By Kat Brunton

The UK's 50 million users of mobile phones will - on average - replace their handset every 18 months, but environmental experts believe less than 20% of these phones are recycled.

Millions of mobiles phones are gathering dust in drawers and cupboards in people's homes when they could be recycled - often in return for money or discounts off new phones - or reused in the Third World.

Mobile phones contain many materials that can be harmful to the environment and human health if not disposed of safely and responsibly. In the UK, it is illegal to throw out your old handset with the household waste.

Countless mobiles phones, however, still end up in landfill sites where there is a real risk they will leak toxic waste, polluting rivers and watercourses and contaminating agricultural land. Highly toxic dioxins can be also emitted into the atmosphere if phones are incinerated in waste plants.

The most hazardous part of a mobile phone is the battery. The cadmium contained inside the battery of just one discarded mobile phone can contaminate as much as 600,000 litres of water - that's enough to fill a third of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Other materials utilised in the manufacture of mobile phones include lead, used to solder components to printed circuit boards, and beryllium, used in contacts and springs. Such noxious substances can cause cancer, liver disease and brain damage, and affect the human body's immune and central nervous systems.

Cell phones also contain precious, semi-precious and base metals, including copper, mercury, manganese, nickel, silver and zinc. Even though only tiny amounts of these metals are present, the value and scarcity of such mineral resources makes it worthwhile - financially as well as ethically - to recycle mobile phones.

Around 80% of the components in a mobile phone can be recycled. First, phones are dismantled by hand into their individual components, such as the chips, camera lenses and memory drives. Some of these parts may be resold.

The remaining components are then ground up, and the useful metals are extracted from the scrap by various industrial processes. The metal contained in batteries can also be recovered, as can much of the plastic used in components.

Phones in good working order or which can be easily repaired are shipped to Africa and Asia where they prove invaluable to people living in developing countries with little or no landline telephone infrastructure.

Refurbished handsets are also an affordable alternative in regions where the cost of brand new mobile phones is prohibitive.

Any cell phone can be recycled or reused. You can dispose of yours by taking it back it the high street shop where you bought it from, often in return for a discount off a new handset.

There are also a growing number of companies on the Internet who will give you cash in exchange for your old phone (depending on its make and condition).

Alternatively, you can help save the planet, and support a good cause at the same time, by donating your handsets to charities that recycle mobile phones to raise funds. Whatever option you choose, always remember to remove the SIM card in order to protect your personal data.

By Richard Lipman M.D.

Why Some People Eat Like Pigs & Stay Thin: It's In the Genes (or Is It?)

Two Opposing Views on Why Some People Can Remain Thin and Eat What They Want and others Get Fat Just Looking at Food!

Genes vs. NEAT

NEAT Explains the Difference Between Fat and Thin:

Dr James Levine from the Mayo Clinic thinks the difference between thin and fat people is not genetic, but related to the movement through the day that everyone does, not related to extra exercise, which he calls NEAT. In his recent book, Move a Little, Lose a Lot, this Mayo Clinic Endocrinologist and exercise guru shows very convincing data that there may be a 1000 to 2000 calorie per day difference in people who move about vs. those completely sedentary. This is independent of extra exercise like going to a gym or for long walks. He points out that thin people, when overfed thousands of extra calories do not gain weight because they increase their NEAT unconsciously. He advocates increasing NEAT by getting up from the office chair, moving about, walking a flight of steps, parking car as far as possible away from your office etc.All ways to get some movement into one's daily life.

Genes Explain Why Some People Be Thin and Eat What They Want

Why Do Some People Never Get Fat?

BBC Newsmagazine, London January 22, 2009

Why do some people seem to eat what they like and remain thin, while others limit their food, often drastically, yet struggle to shed their bulk-the genet

One expert, Dr. Jane Wardle, thinks it's due to the genes that influence appetite. For thin people, "it's kind of effortless because they don't even want to eat. They do not have to exert will power and self-control whereas for other people, their brain has little control over what they eat.

When skinny people start eating their metabolism increases to keep them thin. In 1967, Dr Ethan Sims, fed thin prisoners in a Vermont jail as much as 10,000 calories a day in attempt to make them fat. No matter how much food they ate, they remained relatively thin. The few who did gain, lost their weight in a few weeks.

Dr Rudy Liebel, from Columbia University explains the problem:" Think of it like a thermostat and that each person has a set point, when it is reduced below that point the body begins to do things that will force it to recover its lost body weight."

Dr Carel le Roux, an obesity specialist thinks there is another explanation, why some people appear not to get fat despite eating at lot. She says, "Studies have shown that this tendency to lay down muscle rather than fat when we over-eat is genetically determined.

All of these answers focus on genetic factors, beyond everyone's control and infer that it's almost hopeless for overweight people to lose significant weight and keep it off.The "genetic factor" does not explain the rapid rise in obesity over the last 10 years, since the gene pool cannot change so quickly. It suggests that environment must also play a role.

By Sylvia Kittens

This year is going to be a time of cutbacks for many people, but cancelling your annual holiday can do more harm than good. Everyone needs a break and it's possible to save a lot of money and still have a great vacation. Here are some tips for getting the best price on your trip abroad.

First stop is the internet. Price comparison sites and travel websites allow you to find the best deal on your flights, accommodation, car hire and even travel insurance and currency. If you're prepared to be flexible you can take advantage of the very best deals. For example, there are usually discounted rates for last-minute bookings, and if you're prepared to fly from particular airports you could pick up some really cheap flights.

If you can, choose which attractions you're going to visit beforehand and look for discount codes for tickets. Many websites have voucher codes and you can often save money for booking in advance. You may also find that buying family passes is cheaper than single tickets, or that an annual pass is the best option if you plan on visiting the same attraction several times during your holiday.

Instead of staying in a hotel, the cheaper option is to stay in a private holiday home or vacation villa. This has all the facilities for self-catering so you can eat cheaply, and you usually pay for the whole house and not just per person so it's an especially good money-saver for larger groups of holiday-makers. You can also cut out travel agent's fees by booking directly with the villa owner, and there are often last-minute deals to be had.

A huge cost people often incur on holiday is their phonecalls - many people don't realise just how expensive it is to make calls abroad, so it's well worth investing in an international sim-card. These cards are inexpensive and all you do is put them into your phone. You top them up with pre-payment for your calls and you can take advantage of local rates.

Finally, try to plan free activities to do on holiday. Many people are perfectly content to use their private swimming pool or sunbathe but there are lots of other free things to do too. Use the internet to find free events in the area and you might be surprised by what's on offer!

By Atlantis Jewell

His Royal Highness Pharaoh Cyliss Revnik commissioned thrones for Him and His Queen this week and He conferred the honor on Exquisite Furnishing's Master Builder, Papo Lungu, at the time of the commission Mr. Lungu was in the middle of a build and set aside this project to build magnificent, majestic thrones for His Highness and His Queen.

He began by taking a chair, extending the back to be over 15 meters then he opened up his texture files and began sifting through them to decide which ones would be best for an Egyptian Pharaoh. After rejecting several ones that the interruption of the scene was questionable, Mr. Lungu found the Eye of Ra and a Blue Scarab which he chose for the Pharaoh and His Queen's Throne respectively. He added these symbols to thee top of the thrones he added Egyptian hieroglyphs to the sides of the thrones and inlaid them with gold. On the front backs of the thrones was placed a sheet of gold, at first it was two pieces and in front of this piece was a plush back, matching the red in of the seats of the thrones, but he decided that the velvet back was not necessary to the build and removed it.

The next item built were the huge chucks of gold block underneath the thrones. He experimented with adding bling to the various gold pieces; however, the scripts did not look good. Undeterred he made specially made prims and put the bling scripts in these prims, made them invisible and added them to the points of the arm rests that curve up the back and forward, so if you stare at the thrones long enough you will see a twinkle of bling in two points on both thrones.

He added gold the under-arm rest, which is on top of the wood, he put a red velvet fabric on the seats, and back of the throne with a ribbing on the top of the back of the throne and under the arm rests. Sitting around the Pharaoh's throne are three pads for his slaves or his favorite concubines, the one directly in front of his throne can disappear so that His Highness does not have to walk over it.

Mr. Lungu asked His Highness to come to his workshop to confirm that the direction he took in the build was proper for the Pharaoh's Palace. The only addition to the build was to make His Highness's throne taller by about three additional meters. Mr. Lungu delivered the thrones to the Palace and they were installed on the Sim where they will remain a proper tribute to a Pharaoh whose build will last forever.

Recently, Her Majesty the Queen added gold inlay to the backs of both thrones. The thrones now sit in two areas of the Palace one in the area where the slaves will be auctioned and one in the main party area of the Palace in-between two statues of Anubis and the thrones will not become lost sitting between these towering statues.

The Palace of the Pharaoh is a fantastic build and will be a place of beauty to visit. They have areas where vendors can sell their goods in the slave market, a dance hall, a semi private swimming pool, a special reception area for VIPs, a promenade deck overlooking the main reception hall, and an invisible door that leads the inter-sanctum of the Pharaoh.

There are fantastic statues of the guardians of the Underworld placed in strategic spots all over the palace.

His Highness had this to say about the thrones build by Mr. Lungu: "Extend my offer to your Master as well with my complete satisfaction with his craft." The offer was to return for the grand opening in two weeks time.

This is the first commission handled by Exquisite Furnishings, however, it is my personal opinion that it will not be the last commission that Mr. Lungu will be offered.

By Philip Gurnhill

My View

Although I have been to Laos on many occasions, its poor infrastructure means that I have limited my exploits to Luang Prabang (for a couple of days) and the capital Vientiane.

After the rigours and commercialisation of Thailand Laos is a breath of fresh air.You can get to Laos by air, from Bangkok however it is far more preferable and a lot more fun to enter via the Friendship Bridge from Nong Khai.Nong Khai is a typical border town full of chancers, smugglers, illegals and general lowlife; in short it is great fun. Worth a visit just for the giant catfish served by the restaurants dotted along the Mekong.Many travel agents in Nong Khai will arrange a visa for you. Last time I was there they were charging about 20 dollars, for this they arranged the visa and you got a lift across the bridge and were met by a taxi the other side for the short journey into Vientiane. You can organise it for yourself, but it is a long walk across the bridge and a scrum the other side to get transport, be civilised spend the $20.

Vientiane

Laos has none of the nightlife of Thailand, you will be lucky to find anything open after 11 at night, the places still open you would not want to go to anyway. Before 11 there is plenty to do, the restaurants are simply superb, with a colonial mix of French, Thai and Laos fusioned together.In the centre of Vientiane are many good bars most which serve food and all serving the excellent beer Laos on draft. Expect to pay less than a dollar for a pint of this nectar. Vientiane lies on the banks of the Mekong opposite Nong Khai.

The Mekong at this point is about ½ a mile across and an early evening drink at one of the riverside bars watching the sunset is definitely in order.If you need to communicate a Thai sim card will work if you stay near the river, telecoms in Laos are not good. Up market accommodation is available in Laos, but for some reason I always gravitate to the Lane Xang hotel. It actually has very decent public area, a reasonable and clean pool and nice bar. Unfortunately the rooms seem to have been transplanted from 1960s Russia!!!! Enough said about that.One fascinating aspect of this hotel is the coffee shop that is attached to the side, it may or may not sell coffee but it most certainly is not a coffee shop. You can drink here till the small hours and it is quite good fun in its own way. On my few visits there English is not spoken by anyone, so sign language is the order of the day. It appears not to matter what you want to do there you have to do it with a female bodyguard who is plonked down next to you and pours your drink (still cheap) constantly. The Government is very strict on the type of establishments allowed, it makes a refreshing change to go into a bar alone and not be harassed by the bar girls. From what I can gather the girls there are dancing partners, the music is eclectic and the preferred method of dancing is the waltz. Most of the customers are Laotian and many single women go there who receive the same bodyguard treatment from a girl and dance the waltz with them all night.It is friendly enough and safe but it always seems that everyone in there knows something that I don't (and I am not naive) When in Laos check it out.

Getting around Vientiane is best done on foot although the strange Samlors (three wheel motorbike taxis) will ferry you farther afield, be sure to bargain hard, all samlor drivers will juice you given a chance

Talking of being juiced, the local money is the Kip, there are roughly 20,000 of the d***things to the pound (10,000 = 1 US$) Expect to go to a good restaurant, eat and drink merrily and get presented with a bill for 70 odd thousand. An evening out means a huge wedge of cash to be dragged about, fortunately Thai Baht are widely accepted and greatly appreciated so take plenty of them, they are more manageable. As with a lot of places in SE Asia ATMs are not available, hotel receptions change cash.

Maybe due to the lack of exposure to western culture, or more likely due to a pretty oppressive Government, Laos is very safe, common sense will keep you OK within the confines of Vientiane, outside you may be taking a risk, not least from the landmine problem which still causes casualtiesA must see is the 6 pm Government run exercise area, hundreds of people do synchronized stretching to awful military music blaring from loud speakers. This site to behold is a daily occurrence on the river front. Participation by tourists is voluntary (I think)

Luang Prabang

Can be reached by air, or overland for masochists. Great for temple hounds, not my cup of tea although the temples are impressive, limited quantities of beer Laos and a nightlife that makes Vientiane look like Bangkok. Info can be found at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luang_Prabang

Enough of the cultural stuff, next stop The Philippines

If you enjoyed reading my article and are interested in a travel business oppoortunity, please visit my website at

http://www.gcl-travel.com/

Thanks

Phil

By Rosemary Vargas

If you are looking to travel as lightly as possible and don't mind purchasing duplicates of things you may have at home, than the bare-bones suggestions for items to bring to Mysore include the following list:

Bring It

* Bathing Suit - If you plan on hitting the hotel pools, bring your bathing suit because you may not find one here that you like. Bikinis are fine; thongs are pushing the envelope.
* Yoga Sticky Mat - The only place selling sticky mats in 2006 was AYRI and that will run you approximately US $30. Bring a lightweight travel mat - it's easy to pack and carry and since most shala floors are covered by rugs, thick mats are not necessary.
* Yoga Clothing - If you practice in stretchy, lycra or spandex yoga clothing, bring it with you as it's nearly impossible to find in Mysore except for the occasional shala t-shirt. Also, bring any clothing that you would like duplicated by the wonderful and inexpensive tailors in Mysore.
* Sunscreen, Bug Repellent & Tampons - There are basically only 2 - 3 brands of bug repellent and sunscreen easily available in Mysore and they are usually past their expiration date. However, you can purchase essential oil of water lily which is reputed to be a natural bug repellent and smells lovely. You can also purchase tampons here, but if there's a brand you like, it's best to bring your own.

If you need to save your pennies to pay for those shala fees, than in addition to the above you should consider bringing:

Consider It

* Adaptors/Converters - If you are bringing electrical devices that are not 220 volts/50 hertz.
* Camera - For the requisite snapshot with Guruji to show all your friends back home.
* Cell Phone - Check with your provider for international service plans and to find out if your model will work in India. If your cell phone is unlocked, you can buy a local SIM card in Mysore.
* Flashlight - Useful for walking in the dark or during a power outage.
* Grapeseed Extract - Use a few drops in purified water to clean your fruit and vegetables.
* Triphala and Activated Charcoal - Just in case you have stomach issues
* Herbal Tea - Very difficult to find different flavors of tea here except for regular black tea.
* iPod - In case you need a break from Indian music, it's always nice to travel with your tunes.
* Kitchen Utensils - Vegetable peeler and fork/knife/spoon travel set are useful but remember to pack it in your checked-in luggage so that it doesn't get confiscated.
* Laptop Computer - Internet cafés are everywhere, but some students opt to bring their own laptop. Some ways to access the Internet with your laptop are through a local dial-up connection at Dishnet, the wireless network at the Southern Star Hotel, broadband cable through Net Online (984-501-2734) or a landline phone connection with Touchtel (821-525-1234).
* Mysore Rug - You can easily purchase a high-quality rug here for Rs. 500 so you might want to invest in one to bring home instead.
* Padlock - Most likely you will need it to lock your room. A good luggage padlock can do double-duty. Also, if you will be travelling by train, you might want to have a chain lock to secure your baggage to the luggage racks.
* Sheets - Unless you are staying in a hotel, you will probably need some sheets but they can be purchased here cheaply.
* Towel - Most towels in Mysore are thin and different than the terry cotton towels you may be used to.
* Yoga Mat Bag - Comes in handy for your mat, rug, keys, camera etc. but almost every shala sells them if you prefer to buy it here cheaply.

Things that you probably don't need to bring with you to Mysore are:

Leave It

* Sneakers - Unless you plan on running or jogging. A good pair of sport sandals will be easier to slip on and off.
* Books - There are lending libraries at Tina's, Mysore Mandala and The Kev Inn.
* Dressy Shoes or Clothing - Got a wedding to go to? If not, don't bother.
* Mosquito Net - If your room doesn't have screened windows, than you can buy a mosquito net here easily.
* Toiletries - Bring your favorites. Otherwise, you can purchase shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc., in Mysore.

By Adam Caitlin

The Samsung U600 or more popularly known as the Ultra Edition 10.9 is a sleek slider with amazing imaging capabilities. The brilliant reflection produced by its glossy casing of the Samsung U600 produces an aura of high style. Despite being loaded with so many premium features, the Samsung U600 is deceptively light. The mirror effect of the TFT display keeps it largely hidden in idle conditions but brightly lights up with more than 262k vibrant colours when slide opened by tactile slide opening mechanism.

A lone Samsung U600 is all you need to become a photographer instantly with its integrated 3.2 megapixel camera module. The camera is also equipped with advanced imaging features like auto focus, digital zoom and built in flash. Capture all the fleeting moments of your life in true colours and store them forever on the 60 Mb memory pool or share them with everyone close to you via MMS or email. The phone is also endowed with video recording capabilities for you to immortalize all the special occasion.

The media player plays a host of media formats and produce powerful yet crystal clear sounds. External memory card support means yo can carry all your favourite tunes with you and enjoy them wherever you are. Video playback of popular formats like MPEG4 is supported too.

Quadband GSM support makes the Samsung U600 work across different continents. With its EDGE and GPRS powered data connectivity, you can enjoy fast mobile Internet on the go on the built in WAP 2.0/xHTML browser. Send and receive not just emails but attachments as well in popular MS Office formats and view them on the Document Viewer. The Samsung U600 also gives you remote and local connectivity via USB and Bluetooth so that you can connect and transfer your files, music and images or synchronize you address book. There are very few phones in the market that are truly worth to be seen with. The Samsung U600 is one of them.

Samsung U600

Adam Caitlin is expert author of Mobile Phone deals. Please have a look at
Sim free phones

By Adam Caitlin

Till recently, Sony Ericsson had just one dedicated line up of Symbian smart phones - the P series. Unlike Nokia - who have not restricted their smart phones to any particular line up, Sony Ericsson smart phones were restricted to the P series that can boast of highly regarded mobile phone models like the Sony Ericsson P990i and more recently, the Sony Ericsson P1. The W950i is the company's first smart phone to be a part of any other line up other than the P series. Infact, the Sony Ericsson W950i is the current leader of the famous Walkman series of music phone - at least till the launch of its upgraded version - the Sony Ericsson W960i.

The Sony Ericsson W950i is based on Symbian operating system and have a UIQ 3.0 like user interface applied. Built wise, the Sony Ericsson W950i resembles the Sony Ericsson M600i with their shell looking alike, but with a number of differences in their functions and specialties. Unlike the M600i, the Sony Ericsson W950i do not feature a QWERTY keypad, which is logical for a music centric Walkman phone. The PDA styled handset features a large, TFT based touchscreen that can produce more than 262k colours. The handset itself is coloured in Mystic purple.

Being the leader of such a prolific line up like the Walkman series, inclusion of the very best features of all Walkman phones in the Sony Ericsson W950i is obvious. Loaded with the latest Walkman media player v2.0, the Sony Ericsson W950i plays many popular media formats with amazing power and clarity. Bluetooth wireless stereo headset support, 3.5 mm audio jack adopter, a massive 4 GB internal memory pool - the W950i is designed for the most demanding mobile music enthusiast. The Sony Ericsson W950i boasts of Flash memory, unlike hard drive modules used in many other mobile phones with bigger memory size. This ensures that the Sony Ericsson W950i is devoid of any kind of lag time as seen in many other smart phones.

Sony Ericsson W950i

Adam Caitlin is expert mobile phones
Author. Please have a look at Sim free phones

By Samuel Herrick

Nokia's romance with 'Communicator' began more than a decade back with the 9000, where the company fiddled with Intel chip and GEOS operating system. Things have changed a lot since then with the advent of Symbian operating system and other advances in the communication technology. Nokia's latest take on an advanced device with impeccable communication tools and option is known as the Nokia N90 Communicator. This handset is fittingly, the apex model of the popular E series line up of business solution. Other popular models of this series include Nokia E50 and E65.

Most of the emphasis was laid on the handset's functionality than its superficial beautification. The device is rather bulky with a size of 132 x 57 x 20 mm and weighing a robust 210 grams. On a first look, the Nokia E90 Communicator looks like a normal candy bar handset with a regular sized (240 x 320 pixels) 16 million coloured TFT screen and a numeric keypad. However, the handset cleverly opens sideways to reveal its notebook like appearance with a wide (800 x 352 pixels) display, completed with a full QWERTY keypad.

This S60 platform based, Symbian OS v9.2 operated smartphone is powered a 330 MHz ARM processor. Shared memory pool is about 128 Mb with hot swappable external memory card support. The Nokia E90 Communicator is a 3.5G handset, featuring HSDPA technology. Under favorable condition, the handset can achieve download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps. GPRS and EDGE data connectivity apart; you can access any WiFi hotspot through the Nokia E90 communicator for instant, high speed mobile internet gateway. On board web browser is compatible with WAP 2.0/xHTML and HTML pages, thus giving you a full freedom while browsing.

Other features of the Nokia E90 Sim Free includes a massive 3.2 megapixel camera with all aids and tools modern day digital imaging has to offer. From media player to GPS navigator - the Nokia E90 Communicator has everything it needs to keep you up and running on the road.

By Adam Caitlin

Samsung U600 comes in as the new Samsung's range flagship, being a top-notch solution in every way. The handset belongs to Ultra II line up, more specifically known as Ultra Edition 10.9 - taking cue from its casing's thickness of 10.9 mm. Much like other sliders from Samsung, the Samsung U600 is devoid of any glitches in its sliding mechanism. This incredibly stylish slider sports a 2.2 inch large TFT screen that can produce more than 262k accurate and vibrant colours. Sliding open the Samsung U600 would reveal its metal etched keypads. The handset is currently available in a number of colour choices, namely Sapphire Blue, Crystal Blue, Platinum Metal, Copper Gold, Garnet Red, Neutral White and a Soft Black variant. However, availability of certain colour solution would depend on the location. The handset weighs in at a mere 80 grams, which is a remarkable achievement for a slider packing so much inside.

The Samsung U600 comes with a built in camera feature which allows the user to take still photos and videos at any time. The camera module is 3.2 megapixel, coupled with all advanced imaging aids like autofocus, digital zoom and integrated flash light. Capturing unexpected moments in high resolution pictures and footages and sharing them instantly with all you near and dear ones is now just a matter of a few key presses. The handset houses a multi format compatible media player and a FM radio for entertainment on the go. A 50 Mb internal memory pool with external memory card support opens up the option for using this high class communicator as a mobile music player.

Other premium functions of the Samsung U600 includes Yahoo search, Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF), Business card recognition, Voice memo, Built-in handsfree, a top drawer Organizer and many more. The handset can boast of all connectivity tools and applications, modern mobile technology has to offer. The list includes quad band GSM mobile network support, GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth and USB v2.0.

Samsung U600

Adam Caitlin is expert mobile phones
Author. please have a look at Sim free phones.