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I have been seeing the most beautiful candy bags around lately. I make my own sweets and chocolates and often give them away as gifts or take them with me when I am visiting people as a small token of thanks. I like to put them in a pretty bag but in the past have only managed to find cellophane bags which have not looked that impressive, even when I have tied them up with pretty ribbon. I have been looking around the Internet and there seems to be a really lovely selection of much prettier bags and boxes than I have ever come across before. It is so nice to be able to give a gift with a pretty wrapping on it. I think it makes a really big difference to it. I do like to put the effort in myself and wrap things but sometimes it can just take up too much time so I have decided that perhaps I will buy some gift boxes and just put some pretty ribbons around them. I like the idea of having something where they cannot see what they are getting until they actually open the lid and hopefully that will delay the joy for longer by making it more of a surprise.

Every year, nearly 5 million people in the United States receive dog bites. Many of these happen in California. Dog bites can range from anything from small nips to death. A lot of the injuries caused by them are bad enough that the victims need hospital visits. Needless to say, medical costs can cause a lot of money, and dog bite attorneys in California have to fight for victims’ rights all the time.

Just as long as the victims aren’t trespassing on the dog’s property or doing something to provoke it, then fault is usually found in the owners. If you’ve recently been bitten by a dog, then you need call or pay a visit to a dog bite attorney. Los Angeles deals with countless dog bites everyday, most of which is due to negligent or abusive owners.

Sometimes, though, dogs can be unpredictable, and will attack for no reason. Well meaning dog owners sometimes with an unstable dog. In cases such as these, you may need a lot of help with receiving compensation. Dog bite attorneys in California will help you make your case. No matter how bad your injuries are, it’s in your best interest to contact a dog bite attorney in Los Angeles to help you understand your options.

If you’re suffering from a personal injury and need a good lawyer to represent you in the Phoenix area, then make sure you deal with one who has experience with your type of claim. Personal injury claims cover a broad area, and different

Phoenix personal injury lawyers deal with certain types.

Whether you’ve tripped over poorly maintained surfaces, been hit by a drunk driver, fallen at a place that’s supposed to be safe, or been hurt over a defective product, then you should be able to find a Phoenix personal injury attorney that can help with your case.

You will need certain types of evidence in order to win your case. The burden of proof will be on you, so you’ll need Phoenix personal injury lawyers on your side. You shouldn’t even talk to the other party’s insurance company without first consulting with an attorney.

The insurance companies may try to settle with you, but don’t sign any papers without a good lawyer present. That settlement may not be worth very much, otherwise, and you’ll need all the money you can get in order to take care of all the expenses. In order to receive all the compensation you deserve, call a Phoenix personal injury attorney right away so that you can receive the best help for your case.

A climate researcher has accused the mass media in failing to cover the sensitive issue of global warming in the right manner.

“Business managers of media organizations, you are screwing up your responsibility by firing science and environment reporters who are frankly the only ones competent to do this,” said climate researcher and policy analyst Stephen Schneider, in assessing the current state of media coverage of global warming and related issues.

Schneider is calling for the news media to employ trained reporters in covering global warming.

“Science is not politics. You can’t just get two opposing viewpoints and think you’ve done due diligence. You’ve got to cover the multiple views and the relative credibility of each view,” said Schneider, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment.

“But that is not usually the problem of the well-trained reporters, who understand what is credible,” he added.

Researchers have to do their part, too, he said, by clearly explaining issues to reporters in succinct terms.

According to Schneider, “I have arguments with some of my scientific colleagues, who think it is irresponsible to go out and talk when you can only get 5 seconds on the evening news, a couple of quotes in the New York Times, or five minutes in front of Congress.”

“Well, you know what guys, that’s just how it is. And if you think that you have a higher calling and you’re not going to play the game because they don’t give you the time to tell the whole story, then all it means is that you’ve passed the buck to others who know the topic less well,” he added.

“You have to have your elevator statement or people won’t listen to you,” he said.

“What I always suggest is that scientists find metaphors that convey both urgency and uncertainty, so that you can get people’s attention while at the same time not overstating the case,” said Schneider.

“Then, you have websites and backup articles and books where you can give the full story, but you have to have your sound bite and your op ed piece,” he added.

Exposure to even second-hand puff can raise a person’s chances of developing dementia, according to researchers.

A new study, by the Cambridge University, has revealed that second-hand smoke can cause damage to the way one’s brain works, making dementia and other neurological conditions, more likely, the ‘British Medical Journal’ reported.

According to the researchers, the connection could be heart disease, a known risk factor for dementia and which can be triggered by smoking.

Lead researcher Dr David Llewellyn said: “Our results suggest that inhaling other people’s smoke may damage brain, impair cognitive functions such as memory, and make dementia more likely.”

In their study, the researchers tested the saliva of 5,000 non-smokers, all above 50 years, for a chemical called cotinine, a by-product of nicotine which can stay in the body for almost two days after inhaling second-hand smoke.

The subjects were then asked to sit a series of tests designed to assess their level of recall and other skills.

And the findings showed those with a high level of the chemical in their bodies were 44 per cent more likely to develop early memory problems, which can be a warning sign for dementia, than those with low levels.

“Given that passive smoking is also linked to other serious health problems like heart disease and stroke, smokers should avoid lighting up near non-smokers. Our findings also support calls to ban smoking in public places,” ‘The Daily Telegraph’ quoted Dr Llewellyn as saying.

The Steel Authority of India (SAIL) today handed over a cheque of Rs. 460.81 crore to the government as the interim dividend for the year 2008-09.

Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan received the cheque from the Chairman, SAIL, S.K.Roongta here.

SAIL had earlier announced interim dividend of 13 per cent for financial year 09.

Receiving the cheque Paswan enquired about the progress of the expansion programme. He reiterated that SAIL should adhere to the schedule and complete the expansion on time.

Minister of State for Steel, Jitin Prasada and the Steel Secretary P.K.Rastogi were present on the occasion.

Microblogging service Twitter has suspended an account that claimed to be run by the Dalai Lama.

The account purporting to belong to the Tibetan spiritual leader was only a few days old, but had already attracted tens of thousands of followers.

Fake accounts that spoofed media personality Ira Glass and comedian Stephen Colbert gained notable followings until they were unmasked. I

In the case of the Dalai Lama account, Twitter executives said that the decision to nix it was because it violated the company’s terms of service.

Drunk driving is very prevalent in Massachusetts and it accounts for about 41% of the people killed in road accidents per year.

A Massachusetts DUI attorney should posses the required skills needed for the questioning of the accused, s\tough witnesses, scientists and police officers.

As a result the attorney should be well versed in blood alcohol analysis, drunk driving cases and should be able to handle the complicated criminal proceedings in an effective way.

An ignition interlock is a device that is similar to a breath analyzer. It requires the driver to breathe into the device and provide a breath sample. If the alcohol content exceeds the programmed limit of the device the ignition automatically shuts down. At random times even after the ignition has been started the ignition interlock device (IID) will require another breath sample; this is to prevent a friend from breathing onto the device thus allowing the intoxicated person to drive away.

A hardship license is a certificate issued to a minor who is 14 or 15 years of age. There are many rule and regulations that have to be followed after procuring this license.

A person holding this license cannot drive heavy vehicles, tow trailers and trucks and other heavy equipment.

India plans to develop a space vehicle that can carry up to three astronauts in the seven-day manned mission to space, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair said on Monday.

“Concept is getting evolved”, Nair, also Secretary in the Department of Space, said while addressing an international seminar here.

ISRO is looking at developing a capsule (spacecraft) with service module which can accommodate three astronauts and take it to lower earth orbit using the indigenous GSLV (Geo-Synchronous Launch Vehicle) in the year 2015, he said.

Mission duration is seven days. There would also be emergency mission abort and crew rescue provisions in case of necessity. Crew module would be designed for re-entry and service module for mission management, Nair said.

He said the GSLV-Mk III, which can launch four tonne class satellites, would bring down the launch cost by half. The maiden flight of GSLV-Mk III is slated for next year.

On the recent Chandrayaan-1 moon mission, Nair said instruments on board have thrown up voluminous data which would take a few years for scientists to analyse and come out with concrete results.

Entire mapping of the lunar surface is expected to be carried out in a year’s time, he said, adding, there is no trace of water on moon so far.

The capital’s civic authorities started CNG-run pyres in three crematoriums last year, but they have been shut for many months. The reason? The head technician has undergone a heart surgery!

‘The contract for the three pilot projects was given jointly to a Delhi-based company and Gujarat-based Alpha Equipments. The technician handling the project on behalf of Alpha Equipments recently underwent a heart surgery, so in his absence work is stalled,’ explained M.K. Paul, a senior official at Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) health department.

Adding to technical barriers, a third party can’t be roped in to maintain the three crematoriums because such a move would be a ‘breach of trust’ of the current 10-year contract with the two firms.

The MCD, which manages over 90 percent of the capital’s land area, runs over 100 crematoriums. Most have wooden pyres, while a few have electric crematoriums.

In a move to reduce pollution and provide an environment friendly option, the civic agency started three pilot projects in 2008 - the Bela Road crematorium near Rajghat, the Sarai Kale Khan crematorium near Nizammudin and the Nigambodh Ghat crematorium near Civil Lines.

The Bela Road crematorium, which has provision for four CNG pyres, has been closed for six months now, while the one at Sarai Kale Khan has been shut for over two months. The one at Nigambodh Ghat just opened last week after being closed for months.

‘We are facing technical problems and repairs were needed - so the crematoriums were shut,’ Paul told IANS.

MCD has sent a notice to Alpha equipments and sought an explanation, the official said.

‘We reckon that the they will do something in a week and from then on the crematoriums will be operational,’ said N.K. Yadav, director of MCD’s health department.

Yadav also said that these projects were MCD’s way of promoting environment-friendly alternatives.

Paul added: ‘Based on the functioning of these crematoriums we were looking to introducing CNG pyres at other sites as well - so this technical difficulty has stalled that also.’

Another snag in the success of the CNG pyres was the recent strike of Indian oil companies when petrol pumps across the country had run dry.

‘The oil workers strike had also caused a fuel crunch for the pyres so at that time they were closed,’ Paul said.

On another front, the crematorium staff are not too upbeat about the CNG pyres. This is because while the electric pyres cost Rs.3,000, the eco-friendly alternatives are cheaper at just Rs.500.

‘The staff is resentful as there is little incentive and no scope for profits,’ an MCD official said on condition of anonymity.