Master Cleanse
"The Lemonade Diet"

The Master Cleanse begins with preparing the Lemonade drink. During the diet or fast you will only consume the Lemonade that you make each day. You should prepare the Lemonade each day in the morning so that it is fresh and retains as much of the nutrients and energy as possible. Lemonade made over 24 hours ago will not be effective.

Ingredients for the Lemonade Diet

To make the Lemonade you will need the following ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons of organic lemon Juice (about 1/2 a Lemon)
• 2 Tablespoons of Organic grade B maple syrup (not the commercial maple flavored syrup you use on pancakes)
• 1/10 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper powder
• Eight to Ten ounces of filtered water

There are a couple important things to remember when preparing the lemonade.

Don't use concentrated lemon juice, the lemon juice used must be fresh squeezed. This cannot be emphasized enough. It is necessary to use fresh produce. Canned or bottled juices won't work and will erase most of the benefits of using the master cleanser diet.

Also, the maple syrup must be grade B maple syrup, not the sugar filled syrup that is used at the breakfast table.

The cayenne pepper might seem unnecessary, but it is actually very important. Not only does it help to add a bit of a kick, but the pepper helps to break up mucus and increases healthy blood flow. It also is a good source of B and C vitamins, commonly referred to as Super Vitamins due to their many benefits for the body.

Adding a Natural Laxative to help Flush out your System

Taking a laxative will speed up the detoxing process, and help your body eliminate waste.

I prefer ingestible laxatives like, sea salts and/or herbal tea. These are ideal methods for cleaning the colonic tract without the harmful effects of colonics. AVOID GETTING COLONICS WHILE ON THIS CLEANSE! Enemas are ok provided that you know how to do them properly and effectively.

Drinking 1 teaspoon of unrefined non-iodized sea salt mixed with 25-35 ounces of water will flush out your system. Drinking 8 ounces of cascara sagrada tea will also flush out your system for those who prefer to use herbal laxative. DO NOT DRINK SENNA TEA OR ANY HERBAL LAXATIVE TEA WITH SENNA IN IT!!!

It's best to use either of these laxatives (or both of them) 2 times a day. I've found it best to take them in the morning and before I go to bed. I suggest that you give yourself at least an hour and a half before you leave your home. These laxatives will work fast, and you will discover why you should probably be at home near a bathroom when you use them.

The Physical Advantages of Being Vegetarian

Before I begin to discuss the physical advantages of being vegetarian, I would like to describe the different types of vegetarians.

LACTO-OVO VEGETARIAN: Eats no meat, poultry, or fish, but includes dairy products and eggs in the diet along with plant-based foods.

LACTO VEGETARIAN: Excludes all animal products except dairy products. Includes all plant-based foods in the diet.

OVO VEGETARIAN: Excludes all animal products except eggs. Includes all plant-based foods in the diet.

VEGAN OR PURE VEGETARIAN: Vegan is pronounced "vee gun." Some people distinguish between vegan and pure vegetarian, considering the pure vegetarian one who eats no animal flesh, no dairy products, or no eggs, and follows a strict plant-based diet for dietary reasons only. While vegans follow a diet consisting of plant-based foods only, some are further committed to a philosophy that respects animal life and the ecology of the planet. As a result, vegans also do not eat honey because many bees are killed in the process of forced procreation to maintain the beehive and the continued production of honey. Vegans do not eat sugar, because sugar is clarified over animal bones in the final steps of refining the sugar. Vegans also avoid gelatin, which is made from the bones, skin, and connective tissue of animals.

Because vegans consider the ecology of the planet a priority along with concern for animal rights, they shun the use of leather, wool, silk, goose down, and any foods or goods that have been processed using animal products. Their concern is that the planet's future resources have been harmed and animals have suffered in order for these products to come to market.

FRUITARIAN: The fruitarian has a simpler diet consisting only of fresh fruits and some vining foods that are technically considered fruits, but have been used as vegetables. These vegetable/fruits include cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocados.

RAW FOODIST: Those who follow the raw food diet include all fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and soaked and sprouted grains and legumes. Further, the raw foodist does not cook or heat the foods, but eats them only in their natural, raw state in order to preserve their valuable enzymes.

LIVING FOODS DIET: Those who follow the living foods diet include a broad variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, soaked and sprouted grains and legumes. In addition, they will warm some of their foods in a dehydrator with a temperature regulator. In order to preserve the valuable enzymes that raw foods contain, some foods can be warmed to temperatures no higher than 105 degrees, while others will tolerate a little higher heat at 115 degrees.

I am a vegan, however, I wear leather and will eat things with honey in them.  Ironically, I rarely advocate people to become vegan. Regardless if one is a vegan or vegetarian avoiding the consumption of meat provides excellent physical benefits. Vegetarian diets low in fat or saturated fat have been used successfully as part of comprehensive health programs to reverse severe coronary artery disease. Vegetarian diets offers protections from disease because of their lower saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein content and often higher concentration of foliate (which reduces serum homocysteine levels, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and phytochemicals.) Not only is mortality from coronary artery disease lower in vegetarians than in nonvegetarians , but vegetarian diets have also been successful in curing coronary artery disease. Total serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are usually lower in vegetarians, but high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels vary depending on the type of vegetarian diet followed.

Vegetarians tend to have a lower incidence of hypertension than nonvegetarians. This effect appears to be independent of both body weight and sodium intake. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is much less likely to be a cause of death in vegetarians than nonvegetarians, perhaps because of their higher intake of complex carbohydrates and lower body mass index.

Incidence of lung and colorectal cancer is lower in vegetarians than in nonvegetarians Reduced colorectal cancer risk is associated with increased consumption of fiber, vegetables, and fruit. The environment of the colon differs notably in vegetarians compared with nonvegetarians in ways that could favorably affect colon cancer risk. Lower breast cancer rates have not been observed in Western vegetarians, but cross-cultural data indicate that breast cancer rates are lower in populations that consume plant-based diets. The lower estrogen levels in vegetarian women provides higher benefits.

A well-planned vegetarian diet may be useful in the prevention and treatment of renal disease. Studies using human being and animal models suggest that some plant proteins may increase survival rates and decrease proteinuria, glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow and histologic renal damage compared with a non-vegetarian diet.

Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts of essential amino acids if a variety of plant foods are consumed and energy needs are met. Research suggests that complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same time and that consumption of various sources of amino acids over the course of the day should ensure adequate nitrogen retention in healthy persons. Although vegetarian diets are lower in total protein and a vegetarian's protein needs may be somewhat elevated because of the lower quality of some plant proteins, protein intake in both lacto-ovo-vegetarians and vegans appears to be adequate.

One of my favorite benefits of having a vegetarian diet is that there is no cholesterol in any vegetable source of food. Even peanuts are rich in fat but have zero cholesterol. Coconuts are very rich in fat but no cholesterol. Any animal product has tremendous amounts of cholesterol. But our body does not really need the intake of cholesterol (LDL). Our liver produces healthy cholesterol (HDL). High cholesterol deposits in the body cause gallstones, gall bladder problems, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle, tendon and joint problems (not to mention heart-related diseases). When children are given cholesterol they become hyperactive or lazy; they get cancer, obesity, nervous and irritable at a younger age. It has been researched that you don't need anything more than fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates to provide all the nutrients in a perfect diet. If you eat three different types or varieties of complex carbohydrates per day you can get all the amino acids.

The Disadvantages of Eating Meat

There are many physical disadvantages to eating meat. Some of these disadvantages are:

1. A meat-eater not only takes in the animal cells and fats, etc. but also the waste products, e.g. chemically treated food fed to the animals, drugs injected into the animal in the slaughter house, intoxicants, coloring and tenderizers sprayed on the dead animal by the market suppliers. By the way, hamburgers are made from Cow with the four D’s (Dead, Dying, Disabled, or Diseased) This is why so many children and young adults have died from eating hamburgers. It's also the reason why hamburgers have the highest recall of E-Coli.

2. It is also suspected that meat-eaters are prime candidates for degenerative diseases such as high blood pressure, arthritis, gout, etc. Meat is one of the major sources of internal pollution. When an animal is slaughtered, un-eliminated waste products remain in the tissue of the animal which often give the meat its stimulating flavor. Uric acid and adrenaline are secreted into the bloodstream, muscles of animals and stored. The fear and struggle to escape death stimulates the secretion of hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine. Most animals (especially cows) are injected with steroids before they are slaughtered. No edible plant product has similar toxicity. The human body has to work 15 times more to get rid of these toxin.

3.A parasite known for inducing miscarriage, blindness, jaundice and nervous disorders in newborn babies was found in samples of animal meat from abattoirs and markets (particularly in third world countries). An article in the German Bunte magazine, entitled 'Karnka von Tiere' (Diseases from Animal) pointed out the diseases that arise from consumption of meat, apart from the reckless wastage of precious land and natural resources for livestock breeding.

The article also emphasized on the benefits of meatless diet and the current trend towards vegetarianism by an increasing number of Germans and other Europeans, especially amongst the younger generation. As a result of overall concern for health, meat consumption in the west is declining. According to the Vegetarian society in UK, 9% of the population in UK and US are complete vegetarians with the number constantly increasing.

4.To preserve fish and prawns and other crustaceans, boric acid is widely used by food manufacturers. It attacks the liver and the brain, causing fits and coma before the victim dies of liver damage. Fruits and vegetables, however heavily sprayed, don't grow hormones, antibiotics and other drugs common in meat products.

5.Pigs carry trichinosis bacteria that cling to the walls of the stomach and intestines, which can be fatal. Beef and pork are highly acid forming and release into the blood-stream toxic poisons and microbes. But the WBC in blood may not be sufficient to destroy these microbes and so the toxic reactions set in.

Dr. Gary Fraser a Professor of Epidemiology at Loma Linda University affirms that fruit, vegetables and fiber protect one against heart diseases. It has been clinically tested that because of less fat and zero cholesterol, vegetarian diets are much better. So, when you try a vegetarian diet, you will find yourself light, relaxed and spiritualized. Remember that you are what you eat. The food taken into your body is what gradually but surely forms your thought-patterns. Your thoughts, both conscious and subconscious are in total control of your body's health or lack of it. So keep this motto in mind................Choose health by choosing vegetarianism!

Vegetarianism

Mental Benefits

There are many mental illnesses and disease that are related to the consumption of meat. Take Alzheimer for example. According to the American Alzheimer Association, between 6 and 8% of the population over 60 has Alzheimer's disease, and the rate has been increasing steadily. Several scientific literatures have affirmed that Alzheimer correlates with the consumption of meat and dairy. A review of studies published in Preventive Magazine two years ago sheds important light on a central risk factor in Alzheimers -- high levels of a blood substance called homocysteine.

Homocysteine is an amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The only source of homocysteine for use in our bodies is that which the liver forms after the ingestion of another amino acid, methionine. Methionine is found in protein foods. Animal protein contains two to three times the amount of methionine as does plant protein. Homocysteine levels can be lowered very effectively by avoiding meat and dairy consumption. In fact, a recent study performed at Harvard Medical School showed that subjects who adopted a vegan diet had their homocysteine levels drop between 13% and 20% in just one week.

A 1993 study found that subjects, who ate meat, including poultry and fish, were more than twice as likely to become demented as their vegetarian counterparts. [Neuroepidemiology, 12:28-36, 1993]

Actress Marries Lover Secretly In Abia Yesterday (PHOTOS)

If you can recall, her younger sister Chikodi Nnanna married an Oyinbo man, Paul Francios Wildenberg from Netherlands in Ikeja Lagos few wweks back. Nollywood actress,Uchenna Nnanna has Finally joined the league of Married women in Nollywood when he secretly married her fiance, a Spain-based big boy named Richard Uchechukwu Maduka who hails from Abia State.

According to sources, the beautiful actress and her boo are did a secret traditional wedding at Ihechiowa in Arochukwu LGA of Abia state yesterday.

As a matter of choice, the actress made her wedding secret even her Nollywood colleagues are yet to be informed of her change of marital status.

Nice traditional wedding outfit tho.

Congrats to Uchenna Nnanna and her husband.

10 Ways to Raise Food-Smart Kids

Creating a nutritional home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food choices, and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food, offered by Melinda Sothern, PhD, co-author of Trim Kids and director of the childhood obesity prevention laboratory at Louisiana State University:

1. Do not restrict food. Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development.

2. Keep healthy food at hand. Children will eat what's readily available. Keep 

fruit in a bowl on the counter, not buried 

in the crisper section of your fridge. And have an apple for your own snack. "Your actions scream louder than anything you will ever tell them," says Sothern. Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house.

3. Don't label foods as "good" or "bad." Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports or appearance. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports performance. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair.

4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods.

5. Don't nag about unhealthy choices. When children choose unhealthy food, ignore it. Or if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or, if your child wants candy, you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks.

6. Never use food as a reward. This could create weight problems in later life. Instead, reward your children with something physical and fun -- perhaps a trip to the park or a quick game of catch.

7. Sit down to family dinners at night. If this isn't a tradition in your home, it should be. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week, and then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.

8. Prepare plates in the kitchen. There you can put healthy portions of each item on everyone's dinner plate. Your children will learn to recognize correct portion sizes. And you may find your slacks fit better as well!

9. Give the kids some control. Ask your children to take three bites of all the foods on their plate and give it a grade, such as A, B, C, D, or F. When healthy foods - especially certain vegetables -- get high marks, serve them more often. Offer the items your children don't like less frequently. This lets your children participate in decision making. After all, dining is a family affair.

10. Consult your health care provider. Always talk with your child's doctor or nutritionist before putting your child on a diet, trying to help your child gain weight, or making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as too heavy, or too thin, by yourself.

"It's all about gradual changes, it's not overnight, and it's an uphill battle for parents," says Sothern "Everything outside of the home is trying to make kids overweight. The minute they walk out of the home, there are people trying to make them eat too much and serving them too much."

But the food smarts your children will learn from you can protect them for a lifetime.

          

Nigeria @53: A Heartfelt Prayer for Nigeria & Mr. President (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR)

By

Moses Abalaka (PhD)

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chron 7:14

This is a great country! The destiny of this nation is in the hand of God and so we must turn to Him and pray for our land and our leader.

O’ God, the Most High God! The Lord God Almighty, there is nothing that is hid from your face. We want to thank you for our country Nigeria. It has been by your outstretched arm that this nation has survived unto this day the onslaught of the enemies of progress. We give you thanks for the resources bestowed upon this great African nation called Nigeria. We are proud of our inheritance that you have given us in this nation.

Today, this country turned 53 years old in independence. Lord, you know our shortcomings as a nation. You know where we have done well as a nation and where we got it all wrong. We are humans prone to mistakes and so we can not absolve ourselves from wrong doing. Almighty God, forgive our sins and heal our land. Do not allow the wasters to waste us and our inheritance.

Like Jehoshaphat was confronted with armies which came to exterminate them in those days so are we surrounded by so many vices that are threatening the very existence of our nation today 2 Chro 20:10-12. These vices are so numerous and more powerful than any individual can handle. Our eyes are unto you O’ God most High. These vices, among others include violence of untold and unknown magnitude, astronomic and unbelievable corruption in high places, cheating and lying, injustice, fraudulence, sin, rebellion, crises, strikes by almost all the workforce, gross underdevelopment, infrastructural decays in every sector, unacceptable youth under development, pitiable rate of unemployment, poverty, untold hardship by citizenry and lots more. These problems are to numerous and enormous for any individual to tackle except with conscious, deliberate concerted efforts by all stakeholders. The journey to nationhood requires that everyone plays a sincere role.

How can we come out of all these things if not by your help O’ Lord our God? Send us help O’ God Psalm 60:11-12. If we receive help from you we shall do valiantly. We can overcome only if you help us out because you have all powers in your hands.

Solomon prayed for wisdom to enable him know and do the right thing 1 Kings 3:3-9. Our Lord and our God, we ask that you give our President wisdom and understanding to know the right thing to do and the courage to do them. This country is a complex nation that without the wisdom from above, one will be confused about the happenings in the society. In the absence of God’s own wisdom the president would be confused because he may not know what is true or who is saying the truth. As you did for Solomon the king in those days, do it for President Goodluck Jonathan. Let wisdom flow from above upon him to know the intent of anyone around him, why they say or do things the way they say or do. Let him not be held hostage by the opinion of any. Let him follow your own leading, O’ God. Our God and our father don’t let the destiny of this great nation be mismanaged.

The three (3) month old ASUU strike can be solved by meaningful and sincere truce in just one meeting. All it takes is God’s wisdom to discuss issues, make sacrifices and compromises for the sake of the system and at the end we will all be pleased with the turn of events without victor or vanquish. The nation will be the beneficiary in all! Let this wisdom from above be at play in our beloved President-our own Jonathan.

Your word reveals a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven John 3:27. Our president became what you want him to be at this point in time. It was your mighty hand that brought him as the President of this nation. He did not impose himself you brought him out to be what he is today. Let your hand preserve him from all evil. Protect him from sycophants and deceivers. Show him his foes among his friends. Let your wisdom guide, guard and direct him daily as he turns to the left or to the right Isaiah 30:21.

Father, let the groaning of the people in this nation come to you. Save us from trouble and anguish. Let righteousness blow like waves of the sea. Let love flow freely. Let peace rain. Let prosperity come like flood. Let everyone do the right thing. Let there be justice in the land. Let everyone seek integrity and uprightness. Let us respect one another’s views so that there can be unity in our diversity. Help us to manage and overcome our differences. Help us to handle our challenges to subdue them under us. Now Lord, let your eyes be opened, and your ears attend unto the prayer that is made unto you from our hearts 2 Chron 7:15.

This nation is an indivisible entity under God. Together we shall build this nation to the admiration and envy of the whole word. Help us O’ God to accomplish these tasks in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.     

Reuter site - UK's Royal Mail privatization subscribed in hours: sources

UK's Royal Mail privatization subscribed in hours: sources

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Royal Mail privatization garnered orders for all of the shares on offer in the space of a few hours on Friday, sources said, marking a strong start for a selloff that stands to flush up to 2 billion pounds ($3.2 billion) into government coffers.

The sale would be one of Britain's most significant since John Major's Conservative government sold the railways in the 1990s and would give Royal Mail access to the private capital it says it needs to modernize and better compete in a thriving parcels market.

Kicking off the sale of the near 500-year-old company, the government said on Friday it would dispose of a majority stake in Royal Mail, offering shares at between 260 pence and 330p each and valuing the whole company at between 2.6 billion pounds and 3.3 billion ($4.2 billion to $5.3 billion).

Hours later it had already received orders for all of the shares on offer, two sources close to the deal said, without giving an indication of where in the range those orders had come.

If an "over-allotment option", whereby more stock can be sold if there is strong demand, is exercised, the government's stake in the company could fall to as little as 30 percent.

Analyst Robin Byde at brokerage Cantor Fitzgerald said that while the medium-term issue remained how fast Royal Mail can grow its parcels business to offset falling letter volumes, the valuation range made it attractive versus European peers such as Austrian Post <POST.VI> and Belgium's bpost <BPOST.BR>.

"The headline really is that it's priced to go," Byde said, estimating Royal Mail was valued on a forward price-to-earnings multiple of around 8 times versus an average of about 10 for the European sector. "We would expect it to debut pretty well."

Royal Mail follows the initial public offering of bpost in June and comes after stronger equity markets have helped revive new listings in Europe this year.

European firms have raised $15.9 billion from flotations in the first nine months, three times the year-ago level, according to Thomson Reuters data.

The sale is the fourth time Britain has tried to privatize Royal Mail, which traces its origins back to 1516 when mail was delivered by horse from King Henry VIII's court.

Three selloff attempts in the last 19 years have failed due to opposition from within the governing majority, which feared an electoral backlash from tampering with a revered institution whose red post-boxes are known around the world.

The latest sale effort has been criticized by the current opposition Labour party and unions, who on Friday sent out ballot papers for strike action.

The ballot will close on October 16, five days after Royal Mail is scheduled to make its stock market debut, with the earliest possible strike date being October 23.

UNDER PRESSURE

Labour, which polls show is the frontrunner to win the next election, has come under pressure from its union backers and party activists to pledge to renationalize Royal Mail. While it has not ruled this out, Labour said it would be irresponsible to do so without knowing how much it could cost.

The head of equities at a UK fund manager said Labour leader Ed Milliband's promise earlier this week to freeze energy prices for 20 months if his party wins power in May 2015 may have made Royal Mail more attractive to some investors.

"The income fund managers are quite intrigued by it (Royal Mail)," said the manager, who declined to be named. "If our friend Ed is going to make things difficult for utilities ... this is potentially quite a nice thing coming through."

The government said it planned to pay a final 2014 dividend totaling 133 million pounds, equating to a full-year payout of 200 million had the group been listed for the full year.

Based on the offer price range, that full-year payout gives Royal Mail an implied dividend yield of between 6.1 percent and 7.7 percent - making it attractive at a time when a regular UK savings account is yielding less than 3 percent.

Britain has also agreed to hand 10 percent of Royal Mail's shares to staff in the largest share giveaway of any major UK privatization. If distributed equally among the eligible 150,000 UK-based workers, each could receive 2,200 pounds worth.

The government said it expected around 30 percent of the shares on offer would go to individual members of the public, who must spend a minimum of 750 pounds to invest in the company.

Royal Mail, which no longer includes the Post Office services and retail business, has annual revenue of more than 9 billion pounds. It more than doubled profit to 403 million pounds in the year to March 31.

Last week Rapid Ratings, an independent U.S.-based ratings agency, gave Royal Mail a cleaner bill of financial health than any of the world's post or parcel companies, after a "dramatic" change at the firm over the past two years.

Goldman Sachs <GS.N> and UBS <UBSN.VX> are running the sale of Royal Mail, and are also joint-bookrunners along with Barclays <BARC.L> and Bank of America Merrill Lynch <BAC.N>.

($1 = 0.6249 British pounds)

Reuter site - House Republicans defy Obama on funding bill; government shutdown nears

House Republicans defy Obama on funding bill; government shutdown nears

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives early on Sunday brought the federal government closer to a shutdown as it voted to delay President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare law for a year as part of an emergency spending bill.

By a mostly partisan vote of 231-192, the Republican-controlled House approved the "Obamacare" amendment, despite a veto threat from the White House.

It also voted 248-174 to repeal a medical device tax that aims to help fund healthcare programs under the 2010 law.

And in a sign that lawmakers might be resigned to a government shutdown beginning Tuesday, the House unanimously approved a bill to keep paying U.S. soldiers in the event the government runs out of money to run many programs.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reiterated on Saturday that the House bill would be dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate, which is not scheduled to meet until 2 p.m. on Monday.

Obama also threatened to veto any bill that delays his healthcare restructuring.

There is a slight chance the two sides could reach a funding deal before the government's fiscal year ends at midnight on Monday. Congress could also act at any time to end the impasse if a shutdown did occur.

But the bitterness of the House debate on Saturday night that spilled into early Sunday did not bode well for prospects of a compromise.

"You have been hijacked by a group called the Tea Party," Democratic Representative David Scott of Georgia said angrily, referring to the powerful conservative, anti-government movement that holds significant sway over Republicans.

"The American people deserve to have time to see what this monstrosity will do before it is implemented," shouted Republican Representative John Culberson of Texas, referring to "Obamacare."

The high-stakes maneuvering between Democrats and Republicans is likely to continue through much of Monday.

The standoff is also a harbinger for the next big political battle in Washington: a far more consequential bill to raise the federal government's borrowing authority. Failure to raise the debt ceiling by mid-October could result in the government defaulting on its obligations.

MEDICAL DEVICE TAX

The funding impasse is the culmination of more than three years of failed conservative efforts to repeal "Obamacare," a program aimed at extending health insurance to millions of those without coverage.

Republicans argue that "Obamacare," which is set to launch on October 1, is a massive and unnecessary government intrusion into medicine that will cause premiums to skyrocket and damage the economy.

Failure to pass a funding bill would close down much of the government for the first time since 1996. More than a million federal employees would be furloughed from their jobs, with the impact depending on the duration of a shutdown.

The current timetable could leave House Speaker John Boehner with the most difficult decision of his career: whether to approve a straight-forward spending bill passed on Friday by the Senate or allow the government shutdown to begin.

Neither side wants to be the last to cast the final vote that would lead to a shutdown, a concern that has turned the funding measure into a hot potato tossed between the two chambers.

While polls consistently show the American public is tired of political showdowns and opposed to a shutdown, House conservatives were jubilant about the fight.

"This is a win-win all the way around," said Republican Arizona Representative Matt Salmon, who described the mood of Republicans before the vote as "ecstatic."

Republicans and a handful of Democrats also approved an amendment to the bill repealing a tax on medical devices that helps fund the healthcare law to the tune of about $30 billion. That provision, sought with heavy lobbying by the medical device industry, has been supported in the past by some Democratic senators.

In a government shutdown, spending for functions considered essential, related to national security or public safety, would continue along with benefit programs such as Medicare health insurance and Social Security retirement benefits for seniors.

But civilian federal employees - from people who process forms and handle regulatory proceedings to workers at national parks and museums in Washington - would be temporarily out of work.

The last government shutdown ran from December 16, 1995 to January 6, 1996, and was the product of a budget battle between Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republicans, led by then-Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Republicans suffered a public backlash when voters re-elected Clinton in a landslide the following November, a lesson never forgotten by senior Republicans, including Boehner.

This time, Boehner tried to avoid a showdown but was overruled by his rebellious caucus, largely influenced since the 2010 election by newcomers endorsed by the Tea Party.

While Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the top House Republicans, worked behind the scenes, they did not deliver floor speeches in support of the bill - something they often do on major legislation.

Instead, some of the House's most conservative members who drove the "Obamacare" delay effort, dominated the debate.

With Boehner effectively sidelined, rank-and-file Republicans boasted of their unity. Members chanted, "Vote, vote, vote, vote," in their closed-door meeting, they reported later.

Afterward, Democratic Representative Louise Slaughter of New York, took to the House floor to accuse Republicans of throwing a "temper tantrum" about "Obamacare" under pressure from "Tea Party extremists."

Conservative and liberal groups, from the Tea Party to women's rights organizations, have been cashing in on the showdown over "Obamacare," using it to rally supporters and raise money for next year's congressional elections.

Reuter site - Termites' powerful weapon against extermination? Their own poop

Termites' powerful weapon against extermination? Their own poop

ORLANDO (Reuters) - Scientists trying to understand why destructive wood-eating termites are so resistant to efforts to exterminate them have come up with an unusually repugnant explanation.

Termites' practice of building nests out of their own feces creates a scatological force field that Florida scientists now believe is the reason biological controls have failed to stop their pestilential march all over the world.

A nine-year study concluded that termite feces act as a natural antibiotic, growing good bacteria in the subterranean nests that attack otherwise deadly pathogens, according to the findings published this month in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

"When they make a poop, it's not like they can throw it away and say forget about this. And over the millions of years of evolution it somehow evolved to take advantage of the poop there," said Nan-Yao Su, a University of Florida entomology professor and lead scientist and co-author of the study, along with Thomas Chouvenc, a University of Florida research associate.

Su also is the inventor of the popular Sentricon termite baiting and control system, which in 1995 became the first major alternative to liquid chemical treatments.

The findings could put an end to 50 years of failed research attempts to find a species of fungi that could kill termites when introduced into nests. Research repeatedly showed that fungi killed termites in a petri dish but not in the wild, Su said.

"Nobody was able to make it work in the field, but nobody would admit it," he said.

Su's goal was to find out why biological control never worked. His research colleagues determined that Streptomyces bacteria that are found in the nests and feed on fecal matter may be producing beneficial antimicrobial compounds that protect the termites from other potentially toxic matter.

Termites, mostly the voracious Formosans, cause $40 billion worth of damage a year worldwide, eating through wood structures particularly in Japan, China and the United States, Su said.

By the time a house is infested, the underground termite nest typically is 300 feet in diameter, hosting several million termites with a biomass weight of approximately 30 pounds, the weight of a medium-sized dog.

In one example, termites took nine months to bring down a new house in Hawaii built in the 1970s inadvertently on top of an untreated termite colony, Su said.

Further research will attempt to discover a way to bypass the protective compounds to destroy the termites, and to determine whether the findings can lead to new antibiotics for humans to replace those which have become ineffective.

Women cannot drive in Saudi Arabia-Cleric

RIYADH (Reuters) - One of Saudi Arabia's top conservative clerics has said women who drive risk damaging their ovaries and bearing children with clinical problems, countering activists who are trying to end the Islamic kingdom's male-only driving rules.

A campaign calling for women to defy the ban in a protest drive on October 26 has spread rapidly online over the past week and gained support from some prominent women activists. On Sunday the campaign's website was blocked inside the kingdom.

As one of the 21 members of the Senior Council of Scholars, Sheikh Saleh al-Lohaidan can write fatwas, or religious edicts, advise the government and has a large following among other influential conservatives.

His comments have in the past played into debates in Saudi society and he has been a vocal opponent of tentative reforms to increase freedoms for women by King Abdullah, who sacked him as head of a top judiciary council in 2009.

In an interview published on Friday on the website sabq.org, he said women aiming to overturn the ban on driving should put "reason ahead of their hearts, emotions and passions".

Although the council does not set Saudi policy, which is ultimately decided by King Abdullah, it can slow government action in a country where the ruling al-Saud family derives much of its legitimacy from the clerical elite.

It is unclear whether Lohaidan's strong endorsement of the ban is shared by other members of the council, but his comments demonstrate how entrenched the opposition is to women driving among some conservative Saudis.

"If a woman drives a car, not out of pure necessity, that could have negative physiological impacts as functional and physiological medical studies show that it automatically affects the ovaries and pushes the pelvis upwards," he told Sabq.

"That is why we find those who regularly drive have children with clinical problems of varying degrees," he said.

A biography on his website does not list any background in medicine and he did not cite any studies to back up his claims.

U.S. diplomats in a 2009 Riyadh embassy cable released by WikiLeaks, described Lohaidan as "broadly viewed as an obstacle to reform" and said that his "ill-considered remarks embarrassed the kingdom on more than one occasion".

The ban on women driving is not backed by a specific law, but only men are granted driving licenses. Women can be fined for driving without a license but have also been detained and put on trial in the past on charges of political protest.

Sheikh Abdulatif Al al-Sheikh, the head of the morality police, told Reuters a week ago that there was no text in the documents making up sharia law which bars women from driving.

Abdullah has never addressed the issue of driving.

Japan forecloses concessions in territorial row with China

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday ruled out concessions on sovereignty in a tense territorial row with China but appealed to Beijing to discuss their differences.

Abe rejected a recent appeal from China which said it was ready for dialogue if Japan acknowledged that a set of islands -- known as the Senkakus in Japanese and the Diaoyus in Chinese -- were disputed.

"The Senkakus are an inherent part of the territory of Japan in light of historical facts and based upon international law and the islands are under the valid control of Japan," Abe told reporters in New York after taking part in the UN General Assembly.

"To our regret, incursions by Chinese government vessels in our territorial waters are continuing. But Japan will not make a concession on our territorial sovereignty," he said.

Abe, however, said that Japan sought calm and "we do not intend to escalate this issue any further."

He called for cooperation with China, saying that the relationship between Asia's two largest economies was critical for the region's security.

"The door to dialogue is always open and I really hope that the Chinese side would take a similar attitude and mindset," Abe said.

Nigeria at 53: Senators Lament State of the Nation 

•Jonathan has run economy aground – New PDP 

•Asks Nigerians to prepare for worse days ahead

•The economy has not collapsed, FG insists 

By Celestine Okafor and Rotimi Akinwumi, Abuja

Victor Ndoma Egba

It was lamentations galore on the floor of the Senate in Abuja on Thursday when Senators took turns to rue the state of the nation on the eve of its 53^rd Independence anniversary.

They were sad that there is not much to celebrate unlike other countries that became independent almost at the same time.

The lamentations were sequel to a motion by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, and 12 others urging a reflection on the state of the nation in view of the anniversary coming up on Tuesday.

Smart Adeyemi (PDP Kogi West) said though at independence in 1960, Nigeria was considered one of the emerging  great nations of the world, at 53, the hope had become forlorn.

Adeyemi, who identified parochialism as one of the major problems, said “at 53, were Nigerian nation governed the way it is supposed to have been over the years, we shouldn’t be talking about federal character.”

“Unlike patriotic leaders like the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the late Nnamdi Azikwe, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo etc, who started the Nigerian project on a very solid note anchored on maximising the greatest good for the greatest number of people, most of the modern day Nigerian leaders after the independence era have been running aground the Nigerian nation, being parochial leaders,” he said.

Ganiyu Solomon (APC, Lagos West) said at 53, it is regrettable that Nigeria is where it is when compared to other countries that started the journey of independent nationhood with it.

He called for sober reflection on the nation’s past for the needed insight into how to position it for the future through collective responsibility.

Ademola Adeseun (APC, Oyo) harped on the need for the National Assembly to be more proactive in setting the agenda for Nigeria’s development in the coming years, since according to him, the First Republic that was rated to be the best era in the nation’s history was more or less driven by the parliament.

Other Senators who also spoke included Mohammadu Magoro (PDP Kebbi State), Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South) and Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South) among others.

They all submitted that at 53, problems like youth unemployment, poor electricity supply and incessant ethno-religious crises were not supposed to be Nigeria’s lot, urging government at all levels to be more serious.

Senate President, David Mark, in his own remarks, said the attitude and behaviuor of most Nigerians today are contrary to what the old national anthem preached.

Anchoring his point on the phrase, “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”, he said “Nigerians in the Nigeria of today cannot be said to be standing in brotherhood,” going by various killings taking place in the country in addition to other vices against both the country and one another.

“If you go back memory lane and you recall our old national anthem, ‘Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand’, the question to ask is: do we stand in brotherhood today? Or we have completely changed. Are we our brother’s keeper?

“Because if we are our brother’s keeper, we would not do some of the things that we do in this country.

“If we are our brother’s keeper, then we would love our neighbours as we love ourselves.

“There is none of us here, nobody, no Nigerian, no human being that would hurt himself. But we do those things that hurt other Nigerians. Some on different scales, some on large scale and some on small scale.

“All of us here are leaders. At every level we have Nigerians who are leaders. So, we must begin to look inwards and search our minds now so that we can make progress.

“We want a nation where truth and justice shall reign.

“And once we have this as our cardinal point, I think every other thing shall follow,” the Senate President noted.

Splinter group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) otherwise known as New PDP led by Abubakar Kawu Baraje also spoke on the state of the nation in Abuja on Thursday, saying, “Despite claims to the contrary by the administration in a futile bid to deceive Nigerians, the overwhelming evidence is that the Nigerian economy has been run aground by the present administration and is now comatose.

“With the massive scale of officially-induced oil theft, the dwindling returns from oil and massive looting going on at the federal level, Nigeria is surely on the brink of economic collapse.”

The group counseled Nigerians to prepare for a worse scenario in view of the obstinacy of the government in continuing with  the style that has brought the nation’s economy to its present parlous state.

This position was contained in a statement signed by the New PDP National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze.

The statement urged President Goodluck Jonathan to “save his face” by sacking Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in accordance with recent demand of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

According to the statement, the allegations raised against the Jonathan administration by the NGF were not fabricated but one borne out of empirical evidence.

“One manifestation of this is the Federal Government’s inability to pay states their share of the federal allocation since July. The last time states were paid was for part of July.

“The arrears continue to mount by the day. As at today, the states are being owed N336 billion, with the N75 billion being the balance of the July 2013 arrears, N121 billion from June augmentation and over N90 billion as July augmentation.

“The implication of this unfortunate development is that the 36 states have become impoverished and unable to meet up with basic obligations, including the payment of workers’ monthly salaries, which many of the states have been unable to do due to lack of funds.

“Most states have also as a result been unable to meet their obligation to contractors.

“This dangerous scenario is complemented by the growing rate of unemployment, which presently hovers around 80 per cent,” the New PDP added.

It said this was an indication of trouble which will trickle down the fabric of governance and the society at large.

“Let us ponder this: If states cannot pay their contractors – not to talk of entering into new contracts – if states cannot pay their workers because there is no money to pay them, what could result is a huge social catastrophe that will add to the social, economic and political inferno already ravaging Nigeria today.

“All these portend very grave danger for our dear country as youth and labour restiveness appears imminent.”

The party added: “The question to ask is, Where has all the money gone?”

“For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had revealed that the country earned a total of N1.05 trillion in July, but surprisingly, the minister had not been able to pay states their due statutory allocations.

“Where are the billions of dollars accruable from daily crude oil sales? Where are the billions of naira accruable from multiple taxation which is strangulating struggling businesses on a daily basis?

“And where are the billions of dollars which the Jonathan administration claims to be saving from one so-called cost-saving measure or the other? Nigerians can no longer be deceived!

“The truth is that Nigeria is broke and worse days are ahead under this inept and visionless administration,” the party said.