ARE THE CHOICE OF OUR COLOURS NOT COMMUNICATINGS SPECIAL MEANING?

I have been doing a research on animal camouflage. It is quite intriguing to note that some animals do not just blend with the environment for survival, but change colours as a means of communication.

According to Anderson, the ability of chameleons to change colour stems from special cells called chromatophores found in the upper layers of their skin. These cells are filled with different kinds of pigment.

Reptiles communicate with each other via changes in their colour. He's found that the colour shifts often express territorial dominance or unwillingness to mate.
"Males become more brightly marked to advertise their dominance," Raxworthy said. "Females become dark or flash red spots to advertise their hostile response to males or their non-receptive status. Aggressive chameleons may become very dark."
Whatever the colour signals mean, the tropical reptiles' unusual ability has earned them a fan base among humans.

Are we as human being not sending special meanings through the clothes we wear to other people ? What messages are you conveying through the clothes you wear?

Have You Considered Staying Young Forever?

Some people believe that aging is inevitable and that to stay young forever is impossible. But, the science of aging is continually advancing and we are gradually learning what can be done to stay young--or at least a little younger--forever.

From Quick Guide: Stay Young

• 
  How to Stay Young Forever

  Some people believe that aging is inevitable and that to stay young forever is impossible. But, the scienc… More

• 
  How to Stay Young with Healthy Choices

  As you get older, time takes a toll on your body. There are things that you can do to stay young with hea… More

• 
  How to Stay Younger Longer – First Five tips?

  Whether it is maintaining good relationships with family and friends or creating new ones by participating… More

• 
  How to Stay Younger Longer – Second Five tips?

  Positive attitude is essential to the longer living. Positive emotions will contribute to lowering levels… More

• 
  How to Stay Young Like Heather Locklear

  Heather Locklear's career as an actress goes back over 20 years, but she still manages to look younger tha… More

• 
  How to Look Ten Years Younger

  Everyone these days wants to look years younger and sometimes will resort to desperate measures. It doesn… More

• 
  How to Reduce Under-eye Wrinkles

  You know you're getting older when you look in the mirror and see those first few wrinkles, under and arou… More

• 
  How to Use Anti-Aging Serums

  We'd all like to find a fountain of youth so we could forever look young and radiant. That's not likely to… More

• 
  How to do the 5 Tibetan Rites - Discover the Fountain of Youth

  People love to stay young (many decenia if possible) on the inside and outside. With these 5 easy to learn… More

• 
  Overall Moisturizer: Anti-Aging Skin Care Tips

  Learn how to choose an overall moisturizer for the face with expert skin care tips in this free beauty vid… More

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HOW TO BEAT STRESS

stress :: stress management
If You Want To Beat Your Stress, Without Drugs Or Pills, You've Come To The Right Place...Here Is Where You'll Find All The Advice, Tips And Techniques You'll Ever Need


The World Health Organisation is quoted as saying that stress is a ‘worldwide epidemic’. A United Nations report labelled stress as "the 20th Century disease". Did you know that 1 in 2 people have experienced stress by the time they are 40?

So what can you do about it?

You may not realise it, but there are countless ways of relieving and managing stress and most of them do not need medical treatment, drugs or pills.

There are many effective, safe and easy ways to beat this 2oth Century disease and on this website, I will show you how. Decide now to rediscover the fun, joy and confidence you once enjoyed.

ARE YOU A LEADER?

A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behaviour. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR THINKING

Here Are Twelve Ways to Make That A Success

1. Avoid arguments.
2. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong.
3. If you're wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Start with questions the other person will answer yes to.
6. Let the other person do the talking.
7. Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
9. Sympathize with the other person.
10. Appeal to noble motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.

How to Make Friends

There's a certain beauty in being a lone wolf. You have more time to do things you want to do, like take introspective walks, read books, write poetry, and other solitary endeavors. If you want to diversify your options, though, there are literally billions of potential friends in the world. What's more, many of these people want to make friends just as much as you do. So consider these suggestions to meet people and form strong, lasting friendships. You may subscibe to social network like Twitter and facebook.

DOES OUR HEALTH SYSTEM HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE?

The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) proposed that government allows those who want medical cover over and above the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme to continue to make private medical aid contributions.
"It's a matter of choice," said chairperson of the BHF's Regulatory Policy Committee Clarence Mini, comparing the use of top-op cover to pupils attending private schools.

This was in response to a document published on the ANC's website last week, which outlined how the NHI may function. The document stated all contributions will be pooled in a single fund. This will be administered by government and used to pay for all services by private and public healthcare providers. It also said the medical schemes tax subsidy will be removed and that both employers and employees will make compulsory contributions.

The BHF said a national health system will eliminate medical schemes' problems relating to different tariffs charged by healthcare providers. It makes sense on paper, but most private providers scoff at the suggestion that the public sector can be sufficiently upgraded to cater for this new market.

Netcare executive director Norman Weltman says the public hospital sector lacks the surplus bed capacity and clinical staff to accommodate an increase in patients. Then there's Aids, which is manifest mostly in the emerging market and is swamping general wards.

The medical aid industry body, the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), says that before the plan is adopted there should be a comprehensive study into the effect diseases such as HIV/Aids, TB and malaria will have on the funding environment, both private and public.

Given the regulatory authority's poor record of accomplishment in using regulatory reform to try to control medical inflation, most private providers are sceptical that the proposed changes will actually succeed in bringing down the cost of medical aid. What is your view?

WHO IS GREEDY?

It sometimes baffles me to always hear that we should tighten our belts as inflation is looming. We are advised not to demand high salary wages as this will trigger inflation. However, this seems to be application to the low salary bracket individuals. Two years ago, educators went on strike in demand of 15% salary increase, they were told that they were greedy. Similarly, when salaries of cabinet minister and the president were reviewed, they all received more that 15% demanded by educators.

On the same note, Eskom is said to be in deficit, when its employees demanded an salary increase, many negative things were said about them.The shocking news today is that Eskom chief executive Jacob Maroga is to get 26,7 percent –Nearly three times what Eskom gave its workers. Eskom employees settled last month for a 10, 55 percent salary increase after a ruling by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration that averted a strike at the last minute. The NUM, which has about 16 000 members at Eskom, wanted a 14 percent wage hike - about double the inflation rate.

Union spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka slammed Maroga's increase as an "indication of (executives') greed". "That is a huge disappointment to all of us. When we argued for a wage increase, they said the company had no money. This is really an indication of the greed that the top executives in this country have.

WHERE HAVE WE GONE WRONG?

Most primary school pupils in South Africa are failing tests for basic language and mathematics skills, the Children's Institute reported.

"Poor national averages for language and mathematics in grades three and six show that most learners do not acquire the skills and understanding that give substance to the right to education." said the Children's Institute in a statement. On the contrary Zimbabwe has the highest overall literacy rate in Southern Africa at 90 percent followed, according to the latest United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation statistics

on literacy in Africa.

The report found that only 36% of grade three pupils passed literacy and 35% numeracy. Grade

six pupils also performed badly as only 38% passed literacy and 27% mathematics. Access to education ‘not enough’

This poor performance was despite South Africa's high student enrolment rate of 96%.

"South Africa has a high enrolment rate for grades one through nine, but simply being enrolled in school is not enough to ensure meaningful access to education, or meaningful learning outcomes."

The report said that access to education was not enough. Children also required adequate textbooks, "competent and prepared teachers", a curriculum that built a strong foundation, better teaching facilities and laboratories, and a safe environment.

"Many schools still operate on a budget that does not allow for the delivery of quality education or the provision of school infrastructure that assists learning.

"More importantly, school funding excludes teacher salaries, which limits the impact on learner outcomes," said the institute's Katharine Hall.

Where are we heading as a nation? Surely the problem is not with the child, but the system. It is about time that we introspect on our methods of teaching and assessing learners. Without education we are breading a nation of ignorence and anarchy.

• Education findings 'devastating'
• Education the key - Zuma
• Education split 'makes sense'

Read more on: literacy | education | mathematics | university of cape town | children's institute

IS THERE ANY CONSULTATION WITH THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION IN DRAFTING POLICIES?

I wonder if there is a proper consultation between the Minister of basic Education and his department officials. There was a badly crafted invitation for public comment on proposed changes to the national senior certificate exam policy and regulation that even Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga was confused about it. Embarrassed officials said there were no plans to dumb down matric by lowering the required mark for a distinction from 80 to 70 percent.

The public-comment invitations published in the Government Gazette on August 26 had been "badly crafted" - and misinterpreted as a result. The item dealt with proposed changes to national senior certificate exam policy and regulations, and suggested changes to what would be required for a pupil to get a merit pass.

TURN YOUR HOUSE INTO MONEY MAKING MACHINE

What would you do with your house during 2010 soccer world cup? Have you thought of turning it into a business for a while? If not think twice.

Homeowners rush to cash in on booming demand for rooms Locals open up their homes to soccer fans - but it's not going to be cheap

More than 1900 homeowners - gearing to cash in on the shortage of rental properties during the 2010 Soccer World Cup - have listed their properties with Seeff Residential.

Property owners stand to rake in between R600 and R30000 a day during the month-long soccer tournament
The joint venture between Seeff Properties and football legend Gary Bailey revealed that it was fielding almost 700 inquiries a week from homeowners eager to cash in between R600 to R30000 a day.

The listed properties vary from plush Waterkloof mansions in Pretoria, to luxury tents on game farms in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, and private estates in Knysna, in the Eastern Cape.

The venture, started in June, was established after it emerged that Fifa's accommodation contractors, Match Event Services, was struggling to sign up the required 55000 rooms. Most of the accommodation facilities, ranging from self-catering units to hotel hains, have refused to sign over their properties to Match Event Services, citing that the contract requirements were too stringent.

However, Seeff Residential management this week said they were inundated with calls from homeowners.

This is an opportunity, don't let it slip through your fingers.

SOME OF OUR LEADERS DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

Six cabinet ministers and 30 provincial MECs deserve an applause for having resisted the scramble to buy luxury cars for themselves. Instead, they are using their own vehicles or those bought by their predecessors. Isn’t that an indication that the new administration is trying to lead by example relative to the past? At least for a change now the new administration brings hope to people.

Recently Sexwale made his way through the smelly sludge in narrow alleyways in Diepsloot in order to listen to the view of people regarding service delivery. Attended mostly by members of his department, local councillors and journalists, he said government officials need to expose themselves to the conditions in which poor people live. "I am here today on a listening campaign," he said. "I want to know, who are you, what are you doing here, what do you want and what made You come here?" He was embarking on a "journey" to assure residents that the government want to put an end to informal settlements, he said. This to me is the way to go in solving problems of our masses.