where is mathura

The city of Mathura is located in the western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, in the north of India. It is a part of the great northern plains and is situated on the west bank of the river Yamuna. Mathura is 140 km south of Delhi and 60 km northwest of Agra. The climate of Mathura is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely hot and winters are cold and foggy.

Mathura and Vrindavana â general information

Mathura and Vrindavana – general information Vrindavana and Mathura are the most important places of pilgrimage for devotees of Krishna. Krishna was born in Mathura and spent His childhood in Vrindavan. There are over 5,000 temples in Vrindavan. The city of Mathura, in Uttar Pradesh, the nucleus of Brajabhumi, is located 140 km south-east of Delhi and 60 km north-west of Agra. Covering an area of about 3,800 sq. km., Brajabhumi can be divided into two distinct units – the eastern part in the trans-Yamuna tract with places like Gokul, Mahavan, Baldeo, Mat and Bajna and the western side of the Yamuna covering the Mathura region that encompasses Vrindavan, Govardhan, Kusum Sarovar, Barsana and Nandgaon (Nandagram). The land of Braj starts from Kotban near Hodel about 95 km from Delhi and ends at Runakuta which is known specially for its association with the poet Surdas, an ardent Krishna devotee. A long line of picturesque ghats – with their steps leading to the water’s edge, arched gateways and temple spires extending along the right bank of the River Yamuna, emphasize the sacred character of the town of Mathura. The birth place of Lord Krishna, Mathura is today an important place of pilgrimage. Lord Krishna is the most popular person here. Every square foot of Mathura-Vrindavan is wrapped in timeless devotion to Lord Krishna, the eternal hero, the lover of Radha and the cowherd-prince. Mathura without Lord Krishna is like Bethlehem without Jesus. Welcome to Brajabhumi, Krishna’s land. To enable everyone to see the area in a traditional spiritual way, every year in Kartika (Oct/Nov) ISKCON puts on a Braja Mandala parikrama. This one-month walking tour goes to all 12 forests in Vrindavan and visits most of major places in the Braja area including Mathura, Radha Kund, Varsana, Nandagrama, Gokula, Vrindavan, and Govardhana Hill. It is traditional to do this walk barefoot, although shoes are permitted. Location

It experiences southwestern monsoon rains from July to September. History An ancient city whose origins fade into the mists of history, Mathura’s strategic location at the cross roads of various trade routes – that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman Empire; northwards, via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia and the Silk Route and eastwards to China – ensured its position as a center of trade and a meeting point for varied cultures. By the fifth century BC, during the time of Buddha, it was a major metropolis and the capital of the Surasena kingdom – one of the 16 Mahajanapadas of the period. Mathura saw its `golden age’ during the rule of the Kushanas and the able governance of rulers like Kanishka, Huvishka, and Vasishka, when the arts flourished and economic wealth grew. It remained a center of power during the Mauryan period, through the enlightened rule of Emperor Ashoka to the Gupta era (4th century AD). More detailed history of the area is described in Interim period. Braj Culture in Mathura It has often been said that it is easier to count the number of dust particles on the surface of the earth than to count the number of holy places in Mathura. Each of the ghats, for instance, has its own Krishna story (like Visram-ghat where He rested after killing his evil and tyrannical uncle, King Kansa). Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell in Mathura. His father Vasudev aided by goddess Yogamaya brought him out of Mathura, across the raging river Yamuna into the house of Nanda in Gokula. Krishna spent his early childhood here and revealed His divinity. His uncle Kansa’s murderous attempts lead Krishna to leave Gokula and move to Nandgaon, a more secure home high up on a hill. From here the young Krishna the cowherd boy would wander into the Vrindavan forests to play with His friends and dally with Radha, His consort. Vrindavan, is a transcendental world, a place of Krishna’s lila. Each tree in the area speaks, as it were, of the love of the Divine Couple. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Sri Krishna along with the gopis had danced the rasa dance on the banks of the Yamuna in Vrindavan. When the gopis felt conceited about Lord Krishna dancing with them, He disappeared from their midst. In the agony of separation from their beloved Krishna, the gopis recalled and enacted His lilas (divine pastimes of His life) which in course of time came to be known as the Rasalilas. The Rasalila in its present form is ascribed to Svami Haridas and Sri Narayan Bhatt. As per the custom only young Brahmin boys of 13 to 14 years of age take part in this Rasalila performance. The charming childhood pranks of Sri Krishna constitute the main them of these dramas. Temple architecture The basic structure of temples in India is a room or garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) where the image (murti) of the main Deity is kept. The temple is approached by a flight of steps and is often built on a platform. A porch covers the entrance to the temple, which is supported by carved pillars. A prominent roof called the shikhara surmounts the top of the garbhagriha, and dominates the surroundings. As time went by, small temples grew into temple complexes. Some temples have a hall (mandap) from where one can see the sanctum sanctorum. Temple architecture in India is broadly divided into northern and southern styles, classified by the form and shape of the shikhara and the distinctiveness of its decoration. The shikhara of the temples in South India tend to be made up of distinct horizontal levels that diminish to form a rough pyramid. Each level is decorated with miniature temple rooftops. Some temples from South India also have tall shikharas over the elaborate gateways or gopurams to add to the overall symmetry to the temple complex. The shikhara of the temples in North and Central India, in contrast, resembles an upturned cone that is decorated with miniature conical shikharas. Some temples developed their own local flavor apart from adhering to their basic native style. Most of the temples in Vrindavan belong to the North Indian style of temple architecture, while a few conform to a mixed style. Most of the temples now present in Vrindavan were constructed after AD 1000, while some of them are of recent origin. Main Temples and Holy Places of Mathura Dvarkadhish Temple The Dvarkadhish Temple, built in 1814, is a popular temple in the center of Mathura town. This is the most visited temple in the center of Mathura and is managed by followers of Vallabhacarya. Once you enter this temple from the street, it is fairly interesting architecturally. It is located in the eastern part of Mathura, not far from the Yamuna River. The temple is a hub of activity during the festive days of Holi, Janmashtami and Divali. Kesavadeva Temple, Jami and Katra Masjids (mosques)Jami Masjid on a plinth raised above street level a little way north, was completed in 1661 by Aurangzeb’s governor Abd-un-Nabi. It has long since lost its original vivid glazed tiles, but remains surrounded by four minarets and assorted outer pavilions. Around 500 m west stands another of Aurangzeb’s mosques, the impressive red sandstone Katra Masjid. This was erected on the foundations of the once-famous Kesava Deo temple, destroyed by the Moghul emperor, which had itself been built on the ruins of a Buddhist monastery. Some traces of the Hindu temple can be seen around the back, where the Sri Krishna Janmasthan or Janmabhumi complex now stands. Directly behind the mosque, approached through a corridor, a shrine marks Krishna’s exact birthplace (janmasthan); its cage-like surround signifies that He was born in captivity, when His parents were prisoners of the tyrant king Kamsa. Vrindavan – The City Of Temples Vrindavan, around 15 km from Mathura, is a little town and a major place of pilgrimage on the banks of Yamuna. Attracting about 500 000 pilgrims every year, mainly during major festivals like Janmashtami, Holi and Radhashtami, it is noted for its numerous temples, both old and modern, big and small (allegedly 5000 altogether). Vrindavan is synonymous with the childhood pastimes of Sri Krishna. Vrindavan is also the center for various Vaishava groups. In a centuries-old tradition Hindu widows have been coming to live out the rest of their lives in Vrindavan. They are expected to shed all physical adornments, including long hair, wear only white cotton saris and lead an austere lifestyle. In Vrindavan there are thousands of widows coming mostly from Bengal. They begin their day by bathing in the Yamuna and congregate at ashrams to sing bhajans (devotional songs). In return, they get a daily ration of rice and pulses and some cash. Subsisting on charitable donations made by wealthy traders, the widows pass their life in devotion to Krishna, the Supreme Lord. History The name ‘Vrindavan’ is derived from ‘Vrinda’, another name for the sacred tulsi (basil) plant. It is said that the entire place was a tulsi grove at one time. According to another tradition, it was named after Vrinda Devi, one of Krishna’s consorts. The earliest known shrine in Vrindavan is said to have been built by the local Gosvamis in a large garden called Nidhiban. According to tradition, Mughal Emperor Akbar was taken blindfolded inside the grove where he had some kind of a spiritual experience. As a result, he acknowledged the spot as being holy ground. The four temples that were built in honor of his visit are Madan Mohan, Govinda Deva, Gopinath, and Jugal Kishore. Main Temples Madan Mohan Temple on the riverside is the oldest structure in Vrindavan. This famous temple was established by Srila Sanatana Gosvami and was the first Gosvami temple built in Vrindavan, which at that time was just a forest. The original Deity of Madana Mohana was discovered at the base of an old vat (banyan) tree by Advaita Acarya, when He visited Vrindavan. He entrusted the worship of Madana Mohana to His disciple, Purusottama Chaube, who then gave the Deity to Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami spend 43 years in Vrindavan. Worshiped along with Madana Mohana are Radharani and Lalita, who were sent to Vrindavan by Purusottama Jena, the son of Maharaja Prataparudra. This 60 foot high temple was opened in 1580 on a 50 foot hill called Dvadasaditya Tila, next to the Yamuna. Ram Das Kapoor paid to build the temple. One day a ship he owned, loaded with merchandise, went aground in the Yamuna. He was advised by Sanatana Gosvami to pray to Madana Mohana for help. The ship came free and the owner of the ship made a big profit, which he used to built this temple. The temple is associated with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who stayed here. Due to the fear of Muslim onslaughts on the temple the original murti was moved to Rajasthan (Karoli). A replica is now worshiped in the temple. The bhajan kutir and samadhi of Sanatana Gosvami, together with the puspa-samadhis of Candrasekhara Acarya and Tapana Misra are also here. Govinda Dev Temple was a grand seven-story structure, with an altar of marble, silver and gold. Architecturally this temple is one of the finest in North India. A sculptured lotus flower weighing several tons decorates the main hall ceiling. It was built in 1590 by Raja Man Singh from Jaipur, a general in Akbar’s army, who was inspired to do it after meeting Rupa Gosvami. It was said to have cost ten million rupees and several thousand men were working for five full years to complete it. Akbar himself had donated the red sandstone for its construction. In 1670, during the rule of a later Mughal king, Aurangzeb, it was plundered and destroyed leaving only three stories of the original temple. During this attack, when few stories remained, all of a sudden the ground began to shake violently and Aurangzeb’s men were terrified and ran for their lives, never to return. Temple is now empty and the replica of Govindaji is worshiped in the new Govindaji Mandir (located behind the original temple). The original Govindaji is worshiped in Jaipur. The Deity of Gopinath worshiped in Radha-Gopinath Temple was discovered at Vamsivat by Paramananda Bhattacarya, who entrusted the Deity’s worship to Madhu Pandita. On the altar are Deities of Srimati Radharani and Her sister, Ananga Manjari. Madhu Pandita’s samadhi is next to the temple. Gopinathji was originally installed in Vrindavan by Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna. When the Muslims raided Vrindavan, the original Gopinath Deity was taken to Jaipur. The Gopinath Deity in Jaipur and Lord Krishna are said to exactly resemble each other from Their shoulders down to the waist. Jugal Kisore Temple (Kesi ghata temple) is one of the oldest temples of Vrindavan, completed in 1627. After Akbar’s visit to Vrindavan in the year 1570, he gave permission for four temples to be built by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, which were Madana-mohana, Govindaji, Gopinatha and Jugal Kisore. It is sometimes called the Kesi ghata temple, as it is located next to this ghata. Opposite from the Govinda Dev Temple is an imposing south-Indian temple called Sri Ranganatha (Rangaji) Temple. It is 30 meters high with three gopurams (gateways), a tall shikhara (crown) and gold-plated decorations. This South Indian style temple was built by the wealthy Seth family of Mathura in 1851 and is dedicated to Lord Sri Ranganatha or Rangaji, a form of Lord Vishnu lying down on the Sesa Naga (divine serpent). This temple has a traditional South Indian gopuram (gateway), a Rajput-styled (architectural style prevailing in the present Indian state of Rajasthan) entrance gate and an Italian-influenced colonnade. One of the enclosures within the precincts of this magnificent temple has a 15-meter-high pillar made of gold. It is one of Vrindavan’s largest temples and is surrounded by high walls. Once a year there is a grand car festival (Ratha Yatra) known as Brahmotsava during the month of Caitra (March-April). This festival lasts for 10 days. At the entrance, there is an electronic puppet show about stories of Krishna and a small museum. One of the most popular in Vrindavan and famous all over India is the Banke Bihari Temple, built in 1864. There are curtains in front of the richly decorated murti. After the main prayers the curtains are drawn apart to give darsan (viewing) to a long line of devotees. The curtain before the Deities is not left open like at other temples but every few minutes it is pulled shut and then opened again. The Deities do not get up until 9 AM. The temple has mangala-arati only one day a year and only once a year can the lotus feet of the Deity be seen, on Akhyaya Tritiya. Many devotees come every day, especially in the month of Sravana, during Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival. The murti is said to have been discovered by the musician-saint Svami Hari Das in Nidhi Van, a kadamba grove where Banke Bihari was originally worshiped. A contemporary of the Six Gosvamis, Svami Haridasa, known for his bhajans, was the guru of the famous musician Tansen. Radharamana Temple is the famous temple of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Radharamana means “one who gives pleasure to Radha”. It is one of the many names of Lord Krishna. The seva puja of Radharamana was established in 1542, after the Deity self-manifested from a salagram-sila on the full moon day of Vaisakha (April/May). This event is celebrated every year by bathing the Deity with 100 liters of milk and other auspicious items. The remnants of this abhiseka (bathing) are like nectar. Gopal Bhatta Gosvami’s other shalagram-shilas are worshiped on the altar here. The appearance place of Sri Radharaman Deity is next to the temple. Radharamanji is one of the few original Deities of the Gosvamis still in Vrindavan. The standard of worship is very high. Also kept in this temple is the wooden sitting place (hoki) and shawl (chaddar) or Lord Caitanya that He gave as a gift to Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. There is no Deity of Radharani in this temple, but a crown is kept next to Krishna signifying Her presence. Gopal Bhatta’s samadhi is located here. The fires for cooking in the temple kitchen have been burning continuously since the Deity was installed over 460 years ago and the cooking still follows cookbooks from that time. Radha Damodara Temple is one of the most important temples in Vrindavan. The original Deity was hand carved by Rupa Gosvami and given as a gift to his beloved disciple, Jiva Gosvami, who later built a temple. Formerly this spot was in the middle of Seva-kunja and it was the bhajan place (where he performed his devotional activities) of Rupa Gosvami. Other Deities here are Vrindavan Candra worshiped by Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Radha-Madhava of Jayadeva Gosvami and Radha-Chalacikana of Bhugarbha Gosvami. When the original Deities are moved, the replacement Deity is called a pratibhu-murti and is considered as good as the original Deity. The samadhis of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Jiva Gosvami and Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Gosvami are here. Srila Prabhupada spent here most of his six years (1959 to 1965) before coming to America. He translated the first three cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam here. In Sri Radha Gokulananda Mandir are the the Radha-Vinoda Deities of Lokanath Gosvami, Radha-Gokulananda Deities of Visvanath Cakravarti, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Deity of Narottama Dasa Thakur, Vijaya Govinda Deities of Baladeva Vidyabhusana, and the Govardhan-shila given to Raghunath Dasa Gosvami by Sri Caitanya. Also, the samadhis of Srila Lokanath Gosvami, Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, and Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura are here. Visvanath Cakravarti arranged to have this temple built. Radha Vallabha Temple is another very popular temple of Vrindavan which was founded by Harivamsa Gosvami, who started the Radha Vallabha sampradaya emphasizing devotion to Radharani. In this temple, there is no Deity of Radharani, but a crown has been placed next to Krishna to signify her presence. The original temple of Radha Vallabha was destroyed by the Muslims in 1670 and a new temple was built beside the old one. Radha-Syamasundara are the Deities of Syamananda Prabhu. Darsan is from 8.30 to 11 am and 5 to 8 pm. It is one of the seven major temples in Vrindavan. Syamananda’s samadhi is across the street and down from the entrance of the temple. Sri Gopesvara Mahadeva Mandir is the oldest temple in Vrindavan. Gopesvara Mahadeva is Lord Siva, who came to Vrindavan to become a gopi of Krishna. Here Vrinda Devi blessed him and allowed him to enter the rasa dance of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna then offered Lord Siva the guardianship of the Rasa mandala and placed him at its entrance. Ever since, all Vaisnavas pray first for his mercy to become a servant of the servant of the gopis. Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna, also installed the Siva-linga in this temple. Every morning from 4 am to noon, thousands of people pour Yamuna water over the linga. It is said that the big pipal tree here is a kalpavriksa tree and will fulfill all desires. This temple is in the Vamsivata area. Jaipur Temple, one of Vrindavan’s most opulent temples, was built by the Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Madhav, in 1917 after 30 years of labor. The fine hand-carved sandstone is of unparalleled workmanship, the huge pillars that hold up the roof are each carved from one solid rock, and the intricately fashioned marble on the altar is reminiscent of the Mughal period. The Maharaja financed the railway line that connects Vrindavan with Mathura, just for the purpose of hauling the huge pieces of sandstone used in the temple construction. The Deities worshiped here are Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Ananda-bihari and Hansa-gopala. Shahji Temple, another popular temple at Vrindavan, was designed and built in 1876 by a wealthy jeweler, Shah Kundan Lal of Lucknow. The Deities at the temple are popularly known as the Chhote Radha Raman. Noted for its magnificent architecture and beautiful marble sculpture, the temple has twelve spiral columns each 15 feet high. The `Basanti Kamra’ – the darbar hall is famed for its Belgian glass chandeliers and fine paintings. New Temples Krishna Balarama Mandir Opened in 1975 by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Raman Reti, 3 km from the center of Vrindavan. The principal Deities of this temple are Krishna with His brother Balaram. Next to Them are Radha (Krishna’s consort) with Syamasundara and Gaura-Nitai. The samadhi (cenotaph) of ISKCON’s founder-acarya, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in pure white marble is within the complex in front of the temple. His private chambers have been converted into a museum. The temple is built in the Bengal Renaissance style with bright frescoes on Krishna’s life. There is also a guesthouse, restaurant, gurukula and gosalla. Hare Krishna devotees from all around the world come here, bringing a truly international flavor to this ancient holy city. Among the new temples springing up along the Mathura-Vrindavan road is the Gita Mandir which houses the Gita Stambh, a pillar with the entire Bhagavad Gita carved on its surface. The imposing temple, built by one of the country’s leading industrial families, the Birlas, is overshadowed by multistoried edifice known as the Pagal Baba Mandir just down the road. Other Holy Places of Vrindavan Seva Kunja and Nidhuban are gardens where Krishna performed many of His pastimes. The Seva Kunj is where Lord Krishna performed the Rasalila with Radharani decorating her hair with flowers and her lotus feet. Radha and Krishna would sometimes spend the night here, dancing with the gopis and enjoying transcendental pastimes. There is also a small temple dedicated to Radha and Krishna’s pastimes called Rang Mahal. Today this place is surrounded by temples. The Seva Kunja road leads to Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Radha Damodar Temple, Srila Syamananda Gosvami’s Radha Syamasundara Temple, and Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Gosvami’s Radha-Vrindavan-Candra Temple. At the Nidhi Van (Nidhuban, Nidhuvan) Krishna rested with His beloved Sri Radha. The shrine inside has a bed, which is decorated with flowers by the priest every evening. No one is allowed to stay inside after dusk because according to popular belief the Lord visits the spot with Sri Radha. The samadhi (memorial) of Svami Hari Das is also within this complex. All the groves of Vrindavan are notorious for monkeys that have a special fascination for cameras and spectacles. At the Imlitala tree (tamarind) Srila Sanatana Gosvami established the worship of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to sit daily under the Imlitala and chant japa. Deities of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha-Krishna are installed under this tree. Yamuna river flows through Vrindavan and Mathura. It is the most sacred river in India as it is so intimately connected with Krishna’s pastimes. Situated on the bank of the Yamuna is the Kesi Ghat, where Krishna killed the Kesi demon and saved His friends. One who bathes here gets the benediction of bathing in all of the holy places, can be purified of all sinful reactions and attain love of Godhead. This is also very famous bathing place in Vrindavan. An arati (prayer with offering of lamps) to Yamuna Devi is held here every day at sunset. Vrindavan Parikrama It is customary for devotees to walk around the town of Vrindavan, especially on Ekadasi. There is a parikrama path that goes around the town. This path is one street over from the ISKCON temple. It takes two or three hours to go around the town. Unique Attractions of Mathura – Holi Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalguna (Feb-March). Holi in Braja is celebrated for several days, at different places around Braja, before the actual day of Holi. People throw colored powdered dye and colored water on each other. This is joyfully celebrated in Braja, especially at Varsana, Nandagram and Dauji. In Varsana the festival includes colorful processions with music, song, dance, and some boisterous scenes around the temples. If you go to these festivals you should expect to be totally covered in dye and never to be able to use the clothes that you are wearing again, at least until next year’s festival. This is celebrated at the same time as Gaura Purnima. Varsana Groups of visitors go around in small and large groups here. In the afternoon gopas (men) from Nandagram come to Varsana and play Holi with the local gopis (women) of Varsana. The women hit the men hard with 2 m (7ft) long bamboo staffs. The men have shields which they protect themselves with. During this time local songs are sung. This festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the month of Phalguna (Feb-March). Nandagram The day after the Holi festival at Varsana, Holi is celebrated in Nandagram. The gopas (men) from Varsana come to Nandagram to play Holi with the gopis (women) there. The flag of the Larily Lal Temple in Varsana is carried in an elaborate procession to Nandagram. At this time the residents of Nandagram attempt to capture the flag, but their attempts are foiled. After this, women play Holi with bamboo staffs. This festival is celebrated on the tenth day (dasami) of the month of Phalguna (Feb-March). Phalen On the full moon night in Feb/March a huge bon-fire is burned. One of the local priests walks through the fire unscathed. One story about Holi is that Prahlada Maharaja refused to worship his father and wanted to worship his father’s enemy, Lord Vishnu instead. His father’s sister Holika, who was immune to being burned, sat with the boy in a big fire. Prahlada’s devotion was so great that Holika was burnt to death and Prahlada was unharmed. The Holi festival at Phalen re-enacts this event. Climate Vrindavan is hot in summers, with day temperatures climbing to 45° C. Winters are comfortable, at an average of 32° C in the day and 14° C at night. Except for the monsoon months between July and September, the climate is dry. Light cottons in summer and monsoons, and light woollens in winter are sufficient. Weather conditions are the best from November till March. This period also coincides with the celebration of Holi in February-March every year. However, other major festivals, like the birth of Krishna and the birth of Radha fall in the month of August. This is an auspicious time for undertaking the chaurasi kos parikrama (circumambulation) or Ban Yatra around the holy sites in Braj Bhumi. And one of the best times to visit Vrindavan is in the months of July/August when Janmashtami is celebrated in full gaiety. Almost every day there is a festival in Vrindavan, but the major ones include Govardhan Puja, Guru Purnima, Holi, Govardhan Puja, Jhulan Yatra (swing festival), Janmashtami, Radhashtami and Basant Pancami. How to Reach Mathura and Vrindavan The nearest airport is Agra. There are regular flights to other important tourist destinations of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and Khajuraho. The nearest international airport is Delhi, which is connected to almost every important city in the world with major airlines. The new bus stand is located near Hotel Mansarovar Palace. Bus service from Mathura to Delhi (3 hours) and Agra (1 hour) is very good. The old bus stand no longer serves local destinations, but there are a few buses to Agra. Mathura railway station is located south of the new bus stand. Mathura is well connected by train with Agra (1 hour), Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur and Kota. The Taj Express runs daily between Mathura to Delhi (about 2 hours). A meter-gauge line connects Vrindavan to Mathura. Three local trains leave Mathura Junction each day (6.30 am, 3.40 pm and 7.40 pm) for the station in the south of Vrindavan. Though Vrindavan itself is a railway station, the major railway station nearby is Mathura on the Delhi-Chennai and Delhi-Mumbai main line. Several express trains connect Mathura to other major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Calcutta, and Agra. Travelers can use auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws to move around the city. Tempos operate back and forth on the 10-km stretch between Mathura and Vrindavan. Distances are very small, but having one’s own vehicle allows flexibility. The lanes are congested and it is better to park one’s vehicle at one place and walk around. Accommodation Vrindavan does not have high quality hotels. However, it has nearly 200 dharamsalas (simple accommodation for pilgrims) that are clean and affordable. ISKCON Guesthouse and MVT are the main and best accommodation places provided by ISKCON and there are appearing new accommodations of hotel type all over Vrindavan every year.


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ge. Donors are afforded the privilege of joining the CAF as members if they choose, and as such may participate in the activities of the sponsor group including flying. The Commemorative Air Force is an IRS 501. C (3) tax deductible charitable organization and any donation is fully tax deductible. Those wanting to donate can mail donations to the Lady Liberty Sponsor Group, 1026 S. 66th, Hangar 11, Enid, OK 73701.

Douglas A-26 Invader âLady Libertyâ is In Distress

Douglas A-26 Invader ‘Lady Liberty’ is In Distress July 15, 2014 Warbirds News Collections, Commemorative Air Force 9The A-26 flying at last year CAF AIRSHO. ( Photo by Kevin Hong)The A-26 flying at last year CAF AIRSHO. ( Photo by Kevin Hong)The Commemorative Air Force’s Douglas A-26 Invader known as Lady Liberty is stranded at an airfield in Kansas after blowing out an engine. They need our help to get her flying again. The estimated cost to get the old girl back in the air is about US$60,000. “It’s just been [about a month] since the engine was blown,” said Dee Ann Ediger, finance officer for the group that cares for Lady Liberty. “We have air shows we’ve had to cancel because the plane is not operational.” Ediger said Lady Liberty was attending an air show in early June at Hutchinson, Kanas, when she lost an engine on landing. “We were invited to go up there,” she said. “When they landed at the airport it was just a big puff of black smoke.” Since then, Lady Liberty has been grounded. The left engine was a total loss. “We have since located an engine that can be rebuilt,” Ediger said. A shop in Oklahoma City will work on the engine, with an estimated cost of about $60,000. “We’ve just started raising funds,” Ediger said. “All funds are going directly to the engine fund.”The work crew gets to grips with removing Lady Liberty’s troublesome left engine. (photo via Julie Larcher)Lady Liberty has been based in a WWII-era hangar at Enid Woodring Regional Airport in Enid, Oklahoma for the past two years, since the sale of her previous hangar at Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City. The base is fitting, as TB-26 trainers flew from nearby Vance Air Force Base from WWII until about 1955. The Air Force Base is still operational, and has a TB-26 on static display at the gate. About thirty people from Enid and Oklahoma City, sponsor Lady Liberty. She performs at air shows across the USA, as well as taking part in honor flights and life heritage experience flights. Following a suitable donation, members of the public can fly aboard the the Invader to get a small taste of what it might have been like for aircrew during her operational days. Lady Liberty is one of the oldest surviving Invaders, and the oldest still flying. With the US Army Air Corps serial, 41-39230, she was the 130th Invader to roll off the production line, and entered military service on Aug. 18, 1944. She flew to Great Dunmow in England on September 20th, 1944, joining the 410th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force. She entered combat operations in early 1945. Patches covering battle damage from enemy night fighters remain on her tail to this day. After World War II, Lady Liberty endured a period of storage in Hobbs, New Mexico. After some refurbishment, she joined an Air Force Reserve unit in Georgia, before being struck off and sold in 1958. She then served as a radio research aircraft with Texas Instruments, before modifications at another company for use as an air tanker. Under different ownership, the Invader was involved in smuggling operations, and the Drug Enforcement Agency seized her as bounty. They sold the tired old bomber at auction in 1980, and the purchaser donated her to the organization now known as the Commemorative Air Force. The Invader spent time in the Texas Panhandle and Las Vegas, before undergoing restoration to flight status, and relocation to Oklahoma City in 1999. She has served her community well, but now the Lady Liberty sponsorship group is seeking additional donors, sponsors and benefactors to help raise the necessary US$60,000 to replace the bad engine, and get the Invader flying again. Anyone can become a member of the Commemorative Air Force, however, sponsor-members have the ability to fly aboard the aircraft after air crew training at no further char

Donations also can be made online via Pay Pal. Please see the Lady Liberty website to find out more by clicking HERE. To see more photographs of the engine removal, please see the slide show below. [inpost_galleria thumb_width=”200″ thumb_height=”200″ post_id=”13847″ thumb_margin_left=”3″ thumb_margin_bottom=”0″ thumb_border_radius=”2″ thumb_shadow=”0 1px 4px rgba (0, 0, 0, 0.2)” id=”” random=”0″ group=”0″ border=”” show_in_popup=”0″ album_cover=”” album_cover_width=”200″ album_cover_height=”200″ popup_width=”800″ popup_max_height=”600″ popup_title=”Gallery” type=”yoxview” sc_id=”sc1405459044126″]CAF Douglas A-26 Invader


how many gallons of gas in a chevy cruze

"">Related Chevy Cruze Questions What is the miles per gallon on the Chevy Cruze 2011? The 2011 Chevy Cruze gets 28 miles per gallon in the city, and 42 on the highway. !How many gallons of gas does the 2011 Chevy Cruze hold? The 2011 Chevy Cruze has a 1.8 Liter engine that holds 18.1 gallons of gas. How many miles per gallon does a Chevy Cruze get? The Cruze LS gets 26 MPG city and 36 highway, The Cruze LT and LTZ get 36 MPG,... What is the max speed of a new 2012 manual Chevy Cruze? The top speed of the 2012 Chevrolet Cruz is 124 miles per hour. It has an MSRP... What is the miles per gallon on a Chevy Chevette

"Anonymous How many gallon tank is the 2012 Chevy Cruze? Topics: Science › Math › Chevy Cruze, Chevrolet, Automotive, Capacity & Volume Answer GREGORY BURKEThe 2012 Chevrolet Cruze LT and LTZ offer 36 MPG on the highway. The gas tank holds up to 15.6 gallons of fuel.0 5 years ago Do you know the answer? Login or Sign Up to answer this question.data-config-site-section=""chacha

The EPA rated the base 1.4-liter engine at 28 mpg city and 40 mpg highway for the... See All Questions ▶Last Week's Popular Questions for Chevy Cruze What are specifications of the Chevy cruze 2011? The 2011 Chevy Cruze 1LT Sedan features a 1.4L 4-cyl. Turbo motor with a 6-speed... What is the gas milage of a chevy cruze? GM has rated its Chevy Cruze Eco model at 42 mpg highway. That beats out many... Do you need to immediately fix a purge valve on a car or can it wait a little while? I have 2012 Chevy Cruze LT. Yes, you need to get that fixed. The purge valve purges fuel vapors from a fuel... How do I open the fuel door on a 2012 Chevy Cruze? To open the fuel door on a 2012 Chevy Cruze you need to push on the fuel door and... What does the 2011 Chevy Cruze RS package include? The RS has an appearance package for LT and LTZ models. On the outside, it... See All Questions ▶ "


which carpet is best for durability and plush

bs. The best choice for durability are marbled carpets. Usually a lighter gray color with a brown or other dark-neutral color mixed in. These carpets camouflage most aging changes (dirt and stains) that occur while owning the carpet. Captain’s parting words!So there you have it. The most durable carpet is (drumroll)…

Most Durable Carpet in the World

Most Durable Carpet in the World A few weeks ago I responded to a question I get frequently: what is the best carpet on the market? I explained that the ‘best carpet’ can mean a lot of things. After clearing this up, I have received a lot of interest in knowing what the most durable carpet is—the carpet that will last the longest. From the fiber to the color, I’m going to cover all the factors that will give you the longest lasting carpet possible. Keep in mind, the sole purpose here is for the longest lasting so there is no consideration for pri

ce. Most durable carpet fiber Of the major carpet fibers, the only debate for most durable is between nylon and wool. Both are very strong fibers; they show resilience to the stress of constantly being walked upon. This resilience helps them prevent premature aging that many carpets in high-traffic areas experience.

So what separates nylon from wool? While wool carpets are very durable, they also require special care. Wool absorbs water, so it can be prone to mildew if there are a lot of spills or any water damage. Wool carpets also can fade in sunlight and require special cleaning agents because many of the go-to cleaners are too harsh for the natural fiber. Probably the biggest factor separating nylon and wool is that wool carpets do not resist abrasion as well as nylon. In other words, claws of animals or rotating vacuum brushes can damage the carpet. Almost all fiber types have good stain resistance, and nylon can actually be one of the best or the worst. It has poor stain resistance when untreated and possibly the best stain resistance when it is treated. How do you know if yours has stain protection? Some carpets will say they have a stain treatment. Another rule of thumb is pretty much all of the brand names nylons will come with stain resistance (Du Pont, Mohawk, Shaw, etc). Face weight/Density Face weight and carpet density give you information on the amount of carpet fiber per square inch. This plays an important role in durability for two reasons: The first is that denser carpets look less aged. Compare it to looking down at a forest from above. A lot of trees will make for a beautiful green scenery. If there aren’t many trees (not very dense), you will see directly to the dirt. The second reason is that increased fibers mean there is increased strength. Imagine a bunch of people lifting a big 500-pound plate. The more people there are the greater chance that the people (fibers) will stay up and not crush. For the most durable carpet, go with a face weight of over 60oz and a density of over 2500. Be aware that face weight can be deceiving. Density is more standardized, so it is best to go by the density when you can. Twist Level Twist level is one of the most overlooked factors that contribute to carpets durability. Some retailers won’t even list the twist level in the specifications and won’t be quick to answer when you ask the twist level of a carpet. However, overlooking the twist level can be costly. For maximum durability, look for a carpet with 7 or more twists per inch. Most durable carpet style Every carpet style can make a durable carpet. After all, ‘style’ inherently refers to how a carpet looks or is designed. However, some carpet styles naturally have certain advantages or disadvantages due to how they are constructed. A relevant example is frieze carpet which is a tightly curled or wavy carpet style—it gets its waviness from a high number of tight twists, usually 7 to 9 per inch. This makes frieze carpets the best choice for those seeking durability. And as stated in the previous section, sometimes it’s difficult to find information on a carpet’s twist level, but with frieze, the twist level is covered. Most durable carpet colors You may think it’s trivial to include color as a factor of durability. And for those of you thinking this, in many ways you’re right; color does not truly affect the durability of the carpet. However, color does affect the appearance of the carpet as it ages, and ultimately this is what durability is all about. So what color should you pick to prevent your carpet from showing its years of abuse? Light-colored carpets show any and all stains and dirt, so they are out of the question. Dark-colored carpets are the next option. The problems with dark carpets is they have to be vacuumed very regularly or will show lint and crum

a marble-colored, 2500+ density, 7+ twist level, brand name nylon frieze carpet. This carpet should last most people over 15 years and may last much more than that. While this is the most durable, there are other very durable carpets on the market that don’t perfectly fit our description. With this in mind, carpet is only good as the weakest link, so changing any of the above specifications of the carpet could turn a 15-year carpet into a 5-year (or less) carpet… just read our case study on wool carpet gone bad from last week. The other thing to keep in mind is this will be a very expensive carpet. For those of you who want a durable carpet but cost is also a factor, I will have a future post on the best value (durability + cost) carpet. Share Tweet Pin Share Email


what is hdl is that good or bad cholesterol

Doctors consider HDL cholesterol the “good” cholesterol, and they interpret its levels in the opposite manner of LDL. The higher your HDL cholesterol numbers, the lower your risk is for heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke.

"HDL vs. LDL Cholesterol Differences, Normal Ranges, and Meanings Center Cholesterol Levels Slideshow Pictures Lowering Cholesterol Slideshow Take the Cholesterol Quiz What is HDL (the ""good"") cholesterol? What is LDL (the ""bad) cholesterol? What is the difference between HDL vs. LDL cholesterol? What do the HDL and LDL numbers mean? Chart of normal cholesterol numbers What causes high ""bad"" (LDL) cholesterol? What foods help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol? Will I have to go on medication to lower my cholesterol? How can I help increase my HDL (""good"") cholesterol? How can I prevent high LDL cholesterol? What is HDL (the ""good"") cholesterol? What is LDL (the ""bad) cholesterol? Share Your Story Cholesterol is a fat-like ( lipid -like) substance that your body uses as a building block to produce hormones, vitamin D, and digestive juices that help you break down fats in your diet. HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol) are two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol to and from the body’s cells in the blood. The body needs some cholesterol to function, but when levels get too high, fatty deposits can accumulate in blood vessels, which causes them to narrow. This narrowing of the blood passageways by these lipids can lead to heart attacks, coronary artery disease, strokes, or other vascular diseases. Triglycerides are components found in body fat, and fats from the foods you eat. Triglycerides show what you have recently eaten, and cholesterol shows what you have eaten over a long period. If you eat a fatty meal, it gets absorbed as triglycerides, so in the first few days after eating a fatty meal you will have high levels of triglycerides in your blood. The liver then packages these triglycerides as fats in your adipose tissue, and turns some of it into cholesterol. This leads to high cholesterol levels in the blood for a few days to weeks after eating a fatty meal. Like cholesterol, you need some triglycerides to keep the body healthy, but increased levels can cause health problems. What is the difference between HDL vs. LDL cholesterol? LDL and HDL are the two main types of cholesterol (blood fats, or lipids) that make up your total cholesterol. HDL (high-density lipoproteins), or “good” cholesterol, may protect the body against narrowing blood vessels LDL (low-density lipoproteins), or “bad” cholesterol, may make arterial narrowing worse There is a third type of cholesterol called VLDL (very-low-density lipoproteins), which is another type of “bad” cholesterol produced in the liver, and contains a high amount of triglycerides. What do the HDL and LDL numbers mean? Your total cholesterol is the sum of the fats in your blood, which includes the LDL and HDL cholesterols. This number can give you an indication of your risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, vascular disease, or stroke. More importantly, the amounts of each type of cholesterol are a better predictor of risk for disease than the total amount. Doctors and other health care professionals consider LDL cholesterol the “bad” cholesterol. Increased numbers of LDL cholesterol indicate more risk for blocked arteries and health problems.

HDL cholesterol also may have a protective effect on the blood vessels, and a high level of HDL in your body may keep cardiovascular disease from developing. Triglycerides also are part of a cholesterol profile, and these numbers are more indicative of the amount of fats you have eaten recently. High triglyceride levels greatly increase your risk for developing coronary artery disease, vascular disease, and stroke. Chart of normal cholesterol numbers Chart of LDL and HDL Cholesterol Numbers and What They Mean Chart courtesy of the National Institutes of Health. Quick Guide Lower Your Cholesterol, Save Your Heart How Can I Lower My Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a natural fatty substance found in the body. Since cholesterol is considered a fat, or lipid, high LDL and low HDL cholesterol levels in the blood put you at risk for stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular diseases. You can lower your LDL and increase your HDL levels through weight loss, regular exercise, eating a low fat heart healthy diet, and sometimes, medication like statins. Click for more about how to lower your cholesterol levels »What causes high ""bad"" (LDL) cholesterol? Causes of high “bad” (LDL) cholesterol include: High fat diet Obesity (including metabolic syndrome, also called syndrome X)Sedentary lifestyle Genetics Alcoholism Liver disease Smoking Diabetes What foods help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol? Share Your Story A heart-healthy diet that is high in fiber and plant-based foods can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. Mainly vegetarian or vegan diets have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of blocked arteries. Foods that can help lower LDL cholesterol include: Oatmeal Whole grains Barley Beans Fruits and vegetables Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collard greens, lettuce Avocado Eggplant Nuts Soybeans and tofu Fatty fish such as salmon and tuna (in moderation)Red wine (in moderation)Black tea Garlic Fiber supplements Will I have to go on medication to lower my cholesterol? Share Your Story The first step in lowering cholesterol is diet and exercise. Talk with your doctor, nutritionist, or other health care professional to come up with a diet and exercise plan that is right for you. Other lifestyle modifications and changes can be made to help lower your cholesterol, for example, quit smoking, reduce the amount of alcohol you drink or avoid it, and reduce stress by using stress reduction techniques like Yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation. If diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes are not enough to your lower cholesterol to healthy ranges, then your doctor may prescribe medication. The type of cholesterol lowering medication depends upon your levels of LDL, HLD, and triglycerides; and any current medications you are currently taking, and your overall health. Medication options to reduce cholesterol include statins, niacin, and fibric acid agents ( fibrates ). Your doctor may prescribe one or several types of these drugs to reduce your cholesterol levels to a healthy range. How can I help increase my HDL (""good"") cholesterol? Share Your Story Raising your HDL levels by diet alone is very difficult. Your best solution to increase your HDL levels is to eat a heart-healthy diet low in fat and high in fiber. You also can help improve your HDL number if you lose weight, quit smoking, and cut out sugar out of your diet. Some statin medications may potentially increase HDL levels moderately. Discuss this treatment option with your doctor. How can I prevent high LDL cholesterol? Lifestyle and diet modifications are the main way to prevent high LDL cholesterol, and to keep a healthy level of HDL cholesterol. Eat a low fat/high fiber diet, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, and do not smoke. Some risk factors for high LDL cholesterol are genetic and may require medical treatment to keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range. Cholesterol Levels Slideshow Pictures Lowering Cholesterol Slideshow Take the Cholesterol Quiz Daily Health News Hot Chili Pepper Hospitalizes Man Woman Claims Fertility Doctor As Her Father Mom's Marijuana in Breast Milk Toddlers, Opioids Victims Focus Shift in Alzheimer's Research More Health News »Trending on Medicine Net Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)E. Coli Hepatitis ABurning Urination (Dysuria)Scabies From Cholesterol Resources Cholesterol & Eye Problems: What to Know Did You Know High Cholesterol Can Hurt Your Vision? How ""Good"" Cholesterol Helps Your Heart Featured Centers How Could You Live Better With Migraine? Not Being Defined by Your Cancer Track Cold & Flu in Your Area Health Solutions From Our Sponsors Frequent Constipation? Greater Food Accessibility Subscribe to Medicine Net's Heart Health Newsletter By clicking Submit, I agree to the Medicine Net's Terms & Conditions & Privacy Policy and understand that I may opt out of Medicine Net's subscriptions at any time. HDL vs. LDL Cholesterol (Differences, Normal Ranges, Meanings) Center Medically Reviewed on 7/14/2017 References Related Article Lower Your Cholesterol, Save Your Heart Need to lower your cholesterol levels? Use these smart diet tips to quickly and easily lower your blood cholesterol levels and improve your heart health. Read more: Lower Your Cholesterol, Save Your Heart Patient Comments HDL vs. LDL Cholesterol - Experience Please share your experience with elevated cholesterol. Post HDL vs. LDL - Foods That Lower LDL Cholesterol What foods have you found, or what foods have been recommended to you by your doctor or nutritionist to lower your LDL levels? Post HDL vs. LDL - Raising HDL Number What lifestyle changes have you made to raise your HDL, or good cholesterol number? Post HDL vs. LDL - Medication What medications has your doctor prescribed to you to lower your LDL cholesterol levels? Post Complete List Top HDL vs. LDL Cholesterol Differences Related Articles Cholesterol Drugs Slides When diet and exercise aren't enough, should you turn to drugs? Learn cholesterol basics, drug classes, and available drugs along with their benefits and side effects. Cholesterol Management High cholesterol and triglyceride levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Getting your cholesterol and triglyceride levels in an optimal range will help protect your heart and blood vessels. Cholesterol management may include lifestyle interventions (diet and exercise) as well as medications to get your total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides in an optimal range. Cholesterol Test A cholesterol blood test measures the amount of cholesterol in the body. There are two types of cholesterol; the ""good"" cholesterol or HDL, and the ""bad"" cholesterol or LDL. High cholesterol levels in the blood can lead to heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Learn more about cholesterol tests and how to interpret them. Take the Nutrition Quiz Even if you think you're getting enough fruits and vegetables per day, how can you be sure? Take the Diet & Nutrition Quiz to learn more about eating right. Stress-Reducing Foods While there are many ways to cope with stress, one strategy is to eat stress-fighting foods. Find out which foods to eat as part of a stress management diet. Disease Prevention in Men Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed. Diseases men should take steps to prevent includehigh blood pressure (hypertension), hypercholesterolemia, type II diabetes mellitus, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), colon cancer and colon polyps, prostate cancer, glaucoma,melanoma and other skin cancer, and bladder cancer. Disease Prevention in Women Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere. Healthy Living The importance of a healthy lifestyle in disease prevention is widely understood and most people know that lifestyle changes and choices can be critical to good health. Yet, few practice healthy behaviors that constitute healthy living. Heart Attack Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical instability of the heart. Heart Attack and Atherosclerosis Prevention Heart disease and heart attacks can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle with diet, exercise, and stress management. Symptoms of heart attack in men and women include chest discomfort and pain in the shoulder, neck, jaw, stomach, or back. Women experience the same symptoms as men; however, they also may experience: Extreme fatigue Pain in the upper abdomen Dizziness Fainting Leading a healthy lifestyle with a heart healthy low-fat diet, and exercise can help prevent heart disease and heart attack. Heart Attack Symptoms and Early Warning Signs Recognizing heart attack symptoms and signs can help save your life or that of someone you love. Some heart attack symptoms, including left arm pain and chest pain, are well known but other, more nonspecific symptoms may be associated with a heart attack. Nausea, vomiting, malaise, indigestion, sweating, shortness of breath, and fatigue may signal a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms and signs in women may differ from those in men. CAD Slideshow What is heart disease (coronary artery disease)? Learn about the causes of heart disease. Symptoms of heart disease include chest pain and shortness of breath. Explore heart disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Heart Disease Quiz Take our Heart Disease Quiz to get answers and facts about high cholesterol, atherosclerosis prevention, and the causes, symptoms, treatments, testing, and procedures for medically broken hearts. Illustrations of the Heart The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. See a picture of the Heart and learn more about the health topic. Lower Cholesterol Tips Need to lower your cholesterol levels? Use these smart diet tips to quickly and easily lower your blood cholesterol levels. Choose heart-healthy foods to lower cholesterol and improve your heart health. Peripheral Vascular Disease Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) refers to diseases of the blood vessels (arteries and veins) located outside the heart and brain. While there are many causes of peripheral vascular disease, doctors commonly use the term peripheral vascular disease to refer to peripheral artery disease (peripheral arterial disease, PAD), a condition that develops when the arteries that supply blood to the internal organs, arms, and legs become completely or partially blocked as a result of atherosclerosis. Peripheral artery disease symptoms include intermittent leg pain while walking, leg pain at rest, numbness in the legs or feet, and poor wound healing in the legs or feet. Treatment for peripheral artery disease include lifestyle measures, medication, angioplasty, and surgery. Take the Sugar Quiz Sugar lurks in surprising places. Take the Sugar Quiz to learn of the many ways sugar sneaks into your diet and see what you know about sugar and artificial sweeteners!Triglyceride Test Triglycerides are a common form of fat that we digest. Triglycerides are the main ingredient in animal fats and vegetable oils. Elevated levels of triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, stroke, fatty liver disease, and pancreatitis. Elevated levels of triglycerides are also associated with diseases like diabetes, kidney disease, and medications (for example, diuretics, birth control pills, and beta blockers). Dietary changes, and medication if necessary can help lower triglyceride blood levels. Popular Collections Beware of Deadly Bug Bites & Stings Recognize These Common Eye Conditions Natural Cold & Flu Remedies Managing Blood Sugar Swings Cholesterol: What the Numbers Mean Omega-3 Foods for a Stronger Heart Low-T and Erectile Dysfunction Joint Friendly Exercises The Most Effective Birth Control Lung Cancer Stages & Treatments Migraine Triggers You Can Avoid Why Heart Attacks Happen Foods to Help You Concentrate Your Cancer Questions Answered Stop Wrecking Your Teeth The Dangers of Blood Clots Learn More About Eating Disorders Surgery or Medication for Crohn's? Featured Slideshows Protect Your Eyesight Warning Signs of Common Eye Conditions Migraine or Headache What's the Difference? Psoriasis See What It Looks Like and How to Treat It "


average amount of money stna make

13. According to the BLS data, the average salary of an STNA is $24,700. Or if you would prefer to the know the average hourly wage, it is $11.87. Of course these salary figures are just averages, and when you are just starting out you may make less than this

STNA Salary

STNA Salary How much does an STNA make? If you are considering a career as a nursing assistant in Ohio, then you probably want to know what a typical STNA salary is. Fortunately the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes this salary data. Their most recent figures that are available are from May of 20

As with any job, the amount you make will vary based on your expericence, your location, and your employer. The BLS also provides salary ranges. The bottom 10% of State Tested Nursing Assistants in Ohio make $9.07 per hour while the top 10% make $15.35 per hour. This should give you a good idea of how much to aim for as your career progresses. The type of health care facility that you work at can also make a big difference. Based on national data, 38% of nursing assistants work at nursing care facilites, with an average hourly wage of $12.01. Another 19% work at continuing care retirement communites and assisted living facilities, with an average hourly wage of $11.70. Specialty hospitals employ 9% of a nursing assistants, at an average wage of $13.60. Home health care services employ 6% of nurse aides, at an average wage of $11.51. Based on this STNA salary data, the highest paying jobs in are hospitals, but these may not be the easiest jobs to get. When first starting out, you may need to take the first job available. Once you gain some work experience you can start looking for better paying positions to earn more money and to advance your career.


calories in serving of jelly

The 37 calories in one serving of jelly are equivalent to the calories burned while: Running (6 mph) for 3 minutes Stationary rowing for 6 minutes Chopping wood for 4 minutes Sleeping for 32 minutes (Calculations are based on a 150-lb person.

Jelly

"See all Nutrition Understanding Nutrient Score & Fullness Scale Share Jelly Food Group: Condiments & Sauces Calories Per Serving: 37 cals Serving Size: 1 individual pa (14g) Nutrient Score: C+See More Jellies Advertisement Share Nutrition Information Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 14 grams Amount Per Serving: 1 individual pa Calories 37% Daily Value *Total Fat 0.0 grams 0.0Saturated Fat 0.0 grams 0.0%Trans Fat Cholesterol 0 milligrams 0.0Sodium 4 milligrams 0.18Total Carbohydrate 9.8 grams 3.3Dietary Fiber 0.10 grams 0.60%Sugars 7.2 grams Protein 0.0 grams 0.0Vitamin A 0.0%Vitamin C 0.2%Calcium 0.10%Iron 0.10%Vitamin D 0.0%Potassium 0.20%* The % daily value is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your recommended daily intake may vary depending on your calorie needs. Nutritional Scores Scoring Methodology Nutrient Score Fullness Scale C+3The Nutrient Score of jelly is on the low end of all the food items in our database, which means that, while it contains some vitamins and minerals per calorie, it is generally not a great source of them for your diet. Because jelly has a low Fullness Scale rating, it is not a food that would do a good job of satisfying your hunger. Calorie Information for Other Jellies Advertisement Share Micronutrient Analysis Vitamins Nutrient Quantity (per serving) DV (%)Vitamin A 0.70IU 0.0%Vitamin B1 0.00 milligrams 0.0%Vitamin B2 0.00 milligrams 0.2%Vitamin B3 0.01 milligrams 0.03%Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 0.03 milligrams 0.3%Vitamin B6 0.00 milligrams 0.0%Vitamin B12 0.00 micrograms 0.0%Folate 0.28 micrograms 0.1%Vitamin C 0.13 milligrams 0.2%Vitamin D 0.00IU 0.0%Vitamin E 0.00IU 0.0%Vitamin K 0.00 micrograms 0.1%Minerals Nutrient Quantity (per serving) DV (%)Calcium 0.98 milligrams 0.10%Copper 0.00 milligrams 0.10%Iron 0.03 milligrams 0.10%Magnesium 0.84 milligrams 0.21%Manganese 0.02 0.92%Phosphorous 0.84 milligrams 0.08%Potassium 7.56 milligrams 0.20%Selenium 0.06 0.08%Sodium 4 milligrams 0.18Zinc 0.00 milligrams 0.0%Units Key:ug = microgramsmg = milligrams IU = International Units, based on concentration or potency (absolute quantity varies by micronutrient)Americans' Average Daily Intake of ""Good"" Nutrients Fiber Iron Calcium More Source: USDA Economic Research Service . Daily consumption is an average of data from 2007 to 2010. FDA recommendations are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and are updated as of January 2016. Americans' Average Daily Intake of ""Bad"" Nutrients Sodium Added sugar Fat Saturated fat Cholesterol More Source: USDA Economic Research Service . Daily consumption is an average of data from 2007 to 2010. FDA recommendations are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and are updated as of January 2016. Nutrition Information for Other Jellies Advertisement Share Exercise Calculator Did You Know?

)Calculate Other Activities: Jelly: 37 calories/serving Your Weight: Activity: Time to Burn Calories: Formula: Time = Calories / (125.98 x METS x weight (lbs)) (where 125.98 is a conversion factor for METS to calories and lbs to kg)Health Grove is a health site that uses Graphiq’s semantic technology to deliver deep insights via data-driven articles, visualizations and research tools. Deep insights from health data. Knowledge delivered. ›Advertisement Share Similar Items Other Varieties of Jelly Other Condiments & Sauces More Advertisement References Sources: ESHA Research and USDA. Show details "


cause of computer overheating

HP Desktop PCs - Computer Overheating Prevention Heat buildup can cause problems for any computer. Generally, when temperatures inside the computer case rise above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), the risk of damaging important internal components increases greatly. The most common cause of a computer getting too hot is the accumulation of dust inside the computer.

This document describes how to prevent heat-related issues from occurring. Video overview Click here to see this video in full screen on You Tube. Symptoms of heat issues and causes of excessive heat The following list describes some of the issues caused by too much heat in the computer: Games stop responding during play. Windows stops responding during use. Fans inside the computer become louder because they are spinning faster to remove the heat. When starting the computer, it sometimes stops at a black screen and does not open into Windows. Windows usually stops responding when it does open. Mouse and keyboard stop responding. Computer unexpectedly restarts or displays a blue screen error message.note: These errors are not predictable. If these errors occur only in one software program, the issue is probably related to that software program and is not heat related. The following list describes some causes of excessive heat: Dust inside the computer. Dust problems are worse if the computer sits on a carpeted floor. A new component, such as a hard drive, is added. The extra component causes the power supply to work harder and generate more heat. Extra heat also radiates off the new component and adds to the temperature inside the case. Over time, some cooling fans might slow down and wear out, depending on the usage of the computer. High ambient room temperature. Before you begin troubleshootingwarning: Keep children and pets away from the area because of the hazard of electrical shock.warning: The edges of metal panels can cut skin. Be careful not to slide skin along any interior metal edge of the computer.caution: This product contains components that can be damaged by electrostatic discharge (ESD). To reduce the chance of ESD damage, work over a noncarpeted floor, use a static dissipative work surface (such as a conductive foam pad), and wear an ESD wrist strap connected to a grounded surface. Make sure you have the following items: Philips or slotted screwdrivers Canned air (available from most computer repair and electronics stores)Small flashlight Safety goggles Dust mask Step 1: Testing the computer with the cover removed Remove the side panel from the computer to see if the heat related issues go away. Doing so also prepares the computer for other procedures used in this article. Turn off the computer and unplug the power cable. Remove the side panel screws. Figure: Examples of panel screws Remove the case panels or cover to expose the inside of the computer. Plug in the power cable and turn on the computer.caution: Keep any items away from the internal area of the computer to avoid damaging the computer. With the case cover removed, use a software program that is known to frequently stop responding to see if the issue occurs again. If the issues go away, excessive heat is probably building up inside the computer case. Use the steps in the rest of this document to help reduce the temperature inside the case. If the issues do not go away, they are probably not caused by heat. Step 2: Verifying that computer fans are operational With the power on, look inside the computer and find the cooling fans. Look for the fans near vents, around the processor, and around the video card. You can use a flashlight to help find the fans, but do not put anything inside the computer. Figure: Fan locations If a fan is not moving or is making a loud growling noise, turn off the computer and replace the fan. Do not use the computer when a fan is not working correctly because the high heat can damage other important components. Go to the next step after all fans are found to be working correctly. Step 3: Cleaning the computer Dust might have built up around some of the internal components. Dust clogs the small air passages between metal surfaces, acting as a blanket to keep in heat. Use the following steps to remove dust:warning: Wear safety goggles and a dust mask to protect eyes and nasal passages when using canned air to remove dust. Turn off the computer and disconnect the power cord. Clean any exterior vents, especially around the power supply. Figure: Power supply vent Use canned air to blow the dust off the internal parts of the power supply. If a small vacuum cleaner is available, use the suction end to remove dust from the exterior vent holes. Figure: Remove dust from the vent holes on the exteriorcaution: Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean inside the computer. Doing so might damage the computer. Remove dust from inside the computer. Use the canned air to clean off any dusty parts inside the computer. After the cleaning is complete, replace the case cover. Plug in the power cord and turn on the computer. Use the computer as normal to see if any heat-related issues still exist. If any issues continue, continue to the next step. Step 4: Ensuring that there is proper space for ventilation Proper ventilation for the system is important for workstation operation. Follow these guidelines to ensure adequate ventilation: Keep the computer upright and on a sturdy, level surface. Provide at least 15.25 centimeters (6 inches) of clearance in front and back of the computer. Figure: Keep front and back areas clear If the computer is being used at very high altitudes, above 1500 meters (5000 feet), take extra care to keep the computer cool. The maximum limit of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) drops 1 degree Celsius (~34 degrees Fahrenheit) every ~300 meters (1000 feet) of altitude. Step 5: Placing the computer in a cooler room A small difference in temperature might be all that is needed to prevent a component from failing. Move the computer to a cooler room in the house or office. If this is not an option, continue with the next step. Step 6: Updating the BIOSAfter releasing a computer, HP regularly provides updates for BIOS and other components. Updating the BIOS can help resolve issues with heat in your PC. See HP Desktop PCs - Updating the BIOS for instructions. Step 7: Installing an extra fan Case fans are available to buy from most local computer supply stores. One type of fan that works well in home computers is a slot fan. These fans can be installed into a slot next to the video card. The hot air that surrounds the video card is drawn out through the slot fan, lowering the air temperature inside the case. Installation of the fan depends on the type of fan. After installing the fan according to its instructions, replace the case cover, plug in the power cord, and turn on the computer. Use the computer normally to see if the heat related issues go away. Figure: Heat removed through a slot fan Video card Slot fan Step 8: Testing for hardware failures If issues persist after replacing the side panel, a hardware component might be damaged. Test the computer to see if any hardware, such as memory, the processor, or the graphics hardware, have failed. Most HP desktop computers come with diagnostic software to verify hardware failures. For more information, see one of the following topics: Testing for Hardware Failures (Windows 10, 8)Testing for Hardware Failures (Windows 7)Testing for Hardware Problems Using Hardware Diagnostic Tools (Windows Vista)Testing for Hardware Problems Using PC-Doctor (Windows XP)If hardware has failed, either replace the bad component or Contact HP (in English) for further assistance.


how good is drinking water for you

n.4. Water clears your skin Most people know that drinking more water can be good for clear skin and it can also help the symptoms of acne. If you’ve got dry skin, drinking water will give it more moisture but that’s not all.

Home Wellbeing The benefits of water: Do you know how much water to drink every day? Sarah Allard | December 3, 2017 9:15 am Are you fed up of reading conflicting advice about how much water we should be drinking every day, and what the benefits of drinking water really are? Us too!We all know the obvious benefits of drinking water, but with a new report from Loughborough University showing that being dehydrated whilst performing everyday tasks like driving could lead to twice as many mistakes behind the wheel, we know that not drinking enough water can be a big problem. However, other recent research has said that there’s such a thing as too much water (it can apparently lead to excessive sweating, insomnia and even death) – so we decided it’s high time to get to the bottom of it all and round up the facts on how much water to drink every day straight from the NHS. How much water should I drink every day? The NHS has detailed how much water we should be drinking on their website: The European Food Safety Authority recommends that women should drink about 1.6 litres of fluid and men should drink about 2.0 litres of fluid per day. That’s about eight glasses of 200ml each for a woman, and 10 glasses of 200ml each for a man. Yet although government guidelines say that we should all drink eight glasses of water a day, your size, the temperature and how active you are can all make a difference to how many litres of water a day you need (so, for instance, if you’re exercising a lot on a hot day, you’ll need to drink more). You get about 20% of your water every day through food so a general rule is to drink 2 litres of water a day. This is the equivalent to a large bottle of fizzy drink or three-and-a-half pints. If you’re feeling thirsty you’re already dehydrated so don’t wait until you need a drink, sip small amounts throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. Do tea, coffee and fizzy drinks count? You can get a certain amount of water from tea, coffee and fizzy drinks but they’re all what’s called diuretics – in other words, they make you wee a lot more as well as increase the amount of water your body uses. Water is also much healthier for you – it has no calories or sugar which can damage your teeth. And how much water is everyone else drinking? According to a study last year, out of 30,000 people less than one per cent drank eight glasses of pure water each day – the NHS recommended daily intake. Kantar Worldpanel conducted the study into the drinking habits of 30,000 people as health officials try to deter people from only drinking tea, coffee and sugary drinks. The study found that six in ten people drank just one glass of tap water or bottled water, two in ten drank two, whilst only one in ten said they drank three. We’ve rounded up the top 10 benefits to drinking lots of water – you won’t believe how good it is for you!According to the NHS, women need 1.6 litres and men 2 litres of fluid a day1. Water helps with weight loss Great news for anyone trying to lose a few pounds – water naturally reduces your appetite. A lot of people confuse feeling thirsty with feeling hungry so they eat when their body wants them to drink something. When you’re dehydrated, fat cells become harder to break down and so anyone actually trying to diet will find it a lot harder if they don’t drink very much. Research has shown that drinking 500ml water prior to each of your daily meals could cause you to eat fewer calories per meal, triggering weight loss.2. Water is a natural wrinkle-buster According to a recent study, almost 1 in 5 women who drank 1.5 litres of water per day saw a reduction in wrinkles after 6 weeks without making any other changes to their diet. As well as wrinkle-busting, it’s said to give us sparkly eyes, clear our skin of spots and make us look glowing and healthy – sounds like a one of the most promising benefits of drinking water to us!3. Water stops headaches and dizziness Don’t reach for the pills straight away, your headache could be a symptom of being dehydrated so drinking water should make it go away. Even tension headaches and dizziness, which can be brought on by fatigue can be cured or helped by drinking water – this is because fatigue is also a sign of dehydratio

Water flushes toxins out of your body and anything else that shouldn’t be there so it clears your skin of any dirt and bacteria.5. It fights infections Drinking water can help fight infections all over your body, not only because it flushes out toxins but because when you’re dehydrated you’re more likely to catch a bug. It’s especially good for getting rid of and preventing urine infections and kidney stones. Being well hydrated is also great for allergies and colds, because it clears the airways. Even cold sores can be reduced by drinking more water because they tend to pop up in places where your skin is particularly dry.6. It keeps you regular If you suffer from constipation or piles you might have been told to increase how much fibre you eat. This is definitely one way of getting rid of the problem but you’ll need to drink more water for the fibre to work properly. Otherwise it could have the opposite effect and make you worse.7. It makes you exercise better It’s common sense to replace the fluids you lose when you sweat with water, but what might not be obvious is that your body works better and harder during your workout if you drink water.8. It improves concentration Because your brain is made of around 85% water if you get dehydrated it can affect your concentration and even your short-term memory. It has a particularly strong effect on your maths skills and it’s all because lack of water causes your brain’s energy levels to decrease.9. It boosts your energy In the same way that not drinking enough water makes your brain slow down it has the same effect on your body. For example, your muscles are around 75% water, your bones are about 22% and your blood is around 83%. If you’re dehydrated, all these body parts don’t work as well as they should meaning you lack energy and feel tired or lazy.10. It supports your heart The hardest working muscle of all needs a lot of water to keep it going at full speed. When you get dehydrated your blood gets thicker so the heart has to work even harder. And if your heart is weak it can lead to more serious heart problems later in life. A study by Eden found that drinking more than five glasses of water a day could cut your chances of having a heart attack by 41%, compared with people who drank less than two glasses a day. If you’re worried you’re not drinking enough:– Measure how much you’re drinking for a few days to see if it’s anywhere near the minimum amount – Check your wee. If it’s pale and clear then you’re drinking a healthy amount. If it’s dark yellow and cloudy you might be dehydrated or not drinking enough. If after all this you’re still getting thirsty a lot but going to the loo more, there might be an underlying problem, like diabetes, so speak to your doctor. How do I get more water in my diet? These five simple rules will help you get more water into your diet. And you don’t even have to buy expensive bottled water so it’s great for your wallet as well as your health.1. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. This will wake you up and help your body replace any fluid lost when you were sleeping. It’ll also give you a headstart on your 2 litres.2. Carry a small bottle of water around with you. This will not only remind you to drink more but it’s also an easy way of keeping track of how much you’re drinking. If you fill it up from the tap you can reuse it as well – brilliant for the environment!3. Add some flavour. If you really can’t stand the taste of water on its own try adding a small amount of fruit juice, sugar-free squash or a squeeze of lemon or lime. The lemon can even help with weight loss. This is because its sour taste helps your liver get rid of toxins. Your liver plays a really important role in helping you lose weight and if it’s full of toxins it doesn’t do its job properly. An unanticipated problem was encountered, check back soon and try again Error Code: MEDIA_ERR_UNKNOWNSession ID: 2018-04-10:b4b0efafa7b3d49c34549c3c Player Element ID: bc-2804-4813181978001OK< >4. Set an alarm. If you’ve got a watch that beeps on the hour it can be a good reminder. Every hour fill up a glass of water, or drink from your bottle, and make sure you finish the glass before the next hour. You could even set a reminder on your computer at work, or on your phone.5. Eat water-rich foods. This table shows you which foods have the highest level of water in them. This can also help you get your five-a-day. Food % water Lettuce 96%Cucumber 94%Tomatoes93%Broccoli92%Carrots 90%Watermelon 90%Grapefruit 88%


what does the bank for international settlements help

The Bank for International Settlements would act as a lender to the German central bank in case the German currency weakened and the government found itself unable to make the reparations payment. In addition, it would give steps for how to proceed in the case of German default.

"History of the Bank for International Settlements Saturday, October 17, 2015By Devon Douglas-Bowers, Occupy.com | News Analysisfont size Print Tweet The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is an organization shrouded in mystery. While its purpose has changed and evolved over the decades, the BIS has always been a club for central bankers - and in many ways it has aided some countries more than others. (Photo: Andreina Schoeberlein / Flickr) The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is an organization shrouded in mystery. This may be due mainly to the fact that the majority of people don't even know of its existence. According to the BIS itself, the main purpose of the Bank is ""to promote the cooperation of central banks and to provide additional facilities for international financial operations,"" and to ""act as trustee or agent in regard to international financial settlements entrusted to it under agreements of the parties concern. ""What this means is that the BIS simply enables central banks to work with one another. While its purpose has changed and evolved over the decades, the BIS has always been a club for central bankers - and in many ways it has aided some countries more than others. The Bank has a Board of Directors that ""may have up to 21 members, including six ex officio directors, comprising the central bank Governors of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each ex officio member may appoint another member of the same nationality. Nine Governors of other member central banks may be elected to the Board. ""The BIS also has a management wing in the form of a General and Deputy General Manager, both of whom are responsible to the Board and supported by Executive, Finance, and Compliance and Operational Risk Committees. However, its purpose has changed and evolved over the decades, however, it has always been a club for central bankers, yet in many ways it can aid some countries more than others. How It Started The origin of the BIS is in the United States, specifically New York City. The individuals involved were international bankers who, despite past differences, ""worked together to establish a world financial order that would incorporate the federal principle of the American central banking system."" Among them were figures like Owen D. Young, J. Pierpont Morgan, Thomas W. Lamont, S. Parker Gilbert, Gates W. Mc Garrah, and Jackson Reynolds, ""who, in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, sought to extend the principle of central bank cooperation to the international sphere. ""Before delving further into the creation of the Bank and purpose it has served, and for whom, it's wise to examine some of the more notable of these individuals to better understand why they got involved in the creation of an international bank. Owen D. Young was already well placed for the US government; ""with the cooperation of the American government and the support of GE, [he] organized and became chairman of the board of the Radio Corporation of America"" and ""in subsequent years he engineered a series of agreements with foreign companies that divided the world into radio zones and facilitated worldwide wireless communication."" Young had a strong belief that global radio service and broadcasting were important for the advancement of civilization. In 1922, he became chairman of General Electric, and along with GE President Gerard Swope, ""urged closer business-government cooperation and corporate self-regulation under government supervision. ""During the 1920s, Young became involved in international diplomacy as the foreign affairs spokesman for the Democratic Party. At the behest of then-Secretary of State Charles Evan Hughes, Young and the banker Charles Dawes were recommended to the Allied Reparations Commission to deal with the breakdown in Germany's reparations payments following World War I. The Commission resulted in the Dawes Plan, which allowed that ""Germany's annual reparation payments would be reduced, increasing over time as its economy improved; the full amount to be paid, however, was left undetermined. Economic policy making in Berlin would be reorganized under foreign supervision and a new currency, the Reichsmark, adopted. ""Young viewed improving the world financial structure as important to ""the very survival of capitalism."" Furthermore, wrote Frank Costigliola in ""The Other Side of Isolationism: The Establishment of the First World Bank, 1929-1930,"" Young ""sought rather the 'economic integration' of the world which would prepare the way for 'political integration' and lasting peace. ""John Pierpont Morgan, Jr. was already ensconced in the world of international banking, having inherited the JP Morgan Company from his father. During WWI, the House of Morgan worked hand-in-hand with the British and French governments, engaging in a number of tasks such as floating loans for the two countries, handling foreign exchange operations, and advising officials of each respective country. Not only Young and Morgan, but each of the above mentioned individuals were heavily involved in politics and banking - and therefore had a personal interest in the creation of a global bank. The plan also fit into the US government's own policies, writes Costigliola, as Washington wanted to "" [keep] aloof from the political entanglements in Europe while safeguarding vital American interests by means of unofficial observers or participants."" The Federal Reserve was also interested in the creation of the BIS, as it would "" [promote] both the ascendancy of New York City in world banking and the reconstruction of a stable and prosperous Europe able to absorb American exports. ""Thus, the idea of an international bank didn't occur in a vacuum but rather, according to Beth A. Simmons, author of the article ""Why Innovate? Founding the Bank for International Settlements,"" its creation ""was inextricably tied to the problem of German reparations in the context of Germany's overall debt burden during the 1920s."" A slowdown in international lending to Germany began in 1928 as markets became extremely worried about the internal politics of the Weimar Republic. Due to the breakup of a center coalition government, and with the Social Democrats needing support from right-wing parties, the political situation began to fall apart as ""government stability [was] threatened whenever budget debates exposed the basic social divide of unemployment insurance and increased industrial taxation on the one hand versus spending austerity and tax cuts on the other. ""Weimar's budget problems came on the heels of the Reparations Commission determining that Germany's total reparations came to $33 billion, which was twice the size of the country's total economy in 1925. As long as foreign capital kept coming into Germany, things might have remained fine; but that situation changed in 1928. Between February 1929 and January 1930, negotiations were carried out to reschedule Germany's reparations payments. ""These negotiations were initiated by central bankers and private actors,"" writes Simmons, ""who were the first to link problems in the capital market with the need to reorganize Germany's financial obligations."" Thus, it should come as no surprise that many of the individuals involved in creating the BIS were central bankers themselves, or engaged in international affairs and finance to some extent. The idea for an international bank had already been explored to some extent by people like the economist John Maynard Keynes. But the idea for the bank truly took off during the Young Conference in 1929, when the Allies were attempting to exact Germany's reparations debts for WWI. Belgian delegate Emile Franqui bought up the possibility of having a settlement organization to administer the reparations agreement, and the very next day, Hjalmar Schacht, president of the Reichsbank and chief German representative at the conference, presented a proposal to establish just such an organization.

According to Simmons, ""if Germany did not resume payments within two years, the BIS would propose revisions collectively for the creditor governments (which would only go into effect with their approval)"" and ""the bank was responsible for surveillance and informing the creditor countries about economic and financial conditions in Germany. ""The US State Department had wanted a settlement to Germany's reparations woes, as economic adviser Arthur N. Young observed that ""a final reparations settlement [would] promote both political and economic stability in Europe, and thus tend to be of advantage to the United States."" But the US government as a whole didn't want any type of linkage between reparations and war debts - due to the fact that, while each of the Allied nations were demanding reparations from Germany large enough to cover the country's debts to the US, having such a linkage would mean that ""Germany's refusal or inability to pay that amount would put Washington in the position of having to agree to a debt reduction or bear the opprobrium and suffer the consequences of opening the door to financial chaos,"" according to Costigliola. However, several other countries had their own interests in stake in the creation of the BIS. French Prime Minister Raymond Poincare promised the French public that the reparations would cover the country's debts to both the US and Britain, as well as cover the war damages. France was also interested in reaching an agreement on German debts, since they were developing trade interdependence with the Germans and stability was needed. Britain also wanted to use the BIS as a means to ensure that the Germans would pay on their debts as scheduled. The Bank of England supported the creation of the BIS, wrote Simmons, ""because of its potential role in stabilizing the position of the pound in the international monetary system. Britain's relatively small gold reserves made it difficult to defend the pound without international monetary cooperation and the willingness of smaller powers to hold foreign exchange as reserves instead of gold. ""The meeting in Baden, Germany, in October of 1929 to draw up final plans for the BIS saw the heavy presence of US finance in the form of Melvin Traylor, from the First National Bank of Chicago, and Federick Reynolds, from the First National Bank of New York. There, the two men nominated Gates W. Mc Garrah, chairman of the board of the New York Reserve Bank, for the officer of BIS President. When the Bank of England leadership expressed anger, claiming the European public wouldn't find the American domination of the Bank acceptable, they was effectively told that if they wanted American participation in the BIS, it would have to be on American terms. They agreed to appoint Pierre Quesnay of the Bank of France as the bank's general manager, and the BIS was officially founded on May 17, 1930. A Rocky Beginning The role of the BIS quickly changed with the onset of the Great Depression, when it became unable to ""play the role of lender of last resort, notwithstanding noteworthy attempts at organizing support credits for both the Austrian and German central banks in 1931."" Due to the Depression and Germany's inability to pay, the issue of reparations went off the table. The crisis was further compounded when countries like Britain and the US began devaluing their currencies (i.e. printing more money). The BIS attempted numerous times to end the exchange rate instability by restoring the gold standard, and according the bank itself, ""the BIS had little choice but to limit itself to undertaking banking transactions for the account of central banks and providing a forum for central bank governors to help them maintain contact. ""During the Second World War, all operations at the BIS were suspended. The situation again became dicey for the Bank once the guns stopped firing. Immediately after WWII, the global economic landscape had massively changed; a new system was needed, and in July of 1944 over 700 delegates from the Allied nations met at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH, for the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, which ""agreed on the creation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (BRD), which became part of the World Bank,"" writes Adam Lebor in his New York Public Affairs article ""Tower of Basel. ""Under the agreements, the IMF would pay attention to exchange rates and lend reserve currencies to nations in debt. A new global currency exchange system was created where all currencies were linked to the US dollar and, in exchange, the US agreed to fix the price of gold at $35 an ounce. All of this meant that there would be no need for currency warfare or manipulation, - proving a threat to the BIS, because if the IMF was to be the center of the new global financial order, what need any longer was there for a BIS? Wilhelm Keilhau, a member of the Norwegian delegation, even went so far as to propose a notion to eliminate the BIS. However, several other European nations noted the bank's importance to finances on the European continent, and soon the move to eliminate it was rescinded. Matters remained stable until the 1960s and 70s, but as the Bretton Woods system of ""free currency convertibility at fixed exchange rates"" coincided with a massive increase of international trade and economic growth, cracks began to show. The British currency was weak and, more importantly, the gold parity on the US dollar was straining due to ""an insufficient supply of gold and from the weakening of the US balance of payments."" The Bretton Woods system collapsed in August of 1971, but the system of ""managed floating"" was created in its place, which allowed for flexibility of exchange rates within certain parameters. Later in the 1970s, the situation became still more dire with the creation of OPEC and the subsequent rise in oil prices, along with the Herstatt Bank failure. The Herstatt Bank was central for processing foreign exchange orders, but German regulators withdrew the bank's license forcing the bank to close up shop on June 26, 1974. Meanwhile, ""it was still morning in New York, where Herstatt's counterparties were expecting to receive dollars in exchange for Deutsche marks they had delivered"" and when Hersttat's clearing bank Chase Manhattan refused to fulfill the orders by freezing the Herstatt account, it caused a chain of defaults. It was this problem that led to the creation, in conjunction with the G-10 countries and Switzerland, of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, whose goal was to set the global standard for bank regulation and to provide a forum for bank supervisory matters. Yet this newly created stability was short-lived as well. Oil prices had quadrupled in November of 1973, leading to stagflation, an increase in balance of payment imbalances, and major shocks in international banking. The Euro-currency markets grew as they began to be utilized more and more by OPEC countries - and oil-producing nations invested in European money markets, greatly increasing the money of European banks, which they thus could lend. The European Coal and Steel Community began loaning money to developing nations at a faster and faster pace, and while this was largely beneficial to the world economy at the start, ""it also implied that the international banking system was faced with an increase in country risk,"" as many of the countries receiving loans were also getting more and more into debt. This concerned the then-BIS economic advisor Alexandre Lamfalussy, who warned of a threat of a crisis specifically focused on credit, saying in a 1976 speech that from "" [looking at] the continuous growth of credits, the spread of risks to a large number of countries, and the change in the nature of credits, I draw the conclusion that the problem of risks has become a very urgent one. ""This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source. Devon Douglas-Bowers Devon Douglas-Bowers is a Political Science major at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He runs a blog entitled, ""What About Peace,"" and has contributed to Global Research. He is also on the External Advisory Group of The People's Book Project. Devon is currently undertaking a research project entitled, ""The Prison Project,"" which seeks to expose the ""prison industrial complex"" through an examination of the history of prisons, how they have changed over time, and the inherent dangers of their privatization. His writings concern political happenings in the US and around the world, with analysis that aims for a critical, in-depth examination of events with the purpose of going beyond the headlines and getting to the heart of the issue. 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