Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Brain

Many people do not understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterise those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behaviour.

What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction -- that it is a disease that impacts the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume productive lives.

What Is Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs.

Continue reading below...

It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioural therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patients drug abuse patterns and any concurrent medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drugs.

As with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed effectively.Yet, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse does not signal failure; rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to help the person regain control and recover.

Health Advantages of Playing Sports

 

While the benefits of playing sports are highly promoted for children and teenagers, participating in sports can improve your health throughout your life. You can improve your general fitness through a variety of physical activities, but sports offer unique benefits, whether you're joining a team in elementary school or playing in an adult league.

Emotional and Mental Health

Improving at a sport requires memorization, repetition and learning, and honing these skill sets can carry over into other activities, including your job. Playing a sport also boosts self-esteem. Watching hard work rewarded with improved abilities and better results in competitions proves that you can set goals and achieve them. Additionally, regularly playing a sport cuts down on pressure and stress. Exercising is a natural way to release stress, and having teammates can provide a support system that also can alleviate tension.

Weight Control

Regular physical activity throughout your lifetime can help you control your weight. While you can achieve weight control with solo activities at a gym, playing a sport can motivate you to be more physically active and to push yourself to achieve. Having your team depend on you can encourage you to show up at practices and put in a greater effort preparing for competition than you might on your own.

How to Quit Smoking

Here's a simple step-by-step plan to help you stop smoking.

You decided to stop smoking? Great — it’s one of the best things you can do for your health.

But quitting isn’t easy. Nicotine — the addictive ingredient in tobacco — is as addictive as heroin or cocaine, according to the American Cancer Society, and the average person attempts to quit six times before succeeding.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to set yourself up for success and kick the habit for good.

Set a date: Pick a day and time in the near future that you expect to be relatively stress-free so you can prepare to quit smoking.

Quitting when you have a big project due at work, or even when you have something happy on your calendar like a birthday party (if you tend to light up when you are drinking or socializing), can be more challenging.

Write down your reasons: Consider why you want to stop smoking and jot the reasons down. You can refer to them once you quit when you get a craving. A few universal good ones:

• My risk of cancer, heart attacks, chronic lung disease, stroke, cataracts, and other diseases will drop.
• My blood pressure will go down.
• I’ll look better. My skin will be more hydrated and less wrinkled, my teeth will look less yellow and my fingers won’t be stained with nicotine.
• I’ll save money.
• My hair, clothes, car, and home won’t reek of smoke.
• I’ll have more energy.
• I’ll set a better example for my kids, friends, and family.
• I’ll live longer.

Get your friends and family on board: The more support you have, the more likely you are to quit smoking.

Ask your loved ones to help keep you distracted by taking walks or playing games, and bear with you if you become cranky or irritable as you experience nicotine withdrawal.
Tell any smokers not to smoke around you, or better yet, ask your smoking buddies to quit with you.
Identify your triggers: You’ll be most tempted to smoke during the same times you do now. Knowing your habits and what situations may set off a craving will help you plan ahead for distractions.
For example, you may typically smoke while driving, drinking, or after dinner, or it may be that you reach for a cigarette when you’re feeling stressed, lonely, or depressed.

Create healthy distractions to head off potential smoking triggers. If you smoke while you drive, keep a pack of gum on hand, or if you smoke after dinner, plan to take a walk or chat on the phone with a friend.

Anticipate cravings: It’s expected that you’ll experience nicotine cravings as your body begins to go through withdrawal.

The good news is that cravings aren’t endless. They generally last for five minutes and no longer than 10.
When cravings strike, focus on something else: Drink a glass of water, review your list of reasons for quitting, take deep breaths, play with your cat or dog — do whatever it takes until the craving subsides.
Distract yourself: Keep celery stalks, carrot sticks, nuts, or gum handy to give your mouth something to do when cravings occur.
And finding some way to occupy your hands — knitting, woodworking, cooking, yoga, or yard work — will help keep your mind off smoking.
Expect to feel a little off: Nicotine withdrawal can make you feel anxious, cranky, sad, and even make it hard for you to fall asleep.
It helps to know that all these feelings are a normal and temporary part of the process.

Throw out all your cigarettes: Yes, even that emergency one you stashed away.

If you don’t have cigarettes on hand, it will make it that much easier to stay the course when a craving hits.
Reward yourself: With all the money you’ll save by not buying tobacco, you can buy new clothes, splurge on dinner, or start a new hobby. Some people keep their cigarette money in a jar, then reward themselves with a treat each week.
Talk to your doctor about cessation medications: If you’re not sure you can go cold turkey, don’t.
Speak with your doctor about over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications that can make quitting easier.

 

FOOD POISONING

Oh My God !!!

Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. It's not usually serious and most people get better within a few days without treatment.

In most cases of food poisoning, the food is contaminated by bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), or a virus, such as thenorovirus.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within one to two days of eating contaminated food, although they may start at any point between a few hours and several weeks later.

The main symptoms include:

• feeling sick (nausea)
• vomiting
• diarrhoea, which may contain blood or mucus
• stomach cramps and abdominal (tummy) pain
• a lack of energy and weakness
• loss of appetite
• a high temperature (fever)
• aching muscles
• chills

In most cases, these symptoms will pass in a few days and you will make a full recovery.

What to do

Most people with food poisoning recover at home and don't need any specific treatment, although there are some situations where you should see your GP for advice (see below).

Until you feel better, you should rest and drink fluids to prevent dehydration. Try to drink plenty of water, even if you can only sip it.

Eat when you feel up to it, but try small, light meals at first and stick to bland foods – such as toast, crackers, bananas and rice – until you begin to feel better.

Oral rehydration solutions (ORS), which are available from pharmacies, are recommended for more vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those with another health condition.

When to see your GP

You should contact your GP if:

• your symptoms are severe – for example, if you're unable to keep down any fluids because you are vomiting repeatedly
• your symptoms don't start to improve after a few days
• you have symptoms of severe dehydration, such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes and passing little or no urine
• you're pregnant
• you're over 60
• your baby or young child has suspected food poisoning
• you have a long-term underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), heart valve disease, diabetes or kidney disease
• you have a weak immune system – for example, because of medication, cancer treatment or HIV

In these situations, your GP may send off a stool sample for analysis and prescribe antibiotics, or they may refer you to hospital so you can be looked after more closely.

How is food contaminated?

Food can become contaminated at any stage during production, processing or cooking. For example, it can be contaminated by:

• not cooking food thoroughly (particularly meat)
• not correctly storing food that needs to be chilled at below 5C
• leaving cooked food for too long at warm temperatures
• not sufficiently reheating previously cooked food
• someone who is ill or who has dirty hands touching the food
• eating food that has passed its "use by" date
• the spread of bacteria between contaminated foods (cross-contamination)

Foods particularly susceptible to contamination if not handled, stored or cooked properly include:

• raw meat and poultry
• raw eggs
• raw shellfish
• unpasteurised milk

Listening Music Is The Key Of Good Health

It's the weekend and at some point you'll probably relax to your favourite music, watch a film with a catchy title track - or hit the dance floor.

There's no doubt that listening to your favourite music can instantly put you in a good mood. But scientists are now discovering that music can do more for you than just lift your spirits.

Research is showing it has a variety of health benefits.

Fresh research from Austria has found that listening to music can help patients with chronic back pain.

And a recent survey by Mind - the mental health charity - found that after counselling, patients found group therapy such as art and music therapy, the most useful.

1. CHRONIC BACK PAIN

How it helps: Music works on the autonomic nervous system - the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling our blood pressure, heartbeat and brain function - and also the limbic system - the part of the brain that controls feelings and emotions. According to one piece of research, both these systems react sensitively to music.

When slow rhythms are played, our blood pressure and heartbeat slow down which helps us breathe more slowly, thus reducing muscle tension in our neck, shoulders, stomach and back. And experts say that apart from physical tension, music also reduces psychological tension in our mind.

In other words when we feel pain, we become frightened, frustrated and angry which makes us tense up hundreds of muscles in our back. Listening to music on a regular basis helps our bodies relax physically and mentally, thus helping to relieve - and prevent - back pain.

The research: A new study from Austria's General Hospital of Salzburg due to be published in The Vienna Medical Weekly Journal could hold the key to back pain. In the study, 65 patients aged between 21 and 68 with chronic back pain after back surgery were divided into two groups.

One group received standard medical care and physiotherapy. The other group also listened to music and received visualisation classes for 25 minutes every day for three weeks. Results found that the group who listened to music and used imagery experienced better pain relief than the group who did not.

Clinical psychologist Franz Wendtner who led the study says: 'Music is an important part of our physical and emotional wellbeing - ever since we were babies in our mother's womb listening to her heartbeat and breathing rhythms.

'Listening to music for about 25 minutes everyday for at least ten days can help prevent back pain and also make you sleep better.'

Which type of music is best? Experts believe any type of classical music such as Mozart or Beethoven can help relieve muscle pain. Calm, slow music is also thought to help.

_________________________________________

2. IMPROVES YOUR WORKOUT

How it helps: Experts say listening to music during exercise can give you a better workout in several ways. Scientists claim it can increase your endurance, boost your mood and can distract you from any discomfort experienced during your workout.

The research: Dr Robert Herdegen of America's Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked at the effects of 12 men riding a bicycle for ten minutes while listening to music on one day. He compared it to the same men riding bicycles without music for ten minutes the following day.

On the days that the men exercised listening to music, they travelled 11 per cent further - compared to the days they didn't listen to music. Researchers also found that the men's levels of exertion were at their lowest when listening to music.

Other studies show that listening to music releases endorphins - our natural 'feel good' hormones that lift our mood and give us motivation to carry on longer with exercise.

Which type of music is best? The best type of music for exercise is thought to be high energy, high tempo music such as hip hop or dance music.

__________________________________________

3. MEMORY LOSS

How it helps: For many people suffering from memory loss the spoken language has become meaningless. Music can help patients remember tunes or songs and get in touch with their history. This is because the part of the brain which processes music is located next to memory.

The research: Researchers from Norway's Sogn Og Fjordane College compared the effects of live, taped and no music on three different groups of people suffering from post traumatic amnesia - or memory loss.

The patients were exposed to all three conditions, twice over six consecutive days. Results showed that when patients listened to live or taped music, two thirds of them showed significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and enhanced orientation, compared to the group that didn't listen to music.

Which type of music is best? Research shows that people with memory loss respond best to music of their choice.

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” 
― Bob Marley

Technology :Good or Bad for Today’s Youth?

TECHNOLOGY ?????

GOOD OR BAD ?????

“Don’t text my heart,” these word of wisdom were spoken to me by the Christian writer Chad Estham, but what do these words mean? The youth today are becoming more and more attached to their technology. Relationships are being built online or through phones. Keyboards and keypads are becoming the keys to our heart. Technology provides a way of communication but is becoming the only way to communicate with today’s youth because it has made one on one interaction less frequent and has made a negative effect on the social abilities of the youth.
Technology is a great way to stay entertained but it is disconnecting people. Today’s Internet users have many ways to be occupied online. These days we have the ability to communicate on websites like facebook, ways to watch TV shows and clips mostly on YouTube, and play entertaining games like on addicting games, all while on the computer. And we wonder why we have no in person friendships and dysfunctional families. Non-internet users spend 12.6 more minutes on average doing social activities, such as parties, sporting events, and person-to-person conversations. Internet users spend 34.3 minutes less than non-internet users with family and friends. Those who don’t switch off the computer, switches off all personal relationships with family and friends.
Technology like iPods and cell phones make a personal bubble and make it portable. Cell phones create a distraction from real life experiences and because of their ability to be taken anywhere, I see teens texting anywhere they can. Teens text while talking to someone else, at the dinner table, in the car if driving or not,at he movies, and worst of all in church. This tiny piece of plastic is distracting teens from the most important message of all. The message of God. iPods also create the distraction but it also sends a signal “visible from a good distance away, white earphones signal one thing to most people: don’t bother trying to talk to me” (Song). This action irritates people. I have a friend and whenever we get in the car she sticks her headphones in and I endure the rest of the car ride in silence. I find it rude. These bubbles are growing around so many people and someone just needs to pop them.
As you can tell, I am very much against technology but there are ways that is helps. It helps many people stay in touch with friends that might have moved away, “the internet can make it easier to keep in touch with old friends. In my life, I will move on from all my friends and I will still want to stay in touch with them all, but it can be just as easy to look them up and ask if they would like to do something in person. Staying in touch can be done in person as much as over technology.
Some people have trouble making new friends and the internet provides ways to meet new people through chat rooms. I believe relationships built online can be a little eccentric but, “one study suggests that online relationships simply take longer to develop than those face-to-face and eventually can become as rich. Online relationships can be dangerous because you never know who’s on the other side of the chat.
You can become more open over the internet if you don’t have a chance to meet others in real life. Meeting people online can give you confidence in who you are, but I believe it also tears you down. Knowing that you din’t have real frinds and resorting to making them online can make you feel worthless. Online relationships will either build you up or break you down.
“Data showed that as people in this sample used the internet more, they reported keeping up with fewer friends,” so keep your friends. Don’t be sucked into the internet and leave others behind. Most importantly, don’t let keypads and keyboards be the key to your heart.

Introducing Myself

MYSELF AND I LOVE IT

 Hi, my name is Rasydan. I can’t believe I just introduced myself!

That’s, you can rule because we’re not standing face to face. If we were out my talking

to you. I have always been wary of approaching

people that I do not know, whether it is out on a street or in a classroom. I have always

wondered why I have a problem opening up, while others I know can talk to strangers

as if they are lifelong friends. Also, when dealing with new people, I find myself

conforming to their views, a practise that I do not like.

When I was little, I would rely on my sister to meet other kids so that we could

play together. At that

time I was not aware of the dilemma I was creating for myself by believing that others

were responsible for my social interactions. With respect to my sister I became a free rider, even though my actions did not affect society as a whole. I would stand back and

watch as my sister approached other kids, she became my gateway to new friends.

Once we started playing tag or catch I might begin to open up, but I was never as

outgoing as my sister. She wanted everyone to do as she said, while I was always a follower.

This childhood problem has followed me throughout my life and has affected my

anticipatory socialisation's.

Today I have trouble establishing new relationships with others because I expect others to open the way. But I can no longer rely on my sister to talk to my classmates or the people who live down the hall. And I can also not expect others to approach me to begin a conversation, for they may also be shy themselves. I am thereby forced to begin

the introduction act myself, a process that is so difficult for me to begin with. Presently I am a junior in college and, of course, I have friends. I’ve allowed myself to open up to certain people. However, similar to Will in the movie Good Will Hunting, I am very selective about who those people are. Will was an intelligent person who chose not to maximise his potential by working simple jobs, such as in construction. Will went to jail as a result of

a fight, but was released under the supervision of a Harvard professor. In probation,

Will worked with the professor to solve complex math problems, but was also required

to undergo therapy. During the therapy sessions, Will refused to allow the

therapists to see his real self by joking and remaining silent. Eventually, Will related to

one therapist and became comfortable enough to discuss his life. Like Will, I require

time to become comfortable enough to share my life with someone. While I am

first getting to know someone, I will occasionally censor myself to avoid saying

something that I will regret. By censoring I mean that I will debate with myself whether

to express a thought or simply let it remain as a thought. However, I find that I

even censor myself when talking to my best friends and to my family

Air Pollution

Air pollution has major impact on global weather

Air pollution caused by humans is not only causing health and environmental issues, it is also affecting global weather. The researchers at the Texas A&M University have recently found the clear link between the increased air pollution, and changing weather patterns, particularly on the formation of powerful storms.

In their study, researchers used pollution emission data compiled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and looked at two scenarios, the first one for a rate in 1850, the so called pre-Industrial era, and the second one from 2000. By comparing these two scenarios researchers discovered that air pollutants from Asia affect storms that hover over the Pacific and subsequently the weather patterns in North America as well as the rest of the world.

The ever-increasing air pollution in many of the Asian fast-growing economies has major impact on storm formation and global air circulation. It makes storms stronger and more intense, and these storms are then characterized with more precipitation in them.

The pollutants that come in the air form particles called aerosols. The level of these particles in the atmosphere affects the scattering or absorbing solar radiation, and can thus indirectly lead to alteration of cloud formations.

The researchers are convinced that the Pacific storm track is intensified because of the growing Asian air pollution. Aerosols in the air over Asia impact the global weather patterns through these powerful Pacific storms can affect weather significantly, both at regional as well as global level.

Hopefully, future studies will shed even more light on the link between air pollution and climate and weather patterns.

Cell Phones Affect Brain Activity

Cell Phones Affect Brain Activity 

 Holding a cell phone to your ear for a long period of time increases activity in parts of the brain close to the antenna, researchers have found.Glucose metabolism — that’s a measurement of how the brain uses energy — in these areas increased significantly when the phone was turned on and muted, compared with when it was off, Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and colleagues reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.“Although we cannot determine the clinical significance, our results give evidence that the human brain is sensitive to the effects of radio frequency-electromagnetic fields from acute cell phone exposures,” co-author Dr. Gene-Jack Wang of Brook haven National Laboratory in Long Island, where the study was conducted, told Med Page Today.

What We Know About Cell Phones and Cancer

Although the study can’t draw conclusions about longterm implications, other researchers are calling the findings significant.

“Clearly there is an acute effect, and the important question is whether this acute effect is associated with events that may be damaging to the brain or predispose to the development of future problems such as cancer as suggested by recent epidemiological studies,” Dr. Santoh Kesari, director of Nero-oncology at the University of California San Diego, said in an e-mail to Med Page Today and ABC News.

There have been many population-based studies evaluating the potential links between brain cancer and cellphone use, and the results have often been inconsistent or inconclusive.

Most recently, the anticipated Inter phone study was interpreted as “implausible” because some of its statistics revealed a significant protective effect for cell phone use. On the other hand, the most intense users had an increased risk of glioma — but the researchers called their level of use “unrealistic.”

But few researchers have looked at the actual physiological effects that radio frequency and electromagnetic fields from the devices can have on brain tissue. Some have shown that blood flow can be increased in specific brain regions during cell phone use, but there’s been little work on effects at the level of the brain’s neurons.

So Dr. Volkow and colleagues conducted a crossover study at Brook haven National Laboratory, enrolling 47 patients who had one cell phone placed on each ear while they lay in a PET scanner for 50 minutes.

The researchers scanned patients’ brain glucose metabolism twice — once with the right cell phone turned on but muted, and once with both phones turned off.

There was no difference in whole-brain metabolism whether the phone was on or off.

English For Our Life

English Education :)

English nowadays has an important role in our daily life. It is the massive means of communication. Is there a strong argument roommates says that English will not give any benefit? Learning to speak English well may be the best way to improve our life. It seems all the people in the world have agreed to use English to talk to each other. About 1,500, 000, 000 people in the world speak English. While another 1,000,000,000 are still learning English. "If we can communicate in English, we can contact people from all over the world. We can talk about our ideas and opinions on Internet discussion groups. We can chat with other interesting people to learn about their life and culture.If we can communicate in English, we can travel more easily. English is spoken in more than 100 countries. If we lost, we can ask directions or ask for help. Who knows, the English will save our life somewhere someday.That is why we should make every effort possible for the to find somebody to speak with. Where can we find people who can speak English with us? We can find them at school, shopping malls, tourist destination, etc Above all, do not be afraid to speak English. We must try to speak, even if we make mistakes. We can not learn without mistakes. So, speak English as much as possible!

 4 Reason Why learning English is so Important !

1. English may not be the most spoken language in the world, but it is the official language in a large number of countries. It is estimated that the number of people in the world that use in English to communicate on a regular basis is 2 billion!

2. English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a necessity for people to speak English if they are to enter a global workforce, research from all over the world shows that cross-border business communication is most often conducted in English. Its importance in the global market place therefore cannot be understated, learning English really can change your life.

3. Many of the world’s top films, books and music are published and produced in English. Therefore by learning English you will have access to a great wealth of entertainment and will be able to have a greater cultural understanding.

4. Most of the content produced on the Internet (50%) is in English. So knowing English will allow you access to an incredible amount of information which may not be otherwise available!

Although learning English can be challenging and time consuming, we can see that it is also very valuable to learn and can create many opportunities!

Eastbound school of English is a not-for-profit school, this means that all our profits are re-invested in the school, our purpose is to provide the highest possible quality in English language teaching.

JUST DON'T BE LIKE THIS..HAHAHA

World Of Multimedia ...

What is 'multimedia'? what does the term most often refer to on the Web?

As the term implies, "multimedia" literally involves using more than one type of media--usually text, graphics, animation and sound--to produce an object. Traditional "static" Web pages, therefore, could be considered multimedia, since they usually incorporate both text and graphics. However, the term multimedia is most often used in Web parlance to refer to the inclusion of audio, video and/or animation in a Web page. Recently, the advent of new Web multimedia standards such as Shockwave and VRML have expanded the meaning of the term even further. In order to keep the scope manageable, this FAQ focuses primarily on audio and video. The topic of animation will be covered in a separate, upcoming FAQ in Web Developer's "Graphics and Design" section.

What are the most common audio and video file types on the Web? What are the pros and cons of each? 
The most commonly used audio formats on the Web are the AU (Audio Format), WAV (Waveform Audio) and AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) file types. In brief, the formats break down like this:

Common Audio Formats

Format	Compression Ratio/ Avg. File Size	Pros	Cons
AU	2:1 --- 8 Kb/sec.	Relatively good compression and small file size; supported by most browsers	Acceptable, not premium sound quality; 8-bit encoding only
WAV	N/A --- 10 Mb/min.	Better sound quality than AU due to 16-bit capabilities; native support in Windows	No compression and 16-bit mean big file size
AIFF	Similar to WAV	8- or 16-bit sampling with WAV-comparable sound quality; native support on Mac	Like WAV; therefore, AIFF and WAV commonly used only at low sampling rates and 8-bit encoding to keep files small

The most common video formats on the Web are QuickTime (MOV), MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group), and AVI (Audio Video Interleave). A similar breakdown of these formats follows:

Common Video Formats

Format	Compression Ratio/ Avg. File Size	Pros	Cons	More Info
QuickTime (MOV)	Up to 50:1 --- 4 MB/min.	High-quality Web standard; native support on Mac, QT plug-in for Windows	Relatively large file size	Apple's QuickTime site
MPEG	Up to 200:1 --- 2.8 Mb/min.	Great compression; can deliver full-motion video with relatively small file size	Software-based decompression just becoming available to general public	MPEG's site
AVI	N/A --- Somewhere between QT and MPEG	Native support on Windows	Large files; often problems syncing audio with video	Good question!

For a more in-depth analysis of the various audio and video formats, see the "Fun with Formats" section in Does Multimedia Have a Dark Side? and Putting Video on Your Web Site: The Basics.

What is 'streaming' audio and video? What are the most popular streaming formats?
Many of the newest multimedia formats employ a process called data streaming. This method of delivery allows users to play audio and video files before they are completely downloaded. Usually streaming works by downloading an initial portion of the file, known as a buffer, into the user's viewer or player. This application then begins playback of the file while the remainder continues to "fill in." The buffer, as the name suggests, allows for continuous playback of the audio or video by compensating for any delays in the transmission of the rest of the file--at least in theory.

Most of the streaming multimedia formats are proprietary, requiring special servers for encoding and transmission. Some of the most commonly used streaming audio formats are Progressive Networks' RealAudio (RA), and Xing Technology Corp's XingMPEG. More recently, Macromedia also made its voice heard in this market with the introduction of streaming audio for the popular Shockwave plug-in. The following table offers a quick glance at the specs on these file types:

Common Streaming Audio Formats

Format	Compression Ratio/ Avg. File Size	Pros	Cons	More Info
RealAudio	Compressions for both 14.4 & 28.8 --- 3.6 - 8 Mb/hour	Over 5 million RA Players distributed	Audio often "gaps out" on 14.4-28.8 modem connections	RealAudio.com
XingMPEG	Up to 26:1 --- Varies depending upon strength of compression	High compression ratios and good sound quality	Player not as widely distributed	Xingtech.com
Shockwave	Up to 176:1 --- Varies depending on strength of compression	Widespread plug-in support; great compression and high quality audio at low baud rates (8 - 16 Kbps)	Users must download new plug-in version	Macromedia.com

The most common streaming video formats include XingMPEG video and VDOnet (VDO) file types. However, streaming video is a hot market, and the technology is advancing rapidly. Recently, a number of new streaming technologies and formats--primarily those designed to work within Netscape plug-ins--have entered the scene. These include Digigami's CineWeb, a non-proprietary codec that enables WAV, MPEG, AVI and QT streaming; and Vivo Software's VivoActive (.VIV) format, which compresses AVI video as much as 200:1. Other Netscape plug-ins, such as ClearFusion (aka CoolFusion), allow users to stream standard AVI and MPEG files automatically. So you might want to keep them in mind when choosing a format.

Common Streaming Video Formats

Format	Delivery Rate/ Avg. File Size	Pros	Cons	More Info
XingMPEG	28.8: 2 frames per second T1: full-motion video (30 fps) --- 3 Mb/min.	High compression ratios and good quality at 30 fps	Player not as widely distributed; poor quality for modem users	Xingtech.com
VDO	28.8: 8-12 fps 14.4: 2-3 fps --- 1 MB/min.	Over 1.5 million VDOLive Players distributed; higher rate of delivery for modem users	Guess it could be even faster...	VDOnet
CineWeb	N/A	Enables streaming of AVI, QT and MPEG video and WAV and MIDI audio; no conversion to proprietary format		Digigami.com
VivoActive	28.8: 7.5 to 15 fps ISDN/LAN: 15-30 fps	Compresses AVI files up to 200:1	Compresses AVI only, although more format support scheduled for near future	Vivo.com

For a more in-depth analysis of the various audio and video streaming formats, see the "Fun with Formats" section in Web Developer®'s Does Multimedia Have a Dark Side?

How do I create my own audio and video files? What software is available to produce A/V for the Web?
For a great intro to producing video for the Web, check out Web Developer's Putting Video on Your Web Site: The Basics. This tutorial takes you through all the steps involved in Web video, from shooting and capturing the original source to linking the file to your Web page.

Basically, producing video for your Web page involves two steps: digitizing and editing. There are both hardware- and software-based solutions for digitizing. Hardware-based video capture boards, commonly used for MPEG and AVI video, are usually expensive (often $4,000 and up). For an extensive list of MPEG hardware companies, see MPEG.org's MPEG-related Boards and Systems Manufacturersand Visible Light's MPEG Products Mall. These two sites also provide links to a number of software-based encoders for video production, which are often less-expensive alternatives to hardware boards and systems. QuickTime video hardware, on the other hand, is usually much lessexpensive than similar products for MPEG and AVI. And many Macintosh systems have on-board A/V hardware already built in, so that all you have to do is plug in a video source. For more info on QuickTime video production, see Apple's Developer Info and theQuickTime FAQ, which also contains software and resources sections.

Where streaming video is concerned, most of the vendors listed in the table above provide specs and pricing info about their proprietary encoders on their Web sites.

Once the video file is digitized, it's time to edit. Some of the top names in this category are Adobe's Premiere and After Effects and Macromedia's Director. With the final product complete, the file can be uploaded to your server and linked from your Web site. For more on this final step, see How do I incorporate audio and video files into my Web pages?

Creating audio files for the Web is a process similar to producing video, except most audio formats do not require special hardware devices to capture the original source. Often the audio source can be saved directly into your authoring/editing program. Even better news, some of the best digital audio editors are shareware, including Adobe Audition and GoldWave for Microsoft Windows. For more sophisticated users, commercial products such as Macromedia's SoundEdit 16, digidesign's Pro Tools or Sonic Foundry's Sound Forgeshould do the trick.

Again, the streaming audio vendors' sites listed in the table above provide information about their proprietary audio encoders.

How do I incorporate audio and video files into my Web pages? 

• provide a text and/or graphic link to the file, usually including a "thumbnail" in the case of video
• embed the files directly into the HTML document using the <EMBED> tag
• use Netscape's client pull, which automatically downloads the file each time the page is accessed

Text and graphic links are still one of the most prevalent methods of adding A/V to a Web page. Out of courtesy to the viewer, it has become common protocol to include the name and type of the file along with the file size. This lets users know in advance if they have a compatible viewer and what kind of download time the file will require.

Embedding A/V files is a more seamless method of integration, the drawback being that it only works with Netscape plug-ins. The<EMBED> tag uses the same parameters as the <IMAGE> tag, including SRC, HEIGHT and WIDTH. Additional, plug-in specific parameters can also be used, so that a typical embed command line might look like this:

<EMBED SRC="MyMovie.mov", WIDTH=150, HEIGHT=250 CONTROLS=TRUE>

See Netscape's Embed Tag Syntax for more info on embedding.

The final option, client pull, is a less user-friendly alternative, primarily because it automatically downloads a specific file whether the viewer wants it or not. Client pull is achieved using a <META> tag line, such as:
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" CONTENT="1; URL=myvideo.mov">< P> This command tells the user's browser to load a file (myvideo.mov) after an allotted amount of time has passed--in this case, 1 second, as specified in the CONTENT="1;" parameter. Another drawback of client pull is that the file will be reloaded each time the page is revisited, unless all the links from within the site refer to a version of the page without the client pull command. For more on client pull and its use in this manner, see Netscape's An Exploration of Dynamic Documents and Project Cool's Automatic Sound Files.

Sampling frequency? Frame rate? 16-bit? Can you help me out with some of this A/V jargon?
Lost in the maze of multimedia terms? Here's a quick reference guide to some of the most commonly used terms and acronyms:

• 8-bit/16-bit -- the length of each chunk of data, often referred to as "word length," in a file; typically, the longer the word length, the greater the fidelity of the digital file to the analog source
• AIFF -- (.aiff, .aifc) Audio Interchange File Format; developed by Apple Computer
• AU -- (.au) Audio Format; first developed for the Unix platform, now one of the most common audio formats on the Web
• AVI -- (.avi) Audio-Video Interleave; file type used by Video for Windows, so named because video and sound elements are stored in alternate, or interleaved chunks in the file
• Bandwidth -- in relation to the Internet, bandwidth usually refers to the rate or amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another--usually between a Web server and an application such as a Web browser; because of their size, multimedia files often consume large amounts of available bandwidth
• bps/Kbps -- bits per second/kilobits per second; common units of measurement for data transfer rates; a bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of computer data--a 1 or a zero; a kilobit is 1,024 bits (2 to the 10th power)
• Channels -- in relation to audio files, channels refer to the number of data streams that a file creates--typically one for monophonic sound and two for stereophonic sound
• Codec -- compression/decompression algorithm; programs used to convert and compress analog A/V sources into digital files, then decompress them upon playback
• Frame rate/fps -- the number of frames per second that a video file displays; full-motion video, like that used in television broadcasting, is 30 fps
• MPEG -- Moving Pictures Experts Group; international standard for audio and video compression
• Plug-in -- a program specifically written to run within a larger application and augment its performance; in relation to the Web, the term plug-in has almost become synonymous with Netscape's Navigator, as literally hundreds of them have been created for the popular browser
• QuickTime movie -- (.mov) the most popular video format on the Web; originally developed by Apple Computer
• Sampling frequency -- the number of times an audio file is quantitized, or sampled, in a given period of time; the highest pitch an audio file can produce is exactly half of the sampling rate, so higher frequencies produce better range and thus better quality audio; 22.050 KHz is a common sampling frequency for computer audio files
• Streaming -- with multimedia, a process/technique whereby an application or plug-in can begin playing back the contents of a file before it is fully downloaded; typically, an app uses a stored, or buffered portion of the file while the remaining contents "fill in" behind it
• WAV -- (.wav) pronounced "wave," WAV is the Windows standard for waveform audio files.
What are the 'downsides' to putting multimedia files on my Web page?
Because audio and video files are usually large, adding these data types to your Web page or site can create two general problems: 1) they consume lots of storage space, typically a problem if you are leasing server space from an ISP or if you include a large number of files in your site; and 2) they consume lots of available bandwidth.
Bandwidth consumption is a problem shared by those who lease server space as well as those who maintain their own server. If you are renting space, most ISPs only allow a certain amount of data--commonly 200-300 MB a day--to be transferred in a given period of time. A 2 MB QuickTime movie would only need 100 hits, therefore, to equal your daily quota. Bandwidth problems take on a whole different dimension if you run your own server. A server's connection to the Internet, often referred to as a "data pipe," can only handle so much data at once. This amount, typically equal to or less than the total capacity of the data pipe (e.g., 128 Kbps for an ISDN line, 1.56 Mbps for a T1 connection), is the server's available bandwidth. Because conventional multimedia files are transferred at as fast a rate as possible by the server (often called "bursty" transmission), they will consume as much of the available bandwidth as they can during transfer. And the files often take as much as 20-30 minutes to serve, so that both bandwidth and the server connection are tied up for the duration. Serve a large number of bulky mu ltimedia files, and both your server and your data pipe may quickly become "clogged."
For a closer look at the server and bandwidth problems associated with multimedia, including a number of solutions for these downsides, see Does Multimedia Have a Dark Side? in the September/October issue of Web Developer.
Sources and Resources for further multimedia exploration.

• Index to Multimedia Information Sources
• The World Wide Web Virtual Library: Audio
• Audio on The Internet
• Web Developer® Magazine:
• Putting Video on Your Web Site: The Basics
• Does Multimedia Have a Dark Side?
• WebDeveloper.com Developer's Forum -- Includes a "Multimedia Web" section
• MPEG Pointers and Resources -- Everything MPEG
• QuickTime Home
• Netscape's Inline Plug-ins: Audio/Video