Spring break has always been a welcome change for many, given the holiday mood it generates. The season has an uncanny ability to elevate ones spirit. Spring is a exciting vacation period to many. One can understand this pattern as spring brings an array of colors, activities and irresistible travel offers.

Amongst the clutter of options available, one destination that could make a vacation special is a Copper Canyon in Mexico. The Copper Canyon is a network of six separate canyons, each spectacular on its own and offering a broad array of vacation activities.

Though the recommended period to visit is during the fall, one may not be able to get bookings easily during that period. Since the Copper Canyon is at an elevation of 8,000 feet, extreme climates are common, but spring is a wonderful period with crisp cool air in the morning and adequate sunshine for daytime activities.

One must take into consideration that the Copper Canyon area experiences two distinct climates, separated into two zones. The alpine zone extends into the highlands, which has mild temperatures between April-October and rain showers in July-September. The area faces much colder weather between November-March, including snowfall. There is also a sub-tropical climate in the canyons’ bottoms making it very hot and humid during May-July. Thus, if one decides to take a Copper Canyon Spring Break, the vacation promises to be just perfect, with fewer extremes in the weather. And the scenic landscape is spectacular during the spring

One activity that is exhilarating during spring break is the complete joy of a round trip train tour. Spring is a perfect time to allow for viewing all aspects of the canyon. Due to pleasant weather conditions during the spring break, a visitor may opt for horse riding, trekking or following a trail. This will allow the tourist to get a glimpse of the enormous and magnificent flora of the region. More adventurous hikers may have an opportunity to sight the semi-nomadic tribes who reside within the canyons.

Not much thought goes into an actual lightning protection system. People observe lightning all the time but seldom consider their homes or businesses being struck by lightning or the loss of life that can accompany it. Did you know that a Lightning bolt has an electrical charge of roughly 100 million volts and the heat generated in the path of a lightning strike gets more than 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit? That’s approximately 5 times hotter than the surface of our sun.

Lightning reportedly causes over 10,000 forest fires to start each year in the United States. The energy discharged by a Lightning strike is so intense that it can melt sand where it strikes and turns the sand into glass. These glass tubes that are formed are called fulgurite.

The only way to protect your home, investment and the lives of you or your loved ones is with a properly installed lightning protection system. No other form of protection works properly and many people and companies have tried to either harness or repel lightning before it strikes, but their efforts have been ineffective. The only effective means is providing a safe path to ground for the lightning strike.

There are more lightning strikes occurring in the United States each year than many people realize. Detection instruments and scientists have estimated that lightning strikes somewhere in the US over 24 million times a year and it kills an average of 73 people. That is just deaths; more than 700 people are seriously injured. Tornadoes kill approximately 68 people a year and hurricanes kill about 16 people a year in the U.S. About 10% of the people that are struck by lightning are killed while the other 90% are left with long term effects and problems such as migraines, headaches, seizures and mood disorders, numbness and possibly more. If you are listening to a radio and static starts to occur that can mean that lightning is about to strike (either the radio station or near you).

Lightning protection cable is specific and manufactured to work correctly for the millions of volts that lightning produces. Just using a large copper cable instead of proper Class I conductor cable will not work in a lightning protection system. Lightning conductor cable is specified to contain at least 32 strands and each strand needs to be 17 gauge (for copper cable) (24 strand, 14 gauge for aluminum). The entire cable must be woven or braided as the lightning charge travels on the surface of each strand. The cable must be specified as 65,000 circular mils of conductivity.

This type and quality of cable can not be obtained at a local building center or hardware store. The cable must be bare and never coated or painted. That would defeat the whole purpose of the correct conductor cable. Trying to save yourself some money on buying the incorrect cable will end up causing damage and your insurance will deny your claim if the wrong products are used. A lightning grounding cable needs to be UL certified and approved by the Lightning Protection Institute. Some insurance companies offer a homeowners discount if you have a lightning system installed on your house.

Somewhere between the Atlantic rain forest and the Amazon rainforest lies an area called Brazil. Brazil is the native land to the Cashew, discovered in 1578 and produces greater in areas which have a distinct wet and dry season.

Native to Brazil, the Portuguese brought the cashew to India and east Africa somewhere in the midst of the 16th century. The Portuguese were not originally planning to plant cashews for fruit production, but rather to reduce erosion. The trees slowly became neutralized across Central America, and it is certainly a good thing that they did! Cashews are quite beneficial to your heath, as they contain monounsaturated fats, copper, and magnesium. From one, simple, small quarter-cup of cashews, you can obtain over 20% of the daily recommended value for copper and magnesium. These vitamins have a pretty big impact on your health, so not only is it quite beneficial to consume them, but it is not good to not include them in your diet.

Along with the vitamins cashews contain, they also contain 37.4% of the daily recommended value of heart-protective monounsaturated fats. These nuts have a lower fat content than what is found in most other nuts. Also, they contain primarily unsaturated fatty acids, mostly of which is oleic acid. Oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health, and reduced triglyceride levels (triglyceride levels are associated with increased risk for heart disease.

Cashews provide 38.0% of the daily recommended value for copper. The copper provided plays a role in many mental processes. Some of these processes are: antioxidant defenses, energy production, melanin production, bone and connective tissue development, free radicals elimination, and iron utilization. Copper is an important vitamin to consume. Not taking in enough copper can lead to health problem such as: osteoporosis, joint problems (arthritis), brain disturbances, elevated LDL cholesterol, reduced HDL cholesterol, irregular heartbeat, increased infection vulnerability, ruptured blood vessels, and iron deficiency anemia.

Along with copper, you intake a significant amount of magnesium through cashews. Cashews provide 22.3% of the daily recommended value for magnesium. The perks of having good levels of Magnesium ensure that you will have healthy bones. It also helps lower blood pressure, while preventing heart attacks. It reduces asthma severity and promotes normal sleep patterns in menopausal women.

While you gain all of the above benefits, you can meanwhile avoid the following downfalls: high blood pressure, fatigue, muscle cramps, tension, soreness, muscle spasms and migraine headaches.

Next time you're a little hungry and are trying to think of a snack, or of something to add to a snack to bring it more flavor, remember that cashews are extremely tasty while being extremely good for you, and they make for the perfect snack.

If you haven't heard about Copper Peptide yet you're in for a treat. In the 1970's, Dr. Loren Pickart invented and patented Copper Peptide. He is referred to as "The Turn Back The Clock Doc" - and with good reason. There are currently several companies that incorporate Copper Peptide into their skin care formulas including Neova, ProCyte and Neutrogena (to name a few) however, Dr. Pickart's Copper Peptides are the strongest products available. Dr. Pickart's work has been proven in studies from over 40 universities and research centers. This is what you can expect from continued use of his anti aging invention:

Tighten loose skin and improve elasticity

Reduce spots, photodamage and hyperpigmentation

Reduce fine lines

Improve skin firmness

Reduce the depth of deep wrinkles

Improve skin tone

Smooth rough skin

Improve overall appearance

Accelerate wound healing

Act as powerful anti-inflammatories on skin

Calm irritated and reddened skin

Normalize the skin

Calm irritated and reddened skin

Have strong anti-oxidant properties

Banish breakouts

There are different strengths of Copper Peptide. The trick is to start with the mildest one (CP Serum) and as your skin tolerates use, move to a stronger version (Super CP Serum, then Super Cop, then Super Cop2X). The stronger versions have hydroxy acids added to them. Results can typically start to be seen in 4-6 weeks. For skin tightening, he recommends 1,000 mgs. of Vitamin C daily.

Dosha theory which help in diagnosis of the diseases

According to ayurveda three doshas or three energetic forces control the activities of the body. These doshas are 1. Vata 2. Pitta 3. Kapha

VATA: The Vata dosha is the most important of the three doshas. It has been said in ayurveda classic books that “ pitta , Kapha and all other body tissues are considered lame without assistance of VATA .” Vata dominates the lower part of the body, which is below umbilicus. The movements of body fluid, metabolism, elimination of waste products, semen ejaculation, pushing the fetus out of body, relaying stimulus to brain and response to organs and tissues, heart beat, respiration, body movements etc are assisted by VATA.

Vata dominated regions are intestines, lumbar region, ears, bones and skin.

Vata gets vitiated due to following reasons. 1. Controlling natural urges like urination, defecation, hunger, thirst, etc. 2. Late nights. 3. Irregular food habits. 4. Talking in a high pitch. 5. Over physical and mental exertion. 6. Consumption of spicy, dry, bitter foods. 7. Exposure to severe dry and cold climate.

The opposites of above-mentioned reason normalize the vitiated vata.

PITTA: The pitta dosha assists the body fire or Agni, which plays a major role in body’s metabolic activities. The locations where pitta dominates are digestive system, skin, eyes, brain, and blood. Pitta maintains body temperature. The secretions like digestive juices pigments like melanin (bhrajaka pitta), hemoglobin (ranjaka pitta) are all types of pitta.

Pitta is dominant in regions of Umbilicus, stomach, sweat, lymph, blood, eyes and skin.

Vata gets vitiated due to following reasons. 1. Excess consumption of spicy, sour, salty foods. 2. Consuming alcohol in excess. 3. Over exposure to hot sunny climate. 4. Short temperedness. 5. Using dried vegetables. 6. Indigestion of food.

The opposites of above-mentioned reason normalize the vitiated pitta.



KAPHA: Kapha provides bulk to body, lubrications, moistness, fertility, stability, strength, and memory. Helps in binding process wherever necessary. This is heaviest of all doshas.

Kapha dominated regions are chest, neck, head, stomach, body fat, nose and tongue

Kapha gets vitiated due to following reasons. 1. Sleeping in daytime. 2. Consuming sweets , chilled food, in excess. 3. Consuming fish, sesame, sugarcane, milk and milk products.

The opposites of above-mentioned reason normalize the vitiated kapha.

When these doshas are in balanced condition the body remains healthy. If these doshas get imbalanced the body succumbs to diseases. Doshas get imbalanced frequently due to change in climate, seasons, lifestyles, diet etc. The treatment is to bring back the doshas to normalcy and expel the toxin or ama produced during the imbalanced condition.

Causes of Genital Herpes Herpes is caused by a virus the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which belongs to the same family of viruses that cause chickenpox. There are two types of herpes simplex viruses 1. Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and mostly causes oral herpes 2. Herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2). And mostly causes genital herpes However, both type-1 and type-2 can occur in the genitals, oral area or both. Due to unhealthy life styles and diet the delicate balance between doshas get disturbed. This disturbs the body fire or Agni. (Agni is the body fire, which is responsible for transformation of one substance to another. It breaks down the food substances, eliminates toxins and wastes, maintains body temperature, and resists the invasion of microbes by maintaining strong body immunity. The body fire, which is assisted by balanced doshas, digests the food completely to form Pakwa Anna rasa (the liquid form of food which is completely digested by digestive enzymes), which is ready to get absorbed by body tissues. According to ayurveda Pakwa Anna Rasa nourishes the body and its components to keep the body devoid of diseases. But when body fire is impaired there will be an incomplete digestion of food forming Apakwa Rasa (indigested food). The indigested food fails to nourish the body components leading to lowered body resistance.)

Many classify cholesterol as good and bad. This is not true. Cholesterol is simply cholesterol. When thinking of good and bad, many are referring to HDL’s and LDL’s. HDL refers to high density lipoprotein while LDL refers to low density lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are merely cholesterol carriers. Lipoproteins are part lipid (fats) and part protein. The reason for this structure is proteins are soluble in water whereas fats are insoluble in water. The protein portion is used to transport the lipids through the blood. Since blood is comprised mostly of water, the lipid portion would not travel without the protein portion.

HDL’s consist of about half protein and half lipid; whereas LDL’s are about a quarter protein and three quarters lipid. The function of the HDL is to bring cholesterol to the liver for recycling or elimination. Low density lipoproteins transport cholesterol to the rest of the body for building tissues.

Cholesterol by chemical structure is an alcohol, because of the hydroxyl group (OH). Remember, ethanol (found in alcoholic beverages and gasoline) is also an alcohol but a much smaller alcohol. Cholesterol contains a four ring region that is characteristic of all steroid hormones (estrogen and testosterone). However, combination of the steroid ring structure and the hydroxyl group classify cholesterol as a sterol.

Cholesterol has many functions. Cholesterol is the precursor to all steroid hormones produced in the body. This includes mineralcorticoids, glucocorticoids, and the sex hormones.

Cholesterol is found in every cell. Cholesterol regulates the cell membranes fluidity. This prevents the cell from becoming too rigid or too fluid. Cholesterol helps keep the cell membranes intact. Cholesterol helps to build strong bones and muscles, and maintains libido and fertility. Cholesterol assists in regulating the blood sugar. Cholesterol helps to protect against infectious disease and repairs damaged tissue. Cholesterol is required to form vitamin D.

Cholesterol is a component of lipid rafts, this helps to secure proteins involved in cell signaling. When sleeping at night, our brain synthesizes cholesterol to benefit our mood and increase our memory. Cholesterol supports the nervous system, in which cholesterol is a vital component of the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath allows neurons to conduct impulses with each other. Cholesterol has been found to be the rate limiting factor found in the formation of synapses, this formation is necessary for learning and the formation of memories.

Cholesterol is used by the liver to synthesize bile acids. The liver makes about two grams of cholesterol daily. However, under stressful conditions the production of cholesterol increases to produce more adrenal and stress hormones. Bile acids are secreted into the small intestine to emulsify fats, aiding in digestion.

Many studies cannot correlate eating foods containing cholesterol with an increase in blood cholesterol. Eating a diet high in meat and fat does not necessarily indicate heart disease. For example, the Eskimos live on a diet rich in meat and fat. The Eskimos have low cholesterol levels. Many populations that consume a high percentage of animal fats have less heart disease. Why? Animal fats are more resistant to oxidative damage. Many do not realize that cholesterol plaques are often there to protect a damaged artery. Many need to understand that a clogged artery is better than a ruptured one. Although elevated cholesterol levels are associated with heart disease, cholesterol may not be the cause.

The Afghanistan Ministry of Mines (MoM) is pleased to announce that it has commenced the process that will lead to the tendering of the Aynak copper deposit for mining and economic development.

According to the Afghanistan Geological Survey and the British Geological Survey, the Aynak copper deposit consists of 240 million tons of material with a grade of 2.3% copper in the central portion of the deposit. Further resources are present in the western portion of the deposit but are less well defined. The sedimentary hosted deposit outcrops at the surface where portions of the deposit are amenable to open pit mining methods. The deposit is located 35 km south of Kabul at the northern end of Logar province.

On Saturday August 12, 2006, the Minister of Mines Mohammad Ibrahim Adel and his senior staff met with Gustavson Associates, LLC of Boulder, Colorado, USA to initiate the transaction process. In this meeting, the important dates and deadlines of the transaction process were identified and the logistics of the tender process were established.

The tender will consist of not only the known resource of central Aynak and western Aynak, but also of an exploration concession which encompasses other copper prospects such as Jawhar and Darband. The location of the concessions and other information can be found at the BGS, Afghanistan website, http://www.bgs.ac.uk/afghanminerals

Minister Adel stressed the importance of transparency in the Aynak tender process and the need to complete the process promptly. Minister Adel announced that MoM anticipated publishing a request for expressions of interest from interested mining companies on or before September 30, 2006. As currently scheduled, qualified mining companies selected by MoM will conduct due diligence and submit bids by the end of November, 2006. MMI anticipates that the winning bidder will be selected and approved shortly thereafter.

The Indonesian government said it will guarantee supply of raw materials for investors building smelters to process copper, gold and silver concentrates in the country.

If necessary, U.S. PT Freeport Indonesia, the largest producer of copper concentrate in the country, will be asked to stop exports of the commodity, Mineral, Coal and Geothermal Director General Simon Felix Sembiring said.

The government will also guarantee captive market for the smelters, Simon said.

Freeport, which operates in Papua, will not be allowed to take part in the new project to build smelter, he said, adding, "If Freeport is allowed it will be the one to reap the profit again."

The country has a smelter processing copper concentrate namely PT Smelting, which 25 per cent owned by Freeport. It was built in 1996 at a cost of US$500 million.

Simon said with available basic material and guaranteed market, local companies should be serious in planning the project.

Freeport will have to terminate all of its contracts with buyers abroad.

As cash-flush mining companies grapple for control of the next Mother Lode, an outside player has joined the frenzy: The hedge fund.

Merger-oriented funds like New York-based Atticus Capital LP have claimed stakes in a slew of mining firms, the latest sign of how heady the interest in commodities has become.

They like cash, and they're not afraid of making themselves heard.

Take the recent battle over Canadian nickel miner Inco Ltd. (N)

Over the last four months, it received public offers from three takeover candidates. But investors in at least one of the would-be buyers – Arizona's Phelps Dodge Corp. (PD) – balked at the bid.

Atticus, which owns about 10% in the copper miner, has said for the last several months that Phelps Dodge shareholders would be best served if the company used the tremendous gains from the recent rally in copper to buy back its own stock – or sell itself.

"We continue to believe that either the direct return of capital to shareholders or an outright sale of the company is a preferable means to increasing shareholder value," said Atticus spokesman Rob Coburn last week.

And if it didn't follow its suggestions, Atticus was "prepared to work with other shareholders and/or potential acquirers," said fund chairman Timothy Barakett and vice chairman David Slager in a February letter to Phelps Dodge's chairman.

Barakett founded the $12 billion fund in 1995. In August, after Phelps Dodge pursued what Atticus felt was a misguided takeover of Inco, the fund threatened to go so far as soliciting proxies from shareholders to scuttle the deal.

A Phelps Dodge spokesman wouldn't comment on Atticus' demands.

Atticus never had to take the proxy route. And to some extent, the fund got its way.

On Tuesday, Phelps Dodge and Inco said they terminated their planned, $17.9 billion union. Inco realized it was unlikely to receive enough shareholder votes needed to complete the deal with a rival, all-cash offer from Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (RIO) competing for its investors' interest.

Phelps Dodge shares jumped 3.01% to $93.48 on Tuesday. Atticus' Phelps Dodge stake, based on the fund's June 30 SEC filing, surged to $1.5 billion.

Atticus also owned over 3.6 million call options in Phelps Dodge plus two million call options in CVRD – Phelps' former rival for Inco. Buyers of call options have the right to buy a security at a specific price in the future.

Atticus says it doesn't invest in deals with the aim of arm-twisting management. It becomes active in less than 5% of its individual investments, said Coburn.

But it has spoken out on a number of high-profile mergers, including other heavyweight deals in the commodities sector.

In February, it pushed management in Luxembourg-based steel giant Arcelorto accept a hostile takeover offer by Mittal Steel (MT) . At the time, Atticus owned shares or rights to about 1.3% of Arcelor plus 0.5% of Mittal.

By July, Mittal said it had received 92% of the votes needed to seal the $34 billion union.

For funds, cash is king

Hedge funds have plowed into the commodities sector during the three-year rally, using strategies from investing in metal and energy futures to shares in the companies that produce the commodities.

Among Inco's top 25 holders, for instance, hedge fund managers Amber Capital Investment Management, TPG Axon Capital and Eton Park Capital Management, LLC all own over 1% stakes in the company, according to Thomson Financial data.

York Capital Management leads a pack of hedge fund investors in Mittal Steel, with over 3.8 million shares representing a 0.4% stake. Big hedge fund managers Highbridge Capital Management, which is part-owned by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) , Och-Ziff Capital Management and GLG Partners, LLC also own stakes.

And hedge fund manager Ospraie Management LLC specializes in investments in commodities.

The funds' presence may have shifted the outcome of deals where investors had to choose between cash and a stock offer of equal or even higher value.

In late July, Toronto-based Inco lost out on its offer to buy fellow Canadian nickel producer Falconbridgewhen Switzerland's Xstrata Plcswept in with an all-cash bid.

Based on Inco's current share price, Inco's cash and stock offer would have been worth more for Falconbridge investors now, says Ian Howat, a base metals analyst at National Bank Financial in Toronto.

But the all-cash deal won many investors looking for a clean exit.

"As far as hedge fund activity, they're being consistent – they're trying to get the higher cash value in any transaction," said Ian Howat, a base metals analyst at National Bank Financial in Toronto.

Aluminium prices in Shanghai fell, snapping a five-day rally, on speculation some Chinese smelters took advantage of the recent gain by increasing forward sales.

The price of the metal used to make beverage cans and cars rose 11 percent in the past five days, the biggest gain in four months, amid speculation supply may not meet demand in China, the world's biggest user. The advance encouraged some Chinese smelters to lock in future production at the higher prices, trader Shen Haihua said.

"Producer hedging is depressing prices," Shen, vice president of Maike Futures Co., said by phone from Shanghai. "I'm cautious about aluminium's outlook because alumina prices have been falling," he said, referring to the material from which aluminium is made.

Aluminium for November delivery fell as much as 850 yuan, or 4 percent, to 20,170 yuan ($2,536) a metric ton on the Shanghai Futures Exchange. It traded at 20,320 yuan by midday break.

Prices for three-month delivery yesterday rose to an eight- week high of $2,687 a ton on the London Metal Exchange after inventories fell to the lowest since Aug. 21. The metal fell $15, or 0.6 percent, to $2,655 a ton at 11:55 a.m. Shanghai time.

Charts some traders use to predict price moves indicate that aluminium is "fast approaching resistance," or levels where sell orders are clustered, Barclays Capital's technical analysts led by Jordan Kotick said in a report yesterday.
Copper falls

Copper futures in Shanghai fell as speculators turned their attention to aluminium, Shen said.

Copper for November delivery in Shanghai fell as much as 1,030 yuan, or 1.4 percent, to 73,780 yuan a ton. It closed the morning session at 74,120 yuan. A total of 26,950 lots were traded, compared with 245,118 lots of aluminium.

The price of the metal used to make wires and pipes may resume rising as output disruptions may cut supply, he said.

Workers at BHP Billiton Ltd.'s Spence copper mine in Chile are expected to vote Sept. 15 to strike. An almost four-week stoppage at BHP's Escondida mine in Chile that cut copper output by about 45,000 tons ended Sept. 2.

A strike at Spence will postpone the start of copper production at the mine, scheduled for October, Andres Ramirez, president of the union at Spence, said yesterday from the Chilean city of Antofagasta.

Copper for immediate delivery in Changjiang, Shanghai's biggest spot market, fell as much as 0.5 percent today to 74,650 yuan a ton. Chinese users have to pay 17 percent value-added tax, 2 percent import tax, premiums and freight charges for imported copper.

Copper for three-month delivery fell $5, or 0.1 percent, to $8,010 a ton on the London Metal Exchange at 11:58 a.m. Shanghai time. Metal for delivery in December fell 0.1 cent to $3.647 a pound on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange at 11:58 a.m. Singapore time in after-hours trade.