Rare is the man or woman who can weigh the faults of others without putting his or her own thumb on the scales

Health
1. Drink plenty of water
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile

Last but not the least
40. Please link this page to everyone you care about

THE SEVEN YEAR OLD GIRL, Lamya Cammon, who attended Congress Elementary School in Milwaukee, was playing with her hair in class, and that apparently frustrated her teacher. The teacher — who has not been named — picked up a pair of classroom scissors and cut off one of Lamya's braids.

Lamya said she was playing with her hair when her first grade teacher cut one of the braids with a scissors.

"She told me to stop playing with it. Then cut it off and sent me back to my desk," Cammon said.

"I went to my desk and cried".

Lamya's mother, Helen, is unsurprisingly, furious. She said if the teacher is under that much stress, MPS needs to do a better job of providing counseling.

"I talked to the principal once, and she told me she's doing what she could to be able to discipline the teacher," Cunningham said.

"It's shocking because I know things happen to kids everyday. I didn't think it would get the attention that it's getting,".

What seems to have surprised Ms. Cunningham even more, is how many people have been critical of her for not getting physical with the teacher.

"I don't want to teach my kids that violence is the answer. I'm the single mother of six kids. I don't want them to go out here every time someone does something wrong and start fighting. There's a better way to handle things and hopefully a lot of other people can learn from that," Cunningham said.

The story has grown and grown in the media, and the incident has now been investigated by Milwaukee Police, who went into the school.

No charges of physical or mental abuse were brought against the teacher, who was issued with an $175 ticket for "disorderly conduct" and the school is said to be taking action as well.

A retired constable, 62, and a serving member of police support staff, 53, have been arrested amid allegations that material was withheld from detectives investigating the murder of the black teenager, Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in 1993.

The pair — held on suspicion of perverting the course of justice — were arrested after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was called in by the Metropolitan Police to investigate the alleged non-disclosure of material from the Lawrence murder investigation.

They are also looking at why material was allegedly not disclosed to two subsequent independent inquiries into the investigation.

Stephen Lawrence, 18, was stabbed to death as he waited for a bus in Eltham, southeast London, in April 1993. No one has been convicted of the murder. Five men — Neil Acourt, his brother Jamie, David Norris, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight — were arrested soon after the event. Three of the men were acquitted of murder after a private prosecution brought by the Lawrence family collapsed at the Old Bailey in 1996.

The arrest of the officer and the member of police staff came two months after the Met found alleged discrepancies in the murder file as part of a continuing review of the case. The IPCC said that it was liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the case while the Met said that it was co-operating fully with the IPCC.

Baroness Howells of St Davids, a friend of Doreen Lawrence, Stephen’s mother, and patron of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, said that she was delighted at the news. “Lots of people said they gave the police evidence which was never produced,” she said.

“We knew something was going on. I am delighted with anything that clears up that mess because it was not just one person who committed a murder, it was five or six.

“I would just love to see this cleared up before I die. I do not want to have a 21st anniversary of Stephen’s death without justice. It is good news. I just wonder if it will bring out the culprits. That is the key question.”

Lord Ouseley, a former chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality who pressured police over the original inquiry, said that the news was interesting but that he was not surprised by it. “A lot of people had suspicions about the nature of policing at the time and how people covered for each other,” he said. “What does surprise me is that it has happened now.”

The Macpherson inquiry into Stephen's death heard that the Metropolitan Police mismanaged the original investigation, and it concluded that the force was institutionally racist.

Rodent season is upon us. As temperatures drop, rats and mice are more likely to take refuge in your home in search of warmth and food (and who can blame them?). But it isn’t just the weather which is leading to a rise in mouse infestations: Rentokil says that less frequent rubbish collections and more littering is exacerbating the problem. It reported that rodent-related callouts increased 34 per cent last year. Here is how to keep the blighters at bay:

1) Look out for signs of rodent activity

Start in the kitchen, where you are mostly likely to see evidence of mice in the form of droppings (they produce 80 a day). If you notice larger droppings – about 10mm to 14mm in length – you may have a rat problem. The back of the fridge, which is a water source for rats and mice, is worth a look. You should also check cables for gnawing damage (kitchen appliances are the most likely victims) and the ammonia-like smell, which both rats and mice leave and which will be stronger in enclosed spaces.

2) Do an external survey

“Just before the onset of winter, you should check your home for any gaps in the brickwork, or anywhere that water could come in,” says Sawas Othon, technical director of Rentokil. “Check around your washing machine and tumble dryer vents and make sure that you have good insulation around your back door.”

3) Keep your garden tidy

Vines or branches from overhanging trees should not touch the guttering – this is another entrance route for rodents. If you have decking in your garden you are at greater risk of rodent infestation as this is a favoured place for nesting.

4) Plug any gaps

We're not just talking about gaping holes here. “A full-grown adult mouse only needs a 6mm gap in order to get into your home,” Othon says. “A rat needs 10mm.” Fitting bristle strips around doors is also a good idea.

5) Eliminate food sources

Mice only eat around 3g of food a day, so just a few crisps or peanuts lying around will be enough to keep them going. Clean regularly underneath the cooker and fridge (as well as the sofa if you or your kids tend to eat in front of the TV). Outside, use squirrel-proof bird feeders and never put any meat into compost heaps.

6) Get rid of the rodents yourself

There are a variety of traps and baits available which will kill mice and rats. If you are not keen on slaughtering animals in your own home, you can also purchase humane traps which catch, but don’t kill, mice. Once caught you will need to relocate the mouse, taking it at least a quarter of a mile from your home – and preferably not dumping it on someone else’s doorstep. Another humane alternative is an ultrasound repellent which emits a loud noise at high frequency to deter rodents. These do not bother dogs, but they will affect pets such as hamsters or gerbils.

7) Call in the professionals

DIY solutions are all very well if you spot the occasional mouse scurrying into the kitchen, but if you have an infestation of mice or rats you will need professional help. “We have a variety of ways of getting rid of rodents, including poisons and smart traps which can be used even if you have pets and children,” Othon says. Rentokil’s initial survey is free; prices for its services vary depending on the size of your property and the extent of the problem: getting rid of mice from a two-bedroom flat would cost about £200 for three visits. Rodent-proofing starts from £60. Local councils may also offer a pest-control service.

8) Do cats help?

Othon is sceptical about their effectiveness when it comes to pest control. “A well-fed cat may not be especially inclined to chase after mice,” he says. However, having felines around is at least likely to serve as a deterrent.

9) What about other pests?

Ultrasound and electromagnetic repellents may help get rid of creepy crawlies, as will professionals. In fact, Othon says that “unless an animal is protected, for example in the case of badgers or bats, we can get rid of it”.

10) Talk to your neighbours

Unless you live in a detached house with some distance between you and the next property, your pest problem is likely to be your neighbour’s pest problem too. Unless neighbouring properties are also cleared of pests, it is likely that they will return after a short period.

Contact rentokil Tel: 0800 218 2210