Single-horned 'Unicorn' deer found in Italy

By MARTA FALCONI, Associated Press Writer Wed Jun 11, 3:06 PM ET

ROME - A deer with a single horn in the center of its head — much like the fabled, mythical unicorn — has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.

"This is fantasy becoming reality," Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, told The Associated Press. "The unicorn has always been a mythological animal."

The 1-year-old Roe Deer — nicknamed "Unicorn" — was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said. He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.

Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn.

The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.
"This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly," he said by telephone. "It's not like they dreamed it up."

Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of — but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn, experts said.
"Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case," said Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome's zoo. He said the position of the horn could also be the result of a trauma early in the animal's life.

Other mammals are believed to contribute to the myth of the unicorn, including the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraling tusk.

This undated photo provided by the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, Italy, Wednesday, June 11, 2008, shows a deer with a single horn in the center of its head. The one-year-old Roe Deer - nicknamed 'Unicorn'' - was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences, said. He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.(AP Photo/Center of Natural Sciences, ho)

Sleep: A Necessity, Not a Luxury

- SUNDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- The pace of life gets faster and faster, and people try to cram more and more into every minute of the day.
As things get more hectic, sleep tends to get short shrift. It's seen as wasted time, lost forever.

"For healthy people, there's a big temptation to voluntarily restrict sleep, to stay up an hour or two or get up an hour or two earlier," said Dr. Greg Belenky, director of the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University Spokane.

"But you're really reducing your productivity and exposing yourself to risk," Belenky added.
That's a message doctors are trying to spread to Americans, including the estimated 40 million people who struggle with some type of sleep disorder each year.

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1880, people slept an average of 10 hours a night. These days, Americans average 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 hours a night on weekends, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

"The group of people getting optimal sleep is getting smaller and smaller," said Dr. Chris Drake, senior scientist at the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit.

"When a person's sleep drops to six hours or less, that's when a lot of things become very problematic." While experts recommend seven to eight hours of sleep each night, the amount needed for an individual can vary.

But lack of sleep affects a person in one of two ways, Belenky said. First, sleeplessness influences the day-to-day performance of tasks.

"The performance effects are seen immediately," he said. "You short-change yourself of sleep, and you see the effects immediately. You can make a bad decision. You can miss something. Have a moment's inattention, and you're off the road."

The longer-term effects of sleep deprivation involve a person's health. Doctors have linked lack of sleep to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, depression and substance abuse.

"Hormones that process appetite begin to get disorganized," said Drake, who's also an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. There's a decrease in the amount of leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone, when a person gets too little sleep. At the same time, ghrelin -- a hormone that stimulates appetite -- increases with a lack of sleep.

Too little sleep also interferes with the body's ability to regulate glucose and can cause inflammation leading to heart problems and a rise in blood pressure. "There's a stress response to being in a sleep loss," Belenky said.

The types of people not getting enough sleep also break down into two groups. First, there are those who make the conscious choice to go without enough sleep.

"It's sort of part of the culture," Belenky said. "People pride themselves on getting little sleep. You'll hear people bragging, 'I only need six hours a night.' So there's a macho element here."
On the other hand, there are people who are suffering from sleep disorders. These disorders include:

• Insomnia, an inability to go to sleep or stay asleep.
• Sleep apnea, or breathing interruptions during sleep that cause people to wake up repeatedly.
• Restless legs syndrome, a tingling or prickly sensation in the legs that causes a person to need to move them, interrupting sleep.

Someone suffering from any of these problems should visit their doctor or see a sleep specialist, Belenky said.
Sleep apnea, the most prevalent sleep disorder, can have particularly serious long-term effects if left untreated. "You're waking up out of sleep to breathe. You can't sleep and breathe at the same time," Drake said. "It's a risk factor for developing major cardiovascular health effects."

Some people who have trouble sleeping will resort to mild sedatives like Ambien and Lunesta.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently asked the makers of these sedative-hypnotic drugs to strengthen their warning labels. This action followed reports of dangerous allergic reactions, as well as a host of bizarre behavioral side effects that include sleep-driving, making phone calls, and preparing and eating food or having sex while asleep.

Drake and Belenky both consider sleeping pills to be fine for the short term if taken properly.
"Sleeping pills are a temporary solution," Belenky said. "If you're upset about something or have situational insomnia, or you're trying to sleep at the wrong time of day because you've traveled across time zones, they are effective."

But, both doctors noted the pills will do nothing to help a chronic sleep problem. "They don't address the pathology of their sleeplessness," Drake said.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health offers these tips for getting a good night's sleep:

• Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
• Avoid exercising closer than five or six hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed.
• Avoid large meals and beverages late at night.
• Don't take naps after 3 p.m.
• Relax before bed, taking time to unwind with a hot bath, a good book or soothing music.
  If you're still awake after more than 20 minutes in bed, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy. Anxiety over not being able to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.
  More information

To learn more, visit the National Sleep Foundation.

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter - Sun Jun 8, 4:01 PM PDT

7 Good Reasons To Learn A Foreign Language

Learning a foreign language is naturally a process that requires effort and time, much or not, depending on the capability of an individual. Current technology makes learning a second language more flexible and easier. You can learn it anywhere you like, in your car while trapped in traffic jam, while waiting for commuter to arrive or fishing at Lake Garden, by means of many types of medium such as cassette, CD and the Internet, such as at www.malaylanguage.mypositivemoney.com where you will find a good resource of foreign languages.

Below are just a few reasons why you should learn another language:

1. Most significant yet simple reason – Eliminate the language barrier that you may face, easier for you to deal with other people when you go traveling or have to work in another country. The majority of native people probably do not know how to speak English fluently or do not know how to speak English at all, so knowing some key phrases will help you a lot. Moreover, you will want to know what people around you are talking about while you're shopping, waiting for taxi, or having dinner at a restaurant.

2. Local people tend to be friendlier with you since you speak the same language as them. You also can get friends easily, which in return can help you greatly in dealing with certain troubles that you may encounter, and you may not know how to cope with, such as problems related with customary law. Locals also will believe you more than people who cannot speak their language, which is a good point when you are in a foreign land.

3. Knowing a foreign language really helps when you are lost in a remote area where you can hardly find people who can speak English except local language.

4. Giving you chances to understand the exotic local traditions and way of living easier and deeper. This priceless experience is absolutely an opportunity not be missed for anyone who love to travel. You can share beautiful moments having fun with locals on occasions and understand the meaning behind it, which in the same time, gives you knowledge.

5. Improve your memory skill resulting from activity of reading, learning and memorizing. Open up your mind to be more acceptable to other people’s differences. Your thinking will be more maturely and sensibly.

6. This is reality, guys: According to Kwintessential, people who learn a foreign language are wealthier, happier and are regarded sexier than those who can speak only English.

7. From a survey conducted in Britain involving 270 dating agencies, the result shows that people who speak or learn a foreign language are more attractive, intelligent and sexier to the opposite sex.

Hopefully some of the reasons above will give you some ideas on how important it is to learn an additional language. Continuous learning for life leads to success and wisdom.

Tarmizi Ramly is a native Malay with years of experience in language learning offering free online Malay language resources of common Malay words, phrases for anyone and daily Malay language newsletters. He also included audio tools for correct pronunciation, all for free. Visit his website at http://www.malaylanguage.mypositivemoney.com .

Any queries please send them to 1.)faizal.nordin@gmail.com or 2.)jijigren@jumpa.ws

4 Basic Steps To Protect Your Computer Against Internet Intruders

It never ceases to amaze me how many people connect to the Internet with no protection on the PC at all! This is a very dangerous activity and has led to financial ruin for some people.

I have had family members and friends who ask me to check out their PC's because they are 'slow' or they can't stop these damn popup windows from coming up. These are the first signs of infection or security breaches on your PC.

It takes 4 simple steps and it costs you nothing at all except a bit of time and effort.

Step 1 - Get a firewall installed.

Firewalls help to protect you from Internet attacks and intrusion from hackers on the Internet who go 'sniffing' for unprotected computers. What do they do when they hack your computer?

Well they look for password files, security breaches that allow them to use YOUR computer for malicious attacks on other computers on the Internet.

There was a story not long ago about the Russian Mafia hacking into a household computer and using it to transfer funds from unsuspecting bank accounts for their own illegal purposes. When the Feds tracked down the responsible computer, it belonged to some unsuspecting person who had no idea of what was happening. So be warned!!

Microsoft Windows XP has a built in firewall so you could enable that and it gives you some basic protection.If you don't want to use that firewall then try a free firewall called zone alarm from http://www.zonelabs.com

Zone alarm is a great firewall and even better for the price - they have a free version for home and non-commercial use.

Step 2 - Get an anti virus product installed

Anti virus software scans your computer for malicious code that can cause all sorts of problems on your computer and even delete files and make your computer inoperable.You can get a very good free virus scanning software called AVG virus scanner from http://www.grisoft.com/

Step 3 - Get a reliable anti-spyware software

Spyware tends to sit on your computer and 'spy' on what you are doing. It can do things like look at web sites you have visited, record your key strokes (looking for account numbers and passwords) and it can then sends this information back to its originator.A great and well know spyware scanner is called Spybot-S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/

The other great spyware utilities are adaware from lavasoft, and Microsoft have one as well.My advice would be to run two or three spyware utilities, particularly if you do a lot of online transactions with your computer.

Step 4 - Keep your Microsoft (MS) Windows Operating System (OS) updated

Microsoft come out with security patches on a regular bases to close up security 'holes' that have been identified. These patches can be applied manually by you or you can have MS Windows download and install them automatically.

To check out what updates you require -
1. Go to the Microsoft Windows Update page here - http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
2. Scan your computer to find out what critical updates and security patches are not installed.
3. Select the updates to install paying particular attention to CRITICAL Updates.

You may need to restart your computer after the patches have been applied

As a final word on the 4 steps, it is critical that you keep all of the programs up to date. So check back with the vendors on a regular basis (at least weekly) to see if updates are available. The better programs (like Spybot) will have options in them to check for updates.

The above list of programs is not the ultimate list. Like any programs there are dozens of choices. The ones above are those that I have had first hand experience of.

I personally use commercial programs because I spend so much time connected to the Internet, my family surfs quite regularly and I am a big fan of online transactions. Even the commercial programs only cost pennies compared to what can happen if you do get an infection.

Terry Jones owns and operates http://www.easywebresources.com. His web site offers hints and tips on setting up your web site including script installations, script & tool reviews for your web success. To subscribe to the Easy Web Resources Gold Mine just go here - http://www.easywebresources.com/subscribeform.php

Protecting Your PC From Internet Dangers

If you buy items online, surf the internet or use email then here are several tips to keeping your computer and your personal information secure.

Many people find it very easy to safeguard themselves by installing antivirus protection. Most antivirus protection software protects your computer from known viruses and Trojan horses. If a new virus is detected, your virus software will automatically download the new definition so that your computer will be safe.

Trojan horses are tiny programs that are downloaded inadvertently from the web. These small programs look for personal information and secretly upload it to a database. Many computer users have lost personal and financial information with the use of Trojan Horses.

One of the most damaging of all malicious software is the back door Trojan virus. Unlike many other types of malicious code, the back door Trojan virus is designed specifically to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the operating system such as Windows. The virus uses a back door into the computer too steal personal information, wipe files, or do other types of damage. To make matters worse, some of these back door Trojan horses disguise themselves and hide from anti virus software. Some are even intelligent enough to disable and render unusable your anti virus and firewall software.

You should also protect your computer from Spyware. Spyware is a tiny program that is downloaded usually when you download another program for free off the web. Spyware can be very irritating. Spyware keeps records of what your search for online and then sends you advertisements. Spyware can be difficult to erase.

It is also vital to protect yourself from Spoof emails. Spoof emails look like real emails from Ebay, Paypal, Banks and big credit card companies, but they are fake. Most spoof emails ask you to provide a website with financial information and then they steal this information. If you receive any emails that ask you for financial details, shut your browser, open up a new browser and contact your company's web site personally to see if there is a message for you.

Steps you can take to avoid problems with viruses and Trojans include being vigilant and paying attention to how your computer appears to be running. If you notice a decrease in performance that cannot be easily explained, or if you see an icon you do not recognize on the taskbar, it is a good idea to scan your computer and look for problems. Paying attention to your own computer, and using your own common sense, is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your computer.

Jeff Usher is a PC Support Geek with over 17 years in the IT Industry.For more information on PC Security and threats please visit:-http://internet-security.morechoice.info/index2.html

Time- How It Changes Everything

The clock ticks non-stop and the time passes by. Time used to pass even when the clocks were not there. What is time and how it affects us in our thoughts, shall we examine? Let us go to our childhood days. We were small kids. We had no worries, no need for inspiration and no goals. Our only goals were to find new ways to play and look at everything curiously.

Everything has changed. Now our perception of life has changed totally. If we are in our youth or middle age, we are worried about many things. We have to plan for money. We have to set goals and achieve them. We are becoming passionate and frustrated with many things. On and on, we are changing. Why? Time has brought these changes. If you are an old person, go back to your formative years, then to youth, then to middle age and then now and think about how everything is changing. Technology is changing life, but that apart, our own thoughts are changing. As the outer world is changing, so is the inner world.

The playful curiosity of childhood is long lost. The stamina and determination of youth is lost, the worried thinking of middle age is lost and all is replaced for most of the old people by thoughts of only a creaking body. The diary notes are less about attending parties and more about visiting doctors. The conversations are less about career and more about the joint pains. For a large old population, the body becomes the center. For a lucky few, mind becomes the center. They become very philosophical.

Time is a constant that changes constantly. Nothing can stop it. But with changing times, we change. So the question is- who are we? Because if our body and our thoughts are undergoing changes at every moment, what is the constant in us other than our name? Nothing. This thought can bring a new perspective in our life. Why have fights, why be intolerant, why carry rigid positions, why worry so much, why suffer over losses and why do all this that we do. After all, time will change everything.

When we buy anything new, we care so much for it. We look at that object with love and display it lovingly. Maybe a new dress or a new car, any such object. Slowly, as time passes, the object gets old and then gets discarded. That is life. If we keep this perspective in our life at all the times, it will bring a new peace in our mind. Keep a clock screensaver on your desktop or a screensaver on seasons, or one with clouds. These all will always remind us about the change that is taking place with every second. Remembering that thought during all the times can surely bring a sea change in our thoughts forever and that change will be good.

About the Author
C.D.Mohatta writes on spirituality, motivation, management etc. You can send ecards with messages written by him. Also download clock screensavers with real videos. One more site, the author writes for is Cupid Ecards.

Everybody “Wants” – But How Many Really Have The Motivation To Get It?

Every action you take, no matter how big or how small, defines everything that you achieve in life. And, with every action there is a motive - something that puts a person in motion.

But, what is the real definition of MOTIVATION?

Is motivation an incentive, such as a monetary reward or a gift? For example, when you were younger your father or mother might have told you that, “For every “A” you get in school next semester, I’ll give you a specified amount of money”. I’ll bet that it probably worked. You achieved a few “A’s”, took the cash and then achieved less than stellar grades the following semester when the incentive was not offered again.

Or is motivation a threat? For example, your doctor may have told you recently, “If you don’t lose weight, exercise regularly and eat right, your cholesterol level will continue to be through the roof! So, for a few months, you do what the doctor says. You go back for a follow up. Your health is better. And to celebrate, you head off to the nearest fast-food restaurant for a greasy burger, greasier fries and sugary drink. Again, the effect is temporary.

Motivation is not about external incentives, rewards, inducements or threats. My definition of motivation is “an emotion or desire that operates on the “will to do” and causes it to take action”. To be long lasting, motivation MUST come from inside you. Seneca said, “Most powerful is he that has himself in his own power”. The “will to do” is the greatest power in the world tied to human accomplishment. And no one can predict its limits.

Where does the “will to do” come from? Unlike the products in so many advertisements, television infomercials and “spammy” e-mails, it does not come in a handy pill to instantaneously transform you from a “dud” to a “stud”.

So how does one develop a high level of motivation that serves them day in and day out? In my Success System, The Power Of Concentration – How To Take Control Of Your Life, I cover a number of success strategies to develop your “will to do”. I’ll briefly cover two of them here.

My Motivation Strategy #1: There Needs To Be A Desire To Change Within You…

Every one of us possesses some level of "will to do”. It is the inner energy which controls all conscious and subconscious acts. Your “will to do” directs your life forces, habits (both good and bad) and your condition in life. Your will has a connection with all avenues of knowledge, activities, and accomplishment. When you develop the power of concentration within you, you will have developed a higher level of self mastery and your “will to do”.

The “will to do” is a force that is strictly practical. We know it is a force through its cause-and-effect nature. It is a power, like electricity, we can direct. To the extent we direct it, we determine our future. Every time you accomplish any definite act, consciously or subconsciously, you use the principle of the will. Through the “will to do” you can do anything. Therefore the way you use your will - both right and wrong – will make a huge difference in the outcome of your life focus.

You probably know of cases where people have shown tremendous strength under some traumatic experience: The frail person who lifts a heavy car to save the person trapped underneath. The fireman, who rushes into a burning building in order to save others, is another example. In both examples, they used their "will to do" to accomplish the task.

The “will to do” can accomplish great results through activities that grow out of great concentration. In developing the power of concentration, we acquire the power of voluntary attention to such an extent that we can direct it where we want to and hold it steadily to its task, until we accomplish our goals. When you learn to use your will power it becomes a mighty force. Almost everything can be accomplished through its proper use. It is greater than physical force because it can be used to control not only your physical actions, but also your mental health and mind power.

Here’s My Motivation Strategy #2: Develop “Clearly-Defined Goals”…

Many human-performance experts, including yours truly, believe the #1 reason why most people will never get what they want is they - roll of the drum, please! - really don’t know what they want. A few years ago, a study by the Ford Foundation revealed that 90% of people have no idea or plans for getting what they want in life! Imagine how motivated you will be if you start every day with clearly-defined goals and the emotion and desire for achievement in all areas of your life.

For example, what if you took time to visualize your exciting and very specific career and financial objectives? Then, you created objectives for the personal and professional relationships in your life. And, when you were done, you took the time to write down these thoughts in a written action plan with on-going self improvement and self-development milestones. Can you see how this would give you more excitement and motivation everyday? Don't you agree that clarity about your direction in life is a powerful motivator?

Einstein said, “An object in motion tends to stay in motion”. I challenge you to become an “object in perpetual motion” by beginning to use these two strategies. For additional motivation strategies and effective exercises to develop your “will to do”, please visit our website and see our Success Systems.

About the Author: Keith A. Shaw, President of MindBodySpiritCentral.com, is an authority on motivation, self improvement, success, health and wellness. Keith is the author and creator of "The Power Of Thought", "The Power Of Serenity And Peace" and "The Power Of Concentration" Success Systems that have helped people achieve more than they ever dreamed possible. He also created "The Power Of Qigong" DVDs and books for improving health, wellness, energy, mind power and more. Keith has also written articles that have been published in publications such as Modern Sage, Of Spirit, Self Growth and others.