I believe we all share a common yearning for happiness and ultimately love. Each of us has our own unique journey in discovering these ultimate ends. But what are the determinants of happiness and our conditions of well-being — our genuine wealth? What, as Robert Kennedy challenged, makes life worthwhile? How might we measure our happiness and incorporate these measures into conventional economic measures of progress like the GDP?

Prompted by such nagging questions I began a journey into the origins of economic thought and economic systems. I realized that economics is more like a religion than either art or science. The more I probed its tenets, the more the scales of economic dogma fell from my own eyes and the eyes of those with whom I shared my ideas. In a sense our hearts began to open to truths that have long been stifled.

While some have defined economics as the dismal science, I find it akin to religion precisely because economic principles and tools form the guidance system of our modern states. Economists are the high priests of our capitalist systems. I count myself among the economic priesthood — but I am a priest who longs to understand the very premises and value-origins of our thought. As a professor of business and economics, I have found a hunger among my students to understand more clearly the articles of faith behind business practices. Many students question whether profit and financial wealth maximization should be the primary goals of business; they long for a more meaningful world where corporations are governed by ethics and principles of social and environmental responsibility. I am buoyed by this new generation of business and economic graduates who understand at the heart level that the current “new world order” can and must change.

In economics we have reduced humanity to a collection of individual, independent, utility maximizing creatures. Success is defined by the accumulation of material and financial wealth over a lifetime. We are born into this free market ideology without questioning its morality or ethical foundations. So watermarked is this spirit of economics and capitalism on our lives that even though our hearts cry out for a more meaningful and genuine existence, we are sucked back into the squirrel cage of capitalism, running faster and faster to "keep up with the Jones,”  lamenting as we imagine a simpler, more meaningful, more genuine life.

I firmly believe we are at an important tipping point in human history. A shared consciousness is emerging which will be supported by enlightened, life-affirming economics. This book presents my future vision: stewardship of what I call Genuine Wealth – those conditions of well-being that align with our heartfelt values about what makes life worth living.

via Genuine Wealth – Inside the Book.

February, besides being the shortest month of the year also happens to be Black History Month. A month where past achievements by blacks are recognized. Really? Why just this month? Are these achievements less important, less spectacular, or have less impact if recognized all year-long?

The Civil Rights movement fought against segregation for decades and now we're encouraging a part of history to be segregated? If you have children, it is always a good time to tell them about Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Langston Hughes. Not because they were black but because they were great. History books in schools should also follow that maxim, reminding students that great history is colourless.

Although not impossible, I'm not sure how Black History Month can continue to evolve. I always clutch my pearls when I read or hear Oprah Winfrey being described in various media platforms as "a black T.V. host" or when art is described as "black art." And, even if Barack Obama is black and also happens to be President of the United States of America, referring to him as a black president is retro. And not in a good way.

Everything about how we live today encourages the breakdown of all barriers. Sticking the colour of their skin to successful people is simply foolish. And that's exactly what Black History Month does.

I understand why Black History Month was first introduced and I applaud those who have made it the powerhouse it is today. Many large corporations have made it an important staple in their fiscal calendars, which is admirable. Still, I think it's time to rethink BHM. I look forward to the day when all great achievements will be celebrated all year long and when history will be measured by its impact, not by its colour.

via Martine St-Victor: Time to Get Rid of Black History Month.

With the cold and flu season still kicking around, heading out to the pharmacy every week can get annoying — and expensive. But finding the best solutions to fight your viruses can be right in front of you.We all know eating foods that are rich in nutrients can be good for our health, but some say eating them while youre sick is even better."Food plays a role in how we look, but we often forget that it massively affects how we feel," says health coach and Huffington Post UK blogger Polly Noble. "When you eat, you feed not only your stomach but your cells. If those cells dont get nourished with the vitamins and minerals they need, your body can start to malfunction," Noble says.Topical BioMedics has partnered up with Roufia Payman, the director of outpatient nutritional services at Northern Dutchess Hospital in New York, to come up with the tastiest solutions to fighting cold and flu viruses.Here are Paymans top immunity-boosting foods for optimum healing and wellness.

Chicken Noodle Soup:

Grandma was right — nothing beats chicken soup for fending off sniffles. Not only does it provide the fluids needed to help fight off viruses, it's a powerful mucus stimulant so it helps clear nasal congestion as well as thin mucus. It's also thought to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect than can help ease cold symptoms. Keep some organic chicken stock on hand, because studies have found that even commercial soup is as effective as homemade.

Onion And Garlic:

If you want to punch up the healing power of your chicken soup — or any other dish — add plenty of garlic and onions. When combined, these flavorful healers contain numerous antiseptic and immunity boosting compounds. As an added plus, garlic helps to open clogged sinuses.

Mushrooms: 

No herbal medicine cabinet should be without mushrooms. They increase the production of cytokines, which are cells that help fight off infection. They also contain polysaccharides, which are compounds that support the immune system. The most potent cold- and flu-fighting shrooms are shitake, maitake and reishi.

Citrus Fruits:

Citrus fruits contain hefty doses of powerhouse vitamin C. Studies have found that this antioxidant can reduce cold symptoms by 23 per cent, and all that's needed is just one to eight grams (1,000 to 8,000 milligrams) to do the trick. Besides citrus fruits, other foods that have high amounts of vitamin C include papaya, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts and red bell peppers.

Yogurt:

Studies have shown that eating a cup of low-fat yogurt each day can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. The beneficial bacteria is Lactobacillus reuteri which has been found to block the replication of viruses that invade the body when we get sick. Not all brands have that particular bacteria, so check labels and be sure to go organic.

Immune-Boosting Supplements: 

While yogurt is a great source of probiotics, some have more than others and we can really benefit by taking an additional supplement. Other immune-booster "musts" are vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acid.

Hot Tea:

Hot tea is soothing and a great home remedy, helping to thin mucus and ensure proper hydration. For added health benefit, sip green or black tea — both are filled with flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants.

Ginger:

Ginger comes to the aid when we're sick in some powerful ways. Besides soothing a scratchy throat, it has chemicals called sesquiterpenes that target rhinoviruses — which are the most common family of cold viruses — as well as substances that help suppress coughing. Ginger is also a natural pain and fever reducer and a mild sedative so you — ll feel more comfortable and be able to rest easier. Add a couple of tablespoons of shredded gingerroot to your tea, or make ginger tea (it comes in tea bags, but you can also simmer fresh sliced ginger to make a potent brew).

Honey:

Honey has numerous medicinal properties and because it coats your throat it is a natural way to soothe sore throats. It also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to help fight infections from viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Skip the common clover honey that you'll find in the supermarket as it has the lowest antioxidant level. Look for buckwheat honey, which has the highest. (A note of caution: never give honey to children under one years of age because their immune systems are not developed enough to ward off infantile botulism, which is carried in honey spores.).

Continued at …   Top Foods For Your Immune System: 11 Foods To Boost Your Immunity.

Author Tracy McMillan knows a thing or two about getting over a bad childhood. Her father was a drug-dealing pimp and convicted felon who spent most of his daughter's life behind bars. Her prostitute mother gave her away. Here's what she wants you to know about getting over your past.

1. Get a New Story

There are two ways for me to look at my childhood story. In one, I'm a person who is so unloved and unwanted, my own mother gave me away. In the other, I was born, took a look around at my prostitute mother and criminal father, and said to myself, "I can totally do better than this. Get your stuff, we're leaving." In one I'm a victim, in the other, I'm in power. Guess which viewpoint got me the career I have today?

2. Realize Blame = Same

Blame is awesome. It feels good, right? It feels righteous. It feels powerful. It feels like someone's going to pay for what they did to you. The only problem is—as long as you're blaming—nothing can ever change. Why? Because in order for your life to change, you have to want things to be different. And if it feels good to blame, you have to admit that you like it. And if you like it, you have to admit that you don't really want it to change. Which is why blame just gets you more of the same.

3. Pretend You Work at Target

Sometimes, I look at my bad childhood like it's an unruly customer and I'm working customer service the day after Christmas. It'll be acting up, moaning and complaining about how hard everything is, and how unfair it all is. I just have to say to it, "Yes, I see you, ma'am. I know you have a problem. But right now I'm busy, so please have a seat. I''ll be with you just as soon as I can." Then I do something productive that will actually change my situation, like go to work.

4. Accept the Fact That Some People Don't Really Want to See You Succeed

This sounds harsh, and it is. But it's true. Some of your family and friends "support" you by cosigning all your b.s. about how hard you have it, because if you succeed, two things will happen: 1) You will leave. And 2) They will be left behind. This doesn't mean you have to get rid of your friends and family, you just have to remember that they love you so much, they're perfectly happy for you to stay exactly where you are right now.

5. Decide to KSA (Kick Some Ass)

When my 13-year-old said he hated science class, I told him that getting a 95 on the test was the equivalent of getting in the face of his least favorite teacher and saying, "Have some!" In other words, kicking ass on the test is just like playing a video game. Needless to say, he's getting As now. Channeling your anger will get you a long, long way in life.

Continued at …   7 Best Pieces of Advice for People Who Want to Move Past a Rotten Childhood – Oprah.com.

When U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden visited China last August, he spent many hours bonding over tea with his Beijing counterpart, Vice President Xi Jinping. At one point in their talks, Xi told Biden that his father—a former vice premier—and relatives had suffered during China’s chaotic Cultural Revolution, a candid acknowledgment that things had gone horribly wrong during the country’s bad old days. The official Chinese interpreter apparently was so flummoxed by Xi’s comment that he never translated it into English, according to an informed source. Such eyebrow-raising candor is rare among Chinese apparatchiks. But “Xi communicates quite easily with foreign leaders,” said one European diplomat who met him last year, “He’s quite critical about the Cultural Revolution, saying there were mistakes made. I found that striking.”

Xi, the heir apparent for China’s top party post and the presidency, is the first among equals in a younger generation of Chinese leaders poised to take center stage during the Communist Party’s massive transfer of power this year. The fresh crop of mandarins is more outspoken, individualistic, and self-promoting than the old crew. They are the nation’s first “modern” politicians and pose a startling contrast to the elder generation of gray, straitlaced bureaucrats. But the fact that Xi and his colleagues are more personality-driven means they are less predictable—and more likely to make waves at home and abroad.

Right now Sinologists are scrutinizing who’s up and who’s down in China because the coming succession will signal a profound generational shift. The so-called Fifth Generation of officials, led by Xi, will move up in what’s slated to be the biggest political turnover in the history of the People’s Republic of China. During this autumn’s 18th Party Congress, more than 60 percent of personnel will change within the 370-member Central Committee. This leadership game of musical chairs also means key players in the nation’s economic and financial administration, foreign policy, public security, and military operations “will be mostly newcomers after 2012,” says Brookings analyst Cheng Li, who specializes in Chinese politics.

Such a massive transition is rare in China—it’s happened only three times since 1949. The first, during the 1960s, ended in purges, widespread persecution of intellectuals, and the anarchy of the Cultural Revolution. The second in the late 1980s unraveled when top leaders disagreed over whether to use force to disperse youthful protesters in Tiananmen Square; bloodshed followed. The most recent shift, when current party head Hu Jintao succeeded Jiang Zemin in 2002, was an impressively stable transfer of power. But that was the Communist Party’s only succession plan that went according to script.

Now, in the run-up to the 2012 transition, the party is composed of two increasingly competitive coalitions, referred to as “populists” and “elitists.” The populists, led by President Hu, rely on a powerful nationwide network of cadres in the Communist Youth League; their policies aim to ameliorate the growing gap between China’s have and have-nots, which is most pronounced in China’s impoverished western regions. Elitists are known for their free-market economic views and favoring coastal export industries; they include many “princelings” like Xi who are offspring of former high-level cadres.

Continued at …   Xi Jinping, China’s Next President – The Daily Beast.

If you’re trying to eat a heart-healthy diet, figuring out what to believe can be overwhelming. The advice we get on everything from eggs to olive oil is often confusing and maddeningly contradictory.

Ironically, this growing confusion comes at a time when scientists who study nutrition know more than ever. Too often, though, we hear about only the latest study (which may be poorly designed) or research that’s cherry-picked to support an agenda. That’s like seeing one or two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and trying to determine what the entire picture is.

To know what the science really shows, it pays to look at all the evidence, assigning greater weight to studies that are more rigorous. In many cases, this can give us a reliable indication of what’s really good or bad. Based on a thorough review of research, here’s what’s believable — and what’s not — regarding some familiar claims about heart health.

Nuts are good for your heart

True. Once regarded as high-fat nutritional villains to be avoided at all costs, nuts are now touted as a health food that can ward off heart disease. And perhaps rightly so. Several large cohort studies (the type in which people are asked about their dietary habits and then followed for years or decades) have consistently found lower odds of heart disease and heart-related deaths among nut eaters, regardless of sex, age, location or occupation.

These findings are bolstered by results from clinical trials demonstrating that nuts lower LDL cholesterol levels, the kind associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Nuts also appear to decrease inflammation in arteries, which may contribute to heart attacks.

So which nuts are best for you? If you listen to producers of walnuts, almonds or peanuts (which, technically, aren’t nuts but legumes), each will tell you that its nut is superior because of some ingredient it contains. The truth is that it’s impossible to say which is best because no one has done a head-to-head comparison.

All nuts are relatively high in unsaturated fats, which are thought to be good for the heart. And all nuts are relatively high in calories, so it’s important to pay attention to portion sizes. About a handful a day is enough to reap health benefits. It may even promote weight loss by helping you feel full. But going nuts and overindulging can lead to extra pounds.

Oats lower cholesterol

TRUE. Oats contain a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which is also found in barley. It’s thought to lower cholesterol by binding to bile acids and removing them from the body. Bile acids are made from cholesterol, so when the body has to deploy more of its cholesterol to help replace the eliminated bile acids, there’s less of it in the blood.

Continued at …  Foods that are good–and bad–for your heart – The Washington Post.

Love, when it involves an initial state of bliss, can later make you feel sick or crazy, whether or not the object of your affection has left your life. Bliss is an emotion that people seek. A surge of extreme pleasure and rapture is felt when it is activated, and you seem to transcend your self or merge with another person. Bliss is often felt as love, sensory or sexual pleasure, anticipation of high excitement, or a meditative state (Ekman, 2003). Perhaps its evolutionary purpose was to attach people together regardless of rational thinking. When a blissful state is experienced, such as in an intense romantic encounter, the craving and need to recreate it can be powerful.

Some people are tempted to compare a current long-term relationship with one that potentially can activate, or has activated, a blissful state involving sensual pleasure. Comparing a person with whom you have had a long-term relationship to someone new, unavailable, or forbidden who activates bliss in you makes an appropriate assessment impossible. Psychophysiological responses that are commonly experienced in those who are possessed by new love include highly pleasurable experiences of euphoria and increased energy (Fisher, 2000). Bliss-triggering attraction is associated with altered brain chemistry such as increased levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, and decreased levels of serotonin, all of which return to normal levels between 6 and 18 months into a relationship (Fisher, 2000; Marazzitti, Akiskal, Rossi, & Cassano, 1999).

Longing to be with the one with whom you anticipate experiencing a blissful state leads to thinking that is obsessive and distracted. I've seen many people in my practice who are lovesick because they cannot be with the object of their passion for any number of reasons. Most of the time it is because the one they profess to love happens not to be the person with whom they are partnered or is someone who is inaccessible at the time.   In such cases, being lovesick is a state of being caught up in the fantasy that the passionate love they experience in stolen moments can exist forever in reality. Stolen moments in a blissful state, such as in an affair, simply create physiological responses perpetuating a belief that, in the long term, the impossible is probable. Eventually, however, it can make you sick or crazy even though it begins on an intensely positive note.

Although I have not conducted a formal study, decades of clinical experience has convinced me that a variety of situations having to do with blissful love can produce emotional and physical illness. I am most struck by the confluence of autoimmune disorders when people are involved in blissful relationships that are wrought with conflict and ambivalence. At one moment the partner is sacred and the object of a blissful experience, yet the next moment he or she is the trigger for anger and pain. I don't have proof, and such proof would be difficult to obtain, that such love makes people sick. Nevertheless, I have witnessed numerous accounts in my practice of people who become sick from a blissful love relationship that is intermittent or has turned bad, particularly in those who are involved with narcissistic partners.

Addictions and relapse from addictions are not uncommon in those who are in an intensely blissful but conflicted relationship, or in those who are attempting to recover from one. Longing, grief, anger, shame, or guilt represent emotions that may be activated in the aftermath of a relationship that was colorfully painted by bliss. Addictions mask the pain of an ambivalent relationship or from the loss of bliss, and they hide the longing to experience the blissful state again. In her research on the neurological effects of withdrawing from a romantic (blissful) relationship, Helen Fisher (2004) demonstrated that such experiences ignite regions of the brain that are similar to withdrawal from a cocaine addiction.

Continued at … Blissful Love Can Make You Sick or Crazy | Psychology Today.

Out of reach of regular internet searches is the secretive online world known as the 'dark web' – anonymous, virtually untraceable global networks used by political activists and criminals alike.

"You have the availability of multiple dealers so you can compare products – and customers can review the dealer's product, too."

American student, David – not his real name – explains why he chooses to buy illegal drugs on the so-called 'dark web'.

"You don't have to go in front of a street dealer, where there might be a risk of violence," he adds.

And it is not just drugs which are available on this online black market. Fake passports, guns – even child pornography.

Anonymous drug dealers

The dark web is facilitated by a global network of computer users who believe the internet should operate beyond the supervision of law enforcement agencies.

It allows users like David, and those who sell him drugs, to remain anonymous. Users often do not know the real identity of the fellow users they are dealing with, and it is very difficult – although not impossible – for authorities to track them.

5 live Investigates spoke online with a number of anonymous dark web users.

One told the programme "I feel much safer [online] than doing transactions in the real world. I used to sell drugs in the real world. Nowadays I almost strictly use the dark web for any drug transaction."

Another said: "If you're young and trying to find a contact for drugs harder than marijuana it is practically impossible without risking exposure and arrest."

After a wait of around 3 weeks a package arrived in the post with a Spanish postmark. Concealed between two thin strips of cardboard was a white powder.

Analytical Services International, at St George's University of London examined the drugs.

The lab test proved the powder was DMT – and that the dark web works.

We have no idea who sent the drugs to us. They have now been destroyed by the lab as possession of DMT can lead to a jail sentence of up to seven years.

Dealers of DMT can face a maximum life term in prison.

But what is being done to police the criminal activity that takes place on the dark web?

Continued at …       www.bbc.co.uk

We all need second chances.  This isn’t a perfect world.  We’re not perfect people.  I’m probably on my 1000th second chance right now and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  Because even though I’ve failed a lot, it means I’ve tried a lot too.

We rarely get things right the first time.  Almost every major accomplishment in a person’s life starts with the decision to try again and again – to get up after every failed attempt and give it another shot.

The only difference between an opportunity and an obstacle is attitude.  Getting a second chance in life is about giving yourself the opportunity to grow beyond your past failures.  It’s about positively adjusting your attitude toward future possibilities.  Here’s how:

1.  Let go of the past.

What’s done is done.  When life throws us nasty curveballs it typically doesn’t make any sense to us, and our natural emotional reaction might be to get extremely upset and scream obscenities at the top of our lungs.  But how does this help our dilemma?  Obviously, it doesn’t.

The smartest, and oftentimes hardest, thing we can do in these kinds of situations is to be more tempered in our reactions.  To want to scream obscenities, but to wiser and more disciplined than that.  To remember that emotional rage only makes matters worse.  And to remember that tragedies are rarely as bad as they seem, and even when they are, they give us an opportunity to grow stronger.

Every difficult moment in our lives is accompanied by an opportunity for personal growth and creativity.  But in order to attain this growth and creativity, we must first learn to let go of the past.  We must recognize that difficulties pass like everything else in life.  And once they pass, all we’re left with are our unique experiences and the lessons required two make a better attempt next time.

2.  Identify the lesson.

Everything is a life lesson.  Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc.  They’re all part of the learning experience we call ‘life.’

Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go your way.  If you don’t get a job you wanted or a relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out there waiting.  And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it.

3.  Lose the negative attitude.

Negative thinking creates negative results.  Positive thinking creates positive results.  Period.

Every one of the other suggestions in this article is irrelevant if your mind is stuck in the gutter.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it.  For some practical positive thinking guidance I recommend reading The Power of Positive Thinking.

4.  Accept accountability for your current situation.

Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will.  And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own.

You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life.  And no, it won’t always be easy.  Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them.  You must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles.  Choosing not to is giving up.

5.  Focus on the things you can change.

Some forces are out of your control.  The best thing you can do is do the best with what’s in front of you with the resources you do have access to.

Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation.  Invest your energy in the things you can change.

Continued at …   12 Ways to Get a Second Chance in Life.

In a world that is looking for love, Facebook is becoming both a social support and a matchmaker.  A new report released by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project points out how those associated with “power users” are reaping the benefits of reaching thousands and building confidence.

Despite questions as to whether or not technology is ruining romance and contributing to the demise of the love letter, posed by PsychologyToday blogger, Azadeh Aalai, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Montgomery College, social dating is on the rise.

“Facebook is emerging as the world’s largest dating site,” says Julie Spira, online dating expert. “The next generation of online dating has emerged. It’s called social dating and it’s here to stay.”

Meeting on Facebook and social dating tips

Spira says:  “From typing in their name in a search, to looking up former college sweethearts, and chatting with friends-of-friends while at an airport, singles are meeting on Facebook.”

But despite the ease of connections, Spria advocates caution.

“Start off by listing your relationship status as ‘Single’on your profile. It’s free advertising in a large playing field. Before you start friending potential mates on Facebook, start by checking their relationship status. If their profile status is ‘Single’ still double-check by viewing the photos they post. If their arm is around the same person over-and-over again, enjoy your digital friendship,” she adds.

“If you’ve already set up a date with someone from an online dating site, compare their facts and photos on Facebook. See if you have friends in common and call your real-life friends to find out more about your date. But don’t get too excited. It’s a netiquette no-no to friend a date on Facebook in advance of or after a first date. You both might not be on the same digital page. Remember, you’re courting, not stalking,” she says.

Noting that “the new world of social dating presents the opportunity to put one’s best digital foot forward and find a partner and mate in a crowded and confusing marketplace,’ Spira outlines the social dating blend:

Flirting on Twitter

Friending, liking, chatting and commenting on Facebook

Reconnecting with former colleagues and alumni on Linkedin

Downloading a handful of mobile apps

Joining one or more online dating sites

Sharing TV shows, films and music on Get Glue, Netflix, and Spotify

Video chats

“You don’t have to do it all, but the options for meeting continue to grow,” she notes. “So make sure you’re ready for that spur-of the-digital-moment date, as you’ll be using your mobile phone to communicate.”

Continued at …  Love Online: Dating Expert’s Advice and the Love Letter Wish | Psychology Today.