Dendrobium Orchids

Another type of orchid you can grow at home is what I call the “Thai restaurant orchids.” These types of orchids are Dendrobium hybrids and can be found at Thai restaurants that decorate their tables with freshly-cut flowers. They come in many colors (white, green, purple, pink, yellow and more) and require a fairly warm environment. In fact, they could loose their leaves in the winter when the ambient temperature drops below 60°F (15°C) or so. But the “Thai restaurant orchid” is really just one small group of hybrids within the Dendrobium genus. Dendrobium is actually one of the largest orchid genera.

Dendrobium species live as epiphytes and lithophytes in New Guinea, Southern China, Thailand, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and more. As a result, it’s hard to generalize how to care for these types of orchids. Some of them require cool nights of 50 to 59°F (10 to 15°C) while some of them require warm temperatures in the 80s°F (27°C). That’s why it’s so important to understand their natural environment so that you can make them happy.

The Professor

As usual life was hectic for me. Every day, I had to leave in a hurry to reach my office on time by 9:00 am. It was already 8:00 am; I just woke up from my slumber. In a hurry I got freshen up and dressed, ready to leave for office by 20 minutes without having my breakfast. It was a common routine for me; life was full of fixed schedule just like a pendulum moving to and fro.
I stood near the road, waved towards a passing auto, no luck. After 5minutes an auto stood by and I saw a young driver with a black t-shirt and blue denim, quite unusual for an auto driver. Without wasting my time in bargaining I boarded the auto. Another passenger was already seated, a woman in her mid-forties with little make ups, marks of talc near her neck, big rounded spectacles with a hand bag with few books. I guessed she was a professor from the imprint on her bag "Bangalore University."
After 5 minutes, the auto stopped and a woman came to seat near "The professor." Within an instant, the professor strongly opposed to the driver that woman cannot seat near her, or go in the auto.
The lady seemed like a daily laborer, with stains of dirt and dust across her sari, she looked feeble but her hand full of scratches and stiffness proved her strenuous works for a living. She had some masonry tools, dusty and old.
I was left aback when "The professor" said she cannot sit with her.
She can't sit in the auto. "This is my vehicle, I decide who will go or not" said the angry driver.
I will pay the full fare, replied the professor lady.
My anger was nearly out of control. Suddenly I spoke with a burst. "What the hell are you, Human or devil? Being a teacher is this what you teach your children? You think you are civilized? I think you are the most uncivilized one. You call yourself educated, but what is the use of the education. I think you are an uneducated fool."
The professor lady got angry and said to the driver, "I will pay the full fare, just leave this guy here."
The driver was equally angry: "Just get down; I don't need your bloody money. You are a curse to humanity."
With a few angry murmurs, the so called professor of a college with no such thing called humanity in her for a fellow woman, got down angrily.
The laborer lady got up and put her things at the back of the auto and sat down.
Unaware of the pace of time, I was fighting for a person's rights, fundamental rights. I was satisfied, even though it was already late.
I was just getting down from the auto paying my fare, when I heard a low voice saying "Thank You."
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. - Mohandas K. Gandhi

Effects of illegal drugs in pregnancy

If a parent has drug problems it affects their child at every stage, from pregnancy onwards.Almost all drugs pass through the placenta to reach your baby and have some effect on her.

Drugs in your body may reduce the amount of oxygen that can reach your baby. Early in pregnancy, some drugs may affect your baby's development. Your baby may not grow as well as expected in your uterus (womb).

Taking illegal drugs may cause problems later on in your pregnancy, too, as they can affect how well the placenta works. There is a risk that the placenta may come away from the side of your uterus, sometimes causing severe bleeding. This is called placental abruption. Placental abruption is a serious condition and, because of the bleeding it causes, it can be life-threatening for you and your baby.

Your baby may have withdrawal symptoms if you regularly take certain drugs during your pregnancy. Your baby may need to stay in hospital, so nurses and doctors can check her for signs of withdrawal, and give her treatment.

Here is what we know so far about the effects of illegal drugs:

Cannabis (marijuana)

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug. Taking cannabis during pregnancy might make your baby unsettled and more easily startled after he is born. In the longer term, it could cause behaviour and learning problems for your baby as he grows older.

Smoking cannabis also exposes your baby to the risks related to smoking. If you smoke, you are more likely to go into premature labour. There's also a higher chance that your baby will be born with a low birth weight and other complications, and it increases the risk of cot death. (CDC 2013)

Speed (amphetamines) and crystal meth (methamphetamine)

It's best for your baby if you stop taking speed or crystal meth before you get pregnant. You can still quit if you are pregnant, but to be safe, you should stop taking these drugs with medical help in a drug treatment programme. Stopping suddenly could be harmful for you or your baby and could cause miscarriage.

Taking speed or crystal meth can make the following more likely:

• a complication where the placenta can't carry enough oxygen and nutrients to your baby, called placental insufficiency
• the placenta separating from your uterus (placental abruption)

These drugs can affect your baby's growth in the uterus, making her smaller than expected for your stage of pregnancy and increasing the chance of premature birth.

Some babies may have withdrawal symptoms but there are not many studies on this problem.

We also lack full information about the lasting effects of these drugs as your child grows up. But it's possible that children exposed to these drugs in the uterus may not develop and learn as well as other children their age.

Ecstasy

There's a lot of concern about the long-term side-effects of taking ecstasy. But there's very little research on the way that it can affect your pregnancy or your baby. Ecstasy may have an effect on your baby's motor development (co-ordination and movement). There is limited evidence that it could cause birth defects, but we don't know for sure.

Cocaine and crack cocaine

Taking cocaine or crack during pregnancy may increase your risk of having a miscarriage, and of placental abruption later in pregnancy.

Using cocaine while you are pregnant can slow down your baby's growth in the uterus. It may also increase the risk of your baby having problems with learning and behaviour when he is older.

Heroin and strong painkillers

Heroin has serious risks for your baby. The same kind of problems can happen if you are regularly using related painkillers (opioids) like morphine or Tramadol during pregnancy. You may not realise that you can become addicted to strong painkillers.

If you use heroin or other opioids, it is vital to get treatment as soon as you can. Trying to quit on your own could be dangerous for you and your baby. It could cause a miscarriage or premature birth, or your baby could be stillborn. The safest way to quit is with medical help, as part of a drug treatment programme.

During pregnancy, heroin and other opioids can slow down your baby's growth and have an effect on how her brain grows. These drugs can also make it harder for your baby to breathe just after she is born.