Do You know How Banks Works?

The funny thing about how a bank works is that it functions because of our trust. We give a bank our money to keep it safe for us, and then the bank turns around and gives it to someone else in order to make money for itself. Banks can legally extend considerably more credit than they have cash. Still, most of us have total trust in the bank's ability to protect our money and give it to us when we ask for it.

Why do we feel better about having our money in a bank than we do having it under a mattress? Is it just the fact that they pay interest on some of our accounts? Is it because we know that if we have the cash in our pockets we'll spend it? Or, is it simply the convenience of being able to write checks and use debit cards rather than carrying cash? Any and all of these may be the answer, particularly with the conveniences of electronic banking today. Now, we don't even have to manually write that check -- we can just swipe a debit card or click the "pay" button on the bank's Web site.

In this article, we'll look into the world of banking and see how these institutions work, what you would have to do to start your own bank, and why we should (or shouldn't) trust them with our hard earned cash.

According to Britannica.com, a bank is:
an institution that deals in money and its substitutes and provides other financial services. Banks accept deposits and make loans and derive a profit from the difference in the interest rates paid and charged, respectively.
Banks are critical to our economy. The primary function of banks is to put their account holders' money to use by lending it out to others who can then use it to buy homes, businesses, send kids to college...

When you deposit your money in the bank, your money goes into a big pool of money along with everyone else's, and your account is credited with the amount of your deposit. When you write checks or make withdrawals, that amount is deducted from your account balance. Interest you earn on your balance is also added to your account.

Banks create money in the economy by making loans. The amount of money that banks can lend is directly affected by the reserve requirement set by the Federal Reserve. The reserve requirement is currently 3 percent to 10 percent of a bank's total deposits. This amount can be held either in cash on hand or in the bank's reserve account with the Fed. To see how this affects the economy, think about it like this. When a bank gets a deposit of $100, assuming a reserve requirement of 10 percent, the bank can then lend out $90. That $90 goes back into the economy, purchasing goods or services, and usually ends up deposited in another bank. That bank can then lend out $81 of that $90 deposit, and that $81 goes into the economy to purchase goods or services and ultimately is deposited into another bank that proceeds to lend out a percentage of it.

In this way, money grows and flows throughout the community in a much greater amount than physically exists. That $100 makes a much larger ripple in the economy than you may realize!.If you need learn more about how banks work click this link

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Private Jet

>Picture of Raytheon Hawker 800. Business jet (previously known as the DH125, then HS125, then British Aerospace 125).Business jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of business people. Business jets may be adapted for other roles, such as the evacuation of casualties or express parcel deliveries, and a few may be used by public bodies, governments or the armed forces. The more formal terms of corporate jet, executive jet, VIP transport or business jet tend to be used by the firms that build, sell, buy and charter these aircraft. The allied term bizprop is in use amongst enthusiasts to refer to turboprop-powered aircraft used in similar roles but seems unlikely to spread.

Background
Almost all production business jets, such as Grumman Aerospace's Gulfstream and the Gates Lear Jet (now built by Bombardier), have had two or three engines, though the Jetstar, an early business jet, had four. Advances in engine efficiency and power have rendered four-engine designs obsolete, and only Dassault Aviation still builds three-engine models (in the Falcon line). The emerging market for so-called "very light jets" and "personal jets" has seen the introduction (at least on paper) of several single-engine designs as well.
Cessna 560XL Citation Excel business jet of the Swiss Air Force. Airliners are sometimes converted into luxury business jets. Such converted aircraft are often used by celebrities with a large entourage or press corps, or by sports teams, but airliners often face operational restrictions based on runway length or local noise restrictions.

A focus of development is at the low end of the market with small models, many far cheaper than existing business jets. Many of these fall into the very light jet (VLJ) category. Cessna is developing the Mustang, a six-place twinjet (2 crew + 4 passengers) planned to be available for $2.55 million USD at the end of 2006. A number of smaller manufacturers have planned even cheaper jets; the first is the Eclipse 500 which has become available at around 1.5 million USD. It remains to be seen whether the new jet manufacturers will complete their designs, or find the market required to sell their jets at the low prices planned.


Bombardier Global 5000 business jet
There are approximately 11,000 business jets in the wordwide fleet with the vast majority of them based in the United States or owned by US companies. The European market is the next largest, with growing activity in Asia and Central America. There is a pre-owned marketplace in which aircraft are bought and sold based on their immediate deliverability because new aircraft orders often take two to three years for delivery.

Since 1996 the term "fractional jet" has been used in connection with business aircraft owned by a consortium of companies. Costly overheads such as flight crew, hangarage and maintenance can be shared through such arrangements.

Bombardier Global Express business jet
Classes
The business jet industry groups the jets into five loosely-defined "classes", Heavy, Super Mid-size, Mid-size, Light, and Very Light.


Business jets
Airbus A319 Corporate Jet or ACJ
Boeing 737 Business Jet
Bombardier Challenger and GlobalExpress
Dassault Falcon family
Embraer Legacy and Lineage
General Dynamics (formerly Grumman) Gulfstream II, III, IV, V
Lear Jet
Lockheed JetStar
North American Sabreliner
Cessna Citation
Hawker Beechcraft series

Very light jets
Eclipse Aviation Eclipse 500 ($1-2 million)
Adam Aircraft Industries A700 (approx $1.3 million)

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Nokia E-90 Best Communicator for Professional

Nokia E90 empowers you to avail high-speed 3G mobile broadband connection for browsing internet and to make seamless video calls. As the mobile phone is an enterprise edition mobile phone, you can virtually take office work all along you. The flexibility in the network connection is another feature which adds spice in this mobile phone. The GPS feature in the mobile phone gives you the chance to be in the right place at the right time.

Here is Nokia E-90 Specification


Operating frequency
GSM quad-band (850/900/1800/1900)
WCDMA HSDPA 2100

Size
Volume: 140 cc
Weight: 210 g
Dimensions: 132 x 57 x 20 mm

Display
Inner: Active matrix color display (800 x 352 pixels), 16 million true colors
Outer: Active matrix color display (240 x 320 pixels), 16 million true colors

User interface

Nokia Series 60, 3rd edition, feature pack 3.1
Symbian OS Version 9.2
Java™ MIDP 2.0


Communicator keyboard:


5-way rocker key, 2 soft keys beside the screen, send and end keys
Full qwerty keyboard with backlight (separate key to activate light)
Application shortcut keys, S60 application key, profile key
Shortcuts to Bluetooth, IR, help, and call volume control


Cover keypad:

Full telephone keypad: send and end keys, two separate soft keys, 5 way rocker
Power key (including profile), application key


Imaging

3.2 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus
QCIF camera for video calling. Up to VGA (640x480) at up to 30 fps.


Email and Messaging


Supports POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP
Support for mobile email with filtering, including Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email
View, open, and edit email attachments with Quickoffice (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), Zip Manager, and Adobe Acrobat Reader
Remote contact look-up
Instant messaging
Text-to-speech message reader
MMS and SMS


Multimedia


Video calling, video streaming
FM radio
Music player (MP3, AAC)
Media player


Memory functions

Up to 128MB free memory for user data and applications
Extendible up to 2GB with microSD memory card


Applications


Quickoffice office tools with editors
Maps application for location-based services
Nokia Office Tools 1.1 (including Active notes)
VoIP 2.1
Use the Download! client to personalize your device with add-on applications
Support for Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite
WorldMate service, Nokia Wireless Presenter application, and Global Race – Raging Thunder game available for download via Download! client


Connectivity

Integrated WLAN
WLAN: 802.11b, 802.11g*
WLAN Security: WPA2-Enterprise, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Enterprise, WPA-Personal
WLAN Quality of Service: WMM, U-APSD
Mini USB, USB 2.0 full-speed
Bluetooth wireless technology 2.0
2.5mm Nokia A/V connector with ECI
Infrared (up to 115 kbps)


Browsing


Web browser (x)HTML
JavaScript 1.3 and 1.5 supported
Flash Lite 2.0 supported


Data transfer


WLAN 802.11b, 802.11g*
HSDPA up to 3.6Mbit/s enabled
WCDMA 2100 MHz with simultaneous voice and packet data
GPRS/EGPRS (Class A, MSC 32)
3GPP rel 5
Dual transfer mode MSC11, SAIC rel v1


Personal information management (PIM)


Nokia Team Suite
Calendar attachment support
Meeting requests to calendar
Calendar plug-in for 3rd party email solutions
Contacts with images
Nokia Active Notes application


Device management


Support for Nokia Intellisync Device management
OMA Device Management 1.1.2
OMA Client Provisioning 1.1.2
OTI firmware update
Local connectivity with Nokia PC Suite
Remote access to IT support via Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email and OMA device management


Security


Built-in S60 features protect local user data and restrict access to device settings
Device lock, also remote lock
Memory card lock
OMA DRM 2.0
Wireless LAN security features
SSL 3.0/TSL 1.0
Compatibility with leading third party security applications
Support for most common wireless network encryption methods


Voice features


Voice dialing
Voice commands for menu short cuts, keypad lock, and profiles
Voice recording for making notes or recording conversations
Internet Call release 2.1 for making VoIP (voice over IP) calls
Text-to-speech message reader
Enhanced voice commands with speaker-independent name dialing (SIND), and voice aid for eyes-free control of core functions
Integrated handsfree speaker
Push to talk (PoC)


Other useful features


Integrated GPS
Support for Nokia Intellisync file sync and device management
Stereo FM radio
Vibrating alert feature


Sales package contents


Nokia E90 Communicator
Nokia Battery BP-4L (1500 mAh)
Wired stereo headset (HS-47)
Travel Charger (AC-4)
Connectivity cable (DKE-2)
Memory card (microSD 512MB) - content may vary at country level
Quick Start guide
User manual
DVD ROM including the Nokia PC suite application


Power management


Battery BP-4L
Talk time Up to 5.8 hours GSM
Standby time Up to 14 days GSM
Capacity 1500 mAh


Operation times vary depending on the network and usage.

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Supercar of Bugatti Veyron

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is currently the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive street-legal full production car in the world, with a proven top speed of 407.5 km/h (253 mph), though several faster or more expensive vehicles have been produced on a limited basis.[1] It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS in its Molsheim (Alsace, France) factory and is sold under the legendary Italian/French Bugatti marque. It is named after French racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm.

Performance


According to Volkswagen, the final production Veyron engine produces between 1020 and 1040 metric hp (1006 to 1026 SAE net hp), so the car will be advertised as producing "1001 horsepower" in both the US and European markets, despite the fact that the actual amount of horsepower produced is 986 - making it the second most powerful road production car - second only to the Koenigsegg CCXR, which it is claimed develops 1004bhp, although further testing in the Koenigsegg laboratories has proven it can hit 1064bhp.

Top speed was initially promised to be 406 km/h (252 mph), but test versions were unstable at that speed, forcing a redesign of the aerodynamics. In May 2005, a prototype Veyron tested at a Volkswagen track near Wolfsburg, Germany, and recorded an electronically limited top speed of 400 km/h (249 mph). In October, 2005, Car and Driver magazine's editor Csaba Csere test drove the final production version of the Veyron for the November 2005 issue. This test, at Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test track, reached a top speed of 407.5 km/h (253.2 mph). The top speed was verified once again by James May on Top Gear, again at Volkswagen's private test track. When getting close to the top speed during the test he said that "the tires will only last for about fifteen minutes, but it's OK because the fuel runs out in twelve." He also gave an indication of the power requirements, at 249 km/h (155 mph) the Veyron was using approximately 270 BHP (201 kW), but to get to its rated 407 km/h (253 mph) top speed required far more from the engine. The power required to overcome aerodynamic friction is proportional to the cube of the speed. Therefore, to go twice the speed, you need eight times the power.


The Veyron's hydraulic spoiler extended out.The Veyron is the quickest production car to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) with an estimated time of 2.5 seconds, according to the manufacturer. It reaches 60 mph in approximately 2.46 seconds. It also reaches 200 and 300 km/h (124 and 186 mph) in 7.4 and 18.2 seconds respectively. And according to the February 2007 issue of Road & Track Magazine, the Veyron accomplished the quarter mile in 10.2 seconds at a speed of 142.9 mph. This makes the Veyron the quickest and fastest production car in history. It also consumes more fuel than any other production car, using 40.4 L/100 km (5.82 mpg) in city driving and 24.1 L/100 km (10 mpg) in combined cycle. At full throttle, it uses more than 125 L/100 km (2.1 mpg), which would empty its 100 L (26.4 gallon) fuel tank in just 12.5 minutes. The car's everyday top speed is listed at 375 km/h (233 mph). When the car reaches 220 km/h (137 mph), hydraulics lower the car until it has a ground clearance of about 8.9 cm (3½ inches). At the same time, the wing and spoiler deploy. This is the "handling" mode, in which the wing helps provide 3425 newtons (770 pounds) of downforce, holding the car to the road.[2] The driver must, using a special key (the "Top Speed Key"), toggle the lock to the left of his seat in order to use the maximum speed of 407.5 km/h (253.2 mph). The key functions only when the vehicle is at a stop when a checklist then establishes whether the car—and its driver—are ready to enable 'top speed' mode. If all systems are go, the rear spoiler retracts, the front air diffusers close and the ground clearance, normally 12.4 cm (4.9 inches), drops to 6.6 cm (2.6 inches).

The Veyron's brakes utilize unique cross-drilled and turbine-vented carbon rotors, which draw in cooling air to reduce fade. Each caliper has eight[2] titanium pistons. Bugatti claims maximum deceleration of 1.3 g on road tires. Prototypes have been subjected to repeated 1.0 g braking from 194 to 50 mph (312 to 80 km/h) without fade. With the car's fearsome acceleration from 50 to 194 mph (80 to 312 km/h), that test can be performed every 22 seconds. At speeds above 124 mph (200 km/h), the rear wing also acts as an airbrake, snapping to a 70-degree angle in 0.4 seconds once brakes are applied, providing 0.5 g (4.9 m/s²) of deceleration.[2] Bugatti claims the Veyron will brake from 400 km/h (250 mph) to a standstill in less than 10 seconds.[2] The braking is also so evenly applied that the car will not deviate from a straight path if the driver lets go of the steering wheel, even with the brakes fully applied starting from close to top speed.

Specifications



The quad-turbocharged W16 engine used by the Veyron.The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has 4 valves, for a total of 64, but the narrow V8 configuration allows two camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers, and it displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cc/488 in³) with a square 86 by 86 mm bore and stroke.

Putting this power to the ground is a dual-clutch DSG computer-controlled manual transmission with 7 gear ratios via shifter paddles behind the steering wheel boasting an 8 ms shift time. The Veyron can be driven by full automatic transmission. The Veyron also features full-time all-wheel drive based on the Haldex system. It uses special Michelin run-flat tires designed specifically for the Veyron to accommodate the vehicle's top speed.

Curb weight is estimated at 1890 kg (4,160lb). This gives the car a power to weight ratio of 529 bhp/tonne.

The car's wheelbase is 2710 mm (106.3 in). Overall length is 4462 mm (175.8 in). It measures 1998 mm (78.7 in) wide and 1206 mm (47.5 in) tall.

The Bugatti Veyron has a total of 10 radiators.[2]

3 radiators for the engine cooling system.
1 heat exchanger for the air to liquid intercoolers.
2 for the air conditioning system.
1 transmission oil radiator.
1 differential oil radiator.
1 engine oil radiator.
1 hydraulic oil radiator for the spoiler.


Sales and service
Bugatti originally planned to build 300 Veyrons over five years. In March 2006, Bugatti president Bscher claimed to have 70 firm orders, selling out 14 months of production. In response, the company is reportedly speeding up production, with all 70 cars expected to be built in 2006. Bscher also reported that 14 cars have been completed. It is not clear how many are in the hands of customers.

Maintenance will be possible at Bentley dealerships, but repair service will require a flown-in mechanic, whom the company promises will be available 24 hours a day.


Final Number
Numbers are according to manufacturer, and may be significantly different from tested performance. See [4]

Vehicle type: mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Base Price: € 1,127,210 (£757 359, $1,440,800)
Engine type: quad-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 64-valve W-16, aluminium block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 7993 cm³ (488.8 in³)
Performance Ratings as Tested :


Zero to 60 mph (97 km/h): 2.5 s
Zero to 100 mph (161 km/h): 5.5 s
Zero to 150 mph (241 km/h): 9.8 s
Zero to 200 mph (322 km/h): 19.5 s
Zero to 250 mph (402 km/h): 55 s [5][6]
Zero to 100 km/h: 2.5 s [7]
Zero to 200 km/h: 7.4 s [8]
Zero to 300 km/h: 18.2 s [9]
Zero to 400 km/h: 55 s [10][11]
Top speed (Handling Mode): 233 mph (375 km/h)
Top speed (Electronically Limited): 253.2 mph (407.5 km/h)[12]
Theoretical Top Speed (Drag Limited): 257 mph (414 km/h) [13]


0-100-0mph / 0-160-0km/h: 9.9 s [14]
Standing Quarter-Mile / 402 Meter: 10.2 sec @ 143 mph / 230 km/h [15]
Fuel economy[16]:


EPA city driving: 7 mpg U.S. (34 L/100 km)
EPA highway driving: 10 mpg U.S. (24 L/100 km)

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The Most Expensive Yatch

This exquisite yacht was pronounced the 11th largest private yacht in the year 2006 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It is owned by Nasser Al-Rashid, a multi-millionaire businessman in Saudi Arabia.
Features
Launched in 1990 and with a length of 105 m the "Lady Moura" is the result of four years of teamwork between the Italian designer and architect Luigi Sturchio and Blohm + Voss. Both the interior and exterior design were conceived by Luigi Sturchio, whereas Blohm + Voss was responsible for engineering [1].
The Lady Moura is 354 feet long and has its own private Sikorsky S76B helicopter on board. It was a customized job ordered by Nasser Al-Rashid, who still owns her to date.
Lady Moura is reputed to have cost in excess of $200 million, carries a crew of 60, and incorporates features such as a complete beach resort with sand, a large pool with a retractable roof, and a 75ft dining table custom-made by Viscount Linley[2].
The furniture for the owner and guest area was prefabricated in Italy and installed in Hamburg under the supervision of Luigi Sturchio. The crew accommodation formed part of Blohm + Voss' scope of supply.
The Lady Moura is usually seen moored at the Monaco harbor during the summer months or Palma de Mallorca during Spring and Fall.
[edit] Characteristics
Both the hull and the superstructure are made of steel. The propulsion plant consists of two KHD-MWM diesel engines, each with a power of 5050 kW (over 6700 bhp), and controllable pitch propellers producing a speed of over 20 knots. A crafty hydraulically-operated system of shell ports, doors, flaps, roofs, bath platforms, gangways and cranes provide the most possible ease of operation and comfort. Even the boats, anchors, liferafts and navigation lanterns are hidden behind covers and do not disturb the aesthetics of the yacht.

Characteristics:
Length overall: 105 m
Breadth: 18.5 m
Draught: 5.5 m
Speed: 20 kn
Yacht name: Lady Moura
Length: 344 ft - 105.8 m
Launch: 1990
Owner: Nasser Al-Rashid (ex-wife owns Phocea (Yacht))
Builder: Blohm + Voss, Germany
Naval architect: Luigi Sturchio - Diana Yacht Design
Hull: Steel
Engines: 2 x 6,868 hp Deutz-MWM
Tender: On board helicopter
10th largest "private yacht" in 2005
Photo date: June 15, 2005 19:11:07
Locations: Monaco, Palma de Mallorca

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Top 10 Things to Know About Life Insurance

We all recognize the importance of life insurance. After all, we want to make sure that our loved ones are taken care of when we die. But before you run out and purchase a policy, do some research ahead of time. That way, you'll be sure to get the best possible coverage at the right price. Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

1. Shop around
2. Never buy more coverage than you need
3. The healthier you are, the better the rates

4. Buy sooner rather than later
5. Realize the importance of periodically reviewing your coverage
6. You don't necessarily have to pay a commission
7. You may be paying more for monthly premium payments
8. Don't rely solely on the life insurance offered by your employer
9. Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth
10. Buying more is sometimes cheaper

Shop around
When it comes to life insurance, it pays to shop around because premiums can vary widely. And thanks to the Internet, it's now easier than ever. Try out one of the many insurance websites that can provide you with instant quotes. Make sure the website you shop from takes into consideration the factors in your medical history that can affect the premiums.

Never buy more coverage than you need
The key to purchasing the right amount of life insurance is to have just enough coverage to meet your needs. If you have more life insurance than you need, you'll be paying unnecessarily for higher premiums. On the other hand, it's important not to have too little coverage, resulting in you being underinsured.

The healthier you are, the better the rates
It's true – healthy people get better rates on life insurance. You will be asked to pay a higher rate for anything that shortens your life expectancy (e.g., if you smoke, take medications regularly, are overweight, have a bad driving record).

Buy sooner rather than later
If you've been putting off purchasing life insurance because you don't want to pay the premiums, you may be doing yourself a disservice in the long run. The younger you are when you purchase life insurance, the lower your premiums will be.

Realize the importance of periodically reviewing your coverage
Any life change signals the need for a review of your overall financial plan. When it comes to life insurance coverage, you'll want to make sure that this major life event (e.g., birth of a child, children are grown) won't leave you underinsured or overinsured.

You don't necessarily have to pay a commission
One of the reasons for higher premiums is that most life insurance policies pay commissions to the agent/broker. However, you may be able to purchase a no-load policy through an insurer that sells no-load policies directly to consumers.

You may be paying more for monthly premium payments
You may not realize it, but you may be paying more for your life insurance if you pay your premium in monthly installments. Many insurance companies charge extra fees if you make monthly premium payments instead of paying the annual premium.

Don't rely solely on the life insurance offered by your employer
Many employers offer their employees some sort of group life insurance. But this amount of coverage is usually not enough to adequately meet your life insurance needs. In addition, group life insurance policies are not portable, meaning that if you leave your job, you can't take your life insurance coverage with you.

Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth
If you're thinking about lying on your insurance application, think again. If your insurance company finds out that you lied about a health-related condition or your lifestyle (e.g., smoking habit), they may be able to terminate your coverage.

Buying more is sometimes cheaper
Life insurance usually costs less per thousand dollars once you get into higher coverage amounts (e.g., $250,000). If the numbers work out, you may be able to pay a lower premium while increasing your coverage.

Please note that this description/explanation is intended only as a guideline.

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Learn about Option Trading

What is Stock Option?


A stock option is a contract that gives the buyer of the contract the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a security at a certain price (i.e. strike price) on or before a certain date (i.e. expiration date).

After this expiration date, the option would cease to exist. In the US market, stock options expire on the third Friday of each expiration month. If that Friday is a holiday, then the options expire on Thursday.

Note:
Stock option here does not refer to the Employee Stock Option, but to exchange-traded option.
Here are the differences between Employee Stock Option and exchange-traded option.

Employee Stock Option:
Issued & granted by a company to an employee, generally to reward the employee’s contribution & loyalty.
Long term expiration period (like 5 to 10 years) so as to cultivate loyalty among the employees.
Not transferable (Cannot be sold or traded to a third party).

Exchange-traded Stock Option:
Not issued by the company itself, but by OCC (Options Clearing Corporation).
Shorter expiration, usually only a few months (except for LEAPS). LEAPS (Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities) is an option contract with a very long expiration period (9 months or more).
Can be traded (bought or sold) at any time before expiration. For more information click this link

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Paris Hilton vows to prove jail has changed her

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton has vowed to prove critics wrong and show she is a changed person after serving three weeks in jail for violating probation in a drunken-driving case.
"I'm a good person. I'm a compassionate person. I have a big heart. I'm sincere, and they'll see," Hilton told People magazine in her first comments since being released on Tuesday from a Los Angeles jail.
Hilton also spoke about why she was briefly released to home detention after just three days in jail -- a move swiftly overruled by a judge after a public uproar over whether she was given special treatment.
"I was basically in the fetal position, basically in hysterics ... and having severe anxiety and panic attacks," said the 26-year-old multimillionaire in excerpts of the People interview released on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca raised the issue of suicide -- although stopped short of saying Hilton had been in danger of harming herself -- when he explained to the county Board of Supervisors why he had placed Hilton under house detention.
Hilton, who spoke to People at her grandfather's Bel Air mansion after her blonde hair extensions had been replaced, said that she spent time in jail reading the Bible and praying to God for strength.
"There was a nun who works at the jail for all the ladies, and she would come every day and we would pray," said Hilton.
"All of the inmates were very supportive. There were girls next to me," she said. "We could talk through the vents and they were just really sweet."
During her first week in jail Hilton called television journalist Barbara Walters and pledged to change her party-going ways and give new meaning to her life by pursuing charity work, saying God has given her a new chance. The incarceration of the young socialite and actress, who lampooned her own persona as a clueless child of privilege on the reality TV show "The Simple Life," ignited a worldwide media frenzy and debate about celebrity justice.
The saga hit a crescendo when Hilton was placed briefly under house detention, sparking an uproar over what many saw as preferential treatment. A Los Angeles Times analysis, however, found her sentence far exceeded those served by most inmates for similar offences.
Hilton is also due to appear on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday night, but -- wary of growing reader fatigue with the socialite -- People magazine's rival US Weekly has vowed to keep its next edition completely free of any Hilton stories.

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Mine kills NATO soldier in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan - A land mine explosion killed a NATO soldier and wounded four more Thursday in eastern Afghanistan, where fighting between U.S.-led troops and suspected Taliban left seven militants dead, officials said.

Violence is surging in Afghanistan as both militants and foreign troops step up their struggle over the fate of Afghanistan's five-year-old pro-Western government.
NATO said two of the soldiers hit in the mine blast were taken to a hospital, where one of them died. Three others were treated at the scene for minor injuries, an alliance statement said.
The nationality of the troops was not released, though most of the NATO soldiers in the east are American.

Troops from the U.S.-led coalition and the Afghan army, meanwhile, launched an operation against "an important group of enemies" in Paktika province late Wednesday, said Mohammad Ekram Akhpelwak, the province's governor.
Seven suspected militants were killed and seven others were detained and held for questioning, Akhpelwak said, without identifying the men further.
Coalition officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
The latest NATO casualty came a day after three Canadian troops died when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle in Kandahar province.
Violence this year has left over 2,400 people — mostly militants — dead, according to an Associated Press tally of figures from Western military and Afghan officials.
Lt. Col. Maria Carl, spokeswoman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, said Wednesday that Afghanistan was in the midst of the so-called fighting season," but insisted that a spate of suicide bombings and other attacks were "militarily insignificant."

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Effect of Divorce on Children

Fear of abandonment as a mediator of the relations between divorce stressors and mother-child relationship quality and children's adjustment problemsJournal of Abnormal Child Psychology, August, 2002 by Sharlene A. Wolchik, Jenn-Yun Tein, Irwin N. Sandler, Kathryn W. DoyleAlthough the negative effects of parental divorce on adjustment problems have been extensively documented, the processes through which divorce leads to these outcomes have not been well articulated. A considerable body of literature has identified both social--environmental and intrapersonal factors that affect the development of adjustment problems in children following parental divorce. However, studies have not examined pathways to the development of these adjustment problems that involve the joint influence of social--environmental and intrapersonal factors. Identification of such pathways has clear implications for theories of the etiology of adjustment problems for children following parental divorce and should provide guidance for the design of effective prevention and treatment programs. Given that over 1 million children in the United States experience parental divorce each year (Cherlin, 1992), the public health implications of such programs are significant.This study uses a prospective longitudinal design to examine the plausibility of a model in which children's fear that they will not be cared for (i.e., fear of abandonment) mediates the relations between two empirically supported correlates of children's postdivorce adjustment problems: mother-child relationship quality and divorce stressors. First, the research on children's postdivorce adjustment problems is discussed. Next, the literature on the relations between divorce stressors, as well as mother-child relationship quality, and postdivorce adjustment problems is briefly reviewed, and the limited empirical work on fear of abandonment is discussed. Finally, plausible linkages between divorce stressors, mother-child relationship quality, fear of abandonment, and children's postdivorce adjustment problems are articulated and theoretical support for a mediational model is provided.AdvertisementPotential adjustment and social adaptation problems of children who have experienced parental divorce include increased levels of aggression, depression, and anxiety; poor academic performance; school drop-out; peer relationship problems; drug and alcohol use; early sexual behavior; and adolescent pregnancy (e.g., Amato & Keith, 1991a; Hetherington et al., 1992). Although for some children the effects of this transition in family structure are mild and short lived, for other children, divorce leads to clinically significant and lasting adjustment problems during childhood and adolescence (see Amato & Keith, 1991a). Further, several longitudinal studies have shown elevated rates of mental health problems in adults who experienced parental divorce as children (e.g., Chase-Landale, Cherlin, &amp; Kiernan, 1995; Rodgers, Power, & Hope, 1997; Ross & Mirowsky, 1999). For example, in a prospective study, Rodgers et al. found the odds ratio of being above the clinical level on mental health problems for parental divorce to be 1.70 at age 23 and 1.85 at age 33.The research focused on predictors of variation in children's postdivorce adjustment problems has consistently found that two social--environmental factors, divorce stressors and custodial parent--child relationship quality, are significantly associated with postdivorce adjustment problems. It is well documented that divorce often involves a wide array of disruptions or stressors, including increased fights between parents, exposure to parental distress, changes in residence and schools, involvement with parents' new partners, and loss of time with one or both parents, as well as extended family members (e.g., Sandler, Wolchik, Braver, & Fogas, 1986). There is considerable evidence indicating a significant relation between divorce stressors and children's postdivorce adjustment problems (e.g., Sandler, Wolchik, Braver, & Fogas, 1991; Stolberg & Anker, 1983; Wolchik, Wilcox, Tein, & Sandler, 2000). It also is well documented that changes in parenting, such as decreased warmth and affection, poorer communication, and erratic discipline, commonly occur after divorce (e.g., Hetherington, Cox, &amp; Cox, 1982; Peterson & Zill, 1986; Simons et al., 1996). Researchers have consistently documented that high levels of warmth and affection in the custodial mother-child relationship are negatively related to postdivorce adjustment problems (e.g., Hetherington et al., 1992; Simons, Lin, Gordon, Conger, & Lorenz, 1999; Wolchik et al., 2000). Further, several researchers have shown that divorce stressors and mother--child relationship quality interact to affect children's postdivorce adjustment problems, such that the relation between divorce stressors and adjustment problems is mitigated at high levels of warmth and affection (e.g., Camara & Resnick, 1987; Wolchik et al., 2000).The current study tests whether the effects of both of these social--environmental factors can be accounted for through a common mediating pathway, their joint effect on an intrapersonal factor, children's fear of being abandoned. From a motivational theory of stress and coping (Skinner & Wellborn, 1994, 1997), stressors affect children's adjustment problems because they threaten one or more of three basic needs: relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Sandler (2001) proposed that the effects of both stressors and protective resources work through their effects on children's perceptions of satisfaction of these basic needs. He proposed that stressors lead to higher adjustment problems by threatening basic need satisfaction, whereas protective resources reduce adjustment problems either by directly promoting need satisfaction or by decreasing the negative effects of stressors on need satisfaction. This paper proposes that postdivorce stressors particularly threaten one basic need, children's need to be part of a caring and stable social group (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and that the protective resource of a high quality relationship with the primary residential parent reduces this threat.Several researchers have suggested that divorce threatens children's need to be part of a caring social group. For example, Kurdek and Berg (1987) note that children whose parents divorce may believe that they will lose contact with their residential, as well as nonresidential, parent. Similarly, Gardner (1976) observes that children who experience the departure of one parent from the home wonder what is to prevent the remaining parent from also leaving. Wallerstein (1985) notes that divorce can cause a pervasive sense of vulnerability for children as the protective, nurturing aspects of the family diminish. She also observes that children often experience fears of being lost in the shuffle and have concerns that their needs will be disregarded because their parents are so focused on their own needs.Of the multiple theoretical perspectives that focus on central social relationships, the two most relevant to the current study are need for relatedness (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and attachment (e.g., Bowlby, 1973, 1980). Although these theories differ in many respects, they converge in predicting that fear of being abandoned by one's primary caregivers leads to adjustment problems, and thus provide support for the importance of the model that is being tested. As articulated by Baumeister and Leary (1995), need for relatedness includes both a need for frequent personal contact that is primarily affectively positive and free from negative affect and a sense that an interpersonal bond characterized by affective concern will endure over time. From an attachment perspective, the hallmark of secure attachment involves open and relaxed communication between the parent and child and the perceived availability of and reliance on the attachment figure when distressed (Bowlby, 1969/1982). Increasing evidence suggests that humans have a need for a sense of felt security in their relationships with parents, peers, and intimate partners and that these relationships have significant influence on a variety of developmental and behavioral outcomes (see Bowlby, 1980; Bretherton & Munholland, 1999; Dozier, Stevenson, Lee, & Velligan, 1991). For example, Baumeister and Leary (1995) review evidence that individuals who lack a sense of belongingness experience higher levels of mental and physical illnesses, such as depression, somatic problems, and decreased immunocompetence. Further, researchers have demonstrated that insecure attachment serves as a risk factor for maladjustment in the context of risk factors from multiple domains, such as family stress and low child IQ (e.g., Greenberg, 1999).It is important to note that the current study is not a test of either of these theoretical perspectives. Neither internal working models of attachment nor need for relatedness is assessed. Rather, children's fear of being abandoned, which is likely related to both attachment and need for relatedness, is examined. The limited empirical work on fear of abandonment has defined this construct as including worries about the stability of children's relationships with their parents, as well as continuity of living arrangements. Kurdek and Berg (1987) examined relations between several divorce-related beliefs (peer ridicule and avoidance, maternal blame, paternal blame, self-blame, hope for reunification, fear of abandonment) and mother, teacher, and child reports of adjustment problems. Only fear of abandonment was significantly related to children's reports of anxiety in their sample of White, middle class children. Using an inner-city, predominantly ethnic minority sample, Wolchik, Ramirez, Sandler, Fisher, Organ ista, and Brown (1993) examined the relations between children's postdivorce adjustment problems and fear of abandonment, paternal blame, maternal blame, and hope for reconciliation. Significant relations were found only for fear of abandonment, with higher scores being significantly related to both mother and child reports of children's adjustment problems.At a theoretical level, it is plausible that the relations between divorce stressors and adjustment problems, as well as between mother-child relationship quality and adjustment problems, are mediated by fear of abandonment. As noted earlier, divorce often sets in motion a multitude of stressors and changes in the mother-child relationship. The experience of stressors that disrupt children's social connections to their primary residential or nonresidential parent, involve conflict between their parents, or indicate vulnerability of their parents is likely to create concerns about the ability or willingness of their family to continue to care for them. On the other hand, the interactions that occur in a high quality relationship between the child and the residential parent provide evidence that the child will be cared for and may either directly reduce concerns about being abandoned or mitigate the effects of divorce stressors on fear of abandonment.The current study tests the plausibility of a model in which the relations between children's adjustment problems and both divorce stressors and mother-child relationship quality are accounted for by a common intrapersonal factor, children's fear that they will be abandoned. In this model, divorce stressors and mother-child relationship quality relate to fear of abandonment and fear of abandonment relates to adjustment problems. Further, the relations between divorce stressors and mother-child relationship quality and adjustment problems are mediated through fear of abandonment. Given empirical and theoretical work on the stress-mitigating effects of high quality mother-child relationships in divorced families (e.g., Camara & Resnick, 1987; Sandler, 2001; Wolchik et al., 2000), the model also tests whether divorce stressors and mother-child relationship quality interact to predict fear of abandonment. It was predicted that the relation between divorce stressors and fear of abandonment will be weaker for child ren with high mother-child relationship quality than that for children with low mother-child relationship quality.Two methodological aspects of the current study are noteworthy. First, the study utilizes a prospective longitudinal design in which Time 1 divorce stressors, mother-child relationship quality, and fear of abandonment predict Time 2 adjustment problems, controlling for Time 1 adjustment problems. Because prospective longitudinal data satisfy the condition of time precedence, they are particularly useful in testing the plausibility of causal directionality between variables. Second, to reduce concerns that observed relations might be due to shared method variance across the measures or self-report negativity bias and to allow the examination of the robustness of the findings across models, mother as well as child reports of mother-child relationship quality and children's adjustment problems were used.METHODParticipantsThe sample consists of 216 children who experienced parental divorce within the previous 2 years and their primary residential mothers. These families were participants in the Divorce Adjustment Project (Sandler, Tein, & West, 1994), a longitudinal study of children's postdivorce psychological adjustment. The primary goal of this study was to identify short-term longitudinal correlates of postdivorce adjustment problems that could be used to guide the development of prevention programs for children who lived primarily with their mothers, the residential arrangement that characterizes 80% of divorced families (U.S. Bureau of Census, 1998). Thus, neither primary residential fathers nor noncustodial fathers were interviewed. The time period of 2 years was used given that restabilization of the family usually occurs 2-3 years after divorce (Hetherington, 1999). Only families who participated in both Time 1 and Time 2 assessments, which occurred 5.5 months apart, were included. The 5-month time interval was used b ecause it was long enough to allow for change in mental health problems and short enough to detect the prospective effects of stress and adaptation processes that occur at Time 1 (see Sandler et al., 1994; Sheets, Sandler, & West, 1996, for other examples of prospective longitudinal effects across this time period).Court records were used to identify potential participants. A random sample of 1,236 families with children was identified from the countywide records of divorces granted in the last 2 years. Participation in the study was solicited by an initial mailing and a follow-up phone call. Forty-nine percent of selected families were reached by phone, and of these, 73% met the following eligibility criteria: the family contained a child between the ages of 8 and 12; the mother had not remarried and did not have a live-in partner; the child resided with her/his mother at least half the time; mother and child were fluent in English; the family lived in and expected to remain in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area for the study period; and child's residential status (i.e., primary residence with mother) was expected to remain stable over the study period. The primary reasons for ineligibility were that the mother had remarried (44%), the family had moved outside of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area (44%), and the child lived with the mother less than half of the time (9%). In families where there was more than one child in the targeted age range, one child was randomly selected to ensure independence of response.Fifty-eight percent (n = 256) of the families who were eligible and invited to participate in the study participated in the Time 1 assessment. Children interviewed at Time 1 averaged 9.59 years of age (SD = 1.19); 44% were female. Eighty-six percent of the children had at least one sibling living with them. The majority of the mothers were Caucasian/non-Hispanic (87%); 9% were Hispanic, 2% were Black, and 3% were of another racial or ethnic background. Mothers averaged 35.3 years of age (SD = 5.5). Twenty-four percent of the mothers had completed college or attended graduate programs; 40% had taken some college courses or completed technical school; 28% had completed high school; and 8% had less than a high school education. Mother's average yearly income fell in the range of $20,001-$25,000. The average time since physical separation was 26.6 months (SD = 13.3); the average time since divorce was 13.4 months (SD = 6.5). In 63% of the families, the mothers had sole legal custody; the rest had joint legal cust ody. Mothers reported that 40% of the children typically had unrestricted contact with their fathers, 26% saw their fathers on a regular basis, 27% saw their father only occasionally, and 7% had no contact with their fathers at all.AdvertisementEighty-four percent (n = 216) of the families who completed the Time 1 assessment also completed the Time 2 assessment. The reasons that families attritted or were attritted from Time 2 assessment were (a) referral for treatment by project staff due to children scoring above the clinical cutoff on the Child Depression Inventory (Kovacs, 1981) or reporting current suicidal ideation (n = 19), (b) moving out of the Phoenix metropolitan area (n = 5), (c) becoming ineligible (n = 1), or (d) refusing to participate at Time 2 (n = 15). Demographic data, which were collected at Time 1, for those families who participated in both assessments are as follows: These children averaged 9.64 years of age at the first assessment (SD = 1.20); 44% were female. The majority of the mothers were Caucasian/non-Hispanic (86%); 9% were Hispanic, 2% were Black, and 3% were of another racial or ethnic background. Mothers averaged 35.5 years of age at the first assessment (SD = 5.7); 25% of them had completed college or attended gradua te programs; 39% had taken some college courses or completed technical school; 27% had completed high school; and 9% had less than a high school education. Mother's average yearly income fell in the range of $20,001-$25,000. The average time since physical separation was 26.3 months (SD = 13); the average time since divorce was 13.3 months (SD = 6.5). In 63% of the families, the mothers had sole legal custody; the rest had joint legal custody. Mothers reported that 41% of the children typically had unrestricted contact with their fathers, 26% saw their fathers on a regular basis, 26% saw their father only occasionally, and 6% had no contact with their fathers at all.Attrition analyses were conducted on the Time 1 variables to compare families who completed the Time 2 assessment to those families who did not. Chi-square analyses were applied to test the categorical variables and t statistics were applied to test the continuous variables. Mothers from families who completed the Time 1 assessment but did not complete the Time 2 assessment were older (M = 35.54) than those who completed the Time 2 assessment (M = 33.80, t = 2.10, p < .05). Also, children from families who did not complete the Time 2 assessment reported higher fear of abandonment (M = 0.93), more divorce stressors (M = 4.55), and higher depression scores (M = 12.37) than children who completed the Time 2 assessment (M = 0.47, t = 2.76, p < .01; M = 3.12, t = 3.00, p < .01; and M = 6.22, t = 3.60, p < .01, respectively).ProcedureMothers and children were interviewed separately by trained interviewers. After confidentiality was explained, mothers signed informed consent forms and children signed assent forms indicating their willingness to participate. Families received $50 compensation for each assessment.PredictorsFear of Abandonment. Children completed the 6-item Fear of Abandonment subscale of the Children's Beliefs about Parental Divorce Scale (Kurdek & Berg, 1987). This subscale assesses concerns about the stability of relationships with parents and continuity of living arrangements. Responses are dichotomous (true; false). Kurdek and Berg obtained a 9-week stability coefficient of .52 for this subscale. Given the dichotomous response format and highly skewed responses, confirmatory analysis with MPlus (Muthen & Muthen, 1998) rather than Cronbach alpha was used to test the factor structure. A key feature of MPlus is its ability to model factor structure with response variables that are binary, nonnormally distributed, or both. The analysis showed that a 4-item measure fit the data, [chi square](df = 2) = 3.41, ns, better than the 6-item measure, [chi square](df = 9) = 28.52, p < .001. These results are consistent with the results of Kurdek and Berg's factor analysis that indicated that the two items included in the 6-item but not the 4-item scale had much lower factor loadings than the other items. The following four items were used: I worry that my parents will want to live without me; It's possible that my parents will never want to see me again; I worry that I will be left all alone; I think that one day I may have to live with a friend or relative. Reliability was assessed using a confirmatory factor analytic approach that incorporates both latent theoretical constructs and measured variables into a single structural equation model (Bollen, 1989; Hayduk, 1987). The average reliability (squared correlation of the observed variable and its latent variable) was .53. Thirty-three percent of the children endorsed one or more of the items (22% endorsed one item, 8% endorsed two items, 2% endorsed three items, and 1% endorsed four items).Divorce Stressors. Children reported on the number of negative divorce events that occurred within the last 3 months on the Divorce Events Schedule for Children (DESC; Sandler et al., 1986), a "tailor-made" life events scale designed to assess a representative sample of stressors that children may experience after divorce. Child report was used because children are the best reporter of their awareness of the occurrence of negative events, and theoretically, awareness of stressful events is necessary for primary appraisals of threat, which leads to stress arousal (e.g., Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). For this scale, stressors were defined as events that typically occur to a child or in a child's environment following parental divorce and would generally be perceived as negative by the child. Knowledgeable key informants (i.e., parents and children who had experienced divorce, mental health professionals, and lawyers who worked with divorced families) identified over 200 events that they believed had an important im pact on children after divorce. The research team used these events to develop nonoverlapping events that did not involve a symptom of a psychological disorder or physical problem and were primarily beyond the child's control. This process yielded 62 events (see Sandler et al., 1986, for additional information on scale development). In a separate sample of children who had experienced parental divorce, children rated whether each event occurred within the past 3 months and whether the event was positive, neutral, or negative. To minimize possible contamination of participants' adjustment and their assessment of the valence of events (e.g., Monroe, 1982), scores were derived using consensually based classification (Sandler et al., 1991; i.e., events were classified as consensually negative or positive if 80% or more of the children in the scale development sample who had experienced the event rated it in that direction). Sixteen of the 62 events were consensually classified as negative; the number of negative events that occurred is the divorce stressors score. Similar to other life events scales, the events are heterogenous in content. Examples of negative events are "Relatives said bad things about mom/dad"; "Dad missed scheduled visits"; "Mom and dad argued in front of me"; "Parents physically hit/hurt each other"; "I had to give up pets/toys/things I like." The divorce stressor score correlates with internalizing and externalizing problems in cross-sectional and short-term longitudinal studies (Sandler et al., 1986, 1991). Two week test-retest reliability has been shown to be adequate (r = .85; Sandler, Wolchik, & Braver, 1988).

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Britney Spears Biodata

Birth name : Britney Jean
Spears Born : December 2, 1981 (1981-12-02) (age 25)
Origin : Kentwood, Louisiana, United States
Genre(s) : Pop, dance
Years active : 1996 — present
Website : BritneySpears.com

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American pop singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and author. She is best known for her studio albums, music videos, and songs such as "...Baby One More Time", "Oops!...I Did It Again", "I'm a Slave 4 U" and the Grammy Award-winning "Toxic"[1]. In the early 2000s, Spears's success as a singer led her way to high-profile advertising deals and endorsements, as well as forays into other forms of media, including film and reality television. Her third and fourth albums, Britney and In the Zone, were released during this era. In 2004, she married back-up dancer and aspiring rap artist Kevin Federline, and the following year she gave birth to their first son, Sean Preston. Their second son, Jayden James, was born in 2006. Spears filed for divorce from Federline on November 7, 2006 citing irreconcilable differences.[2] Spears has sold over 76 million albums worldwide according to TIME magazine.[3] The RIAA ranks Spears as the eighth best-selling female artist in American music history, having sold 31 million albums in the U.S.[4]
( courtesy of www.wikipedia.com )

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