Author: admin

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Christmas is just around the corner, and gift-buying season beckons (that is, if it has not already started in earnest in your locality yet)! So start thinking and looking for gifts now, or else you'll end up doing 11th-hour Christmas shopping, just when prices have already gone up!

Thinking of buying shoes as gifts for Christmas? Sheepskin boots would make for an ideal gift at this time of the year, because of the ice-cool temperatures brought about by winter. And if you and me are on the same "wavelength", what better sheepskin boots to give than a pair of genuine, honest-to-goodness "UGG Australia" sheepskin boots, right? As they say, "give nothing but the best!" But the problem is, where should you look for authentic "UGG Australia" sheepskin boots? Sure, you might say that 't here are actually lots of stores in my area selling authentic "UGG Australia" sheepskin boots, but are you sure that they are, indeed, authentic "UGG Australia" sheepskin boots? And are you even remotely aware of the "controversy" or "" dispute "between Australian bootmakers and the American company that makes the authentic" UGG Australia "sheepskin boots? If you are not aware of this so-called" controversy or "dispute" , then check out the Wikipedia article about UGG Boots.

Now that you have spent some time educating yourself about the American and Australian "interpretation" of the word "UGGs" and the background behind the "UGG Australia" controversy, let's move forward as I show you the ways by which you can distinguish a pair of genuine "UGG Australia" sheepskin boots from fake ones. Let me begin, however, by saying that all of my "hints", "pointers", notes and remarks that follow are applicable ONLY to "UGG Australia" boots found in an "actual" store and not a "virtual" one (such as those "online" stores and / or "retailers"), okey? For purposes of conciseness or brevity, I "ll talk about spotting fake UGGs among" virtual "or" online "stores in another discussion.

Let's start the ball rolling by talking about the PRICE. Genuine "UGG Australia" sheepskin boots are quite expensive. I will not mention any figures, because prices vary and change from time to time. But here's what I sUGGest you can do to "root out" obvious fakes: if there are several stores offering UGGs in your area, check out each and everyone's prices. If they "re all bunched together within a small range, that means 1.) Either they are all selling genuine UGGs, which is good; or 2.) They are all selling fakes, which is too bad. My point is, if one store offers a price that is significantly much , much lower than the others, then, in any language, that's a giveaway that that store is selling fake UGGs.

Now, suppose they all indeed sell UGGs in a tightly-bunched price range. What should you do next? Check out their LOOKS. Here are several visible 'telltale signs "that give away fakes:

• If one or all of a particular boot's labels (both outside and inside) show "Made in Australia" or "Made in New Zealand", then those definitely are fakes. Because Deckers has been manufacturing them in China for quite some time now.
• If the quality of the stitching is very bad, then it's a fake. Of course, it might be difficult to distinguish "very bad" from "bad" and from "good", but if it is obviously very bad, then the boots are fakes.
• Look at the store's black-colored UGGs. Geniune black-colored UGGs have black-colored soles and black labels with the "UGG" logo in white, whereas fake "black" UGGs have tan-colored soles and brown (or non-black) labels.
• Ask for the "Nightfall" model. If the "Nightfall" presented to you is any other color but Chestnut, it is a fake. Deckers only makes "Nightfall" in Chestnut.
• Ask for a "Sundance" model. If you see a "Sundance" in any other color but Chestnut Sand or Chocolate, it is a fake. Deckers has stopped making it in Black. There may be old stock around, but anyone selling large amounts of them is probably selling fakes.
• While still on the subject of boot color, take note that there are no "camel" -colored UGGgs. So if someone offers you one, bingo!
• In a genuine UGG, the sheepskin fur around the boot matches the colour of the boot but the sheepskin fur at the bottom of the boot, where your foot sits, is always natural (or "cream") in color.
• The sole of a genuine UGG is about a half-inch or more, while the soles of fakes are very thin, like maybe ¼-inch.
• Now try looking at the "size" label of their women's and kid's UGGs, if they have any. All the Euro, UK, and US sizes are shown on a kid's UGG, whereas the women's UGG only shows the US size on it.
• If a blue card or a brown "leather" pinned-on tag (some of these might say "Made by CGM Co. Ltd."), or a dust bag in a light brown or beige colour saying "UGG" or sometimes "Snow Boots "goes with the pair of UGGs, then it's a fake. Most "innocent" purchasers are fooled by this seeming "attention to detail" or "extra touches". The truth is that no pair of genuine "UGG Australia" boot has a pinned-on label (or with "sample fur" attached) or comes with a dust / protection bag or shopping bag!
• If you happen to bring with you (or wear) a pair of genuine UGGs, or one of your companions brought with him his genuine UGGs, try to compare your genuine UGGs with a fake side-by-side; a fake one that is the same "model" as your genuine UGGs either will be taller or shorter than yours.
• Also, while still on the subject of side-by-side comparison, the "UGG" label on the rear of the boots is higher up on a fake and the lettering is different from the genuine UGG. The letters may have gaps between them in the fake, while in the real, they are overlapping. Lastly, the word "australia" on the "UGG Australia" logo is in a bolder font on the fake than on a genuine UGG.

Now, suppose that the counterfeiters have exceedingly gotten better, and, so far, the UGGs you are looking at have passed all the "visual" tests above. There are yet some more 'tests "that you can do to" root out "the fakes. For instance, try this FIT TEST: If you know your boot size, try asking for a pair of UGGs whose size is higher up by one" notch "than your size, then try wearing them. If they are genuine UGGs, they should fit snugly, or they should even be a little loose-fitting. Fake UGGs, on the other hand, are notoriously ill-fitting!

Want more 'tests "? Try these simple FUR TESTS: Look at the boot's interior fur. Genuine UGG fur are fluffy-looking and thick, and they should have a rich cream color. Fake UGG fur, on the other hand, are synthetic and are thin- and delicate-looking, and they are "greyish" or "white", instead of being cream-colored. Now "feel" the fur with your hands. They should "feel" very soft. Next, try rubbing your fingers against them. You could tell the fakes because bits of them would "come off" or "come away" even with just a slight "rubbing." Lastly, smell the boot's interior and the fur. If there's even just a slight paint or " lacquer "smell to them, then that's your indication that the boots are fake. Genuine UGG fur do not have even just a slight hint of that" lacquery "smell, because genuine fur does not have to be dyed to" pass "it off as the "real thing".

Let's try a "new" approach to these 'tests "; instead of testing the boots, let's TEST THE SELLER. Here are some ways by which it can be done:

1. Strike up a conversation with the seller about UGGs and where they are made. If he / she mentions that the genuine ones are made in Australia and / or New Zealand, then he / she is selling fakes. Likewise, if the seller fails to mention the Deckers Outdoor Corporation (or Deckers, Inc.) as the "parent" company, then that's another sign that he / she is selling fakes.
2. Try "feigning" a slight disappointment with the "model" or boot size that was presented to you, like perhaps it's just not what you want. If the seller says, "Take your time choosing. I have lots of different" models "and sizes for you to choose from.", Then, chances are, he / she is selling fakes, because UGGs are, by the very nature of their "raw" materials, scarce or in limited supplies. Anyone who has a truckload of them at this time of the year is highly suspicious!
3. Next, look around the place and try mentioning a "model" that is not there, asking him / her if he can "order" it, how many days it will take, and from where does he / she get it. If the seller mentions getting it directly from his supplier in China, then he / she is selling fakes. While it is true that all of Deckers "UGGs are manufactured in China, a seller / reseller does not get them directly from China.

That's it. I have already covered the bases here. By no means this is a "comprehensive" list of 'tips "on discerning a genuine UGG from a fake one; in fact, a fake UGG may pass all of the" visual "telltale signs which I mentioned above (perhaps because the counterfeiters themselves have "wised up"), but, for sure, a lot of fake UGGs fail the "FIT TEST" and the "FUR tESTS" mentioned above, while a lot of their sellers fail the 'tEST tHE SELLER "tests.

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Source by Jennifer B Ashton

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The sun over the west shines just the same
The moon and the stars too
But something about the west
Beckons quite a few …

"Our decision is final", said Colonel Kapoor firmly, "if you wish to do a PhD in the US, we will find a suitable boy living there. Get married and the you can go." Shruti, their elder daughter was aghast. She could not believe that in this day and age, her parents, whom she had always considered liberal, would turn out to be so conservative. It was her dream to enroll for a doctorate degree in one of the top American universities. Besides, her excellent M.Sc results ensured that she stood a good chance of getting a scholarship. Surprisingly, her parents, who had always been so supportive of her ambitions and aspirations, now seemed adamant and unrelenting. She was perhaps too young and naïve to understand the fears they had about sending their beloved child all alone to a strange, advanced and unknown land, where she would have no one to call her own.

"My dream", sighed Radha, "is to marry an NRI (non resident Indian). Radha, a 24-year old chartered accountant, had always been in awe of the west. Europe and the US were her ultimate destinations, not just to visit as a tourist, but to live and feel that she belonged to those nations more than her own country.

Neha Aggarwal, a college graduate pursuing a secretarial course, stood on the threshold of marriage. In her family, an NRI was the ultimate catch, and he stood head and shoulders above any bachelor working in India.

These three young ladies, smart, accomplished and intelligent, had one more thing in common. Marrying an NRI seemed inevitably the only route towards the fulfillment of their dreams. The Indian mindset is such that people are convinced that the brightest and the smartest men always head towards western countries, where their intellect is appreciated and rewarded. Material comfort, economic security when added to the brand value linked to living overseas, becomes the dream of every parent for his daughter.

But is it as simple as marrying in India, and life abroad a cakewalk? Not really, as the contrast between lifestyles in India and other countries is too much to be taken lightly. Girls aspiring to marry abroad need to make a conscious effort and change their present lifestyle according to the requirements of the future.

NRIs or Non Resident Indians are those fellow countrymen who have stepped beyond Indian soil in pursuit of a job, build a career, or start a business. Whatever the assignment, working abroad certainly means more money, greater recognition of talent and dignity of labor, an excellent work environment along with immense job satisfaction, success coming much quicker than it would anywhere in India. That a dollar or euro salary helps afford good lifestyles, is also a consideration. Large villas, plush apartments, latest cars, seaside holidays, all come within a short period of time. It is the best option for a generation that likes to work hard and play hard. Back in India, they command a new kind of respect, doors open for them, and heads turn with a look of awe and admiration from all around.

This may seem like a bed of roses, but it comes with its fair share of thorns. The flip side to marrying abroad, can turn out to be a traumatic experience for young ladies oblivious to the harsh realities that stare at them once they leave India.

The first step is to meet an eligible bachelor working abroad, and liking him enough to say yes to the long-term commitment called marriage. Men living overseas have spent many years alone, establishing careers without any family support or comfort. They succumb to familial pressures for matrimony, but have definite ideas about what they would like in a life partner.

The Indian system of marriage is quite different from the west. While love marriages frequently take place, arranged marriages are more commonplace. An arranged marriage means that parents try to find suitable companions for their children on the basis of family, position and education. It is an age-old belief that children from similar family backgrounds and comparable economic positions are likely to have a more successful married relationship. Moreover, Indian society being conservative, till very recently, it did not give boys and girls the liberty to move about socially where they could get an opportunity to meet suitable partners. Parents are particularly strict with daughters, seldom permitting them to socialize unescorted. This naturally meant that the probability of young people meeting prospective life partners was very low. The task of finding a life partner has been the prerogative of the parents and relatives, and matchmaking quite an interesting assignment. This generations-old tradition has also been based upon common belief that children are too naïve and immature to decide who would make a good life partner for them, and therefore, the task should be handled by mature elders. Initially, the boy and girl in question were not even asked whether or not they liked the person chosen for them. Over the years this has changed, and the boy and girl meet and even go out together, quite like the west. As a friend puts it, "people all over the world, meet, fall in love and decide to marry; in India, the boy and girl meet, marry and then fall in love!" Marriage is serious business in India, and considered to be a lifelong commitment. Divorce and separation are frowned upon, and even the courts of law try to resolve issues of marital discord to preserve the relationship and restore normalcy in the family. This is the rationale behind parents choosing prospective marriage partners for their children.

The fate of an NRI is quite the same. Once he succumbs to pressure from parents and agrees to meet prospective brides, the boy's parents shortlist a few girls whose family backgrounds have been checked and the girls' qualities, personality and habits gauged through common friends or acquaintances. They seem to have fixed notions about an ideal daughter-in-law, and fervently hope that their son would choose one of the girls they have liked. The son, in turn, has an image of a partner who has a bit of the smartness of a Susan or Jane at his workplace, but also has a strong set of Indian values, who can run a warm Indian home for him, cook exotic meals both Indian and western or oriental, pamper him so that he just has his work to think of, and does not have a thing to do once he comes home. She must also be well educated to blend into his social circle and not be a misfit. She must be able to fend for herself rather than depend on him for everything. Men in India, often feel that everything they say or do, must be accepted and even appreciated, but never questioned. While non-resident Indian men have learnt to do household tasks, but once married, they wish to wriggle out of such mundane though essential chores.

Choosing a life partner is difficult especially because nowadays, it is not enough that the girl is "presentable". To be able to gauge her attitudes and outlook, and to see whether they may prove to be compatible, the Indian abroad wishes to meet the girl time and again. Her behavior and demeanor will help him decide whether or not she will fit into his life overseas. The girl on her part, takes her time to see whether the man is thoughtful, warm and caring or is he a male chauvinist, arrogant about his success, and singularly lacking in the ability to give respect to others, especially women. Many Indian young men remain tied to their mother's apron strings for their whole lives, and hence are never able to see the talent and qualities in other women. These attitudes sometimes change when they live abroad where the society offers a lot more respect to women. Marriage for Indian men too is a deep commitment; therefore, the NRI takes pains to acquaint the prospective bride with the tough lives and tasks ahead, which in India, they may never have faced. Living in India under parents' protection is an entirely different experience. India is home, their comfort zone, familiar and friendly, and seemingly safe. Parents indulge and pamper, assist and advise in everything, always shielding their children from difficulties and tensions.

Thus, when the goal is to marry someone settled abroad, it is better to prepare in advance, get acquainted in western ways, and hence be equipped to handle a different life in an unknown place. The bottom line is that life abroad is tough, entailing a lot more hard work. One would need to be efficient in household chores since domestic help is a rarity, restricted to only an elite class of people. India is one of the few countries where domestic help is a given. Time management skills are an asset and efficient handling of every chore becomes essential since there is so much to do. From shopping, cooking and cleaning to clearing snow from the driveway, mowing the lawn, the list goes on … Added to this is the fact that the migrant feels lost and lonely in an environment that does not exude warmth, and cities seem almost deserted, as populations are not at Indian levels. Above all, the young ladies in question are in a new relationship, still getting to know their husbands.

It would be beneficial for each of these girls to acquire skills such as driving so that they can be independent. In the Indian system few can afford a car per member of the family, employing chauffeurs is a prerogative of the elite and the middle class are a single-car family with men most of the time. The young ladies on the threshold of marriage must also read and gather information about the social norms of different countries, be well informed about western society, and even acquire some language skills, for, who knows when the knowledge of another language may come in handy . The Internet puts a world of information at one's fingertips, and one has to browse around to become well informed. Knowledge is the key to greater confidence makes you more self assured and dignified in demeanor, and society is more receptive and warm to such individuals.

In terms of appearance, it is important to merge with the crowd, rather than stand out as a foreigner. The young ladies can also try out different types of cuisines and develop a taste for non-Indian food. Most Indians find continental food unpalatable, and vegetarian options are not their kind either. One would have to develop a taste for different foods so as to not face an embarrassing situation in a social gathering being unable to eat anything. Young ladies are not in the habit of taking on complete cooking responsibilities, restricting their culinary experiments to a single exotic preparation. Most mothers are in charge of the daily staple food in Indian homes that include multiple preparations. Under their watchful eyes, the girls can gather a number of helpful tips that make every meal delicious.

In Shruti's case, she has to grow out of the student mould focusing only on studying. She has to get used to the idea of ​​getting married, sharing her life, shouldering the responsibility of a home, being a wife and student at the same time, and above all, learn enough about the US Western influences have crept into Indian society, but many unknown facts are unraveled when one delves deeper. Her homework on universities, admissions and scholarships will have to be centered around the place where her prospective husband is based. She has to work herself out of the emotional attachment to her family, to be able to leave them and go. A part of her daily schedule set during discussions with her parents, is to plan one meal everyday and set it in front of her family. Her father has decided to give her driving lessons himself and useful tips on money management.

Radha and Neha need to do the same. Both belong to smaller cities and are less exposed to Western influences. Simple living and their laid-back attitude would have to be changed if they are aspiring to marry abroad. Exposure to non-Indian food and dress, etiquette and table manners, good command over English, the art of polite conversation even in a crowd of unknown people instead of sitting quietly in a corner, appropriate behavior in public places, are some of the things they need to learn. Being able to walk smartly with an air of confidence will take time and practice. This will please their partners and life beyond the home would become a lot more fun, than facing the prospect of reprimand each time they are out and not doing things right. Neha realizes that she needs to take aerobic lessons to lose weight and tone up her body. Radha feels the need to learn western dance so that she can join the crowd wherever there is music and dancing.

Marrying abroad has been a happy experience for thousands and a nightmare for just as many. Girls must learn to handle difficult situations. Beyond India, each young man is an anonymous entity, very few know where he goes and what he does, certainly not his family in India. If the girl's family does not make sufficient enquiries, the girl's life faces the risk of being ruined. Some young Indian men have already married foreigners, but keep their families back home in the dark. They lack the guts to tell their parents the truth and lead them on, never realizing that they would be ruining an innocent girl's life. They feel they could go on with this dual charade forever, but the truth inevitably stumbles out. The worst sufferer is the girl in question.

Many a time men profess to own businesses while they are actually employed for menial jobs. Thus a waiter claims to be a restaurant owner, a salesman becomes the owner of a chain of stores. Torture and abuse of innocent girls are horror stories. Caution and thorough investigation becomes the key to avoid such agony. The stresses and strains of survival in Western society take their toll on men too, who, unable to vent their frustrations elsewhere, resort to abusive behavior and the young wife is at he receiving end. Crossing from one economic level to another also leads to behavioral changes in men.

Times have changed and the gap between India and the West has narrowed. Each successive generation has a more westernized lifestyle, and if the people stepping beyond Indian shores, are able to retain a bit of our own culture, blend our Indian value system with the Western style of thinking, their aims and aspirations will certainly have positive outcomes and happiness would be well within their reach.

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Source by Anu Seth

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Now I am no doctor, medical researcher or pollster but when I hear from over 540 people who have either had or presently suffer from the illness of Bell's Palsy and every single one of them tells me that their illness occurred during or immediately after a serious bout of stress, I would have to be seriously dim not to suggest that there is a connection.

Bell's Palsy is a condition that can strike 1 in 60 of us at any time of life. In 93% of those 1 in 60, it will only ever happen once. In the unfortunate 7% it can recur at an average frequency of around 10 years.

It is usually a temporary facial palsy condition, causing paralysis of one side of the face. In around 1% of cases, including my own, it can strike both sides of the face at the same time (bilateral bell's palsy) leaving a person with no facial expression whatsoever and in no uncertain terms, truly "wiping the smile off your face ".

In 50% of cases all of the facial paralysis will disappear within 3 months. In 20% this will take up to 6 months and in another 10% it may take up to a year to achieve a complete recovery .. "And what becomes of the other 20%?" I hear you shout …

The healing of the seventh cranial nerve, also known as the facial nerve, can continue at the rate of about 0.5 – 1mm per day for up to around 18 months and some consultants would say up to 2 years.

After this time, it may be necessary to employ the services of a professional facial muscle trainer to "retrain" your facial muscles to work in their originally intended way. This training can take the form of manual Bell's Palsy facial exercises or in some cases the use of an electrical stimulator, both of which can produce major improvements many years after the facial paralysis.

There are other treatments such as Botox injections and decompression surgery, that some suggest can alleviate long term symptoms such as synkenisis. Synkenisis is best described as remnants of facial paralysis or incorrect rejuvenation of the facial nerve, resulting in movements that are contrary to what was intended. In practical terms this may show as the corners of your mouth raising upon the closing of your eyelids; this being just one of a great many possible scenarios.

A number of medical consultants hold the belief that Bell's Palsy is an illness with no known cause. In fact there are over 50 different illnesses that can cause facial paralysis and it is only when these have been ruled out that a diagnosis of Bell's Palsy is comfortably arrived at. Thus it is known as an idiopathic facial palsy, meaning "of unknown cause".

The most prevalent medical belief however, is that it is the reactivation of the herpes simplex virus (HSV 1) that is the cause of the illness. This is not the sexually transmitted herpes, this is the one that gives you the odd cold sore.

It must also be said here that just because you get cold sores, that does not in any way whatsoever, mean that you will get Bell's Palsy. On the contrary, I have still never had a cold sore in my life and yet had bilateral Bell's Palsy. So, there is no more reason to worry about getting suddenly being stricken with Bell's palsy, than there is about losing another pound, dollar or euro on the weekly lottery.

The herpes simplex virus is seldom of any medical importance and as stated, is most commonly associated with cold sores. Your immune system usually cures it extremely well if ever it tries to show up.

Most of us do actually carry this virus around with us throughout our lives. 25% of people will never know they have it and never show any symptoms. 50% of people will have very mild symptoms at some point in life (not of Bell's Palsy) and 25% may be diagnosed with it upon showing some noticeable symptoms (but again, not Bell's Palsy).

When we initially contracted the virus through normal human contact as a child we may have shown no significant symptoms at all. However, once contracted, the virus remains with us in a dormant state until it can be reactivated by some future event or when we are particularly run down and our immune system has been weakened.

Going into all Without of the medical terms, the resultant Reactivation of the virus to cause Bell's Palsy , MEANS That the virus has been Dormantly awaiting its moment of by glory on our seventh cranial nerve – upon – and Reactivation, causes it to inflame.

The seventh cranial nerve, on its way to the facial muscles, passes through the fallopian canal, a thin bony conduit in the ear area. Because of the inflammation to the nerve, when it is in the fallopian canal it can only inflame so much before it is in effect, crushing itself.

It is when this happens that the "crushing" effect stifles its ability to transmit the impulses that are required to activate the facial muscles and achieve facial expression and therefore, a paralysis of the facial expressions on the affected side are apparent.

Now, that being the most prevalent theory, the herpes simplex virus has been noticed as present in 60-70% of those who are diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. As early as 1970, a study by researcher Shingo Murakami identified HSV-1 as the primary cause of Bell's palsy and several subsequent studies have consistently verified Murakami's research.

So, if we accept all of the above theory as being correct (and I would like to ask the obvious question about the other 30 – 40% who did not have HSV-1 present) then it is the virus that has caused the actual inflammation but surely, to be able to reactivate in the first place it must have taken advantage of our physical state.

If our immune system has been perfectly capable of keeping this virus at bay since we were a child, then what has and could, allow this virus to manifest its reactivation within us, in such a way as to cause an outbreak of this fashion.

It is therefore, to our immune system that we must look for the answers.

A perfectly healthy immune system would quite happily take care of this virus' control and restraint. Therefore it must follow that for it to break out of its cell (excuse the pun) and wreak havoc with our facial nerve, the alarm bells must draw us to the conclusion of a weak immune system at the time of the breakout.

So what depletes the strength of our immune system?

Our immune system is fuelled by the good foods and drink with which we nourish ourselves. It is aided by the sunshine and fresh air in which we bathe and breath and it is also strengthened by keeping our physical health in good order, our weight reasonable and by trying to keep a positive, calm and unworried mental outlook.

Conversely, it is compromised by a lack of the aforementioned good fuels, by illness, stress, sugar (I kid you not) and by being generally run down.

I myself, although not suffering from any illness prior to having bilateral Bell's Palsy, would definitely agree with the other components to making my immune system extremely low, stress being the main cause of each.

I was working too hard in a thankless job whilst not looking after myself properly in the food department, due either a lack of self esteem, extreme tiredness, or a feeling that there was not enough time to devote to this eating pastime. All of which are symptomatic of being very stressed.

The doctor who first diagnosed me, when I had only one side of my face paralysed, gave me a prescription which, on top of the medicinal components, advised total rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.

Having the condition for over 4 years, I have spoken to a great deal of fellow sufferers. Every single one of them truly believes that it was a build up of severe stress or in some cases a severely stressful event, that preceded their Bell's Palsy.

Most of these people, including myself, have taken a philosophical view of the entire event and had a really good look at our lives. I mean, if you can not even count on your own smile, then one must search for some truths that you can indeed count upon. It is most certainly an experience that will change you entire life, and for the better, if you want it to.

Although it can be said with total conviction that stress reduces our immune systems and that a positive and calm mental outlook can actually boost our immune system's health and responsiveness, it is always a reactive and medicinal solution that is prescribed.

More importance should be placed on the preventative skills needed to live our lives with the awareness of stress and its early symptoms, rather than to try to correct the resultant illnesses that it will nearly always produce.

It is a known fact that between 80 – 90% of attendees at doctors' surgeries are there with a condition or problem that has its foundations firmly rooted in a build up of stress.

Is it therefore the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) or for that matter, any other virus, infection or malady, that has caused the resultant complaint, or is it the tightening grip of the tentacles of stress upon our lives and therefore our physical immunity, that has forced the condition?

There apparently is no proven cure or protection from Bell's Palsy. Time, rest and relaxation are the only widely accepted cures.

I suggest that the instructions "To lead a life with a positive, calm and unworried mental outlook, focussed upon hope, derived from a truth that can be counted upon" should be folded into a bottle and sold as the preventative medicine for all ailments, in chemists, churches, hospitals, schools and even the workplace vending machine.

I hope that you will always have a special smile and that it will always be special, to all who have the pleasure of seeing it.

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Source by Rob Wilkinson

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This article is based on my recent experience of actually going through the process of obtaining estimates of the cost of building a house in Thailand including getting quotations from builders in Thailand and also using unit build rates (how much square meter) to build a retirement house in Thailand.

It will be useful to anyone retiring in Thailand or planning to retire to Thailand and build a retirement house.

The Two Main Two Ways To Estimate the Cost of Building a House in Thailand

There are basically two ways of pricing a building project in Thailand.

1. Using Unit Build Rates To Estimate The Cost Of Building A House

The first and simplest method is by using Unit Build Rates, ie how much per square meter it costs to build the house in Baht / m2. There are a range of Unit Build Rates for houses in Thailand and these vary according to the standard of the building and the location in the country.

There are other factors that affect the price of building a house in Thailand and these are not normally allowed for in unit build rates.

Just one example is that the cost of building depends greatly upon the particular builder chosen as quotations for the same property from different builders varies greatly.

Unit rates for use in estimating the cost of house construction are readily available where I live in the United Kingdom (UK). There are many websites that list these unit rates and also there are pricing books that give rate per square metre for a range of building types and sizes. This method is commonly used in Great Britain, and other Western countries to work out a budget cost for building a house.

However, in Thailand the situation is different. I have not seen any 'official' Unit Build Rates for Thailand but several websites, notably those Forums catering for expats living in Thailand, give some rough figures from people who have built their own retirement house in Thailand.

But that's all they are – a guide – and really barely worth using even for budgeting purpose.

Two Examples from Thai Websites of Unit Rates for House Build Cost in Thailand

From A1Real.com

Bangkok: "As of March 2006, buyers had to pay 81,975 baht / m2 in average to acquire a condominium unit in central area of ​​Bangkok compared to 72,596 baht / m2 in the last twelve months".

From Thai-AirPark.com

Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand: "A house built to western standard will cost between 160 to 300 Euros / m2" (At 45 Euros / Baht (Jan 2010) that works out at 7,200 to 13,500 Thai Baht per m2).

Notice how the unit rate for these two examples are so different.

Another way to get unit rates for Thailand is to approach Thai builders and architects. Unit Build Rates recently sent to me by one of Thailand's leading Bangkok-based design-and-build companies are in the range of 15,000 to 20,000 Baht / m2.

The method of application of the Unit Build Rates is simple. You work out the total floor area of ​​the proposed building including all floors and multiply by the unit rate. There is no need to find or involve a builder for this method once you have decided on the the unit rate to use.

There are inherent inaccuracies in this approach because the mix of different types of usage will be different in different building.

For example, using my own proposed property in Pak Chong, Thailand, as an example, the house is a typical 'post' house and half of the ground floor is left 'open' to be made into usable rooms at a later date and the other half simply has blockwork walls to for a workshop.

Clearly the unit rate for these areas is different and different from the first floor that contains kitchen, bedrooms and other living area.

Another example of different type (and hence costs) of building usage using my Pak Chong house as an example is that on the first floor I have a very large (compared to the rest of the house) patio area and also another semi-open area both of which would be a much lower cost to construct than the living accommodation areas.

The fact is that new build houses in Thailand are very often of completely different style and layout to other houses. This is in comparison with the UK where new houses are often built in their hundreds all to the same design. Everyone knows what you will get in a '3 bed semi-detached house' in England. In this situation unit rates can be safely applied.

So what area is used in the cost calculation? Do you use the total area including the ground floor open area and workshop and the first floor patio and semi open area plus the living accommodation areas? Or do you use the unit rate just for the living accommodation and take a percentage of the unit rate for the lower cost areas?

The problem is that I do not know the basis for the unit rate in the first place. ie whether it was for a property similar to mine with the open areas included, or whether it was for a property with a greater percentage of actual living area.

In conclusion the Unit Build Rates method in Thailand can only be used to get a very rough idea of ​​the likely cost and is really not accurate enough for establishing a budget.

2. Obtaining A Quotation From A Thai Builder For Building A House In Thailand

This method depends upon finding a builder to prepare a quotation based (usually) a set of drawings (also called house plans) for the property in question. (The house you want to build to retire to in Thailand) Obviously, the more accurate and detailed the house plans, the more accurate the quotation can be.

Other documents may also be provided to supplement the house plans and these include a Scope Of Works describing the scope of the project (not normally produced in Thailand) and Schedules. The Schedules are typically a schedule of finishes, schedule of doors, ironmongery etc.

There are three major difficulties with this method.

1. Obtaining The House plans And Other Documents

I'm lucky in that I can use the Autocad Computer Aided Drawings (CAD) software package and am familiar with building design so I was able to produce my own CAD drawings and schedules for my planned retirement house in Thailand.

Also, I did not start with a blank sheet of paper, instead I downloaded some existing Thai house plans from the Thai Government website (Search for 'download Thai Government House Plans') and selected one to use as a starting point for my own thai house design.

If you do not fancy this do-it-yourself approach you will have to find someone to make the house plans for you. Whilst this is easy in (if somewhat expensive) in the UK, if you try to find a Thai Architect to do this for you then you may have problems.

Firstly finding an Architect in Thailand is not easy although I did find an architectural and construction company in Bangkok and I subsequently appointed then to make the construction drawings for my own house – but that is another story.

Secondly, how do you explain to an Architect what you want? This is particularly difficult (impossible?) If you do not already have your own preliminary drawings as I did and if you are not in a position to sit down in the same room as the architect and pour over ideas and concepts.

Doing that by email from starting from scratch from outside of Thailand is next to impossible.

2. Translation Of The Documents Into The Thai Language

This is not so difficult if you are prepared to pay for a translator in Thailand.

A translator can easily translate the schedules but adding Thai to CAD drawings in not easy unless the translator also knows how to use the CAD software! My own house plans and schedules are in English only and I was able to get a quotation from a Thai builder.

You might try English only and just get the translator to translate the technical phrases that the builder does not understand. Again, much easier to do if you are in Thailand alongside the translator and builder.

3. Finding A Builder In Thailand

This can be one of the most difficult tasks you have to do.

My wife has contacted at least six builders from within Thailand and only one has produced a price. That price was based on the house plans and schedules that I produced but was about double what we expected, at 2.1 million Baht, which works out at 16,000 Baht / m2.

The answer we get from most of the builders is that they are too busy to work on providing a price for a small house build job. It seems that many builders are engaged on large projects in the coastal resorts of Thailand (eg Phucket) and that our tiny little project in Pakchong is not worth their while.

The method I used to find builders consisted of knocking on doors "You have a nice house, can you tell me who the builder was?" I find it easy to approach people and one day I was chatting with the Security Guard at our hotel, "The Mansion" at 8/8 Soi Tedsaban 8, Mittrapap Rd., Pakchong, Thailand, and he announced that he could get a price from at least two builders.

We took him up on that offer but never received the quotations. One was too busy and the other wanted 5,000 Baht up front before preparing a quotation in case we did not select him as our builder! By the way, the Security Guard said that his commission was 10 percent!

This short discussion with In on how the I Obtained budget estimates for a retirement home in Thailand the I have covered the two main methods ++, using unit The rates and house plans, to secure a budget price and the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Also I have explained the three difficulties you will face when trying to get a builder in Thailand to give you an estimate for building your retirement house in Thailand.

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Source by Kanyah Brown

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Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland, a prominent country in Central Europe. The city is often called the 'phoenix city' as it recovered from severe damage during World War II just as the legendary phoenix reemerges from the ashes. This sparkling city has many historical buildings, museums, theaters, monuments and parks which attract large number of tourists. Warsaw houses many of the leading health care facilities in Poland and some of these major hospitals offer medical services in line with global standards. They provide excellent service through their eminent doctors and with assistance from English speaking staff.

The Medicover Hospital is one of the best hospitals in the country and is found at al. Rzeczypospolitej 5, 02-972 in Warsaw. The Medicover Hospital has an area of ​​16 000 square meters and has utilized an investment of 40 million Euros to design the hospital according to the latest architectural standards. This 270 bed hospital has five operating rooms and well equipped diagnostic, consulting and rehabilitation centers. The hospital offers medical care in all medical specialties. The surgery clinic performs operations in general surgery, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, thoracic surgery and many other types of surgery. The hospital is certified as a 'painless hospital' is a major center of minimally invasive surgeries being equipped with modern endoscopic surgical systems. The modern anesthesiology and intensive care units have postoperative care units, intensive care units and preoperative sections. The hospital also has laboratories and an onsite Medicopharma Pharmacy. Comfortable accommodations and client facilities are also available in the hospital. Tel: +48 22 857 20 00

The address for the Infant Jesus Hospital (Szpital Kliniczny Dziecitka Jezus Centrum) is Warsaw 02-005, ul. Lindley 4. This multidisciplinary hospital was established by the Congregation of St. Vincent de Paul missionaries. This ISO 9001-2000 health care facility has full fledged departments in all branches of medicine and its orthopedic clinic is the largest in Poland. Its trauma treatment center has also achieved wide recognition. The surgery division of Infant Jesus Hospital offers service in both general and specialized surgery. The anesthesiology department, intensive care units and the emergency medicine division are well equipped with latest devices. The modern dental clinic includes conservative dentistry, pediatric dentistry and dental radiology sections. Good service pharmaceutical and central laboratory services are also available. Tel: 022 502-20-00

Damian Medical Centre located at Walbrzyska 46 in Warsaw is another modern hospital that offers quality health care service at international standards. The Damian Medical Center- the first private hospital in Warsaw- was founded in 1994 by Damian Poszczyski. The hospital has received many awards including the European Medal by the European Integration Committee, and the "Hospital without Pain" certificate by the Polish Society for the Study of Pain. The hospital offers diagnostic and clinical services in all major medical specialties and has three operation theatres and two outpatient clinics. DMC is estimated to perform over 3,000 operations, 8,000 outpatient procedures and about 200,000 consultations every year. This hospital is well known for its technological edge as it possesses all the latest equipment including echocardiography, RTG and stress test. It also has mammography, X-rays, CTG, arthroscopy and hysteroscopy procedures. DMC is marked as a major center for medical tourism. T: (+48 22) 566 2222

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Source by Belle Kay

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To many people, New Zealand is one of the most sought-after countries for many English folk to move to, either to emigrate, or retire.

Post why? Because we think that the whole country and its massive natural resources belong to us. But why should we think that? What about the people that lived peacefully there since the beginning of the first century – the Maori peoples from Polynesia?

Too many times, we seem to think that this whole area of ​​the Pacific was populated by tribes of fierce savages, who knew nothing of the 'civilized' world, and allegedly had no idea of ​​commerce or interaction with other nations. For many such peoples, they became 'fair game' to the more 'advanced' civilizations of the west, such as Britain, France and Spain, who would go to any lengths to secure new additions to their overseas empires.

Even if there was a lack of commercial awareness in these conquered States, what gave anybody the right to take over and attempt to destroy, the local religions, belief, and traditions of these indigenous peoples? After all, if Britain had lost the Second World War, we would probably now all be using German as our first language, and there would have been no religious freedom of expression allowed. Would that have made us a better country? I doubt it. There would have been much dissent and undertones of revolt, and a feeling that we were robbed of our heritage.

The facts are that at the turn of the 19th Century, the Maori people had established a Bank (Te Whare Awaroa Mauri Trust Bank) and a newspaper (The Native Courier) in 1808. Hardly the activities to be expected from so-called 'ignorant savages'.

In 1816 Te Wakaminenga O Nga Hapu formed a Maori Court with laws based on Tikanga Maori (in response to the lawless and unruly behaviour of visiting whalers, sealers and other foreigners) and enforced the laws accordingly. They further planned to unite the tribes operating on two levels by uniting the Ariki blood lines, and forming an army in a common defence policy against to ever-increasing immigration issues.

In the same year the authority of Maori Sovereignty was recognised and registered in the House of Westminster, England, as well as recognised by other nations such as America, France, Japan and Te Moananui A Kiwa. (United Pacific Nations)

The growth of settlers and whalers into New Zealand in the first quarter of the 19th Century had a devastating effect on the Maori people. Not only were they becoming outnumbered, but disease introduced from the settlers was causing massive numbers deaths from illnesses that in the Western world were just mild complaints.

A lot of settlers were carrying out illegal purchase of land in this time period, and introducing new types of crops, and new ways of fishing (especially whaling), and this activity caused a lot of friction between many of the Maori iwi (Tribes) , leading to a whole series of brutal inter-tribal wars. To try and redress this situation, the Treaty of Waitangi was set up, which was also meant to establish the sovereignty of the Maori over New Zealand.

The Treaty of Waitangi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, was an agreement signed in 1840 between representatives of the British Crown and Maori iwi (tribes). The Treaty came about because the British War and Colonial Office was determined to annex New Zealand. It believed the only legal way to do so was to initiate a treaty of cessation whereby Maori leaders would cede their sovereignty to Britain.

This was because the same Maori leaders had declared their independence in 1835. It is very interesting to note, that as the Agreement was signed, 500 Chiefs signed the Maori version, and only 49 signed the English version.

Support for the treaty was widespread right across the Maori people, spreading from the North then on to the South Island. The other interesting thing about this, is the fact that the Maori wanted to be totally loyal to the Crown, which is why, even now, over 160 years later, that with a republican movement being mooted in New Zealand, the most vociferous opponents to that movement is coming from the whole Maori people!

Sovereignty is a topic close to many people's hearts. Nobody wants to particularly give up everything, unless they can see something coming back in return. Even in the UK today, many people are very concerned about the 'creeping powers' of the European Union, slowly one by one, removing UK Sovereignty over the legal system, fishing and agriculture, even usurping the UK's own Parliament, and also eyeing up removal of the UK's military independence, and also trying to control the monetary supply by pushing them towards the Euro Zone.

The Maori version of the Waitangi Treaty included the concept of their continuing sovereignty, but the English one did not, which is where the whole 'Common Stealth' has become a major cause of concern for the Maori people for nearly 200 years.

By 1840, the British Monarchy had ceased to have any real political power.

The newly crowned Queen Victoria was a constitutional monarch and the government of the day was led by the Whig party Prime Minister Lord Melbourne. In 1839 his Colonial Secretary the Marquess of Normanby sent Captain William Hobson to the Bay of Islands with detailed instructions on establishing New Zealand as a British colony.

On February 5, Hobson presented English and Maori versions of the Treaty to Maori. Following some discussion as to what the Treaty would do for Maori, it was signed by a gathering of Iwi leaders on February 6. It was then circulated more widely among other Maori leaders.

Since that time there has been considerable conflict and debate over what the Treaty promised Maori. The problems have been caused primarily by the differences between the English and Maori versions of the Treaty. The exact nature of the authority that Iwi ceded to the Crown is still an ongoing debate.

Towards the end of the 20th Century, a whole new era started to open up for Maori people who by now had fallen almost to the levels of a second-class race of peoples, suffering not just from wholesale robbing of their birthrights, but were suffering almost a form of racial apartheid, which needed redressing.

This was discussed and upheld by the United Nations in their Resolution on Indigenous Peoples and their Rights as late as 2007, totally underwritten by Australia and New Zealand.

In an attempt to restore the greatness of the Maori peoples, the first thing that had to be done was to try and reunite all of the iwi (tribes) again. To this end, an International Corporation, 'TE MANA TINO RANGATIRA O TE MATUA KARANGA O TE HUIHUINGA PUTANOA CORPORATION SOLE' was set up in 2003.

The Founder, His Excellency Chief Charles Hohepa, being empowered by a 'Sovereign Mandate' from the 'Confederation of the Chiefs of the Tribes of Aotearoa (NZ)' and 'Te Matua Karanga O Te Huihuinga Puyanoa Trust, Auotearoa (NZ)' has established a world-wide organization for and on behalf of the Maori people of Aotearoa (NZ) for the reinstatement of their ancient customary culture, values, and disciplines, and uplifting the Maori peoples in a modern society.

This is known as the Matua Karanga Foundation. 'The Foundation' extends to other peoples and nations, the hand of friendship in the pursuit and promotion of goodwill, peace and harmony.

The Foundation is committed to humanitarian relief of all peoples and nations, giving special regard to the indigenous first nation peoples of the world, recognizing the sovereignty of those nations and as such is committed to peaceful processes, encouraging mutual dialogue between all nations but on mutual respect and trust in the integrity of all mankind.

Considering the way in which first nation people have been treated in the past, this is a brilliant way to redress these early breaches of trust, and at the same time, encouraging a better world for all of us.

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Source by Geoff Morris

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In recent years, the recruiting services have developed in Mauritius. At first they worked with consultants, who acted as intermediaries between employers and candidates. The employers have left their contact details and all data regarding the vacancy. The consultant's role was then to see the profiles of the candidates corresponding to the vacancies and the recruiting procedures. Then the consultant arranges an interview, categorize and list the applicants accordingly. As an agreement to this service, the employer pays the agency one twelfth of the candidate yearly salary. Today, all recruitment agencies in Mauritius have an online service. Both employers and candidates register there. Employers will post job vacancies by giving maximum information: job profile, qualifications, salaries, experiences expected, job description, contract duration, application deadline, etc. They may also verify the CVs and qualifications of candidates and make their choices. The addresses to be used for recruitment services are "DCDM Recruitment" for the online service assisted by a consultant as described above, or "MAUJOB" or "myjob.mu" which operates only online. They have the advantage of being efficient and professional.

The announcements by the media

In Mauritius, the newspapers are a highly used to communicate information. Most employers use the press to announce the vacancies. The most read newspapers by Mauritian are "Le Mauricien" belonging to "The Mauritian Ltd"., Released in late afternoon, and "express" belonging to "La Sentinelle Ltd.", released in the morning. "The Express" can also be accessed online at the website of the company. During the weekend, the two companies each emit a weekly newspaper with more space for announcements of any kind. The response rate is very satisfactory because the Mauritian population is very attached to her national press. Most of the Job seekers consult the press to find a job. There are some radio stations that often run advertisements for employment. In fact, there are no special offers or job applications hours scheduled on the radio. Private radio stations such as Radio One and Radio Plus often announce any job offer in the midst of any emission. Private radio stations have high ratings and with this method, the results are very successful and fast. In fact, there is no cost for all "quickly made" offers, but if an employer wants to make an announcement more personalized, it takes between 250 and 300 euros.

Some methods of upcoming job offer

Announcements of job can be done through advertising agencies. In audio or on posters, ads will be custom designed to have more impact. The small-format posters are intended for the press or magazines, while the larger ones can be for the billboard poster. The multinational "Accenture" is often called to encourage applications. However, this requires a huge budget because it takes about 2000 euros. The posters in A4 or A5 are regularly published in the press. Designed by advertising agencies, they have the advantage of the position value and attract the attention of the reader. Their effectiveness is proven through the actual response rate achieved by employers. Ads may also be webcast on the most visited websites, for example, the homepage of Orange Mauritius, Facebook, etc. Rates vary depending on site and some may even be free, like Facebook. There is a mailing service very fashionable offered by RKcom, but highly NOT recommended as their service is considered as SPAM and their mail outs usually targeted inappropriate recipients. Their announcement may, therefore, be ignored and may not have the desired effect, yet their mailing service is not free.

Other very effective methods

To find a qualified staff, it is possible to go through the administration of tertiary institutions or training centers. The most famous being Charles Telfair Institute, University of Mauritius, the Centre for Graduate Studies, or Mauritius IVTB Employees Federation. These are centers that train young BAC 2 BAC 5.

The Ministry of Labor, through the "Labor Office" was also designed to help people looking for work, to find a suitable position and satisfy their demand. The unemployed are registered in the system database of "Labor Office" Employers often communicate their vacant jobs through the database facility offered by "Labor Office". At the request of the employer, "Labor Office" can send the list of candidates seeking employment, by level of education.

Word of mouth is a fairly common in Mauritius. The island is not so big and everyone knows each other. Communications are easily and quickly concluded.

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Source by Valirie Senek

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Data cleansing, also known as database cleansing or data scrubbing, is the process of ensuring that a set of data is correct and accurate. UK based companies heavily rely on computerized data in their normal operations so data cleaning is a very important task. During the data cleansing process, different tools are used to check records for accuracy and consistency, and either corrected, or deleted as necessary. Data cleansing process uses different software and tools and can occur within a single combination of database records, or between multiple sets of data which need to be merged, or which will work together.

In UK, database cleansing at its simplest level, involves a person or persons reading through a set of data records and verifying their accuracy. Typos and spelling mistakes are corrected, mislabelled database information is properly labelled and filed, and incomplete or missing entries are completed. Database cleansing operations in UK based companies often purge out of date or unrecoverable data sets and records, so that they do not take up space and cause inefficient operations.

In more complex operations, companies cleanse data by computer software or tools. These data cleansing software can check the data with a variety of tools, rules and procedures decided upon by the expert. UK based companies set data cleansing tools to delete all records which have not been updated within the last five years, correct any words with spelling mistakes, and delete any duplicate copies of inconsistent data. A more complex data cleansing software might be able to fill in a missing city based on a correct zip code, or change the prices of all items in a database to Euros instead of UK pounds.

Database cleansing is very important to the efficiency of any data dependent companies in UK. If some of the clients within a database do not have accurate telephone numbers, your staff can not easily contact them. If your clients' email addresses are formatted incorrectly, an automated email system would be unable to send out the latest promotional coupons and special deals. The job of database cleansing operator is to insure that the data within a system is correct, so that the system is able to effectively utilize the data. Inaccurate or incomplete data records are not much use to anyone.

Quote Bean has some of the UK's top database cleaning companies which use latest data cleansing tools and software. You can achieve your goal of having an error free data which is vital for a successful business. Apply now and receive database cleaning quotes from UK based companies.

Source: Link Here

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Source by David O Waters

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Today, almost everything in our lives is related to money. No matter how we try to avoid the subject, it still remains as pertinent as ever before. To understand money, I believe we need to look into its history for lessons to learn. Only with that can we translate these lessons into personal meaning for application and prepare for the future.

As many of you know, money began as bartering where people exchanged items they had for things they wanted. For example, a dairy farmer exchanging milk for clothes. As time progressed, people found out that it was hard to measure relative values ​​of an item. For example, how much milk can be traded for a quantity of clothes? Also, it was slow, hard and time-consuming because for personal gain, people would bargain for the best possible trade. This created the need for a more efficient way of transaction, commodity money.

One of the first few forms of commodity money were gold and silver coins. They were used as these were tangible items representing value. As people found this way to measure values ​​of items, trading became much faster. However, another problem arose because carrying too much of them was inconvenient and could attract attention of thieves. This led to the establishment of banking.

To keep these valuables safe, wealthy people began to appoint individuals with the role of safekeeping them. In return, these individuals issued receipts to these wealthy people as a representation that they owned the valuables. Here, money has evolved from something that held value into a derivative of value. With money becoming compact, people just had to trade with paper receipts instead of bulky items like gold and silver. People could also trade in different places as bankers in these places only had to balance the trading accounts between the buyer and seller with debits and credits against the receipts. This greatly facilitated the movement of money from point A to B where it is needed. This was the start of prosperity in many areas as speed of business was significantly improved.

However, as the bankers held more commodity money like gold and silver in their vaults, they discovered that their clients had little use for them. Here, brilliant individuals brought banking to the next level, from storing wealth to lending wealth and charging interest on the loan subsequently. Now, bankers could earn money from money they did not own.

Naturally, as greed came into the equation, bankers began making loans for money more than what they stored, giving rise to fractional reserve receipt money. For example, $ 2000 lending in receipts when you only have $ 1000 worth of commodity money, creating a fractional reserve ratio of 2: 1. They then collected interest on this expanded money supply and this greatly increased their profits.

With an increased money supply, people had more money to spend and consumption rose, leading to economic growth according to Keynesian theory. However, this also created economic volatility because some greedy banks loaned out too much money that they were unable to meet the withdrawal requests. This led to the establishment of Central Banks, where there was only a centralized and standardized form of receipt money known as the national currency.

The purpose of Central Banks was to regulate the fractional reserve system. However, these Central Banks were profit-driven private banking cartels, not owned by the government. Solutions implemented to solve problems actually caused them to escalate as these big financial institutions now controlled the money supply of nations.

This fiat monetary system was spread throughout the world by the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1944 which gave birth to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. Fiat money means that only the national currency is accepted as money paid for government bills like taxes. The creation of IMF forced countries to adopt this system to become its member. Naturally, many countries had to adopt this system to gain protection and help from financial superpowers of that era.

However, the last straw was placed to worsen the delicate and fragile situation brought by the fractional reserve system. That was the severing of the US dollar from gold in 1971. This caused the transition of money being a derivative from something of value like gold into a derivative of debt. The next paragraph will explain this.

Today, when there are bailouts, Central Banks like Federal Reserve purchase bonds issued by the US Treasury and print the money the government needs. Subsequently, they just have to leech the government like a zombie by charging interest on this printed money, money they created out of thin air.

This printed money is the debt of the government and can be printed in unlimited numbers by these Central Banks. This is because printing money no longer depended on the amount of gold reserves the government had after 1971 when the US dollar was severed from gold. All of these means that the government can also engage in unlimited debt which has to be repaid by raising taxes, robbing the poor to pay the rich.

Now, in a world that grows today with increasing debt (caused by increasing money supply), do you think the evolution of money is a bane or boon to us? For this, you could look at the prices of gold and silver (commodity money) and compare it with that of national currencies like the US dollar or Euro. I leave it for you to find out.

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Source by Ong Xun Xiang

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INTRODUCTION:

Any relationship between two entities, either persons or institutions, can not be established except in accordance with some set of rules. These rules may be unenforceable norms or customs of a group or society, or some explicit laws having a binding and enforceable authority. A contract is a formal structure of a relationship between two or more parties, binding them together into a contractual relationship; and imposing upon them certain obligations and granting them certain rights over each other. In case of any problem with these obligations or rights, law of the land would come into action. But if the contracting parties belong to different lands, then there would arise a question as to law of which land should come into force. If the contracting parties have no earlier consensus over this issue, then it is more likely that the problem would remain unresolved; and one or more parties would suffer the loss. Hence, the need to decide at the time of making contract, as to which law would be followed.

CHOICE OF LAW IN SYNDICATED LOANS AND BONDS:

Similar is the case of the financial contract. 'Every legal issue under a financial contract must be determined in accordance with a system of law. An aspect of a contract can not exist in a legal vacuum. '(1) Syndicated loans and bonds are mostly international in their character. They usually involve borrowers and lenders from various countries; and 'the greater the number of countries involved the greater the number of municipal systems of law which have to be considered.' (2) As there is not single set of International laws that could effectively govern the syndicated loans and bonds, it is necessary for the parties to these contracts to choose an agreed system of law.

A syndicated loan agreement normally is contracted between the highly sophisticated institutions like banks, corporations, state corporations, and even the sovereign states themselves. It involves a number of systems of law (even a single bank operating internationally can be subject to different systems of law) (3). The international bond issues, too, involve issuers and investment banks from different countries. In some respects, international bonds (Eurobonds) are even more 'international' than the syndicated loans, as they are sold to the public at large, and the individuals and other entities buy and sell them in numerous jurisdictions. During this course of business a number of transactions involving numerous legal documents take place. With these transactions rights and liabilities shift from one entity to another very frequently. When it happens in different systems of law, it creates ambiguity about which law should apply in which case. This ambiguity makes the business vulnerable to unpredictable situations. Eventually the whole business market suffers serious damage.

"In order to reduce such uncertainty to a minimum, an attempt is made in practice to apply one system of law to the transaction and to exclude as far as possible the applicability of other systems of law with which the transaction may have some connection. This is generally sought to be achieved in practice by a 'choice of law' clause which subjects to one governing system of law _ 'the proper law' _ the validity, enforceability and interpretation of the contractual and other legal documents which constitute the transaction. " (4)

The practicality provides the opportunity to the lender to have preference in 'choice of law', as in case of a dispute, it is his money that would need to be recovered. In case of the Euro bonds, where an investment bank helps in selling securities (5), the situation becomes different, as the lenders appear on scene after the bond is issued under certain terms including the matter of choice of law. In any case, while exercising the choice, it is preferred that such system is chosen that is familiar to the parties, so that the tendency of using certain type of financial transactions needs not to be changed. Further, the dealing with legal as well as business issues could be convenient. It is also important that the system chosen is greatly mature and the relevant jurisdiction enjoys good reputation for its impartiality. Political stability in that specific jurisdiction and convenience of language are also important factors in choosing a certain system of law (6). The incident of freezing of foreign currency accounts following imposition of emergency after the atomic tests in 1998 (7), the stock market suffered such a huge loss that it took years to recover. In such a situation no serious financial activity can grow without fear of the unseen. While the enforcing forum is not less important a factor; the most significant factor of having the choice of law clause is the "insulation of the loan contract from legal changes in the borrower's country." (8)

While outlining the contract some of the essential documents would be prepared; for example, in case of a bond issue, the subscription agreement, the trust deed, the agreement between managers, the selling group agreement and the bond instruments themselves, and in case of the syndicated loan, the loan agreement. All of these legal documents would require validity, enforceability and when needed interpretation. (9) This could only be done under an agreed system of law.

Determination of rights and liabilities and interpretation of the legal documents would involve a number of laws relevant to the different issue. These may include the securities law, principles of contract, interpretation of contracts law, insolvency law, negotiable instruments law, and the like. All these laws should relate to one system of law, so as to make their interpretation and implementation possible. (10)

There are more than 310 jurisdictions in the world, which are grouped into nine classes ie Traditional English, American Common Law, Mixed Roman / common law, Germanic and Scandinavian, Mixed Franco-Latin / Germanic, Traditional Franco-Latin, Emerging Jurisdictions, Islamic Jurisdictions and Unallocated Jurisdictions (11). These categories are further combined into three major types: Common Law, Napoleonic and Roman-Germanic jurisdictions. (12) This much number of jurisdictions naturally has a potential to create problems in case of international syndicated loans and bonds where different systems of law would be involved. So, it becomes imperative to have 'choice of law' clause in the legal documents.

CONCLUSION:

The term international, in the syndicated loans and bonds, entails multiple laws, forums and jurisdictions. The conflict of laws, in such a case, is natural. Combination of laws, given their different approaches, is not a workable proposition. Harmonization of financial laws at international level is still an idealistic suggestion. So, to form, interpret and execute the international contracts, there is a need to adopt a single system of law. This, the parties to a contract can choose at the time of the concluding of the contract. This is done to ensure the validity, enforceability and interpretation of all the legal documents relevant to the contracts of syndicated loans and bonds. It helps eliminate the uncertainty and unpredictability of the fate of a contract. Most ideally, it is an external law, having a potential to insulate the loan contract from legal changes, especially, in the borrower's country. English law worthy of playing such a role. There is another advantage of choosing it: it does not demand any connection of the lender or borrower with England.

The fundamental importance of the inclusion of 'choice of law clause' in the international syndicated loan agreements and the legal instruments of the bonds, is to get rid of the uncertainty concerning the expectations about the contract, by providing a workable legal mechanism to resolve all the legal issues which would arise from time to time.

REFERENCES:

1). Wood, PR (1995) International Loans, Bonds and Securities Regulation; London: Sweet & Maxwell P-61

2). Slater R (1982) "Syndicated Bank Loans" presented to the Conference on 'The Transnational Law of International Commercial Transactions' at Bielefeld, W. Germany, October 5-7, 1981, in the Journal of Business Law pp 173-199

3). Cranston R (2003) Principles of Banking Law; 2nd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; p 438

4). Tennekoon R (1991) The Law and Regulation of International Finance; London: Butterworths; p 16

5). Mishkin F (1992) The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets; 3rd Ed. New York: HarperCollins Publishers; p 286

6). Paul C & Montagu G (2003) Banking and Capital Markets Companion; 3rd Ed. London: Cavendish Publishing; p 94

7). Washingtonpost.com, at Http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/southasia/stories/pakistan052998.htm visited on 14-05-2005
8). Wood PR (1995) International Loans, Bonds and Securities Regulation; op cit

9). Tennekoon R .. op cit

10). Slater R (1982) op cit

11). Wood PR (1997) Maps of World Financial Law; London: Allen & Overy; p 9

12). Wood, PR (2005) Oxford and Cambridge Introductory Lectures of Financial Law, op cit

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Source by M Shahid Usman