Public Relations for The White House

Public Relations for the Executive Branch of the United States Government are not easy, yet they are paramount to delivering the right message to the American People. Since all politics are local and there are so many variables and interests out there the Public Relations Programs must be somewhat of an overview as not to alienate any group of citizenry or they will feel slighted and disrespected and then want revenge.

Additionally the message to the American People must be carefully constructed because it can be misinterpreted by foreign media and taken out of context and use to hurt our nations by a media hit from another nation, group of nations or block of nations. This can cause issues with trade wars, conflicts or negative comments in places like the United Nations.

If foreign interests purposefully take things out of context in order to degrade the United States and the leadership they can hurt the Nations reputation throughout the world. You can see how hard it is to run a decent public relations program. However, public relations are very important otherwise the citizens start to allow the media to shape their opinion of the Executive Branch and that can often cause them to lose faith in our government.

Luckily in the United States our populations are smarter and savvy in many regards than those so easily led astray in other nations in many ways. And in other ways like all human populations they are somewhat naïve in the overall total game of how things work in civilizations around the world how everything is inter-connected. So any public relations programs needs to take this into account and carefully work to explain some of the complexity of the decisions being made while sticking to an over all simple message which is preferred by all. Please consider all this in 2006.

India And China On Military Strength

As two rising Asian powers, India and China are often predicted by analysts to be the future global superpowers based on their economic boom with double digit GDP growths and their rising politico-social influence in the third world since the last few years. In the myriad economic and political analyses, often overlooked is the military comparison of these two countries. It is a nation’s military strength which ensures its sovereignty and paves the way for economic stability and prosperity. A comparative analysis is therefore just, to see how India and China fare in military strengths against each other and in the global scene.

China’s military spending in 2006 is about $ 80 billion as estimated by the United States DoD (Department of Defense) reports while the official Chinese CPC government quote is a $30 billion military expenditure. The actual Chinese military capabilities and budget are shrouded in deep secrecy to prevent foreign countries having an idea of its military power…and perhaps to generate a lot of hype. Even if we were to go by the conservative official Chinese claims of $ 30 billion, it would put China second only to USA in global military spending - a very ambitious one at that. On the other side, India’s official military spending is quoted as $22 billion for 2006 by the Ministry of Finance (India) Budget (2006-2007) last April. India however, does not keep a level of secrecy as cloaked as China does, primarily because of its democratic government system and public accountability. By its official 2006 military budget figures, India stands at 9th position in global military spending.

India And Rusia

India-Russian relations refers to the bilateral relations between Republic of India and Russian Federation. During the Cold War, India and Soviet Union enjoyed strong strategic, military, economic and diplomatic relationship. After the collapse of the USSR, India improved its relations with the West but it continued its close relations with Russia. India is the second largest market for Russian arms industry. In 2004, more than 70% on Indian Military's hardware came from Russia, making Russia the chief supplier of arms. However, Israel is expected to emerge as India's largest defense partner by 2015.

India has an embassy in Moscow and 2 Consulates-General (in Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok). Russia has an embassy in New Delhi and 3 Consulates-General (in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai). Since 2000 and the visit of Vladimir Putin in India there have been an Indo-Russian Strategic Partnership.

U.S Security System

Security Systems of America has more than 30 years of experience in the quality design, assembly, installation and maintenance of integrated security systems. SSA installs and services residential and commercial security, fire, CCTV and access systems. We monitor our accounts with our own established UL Listed Monitoring Station 24 hours a day 365 days a year. We are one of the few privately held security companies that do not use the services of another company for monitoring.

We offer 24/7 support and service from real people on duty ready to help when needed. Our success in the marketplace is based upon structuring our company's services and resources to meet the specific needs of our clients.

We have developed the infrastructure necessary to deliver systems and support on time and within the client's budget. We are committed to resolving problems quickly - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That's the SSA Difference!

India-U.S. atomic pact

The high-profile nuclear cooperation deal that lies at the heart of warming ties between India and the U.S. has run into serious trouble over the fine print.

Officials on both sides are expressing growing frustration over each other’s seeming intransigence in overcoming the final obstacles to sealing the agreement, which would reverse years of U.S. policy and allow American companies to sell and share civilian nuclear technology with India even though it has refused to join the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.

When proposed nearly two years ago, the nuclear pact made headlines as proof that the world’s most populous democracy had joined hands with the most powerful to create a new balance of power, especially as a counter to a rising China.

But negotiators have been unable to reach agreement on issues concerning India’s right to conduct nuclear tests, its desire to reprocess spent fuel and its demand for assurances of uninterrupted nuclear fuel supplies.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon is scheduled to meet with U.S. Undersecretary of State R. Nicholas Burns in Washington today and Tuesday to give added impetus to efforts at finding a solution, amid signs in both countries that patience is wearing thin.

“Burns is now increasingly frustrated,” said Jon Wolfsthal, a nonproliferation expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington. “They feel they bent over and pushed this deal. Now it’s time for the Indians to step up and close the deal.”

‘Shrill comments’

Here in the Indian capital, the souring mood is summed up in regular news reports blaming the stalemate on the Americans’ “rigid stance” and huffing at what one newspaper called “increasingly shrill comments” by senior members of the Bush administration.

Considerable political will remains on both sides to finalize the agreement, which President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lobbied hard to sell to their respective legislatures. Many regard the deal as the most visible symbol of improving relations between the two countries, and of growing acceptance of India’s status as a rising, nuclear-armed power.

But the areas of contention bedeviling the accord are proving tough to resolve, particularly because they touch on sensitivities relating to Indian sovereignty and bitter historical memory.

India exploded its first atomic device in 1974 and became a declared nuclear-weapons state nine years ago, after a nuclear test in the Rajasthani desert that prompted archrival Pakistan to follow suit, sparking fears of an arms race in South Asia. The U.S. slapped economic sanctions on both countries, but relaxed them after Sept. 11.

Though the proposed nuclear agreement would exempt India from the U.S. ban on technology transfer to countries outside the international nonproliferation treaty, Washington would still be bound by law to suspend assistance if New Delhi conducted more nuclear tests.

“Such a requirement is an affront to India’s sovereign prerogatives,” the daily Hindu said in an editorial last week, echoing the argument of many critics of the deal. “It is therefore completely unacceptable.”

At this point, neither side appears willing to budge.

“We’ve made it clear we’re not going to change the laws,” U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Another area of dispute is India’s insistence that it be allowed to reprocess nuclear fuel from the U.S. to extract plutonium, which it says would be used only for peaceful purposes as it seeks to increase power production to keep its economy booming.

The U.S. has granted reprocessing rights to its European allies and to Japan for decades. But officials say that Washington’s relationship with New Delhi, one marked by distrust and suspicion for most of its history, has not matured enough for the same treatment to be extended to India.

That feeling of suspicion still resonates today among politicians and intellectuals here in India, on both the left and right. New Delhi says it has felt the sting of U.S. bad faith and betrayal in the past.

Sex Education in the United States

Sex and Pregnancy Among Teens

• By their 18th birthday, six in 10 teenage women and more than five in 10 teenage men have had sexual intercourse.

• Between 1995 and 2002, the number of teens aged 15–17 who had ever engaged in sexual intercourse declined 10%.

• Of the approximately 750,000 teen pregnancies that occur each year, 82% are unintended. More than one-quarter end in abortion.

• The pregnancy rate among U.S. women aged 15–19 has declined steadily—from 117 pregnancies per 1,000 women in 1990 to 75 per 1,000 women in 2002.

• Approximately 14% of the decline in teen pregnancy between 1995 and 2002 was due to teens’ delaying sex or having sex less often, while 86% was due to an increase in sexually experienced teens’ contraceptive use.

• Despite the decline, the United States continues to have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the developed world—almost twice as high as those of England, Wales and Canada, and eight times as high as those of the Netherlands and Japan.

• Every year, roughly nine million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur among teens and young adults in the United States. Compared with rates among teens in Canada and Western Europe, rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia among U.S. teens are extremely high.

• Though teens in the United States have levels of sexual activity similar to levels among their Canadian, English, French and Swedish peers, they are more likely to have shorter and more sporadic sexual relationships and are less likely to use contraceptives.
Sex Education: Teens’ Perspectives

• By 2002, one-third of teens had not received any formal instruction about contraception.

• More than one in five adolescents (21% of females and 24% of males) received abstinence education without receiving instruction about birth control in 2002, compared with 8–9% in 1995.

• In 2002, only 62% of sexually experienced female teens had received instruction about contraception before they first had sex, compared with 72% in 1995.

• Only one out of three sexually experienced black males and fewer than half of sexually experienced black females had received instruction about contraception before the first time they had sex.

• One-quarter of sexually experienced teens had not received instruction about abstinence before first

BRAZIL CULTURE & ARTS

BRAZIL CULTURE & ARTS is an organization dedicated to bringing Brazilian culture, history, dance and art to the Bay Area. Under the leadership of Mestre Beiçola, a native of Rio de Jainero, the organization includes a Capoeira performing group, Capoeira Narahari, and a dance company, Sambão, as well as several on-going samba & capoeira classes for children and adults throughout the Bay Area.

BRAZIL CULTURE & ARTS offers rich programming and performances in the martial arts, dance and music of this exceptional South American nation. The organization boasts Capoeira academies in Brazil and America, a Rio-style samba school and performing company as well as a variety of ongoing classes in the San Francisco Bay Area.

BRAZIL CULTURE & ARTS sponsors cultural tours to several Brazilian states each winter and summer. Scores of people have enjoyed these tours, which offer firsthand experience of the country's finest masters of the arts and a unique insight into the unparalleled spirit of the Brazilian people.

Ignorant About Hunger

I don't believe that there is anyone going hungry in America simply by reason of denial or lack of ability to feed them,'' President Reagan said to visiting high school students last week. ''It is by people not knowing where or how to get this help.''

You're right, Mr. President, that lack of information is part of the hunger problem, but do you know why so many Americans are unsure of where to turn when their pockets and larders are empty? Would you believe that your own Administration is to blame? Here's how.

In 1971, Congress enacted an outreach program to insure that organizations involved with poor people, like senior citizens' centers and unemployment offices, provide information about the nation's food programs. The Federal Government provided booklets and paid half the program costs.

In 1981, however, the Administration tried to get this outreach provision repealed, leaving the states free to choose whether or not to participate. Then Senator Jesse Helms had an idea the Administration liked even better. Let the states continue their programs if they want, he said, but without a dime of Federal money. The Administration supported the Helms proposal, which Congress then accepted. Some states continued to promulgate information. A lot more didn't, or did so less effectively.

Two years later, Representative Leon Panetta, Democrat of California, proposed requiring outreach again - but only to reach the elderly, disabled and unemployed. Again Mr. Helms objected, and again the Administration concurred. The Panetta proposal passed the House; a counterpart never even made it to the Senate.

Perhaps you can see, Mr. President, why some Americans don't know ''where or how to get this help.'' That even some help is available in the first place is partly the result of Congress's forcing you to spend money you wanted to cut. Your budget proposed dropping the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, which helps communities deal with hunger and homelessness. It called for eliminating $50 million that helps local food banks transport and store surplus commodities.

Coincidentally, that's the same amount of money that Hands Across America hopes to raise today with its nationwide human chain. We understand you're joining in; if you're serious about hunger, there's a lot more you could do to show it.

The hungry aren't the only ones who lack information about the nation's nutrition programs. But they have an excuse.

United States Marriage

“The Massachusetts court has clearly said that same-sex partners should have the same right to marry as heterosexual couples,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “Any couple should be free to demonstrate their love and commitment to each other through marriage. The state should not discriminate in this deeply personal area because of the partners’ gender or sexual orientation.”

On November 18, the state’s highest court ordered in Goodridge et. al. v Department of Public Health that gay and lesbian couples be admitted to the full rights of civil marriage. The court gave the state legislature six months to amend laws to conform with the decision. Since then, several prominent state officials—including Governor Mitt Romney, Attorney General Thomas Reilly, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Thomas Finneran—have suggested that the legislature create special “civil unions” for gay and lesbian couples. These “civil unions” would provide some of the rights of marriage, but would create a separate but unequal system that would fail to meet the court’s stipulation.

“History shows again and again that separate is never equal,” said Roth. “Civil unions rarely if ever offer the full roster of rights that marriage entails. And they stigmatize same-sex relationships by suggesting they deserve only second-class recognition.”

Visit Our Site :- Web Directory of Mobile Country
Premium web directory
Bidding Directory

Culture of the United States

This is about the high culture and popular culture of the United States. For ustoms and way of life, see Society of the United States.Culture of the United States Architecture Cinema Comic books Cuisine Dance Literature Music Poetry Radio Sculpture
Television Theater Visual arts

The development of the culture of the United States of America—music, cinema, dance, architecture, literature, poetry, cuisine and the visual arts—has been marked by a tension between two strong sources of inspiration: European sophistication and domestic originality.

American music is heard all over the world, such as through MTV, Channel V, VH1 and by singers such as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey, and the Backstreet Boys; American movies and television shows can be seen almost anywhere[citation needed], including icons like Star Wars, Titanic and The Matrix; American sports figures are widely known, such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Venus Williams, Mike Tyson and Michael Johnson; and American movie actors and actresses are widely recognized such as Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise. This is in very stark contrast to the early days of the American republic, when the country was generally seen as an agricultural backwater with little to offer the culturally advanced world centers of Europe and Asia. At the beginning of her fifth century, nearly every major American city offers classical and popular music; historical, scientific and art research centers and museums; dance performances, musicals and plays; outdoor art projects and internationally significant architecture. This development is a result of both contributions by private philanthropists and government funding.

About Farnch

Behold a charming cottage for rent in the equally charming small village of Cubjac, located in Perigord Blanc (white) in the Dordogne area of southwest France.

The cottage is located in the central church square of Cubjac and although being 300 years old, has been completely renovated during 2005-07 and is finished with all modern conveniences whilst maintaining the classical features of exposed stonewalls and fireplaces, and large wooden ceiling beams. The walls are 80cm solid stone with tiled ground floor and wood boards on the 1st floor. So it is cool in the French summer & retains heat in the winter. But all rooms have heating installed anyway.

The cottage consists of four levels - underground (stonewalled cellar), ground floor (shower/toilet, kitchen, dining & lounge rooms), 1st floor (2 bedrooms, shower/toilet/bathroom and dressing room), and attic. Linen & towels are supplied. The lounge room has a double sofa bed, so the cottage can sleep a total of 6, at a pinch, but is more designed to be comfortable with 4 persons.All of the village's attractions, shops, river, beach and bridge etc are <200m.>

The Dordogne, & Perigord, is renowned in France for its food, wine, markets, history and scenery, revealing rolling hills interspaced with green valleys each with a lovely river setting.

Foie gras, truffles, confit of duck, goats cheese, snails & walnuts, to name a few, are the famous speciality foods of the area. Rose wine from Bergerac, sweet wine from Monbazillac, and the 'black' (Malbec grape) wine of Cahors are also famous throughout France & the world

Visit Our Site :- Online Travel & Safari

Know About ISHLAM

So what exactly is Islam? The name itself comes from the root word “salam” which means “peace” in Arabic. “Islam” actually means “submission”, which is understood as submission of the human being’s will to the will of God. So, a complete definition for the word Islam would be “submission to God in order to obtain peace.” And a Muslim, coming from that same root word s-l-m, is a person who submits himself to God in order to obtain peace.

Human beings need structure in their lives, which is observable in day to day activities. There are 5 pillars of Islam which provide that crucial structure to a person’s life. These 5 pillars are the foundation of an individual’s religion, without them there can be no Islam, but they are only the bare minimum requirements.

The first is the shahada, or the declaration of faith. It is when a person says and believes that there is no deity worth of any type of worship except for God, and that Muhammad is His messenger. The second is the prayer which should be performed a minimum of 5 times each day. The third is zakat which can be thought of as a tax to feed the poor and purify your money. The fourth is fasting for the entire month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset each day. Last but not least, the fifth is the hajj which is the pilgrimage to Mecca. The hajj should be performed at least once in a person’s life if they are able.

Foreign Relations Volume on Iran, 1964-1968

During the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, good relations with Iran were a top priority for U.S. policymakers, who agreed on Iran's strategic importance and remained concerned over potential threats to the long-term stability of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's regime. Foreign Relations, 1964-1968, volume XXII, Iran, released today by the Department of State, documents the administration's policy of support for the Shah and its emphasis on buttressing Iran's internal security by encouraging a far-reaching program of political, social, and economic reform¾the Shah's so-called "White Revolution." Johnson's personal relationship with the Shah was closer than President Kennedy's had been. The two leaders corresponded frequently, and the Shah met with Johnson three times during his presidency.

The only real bone of contention between the two countries was the Shah's seemingly insatiable appetite for more and newer military equipment. His insistence on spending more of Iran's growing oil revenues on weapons conflicted with U.S. policy goals of advocating Iranian economic development and reform as a check against internal upheaval or revolution.

In January 1964 the Shah wrote the President that the 1962 U.S. Five-Year Military Plan for Iran had already proved inadequate. During subsequent discussions of a military modernization program, U.S. officials continued to emphasize the importance of ensuring that such a program would not hamper Iran's economic development, while the Shah insisted that increased oil revenues would make it possible to pay for increased defense expenditures without impairing Iran's economic progress. In July 1964 the U.S. Government agreed to a new Memorandum of Understanding on military modernization.

How To Effortlessly Raise Funds For Your Church

The majority of the churches and organizations religious depend on the dishes of collection each Sunday to provide the majority of the necessary placement to maintain the church alive. After all, there is many expenditure when it has suddenly run a church. Y has not only it one mortgage and the invoices of utility, there are also the costs of the bibles and the hymnals, with healthy costs, costs of projection etc... Us asylum’T even touched on the costs of provisioning for the care of seedbed and the school of Sunday. And what would you say coffee and biscuits for after the service? Pasteur and other ministers of associate need also significant annual wages. To run a church and to maintain it alive and prosperity is an expensive effort nowadays, and it can be difficult to fill flat of collection or puts out of bag each Sunday with less people each day by using the money cash or checks. Many churches have also periodic fund raisers to help with the costs of the church. With the Internet, there are much in ways easy to have a fund raiser successful for your church with the minimal effort and the cost. An attractive idea is to sell these silicone bracelets. They are cheap to manufacture, and the sale of them with same less than two dollars per piece can create an enormous benefit.

By making it easy for church members to donate via credit card and debit card donations, a flailing church can greatly increase their number of donations. Using a virtual terminal on your church website is a surefire way to allow your members to donate as much as they want to with simply a click of the mouse. Also, for churches and other religious organizations, Capital Merchant Solutions waives the setup fee, which is normally 249$.

Using a virtual terminal is much like any other means of credit card processing. You login using the provided username and password that is provided to you by the online payment gateway provider. You are then able to enter the required information, including the customer’s name and address, their credit card number and expiration, the dollar amount etc. Once you submit the information by hitting the ‘process’ button, you will immediately receive the response telling you whether the card has been approved or declined. An added bonus to this is that if the card is approved, the funds are immediately deposited into your bank account.

This is a great option for any business or organization, and especially for churches. The recurrent billing option on the website may soon replace the envelopes on the offering plate. It is possible for church members to donate a set amount of money periodically, which is a hassle free donating option for the person giving, and also the person or organization that is on the receiving end. Called ‘automatic tithing’, this revolutionary idea is changing the way that church members deal with giving. It is easy to sign up on the website for set transactions. No more inconvenient stops at the bank machine before church to get money for the offering envelope, and no more trying to find a check to put in. Simply sign up for automatic transactions and the donator will have peace of mind knowing that he or she is giving automatically.

The key to raising money for any organization, including churches, is to ensure that giving money is easy and accessible for everyone, which is why using an Internet payment gateway is such a viable option for most groups. Once you have decided on the avenue you are going to pursue for your fundraiser, it is time to raise awareness and make sure that people know which options are available to them should they decide to give. The nice thing about an Internet payment gateway is that it makes it easy for non-members to give also. They simply have to go to the website and fill out the required information. When churches use a virtual terminal to raise funds, they are appealing to a broader audience than just the members if the congregation.

U.S.-IRAQI RELATIONS

The focus of United States policy in Iraq remains on helping the Iraqi people build a constitutional, representative government that respects the rights of all Iraqis and has security forces capable of maintaining order and preventing the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists and foreign fighters. The ultimate goal is an Iraq that is peaceful, united, stable, democratic, and secure, with institutions capable of providing just governance and security for all Iraqis and is an ally in the war against terrorism.

U.S. forces remain in Iraq (under a UN Security Council mandate) as part of the Multi-National Force-Iraq to assist the Government of Iraq in training its security forces, as well as to work in partnership with the Government of Iraq to combat forces that seek to derail Iraq's progression toward full democracy. The U.S. Government is carrying out a multibillion-dollar program to assist in the reconstruction of Iraq.

When major combat operations ended in April 2003, the Iraqi Army disintegrated, and its installations were destroyed by pilfering and looting. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) officially dissolved the Iraqi military and Ministry of Defense on May 23, 2003. On August 7, 2003, the CPA established the New Iraqi Army as the first step toward the creation of the national self-defense force of post-Saddam Hussein Iraq. Support for the manning, training, and equipping of Iraq's security forces is led by the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I). In addition to defense forces, the Ministry of Interior, with the help of the MNSTC-I, is training and equipping civilian police forces to establish security and stability, primarily through combating the nation-wide insurgency. Initially under the command and control of the Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I) command, in 2006 police and Iraqi Army units began to transition to Iraqi control. By November 2007, all of the original ten Iraq Army divisions had completed the transfer to Iraq Ground Forces Command. The process of transferring provinces to Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC) began in July 2007, when Muthanna became the first province where Iraq Security Forces took the leading role of security in a province. In December 2007, Basrah became the ninth of Iraq's eighteen provinces to transfer to PIC.

China-India Bilateral Relationship

Indian Defense Minister Mukherjee is here for a visit from May 28 to June 2. During his stay here, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, State Councilor and Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan met with him. Both sides positively evaluate the sound momentum of development of bilateral ties in recent years, stressing that military exchanges are important part of the overall bilateral relationship. The enhancement of military exchanges and mutual trust is of significance for the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

The agreement you asked is an MOU on strengthening defence exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. You asked about the reason to sign the MOU and said that China and India are not always friends. What I would like to tell you is that China and India enjoy a more than 2000 years' history of exchanges and interactions.

In most part of the history, the two countries are friendly to each other, making great contribution to human civilization. There was only a short period of time when bilateral relations were cold. Both countries have decided to be forward-looking and work together to develop the strategic partnership. The signing of the MOU is a natural outcome of the development of bilateral ties and military exchanges.

We deem it as beneficial. In the mean time, I would like to assure you that China has signed similar MOU with many other countries, which is not targeted against any third party.

For A Long Lasting Relationship

Most of us live by values. Our relationship is also based on shared values that are dear to both the partners. What are the values you live by? They may be- Honesty, speaking truth, helping others, understanding others, caring for others, being compassionate and such other values that you may be sharing with your partner.

Do you live by these values in your work life? Many of us compromise our values in our work life to achieve quick results and money. When it comes to living by the values in work, we do not think about scarifying the values to reach targets and achieve quick growth. are you also doing the same?

How many of us do not lie? How many of us behave carelessly towards others/ how many of us cheat others for small gains? We are ready to sacrifice most of our values to reach our material goals. We justify all our actions. But this gives us dissatisfaction. we are not happy because we do not feel accomplished by getting success in this way. This dissatisfaction affects our relationship.

Slowly we also begin to compromise on our values with our partner. In love, we say- I will care for you. In love we promise total faithfulness. In love, we promise that we will sacrifice our comfort to make our beloved comfortable. In love we promise many things including never hurting our darling. When it comes to living by these values, we break most of them. We bring down our love to a give and take and justify our wrong actions with every possible argument. As that becomes apparent to our partner, they object to that and friction begins. This friction may lead to break- up. The essential factor is to live by values in all areas of our life. Once we do that we get happiness and confidence. Our relationship thrives because of that.

Visits our Health Blogs:–

Health Plus Pharmacy - A Skin and Beauty - Health Related Terms

Health Related Terms - Health Related Terms - Beauty of Skin

Improve Family Relationships

Family must come first and foremost before anything else, even before our career. "No other success can compensate for failure in the home. The poorest shack in which love prevails over a united family is of greater value to God and future humanity than any other riches." - David O. McKay

I believe that love, communication, and respect go a long way. I know of five rules that can improve relationships and make a family closer.

1. Parents and children must "show" love by helping each other. Giving service and sharing is what it's all about.

2. Take time for one another by going on dates with your spouse or having family outings. It's amazing what a picnic can do for a family.

3. Communicate with each other and take time to listen. Richard L. Evans said, "If only we could feel we have been heard! If only we would listen when we should!"

4. Show respect to each family member. Never demean another person.

5. Pray together. Abraham Lincoln said, "I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."

Money, wealth, and great careers shouldn't come before family. Money won't buy your family's love or happiness. Eugene Hansen said, "I learned money and material possessions are not the keys to happiness and success. Even with the constant financial challenge, we still had a good life. There was love in the home. Home was the place where we wanted to be. We did have two very significant items: we had a piano and we had a bookcase. How significant those two somewhat simple possessions were in the development of productive talents and interests so important in our early years."

The relationship between husband and wife is important, also. It should not be neglected. Marriage is a sacred bond between man and woman. We must always work on our relationship. Never embarrass or hurt the feelings of our marriage partner intentionally. Build up the other's self-esteem. Treat your partner with respect. Children watch, listen, mimic and follow in our footsteps. They learn quickly. When we show lack of respect to our partner, so will they.

We have to work at marriage. It's a lifetime commitment. Mary Stewart Cutting said, "A woman can stand anything but being forgotten, not being needed."

Richard L. Evans said, "All things need watching, working at, caring for, and marriage is no exception. Marriage is not something to be indifferently treated or abused, or something that simply takes care of itself. All things need attention, care and concern, and specially so in this most sensitive of all relationships of life."

Everyone has to work at Family relationships. It's doesn't come easy. It's something that needs a lot of work, but it's worth it. Thomas Jefferson said, "The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family."

Click here for Advertisement on blog

Pakistan After Bhutto

Less than a day after gun and bomb attacks killed Pakistan’s iconic opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, her death has already spurred more violence in her fragile homeland. The New York Times reports that violence erupted in cities across Pakistan today, as hundreds of thousands marched in Bhutto’s ancestral village for her funeral procession. Several news outlets have quoted a report from the Italian news agency AKI that an al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan claimed credit for Bhutto’s killing (CNN). Bhutto, the first woman to lead an Islamic state, hoped to win a third term as prime minister in critical parliamentary elections scheduled for January 8. Her death leaves pressing questions about whether the elections will run on schedule and how fair they will be. Already signs of political uncertainty and future troubles loom as analysts try to guess at Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s next move. Musharraf announced a three-day period of mourning (Bloomberg) for Bhutto. Pakistan’s current Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro announced December 28 that elections would be held as scheduled (NDTV) and urged Pakistanis to remain calm. But other news reports suggest a former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, will boycott elections (AP). Before Bhutto's assassination, Sharif's supporters were also targeted (WashPost) in a different political rally in Islamabad. Bhutto’s death means the United States will have to rethink its strategy (NPR) for nudging forward democratization in Pakistan. It had been pushing for a deal between Musharraf and Bhutto in the hope that Bhutto’s return to power would lend legitamacy to Musharraf’s increasingly unpopular government. Despite the recent imposition of emergency rule by Musharraf, Washington remained optimistic about the January elections. In a media conference call following Bhutto's death, CFR Senior Fellow Daniel Markey said the elections had the potential to move the country forward toward a more manageable civilian-military partnership, adding that “Benazir would have been a significant part of that.” December 27th was a bad day for United States, he says, and it “will be paying a price for it for a while.”

Demographic profile and government

Demographic Profile Contrary to its image, India is a surprisingly young country, with a median age of 24. Around 40% of its population falls in the rage of 20-44 years. Compared to the older generation, this younger generation is more confident, has more liberal and consumerist values, and is more ambitious.This is a quite recent change in the country's demographics, and has implications for changes in cultural values.There is a wide urban-rural divide in India. Indian society is primarily agrarian. More than 70% of India's population lives in villages, and subsists on agriculture. However, the contribution of agriculture is only 23%. India has one of the largest populations of technically qualified manpower, comprising around 15 million doctors, engineers and scientists. On the other hand, the literacy rate in the country is just over 50%.India has a large linguistic diversity. It has 18 constitutionally recognized major languages, in addition to around 1,600 other languages and dialects. There is no single language which is spoken by all Indians. According to the constitution, Hindi is the official national language. However, less than 40% of people in India can speak or understand Hindi. English is the co-official language, since it is spoken by most of the educated Indian class, and is the common language used in business situations.

Government and Political Structure India achieved its freedom from the British in 1947, and opted to be a parliamentary democracy. Its constitution, which was adopted in 1949, incorporates many features of the constitutional systems of the western democracies, specifically of the United Kingdom and the United States of America.The parliament is bicameral, consisting of Rajya Sabha [council of state or upper house] and Lok Sabha [house of the people or lower house.India has a federal structure and is divided into 28 states and seven Union Territories. Each state and Union Territory also has its own elected parliamentary assembly.India is the world's largest democracy with an electorate of more than 600mn people. The parliament consists of more than 534 elected MPs [Members of Parliament]. In the 2004 parliamentary elections, India also used indigenously developed electronic voting machines for conducting the elections.India has 7 national political parties, and more than 40 political parties recognized by the Election Commission.The President is the head of state, but it is largely a ceremonial post.
The actual legislative power resides with the council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the party in the majority.Voting age is 18 years. A cadre of civil servants, who represent the bureaucracy, support the political leadership for executing the government policies. These government officers are selected through a very tough competitive examination across the country, and represent an intelligent and elite class. The judiciary in India is independent of political/ governmental influences. It has often made decisions which are critical of--or even against--the government's official policies. This occurs if such policies are believed by the judiciary to go against the basic spirit of the Indian Constitution.