You might know the song Would you be happier by the Corrs. In this article I take apart some of the lyrics and throw some fresh light on them to encourage you. I pray that you will be as blessed when you read it as I was blessed to write it.

Before I take the CORRS song apart and add my perspective let me share with you a verse, that if you are a practicing Christian and fully understand it, then a lot of your worry should cease. Mediate on it as we discuss this song.

Romans 8:28 (New International Version)

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Okay let us begin

Have you ever wonder where the story ends, and how it all began, I do (I do, I do, I do, I do)

Have you ever been so caught up in life that you forgot much of your past? Have you had a past that had a little bit or a lot of pain in it and today you cannot remember what really went on in those days of your youth. I was in a prayer ministry counselling session the other day and I really needed the Holy Spirit to prompt my memories as I had blocked them out.

How did your life begin? What are the hurts in your life? Have you any idea how the story is going to end. You know the above scripture promises you as a child of God that God will work everything that has ever happened in your life out for good if you continue in his ways and His plans.

Did you ever dream you were the movie star with popcorn in your hand, I did (I did, I did, I did)

I don’t know if you go to the movies as much as me but I am a guy that likes to escape life in the picture theatre living the life of the onscreen actors. I often put myself in the shoes of one of the characters as I drink a super size coke. I don’t eat popcorn as it gets stuck in my teeth.

You now we all like to escape and look at bad news on the TV and read it in Newspapers as it allows us to escape. Personally I don’t really watch the news very often but I like to escape with my favourite television dramas. If only we could be the movies star everything would be fine.

Do you ever think you’re someone else inside, when no one understands you are (you are)

I used to catch myself thinking if people only knew who I was and what I am really like then they would really like me and be my friend. My life has been a life with not many friends and my life is ina process of healing and soon with God’s help that will all change. Writing articles makes me happy to communicate with a lot of people.

Why is it that we hide our true self from people?

What are we afraid of?

What are we hiding from?

And want to disappear inside a dream but never want to wake, wake uuuuuup

When life sucks all the energy all out of you sometimes you wish you could really go to sleep and wake up in heaven. To those of you that are not Christians I am not sure what you might wake up to or where you think your are going when you die, but no matter what your belief sometimes it would be so good just to go to sleep, go into a dream and go to another world where pain and struggle and life’s difficulties were simply not there.

Then you stumble on tomorrow, and trip over today

But we go to sleep and wake up and its tomorrow and we stumble again in that day.

Jesus Christ brought Life to earth, but so few people abide in Jesus Christ. So many people are part of his body of believers but so few have the peace of His living within them and the cares of the world are nothing and life is simple.

Life seems never to be simple, but when we know that every bad thing we have done, every time we stumble every time we trip over in sin we can be forgiven and God can make some good of it life takes on another meaning. When a 20 year addiction to sex can be forgiven and the yoke of bondage to that way of life can be cut of my life and I can testify to a pure life, it makes a good story to encourage other brothers and sisters. Suddenly all my desperation can bear fruit as it gives hope to others that they too can overcome temptations and besetting sins.

This is a very encouraging verse

1 John 1:9 (New International Version) 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. All means ALL Sin we can be cleansed from and set free from.

(Chorus) Would you be happier if you were someone together Many of us are living broken lives that have been broken by abusive parents or partners or something that has set us on a bad course. So many of us are like Humpty dumpties that all the kings horses and men could not put back together.

But wouldn’t life be easier if you were someone that had it all together?

Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part.

These are the eternal questions. If we had a better husband or a better wife, a better house a better car or a better church would life be easier. If we had more meaning in life would the sun shine brighter every morning?

Some people that have it all together don’t seem to know sadness and depression.

I was comforted one day when in Proverbs it said, “with much wisdom comes much sorrow.” I understand this sorrow when I look at the state of this world and the state of the church playing God and not saving the lost.

Would you be wonderful if it wasn’t for the weather

Peoples moods can be so effected by the weather. I live in Australia and don’t live over near the UK where they get heaps of rain, so I am happy about that.

Would you be happier if every day was sunny with a light rain in the evening to keep the plants happy but when you were safe at home out of the weather?

God is the maker of the Good times and He allows the bad times. We have to be able to praise Him in both.

You’re gonna be just fine (gonna be just fine)

Here is a terrific few verses that says the same thing to a person that wants to follow the Lord with their whole heart and come out of bondage to sin and its lies.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (New International Version) New International Version (NIV) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. If you seek God and seek His help and walk according to His ways life will work out fine.

Are you not afraid to tell your story now, when everyone is done it’s too late (too late, too late)

In life we have to put up our hand. In life we have to go for it and go for the prize. When everyone has left the building it’s not time to get up and share your story. It’s time if you have a wound you can’t fix to seek out good prayer counsellors and tell your story of pain and let God heal you.

Was everything you’ve ever said or done not the way you planned, mistaaaake

It’s terrible when life does not go to plan. We can’t all be rich with the best homes, the best partners and perfect children. Something has to go wrong and we can be sure God will be there when things have not Gone to plan. But we can be sure of this.

Romans 8:28 (New International Version)

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

So you promised that tomorrow, be different than today.

If thing have not gone right up till today, it’s time to make plans to change that. It has taken me nine months to go back to my third session of counselling. Session one and two were good but I got a little scared. So I took some time out and God continued to do work on me and now I back in counselling and one of my pastors prophesied that this time God was going to clean me right out and heal me thoroughly.

So I am going to stick t the counselling with these to Holy Spirit led prayer counsellors and let God do His work in me. I have promised that my tomorrow will be different to my today. How about you?

(Chorus) Would you be happier if you were someone together Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part Would you be wonderful if it wasn’t for the weather You’re gonna be just fine I think you’re gonna be just fine You’re gonna be just fine So don’t worry baby

You’re racing for tomorrow, not finished with today.

We don’t deal with today. We don’t deal with yesterday. We live in the hurts of the past and take them into the confusion of tomorrow. We are all in this mad paced society rushing for more of the world, more money, more things, more fun. But you not living in the today. No living in the moment. We have to deal with yesterday and its hurts so we can settle down and live fully in the moment.

Would you be happier if you were someone together Would the sun shine brighter if you played a bigger part Would you be wonderful if it wasn’t for the weather I think you’re gonna be just fine

Would we be happier if we were someone together Would the sun shine brighter if we played a bigger part Would we be wonderful if it wasn’t for the weather I think we’re gonna be just fine I think you’re gonna be just fine

Don’t worry baby Gonna be just fine Don’t worry honey Gonna be just fine Don’t worry baby Gonna be just fiiiiine

I pray that this has shed some light on a song that I love by the CORRS. Things will be fine. Trust in God and hold His hand and things will get better. Follow Him and take His counsel from good pastors and come and live a life that is more fulfilling.

Let me pray for you.

Father

I feel in no co-incidence that this reader clicked on this article and came through and read the article down to this point. I pray that you anoint this message and let it give direction and that you would give your peace to this person right now. Let them breathe in and feel you overflowing grace and peace and give them a reason to make a change and move forward to healing and better life. Lead them in your ways everlasting and if they do not know You give them the courage to approach a Christian and ask how they can come to know You. I pray that they might read more articles that I have written and the your Holy Spirit might led them day by day from this pint on. I ask all this with my mustard seed of faith knowing that in Jesus name you will answer my request according to my faith. I thank you therefore for answering my prayer for this person.

Amen

PS Things are going to be fine!

Verse 11

Atma is all pervading therefore IT has no form or shape, therefore no conditionings… no parts, no organs, no differences (bhedam). That indescribable Atman exists in each and every appearing thing.

IT is the substratum of all… booma, refers to is ‘biggest’ but there is no comparable. That atma is Happiness, everything else that we seem to enjoy through senses is but pleasure and joy, a fraction or a glimpse of that Happiness.

That atma is in all, like thread in a beaded chain, holding all beads together, atma is the substratum of all appearances.

Due to many conditionings, One appears as many like the water in coke, pepsi, wine, beer, tomato juice etc, with additions and deletions. say he’s Christian, she’s hindu, muslim, he’s educated, male, female, poor, rich, doctor, engineer, single, married. These are the labels of the body.

All these differences are due to the conditioning, thoughts in our mind… These are words with no real existence. Atman is completely veiled by these impurities. These are the dirt that needs to be removed in their entirety for the true Self to shine forth. The example is the famous snake & rope as mentin verse seven.

The Truth, brahman is vibhuhu, is all pervading, everywhere, like space, without any shape, form or color. Everything appears due to maya (illusion), this illusion has the veiling power & projection power.

Verses 12-13-14 are very critical, with logical explanation. All verses have examples that are easily understood.

Only when we know what’s not true, we can eliminate them. Therefore these 3 verses describe what needs to be eliminated.

Brahman has no limitations like the space. In order to describe space, we need to know and eliminate what’s not space, so also, the process of negation is to be applied to realize Brahman. (Sathyam jnanam anantham brahma is only a point, not defining anything specific then IT becomes limited.) Therefore neti, its neti, process of negation is the only way to realize Brahman.

Verse 12

Man is not just physical body, mind too. Every being has three bodies.

Stula sariram – Gross body, visible, tangible, limited

Sukshma sariram – subtle body,

Karana sariram – causal body

Everything is made of five elements but the sense, ‘I am’ is not in all, except the human body. (stula sariram).

Everything in the universe is a mixture of five elements whether it is water or mud. Only human body has ‘I am’. Why?

What’s the difference? Pancheekritam… each body is made of five elements, created based on his karma phala, consequences of one’s past actions. It’s a combination of Space, Air, Fire, Water & Earth. (Yatha karma, yatha srutham).

Karma sanchitham… based on our karma and the combination of five elements together, we get the appropriate body to experience the good, bad. Actions, karma here means thought, word and deed. All beings whether plants, insects, animals or humans are all based on our own karma.

Body is a house to experience the results of our actions. Like if we need a heat or cold, we need go to a room where the heater or a/c is, we need to go where they are available! The experiencer is different from the room. Similarly atma takes a body, an appropriate place to experience the karma palan. (Boga ayathanam uchhate..to experience suka, dukka). This clearly means we’re different from the body, applies to all three bodies..

Scriptures say from Atman came space, from space came air, from air came fire, from fire came water, from water came earth.

A+pancheekritham, individually without combination, they’re called ‘tanmatras’. Like individual metal, not an alloy. They all appeared from atma… they mixed at a particular proportion and is called ‘panchikritham’, the grossification takes place in five definite scientific stages.

The process of Pancheekritam

There are individual elements

Each divide into two

Each one half divide into four and share the three of the second half, with three elements

Each half + four 1/8th bits, thus becomes the gross body.

This panchikritam and our prarabhda karma together form our physical bodies, also called ‘stula sarira’ to experience the results of our actions. (boga aayaathanam), body is a boga sathanam for atman, a place, a house.

Verse 13

Suksma sariram (subtle body) is behind stula sarira (tangible).

5+5+5+4 =19 items mixed, that means I am not IT (IT is undivided One, without a second)

Sukshma sarira, subtle body is an aggregate of the eight, namely,

(1) the five organs of action (karmendriyas),

(2) the five organs of perception (jnanendriyas),

(3) the five forms of prana, vital air

(4) the five subtle elements beginning with space

(5) the four divisions of the antahkaranam (manas, buddhi, chittam and ahamkara),

(6) avidya,

(7) desire, and

(8) the impressions of all actions,

is called the subtle body or sukshma sarira.

Karmendriyam ~ Five organs of actions refers to hands, feet, tongue(speech), reproductive, excretory organs.

Jnanendriyam ~ Five organs of perceptions/senses, ‘sabdha, sparsha, rupa, rasa, gandha’, senses to hear, touch, see, taste & smell.

Pancha Pranas PASUV (acronym) Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana

Prana- life force (controls & regulates sense organs)

Apana- Excretory (reject unwanted items, throwing up, diarrhoea)

Samana- Digestive – makes the food ready for absorption

Udana – Capacity to evolve (learning, burp)

Vyana – Circulatory (distribution of nutrition)

not this… not this… why? Because the body is a combination of something, that’s holding them together, they can break apart, then it’s not One, permanent existence! Therefore the Self is not the stula sarira!

Mind is happy, sad, in fear, in desire, fluctuation, which are nothing but vikarams, divisions and therefore mind is not the atman. Mind is also a boga sadanam, house of experience, without the mind we cannot experience anything. The one who uses this mind is different from the mind. Mind is nothing but a bunch of thoughts..Therefore Self is not Sukshma sarira.

Verse 14

What can be seen is stula deham. Deham(body), that which can go through dhahanam (burning). What’s subtler than the body is linga sariram, also referred as mononmaya kosa. Both these are kosas, coverings on atma, though atman cannot be objectified.

The causal body is the cause for these two bodies, is Avidya, ignorance, the reason for stula, sukshma sarira. What’s the cause of that ignorance? Assuming there’s a reason, what’s the cause of that, what’s the cause of that, what’s the cause of that, we can keep on going. (Its called ‘ana+vastha dosham’ goes on infinitely).

Acharya says, Ignorance, Avidhya, has no beginning… A+nadi..(Adi) always exists… cannot be described, if it’s described, it’s no longer an ignorance, it becomes knowledge!

The fact that the world is seen means the ignorance exists. When we see the snake on a rope, ignorance exists, the reality (rope) is not known. When we see the rope, which is the substratum of the snake, the snake is gone, ignorance is gone! Similarly when we see the universe, we are ignorant, the substratum is not seen. (Realized souls would say, I only see brahman, there’s no world, the world dissolves just like the dissolved snake..)

Ignorance/avidya cannot be defined but is present before knowledge and is gone after knowledge, so does it really exist? Ignorance neither exists nor ‘not exists’… therefore it is anirvatchya… cause. No one can see or define ignorance, the example acharya gives here is like the Sun, that can never see the darkness. Darkness is but the absence of light, similarly ignorance is the absence of true knowledge and is the cause of stula and sukshma sarira.

Atman is beyond the three bodies. ‘Sat’ means that which exists in all three realms, times, ‘Asat’ means does not exist, ‘Mithya’ – is an appearance, maya. Atman, Self is Sat. Know THAT!

A very subtle and important concept explained in scripture is when we talk about one individual and discuss it is Vyashti, when we take collective existence, its called Samashti.

This body is made of five elements (human), that body (say a squirrel) is made of five elements, so are the worms, reptiles, lions, birds and every being on this planet, all are same five elements, nothing different. All five elements are the same therefore the entire universe is a collective existence, that’s samashti drishti… (universal collective vision)

Jagat is another word for the universe..jagat. (gatchathi iti jagat, keeps on moving, changing), something that’s understandable only by five senses is the gross world, (stula prapancham). This individual gross body is a part of that gross existence. Ignorance is the cause of this gross body and the gross universe.

Similarly, the cause of sukshma sarira, sukshma prapancham individual mind (vyashti) cosmic mind (samashti) is ignorance, also referred as ‘Karanopadhi’.

Three upadhis, stula, sukshma, karana are conditionings. The Self, as a witness, substratum, observer, that which is not connected with anything, a witness, sakshi If beyond these three bodies. That’s why it’s ‘Sat’, ever existent, does not go when the stula goes, sukshma goes.

Verse 15

This verse describes each & every being as a bundle of..

Three Sariram ~ the Gross, subtle, causal

Pancha Kosam (Five layers)

Food sheath (annamaya),

Vital air sheath (pranamaya),

Mind sheath (manonmaya),

Intellect sheath (vijnanamaya),

Bliss sheath (anandhamaya)

Three Realm, plane, states… (jagrat, swapna, sushupti) waking, dream & deep sleep states.

Atman is Self, Sakshi, One without a second!

Ego, Jivan is when we associate with at least one of the five kosas. For ex:

“I’m sitting here”… associated with body, annamaya kosa, anatomical

“I’m restless”..associated with mind/vital air, mononmaya kosa, physiological

“My heart beats fast, I am hungry, thirsty” ~ pranamaya kosa, psychological

“I’m coming” decision is made, vijnanamaya kosa, intellectual

“I’m delighted, excited ” anadhamaya kosa, Bliss sheath

If Atman is everywhere, how can I say, I’m sitting here?

This association with the body is a bondage. Then the question arises to the seeker, ‘when there’s this bondage, how can you say it’s nithyamuktan, a realized person?’

Verse 15 replies, with an example. A clear crystal, (spatikam) when placed on a colored cloth, takes the color of that cloth on which it is..similarly atman appears to be different due to the association with these five layers (kosas).

Atma is everywhere, this body is limited in space. Because of the association of the atman with the limited body that atma seems to be limited.

This union between the atma and kosa is bondage, when the union breaks, bond breaks… It appears to be associated with the kosas due to ignorance… it can never take the qualities of any of those.. Atma is has no attachment, (asangoyam purushaha), this association is mithya tadhatmyam, an appearance.

Every human should be able to disconnect the atman from these five kosas, need the guidance, training, efforts, & paths (sadanas). Seekers who asks questions to clarify doubts are called ‘Poorvapakshi’.

Atma is everywhere but to identify or find IT, one has to go within. It’s not available outside..even though IT is everywhere!! IT is not associated with anything..

Verse 16

This verse describes the process of negation to realize the atman, Self. This is not atma, this is not atma… how to find IT? Methods described are through logic, discrimination (viveka), identify the real Self via panchkosas.

Discrimination here refers to the ability to differentiate between the permanent and impermanent, (Nithyam/Anithyam, atma/anathma) This is the first step in the path of enquiry. Examples given here are: Just like the rice is separated from husk, and onion is peeled to get to the core. Or If you have a diamond you wrap it in a tissue paper, in a wallet, inside a box, inside the safe..so also atma, the supreme is inside the kosas. The seeker needs to go beyond the visible personality layers.

Verse 17

When we say, ‘I’m so and so’, we associate ourselves with body, mind, intellect, panchakosam… when this association is there, we’re not aware of our True Self!

Why does the acharya describe these bodies when I’m none of these? Because what needs to be negated must be known first… (yukti is the only way..logical discrimination)… Isolate anatma from atma through logical analysis..(apara from para).

Atman is everywhere but reflects only in clear pure intellect (clear mirror) just like Sun’s brightness is everywhere but Sun’s reflection is only in a clean mirror, compared to a water in a pot, pond, lake or ocean. So also, Atman reflects only on a clear, pure intellect.

Verse 18

First line, atman is different from deham, indriyam, buddhi, prakriti, (body, mind, intellect and nature)

What’s atman? (3rd line in verse 18) Tat vritti sakshi… witness not associated with anything..

Because of IT’s presence alone, this body, senses, buddhi all function. They’re all matter, inert, keep on changing, could be objectified, modified (vikaraha).

Atma cannot be modified nir+vikaram, cannot be objectified, not a matter. Atman is sakshi, witness, seer but the matter is seen. The seer is different from the seen. The subject of experience is different from the object of experience. Atman is the illuminator, separate from the illumined objects.

When analyzed, Atman is the witness of good and bad, pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, the actions of physical body and mind are all aspects of our outer and inner subjective life. Atman stands aloof from the happenings of the outer cosmic and our inner worlds. Everything happens just by ITs presence, just like when the boss is in his office, all employees are focused on their responsibilities.

Verse 19

The atman is covered, veiled, not seen. The moon appears to be moving when in fact, the clouds are moving. So also, to a person who’s associated with body, mind and intellect, a+viveki) the Atman appears to be active, in every transaction. Aviveki is the one who’s unable to differentiate atman from anatman, permanent from impermanence.

For example A lamp reflects on a mirror and the reflected light is also bright but true light is only in the lamp.

The Knowledge that expresses out of body, mind and intellect is like the reflected brightness. The Atman is the source of everything, without IT, the entire universe will stop!

In transactional reality, we think the atma is seeing and hearing! ‘Vyapari iva’, appears to be interacting but when in reality IT is only a witness. Those who are unable to discriminate between the nithyam from anithyam..ever existent and temporal is referred here as a+ viveki, ignorant.

All the actions and movements are of the sense organs and the Self is the nourisher for all organs to manifest.

It’s like petrol, gas in your vehicle that manifests all organs to function. It has no specific destination to reach.

Similarly the Atman expresses itself through the body, mind and intellect, it’s a witness. Without this unbiased witness, detached observer, nothing would move in the entire cosmos. When you don’t know it, it’s far away and when you know it, it’s very close. It’s the witness of ignorance.

The moon seems to be moving because we look at it through a moving medium, our mind. The grounded trees will appear to be moving from a moving train, so also atman seems to be active, agitated, happy and sad when it’s all for the mind.

The question posed here is ‘how can we say only atma has Chaitanyam (Intelligence) and not the body and mind? leading to the next verse.

Verse 20

Everything functions, feels only because of the presence of this Atman. In IT’s absence there’s no feeling, sense of touch, including the existence of atoms & molecules. Who’s behind all these? Nothing can act without Atman.

Lets go deeper into jnanam, Knowledge. Knowledge is of two types.

Vritti jnanam (light waves)… I see a chair but the moment I see a fridge, the first seen dissipates. The second replaces the first. First is gone, maybe not immediately but eventually… we don’t remember everything that we see in a store or as we walk. Whatever appears will disappear, it’s definite.

The second is nithya jnanam, transcendental Knowledge, awareness, not aware of! This Knowledge, once achieved, is never lost.

All knowledge, jnanam is perishable except prajnanam, (prajnanam brahma). Everything is leaning on that atma jnanam, Prajnanam brahma, It is Sat, ever present, no birth or death, without an appearance or disappearance. IT’s presence alone activates all organs to function.

The entire universe appears, all the five elements are inert, Atma alone understands, recognizes, is aware of because of Atma Chaitanyam, just like the Sun is not involved in anything but its presence makes everything and being vibrant. The birds chirp, people move about, animals hunt, flowers bloom because of the presence of Sun so also the presence of Atman. Atman alone IS!

Caffeine is one of the most researched and studied drugs in history and is found in numerous drinks on the market today. However, just because caffeine is readily available, does that mean it’s good for you?

Why do we drink caffeine in the first place?

For most of us, it’s for the quick surge of energy it provides and for others they literally can’t seem to function without out. Caffeine provides that rush of adrenaline that we may otherwise be missing.

Although caffeine can heighten your performance by increasing alertness and speeding reaction time, it also has a few negative effects such as causing an increased heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety.

Do we really need it?

More than likely we wouldn’t need the artificial boost if we, as a culture, weren’t sleep deprived and over worked. If you allowed your body to sleep when needed and ate a healthy mix of foods throughout the day, then you would have the fuel required to carry you all day long. But for most of us, this just isn’t the case for one reason or another, so we turn to the quick fix.

Now, I’m not suggesting you cut your caffeine cold turkey. First, let’s examine how much caffeine per day you are consuming. This task might make you rethink the amount of stress you are placing on your adrenal glands and other bodily functions in order to compensate for the ingested caffeine – especially since 250mg of caffeine per day is considered the upper limit before incurring potential health risk factors.

Here is a list of the most popular caffeinated beverages

All bottled beverages are 12oz and coffee and tea are 8oz.

High (50mg+)

Starbucks Coffee (tall/grande) 279/372

Dunkin’ Donuts (medium) 143

Coffee (drip) 115-175

Rock Star Energy 160

Espresso (2oz) 77-100

Coffee (instant) 65-100

180 Energy 90

Red Bull 80

Amp 75

Jolt 71

Pepsi One 56

Mountain Dew 55

Moderate (25 – 50mg)

Diet Coke 47

Tab 47

Iced Tea 47

Black Tea 40-60

Dr. Pepper 41

Sunkist Orange 40

Pepsi 38

Coca-Cola Classic 34

Snapple Teas 32

Diet Pepsi 31

Instant tea 0

Low (less than 25mg)

Cream Soda 22

Green Tea 15

Hot Cocoa 14

Lipton Brisk 9

Decaf Coffee 2-18

Sprite 0

7-UP 0

Sierra Mist 0

Root Beer 0

SOURCES: National Soft Drink Association, US Food and Drug Administration, University of Florida College of Medicine

Hopefully this list gave you a better idea of how much caffeine you are consuming each day. Your best bet is to limit your caffeine intake to no more than 1 highly caffeinated beverage per day, preferably consumed in the morning. After that I recommend switching to green tea or another low rated caffeinated beverage if water will not suffice.

Good luck and remember that healthy lifestyle changes take time to become part of your routine. If you can begin to cut back on your unhealthy habits, you will soon start to feel the benefits of living naturally.

I’ll drink to that ; )

In a saturated and highly competitive market place, the importance of brands and branding to market share growth and product success cannot be over emphasized. Companies, countries, regions, towns and organizations who are able to grasp the principles of brand DNA are more likely to eclipse those who do not, in terms of delivering value to shareholder investments, or in the ability to attract inwards and foreign direct investments (IDIs and FDIs).

A brand refers to the tangible and intangible values of a product, service or place. On their own and in their generic forms; products, services, towns, regions and countries are similar to each other. In a blind test; a thirsty consumer may not be able to spot the difference between Pepsi and Coke, neither will a potential tourist be able to differentiate between the beaches of Maldives from those of Mallorca. Products therefore become like other products, just another need-fulfilling article. Any real differences may remain lost to consumers because brands mean nothing unless the brand values are consciously communicated to the consumers and target publics.

A brand’s DNA refers to its Distinctiveness, Novelty and Attributes, as compared to those of the competition. In this instance, countries like Nigeria must discover its unique national brand DNA and communicate the same to potential investors who may be attracted to South Africa as a potential investment country. Also, brands like BMW must communicate to consumers the superior differences in owning a luxury BMW car, as compared to a Toyota Lexus. Telecommunication firms such as T-Mobile, Vodafone, MTN and GLO must consistently find ways of identifying and decoding their brand DNA and communicating it to subscribers, such that their networks actually connects with them, and not be regarded as a mere mobile phone service provider.

Why is Brazilian football different from those of other football countries such as England and Germany? Because Brazilian football is free spirited, it possesses the samba element which connotes enjoyment and pleasure. A very distinctive characteristic which has become a promise to fans of Brazilian football all over the world. It is a basic expectation of the fans based on this unwritten promise that they will be entertained each time they watch a Brazilian football match anywhere in the world. Brazilian footballers try as much as possible to fulfil this promise, for this reason the likes of Ronaldinho and Robinho continue to mesmerize fans both off and on the pitch.

Italy is another example, its football is rooted in a distinctive style of defending and shielding the goalkeeper, a famous poster advertisement during Euro 1996 had an advertising copy saying “Italian goalkeeper, the safest job in the world”, a testimony to Italy’s distinctive style of defensive football.

A brand must be unique in its own way; it must have characteristics that make it stand apart from competitors, such that these characteristics become easily identifiable by the consumers. Marketers must then seek to discover or create their brand’s distinct characteristics and communicate them to consumers; also any brand promise made must be constantly fulfilled and matched by action, just like Brazilian footballers.

Other examples that readily come to mind are the superior engineering behind Mercedes vehicles, the comfort of Nike trainers, the prestige of an Oxford or Harvard education etc. These products and institutions have distinctive brand values which have also been communicated over the years to various stakeholders, thus helping to sustain the brands’ immortality in their respective sectors.

At the same time, brands must also constantly adapt to changing market conditions, brands are always playing catch-up to consumer tastes which are ever changing and any brand that does not heed the warning ‘innovate or die’ does so at its peril. Consumers’ tastes for new products and services, just like investors hunger for new investment opportunities and destinations are constantly on the rise, brands must constantly re-invent themselves, and be able to offer consumers something new. Such novelties must be specific and relevant to consumer needs. In the case of regions and counties, potential investors want to know of new government policies aimed t reducing bureaucracy, expanding opportunities and increasing capacity. Such new policies must be communicated to the people needing that information.

Apple has released several generations of the iPod since the release of the first generation in 2001; every new edition appears to have something new for the customers, who could also switch to rival brands with novel features. Sony made this mistake with its Walkman and Discman brands, and for a long time did not offer customers novelty until Apple launched the iPod. Now, Sony has re-launched the walkman in its mobile phone handsets, but the damage has already been done because Apple has cornered a better part of the market for portable music devices.

In addition to a brand’s distinction in terms of brand quality and superior performance, brand novelty refers to brand evolution through a process of research and development, the brand has to sum itself up in a brand charter and state what it is all about. The brand attributes therefore encompasses all the tangible and intangible aspects of the brand, which is also consciously and unconsciously communicated to customers and stakeholders.

Successful brand building achieved through brand distinctiveness and novelty may still be negatively affected if the customers and stakeholders receive conflicting signals about the brand’s attributes. The people element is key to enhancing positive brand attributes. Both superior and innovative brand offerings will fail in the face of poor customer service. If the service delivery chain is slow or poor and customer complaints are not responded to on time, the customers can take their custom to competitors.

Also, the brand identity should be clear and easily identifiable; this can be achieved through a combination of elements such as corporate communications, advertising, public relations, corporate social responsibility, events, word -of- mouth, designs, packaging, labelling, logos etc. The Nike swoosh and the Mercedes star symbols are prime examples of strong logos which have now aided the brand recognition of the Nike and Mercedes brands.

Other brand attributes will include the use of colours, for example the Brazilian national team’s famous yellow and blue jerseys, and the orange jerseys of the Holland national team. England surprisingly hasn’t been able to adopt and promote its national colours in a way that will be as distinct as those of Brazil and Holland. Its red and white combinations are not as distinct as would be expected for such a country with heavy football following and history of brand building. Nigeria has been outstanding in its green coloured jerseys although lately, due to dwindling football fortunes it hasn’t been able to sustain the earlier promises and also meet the expectations of the growing number of fans worldwide.

Every brand must be able to communicate its origins and history, as well as its culture, knowledge and awareness of the DNA of the brand, and successful communication of all related brand distinctions, novelty and attributes can help the brand live long, if not for ever.

What business axiom or management principle have you discovered to help you live better, work smarter, or to understand organizations in a way that is unique, funny or provides that rare but special “ah ha” moment?

An example of a well known business axiom is the famous “Peter Principle” (1) that states: “People rise to their level of incompetence.” Explaining how incompetent people can achieve executive and high level political positions without any management or leadership skills provides some understanding to why so many businesses and governments may fail. There are many corollaries to this intriguing concept that may explain government and business poor performance. Perhaps major decisions also rise to their level of incompetence. That is, the more critical a decision, the more probable is that it will be taken away from the people with expertise and be decided either in a steering committee (to avoid any accountability) or at the C-Suite or government cabinet level where truly awful decisions are sometimes rendered out of ignorance. While this principle is meant to foster discussion about the follies of some bureaucracies, all of us can relate to those major business blunders caused by executives who thought they knew better. Remember new Coke, the Edsel and the infamous business failures at Enron, Arthur Anderson, Lehman Bros. and Bear Sterns? Government failures are even more common as evidenced by the Arab Spring uprisings and most of Europe facing serious budget deficits and even a European Union currency collapse.

Talking to a high level bureaucrat who was going to announce the immediate closure of a major call center, I replied that determining its future call distribution would be critical as this location had nearly 400 staff at work. He responded that I was incorrect and that no one was working there. Stunned by his lack of knowledge, I replied that I had just returned from a visit last week, and that we had over 400 active staff conducting business there. A bureaucrat located remotely and especially at headquarters can be very dangerous to sound decision-making!

My personal favorite business axiom is Parkinson’s Law, written by C. Northcote Parkinson (2) in 1954: “Work expands to the time available.” It is the only management principle I can remember with clarity from my four collegiate years of study in administration because I have experienced the relationship between work and time is both elastic and unpredictable. It is an irreverent but insightful view on how workload is not proportional to staffing within bureaucratic organizations. It reminds us that in our world, one must understand human behavior, embrace humor and recognize a tendency by people to make foolish decisions especially when emotions take control from basic common sense.

All students recognize the value of Parkinson’s Law. It is critical to determine how much time a task will take or it will naturally expand to two, three or more times the actual amount of time needed. As students we quickly learned this fact after laboring several days on an essay while as seniors, we would start a project two hours before the deadline with surprisingly positive results. While this work-time relationship is well known, fewer people are applying it to their organizations. Most business schools, businesses and certainly nearly all governments have forgotten the importance of the work time relationship. One only has to look at the state of governments across the globe to recognize that the tendency to grow bureaucracies is fundamental as growth ignores any workload or reason. Greece currently faces serious financial ruin because its expanding public bureaucracy became unsustainable. Thus a competent bureaucrat is not rewarded when he keeps quiet and works to cut staff, but is expected to continue to operate regardless of workload increases. The incompetent bureaucrat cannot accomplish anything but a poor record, but his constant complaints inevitably bring forth additional staff. He continues to complain and soon he is managing a department double the size of the competent bureau chief down the hall. The bureaucratic nature of the local department of motor vehicles demonstrates how work expands to the time available as these organizations despite years of practice and computer conversions and upgrades still demonstrate a total lack of logic and efficiency. Their avoidance of any level of customer service is legendary.

Another more serious and insidious example of Parkinson’s Law’s is the bureaucrat’s tendency to cause complexity. Take the process of how America’s laws are codified and regulated. Whether it is the new health care law now under review for its constitutionality, the new Dodd-Frank banking law and its thousands of pages of regulations, or the proposed changes to the enormously complex tax code, the means to create law in America has become the epitome of bureaucracy and unintended consequences. It does explain why there are so many lawyers and accountants and how American society creates sufficient work to keep them all employed on administering laws much too complex for the public to comprehend.

Generating complexity in government is probably due to the number of lawmakers who must find something to do with their time. Instead of seeking ways to simplify work, it seems they want to pass more laws and make life even more complicated.

Parkinson’s Law explains why the two of the most basic of government functions, the collection of taxes and the provision of public health care continues to become even more complex and expensive. Just try to explain to a European how American’s calculate their taxes or how to select an employee health care plan. After two hours with my Belgium daughter-in-law trying to select a health plan and explain income taxes, it was clear that our systems are indeed irrational.

To reduce a government agency, simplify our tax code or make health care more manageable will supposedly cause a calamity of epic proportions. The austerity plans in Europe and now occurring at local and state governments is yet to be embraced by our federal government that seems to always find a reason to ignore its committee recommendations and defer decisions by kicking the most difficult and important issues down the road. This ability to ignore responsibility is probably why there is friction between American business and government. In most societies the sovereign bureaucracy joins and supports business. In America there is a distrust of government going back to the Revolutionary War and our protection of individual liberties. Government work also has different incentives. Civil servants are not supposed to be resource efficient, but expected to spend all the money in their budgets or face a draconian cut in next year’s funding and resources. Government growth demands more revenue to operate so higher taxes are needed. Business firms seek profits so work diligently to avoid taxes and focus on efficiencies and cost cutting so the two institutions’ goals are traditionally at opposite poles. The incredible growth in global, federal, state and local governments and their excessive spending demonstrates Parkinson’s thesis that bureaucracies and agencies will proliferate even if they no longer have a reason to exist.

We find many examples of the Peter Principle and/or Parkinson Law in our business and governmental experience. Many hope for some easy solution to the growth of inefficient government and society’s complexity. Perhaps if Congress would pass a law that stated all laws and regulations should be limited to one page, we could start untangling the complexity in our health care system and tax code. Of course the lobbyists, departments and the stakeholders who benefit from such inefficiencies would prohibit any movement toward simplicity.

The hope that technology would resolve the bureaucratic problems just makes it easier to “cut and paste” more information into the process so that all laws and compliance take more pages to argue a simple point. The environmental impact report, for example, of a new football stadium in Los Angeles was over 10,000 pages and cost $27 million to produce. It is interesting that the original Los Angeles Coliseum was built in 1923 for only $950,000. Here is one more example of a regulatory process without restraint or reasonable limits. The typical LA resident will probably not be able to afford to attend the game when football returns to LA in 2020, 2030 or…

The cost of future football in Los Angeles is insignificant, however, compared to the waste and cost of administering American complex tax code or managing our fragmented and complex health care system. Unfortunately such complexity in health care shifts the burden to the people most at risk without the knowledge to navigate and find optimal care: The uninsured, the elderly, the sick, the poor and the children. The tragedy of a systematic, fragmented and profoundly uncoordinated health care system is that the quality of care is seriously degraded and uneven. We are notified by letter that our doctor will no longer accept our PPO health insurance, cannot use the local hospital, that the lab is not an approved provider and that our premiums have increased again.

The impact of the complex tax code may not be as severe to a citizen’s health, but it certainly creates unnecessary fiscal stress to a people and a country already unable to live within its means. Each year it seems we have more uncertainty, more interaction with our tax accountants, the state tax authorities and IRS as they add more complex rules to the process. Managing our financial life has become more difficult, and the ultimate result is more stress and doubt. So stay healthy so you will have the time and energy to calculate and pay your taxes! Just remember Parkinson Law and don’t start preparing your taxes too soon or you will waste several weeks of time better spent exercising and staying healthy.

References:

1. Peter, Laurence J.; Hill, Raymond (1969). The Peter Principle: Why Things Always go Wrong. New York: William Morrow and Company.

2. Parkinson, C. Northcote; (1954). Parkinson’s Law and Other Studies in Administration, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

So you are thinking of buying one of these incredible dolls?

Purchasing a reborn doll is based more on emotion than sense- the heart rules the head. The props and sets used in photos are all designed to take you in this direction. Baby powder, soft toys, lace and fur are all intended to make the doll look (either sleeping soundly or appealing to you with open eyes) so irresistible that you want to pick it up and never put it down.

When you see a reborn doll you love you will feel that you really need to have it. Its image advertising at its best. Just like ‘coke’ equals youth and fun, effective reborn baby photos evokes the same feelings as the best of the Johnson’s baby powder ads- the promise of unconditional love and warm cuddles.

Some people have said that they were so upset when they missed out on a reborn baby on eBay that they had their heart set on, they cried for days.

But I just caution you, if the baby arrives and it isn’t what you expected this also is very disappointing and your wallet will be lighter. So it’s wise to use your head a little before you buy.

Reborns are all over the place and there are a lot on eBay (a real mixed bag- some are really pretty scary). There are many doll forums and one in particular has a section called “She’s selling this?” that celebrates some of the poor reborn doll work that is on the market.

Should price be the best indicator? What about guild membership and prizes? How can you know? So what do you look for and what separates a good doll from a poor one?

Price

Price is not the best indicator- high prices don’t guarantee quality and there are some excellent ones that are reasonably priced. Big prices (of multiple thousands of dollars) are commanded by a handful of reborn artists.

Prizes

Take care with guilds and memberships- most require no proof of talent or customer service to be authorized for use. Beware the awards – sometimes they are the only one in the competition.

Inspecting the product

I think nothing can beat seeing a doll before you buy it, but this is not often an option as this is truly an electronic and international (border-less industry).

If you can’t see the real thing then photos are the next best thing. But beware photos- there are all sorts of electronic filters and artificial lighting that can make them look better than they are. You should be delighted when your reborn arrives and think that the photos did them no justice at all. Ask an artist about the enhancements and lighting used in their photos.

Then look at the artist’s reputation (and remember that talent as an artist, honesty and customer service can all be mutually exclusive). Guarantees of satisfaction, repair damage policies should be understood and are indicators of good customer service. EBay feedback is indicative of honesty and customer service. Talent is up to you as the judge.

My strong suggestion would be to look at the Internet or join a forum or two and find an artist on there. Beware the lists of reborn nurseries on the site- they are no guarantee of quality or honesty. Most artists will showcase their work and have it in their signatures on forums.

Here are some recommendations for what to look for when looking at dolls in the person or photos:

1. Judge how much the doll actually looks like a baby. A good reborn should be mistaken for a baby.

My daughter has taken her reborns out shopping with us and of course she (is 6 years old) gets sick of carrying them so I end up having to carry them. I am caught in a difficult position. Do I nurse this baby like its real and people will think I am a nut who nurses dolls OR do I just carry her around like she is my daughters doll that I now have to cart around?

Well for a good reborn you have no choice but the first option. I once had to endure the stares of a lot of people in a major shopping centre who glared at me like I was a negligent parent. I have discovered it is not publicly acceptable to pop a baby (and so therefore a reborn doll) in the bottom of a shopping trolley. It’s also not acceptable to hold a baby casually between your elbow and your hand with limbs hanging even if your hand is nicely supporting the head. Also generally people are pretty critical of you (and give you nasty stares) if they think baby should be wrapped up a little warmer.

2. Have a look at the details- hands & feet (have a look at the nail details), ears (how real do they look- can sometimes be limited by the sculpt detail- more expensive sculpts have more detail), eyebrows (should look real) and the creases and folds shouldn’t look like cuts.

3. Artists work hard to get realistic skin tones and this should make the baby look subtly mottled (look for this- it is a sign of quality).

4. The rooting of the mohair. The hair should be shiny and soft and rooted so it is not “clumpy’, at all. The rooting should be directional- that is angled differently to sit nicely all over the head. Some artists do amazing work with their directional rooting with crown/crowns, parts etc. Look for this- it is a sign of quality.

Personal preference

Some people like their dolls to look very real with milk spots, rashes and scratches. If you don’t like these don’t buy a reborn baby with them. Its personal taste. I personally don’t like these. I know they are realistic but when my real babies had rashes I couldn’t wait for them to go away. So I am of the view I wouldn’t want them on a doll permanently.

Some people like sculpts with funny wrinkly faces. Well I say good for them- to each their own. I love pretty babies (although I do see the beauty in the somewhat funny faces newborns make) and try to achieve this mixed with realism in my sculpt choices and painting.

Best of luck in finding a doll that you love.

Titanium is most certainly a superhero of a metal. It is highly resistant to corrosion. It is lighter than steel, heavier than aluminum, and stronger than both of those metals. While it is more expensive to invest in initially, titanium is cheaper over the long run. This is because there is no service, maintenance, or repairs needed. What causes titanium to be so… heroic?

Discovered in 1793 by German chemist M.H. Klaproth, titanium was named after the Titans in Greek mythology since they are the incarnation of natural strength. The element was not isolated until 1910. Titanium is the ninth most abundant element on the planet as it makes up 25% of the earth’s crust. It occurs in nature only in chemical combinations of oxygen and iron.

Titanium is has high passivity. This allows it to have corrosion resistance to many minerals and chlorides. Titanium is very useful in the medical field because of its non-toxicity. It is also biologically compatible human bone and tissue. Titanium is commonly found in medical implantation products and prosthetics.

Titanium is produced first with Australian beach sand. The sand is formed into titanium-containing rutile-ore and chlorinated into a sponge. Chlorine and coke are combined with rutile to produce titanium tetrachloride.

Tetrachloride is reacted to magnesium in a closed system, making the byproducts sponge and magnesium chloride. The magnesium and mag chloride can be removed using the Vacuum Distillation Process to be reused again.

The sponge is melted with scrap and alloying elements. This can include vanadium, zirconium, tin, aluminum, and molybdenum. This is performed in a Vacuum Arc Reduction furnace to produce VAR ingots. It can also be done in an Electron Beam Cold Hearth furnace to produce remote electrodes. They can be VAR melted to meet aerospace requirements, or to direct slabs.

VAR ingots are cylindrical shapes weighing up to 17,500 pounds. The ingots are forged into slabs, or rectangular shapes. They can also be forged into billets, or bar shapes. Ingots can be used for investment casting stock as well.

Further processing or rolling of forged or cast slab or billet result in mill products. These include titanium plates, bars, rods, and titanium wire forms. Production can also create sheets of titanium that can be cut into strips. These strips are then formed into tubes or pipes.

There are many different grades of titanium to be used for different purposes. Grade 1 is one of the four commercially pure titanium grades, along with grades 3 through 4. Grade 1 is soft and the most ductile. It has great formability, toughness, and high corrosion resistance. Grade 1 is available in titanium plate and tubing.

Grade 2 is the workhorse because of its varied usability and availability. It is similar to grade 1 but stronger. Grade 2 has good weldability, strength, ductility, and formability. Grade 2 is available in bar and sheet form.

Grade 3 is the least used, but is stronger than grades 1 and 2. It is less formable but has higher mechanicals. Application of grade 3 is used when strength and major corrosion resistance is needed. Grade 4 is the strongest and has all the traits of previous grades. When high strength is needed, grade 4 is used.

One of the most amazing things about titanium is its use in the medical world. Titanium is used for joint reconstruction. The natural properties in titanium, such as being non-toxic and biologically compatible, make it perfect for body part reconstruction.

Titanium is truly a superhero amongst the different kinds of metals. Its strength, durability, low maintenance requirements, and corrosion resistance make it a popular and useful metal. The formation and grades of titanium show how many applications and uses the metal holds.

Creosote is a type of wood preservative that is commonly used to treat a variety of wood products including items such as outdoor fencing materials, telephone poles, and railroad ties. The substance is used to help prevent wood from rotting and becoming structurally weak when exposed to the elements. Some workers are forced to be exposed to creosote a great deal because of their occupation. These workers include railroad employees, chimney sweeps, dock workers, utility workers, and boat builders. The most commonly used form of creosote is a product called coal tar creosote. This is produced from coal that has been treated a very high temperatures.

Because creosote is considered to be highly toxic, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed strict regulations on its handling and use. What’s more, the EPA has classified the substance as a restricted use pesticide and can only be handled by licensed pesticide applicators in a commercial, outdoor, or industrial setting. The product cannot be used in any circumstance on the interior of residences.

The EPA has taken this issue one step further and has classified creosote as a hazardous waste because it is derived from coal tar, and is comprised of more than three hundred chemicals. People who handle it in any form are at risk for it entering their bloodstream by means of their skin. Creosote can also enter the body by ingestion, such as is the case when groundwater becomes contaminated.

Hazardous waste sites are often the most common source of creosote, coal tar pitch, and coal tar contamination. People who work in an industry where wood preserving takes place are the most at risk for exposure to this compound. Those who reside in areas that were formerly used as sites for preserving wood may face exposure to creosote if the site was not properly cleaned up. Creosote most commonly enters the body through the skin when it is found in the soil. Children can also ingest the material if they do not wash their hands and place them in their mouths after handling soil or wood that has been in contact with creosote. That being said, creosote most often enters the body of those in the wood preserving profession by means of the lungs.

Workers in industries that produce coke, those who work as asphalt workers, and tire, aluminum, steel, or iron factor workers are all at a great risk of exposure to creosote containing products. These people breathe in the vapors and may also be in direct skin contact with solutions, wood that has been freshly treated, mixtures containing the compound, and various other harmful materials. Those who work with wood that has been treated with creosote such as building railroad tracks, fences, installing telephone poles, or building bridges may also be prone to exposure. Inspectors or maintenance workers in these industries are also at risk for creosote exposure.

Coal tar products such as creosotes can enter the body through the skin, lungs, intestines, and stomach. The exact amount that enters the body can vary depending on the amount of contact, such as through skin, water, food, or air, and how much of the compound is present, and how long exposure lasted.

Exposure to creosote or any of the coal tar or coal tar pitch products can lead to minor or serious health issues. Consuming food or water that has been contaminated with a lot of the compound can cause the mouth and throat to burn, and cause stomach pain. Ingesting herbal treatments that contain creosote bush leaves can cause damage to the kidneys or liver. Workers who have reported being poisoned with creosote, as well as people who have either intentionally or accidentally eaten coal tar creosote have found that brief exposure to large quantities can cause skin irritations or rashes, convulsions, kidney and liver problems, mental confusion, loss of consciousness, chemical burns to the eyes, and even death.

People who have been exposed to creosote vapors for a long period of time often report irritation to the respiratory tract. Cancer of the scrotum, as well as skin cancer have also been reported from long term exposure to low levels of creosote or creosote mixtures, especially when coming into direct contact with the skin during treatment processes for wood, to make the wood treatment products, or in natural gas or coke factories. Prolonged exposure to the skin with creosote or soot has been linked to cancer of the scrotum in chimney cleaning professionals.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has categorized coal tar as a carcinogenic substance for humans, and creosote has been classified as a probably carcinogenic substance for humans. The EPA has also classified coal tar creosote as a probable carcinogenic substance for humans.

There are currently no medical tests that can determine if a person has been exposed to creosote in any of its forms. Doctors can determine and measure the amount of chemicals that are found in creosote in the body’s tissues. These chemicals include phenol and PAHs, which can be located in organs, fat, muscle, blood, and urine after exposure has taken place. These tests are commonly performed on industry employees who work with substances related to creosote or coal tar. Patients are monitored regularly for exposure.

If your workplace does not provide safety measures to ensure proper handling of creosote or coal tar products, your employer may be negligent. If you or someone you know has suffered injuries because of exposure to creosote that could have and should have been prevented, you should not delay in contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Workplace safety cases are extremely serious and need to be managed correctly. If workers are placed at risk any more than is absolutely necessary, action needs to be taken immediately to stop future similar acts from happening.

A personal injury attorney will review the details of your case and will help you throughout the entire process. Compensation can be sought for past, present, and future medical bills, loss of income, and in some cases punitive damages.

Why is cocaine attractive to so many people? The answer depends on who you ask. At Harvard, some researchers conducted a brain-imaging study, and it revealed that a lovely female visage sets off the “reward centers” of a male brain. The “reward center” was also set off by certain foods, money, and drugs such as cocaine. The mind is a very strong force in our lives.

Many women turn to using cocaine because they need a boost in self-esteem. Some are less interested in the thrills of the drug, and see it more as a way of coping with job pressures or nagging problems of low self-esteem and competence. Approximately two-thirds of the nation’s 4.1 million cocaine users are male. However, the number of females now using the drug is growing at a rapid pace.

Regardless of whether the user is male or female, why is cocaine attractive? It has been dubbed the “unemployment drug” by many users because they see it as a cure to their depression. Some believe it causes better orgasms. Others think that cocaine is the “champagne of drugs,” meaning it is the best to use on a regular basis. People feel invincible and they delude into thinking that they are working more productively.

The bottom line is many think that coke is the best drug to take, and some actually believe it is the safest of all drugs to abuse. The facts are though that abuse can lead to very serious medical issues. The powder, sometimes called “angel dust,” is usually snorted or inhaled in vapor form. It causes constriction of the body’s blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased body temperature, can cause rapid heart beats, and elevate the blood pressure. Frequent headaches and gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea and abdominal pain, can result. Injecting or ingesting the drug can result in a severe allergic reaction. The other risks are that one’s family life and work are jeapordized. Many people ruin their financial situation as well due to the expense of this.

Why is cocaine attractive? Some think it is an easy fix to their problem. However, although it may appear alluring, the consequences of using far outweigh any temporary attraction it presents.

You know the energy drink market has gotten big when Coca-Cola enters the picture. They’ve introduced their own mega energy-inducing beverage known as Full Throttle. It comes in a midnight-black can with an intense demon/brimstone-like logo; certainly a far cry from the neutral, family-friendly logo of Coke.

I guess it was just a matter of time before Coca-Cola got into the energy drink sector. It’s booming and the time is now to capitalize on it.

I consider the Full Throttle energy drink to be a hybrid of Monster and Red Bull. It’s serving size (16 oz.) and logo is eerily similar to Monster, while the flavor and ingredients are basically the same as Red Bull.

The advantage it has over most other energy drinks is the fact that it comes from Coca-Cola. That means you’ll be able to purchase the Full Throttle energy drink in many locations you wouldn’t find any other brands like Red Bull, SoBe, or Monster. A perfect example would be vending machines all across the country.

Currently, Full Throttle has 7.8% of the energy drink market. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that number increase substantially in the near future. A company like Coca-Cola is just too influential to remain minor players in this area.

Full Throttle Energy Drink Ingredients and Nutrition Facts:

Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (to protect taste), ginseng extract, caffeine, carnitine fumarate, maltodextrin, niacinamide (vitamin B3), yellow 5, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), guarana extract, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).

Serving size 8fl oz; servings per container 2; calories 100; total fat 0g; sodium 70mg; total carbs 28g; sugars 29g; protein 0g; niacin 205; vitamin b6 20%; vitamin B12 10%