thought their partners would rate them as less warm/trustworthy.

The study also showed that male partners of heavier women also judged the women’s bodies less positively and men rated heavier women as poorer matches to their ideal partners for attractiveness/vitality.

However, it doesn’t hold true in case of men. Men’s BMIs were generally not associated with relationship functioning.

“Prejudice and discrimination are commonly directed at overweight individuals,” said Dr. Latner.

However, few previous studies have examined whether weight stigma occurs within established romantic relationships. Our results suggest it does,” she added. (ANI)

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Coming soon, a joystick to treat “lazy eyes” in kids

June 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, June 23 (ANI): Children suffering from lazy eye syndrome may soon get rid of the ugly eye patch, courtesy a new computer therapy developed by researchers from Tel Aviv University.

Traditional treatment for amblyopia also known as lazy eye syndrome requires the use of an eye patch, often for months at a time, before the eye is corrected.

This, according to the researchers, can lead to social stigma during a formative part of childhood; moreover it’s not 100 pct effective.

Dr. Uri Polat, Tel Aviv University’s eye and brain specialist has developed a computer therapy that could spare kids from the ugly eye patch, letting them enjoy themselves during therapy.

And, this treatment, currently available for adults only, corrects the activity of the neurons in the brain, the main operator of eye function.

The study showed that twenty hours in front of Dr. Polat’s computer treatment had the same effect as about 500 hours of wearing an eye patch.

In new treatment, special and random objects appear, keeping the patient constantly alert and expecting the unexpected.

However, the researchers have now collaborated with gaming specialists from Rochester University for developing a version of the therapy for kids.

“You see these poor kids in kindergarten wearing the patch. Everyone hates it, especially the parents who know what it’s doing to their kid’s self-esteem,” said Dr. Polat.

“As far as I know this is really a one-of-a-kind, non-invasive and effective way to treat lazy eye, without the use of an embarrassing eye patch.

“This is probably the first treatment that attempts to correct lazy eyes in adults, something that doctors had previously given up on. Doctors don’t suggest intervention after the age of nine, because it usually doesn’t work,” he Polat added.

The review was published recently in Vision Research. (ANI)

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Chinese Himalayan tribe dads look after sisters’ kids instead of their own

June 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, June 20 (ANI): From the time humans came to being, males have been dubbed “bread-winners”.

Even in today’s times, a man is expected to look after the family and make decisions concerning financial matters. However, in the case of the Mosuo culture of the Chinese Himalaya, things are a bit different.

Men of the Mosuo do help to raise kids-just not their own. They help look after all the children born to their own sisters, aunts, and other women of the family.

Rather than “one father with a kid, it will be four or five uncles. That [father] role is shared among a number of people, and these are very large extended families,” explained John Lombard, director of the Lugu Lake Mosuo Cultural Development Association.

Lombard said: “If you [father] a child with another woman, you can never be absolutely sure that the child really shares your genes. But if your sister has a child, you can be 100 percent sure that the kid shares some of your genes.”

As far as women are concerned, they avoid marriage and raise their kids in homes with their entire extended families-but no dads, reports National Geographic News.

“They are a society that we know hasn’t had marriage for a thousand years, and they’ve been able to raise kids successfully,” said Stephanie Coontz, family studies professor at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

And women’s job is not just restricted to looking after kids, they head the households, make business decisions, and own property, which they pass on to their matrilineal heirs.

Shockingly, the Mosuo culture follows the tradition called the walking marriage – women invite men to visit their rooms at night-and to leave in the morning.

Women may also change partners as often as they like, and promiscuity carries no social stigma. (ANI)

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Men ‘more vulnerable to recession blues than women’

May 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 11 (ANI): The global economic downturn is taking toll on men’s mental health, a new survey has found.

The survey, conducted by mental health charity Mind, found almost 40 percent of men to be feeling low with job security, work and money playing on their minds.

The survey of 2,000 adults also found that men are less likely than women to seek help from their GP or a counsellor.

It seems that men are more reluctant to talk about when they were feeling stressed or low than women.

The results showed that only 29 percent of men would talk to friends about their problems compared with 53 percent of women and they were also less likely to talk to their family.

Men were also less likely to seek out professional help and a third would feel embarrassed about it. And 5 percent of men said they had experienced suicidal thoughts compared with 2 percent of women.

Mind said men and women suffer mental health problems in roughly equal numbers, but men are much less likely to be diagnosed and
treated for it.

The recession could make the situation much worse, with research showing one in seven men develop depression within six months of losing their jobs.

“The recession is clearly having a detrimental impact on the nation’s mental health, but men in particular are struggling with the emotional impact,” the BBC quoted Paul Farmer, chief executive at Mind, as saying.

“Being a breadwinner is something that is still crucial to the male psyche so if a man loses his job he loses a large part of his identity putting his mental wellbeing in jeopardy.

“The problem is that too many men wrongly believe that admitting mental distress makes them weak and this kind of self stigma can cost lives,” he added. (ANI)

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On-screen stunts ‘encourage speeding’

May 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 1 (ANI): Watching thrilling stunts in computer games, TV shows and Hollywood films encourage drivers towards a dangerous culture of speeding, according to a new report.

A Co-operative Insurance survey found that high-speed movie chases and programmes such as Top Gear have built up a “cachet of excitement and glamour around speeding.”

In the survey, over one third of drivers aged 17-18 and one fourth of those in the age group of 19-21, said that they break the speed limit at least once in a single day.

“Many of the most serious collisions are caused, or their consequences exacerbated, because of someone driving well in excess of the speed limit,” The Daily Express quoted road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick as saying at the launch.

He added: “Research shows that one in seven people is an extreme speeder. These people are playing Russian roulette with their lives and those of others.”

The report demonstrated that a majority of people think that driving only becomes irresponsible when they break the speed limit by 10mph or even 20mph.

Co-operative Insurance executive David Neave said: “We need to create the same stigma for speeding that exists now against drink-driving.” (ANI)

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How about a fixed-term marital contract renewable every 5-10 years!

April 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Apr 24 (ANI): Looks like the age-old cliche- ’til death do us part’-has become absolutely obsolete in today’s date, at least as far as Australia is concerned.

Figures have revealed that fewer couples marry for life-thirty-two per cent of divorces involved separation within the first five years of marriage, and 22 per cent within five to nine years of marriage.

Therefore, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is thinking of introducing fixed-term marriage contracts.

The fixed-term marriage contract will not be a “quick fix” or an “easy out,” but would also allow for the celebration of the renewal of vows after a five-year or 10-year term.

Such ceremonies would also encourage partners to work towards maintaining a good relationship, which in turn would open communication similar to a marriage performance review.

In other words, it would allow for the marriage to be dissolved by completing an acceptable contract term, and that too without the shame and stigma linked with the failure of a marriage.

And the process to go about it is simple-all it needs to do is convert a standard certificate of marriage into a five-year contract.

The marriage celebrant would continue to retain a copy for their records; forward the certificate to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the registration of the marriage; and provide the marrying couple with a copy.

The marriage licence would clearly state the start and dissolution date for the five-year term.

However, the marriage contract dissolves if the parties do not “apply again,” reports The Courier Mail.

Thus, it could do away with the stress of dissolving the marriage by having to reopen wounds one year later, file papers together and be issued divorce papers.

The marrying couple would be responsible for monitoring the date of renewal, signing the renewal form, having it witnessed by a Justice of the Peace and returning the form to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

And if a couple completes a 10-year marriage term (two five-year consecutive contracts), they could easily go for an “eternity” contract.

Helen Goltz, a writer and marketing consultant, has written a discussion paper on fixed-term marriage contracts. (ANI)

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Argentine president celebrates Latin American wins at G20

April 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London – Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner praised Thursday what she perceived as Latin American successes in the Group of 20 (G20) summit in London.

She highlighted the elimination of a graph from the summit’s final document that had favoured the flexibility of labour laws.

In comments to reporters at the end of the summit, Fernandez de Kirchner said she asked that the paragraph be scrapped based on Argentina’s “disastrous” experience with such practices.

She added that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also supported the move, arguing that he could not accept making the labour market more precarious.

The Argentine president also named as a Latin American victory the changes in the credit-granting criteria at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Fernandez de Kirchner noted that the document acknowledges the “stigma” that many countries faced before the IMF, and the interpretation that conditions that were formerly imposed on loans had been “very harmful” for countries that implemented the IMF’s recommendations.

She also praised the G20′s determination to combat tax havens.

“That is a very important qualitative jump,” she said.

Fernandez de Kirchner added that the London summit showed evidence of a “change in discourse” by the world’s richest countries in relation to the international financial system.

“Reforms have been defined. Now (finance) ministers will start work to turn those reforms into a reality,” she said. dpa

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