Terry Lloyd's Blog, page 48
July 25, 2016
Landlords.
There are some job titles that have a bit of a stereotype. Even saying the profession may earn the odd negative assumption but often what we have to ask ourselves is not so much why the stereotype has been applied generally but if on an individual basis this reputation is justified.
Landlords, many of us will have to encounter them, some of us will be them and some may live life at both ends of this landlord and tenant liaison... Landlords are important to individual housing needs, their responsibility to the business sector can be vast and the impact that their day to day decision making has does influence economic growth. It might be because of this that landlords and their ethics are often and rightly at the heart of many a political debate. Regulations have been introduced to protect the right of the tenant and in many cases that of the landlord. Legislations have meant that a code of conduct should govern this highly influential area of society but then there can be those immoral few who find a means of being able to practically demonstrate their ability to ignore and interpret the laws so as to further their own interest in an investment. If this happens the destruction can ruin lives.
The plight of the Full Repair Lease. Have you heard of a Full Repair Lease? Solicitors, advice bureaus and property experts may warn that caution is needed when thinking of taking on such an agreement and this is because history has been populated with multiple examples of how this kind of lease can be used to trap tenants into thousands of pounds in unknown costs. In one instance at the end of a full repair lease the landlord took the end of term in the lease as a means of capitalising on a full renovation of the premises. It is important that the Full Repair Lease be evident as for what it exactly signifies and that is justifiable repairs or maintenance, not renovation or refurbishment as both these terms could lead to significant cost implication for tenants who are about to often terminate business and vacate premises. In the same said individual reference the landlord defined his interpretation of Repair as to mean an extensive refurbishment of the property including works to improve on what the standard of the building had been at the start of the lease. These claims can often greatly overstate the necessary dilapidation requirements to the property.
Are some of the stereotypes based on Landlords and their management agencies justified? In answer to this question tenants of a locally run business in Kent would have to say that in their landlord's case it would have to be yes. Tenants of twenty six years, the landlord had regularly produced high claims for repairs, increased rent at regular intervals and employed what they deemed as heavy handed tactics to ensure payment was always prompt. In a secondary position but having increased rent on an equal basis to that of the more busy locations in the area the tenants referred to their ordeal with the landlord at the final stage of their lease. The dispute was to do with the notification of dilapidations that came in an unreadable state. The print was extremely small and clearly printed in a means that the tenants would not be able to read or fully distinguish. In that particular example the tenants claimed that they had heard of the saying that one should read the small print but they had to get a magnifying glass in order to read the important detail and demands of the landlord. Dilapidations should be a fair and justifiable surveyor's report of needed repairs to a given premises. The actual report itself is important because it should give the tenants ample time to investigate, understand and carry out the claims of repairs. In the case of the tenants from Kent the document is clearly not of merchantable quality or indeed fit for purpose. On the outside of the same said report in large letters that were easier to read was the title Intermediate dilapidation notification and on the inside in smaller letters was noted final dilapidation notice. Wording requirements on such documents should be presented clearly and signify what they are intended to mean. Intermediate equates to a need for the document to be presented some time before the final report and that it will not contain any conclusive figures but highlight necessary repair. A landlord should at no time be able to use the claims for dilapidations as a means of extorting money with no real expectation for the tenants to do claimed work. At a later date a separate final dilapidations report should be produced that can include definitive estimates to rectify any remaining repairs. This is a practical responsibility that a landlord has and is one that has guidelines defined by RICS Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Timing of applied notifications from a landlord are important. The Intermediate, final dilapidation report arrived four weeks after the end of the written lease had terminated for the tenants. Why is this important? That means there would be no time to arrange any repairs and the only recourse would be to pay the inflated demand by the landlord.
In the above individual case it is obvious that the presented dilapidation report bearing two names is legally void as it does not do the job of either report. Landlords who have no interest in honouring their obligations but simply are concerned with extorting money should beware because there are many agencies that are established to investigate methods chosen by the landlord which could be construed as a clumsy attempt at fraud.
Claims for expenses. Genuine expenses are a necessity and often there is a tendency to negatively stereotype landlords for what is a part of business maintenance. One should be aware of what a landlord's obligations to a property are. In particular for one tenant who had a metal guard rail that existed outside his premises his belief was that of being in receipt of excessive claims from the landlord for work that was insufficiently carried out. On having had to pay out several thousands of pounds for his part of the claim, the railing was partially replaced but after several months the end two rails along the steps had been left in their original condition. As they were clearly visible from the ground the tenant despite having paid was forced into having to endure work that was not carried out in full by the landlord. In having the exposed half repaired railing the tenant claimed that it undermined the whole point of why the railings were replaced in the first place as in a half finished condition the image of his business was made to suffer and in addition to this there was no explanation as for what happened to the remainder of the expenses that had been paid out to the landlord.
Be it the claim for dilapidations as in the case of the tenants in Kent, the expenses for repairs in the duration of a lease or the general accepted code of conduct of a landlord, all these areas have the potential to be either a means for a basis of positive or negative liaisons between a tenant and landlord.
Landlords hold what could and should be and integral role within business, society and many communities. Small business can thrive or fail according to how a landlord acts. If in compliance with legislations, regulations and decency honourable landlords can profit and do much for individual lives and benefit the wider economy. It is the documented and upsetting individual cases of a particular few that can have a negative impact on those honourable landlords who work in conjunction with their tenants.
Landlords, many of us will have to encounter them, some of us will be them and some may live life at both ends of this landlord and tenant liaison... Landlords are important to individual housing needs, their responsibility to the business sector can be vast and the impact that their day to day decision making has does influence economic growth. It might be because of this that landlords and their ethics are often and rightly at the heart of many a political debate. Regulations have been introduced to protect the right of the tenant and in many cases that of the landlord. Legislations have meant that a code of conduct should govern this highly influential area of society but then there can be those immoral few who find a means of being able to practically demonstrate their ability to ignore and interpret the laws so as to further their own interest in an investment. If this happens the destruction can ruin lives.
The plight of the Full Repair Lease. Have you heard of a Full Repair Lease? Solicitors, advice bureaus and property experts may warn that caution is needed when thinking of taking on such an agreement and this is because history has been populated with multiple examples of how this kind of lease can be used to trap tenants into thousands of pounds in unknown costs. In one instance at the end of a full repair lease the landlord took the end of term in the lease as a means of capitalising on a full renovation of the premises. It is important that the Full Repair Lease be evident as for what it exactly signifies and that is justifiable repairs or maintenance, not renovation or refurbishment as both these terms could lead to significant cost implication for tenants who are about to often terminate business and vacate premises. In the same said individual reference the landlord defined his interpretation of Repair as to mean an extensive refurbishment of the property including works to improve on what the standard of the building had been at the start of the lease. These claims can often greatly overstate the necessary dilapidation requirements to the property.
Are some of the stereotypes based on Landlords and their management agencies justified? In answer to this question tenants of a locally run business in Kent would have to say that in their landlord's case it would have to be yes. Tenants of twenty six years, the landlord had regularly produced high claims for repairs, increased rent at regular intervals and employed what they deemed as heavy handed tactics to ensure payment was always prompt. In a secondary position but having increased rent on an equal basis to that of the more busy locations in the area the tenants referred to their ordeal with the landlord at the final stage of their lease. The dispute was to do with the notification of dilapidations that came in an unreadable state. The print was extremely small and clearly printed in a means that the tenants would not be able to read or fully distinguish. In that particular example the tenants claimed that they had heard of the saying that one should read the small print but they had to get a magnifying glass in order to read the important detail and demands of the landlord. Dilapidations should be a fair and justifiable surveyor's report of needed repairs to a given premises. The actual report itself is important because it should give the tenants ample time to investigate, understand and carry out the claims of repairs. In the case of the tenants from Kent the document is clearly not of merchantable quality or indeed fit for purpose. On the outside of the same said report in large letters that were easier to read was the title Intermediate dilapidation notification and on the inside in smaller letters was noted final dilapidation notice. Wording requirements on such documents should be presented clearly and signify what they are intended to mean. Intermediate equates to a need for the document to be presented some time before the final report and that it will not contain any conclusive figures but highlight necessary repair. A landlord should at no time be able to use the claims for dilapidations as a means of extorting money with no real expectation for the tenants to do claimed work. At a later date a separate final dilapidations report should be produced that can include definitive estimates to rectify any remaining repairs. This is a practical responsibility that a landlord has and is one that has guidelines defined by RICS Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Timing of applied notifications from a landlord are important. The Intermediate, final dilapidation report arrived four weeks after the end of the written lease had terminated for the tenants. Why is this important? That means there would be no time to arrange any repairs and the only recourse would be to pay the inflated demand by the landlord.
In the above individual case it is obvious that the presented dilapidation report bearing two names is legally void as it does not do the job of either report. Landlords who have no interest in honouring their obligations but simply are concerned with extorting money should beware because there are many agencies that are established to investigate methods chosen by the landlord which could be construed as a clumsy attempt at fraud.
Claims for expenses. Genuine expenses are a necessity and often there is a tendency to negatively stereotype landlords for what is a part of business maintenance. One should be aware of what a landlord's obligations to a property are. In particular for one tenant who had a metal guard rail that existed outside his premises his belief was that of being in receipt of excessive claims from the landlord for work that was insufficiently carried out. On having had to pay out several thousands of pounds for his part of the claim, the railing was partially replaced but after several months the end two rails along the steps had been left in their original condition. As they were clearly visible from the ground the tenant despite having paid was forced into having to endure work that was not carried out in full by the landlord. In having the exposed half repaired railing the tenant claimed that it undermined the whole point of why the railings were replaced in the first place as in a half finished condition the image of his business was made to suffer and in addition to this there was no explanation as for what happened to the remainder of the expenses that had been paid out to the landlord.
Be it the claim for dilapidations as in the case of the tenants in Kent, the expenses for repairs in the duration of a lease or the general accepted code of conduct of a landlord, all these areas have the potential to be either a means for a basis of positive or negative liaisons between a tenant and landlord.
Landlords hold what could and should be and integral role within business, society and many communities. Small business can thrive or fail according to how a landlord acts. If in compliance with legislations, regulations and decency honourable landlords can profit and do much for individual lives and benefit the wider economy. It is the documented and upsetting individual cases of a particular few that can have a negative impact on those honourable landlords who work in conjunction with their tenants.
July 18, 2016
My Tax Nightmare.
Once again it is time to file my tax return. We are told about this, reminded in the media, press and numerous ways...what we are not told of is what happens for those of us who do reply to this reminder and venture into the website of the HMRC. Tax it is something we all know about but why should my experience of it be of public interest? I have one reply. HM Revenue and Customs Online Service. In particular, the website. The dreaded website that has become a nightmare for me. My mistake was made last Thursday evening when I decided to, as I have on many occasions before, file my Self Assessment tax return online. As I unsuspectingly surfed into the site, as prompted I logged in and it was then that the Tax Return Nightmare began...
HMRC have taken steps to improve the security system in such a way as to make it impossible to get past the initial first steps of confirming my own identity. Several times I entered information from the actual document required and each time, apart from one, took me to a This does not match your record message. The one time my identity, with the same information was validated, as events would have it I was then told that my session has expired and was kicked out yet again. I had to go through the whole new answer the telephone for a special code and then go through the whole enter the same information as requested again only to be disallowed entry this time because we had gone back to the We Can Not Match Your Records again. At this point I seriously felt like Jason Bourne had nothing on me. Had someone taken my identity? What kind of security system is it that does not allow you to confirm your own identity? Having no alternative successful way of getting past a continuous brick wall of stating information that I knew to be correct and having the same old this does not match their records did start to get to me. After several hours of frustration I decided to contact the help line. MISTAKE number two.
The HMRC Phone Call. On giving up electronically I went back to basics and used the phone. Did I get to speak to anyone? No. I was told by an electronic voice that information was readily available on their website, did I know most questions could be answered that way and then could I please go through a number of answers to aid them in putting me through to the right department. Fair enough, or so at first I thought, I replied to the questions, I waited while she was about to put me through to someone, an actual person who could resolve my problem and then after a few seconds I was curtly told by the robotic voice that they were very busy and at that time no one could talk to me and to add insult to injury I was cut off.
Far from at a loss I fully understood why they were busy as the robotic voice had stated, half the population of this country were probably in line with similar problems to me. When you can not identify yourself because the security system acts like a bodyguard in overdrive, then yes HMRC you may get a few calls about it.
I had to go back to the old enter of the same information online and then my pleasurable experience of the HMRC Self Assessment did not end there, I was after my latest attempt told by the site that I had attempted to log in too many times and that I had to wait...seven days before attempting it again. You could say it was more of a Sanity Assessment than a Self Assessment but I did not give up. I knew the phone would not get me through to anyone who could aid me and so I used my imitative and surfed into an online chat with someone on their website. At first the nightmare seemed to lift and after a bit of a wait, where I did think that maybe no one was at the other end, I was asked for my information and problem. The HMRC advisor online did engage in a chat with me, this consisted of question, reply and then the response from her that she would have to go to ask someone for guidance on what had happened to me. Fine. After a few seconds that turned to minutes this turned into a Not so Fine when she came back to inform me that my problem, the fault on the initial screen was not her department responsibility. I did not know what to say, who to turn to and HMRC seemed not to know either! In the chat I was told that the advisor understood my frustration, the security system was a new one...none of these statements could get me out of the nightmare I found myself in. It was at the latter part of the instant message type chat with an advisor that she suggested I could use an independent service to prove my identity. GREAT. I would do that. After numerous pieces of identity had been checked I ended up with a temporary password that allowed me to access the initial part of the website that I had difficulty with, finally HMRC recognised me and I had an identity again! Yay...but my relief was short lived. It was as I went on to the next part of the site that my individual tax number was requested. It was with trepidation that I put in the number as stated on a written document only to be told that my individual tax number was incorrect and could not be recognised.
HMRC what are you doing to me? Seriously this is not a security system that works and I think you may know it because in amongst the requests for feedback on the new system is the statement that the new system may not work for everybody!
It has not worked at all. I have several issues with HMRC and the security system, if you are being told that there is difficulty in authenticating an identity why have a blanket shut down that ensures you have to wait seven days? Surely there should be a more efficient way of sorting out any security problem immediately and what happens in seven days if it still does not accept my individual tax number. What could be even worse is if I did not have seven days to wait before sending in my tax return. Would I have to pay a fine for the faults in your security system? Contact is an important part of the system and without a means to talk to anyone I have to state how difficult, annoying and disheartening the whole Self Assessment Tax return experience, for someone who has never had a problem before, has been. It does seem as if somewhere along the line this new security system has not been linked to the database of individual information, as when I overcame the security identity check error I then had to endure another fault as the site could not match my individual tax number.
HMRC I feel like I have just taken part in the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.
HMRC have taken steps to improve the security system in such a way as to make it impossible to get past the initial first steps of confirming my own identity. Several times I entered information from the actual document required and each time, apart from one, took me to a This does not match your record message. The one time my identity, with the same information was validated, as events would have it I was then told that my session has expired and was kicked out yet again. I had to go through the whole new answer the telephone for a special code and then go through the whole enter the same information as requested again only to be disallowed entry this time because we had gone back to the We Can Not Match Your Records again. At this point I seriously felt like Jason Bourne had nothing on me. Had someone taken my identity? What kind of security system is it that does not allow you to confirm your own identity? Having no alternative successful way of getting past a continuous brick wall of stating information that I knew to be correct and having the same old this does not match their records did start to get to me. After several hours of frustration I decided to contact the help line. MISTAKE number two.
The HMRC Phone Call. On giving up electronically I went back to basics and used the phone. Did I get to speak to anyone? No. I was told by an electronic voice that information was readily available on their website, did I know most questions could be answered that way and then could I please go through a number of answers to aid them in putting me through to the right department. Fair enough, or so at first I thought, I replied to the questions, I waited while she was about to put me through to someone, an actual person who could resolve my problem and then after a few seconds I was curtly told by the robotic voice that they were very busy and at that time no one could talk to me and to add insult to injury I was cut off.
Far from at a loss I fully understood why they were busy as the robotic voice had stated, half the population of this country were probably in line with similar problems to me. When you can not identify yourself because the security system acts like a bodyguard in overdrive, then yes HMRC you may get a few calls about it.
I had to go back to the old enter of the same information online and then my pleasurable experience of the HMRC Self Assessment did not end there, I was after my latest attempt told by the site that I had attempted to log in too many times and that I had to wait...seven days before attempting it again. You could say it was more of a Sanity Assessment than a Self Assessment but I did not give up. I knew the phone would not get me through to anyone who could aid me and so I used my imitative and surfed into an online chat with someone on their website. At first the nightmare seemed to lift and after a bit of a wait, where I did think that maybe no one was at the other end, I was asked for my information and problem. The HMRC advisor online did engage in a chat with me, this consisted of question, reply and then the response from her that she would have to go to ask someone for guidance on what had happened to me. Fine. After a few seconds that turned to minutes this turned into a Not so Fine when she came back to inform me that my problem, the fault on the initial screen was not her department responsibility. I did not know what to say, who to turn to and HMRC seemed not to know either! In the chat I was told that the advisor understood my frustration, the security system was a new one...none of these statements could get me out of the nightmare I found myself in. It was at the latter part of the instant message type chat with an advisor that she suggested I could use an independent service to prove my identity. GREAT. I would do that. After numerous pieces of identity had been checked I ended up with a temporary password that allowed me to access the initial part of the website that I had difficulty with, finally HMRC recognised me and I had an identity again! Yay...but my relief was short lived. It was as I went on to the next part of the site that my individual tax number was requested. It was with trepidation that I put in the number as stated on a written document only to be told that my individual tax number was incorrect and could not be recognised.
HMRC what are you doing to me? Seriously this is not a security system that works and I think you may know it because in amongst the requests for feedback on the new system is the statement that the new system may not work for everybody!
It has not worked at all. I have several issues with HMRC and the security system, if you are being told that there is difficulty in authenticating an identity why have a blanket shut down that ensures you have to wait seven days? Surely there should be a more efficient way of sorting out any security problem immediately and what happens in seven days if it still does not accept my individual tax number. What could be even worse is if I did not have seven days to wait before sending in my tax return. Would I have to pay a fine for the faults in your security system? Contact is an important part of the system and without a means to talk to anyone I have to state how difficult, annoying and disheartening the whole Self Assessment Tax return experience, for someone who has never had a problem before, has been. It does seem as if somewhere along the line this new security system has not been linked to the database of individual information, as when I overcame the security identity check error I then had to endure another fault as the site could not match my individual tax number.
HMRC I feel like I have just taken part in the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.
July 11, 2016
A Nuts Q and A.
I've gone Nuts! No, I don't mean the crazy kind, I am talking about the nuts you eat variety...Why? I hear you ask. To this I reply that nuts are one of the super food secrets, used in multiple Eastern dishes, exotic cuisine and consumed in more food items than you may actually know about, nuts are a means of lowering your risk for illness and promoting your overall heart health. Love them or loath them, nuts can be an important part of one's health regime. In this piece I have gone nutty about the humble nut and if you join me on this nutritional nut natter then you may learn a few fun facts you never knew before.
What Are the Nutty Facts I need to Know? An interesting fact that can have a bearing on promoting good health are nuts. In the most basic and simple form they are a health food that you should be aware of because these tiny positive promoters of health can be a tasty and terrific alternative to many negative detrimental diet decisions. Vegetarian and with some nuts containing cholesterol lowering plant sterols these additions to one's diet can have a positive influence. Nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and omega 6 as well as antioxidants, vitamins, proteins and minerals. They have been shown to reduce fatal and non fatal heart attacks by an astonishing 30 % to 50 %. The reason for this may be that they release a property that causes the body to produce nitric oxide and that is essential for the good health of the internal lining of arteries and veins. This release of nitric oxide aids with elasticity of arteries and veins.
Do I need to eat a nut load of nuts to see an improvement in my health? In short the answer is no. The suggested amount is two or three handful of mixed nuts each week. Two handfuls of nuts may not seem to be able to do much for one's health but in fact it can alter your cholesterol, as they are filling they can improve your ability to lose weight and can positively influence one's appearance.
Can I Say Bye to the Loo Blues? Absolutely! We may not like to talk about this particular issue but for me I have noticed an interesting side affect is that nuts have caused me to be regular and I think that as constipation can be a seldom spoken of but serious problem this can only be thought of as a good thing. (Please note that this is only an experience based on me as an individual, while it may be a positive point for many, achievement in this area may vary!)
What the Omega is it? You may have heard or seen the information that is already out there about omega oils. Omega in the health food power house discussion is generally thought of as a must if you would like to improve your heart health. There is some debate over the fact that omega 6 is considered to be inflammatory where as omega-3 is an anti inflammatory product. Nuts have been the same for ages but the higher intake of omega 6 may be due to other food stuffs and if care is taken a healthy balance can be achieved by eating oily fish at least twice a week. Oily fish is one of the only foods that have omega-3.
Why is coconut not included amongst the healthy good nuts? This is something that I can tell you, nearly drove me nutty! In many nut nutritional guides coconut is not included as a nut to befriend in one's healthy diet. Coconuts are not to be avoided generally, but if one is looking for heart healthy nuts then the coconut is claimed as not your go to nut. It may be the linking of saturated fats being bad in general terms and not separating the processing of hydrogenated coconut oil that has been proved to be detrimental to the label of this nut.
I can not overstate the good that nuts can have on heart and circulatory patients, on individuals who would like to improve their overall health and for those who would like to lose weight. It is surprising that this simple information about nut nutrition is not more widely known but now dear friends there is no need to go nutty in pursuit of health tips, simply get nutty in body and you will soon be a true nut for nuts just like me.
What Are the Nutty Facts I need to Know? An interesting fact that can have a bearing on promoting good health are nuts. In the most basic and simple form they are a health food that you should be aware of because these tiny positive promoters of health can be a tasty and terrific alternative to many negative detrimental diet decisions. Vegetarian and with some nuts containing cholesterol lowering plant sterols these additions to one's diet can have a positive influence. Nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and omega 6 as well as antioxidants, vitamins, proteins and minerals. They have been shown to reduce fatal and non fatal heart attacks by an astonishing 30 % to 50 %. The reason for this may be that they release a property that causes the body to produce nitric oxide and that is essential for the good health of the internal lining of arteries and veins. This release of nitric oxide aids with elasticity of arteries and veins.
Do I need to eat a nut load of nuts to see an improvement in my health? In short the answer is no. The suggested amount is two or three handful of mixed nuts each week. Two handfuls of nuts may not seem to be able to do much for one's health but in fact it can alter your cholesterol, as they are filling they can improve your ability to lose weight and can positively influence one's appearance.
Can I Say Bye to the Loo Blues? Absolutely! We may not like to talk about this particular issue but for me I have noticed an interesting side affect is that nuts have caused me to be regular and I think that as constipation can be a seldom spoken of but serious problem this can only be thought of as a good thing. (Please note that this is only an experience based on me as an individual, while it may be a positive point for many, achievement in this area may vary!)
What the Omega is it? You may have heard or seen the information that is already out there about omega oils. Omega in the health food power house discussion is generally thought of as a must if you would like to improve your heart health. There is some debate over the fact that omega 6 is considered to be inflammatory where as omega-3 is an anti inflammatory product. Nuts have been the same for ages but the higher intake of omega 6 may be due to other food stuffs and if care is taken a healthy balance can be achieved by eating oily fish at least twice a week. Oily fish is one of the only foods that have omega-3.
Why is coconut not included amongst the healthy good nuts? This is something that I can tell you, nearly drove me nutty! In many nut nutritional guides coconut is not included as a nut to befriend in one's healthy diet. Coconuts are not to be avoided generally, but if one is looking for heart healthy nuts then the coconut is claimed as not your go to nut. It may be the linking of saturated fats being bad in general terms and not separating the processing of hydrogenated coconut oil that has been proved to be detrimental to the label of this nut.
I can not overstate the good that nuts can have on heart and circulatory patients, on individuals who would like to improve their overall health and for those who would like to lose weight. It is surprising that this simple information about nut nutrition is not more widely known but now dear friends there is no need to go nutty in pursuit of health tips, simply get nutty in body and you will soon be a true nut for nuts just like me.
July 4, 2016
Fat Facts.
Fats and oils are a minefield of good and bad labels and yet there is one simple way of making sense of all that conflicting information. Hydrogenated trans fats have been found to cause inflammation of the inside surface of arteries and should be cut to the minimum. Most foods will have a mixture of different types of fats including a small amount of trans fat but naturally occurring trans fats have not been found to be detrimental to health. Did you know that most vegetables contain fat? There is hope for us though as it is only the man-made hydrogenated trans fat that can cause problems.
An excess consumption of fat can of course be stored as body fat but it is all too simple not to notice those extra pounds around the tummy and hips. A lot of food contains fats and it is harder than you may think to spot the damaging hydrogenated man-made type. Cakes, biscuits and pastry may be oh so appealing but are obvious foods that could contain man-made fats and caution should be used in overeating these types of food.
After an incident when I needed hospital treatment I was shocked to see I was a full stone plus heavier than I thought I was and of course I put it down to the extra piece of cherry pie and the odd almond croissant. When you have to go through an experience that takes you to the hospital doors, you do have a wake up call and whilst I did lead a reasonably healthy life it still shocked me to see how far from my expected health target I was. In the media most people will have encountered Fats along with a barrage of negative press. It was important for me to look at what I could do in my life and to learn the need to knowledge about what could save my life.
Fats, the uncomplicated Truth. Fats in themselves are contained in almost every food item, they are not something that can be avoided and in fact there are several different types of fat. There are of course good fats and oils such as omega-3 which can be found naturally in oily fish. One should aim for a healthy diet and omega oils are vital to many areas in the body. Be on the look out for specific omega oils because these will decrease your likelihood to contract many illnesses and increase your ability to stay healthy. Fish lovers will like to know that an important fact is that only omega-3 is found in oily fish. Nuts contain omega 6 as well as omega-3 but have other benefits that can prevent heart attacks. Olive oil is connected to good health and extra virgin olive oil is a must for salads but cooking at high temperatures could impair its quality. Extra virgin olive oil is naturally refined without chemicals and has a lower content of acid. It is a food item that many health conscious will already know about, it has been attributed to having many positive impacts on one's health and suggested as a possible answer as for why so few people in the Mediterranean suffer with heart conditions.
Although there is some dispute it is generally accepted that 1lb of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. There is a formula for working out my body mass by my hight and weight. You can go by ratios, statistics and methods for indicating what your fat index says about your state of health but caution may have to be applied because there is a lot that can alter what such indicators truly mean for you as an individual.
I think the most important part of what my experience on heart health has shown me is that everyone is different and each person has to adjust their own health regime to benefit their life to the full. Media resources can be influential and a positive aid for knowledge but one has to do their own research to understand that one term may not explain all. Basic information about exercise and diet is widely known but lesser generally understood is how much small alterations can influence life. You do not have to run a marathon or become the saviour of salads to qualify for a healthy life, simply learn a few basic important facts, be continuous in your actions and enjoy the benefits that this can bring.
An excess consumption of fat can of course be stored as body fat but it is all too simple not to notice those extra pounds around the tummy and hips. A lot of food contains fats and it is harder than you may think to spot the damaging hydrogenated man-made type. Cakes, biscuits and pastry may be oh so appealing but are obvious foods that could contain man-made fats and caution should be used in overeating these types of food.
After an incident when I needed hospital treatment I was shocked to see I was a full stone plus heavier than I thought I was and of course I put it down to the extra piece of cherry pie and the odd almond croissant. When you have to go through an experience that takes you to the hospital doors, you do have a wake up call and whilst I did lead a reasonably healthy life it still shocked me to see how far from my expected health target I was. In the media most people will have encountered Fats along with a barrage of negative press. It was important for me to look at what I could do in my life and to learn the need to knowledge about what could save my life.
Fats, the uncomplicated Truth. Fats in themselves are contained in almost every food item, they are not something that can be avoided and in fact there are several different types of fat. There are of course good fats and oils such as omega-3 which can be found naturally in oily fish. One should aim for a healthy diet and omega oils are vital to many areas in the body. Be on the look out for specific omega oils because these will decrease your likelihood to contract many illnesses and increase your ability to stay healthy. Fish lovers will like to know that an important fact is that only omega-3 is found in oily fish. Nuts contain omega 6 as well as omega-3 but have other benefits that can prevent heart attacks. Olive oil is connected to good health and extra virgin olive oil is a must for salads but cooking at high temperatures could impair its quality. Extra virgin olive oil is naturally refined without chemicals and has a lower content of acid. It is a food item that many health conscious will already know about, it has been attributed to having many positive impacts on one's health and suggested as a possible answer as for why so few people in the Mediterranean suffer with heart conditions.
Although there is some dispute it is generally accepted that 1lb of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. There is a formula for working out my body mass by my hight and weight. You can go by ratios, statistics and methods for indicating what your fat index says about your state of health but caution may have to be applied because there is a lot that can alter what such indicators truly mean for you as an individual.
I think the most important part of what my experience on heart health has shown me is that everyone is different and each person has to adjust their own health regime to benefit their life to the full. Media resources can be influential and a positive aid for knowledge but one has to do their own research to understand that one term may not explain all. Basic information about exercise and diet is widely known but lesser generally understood is how much small alterations can influence life. You do not have to run a marathon or become the saviour of salads to qualify for a healthy life, simply learn a few basic important facts, be continuous in your actions and enjoy the benefits that this can bring.
June 27, 2016
Animal Affinity.
Animals have been the subject of many documented examples of what seems to be a profound affinity with other animals and in some instances people. I had long heard stories about my father and his affinity with all types of animals but my first recollection was when my father was bed ridden and he formed an attachment with a wild bird. It was an astounding memory of what seemed an everyday occurrence but in fact was a rare exhibit of animal affinity. The bird that used to visit him would venture through the open bedroom window and land on the table by my father's bedside. The bird would stay several minutes while it pecked at the seeds and had a sip of water, it had an incredible trust with my father that would see him sit close to him in companionable silence. The man and bird scene would last for a length of time as both would look at each other and there would be an odd yet intriguing intense interest between the two. After the visit the bird would then fly out the window to return next morning. My father confided in me how much joy this simple thing gave him as he himself felt the burden of confinement and appreciated the free movement of his daily visitor.
An affinity is something that can be an exceptional example of something that is considered beyond the norm. Animals are often when in the form of a pet loved by their owners but sometimes there are those few stand out references that define how an animal can be exceptional in what they do or how they live their life. It is only recently that the full capability of dogs has been investigated and a discovery has been made about how well they can integrate with the lives of those people who may need them. Many individuals who have medical problems can find that their ailment is alleviated by a medical carer dog. Often these dogs are rescued from shelters and so both person and animal have an opportunity of something that is full of positive potential.
It does seem somewhat sad that many who claim to have an affinity with their animals lack the appropriate care for them. An acquaintance of mine once boasted about how his allotment was being guarded night and day by a ferocious Alsation. He took me to see his faithful guard dog. It was approaching evening and it had began to rain. Images of a stocky, well bred and large animal filled my mind as we went to see him but when we got there I was shocked to see a wet bedraggled dog with a long chain round its neck. To prove how fierce the guard dog was my acquaintance stepped forward shouting aggressively at the dog who bared its teeth ready to spring at him. My acquaintance said he had to visit a neighbour and would I join him. I said I would wait with the dog until he returned. I looked at the sopping wet animal and noticed green pus in the corner of its eyes. It had stopped raining and I spoke softly and reassuringly to the dog while slowly moving forward to a point that I could stroke its head and back. The dog licked my hand and wagged its tail vigorously. In that case a poor animal was being used for a job that he was far from being in a position to do, the concerns I had ended in a promise from my acquaintance to take more appropriate care of the dog but for many it does not end so well.
An affinity from animal to person can be seen in many guises, one of the most poignant involved a child in an electric wheelchair who was on a return trip from France. It was when on preparing to board the Euro Shuttle she was approached by a gendarme with a large Alsation that the scene stood out. The dog's job was to aid the officer in checking out the passengers and in doing so the dog sniffed around the chair but it was then the most peculiar event happened. The Alsation who had been routinely sniffing as he must have done hundreds if not thousands of times before stopped and started to look intently into the child's face. There was a few significant minutes where the dog seemed to recognise her, though it should not have been possible and after a few seconds the dog's whole demeanour altered and licks were displayed from the animal to the child in the chair. It was an odd but touching display of affection to see as the dog was meant to be a trained police aid. It seemed as if the dog's affinity with the child won out over his day job and he lifted his paws to hold on to her chair in a sign of guarding her. Having climbed up on top of her to almost sit with her, he continued to lick, whine and almost hug the child. At first the officer must have found the scene touching, as many in the station did, a lot of people had gathered to watch. It was after a short time that the policeman said something to the dog and when he didn't respond that to all it seemed as if the dog had transferred his loyalty to the child. Several attempts to retrieve the dog failed and at one time he turned on his handler refusing to budge from guarding the small child in her wheelchair. At first the handler was at a loss as to know what to do and called further colleagues to his aid as it was clear the dog was not responding to his commands. It was something that almost everyone watched and the whole time the dog kept an intent gaze on the child with a look of recognisable love. The child did not seem distressed at all by what had happened but the police, after several failed attempts to get the guard dog's attention had no alternative than to force the dog and pull him away from the child's chair. As the dog was pulled one way the child and her attendant went the other. It was incredibly sad that as we boarded the Euro Shuttle many were haunted by the howls and cries of the distraught animal who was being kept behind on the station platform. There was an audible sound of sadness in the dog's loud howls and there seemed no logical explanation as for why he would act with such a sense of affection towards the child, someone he had never seen before.
Man over the years has formed an affinity with many animals. Horses are one such well documented example and there are many instances of a mutual trust is an every day life dependence on each other for many necessary needs. In the past without the horse travel would have been extremely difficult and farming a lot less successful. In modern competition for success there has to be a high degree of mutual understanding and this affinity can develop into an emotional link between horse and rider.
I remember a most enjoyable black and white film featuring the exploits of a talking horse. It is not surprising that many pet owners have a faith that their communication is understood by their pet although the verbal communication of word type language is one sided. The emotional response for those who talk with their pets can be evident and it could be suggested that language can be conveyed in many different forms.
An endearing example of what an affinity with animals can do is found in that of a young student and an infant female gorilla named Koko. It was so impressive to see a communication by sign language that overcame many of the problems in knowing what each other thought and this example of animal affinity has lasted for over forty years. An attempt to breed Koko the gorilla was unsuccessful but her ability to evidence affection for the people and things that she loves has made her a somewhat outstanding example of an unconventional animal and person union.
An affinity between different types of animals has often taken place and one example is in that of a lioness with her cubs when they came across an injured fox. Instead of attacking the injured fox as almost everyone would naturally assume, the lioness actively protected and defended it from the attack of a male lion. The lioness seemed to have sympathy for the injured fox and saw off the threat by facing him down. It was then that the lioness acted in a way that can only be described as animal affinity as she put the fox in with her own cubs, he had an opportunity to get over the shock of the experience and when he could he went off on his own.
Sometimes an affinity can cross the boundaries of conventional natural precedents and there have been lion and tiger offspring and many other cross breeds.
Man has the opportunity to utilise the natural affinity with other creatures and revel in the overpowering joy of contact with another life form. Yet I am appalled at the cruelty and mindless acts carried out in some of the horrific cases of neglect of animals. There can be a lot to be gained in knowing about the beauty that exists in the natural animal filled habitats that we have around us. Often examples of animal affinity suggests an equal opportunity of person and animal to understand one another and to make the incredible credible.
An affinity is something that can be an exceptional example of something that is considered beyond the norm. Animals are often when in the form of a pet loved by their owners but sometimes there are those few stand out references that define how an animal can be exceptional in what they do or how they live their life. It is only recently that the full capability of dogs has been investigated and a discovery has been made about how well they can integrate with the lives of those people who may need them. Many individuals who have medical problems can find that their ailment is alleviated by a medical carer dog. Often these dogs are rescued from shelters and so both person and animal have an opportunity of something that is full of positive potential.
It does seem somewhat sad that many who claim to have an affinity with their animals lack the appropriate care for them. An acquaintance of mine once boasted about how his allotment was being guarded night and day by a ferocious Alsation. He took me to see his faithful guard dog. It was approaching evening and it had began to rain. Images of a stocky, well bred and large animal filled my mind as we went to see him but when we got there I was shocked to see a wet bedraggled dog with a long chain round its neck. To prove how fierce the guard dog was my acquaintance stepped forward shouting aggressively at the dog who bared its teeth ready to spring at him. My acquaintance said he had to visit a neighbour and would I join him. I said I would wait with the dog until he returned. I looked at the sopping wet animal and noticed green pus in the corner of its eyes. It had stopped raining and I spoke softly and reassuringly to the dog while slowly moving forward to a point that I could stroke its head and back. The dog licked my hand and wagged its tail vigorously. In that case a poor animal was being used for a job that he was far from being in a position to do, the concerns I had ended in a promise from my acquaintance to take more appropriate care of the dog but for many it does not end so well.
An affinity from animal to person can be seen in many guises, one of the most poignant involved a child in an electric wheelchair who was on a return trip from France. It was when on preparing to board the Euro Shuttle she was approached by a gendarme with a large Alsation that the scene stood out. The dog's job was to aid the officer in checking out the passengers and in doing so the dog sniffed around the chair but it was then the most peculiar event happened. The Alsation who had been routinely sniffing as he must have done hundreds if not thousands of times before stopped and started to look intently into the child's face. There was a few significant minutes where the dog seemed to recognise her, though it should not have been possible and after a few seconds the dog's whole demeanour altered and licks were displayed from the animal to the child in the chair. It was an odd but touching display of affection to see as the dog was meant to be a trained police aid. It seemed as if the dog's affinity with the child won out over his day job and he lifted his paws to hold on to her chair in a sign of guarding her. Having climbed up on top of her to almost sit with her, he continued to lick, whine and almost hug the child. At first the officer must have found the scene touching, as many in the station did, a lot of people had gathered to watch. It was after a short time that the policeman said something to the dog and when he didn't respond that to all it seemed as if the dog had transferred his loyalty to the child. Several attempts to retrieve the dog failed and at one time he turned on his handler refusing to budge from guarding the small child in her wheelchair. At first the handler was at a loss as to know what to do and called further colleagues to his aid as it was clear the dog was not responding to his commands. It was something that almost everyone watched and the whole time the dog kept an intent gaze on the child with a look of recognisable love. The child did not seem distressed at all by what had happened but the police, after several failed attempts to get the guard dog's attention had no alternative than to force the dog and pull him away from the child's chair. As the dog was pulled one way the child and her attendant went the other. It was incredibly sad that as we boarded the Euro Shuttle many were haunted by the howls and cries of the distraught animal who was being kept behind on the station platform. There was an audible sound of sadness in the dog's loud howls and there seemed no logical explanation as for why he would act with such a sense of affection towards the child, someone he had never seen before.
Man over the years has formed an affinity with many animals. Horses are one such well documented example and there are many instances of a mutual trust is an every day life dependence on each other for many necessary needs. In the past without the horse travel would have been extremely difficult and farming a lot less successful. In modern competition for success there has to be a high degree of mutual understanding and this affinity can develop into an emotional link between horse and rider.
I remember a most enjoyable black and white film featuring the exploits of a talking horse. It is not surprising that many pet owners have a faith that their communication is understood by their pet although the verbal communication of word type language is one sided. The emotional response for those who talk with their pets can be evident and it could be suggested that language can be conveyed in many different forms.
An endearing example of what an affinity with animals can do is found in that of a young student and an infant female gorilla named Koko. It was so impressive to see a communication by sign language that overcame many of the problems in knowing what each other thought and this example of animal affinity has lasted for over forty years. An attempt to breed Koko the gorilla was unsuccessful but her ability to evidence affection for the people and things that she loves has made her a somewhat outstanding example of an unconventional animal and person union.
An affinity between different types of animals has often taken place and one example is in that of a lioness with her cubs when they came across an injured fox. Instead of attacking the injured fox as almost everyone would naturally assume, the lioness actively protected and defended it from the attack of a male lion. The lioness seemed to have sympathy for the injured fox and saw off the threat by facing him down. It was then that the lioness acted in a way that can only be described as animal affinity as she put the fox in with her own cubs, he had an opportunity to get over the shock of the experience and when he could he went off on his own.
Sometimes an affinity can cross the boundaries of conventional natural precedents and there have been lion and tiger offspring and many other cross breeds.
Man has the opportunity to utilise the natural affinity with other creatures and revel in the overpowering joy of contact with another life form. Yet I am appalled at the cruelty and mindless acts carried out in some of the horrific cases of neglect of animals. There can be a lot to be gained in knowing about the beauty that exists in the natural animal filled habitats that we have around us. Often examples of animal affinity suggests an equal opportunity of person and animal to understand one another and to make the incredible credible.
June 20, 2016
Reincarnation.
When people mentioned the idea of reincarnation my first reaction used to be how can it be possible? Impossible, was my initial reaction but that was until I started to think back to being an infant and for some strange reason I have memories of an ability to think in language that I should not, at that age, have had. Although I could not speak a word until much later on in life, I have significant recollections of my having thought about the incidents that occurred for me as a young child in a way that at that time I had not learnt to do. Could the reason be I had lived before? For me, this is memory based evidence of something that I do not fully understand and it is something that I often think about. I know it is possible under hypnoses to regress, people have likened the experience to that of being able to lift the curtain on a former life. It is a thought provoking concept as along with all the positive points one maybe likely to disturb a present life with links to something unknown.
I remember as a little boy how on returning with my mum from the local shops we would meet one of our neighbours and of course stop on the corner for a chat. The minutes ticked by and the shopping steadily grew heavier by the minute. At that time I was rather shy and did not take part in the conversation. It was an everyday scene but then I would have the strange feeling that I knew what the next spoken sentence would be and as I listened to the chat it was like living in an unconscious state that I could not control. In the evenings sometimes we would have guests visit us and on saying goodbye the same surreal like sensation would come over me and as the guest departed I could anticipate what would be said and when.
It could just be a coincidence and maybe my mind was playing tricks on me but there are some cases of a similar nature that have proved to be inexplicable. There is a documented article of a young child who was convinced she was married with children. She constantly cried and pestered her parents to take her to her family who she claimed were all in another country. At first her parents could not understand it but over time when her pleas became more insistent they decided that they had to investigate it further. They took down information from their child and on going to the exact location she informed them about they found the street and house of a widower with children whose wife had passed away eight years ago. The somewhat surreal situation did not end there as on entering the house the child knew the layout and the names of the children whom she claimed were hers from her former life. Precise information specific to those individual lives confounded the people around the child. The man claimed to be her former husband was shocked but after time and because the young girl knew such intimate knowledge he became convinced she was living proof of reincarnation.
There are countless intriguing recounts of people who refer to former lives. If it is merely their imagination, one has to ask how on investigation so much given detail and information is found to be correct?
To make the point a young boy at the age of five told his mum he had a former life and one day he pointed at a black and white photograph of an actor and said that was him. He gave a lot of detail about his former life. He explained that he had two sisters and had been married five times. He would refer to intimate details such as the fact that he enjoyed an orange squash drink that was later found out to be unique to a time frame far earlier than anything the little boy should have known about. He said that he had holidays in France, something again that was a shock to his mother to hear about. On doing some research the actor was found to be an extra who had appeared in films, but it was the phrasing, the exact personalised information and life habit references to him that started to intrigue those around the little boy. His mother was at first astounded by his knowledge and thought it odd but on investigation found all he had said to be correct. She obtained a death certificate which seemed at first to be the one inaccuracy in all the information that he had given. The little boy had said he had died when he was sixty but the certificate stated that the gentleman had been fifty eight. Interestingly after further investigation the death certificate was actually found to be wrong and that the gentleman had died when he was sixty.
These seemingly strange experiences do provoke thought. A child who knows intimately about a life they should have no knowledge about, individuals who can demonstrate abilities they seemingly have obtained without any learned actions. There are historically identified case studies on those specific few who have as individuals stood out because they could start to perform in a way that they should not be able to do. These cases do go beyond what logical explanation can outline. There have been children who have started to paint in a style and with an expertise of a master from a far earlier age, a boy who on entering a specific locality began to converse in a language he had never learnt in his life and in a dialect that had been up to then totally unknown to him. It is of interest to me and thousands upon thousands of other people, why and how do such circumstances occur. Is is reincarnation that could possibly explain these experiences or is there some logical means to define something which has been seen to be extraordinary?
I remember as a little boy how on returning with my mum from the local shops we would meet one of our neighbours and of course stop on the corner for a chat. The minutes ticked by and the shopping steadily grew heavier by the minute. At that time I was rather shy and did not take part in the conversation. It was an everyday scene but then I would have the strange feeling that I knew what the next spoken sentence would be and as I listened to the chat it was like living in an unconscious state that I could not control. In the evenings sometimes we would have guests visit us and on saying goodbye the same surreal like sensation would come over me and as the guest departed I could anticipate what would be said and when.
It could just be a coincidence and maybe my mind was playing tricks on me but there are some cases of a similar nature that have proved to be inexplicable. There is a documented article of a young child who was convinced she was married with children. She constantly cried and pestered her parents to take her to her family who she claimed were all in another country. At first her parents could not understand it but over time when her pleas became more insistent they decided that they had to investigate it further. They took down information from their child and on going to the exact location she informed them about they found the street and house of a widower with children whose wife had passed away eight years ago. The somewhat surreal situation did not end there as on entering the house the child knew the layout and the names of the children whom she claimed were hers from her former life. Precise information specific to those individual lives confounded the people around the child. The man claimed to be her former husband was shocked but after time and because the young girl knew such intimate knowledge he became convinced she was living proof of reincarnation.
There are countless intriguing recounts of people who refer to former lives. If it is merely their imagination, one has to ask how on investigation so much given detail and information is found to be correct?
To make the point a young boy at the age of five told his mum he had a former life and one day he pointed at a black and white photograph of an actor and said that was him. He gave a lot of detail about his former life. He explained that he had two sisters and had been married five times. He would refer to intimate details such as the fact that he enjoyed an orange squash drink that was later found out to be unique to a time frame far earlier than anything the little boy should have known about. He said that he had holidays in France, something again that was a shock to his mother to hear about. On doing some research the actor was found to be an extra who had appeared in films, but it was the phrasing, the exact personalised information and life habit references to him that started to intrigue those around the little boy. His mother was at first astounded by his knowledge and thought it odd but on investigation found all he had said to be correct. She obtained a death certificate which seemed at first to be the one inaccuracy in all the information that he had given. The little boy had said he had died when he was sixty but the certificate stated that the gentleman had been fifty eight. Interestingly after further investigation the death certificate was actually found to be wrong and that the gentleman had died when he was sixty.
These seemingly strange experiences do provoke thought. A child who knows intimately about a life they should have no knowledge about, individuals who can demonstrate abilities they seemingly have obtained without any learned actions. There are historically identified case studies on those specific few who have as individuals stood out because they could start to perform in a way that they should not be able to do. These cases do go beyond what logical explanation can outline. There have been children who have started to paint in a style and with an expertise of a master from a far earlier age, a boy who on entering a specific locality began to converse in a language he had never learnt in his life and in a dialect that had been up to then totally unknown to him. It is of interest to me and thousands upon thousands of other people, why and how do such circumstances occur. Is is reincarnation that could possibly explain these experiences or is there some logical means to define something which has been seen to be extraordinary?
June 13, 2016
Pets.
Pet is such an ordinary word yet it has potential for extreme happiness and sadness. There have been multiple, moving documentaries on animals and their need for a good home. Two such animals who have been featured in recent media reports had suffered greatly, one for having been overlooked for rehoming nearly thirteen thousand times and another who had to be given back to a shelter for being too affectionate in her new home.
The UK is considered to be a nation of pet lovers and my personal experience has definitely shown that pets can be one of the most rewarding and educational blessings in one's life. When my family announced that we were going to have a new visitor in the house, the news was met from me with a rather complex combination of anxiety and affection. Having often had dogs throughout my boyhood I knew what it meant to have a loving four legged friend. I knew all too well the absolute passion that a pet could bring into a life but I also knew about all the effort and extreme care that was needed. I had to resolutely point out the responsibility that a kitten, as chosen by my daughter, would entail and that once we had an actual kitten we would have to alter our lives more than a little. I said my piece. We got the kitten. At first, all was fine and well in the household, despite our preliminary concern about the tiny size of the kitten, the furry friend's appeal won out and we all overlooked what should have been important potential pet warning signs. We all loved the newest member of our household and I have to say it was with this is mind that we neglected to flag up our worries about the female kitten turning out to be a male, the suckling action and searching for a feed meant that he was a kitten that had been far too young to have been separated from his mother but we tried to do what we could for him until the lovely and extremely playful kitten started to show distressing signs of lethargy and diarrhoea. Our experience is not intended to deter other potential pet owners but to make them aware there are some unscrupulous people who breed under age and sick animals to sell to the general public. Although we all loved our little kitten it had to be immediately taken to the vet for necessary treatment and his playful personality was not at all suited to being put in isolation. The kitten had a skin condition called ringworm, he had terrible diarrhoea and was very poorly with many different ailments. The vet explained to us that there would be rather large cost implications involved in looking after the kitten and a lengthy time for treatment needed and that one of the options we had was to put him to sleep. While in some cases this may be a viable solution, for the little kitten who was just at the start of his life we knew this was not a possibility. In the past I have had several dogs and enjoyed their individual friendships immensely, but I have to admit that I felt their passings to be very distressing and in a way I knew that was why I was slightly reluctant to become so attached to another fellow creature. The kitten though had become a part of our household, he was in our hearts and in our home, we knew that despite the obvious negative start he had in his life we had to do all that we could for him.
There are, of course, certain requirements that are attached with any potential pet. The demand in time and physical involvement in looking after an animal properly can be huge. We were aware of all of these important implications but we had not considered the stress and difficulty of being responsible for an animal who had unexpectedly had such a bad start in his life because of a breeder. It is is imperative that one should be as sure as possible of where an animal has started life. In our case, the breeder brought the kitten to us, we should have gone to inspect where he had been brought from and in hindsight we should have investigated it further. Once we had the kitten, we were in it one hundred percent and would not give up on him. Fortunately the treatment worked, the kitten improved and we know that for many this may not be so, any prospective pet should be thought about carefully because the decisions you make at the outset could be the most important ones.
Pets are precious. Some animals have the ability to care for their owners who have special needs. The scope and type of need is becoming greater every year as special trainers prepare the animal for a specific job, to improve the life of the pet and the owner. Most recently animals who are in rescue centres are given the opportunity of doing this kind of important job. Sometimes this mutual relationship can be a life saving one. There are those animals that can assist the police and fire service in a way that no human could do and it is because of this that one has to acknowledge the importance that these everyday heroes have in multiple lives.
There is a wide and wonder filled variety of animals and there are some unconventional arrangements that can lead to danger. I think it is vital that the keeper or owner never forgets the appreciation we should have for animals, it is when this relationship is not fully considered that disaster lurks.
Appreciation and acknowledgement of a pet's needs are important. There are many instances when a nation of pet lovers have been startled by how unloving certain areas of what should be a humane society can be. There is a divisive sport and entertainment that involves training a pet to attack and chase other creatures and a most upsetting case when one owner's animal becomes the dinner for another type of pet.
People over the years have had unique types of relationships with their pets, a bond that can provide great company and happiness, one can all too quickly revel in the idea of having an animal without thinking about all the necessary needs. Pets have a capacity for a full range of emotion and that puts a responsibility into owning and being able to treat all pets in the most responsible of ways.
The UK is considered to be a nation of pet lovers and my personal experience has definitely shown that pets can be one of the most rewarding and educational blessings in one's life. When my family announced that we were going to have a new visitor in the house, the news was met from me with a rather complex combination of anxiety and affection. Having often had dogs throughout my boyhood I knew what it meant to have a loving four legged friend. I knew all too well the absolute passion that a pet could bring into a life but I also knew about all the effort and extreme care that was needed. I had to resolutely point out the responsibility that a kitten, as chosen by my daughter, would entail and that once we had an actual kitten we would have to alter our lives more than a little. I said my piece. We got the kitten. At first, all was fine and well in the household, despite our preliminary concern about the tiny size of the kitten, the furry friend's appeal won out and we all overlooked what should have been important potential pet warning signs. We all loved the newest member of our household and I have to say it was with this is mind that we neglected to flag up our worries about the female kitten turning out to be a male, the suckling action and searching for a feed meant that he was a kitten that had been far too young to have been separated from his mother but we tried to do what we could for him until the lovely and extremely playful kitten started to show distressing signs of lethargy and diarrhoea. Our experience is not intended to deter other potential pet owners but to make them aware there are some unscrupulous people who breed under age and sick animals to sell to the general public. Although we all loved our little kitten it had to be immediately taken to the vet for necessary treatment and his playful personality was not at all suited to being put in isolation. The kitten had a skin condition called ringworm, he had terrible diarrhoea and was very poorly with many different ailments. The vet explained to us that there would be rather large cost implications involved in looking after the kitten and a lengthy time for treatment needed and that one of the options we had was to put him to sleep. While in some cases this may be a viable solution, for the little kitten who was just at the start of his life we knew this was not a possibility. In the past I have had several dogs and enjoyed their individual friendships immensely, but I have to admit that I felt their passings to be very distressing and in a way I knew that was why I was slightly reluctant to become so attached to another fellow creature. The kitten though had become a part of our household, he was in our hearts and in our home, we knew that despite the obvious negative start he had in his life we had to do all that we could for him.
There are, of course, certain requirements that are attached with any potential pet. The demand in time and physical involvement in looking after an animal properly can be huge. We were aware of all of these important implications but we had not considered the stress and difficulty of being responsible for an animal who had unexpectedly had such a bad start in his life because of a breeder. It is is imperative that one should be as sure as possible of where an animal has started life. In our case, the breeder brought the kitten to us, we should have gone to inspect where he had been brought from and in hindsight we should have investigated it further. Once we had the kitten, we were in it one hundred percent and would not give up on him. Fortunately the treatment worked, the kitten improved and we know that for many this may not be so, any prospective pet should be thought about carefully because the decisions you make at the outset could be the most important ones.
Pets are precious. Some animals have the ability to care for their owners who have special needs. The scope and type of need is becoming greater every year as special trainers prepare the animal for a specific job, to improve the life of the pet and the owner. Most recently animals who are in rescue centres are given the opportunity of doing this kind of important job. Sometimes this mutual relationship can be a life saving one. There are those animals that can assist the police and fire service in a way that no human could do and it is because of this that one has to acknowledge the importance that these everyday heroes have in multiple lives.
There is a wide and wonder filled variety of animals and there are some unconventional arrangements that can lead to danger. I think it is vital that the keeper or owner never forgets the appreciation we should have for animals, it is when this relationship is not fully considered that disaster lurks.
Appreciation and acknowledgement of a pet's needs are important. There are many instances when a nation of pet lovers have been startled by how unloving certain areas of what should be a humane society can be. There is a divisive sport and entertainment that involves training a pet to attack and chase other creatures and a most upsetting case when one owner's animal becomes the dinner for another type of pet.
People over the years have had unique types of relationships with their pets, a bond that can provide great company and happiness, one can all too quickly revel in the idea of having an animal without thinking about all the necessary needs. Pets have a capacity for a full range of emotion and that puts a responsibility into owning and being able to treat all pets in the most responsible of ways.
June 6, 2016
Cholesterol.
I love a brisk, walk out in the country as I am sure many others do. On a walk I can take in the fresh air, I appreciate the beauty in the environment and sometimes I do notice the odd bits of left over lunch packaging strewn on the ground, occasionally there are bags floating out on to the otherwise inviting green. When I look in the mirror although I can not see it, inside of me there is another environment where rubbish is not just an inconvenience but a life altering factor. Inside of my arteries there is a constant flow of blood which circulates in my body but small particles of fat can be trapped in there and this can turn rancid. White blood cells can cover the fat but unfortunately this detritus can grows larger and harden. To be more precise the particles of fat are collectively called cholesterol. There is a popular but perhaps misleading way of describing cholesterol as good and bad. The major part of cholesterol is low density lipoprotein which is distinct because you may have often heard of it as a labelled bad cholesterol. The important fact is cholesterol can be divided by particle size. Large particles pose no threat but small particles can be a potential problem because they can become trapped inside the artery wall and there by over time grow into a condition called atheroscleroses. This is where unwanted plaque sticks to the lining of the inside walls of the artery and in time will narrow and could completely block it.
The liver produces a unique cleaning, tiny agent, something like a dust cart by the name of HDL. It travels through the body looking for detritus cells and once it is full it is then named HDL2b. These biological super agents are our secret weapons if you like, they act in our interest cleansing our bodies and then pass back to the liver to be emptied and return once again to the task of cleaning. One of the plus points of HDL2b is that it is small enough to pass through the membrane of the artery and get to do the job we need it to do. Sometimes HDL is called good cholesterol. If there is a significant number of HDL2b then we should have enough working agents in our bodies and that is important as it is truly the number of these agents and not the over all cholesterol number that is vital to our health. For years a high cholesterol level has been the target for negative labels. People have generally been told to reduce their cholesterol but often important information is not known, for example it is the size of the particles of cholesterol that is critical to reduce cardiac heart disease. The truth is the body needs cholesterol and often stabilises the correct amount for its requirements. A reduction in cholesterol simply will be replaced naturally by the body unless unnecessary interference stops it, and this leads me to ask why are there so many myths involving good fat and bad fat? There is a whole industry based on the idea that one has to buy into a specific regime to control the supposed bad fat. While there are most definitively actions that can be taken to ensure one remains healthy, the majority of these should be made after one has separated the fact from the false statements.
An important question one may like to ask refers to how one can improve their own heart health. What can I do to reduce the number of small particles of cholesterol and boost my HDL? There is a general answer to this and it involves one taking action to reduce the intake of sugar, starch and alcohol. These are all areas of intake that can negatively impact on HDL. A specific type of exercise can influence how food is broken down into our blood stream. This will then have a positive impact on the HDL in our bodies. In a recent intriguing study there were two groups of people that had been given the same type of lunch, it contained a specific amount of sugar, starch and fats. After lunch one group was told to sit down and watch TV, but the other group were told to go for a gentle walk. On returning all the participants gave a blood sample. The group that went for a walk about thirty minutes after lunch had completely clear blood samples that could be looked through where as the others who had sat and watched TV gave blood samples that were thick and full of particles. This was an interesting instance that provided evidence of how a little exercise can go a long way towards beneficially breaking down the food in our bodies. It should be said that it is of course imperative that anyone who would like to take up significant exercise that has not been done by them before or is resumed after a lengthy time consults with a doctor before starting exercise.
There are two significant factors to keep arteries clear. One is cutting out or lowering the intake of carbohydrate based foods and the second is to do the correct type of exercise at the right time. Food is a major component and reducing the intake of carbs can influence one's cholesterol, reducing the portion size of food can be very beneficial as often one is not aware of how much more one is putting into a meal that what should be a recommended daily allowance. Walking is a good exercise and done at about a half an hour after a meal can be highly beneficial. Often gentle exercise is good because it is not excessive and will not be problematic for the body but if at the last part of the walk one can ever so lightly increase the energy effort then it will get the heart pumping. Exercises that are explosive, compress and relax the muscles are good to clear the arteries but it is very important to keep within one's own capability. The majority of people never need to be extreme as gentle, calm exercise generally gives one all the benefit that they require.
We have two environments that impact on how we live. What is important to both, whether it is external or inside my body and in my blood circulation is that if I do nothing about its upkeep, I will be the one to suffer. Many positives can be found in the individual actions that one can take, be it in the type of exercise to the amount, the lifestyle that one has can be one of the most important areas that one can influence in life.
The liver produces a unique cleaning, tiny agent, something like a dust cart by the name of HDL. It travels through the body looking for detritus cells and once it is full it is then named HDL2b. These biological super agents are our secret weapons if you like, they act in our interest cleansing our bodies and then pass back to the liver to be emptied and return once again to the task of cleaning. One of the plus points of HDL2b is that it is small enough to pass through the membrane of the artery and get to do the job we need it to do. Sometimes HDL is called good cholesterol. If there is a significant number of HDL2b then we should have enough working agents in our bodies and that is important as it is truly the number of these agents and not the over all cholesterol number that is vital to our health. For years a high cholesterol level has been the target for negative labels. People have generally been told to reduce their cholesterol but often important information is not known, for example it is the size of the particles of cholesterol that is critical to reduce cardiac heart disease. The truth is the body needs cholesterol and often stabilises the correct amount for its requirements. A reduction in cholesterol simply will be replaced naturally by the body unless unnecessary interference stops it, and this leads me to ask why are there so many myths involving good fat and bad fat? There is a whole industry based on the idea that one has to buy into a specific regime to control the supposed bad fat. While there are most definitively actions that can be taken to ensure one remains healthy, the majority of these should be made after one has separated the fact from the false statements.
An important question one may like to ask refers to how one can improve their own heart health. What can I do to reduce the number of small particles of cholesterol and boost my HDL? There is a general answer to this and it involves one taking action to reduce the intake of sugar, starch and alcohol. These are all areas of intake that can negatively impact on HDL. A specific type of exercise can influence how food is broken down into our blood stream. This will then have a positive impact on the HDL in our bodies. In a recent intriguing study there were two groups of people that had been given the same type of lunch, it contained a specific amount of sugar, starch and fats. After lunch one group was told to sit down and watch TV, but the other group were told to go for a gentle walk. On returning all the participants gave a blood sample. The group that went for a walk about thirty minutes after lunch had completely clear blood samples that could be looked through where as the others who had sat and watched TV gave blood samples that were thick and full of particles. This was an interesting instance that provided evidence of how a little exercise can go a long way towards beneficially breaking down the food in our bodies. It should be said that it is of course imperative that anyone who would like to take up significant exercise that has not been done by them before or is resumed after a lengthy time consults with a doctor before starting exercise.
There are two significant factors to keep arteries clear. One is cutting out or lowering the intake of carbohydrate based foods and the second is to do the correct type of exercise at the right time. Food is a major component and reducing the intake of carbs can influence one's cholesterol, reducing the portion size of food can be very beneficial as often one is not aware of how much more one is putting into a meal that what should be a recommended daily allowance. Walking is a good exercise and done at about a half an hour after a meal can be highly beneficial. Often gentle exercise is good because it is not excessive and will not be problematic for the body but if at the last part of the walk one can ever so lightly increase the energy effort then it will get the heart pumping. Exercises that are explosive, compress and relax the muscles are good to clear the arteries but it is very important to keep within one's own capability. The majority of people never need to be extreme as gentle, calm exercise generally gives one all the benefit that they require.
We have two environments that impact on how we live. What is important to both, whether it is external or inside my body and in my blood circulation is that if I do nothing about its upkeep, I will be the one to suffer. Many positives can be found in the individual actions that one can take, be it in the type of exercise to the amount, the lifestyle that one has can be one of the most important areas that one can influence in life.
May 30, 2016
Environment.
When I look in a mirror what do I really see? A member of a species that has the power to alter the environment, who can in turn make living conditions tolerable or impossible for not only its own species but many others? How many others is a figure that is increased by thousands every year as more and more species are discovered throughout the world.
Decisions about levels of carbon gas emissions are taken by governments but the everyday beauty of the countryside is influenced greatly by individual personal decisions. Important questions can often provide conclusive answers about just how much we appreciate what our own actions can do, because one when added to only a few more can total a significant sum. I ask myself when I visit the seaside do I collect up all my discarded rubbish and dispose of it in a designated receptacle, or do I just dump it there, after all other people are doing it so why bother?
In the middle of the sea there is a floating island of discarded plastic containers that is growing as more and more plastic is being dumped into the sea.
Disposing of rubbish is a major issue and a good portion of council time and money is tied up with finding suitable ways of collecting and reprocessing rubbish. It seems as if the task is a money orientated one, a costly job and yet there is a saying that where there is muck there is money.
I think that over time the consciousness about what we can do on an individual basis for our environment has altered. References, images and public appeals have widened our knowledge about what every area of impact can mean to the whole. Environmental ideas should not be a means for negative thought but for positive and pro active alteration. There is so much that can be done, individual, small acts can be the basis for bigger improvements. If, for example, each person acknowledged their appreciation for the environment through small actions to protect it then the greater act would have a positive influence for many.
Already education, politics and the media have made the environment a priority. Sometimes actions are a means for alteration and a response can be the move that motivates multiple hearts and minds.
Decisions about levels of carbon gas emissions are taken by governments but the everyday beauty of the countryside is influenced greatly by individual personal decisions. Important questions can often provide conclusive answers about just how much we appreciate what our own actions can do, because one when added to only a few more can total a significant sum. I ask myself when I visit the seaside do I collect up all my discarded rubbish and dispose of it in a designated receptacle, or do I just dump it there, after all other people are doing it so why bother?
In the middle of the sea there is a floating island of discarded plastic containers that is growing as more and more plastic is being dumped into the sea.
Disposing of rubbish is a major issue and a good portion of council time and money is tied up with finding suitable ways of collecting and reprocessing rubbish. It seems as if the task is a money orientated one, a costly job and yet there is a saying that where there is muck there is money.
I think that over time the consciousness about what we can do on an individual basis for our environment has altered. References, images and public appeals have widened our knowledge about what every area of impact can mean to the whole. Environmental ideas should not be a means for negative thought but for positive and pro active alteration. There is so much that can be done, individual, small acts can be the basis for bigger improvements. If, for example, each person acknowledged their appreciation for the environment through small actions to protect it then the greater act would have a positive influence for many.
Already education, politics and the media have made the environment a priority. Sometimes actions are a means for alteration and a response can be the move that motivates multiple hearts and minds.
May 23, 2016
Perception.
Perception is a fascinating concept and deserves a closer look. Take my first view of the world as a small child in a pram. Adoring well wishers loomed over me with good intentions while expressing unintelligible words to me, their mouths moved open in an exaggerated smile exposing all their sharp teeth. In a restricted position laying on my back I was unable to withdraw as the face with teeth seemingly lunged towards me. At the time a simple kind hearted intention on someone's part, from my perception of it looked like a threat against my life! Of course I reacted naturally to it and burst into uncontrollable tears and shook with fear until the face withdrew. It is clear my perception of the intention was not the same as the adoring well wisher's notion of it. It is somewhat interesting that an action may not be perceived as it is intended. On that occasion the individual may not even have been aware of the cause of my discomfort but from my perceived experience I had a very real cause for concern.
Understanding cultural signals is vitally important if one does not want to offend people, one small accepted custom in one country could have a completely different significance in another continent. Not respecting the custom to remove your shoes on entering someone's home would be perceived as being grossly rude to some but could be a far more serious offence to others.
I can not underestimate how important my actions are in achieving any given goal. There is a saying that clothes make the man but there is no doubt that people's perception does significantly how they perceive someone according to appearance. Take stop and search by the police, it has been claimed to intensify based on a stereotype of a person regardless of it being subsequently a justified action or not.
In a famous example that really took place students were offered money to take part in a psychological experiment. Although at the beginning they were equal, after being dressed they were designated as either a prisoner or guard. A drastic alteration took place in their respective perception of who they were, with the guards using excessive brutality and prisoners surrendering any form of resistance. The participants needed psychological counselling after the experiment had been stopped before it was scheduled to end.
Many wars have been won and lost because of the perception that their leader had portrayed about their position, stance and overall ability to win. In a film, a king although dead was tied to his horse and led his men to victory all because the mere perception people had in what they took to be a sighting of him gave confidence. The opposite occurred in 1066 when King Harold was struck down, the will to win was lost.
I think there is a point in that truth and reality are not the same, perception has more than one side and can be greatly influenced by confirmation of a person's peers. If for example I am going to to work but my wife notices I am looking tired and asks if I am well, I may automatically at that time reply that I am fine, thank you. Later at work if one of my colleagues also remarks that I do not look too good then I may actually start to to feel unwell. Although nothing has altered except for my own perception of how well I am.
One of my greatest pass times is looking at optical illusions, the most recent one for me was when a piece of a curved toy train track after being placed exactly on top of a second section of track both looked the exact same length. Yet when the top section was placed flat within the bottom section it is perceived that the closer one is far smaller than the other one. Another really spooky one is a hollow face that appears to have eyes that follow you wherever you are in the room. A really mind blowing one is a picture of a brick wall that appears conventional but when it is pointed out in a second picture there is a lighted cigar highlighted with a red circle embedded in the wall. I looked back at the first picture and to my amazement I could see the cigar end embedded in the brick wall, at a right angle to the wall a cigar was visible and it was then impossible to see the wall as I had seen it initially.
I think it is clear that the outlook in the mind is an important part of perception and things are not always what they seem to appear. A mind boggling thought is how I see the world is influenced by having two flat front facing eyes with the ability to distinguish colour and distance. Creatures that have multi faceted vision such as a fly, or those with eyes on opposite sides of their heads like birds must perceive the world in a different way, one that is unique to them.
There have been outstanding examples of stretching the limits of mass perception and a film was made depicting the exploits of Frank William Abagnale Jr. He is notorious for his successful multi character impersonations of an airline pilot, doctor, prison warden and many more. You may know him as the subject of the film Catch Me If You Can. The important part is how could he deceive so many people? They all perceived him to be what they expected to see.
A positive point for me is if I want to be successful at any task I must act with complete confidence even if I am shaking with fear and doubt. It is a true fact that in many instances people will accept and judge based on what they think they see over what may be the actual truth.
Understanding cultural signals is vitally important if one does not want to offend people, one small accepted custom in one country could have a completely different significance in another continent. Not respecting the custom to remove your shoes on entering someone's home would be perceived as being grossly rude to some but could be a far more serious offence to others.
I can not underestimate how important my actions are in achieving any given goal. There is a saying that clothes make the man but there is no doubt that people's perception does significantly how they perceive someone according to appearance. Take stop and search by the police, it has been claimed to intensify based on a stereotype of a person regardless of it being subsequently a justified action or not.
In a famous example that really took place students were offered money to take part in a psychological experiment. Although at the beginning they were equal, after being dressed they were designated as either a prisoner or guard. A drastic alteration took place in their respective perception of who they were, with the guards using excessive brutality and prisoners surrendering any form of resistance. The participants needed psychological counselling after the experiment had been stopped before it was scheduled to end.
Many wars have been won and lost because of the perception that their leader had portrayed about their position, stance and overall ability to win. In a film, a king although dead was tied to his horse and led his men to victory all because the mere perception people had in what they took to be a sighting of him gave confidence. The opposite occurred in 1066 when King Harold was struck down, the will to win was lost.
I think there is a point in that truth and reality are not the same, perception has more than one side and can be greatly influenced by confirmation of a person's peers. If for example I am going to to work but my wife notices I am looking tired and asks if I am well, I may automatically at that time reply that I am fine, thank you. Later at work if one of my colleagues also remarks that I do not look too good then I may actually start to to feel unwell. Although nothing has altered except for my own perception of how well I am.
One of my greatest pass times is looking at optical illusions, the most recent one for me was when a piece of a curved toy train track after being placed exactly on top of a second section of track both looked the exact same length. Yet when the top section was placed flat within the bottom section it is perceived that the closer one is far smaller than the other one. Another really spooky one is a hollow face that appears to have eyes that follow you wherever you are in the room. A really mind blowing one is a picture of a brick wall that appears conventional but when it is pointed out in a second picture there is a lighted cigar highlighted with a red circle embedded in the wall. I looked back at the first picture and to my amazement I could see the cigar end embedded in the brick wall, at a right angle to the wall a cigar was visible and it was then impossible to see the wall as I had seen it initially.
I think it is clear that the outlook in the mind is an important part of perception and things are not always what they seem to appear. A mind boggling thought is how I see the world is influenced by having two flat front facing eyes with the ability to distinguish colour and distance. Creatures that have multi faceted vision such as a fly, or those with eyes on opposite sides of their heads like birds must perceive the world in a different way, one that is unique to them.
There have been outstanding examples of stretching the limits of mass perception and a film was made depicting the exploits of Frank William Abagnale Jr. He is notorious for his successful multi character impersonations of an airline pilot, doctor, prison warden and many more. You may know him as the subject of the film Catch Me If You Can. The important part is how could he deceive so many people? They all perceived him to be what they expected to see.
A positive point for me is if I want to be successful at any task I must act with complete confidence even if I am shaking with fear and doubt. It is a true fact that in many instances people will accept and judge based on what they think they see over what may be the actual truth.
