nicedaisy

This Week: Land of Missing Children

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 13:41:04 GMT

Trafficking in human beings -- slavery -- is the third biggest criminal industry on the planet. Only the trade in guns and drugs exceed the sale of people on the global scales of illegal enterprise.

According to the International Labour Organization, two million people are taken, or sold, from their homes into a life of forced labour and sexual abuse every year. The overwhelming majority are women and children. More than half of all people enslaved are turned into sex workers who endure lives of incalculable misery before, most often, dying early, diseased, deaths. In India the problem is acute.

An estimated 30,000 girls are trafficked into the sex industry every year. Some are sold by poverty-stricken parents hoping that their children will find employment as domestic servants. Others are simply snatched off the streets, drugged, raped, and sold to brothel “madams.”

Many of these children come from the far east of India -- a region at the crossroads of trade routes with Nepal and Bhutan, which is now a hub of trade in young women. The story of one girl, Pratima, is rare. She was trafficked, rescued, was brought back into the embrace of her family, and is now happily married. Most women who escape the horrors of the business are shunned when they return home, their families refusing to take them in, much less help to heal their wounds.

But Pratima was keen to expose the trade. She told of how she was taken from her home in Siliguri, drugged, and forced onto a train to Calcutta. There she put to work as a prostitute, and then sold on to a brothel in Bombay (Mumbai) known as “Sheila’s.”

We tracked her route into the Red Light district of Calcutta and found the area dominated by a unionized group of madams who insisted that the girls they worked were all over 18, and all volunteers. They were even getting British aid money to run health programs among the working girls. But the sordid reality was manifestly different. Many of the girls were clearly under 18 but none dares say so, and our crew was warned to get out of the area before we were attacked.

We held out little hope of finding Sheila’s until we met up with Balkrishna Achariya, the head of the Rescue Foundation. He ran teams of agents who infiltrated the brothels, found girls who wanted to escape, and then arranged for their rescue, often at great personal risk. And yes, he knew of Shelia’s.

With his help the brothel was identified and sure enough there were under-age girls working there. We took the information to the police where the local commander seemed reluctant to take the matter seriously. “Surely,” he told us. “If there are no prostitutes then ‘decent women’ would be attacked.”

Nonetheless we forced his hand, and arranged to conduct a raid. What we found was medieval. Girls hidden in the rafters, girls in tomb-like underground hideaways. But at the moment of truth, when arrests should have been made, the rescued girls vanished into a crowd of madams gathered on the street. The raid was a farce, a disaster.

But many of the girls were later tracked down and saved from their agonies in what would better be called the “rape trade” by Balkrishna, who sadly perished in a road traffic accident a few months later. And the local police chief who botched the raid soon “retired.”

Pols Cancel Global Warming

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:16:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. — Stinging sleet and snow coated windshields and streets early Wednesday as a winter blast roared out of the Midwest and swept into the Northeast as a Valentine's Day blizzard.

The huge storm system had been blamed for at least six deaths.

Most of upstate New York reported several inches of new snow on the ground Wednesday morning, with 10 inches reported alone in Owego, on the Pennsylvania line. Schools in Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo were closed.

Click here to check out FOXNews.com's storm photo essay.
The snowstorm presented unique problems for florists trying to deliver Valentine's Day flowers. Delivery truck drivers had to contend with messy roads and then had to navigate snowbanks and slippery sidewalks on foot while carrying expensive arrangements.

The National Weather Service predicted accumulations between 8 and 30 inches for areas around New York, with some locales to receive as much as 3 feet.
Flight delays and cancellations were announced at Albany International Airport. Temperatures aren't expected to rise above the teens in most areas, with high wind driving the wind chill below zero.
Peter Van Kereun, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, advised people to stay home if they didn't have to go out.

Connecticut officials closed Bradley International Airport and all 632 state plows were scraping down highways and putting down salt as sleet and freezing rain lashed the state. Up to a foot was expected.
The weather service issued a blizzard warning for Massachusetts' four westernmost counties early Wednesday, with snowfall rates that could exceed 2 inches per hour and wind gusts up to 40 mph.

In Ohio, the winter blast was blamed for the death of a 9-year-old girl struck by a falling tree limb and the State Highway patrol was investigating the death of a man who was driving a tractor-trailer that ran off a road and struck a tree.

Earlier, the same weather system's snow and ice had been blamed for three traffic deaths in Nebraska and one in Missouri, and a tornado on the southern side of the huge weather system killed one person in Louisiana.

Sheriff's offices in several west, northwest and north central Ohio counties closed roads to all but emergency workers Wednesday morning, many extending bans that began Tuesday; anyone else caught driving could be arrested.

More than 52,000 Duke Energy customers remained without power early Wednesday in the Cincinnati area and FirstEnergy Corp. reported scattered outages in northern Ohio. Thousands also had been plunged in the dark Tuesday in central Ohio.

Schools across the state remained closed Wednesday for a second day, many exceeding the five days allowed for bad weather or other emergencies, meaning they'll be required to make up the days.

Classes also were canceled at several college campuses, including Ohio State, and Cleveland Municipal Court was closed Wednesday. In Columbus, supervisors were told they could allow nonessential employees to report to work two hours late.

In Illinois, up to nearly 16 inches of snow was recorded Tuesday in parts of Springfield and at least 12 inches in Champaign — with wind gusting to 40 mph or higher.

"It's very dangerous, and drivers should not be out in these conditions unless you absolutely have to," said Mike Claffey of the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Two major airlines — United and American — canceled up to half their Wednesday morning flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

Wendy Abrams, city aviation department spokeswoman, cautioned all travelers to expect delays and cancelations through Wednesday.
In Indiana, Purdue University officials canceled some classes, while most flights out of Indianapolis International Airport were canceled Wednesday. About 4,173 Duke Energy customers remained without power early Wednesday

The Indiana National Guard was opening armories in over a dozen northern Indiana communities for travelers seeking shelter. The 7.4 inches of snowfall Tuesday in Indianapolis set a record for the date.
Communities in northern Pennsylvania were expecting more than 12 inches of snow before the storm clears out Wednesday.
Pittsburgh got its first blast from the storm late Tuesday morning as about 2 1/2 inches of snow forced schools throughout the region to close. The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium shut down, too, and officials there weren't planning to reopen until Thursday.
Crews around New Jersey on Tuesday salted roads and rail platforms in anticipation of the storm, which had already brought some freezing rain, sleet and snow to much of the state by early evening. Numerous school districts in the state canceled classes for Wednesday.
In Maine, more than a dozen flights were canceled at Portland International Jetport. Even before the first snowflake fell, the governor declared a state of emergency to ensure the smooth delivery of heating oil to homes and businesses.

What kind of lovers we are.

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 08:25:28 GMT

My husband and I have been married less than 10 years, but we're the quintessential "old married couple." We don't coo or act lovey-dovey, even though we have a lot in common and enjoy each other's company. Some onlookers might call our relationship stodgy, but most social scientists would say we happen to be the kind of folks whose friendship blossomed into love.
For other couples, love can look quite different. Some enjoy sparks and passion even decades into their relationship. Others obsess over every single detail of a 20-year marriage as if they had just started dating. In fact, experts say there are six different ways you can be "in love." And your love style may change over the course of your relationship.
Knowing your style can help you evaluate your relationship, says Susan Hendrick, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Texas Tech University, who -- with her husband and research partner, Clyde Hendrick, Ph.D. -- has spent 25 years studying relationships. It'll help you have more realistic expectations about how love happens for you and how it evolves. If you understand that it's normal for a loving couple to have a platonic relationship, for instance, you'll know not to worry if there aren't fireworks. (Health.com: Take back the bedroom.external link )
So what kind of lover are you? Check out these descriptions to find your personal style, and learn how you can keep your relationship healthy and happy.

The romantic
You love being in love. You may be swept away by your new lover's looks or other appealing physical attributes -- and disappointed when they change over time.

Remember that true love doesn't recede with his hairline, and romance doesn't have to fade as the relationship matures. Plan dates, weekend getaways, or just-the-two-of-you vacations to rekindle the spark that ignited your relationship, suggests Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., a sociology professor at the University of Washington in Seattle.

The list-maker
"You have criteria that are important, and you won't change them," Schwartz says. Even if you're in a committed relationship, you may put too much pressure on your partner to live up to your standards.

Let go of the list. Schwartz warns that clinging to those must-haves could mean a chafed relationship or a lonely life. "Ultimately, the important things are companionship, love, a capacity for forgiveness," she says. "Not the stuff that may impress outsiders."

The obsessive
You want to spend all your time with your partner. And you constantly worry about your relationship, even when you've been together for years. Schwartz says this kind of partner can be overbearing or have highs and lows that drive her significant other crazy.

Don't crowd your lover, Schwartz says. "Realize that too much of a good thing can be too much." You may need to talk to a counselor who can help you understand why you feel so insecure and help you find ways to put your relationship in perspective.

The giver
You may give more than you get. "At some point, you find that it's all going one way," Schwartz says. You're constantly working selflessly to meet your partner's needs, but you're not looking after you.

It's important to have a life outside of your marriage. Develop your own interests, cultivate your own friendships, and reserve time to do things you like to do -- without your partner.

The player
You love courtship. "For these lovers, the chase is a lot of it," Schwartz says. You're easily bored in long-term relationships, though, and your eye may roam.

First, avoid situations that could lead to affairs. "Don't have a drink with that interesting colleague," Schwartz says. "Take temptation out of your life." Instead of looking for excitement outside your relationship, try doing new things (salsa dancing, anyone?) with your partner, so you can see him or her in a fresh light.

The pal

Love seems to creep up on you. One day you think, "Wow, I've really been spending a lot of time with Jack," then realize you're in love. In the long term, your relationship may be quiet, but it's strong.

Don't let your thing get too platonic. "You need moments of romance," Schwartz says. Planning a special dinner for two or just planting a passionate kiss on him once in a while shows your partner (and reminds you, too) that you think he's sexy and exciting.

News from Iraq.

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:48:59 GMT

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 40 people were killed and nearly 100 wounded in a string of bombings in central Baghdad around midday on Monday, police said.

An Interior Ministry official provided a higher toll, saying the blasts had killed at least 45 and wounded at least 150.
One of the explosions was caused by a massive car bomb in a marketplace in the Bab al-Sharji commercial district of central Baghdad.

Baghdad marketplaces have been a popular target for insurgents.
The market blast sent a dense black plume of smoke into the midday air and occurred at the end of a 15-minute commemoration marking the year anniversary, on the Islamic calendar, of the February bombing of Askariya Mosque, the revered Shiite shrine in Samarra also known as the Golden Mosque.

The Samarra bombing is blamed for the eruption over the past year of sectarian violence between Shiite and Sunni Arabs.
Monday is the 23rd of Muharram on the Islamic calendar. On the Gregorian calendar, the anniversary takes place on February 22.
Several hours earlier, two people were killed and three wounded when a roadside bomb hit a civilian car in northern Baghdad's Qahira neighborhood, police said.

The attack took place at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 a.m. ET)
Security sweep to shut down 10 areas of Baghdad
The plan to secure Iraq's capital will move to a higher level this week when Iraqi army and police forces close down 10 areas of Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Sunday.
Those areas will be shut down to root out terrorists and their weapons, the prime minister said, and to secure homes and buildings which people have been forced to leave.
Al-Maliki expressed confidence in the security plan, which will be supported by U.S. forces, and repeated that the operation will deal with all outlaws in the same manner, regardless of their affiliation.

Some had predicted that followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mehdi Army militia -- which has been blamed for much of the sectarian violence in Iraq -- would be overlooked in the security crackdown, since the al-Sadr movement has backed al-Maliki.
But the arrest Thursday of Deputy Health Minister Hakem Abbas al-Zamili, who is linked to al-Sadr's group, appeared to signal al-Maliki's tough stance.

The raid in which al-Zamili was detained was conducted by special Iraqi army forces backed by U.S. advisers.
The deputy minister is accused of corruption and of being implicated in the deaths of other employees of the Ministry of Health, according to U.S. officials.
Other developments

Calling them "all lies," an Iranian Embassy official Monday denied U.S. allegations that an elite Iranian force under the command of Iran's supreme leader is behind bombings that have killed coalition forces in Iraq.

A U.S. soldier died in Iraq in a non-combat related incident Sunday, a U.S. military statement released Monday said. According to the military, the soldier was assigned to the Army's Multi-National Corps-Iraq. The death brought to 3,116 the number of U.S. troops killed in the Iraq war. Seven American civilian contractors of the military also have died in the conflict.

U.S. and Iraqi forces waged a fierce fight Sunday against insurgents who claim control of a small town north of Baghdad where al Qaeda forces raised their flag at the police station at the end of December.

Is the testosterone the very reason men are fond of football?

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 09:44:36 GMT

Never so strange it sounds, it can be possible. The testosterone is produced by man's testicles and much less by the suprarenal glands (clearly explaining thus the reason why does a little amount of testosterone is detected within female's body). The hormone has an effect almost over each structure of human organism, especially over the individual's brains. Here where a men's aggressive character and fondness for fighting sports stem from. This is the reason men are motivated to look for sexual contact with women. Also this hormone influences men's sexuality in a significant way.

At one of Freud's lesson a student asked the philosopher: "Is it true that the way a man act during his life is determined by the dimension of his penis?"
Freud claimed: "Not really so! The individual's penis dimension is rather determined by his style of living."

Never so confused it seems, nowadays there are plenty scientific proofs that deal with men's ability to increase the level of testosterone. And if individuals couldn't have the possibility to augment
Phallus' size, they could improve the way of its functioning, through positive thinking.

Freud was right. You can simply apply these discoveries regarding your own sexual experiences. More self confidence concerning your further sexual event, more testosterone you will produce.

On the other side stress is a significant impediment for incrementing the level of man's testosterone. Army's recruits and soldiers loose approximate 40% of testosterone during their ordinary trainings and on the battle field. This causes soldiers' unwillingness to fight. In order to overcome this situation armies have found several methods for motivating soldiers and increasing their level of testosterone before fighting. Thus prostitutes were invited to stimulate and arouse men' sexual desires. Certain states' military authorities propose their soldiers pornographic video with violent scenes before going to missions. Different
sex toys like camouflaged dolls, artificial
vaginas, Playboy magazines could easily enhance the level of testosterone.

Dear moms and daddies! Don't let your beloved son fight for our nation without a trusty companion! A gorgeous
sex toy will never betray and could easily make miracles maintaining an increased level of testosterone in man's body!

Sex toys are also eagerly recommended to those individuals who lack woman's attention and affection for a quite long period of time. Those men who are far beyond their native places and suffer from solitude and misunderstandings could make their sexual life better with funny sex toys.

Guys! Women are truly delighted with your masculinity! Play football and show us your sexuality!!!

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:37:10 GMT

Things women don't want to do

Naturally, women differ. Men do think that they can satisfy any woman as they know basic female erogenous zones, but they are wrong. Things that a woman can find very spicy and arousing are very likely to leave another women indifferent. Some women can achieve clitoral orgasm, others vaginal, there are even those who can cum only through G-spot stimulation. Some women are open to everything new, others a not. However, there are some things common for nearly all women. Now I am going to speak about things nearly any woman minds to do in bed. Here are they, and they both concern anal sex.

1.Strap-on

Well, this is not only women's fear. There are many men who wish to be penetrated anally by a woman wearing a strap-on sex toy. Nearly all men (not only gays) love anal stimulation, but some of them do not limit themselves to using anal sex toys (butt plugs, for instance), they want to spice up their sensations with a strap-on. But most of them do not dare suggest this to their lovers. And in most cases they are right, as women are unlikely to fulfill this fantasy. They want to be penetrated and they do not want to penetrate!

2. Anal intercourse

Well, women want to be penetrated, but only vaginally. Most of them consider anal sex to be something dirty. They do not want anything to be inserted in their anus - neither penis nor anal toys! They love playing with dildos and vibrators, but they do not find it exciting to play with a butt plug! Did you manage to talk your girlfriend into trying anal play? Than perhaps you can persuade anyone to do anything.

Indeed, anal play and anything that implies it seems to be a real problem for many women. But still, do not give up! Who knows what she will say tomorrow…Women are so capricious…

Why don't you have sex?

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 08:09:35 GMT

Of course, humans can live without sex, some of them, for instance monks and asexuals even choose to abstain from sex. But I do not mean them. Neither I mean disabled people and children. No, I mean those who can have sex, but for some reason either do not make love or make it once a year. As for me, I think that sex (no matter what it implies, vaginal sex, oral sex, anal sex or masturbation) is always possible.

People do not have sex for various reasons. For example, a woman might abstain from sex because she cannot achieve orgasm. What's the matter? Learn to achieve orgasm! Try masturbation, try women's sex toys (dildos, vibrators, vaginal balls whatever!) and learn more about your sexual response! It is you who can teach your body to orgasm!

Don't you have a sex partner? This is not a reason to suffer from frustration! While you are looking for a sex partner you can very pleasurably masturbate! Why should you depend on a man? Make good use of your hands and sex toys! Explore your erogenous zones and fulfill your fantasies!

You might not have sex because your sexual relationships have become dull. Do you really think that to stop having sex is better than to try to refresh your sexual relationships! Nothing of the kind! You really can spice up relationships! Try new positions, try sex toys (well, if sex toys are not something unusual to you, buy new sex toys, there are so many of them!), try sex in unusual places (what about sex in public places?). You can try various sex games, role plays, some elements of BDSM! Explore your sexual fantasy!

Do you feel too tired? Don't you get enough sleeping? Well, do something about this matter! I don't believe you cannot find time to relax! Take warm bath, listen to relaxing music, ask your partner to massage you! There are plenty of ways to relax and make yourself feel like making love! Do not deprive yourself of pleasure!

Do you know that regular sex has many health benefits? Have it and stay healthy!