US in $800-bn Move To Spur Consumer Loans

In its continued fight against the economic meltdown, the US Government on Tuesday announced yet another package of a whopping $800 billion (about Rs 40 lakh crore) with a view to augmenting consumer loans by the near-bankrupt banking and mortgage institutions.This mega package is in addition to the $700-billion rescue plan, which was cleared after several rounds of intense debate in the US Congress.

The US Federal Reserve said it would buy mortgage-backed securities (MBS) worth $600 billion, which would in turn encourage lending. Further, the apex bank would launch a new facility aimed at thawing the credit market for consumers, especially in supporting issuance of auto and student loans.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US Fed announced that it would launch a programme to purchase direct obligations of housing-related Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) and mortgage-backed securities of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.

The apex bank pointed out that the action was being taken to reduce cost and increase availability of credit for purchase of houses. This would, in turn, help in supporting housing markets and foster better financial market conditions.
"Purchases of up to $100 billion in GSE's direct obligations under the programme will be conducted with the Federal Reserve's primary dealers through a series of competitive auctions and will begin next week.

"Purchases of up to $500 billion in MBS will be conducted by asset managers selected via a competitive process with a goal of beginning these purchases before year-end," the US Fed noted.

Further, in a separate statement, the apex bank said it would create Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) to lend up to $200 billion, to unfreeze the credit needs of consumers and small businesses.

Grotto Falls

Trillium Gap Trail meanders through an old-growth hemlock forest and actually runs behind the 25 foot high waterfall. The cool, moist environment near the falls is ideal for salamanders and summer hikers. The hike is 3 miles roundtrip and considered moderate in difficulty.

Access trail: Trillium GapTrailhead: From the parkway in Gatlinburg, turn at traffic light #8 and follow Historic Nature Trail into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Take Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (no RVs or trailers; closed in winter ) to stop #5 where there is a large parking area.

Lung Cancer

Also called: Bronchogenic carcinoma
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is a leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes most lung cancers. The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater your risk of lung cancer. High levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos exposure may also increase risk.

Common symptoms of lung cancer include
* A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time

* Constant chest pain

* Coughing up blood

* Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness

* Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis

* Swelling of the neck and face

* Loss of appetite or weight loss

* Fatigue

There are many types of lung cancer. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently. Treatment also depends on the stage, or how advanced it is. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Multiple fruit

A multiple fruit is one formed from a cluster of flowers (called an inflorescence). Each flower produces a fruit, but these mature into a single mass. Examples are the pineapple, edible fig, mulberry, osage-orange, and breadfruit.In some plants, such as this noni, flowers are produced regularly along the stem and it is possible to see together examples of flowering, fruit development, and fruit ripening.

In the stages of flowering and fruit development in the noni or Indian mulberry (Morinda citrifolia) can be observed on a single branch. First an inflorescence of white flowers called a head is produced. After fertilization, each flower develops into a drupe, and as the drupes expand, they become connate (merge) into a multiple fleshy fruit called a syncarpet.

There are also many dry multiple fruits, e.g.
* Tuliptree, multiple of samaras.

* Sweet gum, multiple of capsules.

* Sycamore and teasel, multiple of achenes.

* Magnolia, multiple of follicles.

World leaders have hailed the election of Senator Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Tuesday's poll historic and said he and Mr Obama "share many values".

Chinese President Hu Jintao said he looked forward to strengthening dialogue. France's Nicolas Sarkozy said the poll had raised "enormous hope".

Outgoing US President George W Bush said Mr Obama could count on "complete co-operation" during the transition.

The president-elect will take over the presidency in January.

Democratic officials quoted by the Associated Press news agency say Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel has been offered the job of Mr Obama's White House chief-of-staff.

Blessing

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was looking forwards "to an era of renewed partnership and a new multilateralism".

In Kenya - the birthplace of Mr Obama's father - President Mwai Kibaki declared a national holiday on Thursday.

Pope Benedict XVI asked for "God's blessings on the American people".

The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says Americans have made two fundamental statements about themselves - that they are profoundly unhappy with the status quo, and that they are slamming the door on the country's racial past.

At the White House, Mr Bush told reporters: "History was made yesterday."

He congratulated the president-elect on an "impressive victory" and said it represented strides "toward a more perfect union".

20th Century Drought

The Dust Bowl Drought

The Dust Bowl drought was a natural disaster that severely affected much of the United States during the 1930s. The drought came in three waves, 1934, 1936, and 1939-40, but some regions of the High Plains experienced drought conditions for as many as eight years. The "dust bowl" effect was caused by sustained drought conditions compounded by years of landPhotos from Library of Congress and U.S. National Archives management practices that left topsoil susceptible to the forces of the wind. The soil, depleted of moisture, was lifted by the wind into great clouds of dust and sand which were so thick they concealed the sun for several days at a time. They were referred to as" black blizzards".

The agricultural and economic damage devastated residents of the Great Plains. The Dust Bowl drought worsened the already severe economic crises that many Great Plains farmers faced. In the early 1930s, many farmers were trying to recover from economic losses suffered during the Great Depression. To compensate for these losses, they began to increase their crop yields. High production drove prices down, forcing farmers to keep increasing their production to pay for both their equipment and their land. When the drought hit, farmers could no longer produce enough crops to pay off loans or even pay for essential needs. Even with Federal emergency aid, many Great Plains farmers could not withstand the economic crisis of the drought. Many farmers were forced off of their land, with one in ten farms changing possession at the peak of the farm transfers.PDSI Animation, 1930s and 1950s (6 year time frame)

In the aftermath of the Dust Bowl, it was clear that many factors contributed to the severe impact of this drought. A better understanding of the interactions between the natural elements (climate, plants, and soil) and human-related elements (agricultural practices, economics, and social conditions)of the Great Plains was needed. Lessons were learned, and because of this drought, farmers adopted new cultivation methods to help control soil erosion in dry land ecosystems. Subsequent droughts in this region have had less impact due to these cultivation practices.