Religion and Politics in Iran

I’m not an expert in these matters but I think I know enough to say that religion and politics don’t mix well in Iran. Cooperation between the two is an illusion, an illusion the people of that country realize is getting them no where fast. Iran was on its way to becoming a democracy (sort of) during the Shah’s US backed reign. Of course the Shah-Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi-had his problems with the religious right because of his White Revolution (visit White Revolution in Wikipedia-very interesting) that, among other things, extended suffrage to women, modernized the nation and recognized the sovereignty of Israel, a no-no for any Muslim nation.Modernization in Iran was seen by Shi’a clergy as secularization and they began withdrawing support for the Shah. In 1979 a revolution occurred that brought to power the Ayatollah Khomeini and his rule by the Supreme Jurist. Many Iranian citizens were opposed to the return of theocracy but knew better than to complain. Religious zealots remember, have ways of bringing the wrath of God to bear when needed to bring about unquestioned compliance, or so those zealots say. I became acquainted with an Iranian family that was able to escape the Ayatollah’s Supreme Jurist rule in 1982. A well-to-do family, the result of education and hard work, eventually made their way to the US where we met. The patriarch and his wife were in their seventies, both were ill, and they were broke. The Supreme Jurist wouldn’t allow them to leave Iran to seek medical assistance with any thing but the cloths on their backs. The familie’s home, jobs, and retirement fund were lost, never to be retrieved. The good news is that Americans-many were Iranian themselves-helped this family get what they needed and the bad news, of course, is they could never return to their beloved Iran.A product of the 70′s revolution in Iran was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, now into his second term as Iran’s blowhard president. Strange indeed how Ahmadinejad began his ascent because of a cleric’s government take over in 1979, a puppet groomed by theocracy to lead a country back into the dark ages and now theocracy and Ahmadinejad are both suffering a significant loss of respect and power.Jon Meacham, in a Newsweek editorial, wrote; “In an imperfect world there will never be a complete end to theocracy any more than there will be a complete end to tyranny. Power will ebb and flow, regimes come and go. But in the main, history’s path leads to more liberty, not less.”Riots are raging throughout the Middle-East and as many know already Ahmadinejad is on his way out eventually. Rule by the Supreme Jurist is sure to be marginalized as well and the result, we hope, will be more liberty, not less. However, the not-less part is contingent upon reining in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps the most powerful and secretive organization in the region, their goal; eradication of all non-fundamental Islamic believers. There is much to be done to bring about liberty in those Muslim states and I am afraid it will get worse before it gets better. And in the meantime the Iranian Islamic radicals near their quest for nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.

A Quick Guide on How To Make Money Online

Regardless of what others may think, there is money to be made online. There are numerous business models to work for and work from and your earnings will only be limited by the work you put in. This quick guide will present methods on how to make money online and help you determine which is the best option for you.Let’s start.1. Freelance jobsThere are thousands of online businesses today that are eager to hire skilled and talented individuals. People that know how to design, write, program, code and teach are often what they look for. A talented and skilled person in these fields can easily find work online. Most of the time businesses offer project-based, part-time, and full-time work.PROS:It is easy to find work and there are hundreds of job opportunities to choose from. You also have the freedom to work whenever and wherever you want as long as you finish the job assigned to you.Your earnings are determined by the quality of time and hard work you put in. Unlike, in most but not all, office jobs that salaries and wages are fixed.CONS:You are working for an online boss. You have to answer to someone. If you’re not a fan of working for someone then this might not be for you.Another con is the isolation. You’re office boss might be the worst person you had but you could bear it because of your friends. Now eliminate the friends and leave the boss in. Sounds a little sad, right?2. Creating an Authority Site or Niche SiteFirst and foremost, let’s differentiate the two:Authority sites are websites that have proven their expertise in the world wide web. This means that many reputable people on the internet have deemed it to be the “go-to” website because of their service or product.Niche sites on the other hand are websites that contain and talk about only one specific niche, one specific topic throughout the blog.Where is Earning Money online fit in all of this? How to make money online creating a website is by monetizing it.a. Monetizing it using Google AdSenseMany people have made thousands of dollars with Google AdSense. However, it’s really hard to get approved by Google. Your website should need around 16-25 quality articles to get approved. Though getting approved isn’t a guarantee of making money. Your site visitors should also click the ads by Google. If ads are utilized and placed well, you can earn a significant amount of money.b. Affiliate MarketingAffiliate Marketing is promoting other people’s products and services on your site. You are basically promoting their products and you get a commission if a site visitor buys your product.c. Membership websiteYou create a website that is full of content and quality products that are only exclusive to members. A person may only be able to get the full access to your website is to pay you a membership fee (which you will set). This is a good business model because it is recurring (members pay their fee monthly) and it’ll generate income long after you finish the website.PROS:You can create recurring passive income for yourself and you can live a lifestyle you’ve always wanted. The sky is the limit when talking about the potential earnings in creating Authority sites and Niche sites. It’s because the earnings will only be limited to the time, effort, connections, and investments you put in the website(s) you have. The more blood, sweat and tears you put on the websites, the more successful the website will be. Certainly, more success = more money.CONS:A lot of research, promotion, money and time should be invested in creating an Authority site or Niche site. You will also hit a learning curve since you need to learn many things, such as online language jargons, methods and techniques, copyright, online legal matters and many more.3. Selling Your Own Product\Service”The people that really make the BIG MONEY are the Creators and the Sellers of the product(s). Everyone in between is working for them.”-AnonymousNothing beats being the “source” of a quality product. It might be an Ebook, Podcast, Magic Toolbox, Furniture, T-Shirt and etc. As long as you are confident that what you are selling is the BEST, then sell the heck out of it online!Create a way for people to find your product — either create a website or put it on sale on a website. Start off from there and slowly build your business.PROS:When your product takes off, you’ll have what every person wants — Passive Income.You will be accessible online 24/7 and you are open 24/7. The earnings will be determined on how valuable and useful the product is. If you consider it the best product then the money will come.CONS:Promoting the product will be a struggle; especially if you don’t have a website or connections online.

What Is Nutritional Counseling?

Nutritional counselors, also known as dietitians, help patients identify and manage food and nutrition-related concerns through short- and long-term treatment strategies. Nutritional counseling is commonly applied to patients experiencing neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disorders, digestive ailments, obesity, diabetes, menopause, pregnancy, allergies, among other conditions.

By analyzing and assessing diet and exercise habits, nutrition is seen as a key factor in establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Without adequate nutrition, a large number of diseases can ensue in part due to the vulnerability placed on the body. Nutritional counselors aim to find integrated ways to set goals and help patients achieve them. When nutritional counselors assess patients, individual profiles are analyzed. The information the patient receives from the counselor is contingent on their lifestyle (vegetarianism, for instance), age, life stage (menopause, pregnancy), and medical history.

Nutritional Counseling incorporates weight monitoring and education about weight, food records, self-control strategies, meal planning, and problem-solving skills. Instruction of food planning and self monitoring is seen as instrumental in getting patients to follow a specified program.

The Work of Dietitians
Dietitians and nutritionists plan nutrition programs, helping to prevent and treat illnesses by promoting healthy eating habits while addressing dietary imbalances. They also recommend specific dietary changes to fit a person’s temporary condition. (Recommending extra folate for pregnant women, for instance.) Dietitians often work in hospitals and schools, applying their services through education and research. Clinical dietitians provide nutritional services to patients in institutions by assessing patients’ nutritional needs, developing and recommending nutrition programs, and evaluating the results with other professionals to coordinate medical and nutritional needs. Community dietitians counsel individuals and groups on nutritional practices aimed to prevent disease and promote health. They work as independent contractors with healthcare facilities or engage in their own private practice, screening clients’ nutritional needs and offering regulated approaches meeting them.

Eating Disorders
The American Dietetic Association (ADA) sets guidelines and protocols for the practice of nutritional counseling. In 1996, it defined guidelines for medical nutrition therapy for many medical conditions related to nutrition, which included eating disorders.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) considers nutritional counseling as one of the most important treatment elements for people with eating disorders. Nutritional counseling is viewed for its role in motivating patients to agree to reestablishing healthy eating habits. In this context, nutritional counseling is seen holistically, in terms of how it fits into ongoing support to patients and their families.

Nutritional counseling in this context attempts to correct irregular eating habits, replacing it with a balanced approach to food and weight control. It provides a synthesis of information and practices, drawing from many fields including cognitive-behavioral, relational, and educational techniques. It is considered a part of overall treatment, not as a single-source approach. As such, it employs the support of other treatment methods, which can include psychotropic medications and psychological counseling.

Collaborative rapport between patient and counselor is considered essential for treatment success. The counselor addressed entrenched food beliefs, behaviors and attitudes revolving around food, how, when, and how much to eat it – amounting to a complex equation. Counseling environments must be secure, safe, and supportive, where the patient receives helpful information from the counselor in a direct but non-intrusive manner.

How Nutritional Counseling Can Help Overall Health: Counseling can clarify questions related to nutrients, calories, and special food needs, showing what to look for when reading food labels. They can help sort through healthy cooking alternatives in real-life contexts while teaching strategies of self-control. (One may learn how to better select items from a restaurant menu, for example.)

Digestive Problems – Dietitians or Nutritionists jointly work with physicians to establish dietary plans that are in keeping with a patient’s condition. They may recommend the removal of fried foods, spices or carbonation, while recommending other alternatives.

Diabetes – Counseling can provide healthy food alternatives without sacrificing taste.

Pregnancy – It can help ensure a pregnant woman is getting all the nutrients she needs, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, the crucial period that may affect a newborn’s risk for developing neural tube or spinal cord defects.

Conditions that May Benefit from Nutritional Counseling HIV, Cancer, Hypertension, Organ Dysfunctions, Hypoglycemia, and Heart Disease.

Most eating disorder centers and residential programs offer nutritional counseling. The benefits of receiving nutritional counseling includes improved ability to concentrate, a boosted immune system, stabilized moods, more energy, aid in recovery of eating disorders, and increase in overall health.