A to Z of malaria

A to Z of malaria

LONDON, England -- Malaria is one of the world's worst health problems and one of its biggest killers, with half a billion people affected every year, according to the Roll Back Malaria partnership.
The WHO wrote that there were 247 million cases of malaria in 2006, and 880,000 deaths.

Around half a billion people are infected with malaria every year. Ninety percent of those cases are in Africa.
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Saturday marks World Malaria Day, when the world commemorates global efforts to eradicate the disease.

Below CNN's Vital Signs has produced a complete A - Z guide to how malaria spreads, the symptoms to look out for and how to protect yourself.

A is for Anti-malarial drugs
The history of anti-malarial medicine has been marked by a constant struggle between evolving drug-resistant parasites and the search for new drugs. Currently, anti-malaria experts are focusing on therapies that combine several drugs for better effects.

B is for Blood stream
Once a mosquito has bitten and the malaria parasites reach the liver, the parasites divide and create thousands of mature parasites. These are released into the blood and infect red blood cells. At that point, typical malaria symptoms such as fever and anemia develop.

C is for Chloroquine
Until recently, Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, was the first option for many people because of its relatively low price and effectiveness. However, resistance to Chloroquine in many parts of the world has rendered the drug ineffective.

D is for Diagnosis
After noting your symptoms and travel history, your doctor will likely obtain a sample of your blood for observation. Two blood samples, taken at six- and 12-hour intervals, can usually confirm the presence of the malaria parasite and its type. It is possible to be infected by more than one parasite at the same time.

E is for Epidemic
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), large and devastating epidemics can occur when the mosquito-borne parasite is introduced into areas where people have had little prior contact with the infecting parasite. These epidemics can be triggered by wet weather conditions and further aggravated by floods or mass population movements driven by conflict.
Vital Signs
Each month CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta brings viewers health stories from around the world.
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F is for Fever
The most common symptom of all types of malarias is high fever, which is why doctors often misdiagnose malaria for flu. The fever is a reaction to toxins in the blood. It is therefore advised to tell your doctor you have been to a malaria affected zone, even if symptoms arise months after the trip.

G is for Genome
In 2002, -- hundred years after it was discovered that mosquitoes transmit the malaria parasite -- the complete genetic codes of both the human malaria parasite and the mosquito that spreads it was cracked. This development brought scientists a step closer to developing drugs and vaccines to fight the disease, Nature magazine reported.

H is for Hotspots
Most cases and deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, many of them occurring among children. However, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected. In 2006, malaria was present in 109 countries and territories.
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I is for Immunity
Travelers from malaria-free regions such as Europe and the United States, with little or no immunity, who go to areas with high disease rates, are particularly vulnerable. It is essential to take precautions by taking anti-malarial drugs prescribed by your doctor.

J is for Julius Wagner-Jauregg
Julius Wagner-Jauregg, a Viennese doctor, was the first to intentionally infect syphilis patients with malaria parasites. By controlling the subsequent malaria-related fever with an anti-malaria drug, the effects of both syphilis and malaria could be minimized. Jauregg received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1927.

K is for Killer
Malaria is a life-threatening disease but it is preventable and curable if the right steps are taken. Education in recognizing the symptoms has reduced the number of cases in some areas by 20 percent. Recognizing the disease in the early stages can stop the disease from becoming a killer.

L is for Laser gun
U.S. scientists say they are developing a laser gun that could kill millions of mosquitoes in minutes. The laser fires at mosquitoes once it detects the audio frequency created by the beating of wings, the lead scientist on the project told CNN. The project is being funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

M is for Mosquitoes
Malaria is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquitoes. The mosquitoes bite between sunset and sunrise and parasites from the mosquito are then injected into the person's skin and transported to the liver. About 170 species of such parasites exist, but only four cause malaria in humans.

N is for Nets
The distribution of mosquito nets with insecticide is a very effective method of malaria prevention, and it is also one of the most cost-effective methods. These nets can often be obtained for around $3. Earlier this month, actor Ashton Kutcher won a Twitter race against CNN to reach 1 million followers. Kutcher had pledged 10,000 mosquito nets to charity if he beat CNN, and 1,000 if he lost. CNN agreed to do the same.

O is for Obstacles
In many endemic areas, access to health facilities, as well as drug costs, still present major obstacles. Humanitarian agency Medecins Sans Frontieres estimates that the cost of treating a malaria-infected person in an endemic country was between $0.25 and $2.40 per dose in 2002.

P is for Pandemic
For malaria to become a pandemic (plague) in an area, several factors have to be present: high human population density; high mosquito population density; high rates of transmission from humans to mosquitoes and from mosquitoes to humans.

Q is for Quinine
Quinine was the first effective treatment for malaria in the 17th century. Since the 1940's, many other anti-malarial drugs have appeared on the market and have taken precedent over quinine. But quinine is still being used to treat malaria in some cases.

R is for Repellent
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says inspect repellents with DEET (most common active ingredient in strong insecticides) in them should be used on exposed skin and flying-insect spray can be used to kill mosquitoes in the sleeping area. DEET may be toxic, however and should be used with care.

S is for Symptoms
Fever is not the only symptom of malaria. Other symptoms can include shivers, headaches and nausea. Sweating and exhaustion is also common and in some cases, it can affect the brain or kidneys.

T is for Tablets
Malarone is a common anti-malaria drug among many travelers. It is said to have a 97 percent efficacy with relatively few side-effects. It can be given just one day before arrival in a malaria endemic country and only needs to be taken for another week after leaving.

U is for Unborn child
According to the WHO, pregnant women are at high risk of contracting malaria. The illness can result in high rates of miscarriages and cause more than 10 percent of maternal deaths annually. This figure can rise to 50 percent in cases of severe disease.

V is for Vaccine
Despite intensive research, no effective malaria vaccine has been developed to date. But according to a report in April's New Scientist journal, a unique vaccine taken from the saliva of infected mosquitoes has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be tested in people.

W is for World Malaria Day
April 25 has become World Malaria Day to provide a global effort to control malaria around the world. The international malaria community only has two years left to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria, as called for by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.

X is for X-ray
X-ray microscopes are used to find the presence of malaria in red blood cells and see how they interact with healthy cells. One of the advantages of this type of microscope is that it produces very-high-resolution images of the cell structure.

Y is for Yellow fever
Yellow fever is another disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Some countries, such as Peru, require a certificate showing yellow-fever vaccination before you can travel there.

Z is for Zanzibar
Zanzibar, part of the African republic of Tanzania, has had relative successes in combating malaria; Africa's biggest killer according to the New Scientist journal. The achievements are due to the widespread use of treated bed nets, along with the switch to new anti-malarial drugs instead of Chloroquine in 2004.

7 more days for Karma Kula's 3rd chapter!

The Ninjai Gang, Karma Kula

Media & Press

April 2009
Kung Fu Siblings Band Together in an All-New Martial Arts Action Series, Karma Kula: Mystic Warrior
Synopsis
Siblings and lifelong martial artists Satya (Kill Bill), Subhadra, and Siddha Bellord unveil their mastery in the new series Karma Kula: Mystic Warrior, a live-action martial arts adventure created independently by the Ninjai Gang.

Three young master martial artists have banded together to produce a highly praised new martial arts series called Karma Kula: Mystic Warrior, now showing on the entertainment site IGN.com, the Web's leading video game and entertainment information destination. What's unique about these three young master martial artists, all members of the Ninjai Gang, is that they are siblings.

Satya, Subhadra, and Siddha Bellord were born and raised in Hong Kong, their distinctive Eurasian good looks springing from their Chinese mother and British father. The siblings spent their teen years in the Far East, the Philippines, India, Australasia, Hawaii, and California. The trio have been serious students of martial arts their entire lives, focusing primarily on the arts of taekwondo and both modern, and traditional wushu.

With a deep appreciation for the spiritual aspects of martial arts and the ancient Eastern teachings of yoga, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the trio are lifelong vegetarians and have been practicing yoga and meditation since childhood. They continue to hone their skills daily with a vigorous training schedule under the guidance of their long-time friend and wushu instructor, one of the most well known and respected wushu instructors in the world. Master Liang Chang Xing, former captain of the ten-time winning Beijing wushu team, one of whose members was Jet Li. Chang Xing also plays an important role in the choreography, cinematography, and direction of the Karma Kula series.

Having heard about the trio's extraordinary talents from their mutual friend, action director Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Fearless), Quentin Tarantino sought out the trio for his movie Kill Bill. Because the trio wanted to stay focused on their Karma Kula production, only Satya was able to take the time to be involved with the film (she was Uma Thurman's martial arts double).

The trio will be making their first on-screen appearance together in the martial arts series "Karma Kula", where they co-direct, choreograph and star.

In addition to the trio, the Karma Kula cast includes Rena Owen. One of Australasia's most heralded actresses, Rena is best known for playing the courageous battered wife in the Kiwi blockbuster Once Were Warriors, where she starred alongside Temuera Morrison.

Karma Kula: Mystic Warrior, a ten-part episodic series, is a mystical journey through the ancient East with a unique highly entertaining blend of dynamic, blood-splattering martial arts, wry humor, and a peaceful sense of spirituality.

In this unique combination of East meets West, Karma Kula crosses 300 and the dry humor of a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western with truly explosive, kick-ass martial arts that rival Jet Li's Once Upon a Time in China, but more realistic. Add in the stunning locations, ninjas, Mongolian witch-nuns, ganja, and rock music, and the Ninjai Gang weaves a spiritual and mystical tale, simultaneously epic yet episodic, in an attempt to "bring the cinematic dramatic action of the big screen to the Web."

While appreciating Karma Kula's world-class martial arts action, the audience will also be captivated by the series' deep spiritual aspect as it touches upon timeless philosophical ideas such as karma and ancient yogic teachings both profound and insightful.

Completely independent and creatively driven, Karma Kula's first-class quality and its high production value belie its shoestring budget. Karma Kula combines the talent of directors and Ninjai Gang members Harsha Brennan, Siddha, and Chang Xing. Karma Kula is the first high-quality martial arts series specifically produced for the Web.

The Ninjai Gang's first Web series, Ninjai: The Little Ninja, has been an immediate success. From humble beginnings, Ninjai exploded on a grassroots level and has touched the hearts of millions across the world. Co-director Harsha Brennan is confident Karma Kula will be just as popular: "In its own way, Karma Kula is just as big an achievement as Ninjai. Although they're quite different, they both contain the elements of great martial arts action, humor, strong heroes, and an epic cinematic feel."

The Karma Kula series is now available in high quality on karmakula.ign.com, a channel of IGN.com, and on other top online video destinations. A new episode will be released in the beginning of every month.
About The Ninjai Gang

The Ninjai Gang, whose members originate from around the globe, is a group of young stuntmen by day and animators, musicians, and artists by night. Ninjai Gang members don't like to spotlight themselves and prefer to let their work speak for them. When not producing their shows, the Gang spend most of their time in physical training, martial arts stuntwork, yoga, meditation, playing video games, surfing (on real waves with surfboards, not on the Internet), and The Gang's original productions are inspired by the Gang's unique situation of having been raised in a multicultural environment where ancient Eastern philosophical influences such as Hinduism and Buddhism meet modern-day rock music, movies, computer games, etc.
About IGN Entertainment

IGN Entertainment, a unit of Fox Interactive Media, Inc., is a leading Internet media and services provider focused on the video game and entertainment enthusiast markets. Collectively, IGN's properties reached more than 32 million unique users worldwide in the month of December 2008. IGN's network of videogame-related properties (IGN.com, GameSpy, GreenPixels, FilePlanet, TeamXbox, Direct2Drive and others), is one of the Web's number one video game information destination and attracts one of the largest concentrated audiences of young males on the Internet. IGN also owns and operates the popular movie-related website, Rotten Tomatoes, and one of the leading male lifestyle websites, AskMen.com. In addition, IGN provides technology for online game play in video games. IGN is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices throughout the U.S. and in Montreal.
Contact

Ph 310-691-2896
Email press (at) karmakula.com

Traveling, Ski tips, and more

So.. it's been rainy and pretty cold here. I'm just kinda dreaming of places I'd like to travel to right now.

Here are some nice pictures and cool tips and such for traveling.

Not to mention, the pictures of the food in India is just making me hungrier!

Expert advice: Top 9 ski tips

By Heather Eng
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Budget Travel

(Budget Travel) -- The pros weigh in on every aspect of your skiing holiday--including your socks. Even you black-diamond types might learn a thing or two.
Sometimes a ski vacation can be painful. Follow this expert advice to avoid any unpleasant turns.

Sometimes a ski vacation can be painful. Follow this expert advice to avoid any unpleasant turns.

1. Getting in shape
"Take yoga classes before you go: Yoga works the whole body, stretches muscles, and gets you used to balancing. You don't want to wake up after your first day and be too sore to ski." Troy Hawks, editor, National Ski Areas Association Journal

2. Packing
"Most airlines let you travel with a ski bag as one of your checked bags. Just be aware of the weight allowance." Mike Douglas, Salomon International Ski Team

3. Car rentals
"If you're renting a car, call ahead to reserve a four-wheel drive or snow tires. Don't settle for chains. There's no worse nightmare than dealing with chains." Phil McNichol, head men's coach, U.S. Ski Team

4. Acclimating
"I never ski the first day. Your body is tired, so you're at greater risk of injury. Go for a walk or run instead. It'll help you adjust to the climate and altitude." Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso (giant slalom, 2006)

5. Selecting skis
"Call a ski shop near the resort and reserve demos. They're high-end skis that won't make you look like a gaper, the way most rentals do." Jonny Moseley, Olympic gold medalist (moguls, 1998) and Ski Channel advisor
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6. Socks
"Ski socks are way better than standard cotton socks. They allow more blood flow, have cushioning where boots can accommodate it, and are warmer. And before you put them on, spray your feet with antiperspirant. Your feet will be drier and warmer." Dee Byrne, director, Vail Snowsports School

7. Helmets
"For the sport of alpine ski racing, helmets are required at every level of competition, and that's trickling down. Skiers without helmets are in the minority." Andy LeRoy, head alpine coach, University of Denver

8. Scoping out the mountain
"Most resorts offer tours at the beginning of the day. Take one that's geared to your level. It'll help you pick out the runs you'll really enjoy. Besides, tours are a great way to meet people." Tom West, president and CEO, U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum

9. Safety
"Don't end the day with a difficult run. Not only will you have already peaked, but the conditions change. In late afternoon, the light gets flat, the temperatures go down, and everyone else is tired. Statistics show that most accidents occur late in the day." Tim White, executive director, National Ski Patrol

So.. 15 days to go to Karma Kula's chapter 3

Kiss a Cleft Lip

Adnan's story is a touching one. I wish that a lot more children could get this type of opportunity to smile too.

Kissing a cleft lip goodbye- Adnan’s Journey, Part I
By Nicole Lapin

CNN.com Live anchor



In the middle of a crowded hospital hallway in Alexandria, Egypt, Adnan’s blue eyes pop. He is sitting on the lap of his father, Mohammed Saleh. Saleh looks at me and then at his pregnant wife next to him. “I hope the new one doesn’t have this condition,” he says in his broken English.



“This condition” refers to his son’s cleft lip. The Salehs are one of the more than 200 families who showed up at Shark Al Madina Hospital to try to receive free treatment for their child’s cleft lip and/or palate. It is Operation Smile’s first mission in this city and the turnout is higher than expected.



“I don’t know why he has it,” Saleh mutters as he kisses his 7-month-old son’s forehead. I wish I had an answer for him. I try telling him in my broken Arabic that the organization says it’s a combination of genetic, environmental and nutritional factors. It means little to a father just trying to fix whatever caused his son’s deformity.



The global rate of cleft lip and/or palate is about 1 in every 750 births. Unlike in the United States, the corrective surgery is costly and hard to come by in countries like Egypt. I am here with an Operation Smile volunteer group- a mix of accomplished plastic surgeons, nurses and pediatricians from all over the world- aiming to change that for kids like Adnan.



Running on adrenaline and Turkish coffee, the volunteers transformed one corner of the hospital into an eight-step screening process on the first day of the mission. Benches turned into registration centers. Markers and recycled paper became locator signs: “Vitals,” “Dental,” “Anesthesiologist.” A bed sheet, beach ball and coloring book looked like an indoor playground in no time.



Women dressed in full hijab wait hours for their children to have a chance at getting the surgery. An older woman walks up to me so fast she nearly stumbles over her long skirt. “My grandson, my grandson, look, look,” she yells, holding the advertisement that appeared in a local paper in one hand and a wallet full of his pictures in the other.



The team will do approximately 175 surgeries during this mission. Not everyone from two days of screening receives an operation. The organization prioritizes the kids getting screened based on their chances for a successful recovery.



The Salehs are Number 27 in this process. I start following them when they got their number at 7 a.m. They finish around noon and before they leave I ask Adnan’s father what he wants his son to be when he grows up. Saleh answers quickly, “Whatever will make him happy.” I say, “So, a doctor, lawyer, policeman…?” He nods, “I just want my son to have the chance.”



A child whose cleft lip goes untreated will carry a social stigma in much of the world. Some cultures believe it is “a curse” or “God’s will.” A child whose cleft palate, an actual split on the roof of his or her mouth, goes untreated can have difficulty eating and speaking. In some pockets of the globe where malnutrition is prevalent, some of those youngsters won’t survive.



I hear the last prayer call of the day echo outside the seaside hospital – that means it is 8 in the evening. I just found out that Adnan has been accepted to surgery. It’s scheduled for Saturday morning. I can’t wait to see what he looks like when he smiles with more than just his eyes.



Editor’s Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

Don't forget, Karma Kula's 3rd chapter will be out soon!

Horse boy

I've been reading Conn Iggulden's "Wolf on the Plains", so this story makes me pretty stoked:

'Horse Boy,' family find respite from autism in Mongolia

When 3-year-old Rowan Isaacson darted away from his father and dived into a herd of grazing horses, it easily could have been the end of the small autistic boy. He was babbling under the hooves of a boss mare.
Rupert and Rowan Isaacson take in the beautiful scenery.

Rupert and Rowan Isaacson take in the beautiful scenery.
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"I thought he was going to get trampled," recalled Rupert Isaacson, Rowan's father.

But the horse, Betsy, dipped her head and chewed with her mouth in submission. Isaacson, who had trained horses for a living, had never seen it happen so spontaneously. Rowan had seemingly made a connection.

The Austin, Texas, family had been struggling with Rowan.

His wild tantrums were nearly driving Isaacson and his wife, Kristin Neff, to divorce. All the while, little Rowan was becoming unreachable.

"He would just stare off into space," Isaacson said. "I was worried it was going to get progressively worse and that eventually, he might float away from us entirely. Luckily, right about that time is when he met Betsy."

Isaacson began riding Betsy, a neighbor's horse, with Rowan. He says he noticed immediate improvement in his son's language skills. Video Watch Rowan and Betsy »

"He would start to answer. He would start to talk. We would do song games up there on the saddle. I would take books up there in the saddle," Isaacson said.

Autism specialists say that horse riding can be effective in gaining access to autistic children.

Experts make a distinction between the kind of recreational therapeutic riding Isaacson was using with Rowan and hippotherapy, which is a medical treatment that uses horses and is supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist.

"People perceive it's the interaction with the horse that's making the change. However, the movement of the horse is extremely powerful, and it's that movement that's having neurological impact on the autistic child," said Ruth Dismuke-Blakely, a speech-language pathologist and hippotherapy clinical specialist in Edgewood, New Mexico.
'House Call'
Watch more on Rowan's amazing journey this weekend on "House Call."
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According to preliminary analysis of an ongoing study by Dismuke-Blakely, hippotherapy has been shown to increase verbal communication skills in some autistic children in as little as 18 to 25 minutes of riding once a week for eight weeks.

"We see their arousal and affect change. They become more responsive to cues. If they are at a point where they are using verbal cues, you get more words," Dismuke-Blakely said. "It's almost like it opens them up. It gives us access."

She cautions that a horse's movements can be powerful. For some autistic children, riding too long can overstimulate their nervous system, leading to more erratic behavior.

On Betsy, Rowan was at ease. After about three weeks, Isaacson says, Rowan's improved behavior was translating into the home and outside world as well.

But not consistently.

In late 2004, Isaacson, a human rights activist, brought a delegation of African bushmen from Botswana to the United Nations. Among the men were traditional healers, who offered to work with Rowan.

Isaacson says he was skeptical, but he had experience with the bushmen and allowed the healers to lay their hands on his son.

"I was kind of flabbergasted at Rowan's response. For about four days while they were with him, he started to lose some of his symptoms. He started to point, which was a milestone he hadn't achieved," Isaacson said.

When the tribal healers left, Rowan regressed.

Isaacson says he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he were to give Rowan a longer exposure to the two things that he seemed to have responded well to: horses and shamans.

"I know it sounds completely crazy," he said. "I just had a gut feeling."

Isaacson took his wife and son to Mongolia.
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"It's the oldest horse culture on the planet. Everyone still gets around on a horse there -- so a nomadic culture. The word 'shaman' comes from there," Isaacson said, explaining his decision. "I just thought, 'Well, what if we went there and rode across the steppe and visited traditional healers? You know, what might happen for Rowan? Might there be some positive outcomes?' "

Trekking across the Mongolian prairie on horseback, Isaacson says, Rowan's behavior was changed dramatically.

"Rowan was not cured of autism out there," Isaacson stressed. "The word 'cure' is not in my vocabulary for this. Rowan came back without three key dysfunctions that he had. He went out to Mongolia incontinent and still suffering from these neurological firestorms -- so tantruming all the time and cut off from his peers, unable to make friends -- and he came back with those three dysfunctions having gone."

Isaacson credits Rowan's improvement to horses and time in nature -- and to shamanic healing, which he says he simply can't explain rationally.

Isaacson has written a book, "The Horse Boy," about Rowan's autism.

Rowan, now 7, rides Betsy by himself. His parents never abandoned more orthodox treatments for his autism, and Rowan's applied behavioral analysis therapist has him studying math and English at the third-grade level -- a full year ahead of some of his peers.

"He's just becoming a very functional autistic person," Isaacson said.
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* MayoClinic.com: Autism

As far as the Isaacson family's journey took them, it is the same hard slog facing millions of families gripped by autism.

"A lot of the parents go to the ends of the Earth in their own living rooms every day," Isaacson said. "I mean, we had more stressful car rides to the grocery store than any of the stresses and challenges of the trip to Mongolia."
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You don't have to get on a horse -- or plane to Siberia -- for relief. For autism families, Isaacson encourages parents to simply follow their instincts and listen to what their child shows them.

"In our case, it was horses in Mongolia and these shamans," Isaacson said. "It could just as easily have been bicycles and, you know, steam trains. And if it had been, we'd have done a steam train journey. We'd have done whatever Rowan seemed to be showing us he wanted to do, because that was where he was intrinsically motivated."

Don't forget to watch your daily ninjai chapter

Thunderbolts

I was horribly irritable this morning. Anyway, my day picked up. I finished a few things that I was meant to and I've got another ton of things to finish now.

Late this afternoon the rainclouds started coming in from the ocean, and in with it, a huge thunderstorm. I had been waiting for a chance to swim all afternoon, and it was already 5 past when I finally had a chance. My friend and I were standing on the beach, watching the silver bolts of lightning smashing down from the sky- some near, some far. Some of them were getting real near, so we were asking each other, "Is this bravery or stupidity?" Right when we ran out of the shelter of the umbrella trees this massive lightning bolt came crashing down - again, closer to us. We ran screaming back under, it was really funny. Then a few minutes after we ran like mad to the ocean, jumped in, then jumped back on the beach and ran towards the trees. Our beach here is basically flat and there aren't very many trees around. It's not at all like a Waikiki or something of the sort, so more often than not, we would be the tallest things standing on the beach during a thunderstorm.
The rain started pouring down heavily after, and now the huge orchestra of frogs has begun their singing for the night. I went for a short walk over to my friend's house and nearly stepped on at least 3 baby frogs. :P Frog in a well..
Obama mania?

Family prisons

In Bolivia, Keeping Kids and Mothers Together — in Prison
By Jean Friedman-Rudovsky / La Paz Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2009

At first glance it feels like any Latin American barrio filled with kids. It's a Saturday afternoon, and a dozen young children are sprawled out on a yard, painting a large canvass. Others run free through the one-square-block area that resembles a cramped town, with its food stands and kiosks. The tykes rattle off for me what they like best about their community: the mess hall, their friends, the food, the paint — and, for many, just "living with mom."

They're living with mom, however, inside the Women's Correctional Facility in La Paz, Bolivia. There are about 250 prisoners here — and also 100 kids. In fact, the country's lock-ups house more than 1,400 children behind electrified, fence-topped walls and below shotgun-guarded towers. Among the prisoner-mothers at the Women's Correctional Facility is Andrea Virginia Tapia, who has been behind bars for four years and is expected to be released next year. (She won't discuss her crime.) "Above all in this life, I am a mother," says Tapia, who is in her 30s and is the mother of seven kids, four of whom live in the prison with her. (The others live with her mother.) "They are best with me," she adds, as her three-year-old snuggles into her lap, "regardless of where that is." (See pictures from a women's prison in Iraq.)

That sentiment seems to be taking hold in many parts of Latin America, where thousands of children are growing up behind bars alongside their incarcerated mothers and fathers. That might sound like Dickensian tragedy; but in Bolivia it's a legal — and fiercely defended — practice. "We've seen that this is best for mother, or father, and child," says Jorge Lopez, Director of Bolivia's Penitentiary System. "It's important not to rip those bonds between parent and child." What's more, sadly, it may be the best alternative for the children themselves. In Bolivia, South America's poorest country, it's often financially impossible for family members on the outside to take on more mouths to feed. Orphanages aren't feasible, either: "Children live in worse conditions there than in the prisons — and without their moms and dads," says Rene Estensorro, a psychologist at Semilla de Vida (Seed of Life), a non-governmental organization that works with imprisoned mothers and their children. Lopez agrees. Releasing the kids from the prisons, he says, "means [their] direct entryway onto the street."

Advocates argue that keeping the children inside prison may also have positive effects on their convict parents. "Having a child near helps the parent reform his or her actions and be more eager to rehabilitate and readapt to society," Lopez adds, noting that Bolivian legislation on this issue was based on studies reflecting that trend. (See pictures of how boxing helps prisoners in Thailand.)

The equally important question, of course, is what prison time does to the children. Estensorro acknowledges that "we see a lot of repression in the children." Kids inside the Women's Correctional Facility are punished for normal behavior like waking up in the middle of the night — because they end up waking up everyone else inside the cramped sleeping quarters. School age kids leave the prison each day to attend regular schools but nonetheless suffer isolation from their peers. Another problem: the lack of 24-hour medical care inside the prison. Worse, kids must sometimes share mom's punishment for bad behavior, like solitary confinement. As a result, not every prisoner mom is happy about having her children with her. "I am paying my debt to society but that doesn't mean that my children should be paying the consequences of my actions too," says Casilda Calle, another prisoner in La Paz.

Still, housing children with incarcerated parents is becoming a more accepted practice across a region that shares many of Bolivia's social shortcomings. According to Lopez, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala have systems similar to Bolivia's, which allows kids to live inside until the age of six (though even Lopez admits that kids sometimes stay years longer). Some women's prisons in Mexico hold toddlers; and in Argentina, there is a special facility for pregnant inmates and those with kids under the age of four.

So instead of attempting to remove the children, most efforts in Latin America today focus on improving in-prison services that benefit both parent and child, like constructing day care centers in or near the facilities and providing inmates with good-parenting workshops. The plight of these children, however, doesn't seem to be high on any relief organizations' list. Save the Children runs programs for the 200 children inside Bolivia's San Pedro men's prison, but that's the extent of its work in Latin America. CARE does not deal directly with this population, and various United Nations agencies did not respond to TIME's requests for comment. Nevertheless, after tear gas was used to put down a recent riot at a men's prison where 200 kids live, UNICEF issued this statement: "The precariousness of the infrastructure, health and welfare conditions of these penitentiary centers constitute a transgression of children's and adolescents' most fundamental rights."

Either way, even if the world outside Latin America might view the practice as a 21st-century version of a 19th-century evil, making children part of a prison's population has become an integral part of the region's corrections culture. "Kids learn to adapt," says Estensorro. "I believe they really are better off here."

Time

I guess it's a good idea all around.

Drop by the Mystic Warriors.

Days gone by

I've been watching a few documentaries from msn and stuff.

We went snake hunting with my friend again but to no avail..:'( It's raining now. So perhaps tomorrow will be a good day to look for them.

Don't forget to watch the Ninjas

Abuse, Britain's Got Talent, and more..

This kid: Shaheen Jafargholi is pretty awesome. Gratz there.

I took the boys out to the trails today and bought them some ice cream. I've been thinking a lot about abuse and its horrible "step sisters" so to speak. From what I have seen, physical abuse never comes alone. It is always coupled with psychological and verbal abuse. This boy is young. I am quite fond of him, obviously- as a younger brother for that. I know I would try to do what I could to help any person or living being in such a situation. That's one thing I hated about the dog training classes I used to bring my dog to. We had to hit our dogs and punish them and do all kinds of stuff that would make them yelp and scream and dig their heels in the ground. Luckily my dog was smart and he learned quickly so that I never had to push him as hard as some dogs had to be pushed. This reminds me of an incident years ago, when my aunt gave me a little puppy. We stopped at one of our friends' house on our way up and had lunch there. My new pet, G.I., as we called him later on, was left outside the house tied next to a tree. Someone came and parked their motorcycle right beside him while we were having lunch, and there were two girls sitting just a few feet from him, also having their lunch. Sometime during lunch he started crying. His cries turned to gurgling sounds muffled in his throat, and I ran outside to find him choking to death. He had somehow entwined himself around the motorcycle and his leash and each time he struggled to get away it only just made it worse. Perhaps I was being a selfish ass back then and now, thinking that those two girls sitting a couple feet away from him would've helped him out of his predicament, as he was obviously crying for help and needing help. It wasn't like he was a huge dog with scary teeth and what not. He was a month and a half- that was it. Luckily I got there on time and he recovered quite well from the shock.

Seeing animals going through so much pain is in itself heart breaking. What more, seeing human beings going through it. The very sound of it would break any basically normal person's heart. I don't really get it.


Don't forget to watch your daily Ninjai tidbit

Life, golf, and etc

I've been staying in a compound right by the beach for the past month or so. Aside from the really good surfer kids I've posted about before, there are also some other kids who I watch over every now and then. I like them. They can be really bratty sometimes, but otherwise they are good, fun kids to be around.

This afternoon, after a very minor incident, I saw the mom of one of the kids drag her son up and start beating him with a stick. I'm not talking about a little stick, it was a big one. I know how much those sticks hurt because they're for martial arts and I've taken those classes on how to use them, etcetera. Anyhow, the poor boy ended up stripped naked, standing naked outside on the road. I went out and put a towel on him and brought him inside. Iced his welts from the stick and put some cream on them so they won't hurt too much, hopefully. I brought him out on the beach with me afterwards. He's all right now and was in good spirits.

I don't know why but I've seen at least a couple other such cases and have had to interfere and try to get things okay with everyone before. It's a heart breaking situation to see another person beating someone else, and what more- hearing and seeing the person being beaten. Both ways it is completely heart breaking.


On the lighter side:

Todd aces same hole on 2 straight days
h
ATHENS, Ga. (AP)—Brendon Todd made Nationwide Tour history by making a hole-in-one at the same hole for the second straight day at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic.

The former Georgia All-American aced the 147-yard 17th hole on Friday, using an 8-iron during the second round at the Jennings Mill Country Club course.

“It’s still hard to believe,” Todd said after posting a 1-under 71. “It’s a bit surreal, even now.”

During Thursday’s opening round, Todd used a 7-iron when the hole played 157 yards and he finished with a 4-under 68. He is 5-under for the $550,000 event.

Todd is the first player in the 20-year history of the tour to ace the same hole twice in the same tournament.

“I had just come off a bogey and so I wasn’t in a great mood when I stepped on the tee. I wasn’t even thinking about making it,” he said. “It was a perfect yardage and I flagged it. It looked pretty good in the air and then landed about 4 feet short and left of the hole and rolled in the back of the cup. I guess I played the break perfectly.”

The last player to ace the same hole twice in the same tournament was Graham Marsh in the first and third rounds of the 2004 Senior British Open.

Yusaku Miyazato (2006), Bob Tway (1994), Glen Day (1994), Jack Rule (1964) and Bill Whedon (1955) are the only players in modern PGA Tour history to record two aces in a single event. Miyazato and Whedon are the only ones to do it in the same round.
Yahoo Sports News

Don't forget to watch some hot martial arts action!

We stand alone together

I just LOVE stuff like this.
It just blows my mind away. I swear I'm sure I was one of these war veterans before. Or .. maybe I was just a stupid cat always making trouble.

It's been raining cats and dogs here since about 11 pm last night. The first glimmers of sunshine are peaking out at me just now, and it's already nearly sunset. It's beautiful tho. The ocean's sparkling like silver now in the sunlight. I didn't go for a swim. It was cool enough to not feel the need for it just yet.

Don't forget to watch your daily Ninjai Chapter

So.. not much happening here. I've just been thoroughly enjoying swimming. There aren't any waves, but the water has been crystal, I mean like, CRYSTAL clear. So absolutely breathtakingly clear. Minus the jellyfish, it's perfect. I just paddle out and swim in the deep. The water's so clear that if you have goggles on, you can see all around as clear you almost as clearly as you can see when you're out of land. I swear, it just makes me drool. When the water is like that, my wishing for a water proof laptop with wifi internet only just gets stronger. :)

Anyhow, so.. we've got some pretty interesting headlines this week:

1. So trees can grow inside your... belly? Nope. Lungs.
2. Susan Boyle, still. I love her voice tho. I'm a big fan of Les Miserables.
3. Mystics? Warriors? It's not too new but it's still good. :)

Bravery

There's something about wars and soldiers that just makes me melt. and Bruce lee and his boy? I've just been sitting here on my ass all day watching war movies and such.

Don't forget to take a look at Frog in a well

Satya Bellord

Here's some interesting stuff on Satya Bellord, the star of Karma Kula's 2nd chapter, "Frog in the Well" :

Think "stunt double" and "martial arts double" are the same thing?

Not always. Satya Bellord (pictured above in a blond wig on the left, and with Quentin Tarantino on the right) got called on last minute to be a Martial Arts Double for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill Vol. 2.

What's the difference?

Satya explains: "The martial arts double specializes in martial arts, especially moves that require a higher skill and energy level. A trained martial artist develops an inner strength that isn't there in an actor or stunt person whose martial arts training is limited."

She is also credited as "Utility Stunts" in some sources. She was interviewed in Black Belt Magazine for her work on the film.

-Martial Arts Talents

Frog in the Well

Frog in the Well , Karma kula's 2nd chapter, is out!

I must say, I loved this chapter. It's got action, wit, suspense, and humor. What more to ask for?

I've been traveling heaps for the past few days. I'm just exhausted tonight, and glad to be parked somewhere even just for a few days. I'm just wanting to get some sleep more than anything else.

I visited some relatives and such over the holidays and drove my mom and aunts around. They had a great time I'd think, so all seems to be quite well. It was nice to spend some time with my cousins again.

Stranger saves baby from car bomb

I'd say what an adorable baby!

Iraqi salesman saves baby after bomb kills mother

BAGHDAD – A salesman rescued a baby from a blaze ignited by a car bombing in a Shiite neighborhood Tuesday, reaching through the shattered window and grabbing the boy after the blast killed his mother and eight other people.

The rescue, which witnesses described to an Associated Press reporter at the scene, highlighted the often overlooked role of Iraqi civilians in the aftermath of such bombings. Although violence has tapered off greatly over the past year, deadly attacks still plague the capital.

Iraqis tend to try to help one another after bombings and often drive victims to hospitals because ambulances can be slow in getting to the scene. But salesman Asad Raad's act was particularly notable because a burning car can explode if the fuel tanks are on fire, and bombings are often quickly followed by other attacks intended to kill rescuers.

Raad rushed out of his motorcycle shop after the explosion shook the Kazimiyah area of northwest Baghdad. He plucked the infant from the back seat, where he lay next to his dead mother.

Rescuers pulled a badly burned man, presumed to be the baby's father, from the car and rushed him to the hospital. In the confusion, no one at the scene determined the couple's names.

"The baby suffered light burns in the face," Raad told the AP. "I took the baby to my house and called the police. They told me to keep him for the time being."

Throughout the afternoon, relatives brought Raad milk and diapers for the baby, who was sleeping hours later.

"If nobody comes forward to claim him, my family is thinking of adopting him. To save and care for the baby is the only thing a human being can do in such circumstances," said Raad, a newlywed. "I cannot stand still and watch. I will do everything possible to protect the baby who lost his mother."

Tuesday's blast, nine hours before President Barack Obama touched down in Baghdad for a brief visit, came a day after bombings killed 37 people in Shiite areas of the capital and raised fears of new sectarian fighting.

The Interior Ministry warned of more car bombings in Baghdad and said security was being tightened to prevent them. The announcement followed public criticism of the police and army for failing to prevent Monday's attacks.

"We hold the security forces responsible for what happened," said Mustafa Radhi as he buried his relatives — a young husband and wife killed along with their newborn son Monday. "Innocent people and children died because of their negligence."

No group claimed responsibility for the recent blasts, but the U.S. military said the attacks bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida in Iraq, a Sunni extremist group that has targeted Shiite civilians in the past.

The government blamed supporters of Saddam Hussein in league with al-Qaida and suggested the blasts were timed for Tuesday's anniversary of the founding of his disbanded Baath party. Thursday is also the sixth anniversary of the U.S. capture of Baghdad, which ended Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime.

Also Tuesday, a suicide car bomber killed three policemen and wounded seven people at a police checkpoint in Fallujah, a former insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad.

The bullet-riddled body of a member of a U.S.-allied Sunni paramilitary ground was found Tuesday in Iskandariyah, 30 miles south of the capital, police said. The victim had been kidnapped the day before.

Source

And of course.. Karma kula's 2nd chapter will be out in a day or so. :)

Old friends and lol cats

Got to love these pictures. :)


This one is particularly hilarious. I went for a swim this morning with some old friends. It was pretty nice. I haven't seen them for ages. I'm pretty happy to be with them again, although I'm not sure they're as happy to see me.
Either way it's good. I caught some jellyfish when we went out for a swim.


Don't forget to watch your Ninjai Chapter

Handheld nitendo games

The handheld Nitendo DSi is almost out. Should be pretty interesting. I can bet my brother will be walking around with one soon.

Revamped Nintendo Handheld To Hit Domestic Shores This Week
But should you buy one?

By Gordon Cameron and Mike Smith

In the handheld gaming market, Nintendo reigns supreme -- thanks to the spectacular success of its 100-million-selling flagship, the DS. With the system still going strong, you might think, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" – but then, you’re not Nintendo. They’ve been tinkering with their favorite toy, and after a preliminary run in Japan, the newly-souped-up DS -- now called the "DSi" -- is poised to hit store shelves in Europe and America.

In-Depth Video: The DSi

The design changes in the new device are subtle but significant. The DSi features a slightly larger viewing screen than its predecessor, with superior speakers to round out the experience. The case is slimmer, thanks to the removal of the largely obsolete Game Boy Advance cartridge slot. Particularly noteworthy is the addition of internal and external cameras, allowing the DSi to double as a versatile camera – not unlike that other handheld device that has a lower-case "i" in its name.

On the software side, the DSi's been given a slick new browsing interface that’s reminiscent of its big brother, the Wii. Accessible via any wi-fi connection (find out how), the DSi shop will give you access to numerous applications and low-cost games. Some of the apps – including a suite of photo-manipulation tools that will let you tweak your pictures in humorous and creative ways – are ready to use out of the box.

10 Things You Didn't Know About The DSi

All of this adds up to a lighter, leaner package that blurs the line between games console and general-purpose handheld tool. Whether Nintendo explicitly designed the DSi as an answer to Apple’s iPhone – itself making a surprisingly effective stealth entry into the handheld gaming arena – is questionable. But the vibe we’re getting from the device is that it’s a little more versatile, a little more grown-up, and a little more pitched to the same non-hardcore audience that has made the Wii such a smash.

So it's an even more mainstream design -- but is it a good deal for consumers? If you're one of the hundred-odd million existing DS owners, it's unlikely you'll see too much benefit from upgrading. Sure, the ergonomics are improved, but it remains to be seen whether the camera and DSi shop will give rise to genuinely better games, or just be remembered as gimmicks. You might well want to watch and wait before taking the plunge. On the other hand, if you're pondering your first DS purchase, the DSi is definitely a better bet than its older cousin, even though it'll be selling at a $40 premium.

How is the DSi expected to sell in a sluggish economy? Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising at game-retailing behemoth GameStop, isn’t worried. "In the U.S., we've got reservations that are more than double where the prior DS launch was," McKenzie told us. McKenzie also foresees a continuing market for the DS Lite alongside the DSi. "The DSi will outsell the DS Lite in the first two weeks, but… we anticipate the DS Lite will continue selling well because of the economy, and the value that it has." GameStop is preparing midnight DSi launches on Sunday night at some 2400 stores around the country, including the main event at the Universal Citywalk Store in Burbank, which will feature music, live entertainment, and attendance by top Nintendo execs.

Want to know more? Check out IGN's DSi Starter Guide.

I found a baby bird that was learning to fly and who lost gas in the bushes the other day. He died after a day. I'm so gutted about it. Had I closed the toilet lid I would still have the little fellow with me now. augh.


Don't forget to watch and vote Karma Kula Mystic Warrior

Birds falling out of trees

So I had a pretty ordinary day today. Just swam in the morning, went to town to pick up some school stuff and went to the grocery... did heaps of math in the afternoon, then I babysat. I went to get some snacks for the kids and there was this little bird just learning to fly, sitting on one of the plants. It went to our kitchen a few times. It can't really fly much more than a few inches off the ground, so I figure it fell out of its nest in an unsuccessful attempt to fly. Its parents were really freaking out just right about my head, and when I scooped it up in my hands it just came right on. Right then one of the huge fat cats that like to hang out around here scampered off. Had I come a few minutes later this little bird would've been dinner. He or she is a stubborn little thing tho- it still won't open its mouth. I've taken care of quite a few birds already and this one is just so not wanting to open its mouth - at least not yet. I've crushed berries and just fed it juice from those berries. It's sleeping now tho, real cute little fellow. It's the nicest specie of wild birds that I've gotten so far. Usually I just find the most ordinary sparrows around and nothing more.

I hope it lives. I've yet to name it.

Break

It was another beautiful day out at the beach. I swam with my neighbors again. It was wonderful. The water is so perfectly clean, the waves were great and we all had a fun time swimming- and the others, surfing. Paddle boards are pretty cool. I haven't tried it with the waves yet but it looks like good fun.

I've been doing a lot of updating with the computers to prevent the April 1st worm from getting us. Hopefully it works. So far so good tho, right?

I had a pretty good night. I've just been dreaming of math. I only just have a math subject left and I'll be done with my 1st college course. I've failed this subject thrice before, and I'm not willing to fail it again for the world.

In the meantime, here I am, nibbling on some dried, sugary bananas and boiled corn. Life is good. Don't forget to watch a
Ninjai Chapter, and the Mystic Warrior.

Waves, waves a-pounding

The waves are crashing loudly in the ocean tonight. The ground is cool, and the wind blows softly, as if to ease the memory of day-time summer heat. The pink flowering creepers by my window shiver in the drizzle, perfuming the breeze. Awaken not, thou shallow tears, I bid you away.
The waves are pounding on the beach, as angry. So different from the calm, clear, cool water of the morn. Years have gone flit-flying by. Surrounded by change I remain the same.