VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

(Empowering the Global Ummah, One Muslim At a Time)

Volume 153, October 16, 2010

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

PART I
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT OF PAST WEEK:
RESCUE OF CHILEAN MINERS:

Below are selected notes from an excellent article dated October 13, 2010 titled:

Buried Alive: Managing the PTSD threat in Chilean Miners

Ron Zimmerman from www.medscape.com (Ron Zimmerman is a freelance writer based in San Antonio, Texas, who also reports for ABC News).

Miner Jose Ojeda is helped out of a capsule during his rescue from the collapsed San Jose mine. Hugo Infante/Chilean government, via AP

"Thirty-three ordinary men went down into the San Jose mine in Copiapó, Chile, on August 5 and didn't come back out of the ground until October 13, forever transformed by their shared disaster".

"Underground, there was crowding, with 33 men shoulder to shoulder in a 600–square foot space, smaller than a New York apartment, and there was sweltering 90° heat, stagnant air, and pitch darkness relieved only by the occasional headlamp beam".

"Perhaps most damaging, there was the inevitability of a ticking clock — the certainty of death if rescuers could not reach them before the air, food, and water or their wits gave out, and the longer they were cut off, the greater the psychological damage was likely to be". "They had national, international, and family support, and that's both important and different from other disasters.

Coping Mechanisms

"Another factor is the dynamics of the group itself. The group reportedly found coping mechanisms underground that worked to buoy their spirits. One of the miners, Mario Gomez, reportedly took charge and built a tightly organized hierarchy, rationing food and work so that the miners each felt they still had a job to do and a place in their forced society underground. But the fact that the men came through their experience together could give each of them mental strength".

"Some of the miners took refuge in their faith. The youngest miner, 19-year old Jimmy Sanchez, told media there were really 34 miners in the small 600-foot chamber. "God was with us. He never left us." "Each of the 33 men will have his own tale, his own way of coping with a transformed identity and a life story forever stuck nearly half a mile below the earth".

EDITORIAL:

HOW THE RECENT RESCUE OF CHILEAN MINERS GALVANIZED THE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD TOGETHER

It is clearly stated in the Holy Quran that:

"MANKIND IS BUT ONE COMMUNITY"

What part of above Quranic verse do the extremist Muslims not understand? The recent rescue of the 33 miners in Chile was watched locally, nationally and internationally and won global support. The global support was not because the 33 miners were from Chile (nationality), nor because of their race, gender, ethnicity, religion or any other variable. Instead the global support was merely because they were 33 human beings trapped almost half mile underground.

After a long time, we have witnessed unconditional & unequivocal global support. for a human cause free of any divisive differences.

How good would it be, if the same support was extended to all human beings who are in life threatening crisis worldwide.

But some may view this as wishful thinking. But we ask, WHY NOT ?

As the above Quranic verse rightly pointed out that mankind is but one community. WE ARE ONE HUMAN FAMILY. We appeal to all citizens of the globe to LOVE ALL AND HATE NONE.

PART II:

APPEAL TO GLOBAL UMMAH TO HELP OUR IRAQI SISTERS:

(ED NOTE: As far as we are concerned, anyone dealing in trafficking of women either directly or indirectly are criminals and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. However in several countries, many of such criminals are continuing their anti-Islamic activities with no consequences whatsoever. Their actions clearly indicate that they care a hoot about the true principles of Islam and their greed for money surpasses any iota of human/family/Islamic values to speak of. We would like to remind one and all, that some anti-Islamic elements out of their sheer ignorance use below examples to attack Islam, when in reality, Islam is strongly against such exploitative actions).

We appeal to all Muslims who are interested to help to co-ordinate by teaming up with other like minded Muslims and non-Muslims including various social service agencies, law enforcement authorities and even feminists to unitedly fight against such anti-islamic actions perpetrated by our own cancerous members of global ummah)

In Syria, Iraqi Refugee Daughters Risk Being Sold

By Dominique Soguel
WeNews correspondent
October 12, 2010

Iraqi women who have fled to Syria to escape the U.S.-led war face another form of violence: sales to brothels by male relatives desperate for money. Damascus is escalating its legal response to trafficking, but the risks remain high.

DAMASCUS, Syria (Womensnews)

Um Ali is scared. She says male relatives want to kill her and sell her daughters into marriages that are really sex-trafficking arrangements that put young women to work in brothels overseas. She lives in hiding and relocates often. Her pulse accelerates every time an international text message pops into her cell phone.

"The world is small," wrote her brother in a recent threat. Um Ali is one of over a million refugees who have sought shelter in Syria since U.S. troops entered Iraq in 2003. She left with her husband and children during a wave of militia violence against Iraqis working--"collaborating"--with Americans in 2006.

Some girls and women among these refugees face being sex trafficked by people within their own families. No statistics or studies are available on this specific problem, but there are plenty of stories of men in a pinch treating female relatives as young as 13 as commodities for sex and marriage markets.

Dodging such threats is particularly hard for women when they come from inside the family. Women who run away risk being branded prostitutes and subject to death at the hands of "dishonored" male kin. "Iraqi women are fleeing violence in their country and in their families," psychologist Mari Samaan told Women's eNews. "Syrian society and women like Um Ali pay the price for America's war in Iraq."

She says that the longer a woman such as Um Ali survives on her own, the more likely it is that male relatives will suspect her of sex work. Many of these women lack professional skills. Marrying young and depending on men all their lives, they struggle to cope without a male provider and protector in Syria.

Hard Traditions "Iraqi traditions are hard," Samaan said. "Every woman without a husband or family watching over her is seen as prostitute. I have seen girls raped by armies and militias and then killed by her own families."

Despite Syria's increasing efforts to prevent sex trafficking, many face the sorts of dangers Um Ali is trying to evade. Married at age 12 to a man who went on to beat and belt her for 21 years, Um Ali wanted a different fate for her three teenage daughters. "In Iraq, he only hit me," she told Women's eNews. "In Syria, he started on the girls. I want them to choose their path in life, unlike me. They are smart and they love to study. If they were safe from these threats, they could finish school." When a family friend gave his daughter to a Saudi man in marriage in exchange for a huge dowry, an idea lit up in her husband's head. "He doesn't think," Um Ali said. "All he can think of is money."

Soon the marriage proposals trickled in, including one from an Iraqi man she suspected of running a brothel in the United States. Gambling debts her husband had accrued in Syria forced him to flee back to Iraq before he could cash in on the transaction.

PART III

CALL TO AMERICAN UMMAH TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE BY SUPPORTING THE PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

Women Are Not WorthLess:
(womensnews.org)

Take the "I Am Not Worth Less" Pledge today, women make just 77 cents for every dollar a man makes — that’s an average of $10,622 in lost wages every year. For many women and their families, ending the wage gap would buy a year’s supply of groceries, three months of child care, or six months of health insurance. It’s time to stop discounting women’s voices and paychecks. The Senate must help close the wage gap by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act now!

PART IV

CHANGES IN TEENAGE LIFESTYLE

(ED Note:
How are our Muslim teenagers coping with below lifestyle of excessive texting among present day youth ? We are not getting into the content of texting in terms of whether it is useful, informative or as an alternative form of communication. All we are focusing is on the frequency and whether there is really a need for such high frequency of texting on an hourly and day to day basis.

As far as a Muslim teenager is considered, we believe that if a Muslim teenager is raised in a family that practices ISLAM in their day to day life, which includes regular prayers, weekly involvement in Muslim student activities, socializing in an Islamic friendly circle, then there are good chances that there will be an increase in the frequency of their doing Zikr and obligatory prayers than in their increased frequency of texting. We strongly encourage Muslim parents to enroll their children in Islamic Schools if feasible & possible and we believe that in most cases, it does make a significant positive difference for the Muslim student. We want to emphasize that we are NOT against texting but are concerned about the frequency and number of texts that currently prevail in below research)

"Teen text messages hit new high: 6 an hour, 3339 a month"
www.csmonitor.com
(condensed version)
Horizons

American teens send an average of six text messages for every hour they are awake, according to Nielsen.

Newscom

The average American teen sends an average of six text messages for every hour he or she is awake, Nielsen says.

That's the (somewhat stupendous) number of text messages the average American teen sends every month, according to Nielsen, which recently crunched data from 60,000 cell phone bills and surveys of 3,000 teens. We know what you're thinking: 3,339 text messages. How does that work out on an hour-by-hour basis? Well, luckily Nielsen has that data, too.

The tracking firm says that 3,339 texts a month adds up to more than six texts an hour for every hour that the teen in question is awake – a whopping 8 percent jump from the same time last year. Nielsen says that most prolific texters are teen females, aged 13 to 17, who send an average of 4,050 texts every month. By comparison, young adults – ages 18 to 24 – send only 1,630 texts a month, working out to three texts every hour.

PART V

(ED Note: DO YOU AGREE WITH BELOW PERSPECTIVE OF FAMILY PLANNING ? )

A View from Islamic Scholar Khaleel Mohammed

In the absence of any truly authoritative body that represents what may be deemed Islamic, one finds Muslims all over the world having various opinions on the subject of family planning. Many of the third world Muslim societies are plagued by lack of education and accept certain traditional viewpoints as if they have the stamp of divine approval. In many cases, one of the biggest problems has to do with family planning.

Many Muslims view the matter in a fatalistic manner: they don’t practice any form of birth control, assuming that if God does not want them to have children, then they will not have them, and that even if a pregnancy is unwanted, it is a manifestation of the Divine Will.

This is indeed a wrong way of viewing things, since God says in the Qur’an that:

“God does not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.”

This means people are the custodians of their affairs, and what they reap is a result of their own actions. We have a duty to children and should not treat them as necessary results of conjugal relations.

The Qur’an states that God has created mates, establishing “love and affection” between them. This means, among other things, that a woman should not be seen simply as a baby machine. It stands to reason that responsible parents do not create situations where there is no birth control, where there are too many mouths to feed, where the health of the mother is endangered every time there is a pregnancy.

In many of the Muslim majority countries, women are now in parliament or, in some cases, even leading such countries. They should use this clout to approach the United Nations and other bodies, including those from richer Muslim majority countries, to seek help in establishing educational facilities.

If Muslims claim that, as the Qur’an says, men and women are all created from the same matter, to live in love and harmony, then they must see the necessity of family planning without fear of recrimination. The time has come for Muslim societies throughout the world to encourage the development of educational facilities for women in all areas of the world, particularly those regions where there is lack of adequate family planning and health facilities.

PART VI

(EUROPE)

WE SUPPORT THE MUSLIM WOMEN OF KOSOVO TO WEAR HIJAB

(ED NOTE:

While we oppose laws that deprive a Muslim female to freely practice her Islamic lifestyle, we also oppose laws that force a Muslim female to practice an Islamic lifestyle, for FORCE in essence is a disrespect for the decision making ability of an adult. The best of individual lifestyle that tends to last a lifetime is the one that comes straight from one's heart voluntarily.

Sure, religion is a guiding light, but let's not forget what the Holy Quran states:

"There is no compulsion is religion".

We again ask the extremist Muslims, WHAT PART OF ABOVE QURANIC VERSE DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ? Please take a moment to think and reflect carefully, as to why would Allah in his greatness, wisdom and majesty, command mankind that we have no right to compel others in matter of religion ?

By the grace of Allah, the majority of mankind regardless of religion are moderates and not extremists. We appeal to people of all faiths to unite together under the banner of HUMANITY and work against the extremists of all faiths. WE HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF KOSOVO FEMALES TO WEAR HIJAB IN SCHOOLS. In particular, we love one of their slogans:

"UNVEIL THE MINDS, NOT THE HEADS")

Kosovo Muslims women
Kosovo Muslims women pray separately from men in a parking lot in the capital Pristina on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010. Hundreds of Kosovo Muslims demanded from the government to reverse its decision to ban use of Muslim headscarf in schools. The protesters gathered Friday outside the government building in the capital carrying placards reading 'Stop Discrimination' and 'Unveil the mind, not the head.' (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)



Kosovo Muslims
Kosovo Muslims pray outside in a parking lot in the capital Pristina on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)


K

Kosovo Muslim women
Kosovo Muslim women prepare to pray outside in a parking lot in the capital Pristina on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)



Kosovo Muslim woman
Kosovo Muslim woman participate in a protest in the capital Pristina on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010. Hundreds of Kosovo Muslims demanded from the government toreverse its decision to ban use of Muslim headscarf in schools. The protesters gathered Friday outside the government building in the capital carrying placards reading 'Stop Discrimination' and 'Unveil the mind, not the head.' (AP Photo / Visar Kryeziu)



A Kosovo Muslim man prays outside in a parking lot in the capital Pristina on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010. Hundreds of Kosovo Muslims demanded from the government to reverse its decision to ban use of Muslim headscarf in schools. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

PART VII

(INDONESIA)

(Ed Note:
We condemn below statement of Br. Nurdin Hasan and feel that he owes an apology for insulting half the global ummah-Muslim women)

'Women Unfit to Lead' Says Acehnese District Council Chairman
Nurdin Hasan
October 8, 2010
(condensed version)
Jakarta Globe

Banda Aceh.
In a move criticized as an insult to the dignity of women, an Aceh district speaker has called for the replacement of a female subdistrict head, arguing that women were unfit to lead under Islamic law.

Ridwan Muhammad, the Bireuen district council chairman, said on Thursday that the move against Anisah, head of Plimbang subdistrict, was prompted by complaints from the public.

“It’s what the people and the clerics … are calling for,” he told the Jakarta Globe.

“According to Shariah, a woman is prohibited from becoming a leader.” Ridwan said Anisah’s appointment as subdistrict chief in April had caused a rift in the community, “with one side supporting her and the other against her.”

“I’ll admit she’s deft and quite competent, but in order to avoid riots, we advise that she be replaced immediately,” Ridwan said.

Evi Narti Zain, executive director of the human rights coalition HAM Aceh, said Ridwan’s move discriminated against women and was a violation of basic human rights. “He has also insulted the dignity of women as a whole,” she said, calling for his dismissal.

Evi pointed out that Aceh itself had been ruled by successive female sultans in the 19th century.

PART VIII

MUSLIMS IN RUSSIA: A PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS

Jameh Mosque of St. Petersburg

If once you have a chance to be in St. Petersburg, visit this wonderful place to see Jameh Mosque, believe me you’ll never regret. (english.ru.com)

We thought it might be interesting to visit Grozny city of today and look how it has changed after the war. It turned out that the city was totally restored and it doesn’t remind much of the hard time it had to go through. (english.ru.com)

Today is the first day of Eid al-Fitr holiday. Mussulmans farewell with the blessed days of the Ramadan month and can take their first meal after fast. The main ritual of the holiday - divine service in honor of Eid al-Fitr in the mosques of the city. The pictures were taken in Prospect Mira, Moscow. (english.ru)

Children That Have to Be Grown-Ups: The whole generation of Chechen children haven’t had childhood. They hid in the basements, learnt to survive in the war time from the cradle. They don’t know kindness and human love. The war is over, houses have been repaired and schools have opened and these children are eager to study. Even first graders remember how they huddled together in the houses without walls and roofs over their heads. (english.ru.com)

PART IX

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY AREA (FLORIDA) ISTABA:
ROLE MODEL FOR AN AMERICAN MASJID THAT INVOLVES IN REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY

October 12th, 2010

Asalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu

On November 6th, 2010, ISTABA will be hosting the 10th Annual open house where we open our doors for the non-Muslims community to visit us and learn about Islam. We are asking for your support to help us buy copies of the Holy Quran, books, and educational Da’wa materials to present it for our guests and to help convey the message of Islam as a one of our most important duties toward our religion.

We are looking for donation to help us for the open house expenses. Please, send your generous donation to the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area at; 7326 E. Sligh Ave. Tampa, Fl 33610 813-628-0007

You can also submit your donation through our online donation center by visiting http://istaba.org/donate.html and add a memo to your transaction saying “OPEN HOUSE EXPENSES”

Respectfully
Dr. Muhammad Sultan
Imam & Director

PART X (a)

MENTAL HEALTH

OCTOBER 10, WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

thepeninsulaqatar.com

Qatar marks World Mental Health Day Monday, 11 October 2010

DOHA: Qatar marked World Mental Health Day yesterday with a seminar focusing on various aspects of the issue at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) premises. Addressing the event Dr Mohammed Al Thani, director of public health at SCH said psychiatric health was essential for health of the individual and to enable the society to perform its role.

According to the latest statistics of the WHO more than 450 million people suffer from psychiatric disorders which result from socio economic, biological and environmental factors.

Dr Tahir Shaltot, psychiatry consultant at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) spoke about the factors affecting the psychiatric health of an individual such as the lack of religious and moral values, weakness of the personality, the low economic status and social pressure. Dr Mahamoud Fozi, consultant in paediatric neurology at HMC in his speech focused on the mental disorders affecting children such as hyperactivity and attention deflect.

Such disorders can be treated by improving the awareness of the family, teachers and fellow students as well as the academic performance of the child. Dr Merfat Saeed, consultant at the Family Counselling Centre said the upbringing of a child has a key role in shaping his social behaviour. Mouayad Al Tamimi, an expert from the Shafallah Centre highlighted the role of the centre in reinforcing the psychiatric health of children with special needs and integrating them with the mainstream society.

PART X - b

BANGLADESH - WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2010 By Dr Zillur Rahman Khan

www.ecademy.com
(condensed version)

WE OBSERVE World Mental Health Day on October 10 every year with lots of enthusiasm, to create awareness among people about mental health and illness.

Mental health is a neglected issue in Bangladesh like many other developing countries.

The main reason is a negative attitude towards mental health and lack of awareness of mental diseases. We mark World Mental Health Day as, back in 1948, the World Health Organisation stated that health is incomplete without mental health. Even after half a century of that definition of health, mental health has not become an essential component of health. In the face of all oppositions, mental health service has reached a stage of dynamism although it has not achieved the desired target. Time has come to re-evaluate the mental health policy, strategy and action plans.

Like more than 100 countries in the world, Bangladesh today will celebrate the 18th World Mental Health Day.

This year's theme is 'mental health and chronic physical illness-need for continued and integrated care'. Physical and mental health problems go hand in hand. Persons with physical illness like heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory illness suffer more from mental illnesses like depression and anxiety disorders than healthy persons. In the same way, chronic mental patients are at a greater risk of developing physical illness like heart diseases and diabetes. That's why physical and mental health problems need integrated and coordinated health care form the same health centre. This year's theme emphasises the importance of this issue. This could only be achieved by integration of mental health services in primary healthcare facilities of our country.

Patients afflicted with mental diseases are stigmatised in our country. The result of this stigma is isolation and deprivation of the basic human rights including the right to health services which is constitutionally guaranteed.

The level of awareness and knowledge on mental health in our society is frustrating. Even many educated people cannot differentiate between a psychiatrist and a psychologist (the former is a doctor and the latter is not).

The World Health Organisation states that 60 per cent of mortality around the world is attributed to heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory illness. The person who suffers from this type of physical illness has an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders. The prevalence of depression among diabetic and heart patients is 20 per cent and in cancer patient 25-39 per cent, which is higher than that in healthy persons. The presence of mental illness makes the treatment of physical illness more expensive, troublesome and time-consuming.

Most of these patients do not get psychiatric treatment. A recent study stated that diabetic patients with depression achieve poor blood glucose control due to physical inactivity, alcoholism, drug-addiction, negative life style and loneliness. Depression is also a known risk factor for heart diseases. It increases the rate of mortality from heart diseases. For this reason, the American Heart Association has recommended depression screening for every heart patient. This type of double conditions makes management of health problems difficult, increases morbidity and mortality. So, integration of mental health services in the primary health care is very important.

Very recently, Bangladesh received the Millennium Development Goal award in health for reducing the child mortality rate, which is encouraging for our nation.

Dr Zillur Rahman Khan is a psychiatrist at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

PART X - c

World Mental Health Day at Aga Khan University on Oct 11

October 10, 2010 by ismailimail.wordpress.com

The World Mental Health Day observed on October 11 every year raises public awareness about mental health issues all over the world. An announcement of the Aga Khan University here said that the Day provides a platform to initiate open discussions on mental disorders and investments in prevention and treatment services.

It pointed out that the treatment gap for mental, neurological and substance-use disorders is formidable, especially in poor-resource countries. The announcement further said that the Aga Khan University will commemorate World Mental Health Day (WMHD) on October 11 focusing on this year’s global theme: `Burden of Care in Mental Illness’.

PART XI-a

PHYSICAL HEALTH:

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR AMERICAN UMMAH:

http://www.healthcare.gov

FLUE SHOT FINDER:

Find Your Flu Shot
September 29, 2010

By Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary of Health & Human Services

Flu season is back. Time to wash your hands, sneeze into your elbow, and get your flu shot!

This year’s flu vaccine includes protection against H1N1 as well as two other seasonal flu viruses, so make sure you and your loved ones get your shots. (You can even remind people by sending an ‘e-card’ from the CDC website.)

If you need help figuring out where you can get vaccinated, we’re happy to report that, as we did last year, we’ve worked with Google to create the flu vaccine finder---a mapping feature that lets you enter a zip code and identify locations close to you that offer flu shots.

We feature the flu vaccine finder on "flu.gov". In addition, when people search for “flu” or “flu shot” or similar terms on Google, the finder will appear at the top of the search results, along with some tips about flu prevention:

(As indicated in above diagram, once you are on above internet page, just type in your zip code and hit “go” to find locations near you that offer the flu shot).

PART XI-b

When Moms Get Flu Shots, Babies Reap Benefits

womenshealth.gov
(condensed version)
Oct 4, 2010

Chicago:

(Reuters) - Newborn babies whose mothers got a flu shot while pregnant are less likely to get the flu or to be admitted to the hospital with a respiratory illness in the first six months of life, U.S. researchers said on Monday. During most flu seasons, babies under six months tend to have fewer cases of flu-like illnesses than those who are 6 to 12 months old, most likely because they are protected by their mothers' natural antibodies.

But in severe flu seasons, such as the 2009 swine flu pandemic, these youngest children, who are too young to get flu shots themselves, are more likely to be hospitalized and die from flu than older babies. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has for years recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against seasonal flu, but the study adds to other research showing that newborn babies benefit, too.

Current flu vaccines protect against the H1N1 virus as well as two other strains of the flu.

Frances E. Ashe-Goins RN, MPH
Acting Director, Office on Women's Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue,
SW Room 728E
Washington, DC 20201

PART XI-c

Non-stick Cookware And Waterproof Fabrics Linked To Higher Cholesterol Levels In Kids
(condensed version)
Medical News Today
Sept 7, 2010

Chemicals used in the production of non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics, known as perfluoroalkyl acids, can get into children's blood and raise their LDL cholesterol levels ("bad cholesterol" levels), says an article published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Examples of perfluoroalkyl acids include PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonate).

We are exposed to perfluoroalkyl acids through dust, food packaging, breast milk, microwave popcorn, air and occupational exposure, and drinking water, the authors explain. Perfluoroalkyl acids are used in the manufacture of fluoropolymers, which give cookware their non-stick and heat-resistant qualities. Perfluoroalkyl acids are also used in fabrics and upholstery to make them waterproof.

According to recent national survey results, PFOA and PFOS have been detected in virtually all samples of human serum. When compounds used as coating for commercial food packaging, factory treatment for fabrics and carpets and manufacturer pre-treatment for stain resistant clothing break down, certain amounts of PFOA and PFOS are produced.

Perfluoroalkyl acid exposure primarily affects the liver, according to animal studies, with the potential effect in humans of raising LDL cholesterol levels.

The dangers of high cholesterol High cholesterol levels can cause:

Atherosclerosis - narrowing of the arteries.

Higher coronary heart disease risk - an abnormality of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.

Heart attack - occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. This causes your heart muscle to die.

Angina - chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood.

Other cardiovascular conditions - diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Stroke and mini-stroke - occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or vein, interrupting the flow to an area of the brain. Can also occur when a blood vessel breaks. Brain cells begin to die.

"Perfluorooctanoic Acid, Perfluorooctanesulfonate, and Serum Lipids in Children and Adolescents"

Results From the C8 Health Project

Stephanie J. Frisbee, MSc, MA; Anoop Shankar, MD, PhD; Sarah S. Knox, PhD; Kyle Steenland, PhD; David A. Savitz, PhD; Tony Fletcher, PhD;
Alan M. Ducatman, MD, MS. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010;164(9):860-869. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.163

PART XI-d

(ED NOTE: Since smoking is the Number addiction for Global Ummah, we appeal to Muslims who are chain smokers to please reconsider your continued addiction to nicotine and its negative impact not only to you but to other loved ones close to you.)

Secondary Smoke Linked to ADHD in Children

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 11, 2010
(psychcentral.com)
(condensed version)

New research suggests children exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk to develop a variety of mental and physical health problems. Investigators presented findings that show significantly higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), headaches and stuttering among children exposed to secondhand smoke than those who are not exposed.

Study results were shared at an international conference (Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health) in Sydney, Australia.

The U.S. study asked about exposure to cigarette smoke at home among children aged four to 11 and adolescents aged 12 to 15, and also measured the cotinine levels in their blood, which tells researchers how much exposure to tobacco smoke a person has had.

Adolescents also had significantly higher rates of headaches (26.5 percent compared to 20.0 percent).

Researcher Wendy Max, professor of health economics at the University of California San Francisco, said the results showed children’s exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke could have a negative impact on their learning and education, as well as their health and overall well being.

“Our research shows children who are exposed to tobacco smoke are impacted in three different areas of their development. These physical and mental problems are a disadvantage to a child’s cognitive and social development,” Professor Max said. “Children in countries with high smoking prevalence are at greatest risk. As smoking rates in developed countries continue to fall, the burden of childhood exposure to secondhand smoke will be disproportionately borne by countries that already face economic disadvantages.”

Cancer Council Australia CEO, Professor Ian Olver, said the research added to evidence that smoking not only harms active smokers but also those around them, with children often at highest risk.

“The right to a smoke-free childhood is a basic human right,” Professor Oliver said.

“Governments need to work together to educate communities everywhere about what smoking is – an addiction that kills more than half of those addicted and harms others as well, particularly where smoking is unregulated.” Source: Cancer Council Australia

PART XII a

SEXUAL HEALTH

(ED Note:
While in general, we have deep respect for Islamic Leaders and Scholars, we believe that there are some of them who are misleading the Ummah by issuing fatwas that are not called for. Below are selected and condensed version of a fatwa calling on men to drink women's breast milk)

Fatwa Calls on Men to Drink Women's Breast-Milk

June 5, 2010, womensbioethics.blogspot.com

Ramond Ibrahim is associate of the Middle Eat Forum and the author of the article "New Fatwa Calls on Men to Drink Women's Breast-Milk". (Ibrahim, June 2010).

The article he wrote address the issues in regards to Islam's Prophet Muhammad recommends rida' al'kabir which is an arabic word that means adult-breastfeeding is making headlines again, three years to the date this article was written. Three years ago May 22, 2007, an Egyptian scholar, Dr. Izzat Attiyah issued a fatwa calling upon women to breastfeed their male colleagues. The reason the Egyptian scholar recommended adult breastfeeding was to get around the strict religious ban on mixing between unrelated men and women.

Sheikh-al-Abaican backs up Dr. Izzat's position that the man must be breastfed by modernising by not drinking directly from the source. The reason the man should take is that the man will become a relative of the family and will permit him to contact with women without breaking Islam's rules about mixing with the opposite sex.

The issue about adult breastfeeding is embarrassing for Muslims and places their women in a difficult position and this topic is on the top ten bizarre fatwas.

PART XII - b

SNAPSHOT OF AMERICA'S SEXUAL BEHAVIORS

(ED Note:
There are certain Muslims that on seeing or hearing anything about SEX immediately dismiss the source of such information as originating from Shaitan. We urge such Muslims to think again. There is a lot of emphasis in Islam on seeking knowledge and we are YET to find a single Islamic teaching that says that such knowledge SHOULD NOT include sex).

11 Surprising Facts About America’s Sexual Behaviors
By John M Grohol PsyD
psychcentral.com
(condensed version)

As a part of the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, researchers surveyed a national, representative sample of 5,865 people ages 14 to 94. They recently published some of their initial findings in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

So without further ado, here are 11 surprising facts about sex in America from that survey.

1. Condom use is pretty uncommon. Only 1 in 4 acts of sexual intercourse are protected by a condom. Condoms are, of course, the most reliable method to avoid sexually transmitted diseases while having sex.

2. Yet condom use is just as pleasurable. Contrary to popular wisdom, people surveyed said that their sexual pleasure was just as intense with condom use as it was without. This included arousal, pleasure and achieving orgasm.

3. Americans like variety. The researchers detailed over 40 different combinations of sexual activity when participants were asked to describe their most recent sexual encounter.

4. Men orgasm from regular intercourse most often; women, on the other hand, require more of a variety of sexual acts — which may include oral or vaginal intercourse — in order to orgasm.

While men enjoy sexual variety as much as women, they don’t need it in order to enjoy an orgasm. Women appear to benefit more from such variety in order to make the likelihood of an orgasm greater.

5. Men don’t have a clue when it comes to their partner’s orgasm. While 85 percent of men reported their partner had an orgasm during their most recent sexual activity, only 64 percent of women reported having had an orgasm. The difference of over 20 percent isn’t accounted for simply because of same-sex relationships.

It suggests men overestimate their partner’s sexual experience, or that women are leading men to believe they orgasmed in order to end the sexual activity earlier.

6. Most teenagers aren’t doing it as often as you might think. Only 27 percent of teens surveyed said they had intercourse in the past 3 months.

7. More of us try out a gay, lesbian or bisexual activity once in our lives than you might think.

The survey found that 8 percent of men and 7 percent of women identified themselves as either gay, lesbian or bisexual. But this percentage was much lower than the proportion of individuals who had said “Yes” to a question about whether they’ve ever had same-gender sexual activity in their lives. Many people may experiment with such activities, but stick to what feels best for them in the end.

8. You don’t have to be young to enjoy sex.

Older adults report enjoying and engaging in sexual activity nearly as much as younger adults. In fact, the survey found that men in their 50s are having more sex than teenage males.

9. Men give oral sex as much as they receive it.

Contrary to popular wisdom again, men — especially older men — give as much oral sex to women as women give to men. While the difference is greatest in the 20 to 24 year old range (with only 55 percent of men saying they’ve given it in the past year, compared to 74 percent of women), the tables turn as we age.

In the 30 to 39 age range, 69 percent of men report having given a woman oral sex, while only 59 percent of women have.In other age ranges, the differences are far less greater, with only a few percentage points differentiating the two groups.

10. Both men and women masturbate. The vast majority of people at all age groups masturbate. Yes, men regularly out-masturbate women, with over 80 percent of 20 to 29 year old men reporting masturbating in the past year. But women are no slackers either, with 64 to 72 percent of women in the same age range reporting masturbating in the past year.

11. We all like to brag. Similar to point #5, more people in the survey said they received oral sex than those who said they gave oral sex. If everyone was telling the truth, these numbers should be within a few percentage points of one another.

Instead, we see many discrepancies. For instance, 70 percent of women claimed to have received oral sex from a man in the 20 to 24 age group, but only 55 percent of men admitted to having given oral to a woman. Sixty-two percent of men aged 40 to 49 claimed they received oral, but only 53 percent of women said they gave it.

Apparently saying you’ve received oral sex is still more attractive than saying you’ve given it.

NOTE: Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues, and the intersection of technology and psychology since 1992.

PART XII- c

WOMEN AND POST HUMANITY

Quote by Nick Bostrom from FUTURE OF HUMANITY INSTITUTE:

"Extreme human enhancement could result in "posthuman" modes of being".

(ED NOTE: The gems of Islam have stood the test of time and will continue to be timeless over the span of mankind's existence. As far as the human bodies are concerned, Almighty Allah has clearly stated in the Holy Quran:

"God does not judge according to your bodies and appearances, but he scans your hearts and looks into your deeds".

While Allah has also indicated that there is no compulsion in religion, he has clearly given us choices and also told us the consequence of the respective choices that we make.

What would the lifestyle and appearance of a Muslim woman be in posthumanity? Ninety eight percent of plastic surgeries are done by women. Are they really achieving what they desired ? Is such modification in any way increasing their own sense of self-worth and overall is it contributing to increased happiness and sense of self-contentment ?

Below are selected notes from below titled article. It gives us Muslims food for thought. Most important of all, we learn the multiple additional complexities and problems we will be facing once we deviate away from Almightly Allah's guidance)

Women and Posthumanity: The Future Looks Large and Sexy

March 24, 2010
(womensbioethics.blogspot.com)

(photo:primobody)

"The body has a lot of change to go through on the path to post-humanity. There is a lot of room for improvement and enhancement". "The desire for youth and beauty is by no means a new phenomenon. However, I was caught off guard, just a bit when I was forwarded a video of an interview with Tom Ford, the fashion designer and director of the film "A Single Man". In the video Tom talks about women being posthuman and makes some good points in the interview all of which tied in to a paper I wrote on cosmetic surgery awhile back".

"He mentions that breasts today do not bear any resemblance to what actual breasts look like. He is right, they try to look natural, but the key word is “try”.

Several points that his statement make me think of is, if they are unnatural looking why do we want them to look natural?

As a woman who has a genetic predisposition on the higher end of the size curve, I do not understand. The unnatural version of natural looks nothing like my own natural ones, even if we are the same cup size. I have friends who fall in to the same category that I do and talked to them about it and they agree. There is a level of insecurity, but it is not insecurity about size, but about gravity.

The posthuman breasts go against the body’s natural inclination to succumb to gravitational pull, if you will. My friends and I however cannot pay to fight gravity; we are left to lesser forms of posthuman enhancements such as the push-up bra. This leads to my second point about Tom’s statement: actual breasts. Is the desirable path one where breasts do not bear any resemblance to natural breasts? Form over function. Breasts work, but do we still need them to work in the same way?

We have formula now, that while it can in no way match breast milk, it does work and many women use it. It is an alternative. Before you send me any hate comments, I breastfed all three of my children, not for a year, but I did. I did eventually switch over to formula.

Regardless, if we want surreally attractive breasts, does the functionality need to remain the same or will sex and sexual appeal transition to be the exclusive function.

As adults, we can talk and think about these types of questions and issues, but what about the young girls.

Tom Ford makes another point in the video that girls are seeing the adults with their unnatural breasts and think that they need to get their breasts done.

He goes on to mention that we have lost touch with what a real breast actually looks like. Again, as adults that is one thing, as a young girl it’s another.

In the adoption of the posthuman form are we taking critical examination of what images and ideas we are passing on to the next generation. Further examination though should include the messages conveyed and the impact of these messages on young girls. When thinking about the posthuman woman, the girls of today, how will their lives change by the choices made today. They could very possibly choose to go against the grain of the constructions of beautiful breasts and choose the au natural route. Insecurity about breast size is a facet of growing up that girls deal with.

Plastic surgery enables them to address these insecurities, but what do they gain and what does it solve? Large unnatural breasts are not something a mother can pass on to her daughters naturally, it will require, at this point in time, a monetary investment of perpetuation within culture.

Tom points out that we are becoming our own art by manipulating our bodies and creating them the way we want them to look.

He also says that it desexualizes, comparing these beautiful bodies to cars.

Since they are so glossy, polished and an idealized form of perfection, they are too scary and not human. I would love to hear the answers to the questions he poses about after these surgeries of breast enhancement does it help ones sex life? Or is it intimidating? A body in its artistic form is admirable at a distance without touching. Not like a ball of clay where you want to get your hands dirty and really play with it intensely

PART XII - d

(ED Note:

As mentioned in the past, Muslims in NO way are immune from the current social, psychological and sexual issues impacting the people in their respective societies. There is a severe shortage of Muslim mental health professionals and Muslim sex educators to address the needs of Muslims who in most cases genuinely want to lead a life that is literally fully soaked with Islamic values but have no Muslim professional to turn to)

HOW MENTAL HEALTH AFFECTS SEXUAL HEALTH

fashioninus.com
(condensed version)

Yes, it is true… sex is not just about being physically fit and having a great body… the brain too plays a major role. However, this fact is often ignored and most people tend to focus only on the physical nature of sex. They spend their time trying to become more physically fit or looking for enhancements that will help them perform better during sex. Very few men and women understand that mental health is as important as physical health when it comes to sex.

Here are some of the ways in which mental health affects sexual health: If you are not feeling well mentally- you are stressed, have anxiety or are depressed- you are likely to lack proper chemistry in your body that is absolutely essential for good sexual health. Mentally unhealthy people are likely to have an imbalance of chemicals and hormones in the body that can lead to poor sexual health.

If you are stressed or anxious, you will not be able to relax during intercourse. This will lead to poor libido or problems like erectile dysfunction even when you are physically fit. So, if you want to enjoy your sex life, you need to have a calm, peaceful mind.

A healthy brain can fantasize, come up with creative sexual ideas and anticipate pleasure during sex. However, if your mental health is poor, you will not be able visualize these scenes, which may leave your sex life dull or even non-existent.

People suffering from poor mental health are often on drugs to treat their problem. Many of these drugs help you sleep better or treat anxiety. These drugs tend to leave the patients dull, uninterested or even averse to any kind of sexual activity. This can even have a long-term negative effect on the sexual health of the patients.

It is important to seek medical advice to resolve issues related to poor mental health affecting sexual health of patients. Sometimes, a doctor may lower the dosage of medicines, counsel the patients or recommend relaxation or breathing techniques to improve their sexual health.

PART XIII

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE:

Russian mud wrestling. No, Ukrainian women mud wrestling, it’s not an easy site for an average Russian - it’s another sign of the all-penetrating Western culture spoiling traditional Russian society, as many might say. (englishrussia.com)

THE SPORT THAT MEN NEED NOT PARTICIPATE

And now it became the city of the probably most dangerous and highly risky sporting event for women - the sprint in high-heels, which should be no less than 9 centimeters. The winner was awarded with the prize of 50 000 rubles, the others - with injuries, grazes and bruises. (englishrussia.com)

NO GAS, WHAT TO DO ?

A lot of Russia’s houses rely on gas to power their cooking ranges, but what to do if the gas has been turned off? This innovative person has found the solution.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
A family walks past a display of a BlackBerry smart phone at a shopping mall in Dubai August 1, 2010. REUTERS/Mosab Omar

THE END