VieTrang's Blog

Reasons to Avoid Eating Pork Products

2008-10-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

Are There Deadly Superbugs in Your Pork?

Scientists have detected antibiotic-resistant bacteria in pork, pigs and some veterinarians. It is possible that these so-called superbugs could infect farm workers or even people who eat pork.

Antibiotic-resistant bugs were found in more than 7 percent of over 100 swine veterinarians tested. The same bacterial strains were found in nearly 50 percent of 300 tested pigs.

Perhaps of greatest concern, the bacteria were also found in 10 percent of more than 200 samples of ground pork and pork chops collected from four Canadian provinces.

An estimated 18,650 deaths a year in the U.S. are estimated to be caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Sources: Organic consumers Association June 16, 2008

**********************

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

If you’re still not convinced of the benefits of avoiding pork, I advise you to keep reading.

I believe there is more than enough scientific evidence to justify the reservations or outright prohibitions in many cultures against consuming it.

Pigs are scavenger animals and will eat just about anything. Their appetite for less-than-wholesome foods makes pigs a breeding ground for potentially dangerous infections. Even cooking pork for long periods is not enough to kill many of the retroviruses and other parasites that many of them harbor.

This is why my eating plan recommends consciously avoiding pork whenever possible.
Granted, the occasional consumption of pork might be fine, but it's a risk, and the more you consume it the more likely it is that you will acquire some type of infection, because as I will show you, the antibiotic-resistant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is NOT your only potential health hazard.

Scientific Backing for the Avoidance of Pork

Bacon, perhaps one of America’s favorite breakfast staples, is in fact one of the worst type of processed meats you could eat for your health. According to a 2006 study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating bacon five or more times a week was linked to increasing your risk of bladder cancer by 59 percent. Aside from the processing of the meat, another likely cause for bacon’s negative influence on your health is the heterocyclic amines that form when meat is cooked at high temperatures.

If you cook meat that is loaded with pesticides and hormones at high temperatures, you're simply asking for trouble. That's why I limit my meat choices as much as possible to grass-fed and organic meats.

You also need to beware of eating undercooked pork, as it can cause trichinosis. Fortunately, trichinosis affects only 11 people per year in the U.S. and less than 2 percent of those infected actually die from the disease, which means there is one death every five years in the U.S. from this.

As far as MRSA is concerned, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have previously warned consumers about the risks inherent in the ever-popular holiday ham in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Turns out the high salt and sugar content of pre-cooked canned hams provides an ideal growth medium for the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Additionally, if you’re a diabetic or if you have a weakened immune system, you may also do well to steer clear of chitterlings, a dish consisting of boiled pig intestines that are served up as traditional holiday fare in the Southern U.S.

It’s possible for people with poorly controlled diabetes to become seriously ill with enteritis necroticans, a potentially life-threatening intestinal infection. The rare disease causes severe stomach pain, vomiting of blood and low blood pressure. The culprit is the chitterlings-contaminating bacterium known as Clostridium perfringens type C, which produces a toxin that is lethal to tissue in your digestive tract. Even cooking the chitterlings might not rid them of the bacteria.

But wait, there’s more!

The Unsavory Side of Pork

The pork and swine industry has been continually plagued, and continues to be so to this day, by a wide variety of hazardous and deadly infections and diseases, including:

PRRS -- A horrendous disease, which I first reported on in 2001, but which had been a nightmare for many nations since the mid-1980s, is still alive and kicking today.

At one point referred to as "swine mystery disease," "blue abortion," and "swine infertility," the disease was finally named "Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome” (PRRS), and may afflict about 75 percent of American pig herds.

The PRRS virus primarily attacks the pig’s immune system, leaving its body open to a host of infections, particularly in the lungs. Initial research revealed that the virus was transmitted via semen, saliva and blood, leaving pigs herded closely together and transported in close quarters by trucks more susceptible to infection.

However, according to new research presented at the 2007 International PRRS Symposium shows that the disease is now airborne, making eradication efforts very difficult. According to the PRRS Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) and the National Pork Board, it is still the most economically significant disease of swine in the U.S.

The Nipah Virus – Discovered in 1999, the Nipah virus has caused disease in both animals and humans, through contact with infected animals. In humans, the virus can lead to deadly encephalitis (an acute inflammation of your brain). I originally reported on this virus in 2000, but according to CDC data, the Nipah virus reemerged again in 2004.

Hepatitis E (HEV) – According to the Mayo Clinic and an article in the Journal of Clinical Biology, pork may be the reservoir responsible for sporadic, locally acquired cases of acute hepatitis reported in regions with relatively mild climates as HEV has been found to transmit between swine and humans.

Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus (PERV) – According to a study in the journal Lancet, this virus can spread to people receiving pig organ transplants, and according to test tube studies, PERV strains does have the ability to infect human cells. PERV genes are scattered throughout pigs' genetic material, and researchers have found that pig heart, spleen and kidney cells release various strains of the virus.

Menangle Virus – In 1998, the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases reported that a new virus infecting pigs was able to jump to humans. The menangle virus was discovered in August 1997 when sows at an Australian piggery began giving birth to deformed and mummified piglets.

What About Pasture-Raised Pork?

In a slightly ironic twist, I can’t even safely recommend consuming pasture-raised pork, because while researching this article I stumbled across a study in the current issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases citing concerns about pastured pigs being vulnerable to Trichinella spiralis infection, due to their exposure to wild hosts that carry the disease.

Pasture-raised pig farming has expanded with increased demand from health conscious consumers, and currently there are 28 U.S. farms located within 50 kilometers of a previously infected site.

If for whatever reason you still want to continue buying pasture-raised pork, I’d advise you to at least take a look at the CDC map, which details areas where outbreaks have occurred, to avoid purchasing meat from a potentially unsafe location.

Other than that, I would simply recommend you avoid pork altogether, even organic pasture-raised versions.

Related Articles:
Another Reason to Avoid Eating Pork Products
Ham: Potential Source of Food Poisoning
Did Mozart Die From Eating Pork?
CANCER RISE MAY BE LINKED TO FARM CHEMICALS
Childhood Brain Tumor Risk Higher on Farms, Particularly With Exposure to Pigs
Deadly Pig Virus Returns
Pork Causes More Illness
Pork and Hepatitis E
Pig-Human Organ Transplants

Burning Incense May Increase Your Risk of Cancer

2008-10-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Burning incense can expose people to cancer-causing chemicals.
Incense burning also creates more local pollution than road traffic.

Levels of highly carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) inside a poorly ventilated temple in Taiwan were 19 times higher inside the temple than outside, and also somewhat higher than at a nearby local intersection.

The PAH benzopyrene, which is thought to cause lung cancer in smokers, had a concentration in the temple that was up to 45 times higher than in homes where residents smoke, and as much as 118 times higher than in areas with no indoor source of combustion.

Total suspended particles (the range of particles that comprise most of the emissions from human activity) were three times higher inside the temple than at the traffic intersection, and 11 times higher than outside the temple.

The concentrations inside the temple exceed the standard "safe" levels for air set in Taiwan.

Sources:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2001 Sep; 67(3): 332-8
NewScientist.com

*********************
Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Burning incense, as is commonly done during meditation, religious ceremonies or simply for the fragrance would superficially seem to be a natural and healthy activity. However, most people don't realize that it can expose them to a dangerous amount of cancer-causing toxins.

Although this study was conducted in a poorly-ventilated temple where incense is burned regularly, you are still releasing these chemicals into your home if you burn incense there. To keep your cancer risk to a minimum, your safest bet is to not release any extra pollutants into your home, including those from incense, candles, air fresheners or other synthetic fragrances.

Alternatively, you could use them in the summer when your home is well ventilated or if you have a full-house ventilation system your risk would be substantially decreased.

This would be true for nearly all chemicals, and whole-house ventilation systems are something you might want to consider to remove the many other chemicals that tend to build up from various items in your home that outgas over time. Most homes are actually far more polluted than the outside air, especially in the winter.

In general, it's best not to introduce any chemicals into your home. If you are trying to eliminate unpleasant scents, try to prevent them from occurring in the first place, or if you want a pleasant scent you could try therapeutic essential oils instead.

Most essential oils have antibacterial qualities and have varying physical and emotional effects depending on the oil, such as stimulation, relaxation, pain relief and healing. More importantly they don't produce harmful chemicals.

If you had a chance to read my previous article on the Lung Association's Report on Air Quality, then you know that there are enough problems with air quality outside of your home -- there's no need to create more problems with the air inside of your home as well.

On Vital Votes, Bryan from Austin, Texas adds:
"Since most people spend about 80 to 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air pollution is very important to minimize. In addition to gaseous pollutants, such as formaldehyde from carpets and furniture, carbon monoxide from cooking and heating, and radon gas emanating from some soils.
"Most homes and buildings have numerous fine particles that can include smoke, dander, and mold spores, which can carry a variety of natural and man-made toxins as well as allergens."

Related Articles:
How to Avoid the Top 10 Most Common Toxins:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/19/common-toxins.aspx

Electric Air Fresheners Can Cause Cancer:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/05/26/electric-air-fresheners.aspx

Cleaning Products Can Harm Your Children:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/01/08/cleaning-products.aspx

Hotel Safety Tips For Travelers

2008-10-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

What to look for in a safe hotel

If possible, select a hotel with has installed modern electronic guest room locks. The majority of these locks automatically change the lock combination with every new guest so there is little chance of someone having a duplicate key to your room. If you lose or misplace your key, ask to have your room re-keyed immediately.

Is each room equipped with a dead bolt lock and a peephole?

Fire sprinklers in hotel rooms, hallways, and meeting rooms likewise for smoke detectors. If each room is not equipped with a smoke detector, are sprinklers systems installed in the hallways or is your only hope the local fire department?

Each room telephone should allow outside dialing.

Guest phones located in hallways and lobbies should not allow direct room dialing. Anyone using the phone should have to call the operator and request a room by guest name, not room number.

Secure locks on windows and adjoining doors.

Well-lit interior hallways, parking structures and grounds.

Hotels that have limited access to hotel structure, generally the more limited the access; the less likely a trespasser will enter.

The parking garage should not have elevators taking passengers to guest floors. It should only go to the lobby.

Does hotel provide personnel trained in guest security and available for escorts to rooms and auto when requested?

Is the hotel located in a high crime rate area, especially when traveling overseas? Check with the US Embassy's Resident Security Officer in that country and they can alert you of areas to stay away from.

When arriving and checking into your hotel room.

If you arrive in a bus or cab, stay with your luggage until it is brought into the hotel lobby.

Keep a close eye on your luggage, purse, etc when checking in.

If the lobby is busy, thieves will often take advantage of the distractions to take your things with them.

If you are staying in an older room which still has the older guest door locks with metal key; one of first signs of how a hotel treats the issue of security is to observe how hotel room keys are controlled. If it is checkout time and a pile of metal room keys are laying on the front desk, the hotel is not too concerned about your security. Anyone can take and key lying on the desk. This is not a big concern if the hotel is using electronic key cards but is if the metal keys have the room number embossed on it. You will find this more prevalent overseas.

Ask the front desk personnel not to announce your room number. Rather, tell them to write it down or point to it. If the desk clerk should do this, explain the problem and asked to be given another room. You never know who is listening. Your room number is a matter of security, and the fewer people that know your whereabouts, the better. There’s no need to announce it to the entire hotel lobby.

When registering, sign only your last name and first initial. Don’t use titles or degrees. Makes it harder to determine gender, marital status or profession. If you are a women traveling alone, you might consider booking your room as Mr. and Mrs.

Don't leave your credit card lying on the check-in counter while you complete your registration. Also make sure the credit card that is handed back to you by the hotel clerk is really yours.

Instruct the desk not to give out your name and room number and ask for them to call you if someone inquires about you.

Immediately upon check in, get two business cards or matchbooks with the hotel name and address on them. Place one by the phone in the room so you know where you are and keep the other on you when you leave so you know where to come back to. If you get lost, you have the address and phone number handy. There is nothing more frustrating than telling a cab driver to take you to the "Marriott" and they ask which one?? That could be one very expensive cab ride. Or if you are in a country where you don’t speak the language, you can simply show a taxi driver the matchbook, and you’re on your way back to the hotel.

Room Selection

Maximize safety and security. Select a room located between the 4 and 6th floor Avoid rooms above the sixth floor--the maximum height that fire-department ladders can reach. For some fire departments overseas, and within the United States, they do not have equipment to reach hotel floors above the 6th floor.

Whenever possible do not except a hotel on the ground floor that has doors and windows that open to the outside. Hotels with interior hallways tend to be generally safer. For security in motels, avoid ground floor rooms off the parking lot. If you can't get a room on a higher level, take one facing the interior courtyard.

Guestrooms that are as close to the elevators as possible are safest, but tend to be noisier. You might also want to find out if the room is located next to a vending area, those also tend to be noisy.

Elevator safety

Women should be accompanied to hotel room and room should be checked.

Observe all passengers in elevators.

It is wise to board last and select floor buttons last.

If possible position yourself near the elevator control panel and if attacked, push as many floor buttons as possible. Keep your back to the sidewall.

If someone suspicious boards an elevator, exit as soon as possible.

When checking into your hotel room
After checking into a room, examine the following:

Examine the guest room lock and be sure it is functioning properly.

The closets and bathrooms are checked to make sure no one is hiding.

All windows and outside doors are checked to insure they lock and operate properly.

The lock on the adjoining door is checked to insure it is locked and works.

The telephone is checked and you know how to make an outside call.

Look for information in room about fire safety and read to become familiar with nearest fire exit / stairway. Locate nearest fire exit. Find one at each end of the hallway. How many doors away? Does the door open easily? Are the exit signs illuminated? If the lights are out, be helpful and contact the front desk to let them know. Is the stairwell clear of debris? Make a note on the back of the business card that you place by your bed noting the number of doors away to the emergency exit, in each direction, and the location of the fire extinguisher and fire pull box.

When you enter your hotel room, make sure the door closes securely and that the deadbolt works. Keep the deadbolt and safety bar on at all time. It cannot be stressed enough that you should never prop your hotel room door open. Anyone could walk in.

Place your room key in the same place every time, preferably close to the bed.

If you have to leave the room in a hurry due to an emergency, you won't have time to be searching for your key. Also, you'll need the key to get back into the room.

When inside a hotel room, for whatever length of time always use the deadbolt. If the room does not a dead bolt or heavy-duty security clasp but has a chain, twist it to take up the slack before latching it.

The door to your room must never be opened by anyone unless the guest is absolutely known.

If you receive a phone call to your room and the person states they are with the hotel and need to come to your room and repair something, use caution. Always get the employees name and call the front desk to verify that it was a legitimate employee who called you and they do in fact need to come to your room. Some criminals are known to where hotel uniforms or pose a plainclothes security. The best bet is to be your own security guard. No matter how effective hotel security is, it can't think of everything.

If you want to test the hotel, call the switchboard from a house phone and ask for yourself. Tell the operator you are not sure of the room number. If the answer is, "She's in room 203," this is not a good sign. The correct answer is, "I'll connect you." Good security requires that the hotel switchboard not give out room numbers and the best hotels strictly adhere to this policy.

When inside your room, use a door swedge when sleeping or in the shower. This may seem a little overkill but overseas, hotel burglars have been know to frequent hotels that use standard metal room keys that are easy to obtain. Unfortunately many hotels do not change the locks to the doors when the keys are lost, the criminals know that many of the hotel rooms might contain valuables of the presumed wealthy western traveler from the United States. Some of the crooks are very bold. They have been known to listen to the room door to see if you are in the shower. If you are they enter your room with the spare key (because no secondary door lock) and removes your wallet, purse, or laptop. If someone else is in the room the crook is in a suit and says “sorry, the front desk gave me this key.” By employing a door swedge will keep out these sly crooks and will could an alarm if attempted. See our products page for one of these devices.

Never leave your key in the lock inside your room (some hotels in third world countries still have these). They can be pushed out from the other side with a pin. The crooks simply slides a piece of newspaper under the door, the key drops on the paper and the crook slide the paper and the key back under the door.

Place that all-important flashlight next to your bed.

It's much too dangerous to be stumbling around in a dark hotel in the middle of the night if the electricity goes out. Also, if you have to evacuate in the event of a fire, the flashlight will help guide you down a smoke filled hallway.

Remember, if there is a fire or other such emergency, you are pretty much on your own to evacuate yourself, especially at night. What you learn in the few minutes it takes you to orient yourself to your room and the surrounding areas could mean the difference between life and death

If you loose your key, ask for a new room or have the lock or electronic key card changed.

When you leave your hotel room for the day or evening

When you leave your room, always leave the television on.
Ask maid to make your room up during breakfast. Place “Do not disturb" sign on door. If you want maid service, call to housekeeping and tell them to make up the room but leave the sign on the door. The sign is valuable when you aren't in the room because it gives the impression you are still inside.
At night, leave a light on and drapes should be partially opened as if someone was inside.
Always use the security vault in hotel. The in-room safe is adequate sometimes. The ones least recommended are those that take standard keys (usually overseas). Preferred are those that have an electronic combination lock. The front desk deposit boxes are usually safer but more inconvenient.
Don't display you guest room key in public or even inside the hotel or at the swimming pool. Crook have known to walk by casually, observe the number in the key if stamped on it and make false charges in the hotel restaurant, bar or store and using your room number.

What to take with you when leaving your hotel room

Take a minimum of cash, and only enough travelers checks for that outing.

Carry “bait money” for potential thieves.

Wear minimum jewelry, especially women. Women, wear only a simple wedding band in lieu of a diamond ring. Remember in some foreign cities and even some area within the United States, a diamond ring might be worth what a criminal might earn in a year. Remove the temptation!

Keep credit cards and t/checks in separate pockets.

Laptop safety while staying in a in hotel room

Laptop computers or other expensive items can be easily stolen from hotel rooms. The only way to protect them is to leave them at the front desk in a safety deposit box or to secure them in your room. If you want to take the easy way by leaving them in your room (most of us do) use a security cable to a fixed object in the hotel. I always attach my laptop to the pipe under the sink in the bathroom when my laptop is left in the hotel room for several hours. Think about it. Would you leave your wallet or purse sitting on the table in the middle of your room? Usually not, but you would leave a $3,500 laptop sitting there! Which is more valuable?

Hotel parking lots

If you valet park your car at the hotel, and valet driver puts a card on your dash, make sure it does not have your room number, always keep it private.

Always walk in numbers at night, especially in hotel parking lots.

Do not leave valuables in your vehicle. Crooks know that rental cars contain items of value.

Park as close to an exit as possible.

When approaching a car, always have keys in hand.

Women should keep purses close to their bodies not loose around or dandling off a shoulder. Keep it in front of you with a hand on top of it. Do not feel awkward to ask for an escort to your car. It is recommended to use the valet service at night.

What Happens to Your Body within an Hour of Drinking a Coke

2008-10-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Drinking soda is bad for your health in so many ways; science can’t even state all the consequences. Here’s what happens in your body when you assault it with a Coke:

Within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don’t vomit as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain – a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes, you’ll start to have a sugar crash.

Sources: Nutrition Research Center October 24, 2007

*******************
Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The average American drinks more than 60 gallons of soft drinks each year, but before you grab that next can of soda, consider this: one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites. Not to mention the fact that it’s also your largest source of dangerous high-fructose modified corn syrup.

Let’s take a look at some of the other major components of a can of soda:

Phosphoric Acid: Which can interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, leading to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones.

Sugar: It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar. Sugar is so bad for your health in so many ways, I even created an entire list outlining 100-Plus Ways in Which Sugar Can Damage Your Health

Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilispsy/seizures.
Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

Tap Water: I recommend that everyone avoid drinking tap water because it can carry any number of chemicals including chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, cadmium, and various organic pollutants. Tap water is the main ingredient in bottled soft drinks.

Clearly, the over-consumption of sodas and sweet drinks is one of the leading causes fueling the world-wide obesity epidemic.

One independent, peer-reviewed study published in the British medical journal The Lancet demonstrated a strong link between soda consumption and childhood obesity. They found that 12-year-olds who drank soft drinks regularly were more likely to be overweight than those who didn't. In fact, for each additional daily serving of sugar-sweetened soft drink consumed during the nearly two-year study, the risk of obesity jumped by 60 percent.

Here’s another sobering fact if you’re struggling with weight issues: Just one extra can of soda per day can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight over the course of a single year!

Other statistics on the health dangers of soft drinks include:

One soda per day increases your risk of diabetes by 85 percent.

Soda drinkers have higher cancer risk. While the federal limit for benzene in drinking water is 5 parts per billion (ppb), researchers have found benzene levels as high as 79 ppb in some soft drinks, and of the 100 brands tested, most had at least some detectable level of benzene present.
Soda has been shown to cause DNA damage – courtesy of sodium benzoate, a common preservative found in many soft drinks, which has the ability to switch off vital parts of your DNA. This could eventually lead to diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson's.

If you are still drinking soda, stopping the habit is an easy way to improve your health. Pure water is a much better choice, or if you must drink a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water with a squirt of lime or lemon juice.

There is absolutely NO REASON your kids should ever drink soda. None, nada, zip, zero. No excuses. The elimination of soft drinks is one of the most crucial factors to deal with many of the health problems you or your children suffer.

If you struggle with an addiction to soda, (remember, sugar is actually more addictive than cocaine!) I strongly recommend you consider Turbo Tapping as a simple yet highly effective tool to help you stop this health-sucking habit. Turbo Tapping is a simple and clever use of the Emotional Freedom Technique, designed to resolve many aspects of an issue in a concentrated period of time.

Related Articles:
The Amazing Statistics and Dangers of Soda Pop:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/03/10/soda-pop-dangers.aspx

Soft Drinks: Disease in a Can:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/06/06/soft-drinks-disease-in-a-can.aspx

The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods To Eat Organic

2008-09-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

These are the 12 foods you should buy organic whenever possible:

Beef

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "meat contains higherlevels of pesticides than any of the plant foods." Pesticides end up in the environment, then in the animal, and then in you. When you eating organic beef you’ll know exactly what is—and what isn’t—getting into your system.

Milk

The fat in dairy products is another haven for pesticides, antibioltics, and bovine growth hormones. These get passed on to you through commercial milk, cheese, and butter. Organic dairies do not use chemicals or growth hormones like rGBH or rbST.

Coffee

Many of the beans you buy are grown in countries that don't regulate the use of chemicals and pesticides. Look for the Fair Trade Certified label on the coffee package or can; it will give you some assurance that chemicals and pesticides were not used on the plants. It will also mean that fair prices were paid for the end product in support of the farm that supplied the coffee, and that the farm workers are treated fairly.

Peaches

Forty-five different pesticides are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Watermelon, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.

Apples

Scrubbing and peeling a fruit doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Organic apples taste sweeter than conventionally grown, too. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Watermelon, bananas, and tangerines.

Sweet Bell Peppers

Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're one of the most heavily sprayed vegetables out there and may be coated with nearly 40 commonly used pesticides meant to keep them insect-free. Can't find
organic? Safe alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, and cabbage.

Celery

Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the twenty-nine different chemicals that are used on conventional crops. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Broccoli, radishes, and onions.

Strawberries

On average, strawberries receive a dose of up to 500 pounds of pesticides per acre. If you buy strawberries out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that use less-than-stringent regulations for pesticide use. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Blueberries, kiwi, and pineapples.

Lettuces

Leafy greens are frequently contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

Grapes

Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Vineyards can be sprayed with 35 different pesticides during different growth periods during the season and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's permeable thin skin. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Blueberries, kiwi, and raspberries.

Potatoes

America's popular spud ranks highest for pesticide residue. It may also be tainted by fungicides added to the soil for growing. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Eggplant, cabbage, and earthy mushrooms.

Tomatoes

The standard regimen of pesticides used on conventionally raised tomatoes numbers 30. Their easily punctured skins are no match for chemicals that will eventually permeate the whole tomato. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, and asparagus.

How To Fold A T-Shirt In 2 Seconds

2008-09-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is a smartest way to fold your T-shirt with a step by step instruction. It's so easy! Watch the clip:

There is also a step by step pictorial guide for those of you who have trouble learning with the video.

Clich Here

Another video shows you how to make a T-shirt folding machine out of cardboard:

The Last Lecture of Randy Pausch: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

2008-09-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

~ An Inspiring Story of An Incredible Man ~
Carnegie-Mellon Professor Randy Pausch (October 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008) gave his last lecture at the university on September 18, 2007. "If I don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you", said Dr. Pausch. The 46 year-old computer science professor and father of three preschoolers had incurable pancreatic cancer. Doctors had given him months to live. Yet, in his presentation, Dr. Pausch did not focus on impending death. Instead, he celebrated the chance he had been given to live the life he had always dreamed of. His positive outlook on life is remarkable. After watching his story, your life may never be the same again.

Check out this video:

For more, visit www.cmu.edu/randyslecture

Fun Game

2008-08-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

Leap Frog IQ Test

There is no trick.
OK, let's see you can do it.
Good Luck!
Click here to play

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

2008-08-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

Excellent article on cancer:

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.
Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells, try to drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water is best to drink purified water or filtered to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become purified and leads to more toxic buildup.
Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Do What You Love and Money Will Follow?

2008-08-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Mark Albion, author of the book "Making a Life, Making a Living ", cites a study by Srully Blotnick:

A study of business school graduates tracked the careers of 1,500 people from 1960 to 1980. From the beginning, the graduates were grouped into categories. Category A consisted of people who said they wanted to make money first so they could do what they really wanted to do later after they took care of their financial concerns. Those on category B pursued their interests first, sure that the money eventually would follow.

What percentage fell into each category? Of the 1,500 graduates in the survey, the money-now category A's comprised 83 percent or 1,245 people. Category B risk takers made up 17 percent, 255 graduates.

After 20 years, there were 101 millionaires in the group. Only one came from category A, 100 from category B.

Would You Eat Here?

2008-08-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

TAIWAN'S MODERN TOILET RESTAURANT

Modern Toilet is a restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan with a modern decor and a full-on toilet theme. All 100 seats in the crowded diner are made from toilet bowls. Sink faucets and gender-coded "WC" signs appear throughout the three-story facility, one of 12 in an island-wide chain of eateries.

Japanese Marimba Ponies Band

2008-08-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

The members of this band are all cousins. They are all under 12 years old, except for the one playing the piano forte -- he is 15. The little girl playing the cymbals is only 3 years old!

Enjoy - They are a riot!

Flash Test Game For Your Brain Age

2008-08-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

A Japanese Flash Test that calculates your "Brain Age"

The brain needs care just like the body. New scientific research shows that we can improve the health and function of our brains with the right mental workout. Training your brain with brain games is a fun way to improve your memory and concentration. Playing brain games each day keeps your brain in top shape.

Regularly playing brain games can also increase other mental abilities, such as mental processing speed, cognitive control, and reaction time. These skills are valuable at school, in the workplace, and in daily life. According to research, playing brain games can even help prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

This brain game is a simple, fun and effective game for you to make mental exercise. Give up 5 minutes of your time each day to maintain and even improve your mental capabilities. So, it's time for a brain challenge. Be careful! It will be fun. This can get addictive!

Game Description:

Press start. After it counts down from 3 to 1, it will flash a sequence of numbers on the screen - very briefly.

Memorize the numbers you are shown because the numbers will be replaced with circles. You then click on each circles in order of the smallest number to the highest number. It appears to be a test of short-term memory.

When you are done, the screen will show your brain age.

To play the brain training game, click HERE.
To play another brain games and train your brain more, click HERE.

Where Do Old Phones Go?

2008-08-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered where old phones go once they've been "retired from service"?
Every one of these sheep is made from old telephones and cords. Check out their feet!!!

Safer Microwaving

2008-08-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

What Utensils, Wraps and Cookware Should Be Used in the Microwave?

Glass and glass ceramic cookware are safe for microwave cooking. Glass is always a better choice. But what about other materials?

Use only those containers and products that have been approved for microwave use. These items are designed to withstand the high temperatures possible when cooking foods that have high factor sugar content. If you want to use a plastic dish or container, check the bottom: Use those labeled PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PP (polypropylene) Avoid those that say LDPE (low-density polyethylene) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene). Plastic containers are often numbered on the bottom. Look on the bottom of each plastic container for a triangle. The lower the number in the triangle, the higher quality is the plastic, and the less likely it is to leach.

Avoid the use of cold storage containers. Margarine tubs, whipped topping bowls and cottage cheese cartons, for example, have not been approved for microwaving. High heat could cause chemicals to transfer into the food.
Waxed paper is safe. Other paper goods such as towels, plates and napkins have not been tested for use in cooking. High heats may release dyes, coatings or additives into food. If using these items, for optimal safety use only plain white paper goods.
Never use brown grocery bags and newspapers. These contain recycled materials and metals which could start a fire.
Avoid letting plastic wrap touch foods during microwaving. It's fine to cover utensils with plastic wrap, but unless the wrap is a heavy-duty type, it could melt in contact with hot foods.
Oven cooking bags are safe for use in the microwave. They are made from a very tough nylon material. Oven bags also promote even cooking, which helps meat reach safe temperatures throughout.
Follow package directions when heating microwavable foods with special browning or crisping devices in the package. Never try to reuse these special browning devices. Don't eat from a package that becomes "charred" in cooking. Handle carefully, they become very hot to the touch.
Do not re-use trays and containers provided with microwave convenience products. They have been designed for one-time use with that specific food only.

Anti-Aging Foods

2008-08-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

18 Foods That Make Your Skin Glow

Top skin creams average about $400 an ounce (and you thought gas was expensive!), yet most offer little proof that they do half of what they promise. Want to save a bundle and improve your skin? Load your shopping cart with nutrients that research has shown to have skin-hydrating, sun-protecting, and even wrinkle-preventing powers, says Manhattan dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD. Here’s her grocery list of best foods for your skin.

Firm and Bright

You’re probably up to your eyebrows (Botoxed or not) with hearing “eat more fruits and vegetables.” But if you have yet to take that advice to heart, maybe knowing that they prevent wrinkles will do the trick. The colorful pigments that produce bright orange and red also refill antioxidant levels in your skin.

The skin doc’s 3 top picks: SWEET POTATOES, TOMATOES, CANTALOUPE

What they do: Replenish your skin’s supply of antioxidants, so they're ready to scarf up free radicals whenever they make an appearance. Free rads are highly reactive oxygen molecules that damage cells and contribute to just about everything that can go wrong with skin, from dryness to crinkles.

Fresh and Juicy

Your body can’t store much wrinkle-fighting vitamin C, so you need to keep your supplies stocked. The easiest, simplest way: Have some citrus every day.

The skin doc’s 4 top picks: ORANGES, LEMONS, LIMES, GRAPEFRUIT

Actually, ounce for ounce, oranges are the top citrus C source but you can only eat so many, right? For variety, make lemonade, squeeze limes on melon, add grapefruit to salad, and instead of drinking soda, fizz up OJ with sparkling water. It all adds up.

What they do: Keep skin’s vitamin C levels high. While C’s a nifty antioxidant, that’s not the key reason it’s here. It helps keeps collagen -- the supportive protein fibers that stop skin from sagging -- strong and resilient. (Flimsy collagen means lines and wrinkles.) Since collagen breakdown really picks up in your mid-30s, eat citrus early and often to head off aging.

Smoothing and Soothing

There’s a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does all kinds of good things for skin. The best place to find it? True teas: black, green, or white (not herbal). Brew a teapot full every morning, so that sipping four to six cups throughout the day is a no-brainer.

The skin doc’s #1 pick: GREEN TEA

While all true teas contain EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the various types of green tea have the most. Wechsler’s personal favorite is hojicha green tea (available at http://www.adagio.com/). “The roasting process that turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content,” she says -- handy if you’re caffeine sensitive or it’s one of those days when you do not need another stimulant.

What it does: Gives your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multi-tasker. EGCG puts a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging; it also helps prevent skin cancer; and it has a lion-tamer effect on tumor cells. What’s more, green tea contains L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid -- and anything you can do to staunch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibers intact.

Green and Leafy

Certain dark leafy greens, whether they’re fresh, frozen, raw, or steamed, really deliver on vitamin A, one of the most skin-essential vitamins going.

The skin doc’s 3 top picks: SPINACH, TURNIP GREENS, BROCCOLI

What they do: Deliver a hefty supply of vitamin A, which supports skin cell turnover, the process that keeps cell growth and development humming along flawlessly. Without enough A, skin becomes dry, tough, and scaly.

Fisherman’s Faves

Several cold-water catches give your skin a double benefit: age-fighting omega-3 fatty acids plus the restorative powers of protein.

The skin doc’s 7 top picks: SALMON, TROUT, TUNA, ATLANTIC MACKEREL, SARDINES, PACIFIC HERRING, MOST SHELLFISH

Just don’t, uh, go overboard. As good as omega-3s are for skin (and the rest of you, too), worries about the amount of mercury in many fish mean it’s smart to limit seafood to two meals a week. That’s a must for women who are or might become pregnant or are nursing, and for young children, too. (Go here for the government’s fish guidelines.)

What they do: Omega-3s fight inflammation, now considered one of the top skin-agers, and they also help protect against sunburn, enhancing the effects of your SPF sunscreen. Protein is required to build and repair skin cells and to make enzymes and hormones that help keep it glowing.

Fill your weekly grocery cart with all of the above foods and you won’t just look younger, you’ll be younger. Eating at least 1 serving of fish a week and getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements lower your biological age. In fact, the antioxidants alone can make your real age to 6 years younger.

5 Healthiest Anti-Aging Snacks
Dr. Maoshing Ni

Snacking often gets a bad rap, but if you make intelligent choices about what you eat, you can actually benefit your health and longevity. Read on to find out how!

Why Snacks?

Most of us are used to eating three times a day, but it is much healthier to eat smaller meals more frequently -f ive small meals a day, for instance. Eating in this way delivers a steady stream of nutrients, blood sugar, and energy to your body throughout the day and is also much less taxing on the digestive and metabolic systems.

And when you eat more small meals throughout the day, you will most likely avoid the pitfalls of overindulging at your next meals and may actually consume fewer total calories for the day. Keep healthy "grab-and-go" snacks on hand all the time to avoid the tempting lure of high-calorie snacks. Here are my top five snack choices:

1. Nuts and Seeds

Keep You Young Healthy and appetizing, nuts and seeds are absolutely the best snack of the bunch. Helping yourself to a handful of nuts and seeds every day can improve circulation and muscle tone.

And nuts and seeds are especially full of arginine, an amino acid that helps to combat heart disease, impotence, infertility, and high blood pressure, and it also facilitates the healing process. Additionally, arginine can stimulate the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.

The pituitary releases growth hormones, which begin to decline quickly in humans after age 35. This means that after 35, your hormones start to plunge and you experience some aging symptoms. The skin loses elasticity, the muscle loses mass and strength, the lean body tissue decreases, fertility and virility decrease, and other signs of aging start to set in.

Many nuts and seeds are rich sources of vitamin E, lignants and omega-3 fatty acids, which protect you from heart disease and also from the ravages of aging.Almonds, pine nuts, sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, peanuts, and pistachios: mix them in any combination and enjoy! Keep in mind that there are more nutrients in the raw form than roasted. Make sure that the nuts and seeds are fresh and not old and rancid.

2. An Apple a Day for Heart Health

There are many reasons to eat an apple - or two or three - every day. One study discovered that subjects who ate five apples or more a week had a healthier lung function than those who ate no apples.

And scientists have confirmed that apples also contribute to a healthy heart. Thanks to the fruit's rich pectin content, eating two to three apples per day leads to decreased cholesterol levels. Pectin also helps prevent colon cancer, one of the top causes of death in adults over age sixty.

3. Bring On the Berries

In season again, berries are bursting with antioxidants. The enticing red, purple, and blue skins of berries contain bioflavonoids, antioxidant compounds that reduce free radical damage.

These flavonoids are more potent antioxidants than vitamins C and E, and they also help to reduce inflammation - more effectively even than aspirin!

• Blueberries are your best pick because not only do they have the highest level of antioxidant activity, but they also possess powerful neuroprotective properties that shield brain cells from damage , helping to slow down the age-related onset of memory loss, Alzheimer's, and senility.

• Cherries also contain these beneficial anthocyanin compounds, which stimulate your pancreas to produce insulin. In fact, Chinese researchers have observed that cherries help keep diabetics healthy. These compounds also protect you against cancer, arthritis, and heart disease because they lower cholesterol.To learn more about the health benefits of berries, click here.

4. Avocado

Packed with NutrientsAmong the many antioxidant nutrients, glutathione is known as the "master antioxidant." This naturally occurring compound, found in avocados (as well as asparagus, walnuts, and fish), is made up of the three amino acids glycine, glutamic acid, and cysteine. Glutathione regulates immune cells, protects against cancer, and assists in detoxifying.
A deficiency in glutathione can play a part in diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, low sperm count, and premature aging. Avocados are also a source of L-cysteine, which helps protect your body from the harmful effects of pollution, chemicals, radiation, alcohol, and smoke. L-cysteine may also help boost immunity, protect you from heart disease, and build muscle. It is also useful for combating inflammation and encouraging healthy hair and nail growth. Pair your avocado with whole-grain crackers or whole-grain crisp breads for a fiber-rich tasty treat.

5. Apricots for Anti-Aging

One of the staple foods of the famously long-lived centenarians in the Hunza valley of the Himalayas is the apricot. Research has discovered that apricots have the highest levels and widest variety of carotenoids of any food.

Carotenoids are antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, reduce "bad cholesterol" levels, and protect against cancer. I hope you find the ways to nourish your body with healthy snacks! I invite you to visit often an share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

Humor Cartoons

2008-08-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Are You Eating Enough Alkaline Foods To Maintain Vital Health?

2008-08-01T15:03:00.001-07:00

Alkalizing the body fluids (raising pH) is one of the single most important health regeneration benefits available as disease causing microforms (fungi, bacteria, virus, etc.) cannot survive in an alkaline oxygenated environment. Acidosis, or over-acidity in the body tissues, is one of the basic causes of many diseases; especially the arthritic and rheumatic diseases. Allergic reactions and other forms of stress tend to produce acids in the body. The presence of high acidity indicates that more of your foods should be selected from the alkalizing group. Thus balanced body chemistry is the utmost importance for the maintenance of health and correction of disease.

For optimum health and maximum resistance to disease, it is imperative that your diet is slightly over-alkaline. People vary, but for most, the ideal diet is 75 percent alkalizing and 25 percent acidifying foods by volume.

This chart provides information that shows the contribution of various food substances to the acidifying of body fluids, and ultimately, to the urine, saliva, and blood. In general, it is important to eat a diet that contains foods from both sides of the chart.

GOOGLE Employee's Work Area

2008-08-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

Do you think we could ask for the same advantages???

We already knew that working for Google had certain advantages, but, believe me, this giant of the search motor takes the welfare of its employees seriously ... as shown by this decompression (stress) capsule that is impermeable to sound and light ...

Moving around: A slide allows quick access from different floors ... There are also poles available ... they are similar to the ones used in fire stations.

Food: Employees can eat all they want from a vast choice of food and drink.

Work Station: Each employee has at least two large screens. There are 4 - 6 'Zooglers' per office.

Innovation: Large boards are available just about everywhere because "Ideas don't always come when seated in the office", says one of Google's managers.

Leisure: Pool tables, video games, etc. are available in many areas.

Communication: On each floor, there are private cabin areas where employees can attend to personal affairs.

Technical Support: Problem with your computer? No problem ... Bring it to this area where drinks are available while it is being fixed ...

Health: Professional masseurs (eusses) available.

Rest: This room provides massage chairs that you control ... while you view relaxing aquariums!!!

Ambiance: There are many books in this library ... even some about programming!!!

My question ... When do they work? How much do they (employees) pay to work there?

Music As Brain Food

2008-07-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

Can Music Make Your Child Smarter?
by Andrew Loh

When you were a child, did your mother make you taking music lessons that you always hated and was finding all ways to avoid it? Without knowingly, your mother's insistence that you practice your musical instrument an hour a day actually made you smarter!

Recent studies had shown that your mother was probably right to make you stick to your piano or violin. Here are some proves:

* Music lessons have shown to improve a child’s performance in school. After eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers tested showed a 46% boost in their spatial IQ, which is crucial for higher brain functions such as complex mathematics and science that draw heavily upon spatial-temporal reasoning. Which is the ability to visualize ratios, fractions and proportions. A good understanding of proportional math and fractions is a prerequisite to advanced math critical in high-tech fields. - Frances Rauscher, Ph.D., Gordon Shaw, Ph.D, University of California, Irvine.

* Mozart’s Piano Sonata K448 was found to significantly increase spatial scores of college students on IQ tests when the Sonata was listened to for 10 minutes, dubbed the "Mozart Effect." Former choral conductor Don Campbell writes 'The Mozart Effect', an instant bestseller that proposes classical music can help infants reach and think better. The book launched a stampede of Mozart-related children's products.

* At the meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in Los Angeles, the researchers presented magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI) of the brains of 32 right-handed musicians. These were contrasted with MRI-brain scans of 24 other right-handed men who did not play instruments. The musicians overall showed a 5 percent increase in the size of the cerebellum -- an area of the brain involved in fine motor coordination.

* Students with coursework/experience in music performance scored an average of 52 points higher on the verbal portion of the SAT and 36 points higher on the math portion of the SAT than students with no coursework or experience in the arts. - Profiles of SAT and Achievement Test Takers. The College Board, compiled by MENC, 1995.

* Researchers at The Chinese University of Hong Kong gave a series of verbal memory tests to 30 female students who had had at least 6 years of music lessons before age 12, and 30 who had had no music training. In one test, for example, the students listened to a list of 16 words, and were then asked to recall as many as possible. "We found that adults with music training learned significantly more words than those without any music training," the researchers, Agnes S. Chan and colleagues, write. "Music training in childhood may therefore have long-term positive effects on verbal memory."

* A Rockefeller Foundation study stated that music majors have the highest rate of 66.7 percent of admittance to medical school.

* The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians.

Having these facts show that music can make your child smarter. It is important for parents to expose their children to all kinds of music as earlier as possible. If a child is exposed to music the first ten years of his life, his musical aptitude will increase. By doing so, you are actually nurturing a smarter kid.

Research reveals musicians have more gray matter
By Jennifer Thomas
HealthScout Reporter

When your kids grow up, they just might thank you for forcing them to practice piano scales.

Professional musicians who began studying music as young children have more gray matter in certain areas of the brain than non-musicians, a Harvard study has found. Gray matter consists of brain cells and the connections between them.

But what the finding means for musicians, and the rest of us, is still unknown, says lead study author Dr. Gottfried Schlaug, an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.
Using magnetic brain-imaging technology, researchers looked at the brains of 15 male musicians who began their training at about age 3, and compared their brains to 15 non-musicians. The enlarged areas in the musicians' brains included the left and right primary sensorimotor regions, the left intraparietal sulcus region, the left basal ganglia region, the left posterior perisylvian region and the cerebellum, says the study. Schlaug says the rigors of musical training during a period of immense growth and development of the brain may help form new neural connections within the sensorimotor regions, which are important in the acquisition of motor skills.

Another possibility is that infants who become musicians are born with differences in the brain that "may draw them toward their musical gifts," Schlaug says. "Additional study is necessary to confirm causal relationships between intense motor training for a long period of time and structural changes in motor and non-motor related brain regions," he says.

Some researchers are intrigued with another aspect of musical training -- whether music lessons for children enhance brain development in a way that translates into other skills, such as mathematics, says Gordon Shaw, president of the Music Intelligence Neural Development Institute in Irvine, Calif. For example, the cerebellum, one of the enlarged brain areas in the musicians, is believed to be involved in "spatial temporal reasoning," or the ability to visualize concepts, a skill helpful in mathematics, Shaw says. But enlarged brain areas in professional musicians don't necessarily mean musicians are better at math, Shaw says. The skills may not be transferable, he says. Or possibly musicians and others trained in music as children have a greater capacity for learning math, but the natural inclination has to be exploited through mathematics training, he says.

Still, other research has shown that early musical training can improve intelligence. In one 1998 study, 66 children, ages 4 to 6, were given a Stanford-Binet intelligence test. Afterward, half the children were given a year of music instruction, while half had none. The musically trained performed significantly better on a subsequent intelligence test than the kids who had no instruction, says Terry Bilhartz, lead author of that study and a history professor at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

"I am thoroughly convinced early musical instruction has a great benefit for children, not only in terms of neurological benefit, but non-cognitive social advantages," Bilhartz says.

Card Magic

2008-07-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Pick one of the following cards.
Don't click on it; just keep it in your head.

Scroll down when you have your card,

Think about your card for 20 seconds.

I will attempt to read your mind!
Scroll down after 20 Seconds.

I Have Removed Your Card!

SCARY, ISN'T IT?
Now scroll up and do it again, this will freak you out.

Happy "Laffing"

2008-07-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

This is a true story from the Japanese Embassy in U.S.!!!

A few years ago, Prime Minister Mori was given some Basic English conversation training before he visits Washington and meets president Bill Clinton.

The instructor told Mori 'Prime Minister, when you shake hand with President Clinton, please say 'how are you'. Then Mr. Clinton should say,' I'm fine, and you?' Now you should say ' me too'. Afterwards we, translators, will do all the work for you.'

It looks quite simple, but the truth is....When Mori met Clinton, he mistakenly said 'Who Are You?' instead of 'How are you'. Mr. Clinton was a bit shocked but still managed to react with humor: 'Well, I'm Hilary's husband, ha ha ha....' Then Mori replied 'Me too, ha ha ha....'

Then there was a long silence in the meeting room....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Never laugh at a Chinese!

A Chinese man walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan officer that he is going to China on business for two weeks and needs to
borrow $5,000. The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form of security for the loan, so the Chinese man hands over the keys to a new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the bank. He produces the title and everything checks out.

The Loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. The bank's resident and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at the Chinese for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral against a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the bank's underground garage and parks it there.

Two weeks later, the Chinese returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41.

The loan officer says, 'Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multi-millionaire. What puzzles us is why you would bother to borrow $5,000?

The Chinese replies: 'Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there safely when I return.'?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions

A father and son went fishing one day. After a couple hours out in the boat, the boy suddenly became curious about the world around him. He asked his father, "How does this boat float?"

The father thought for a moment, then replied, "Don't rightly know, son."

The boy returned to his contemplation, then turned back to his father, "How do fish breath underwater?"

Once again the father replied, "Don't rightly know, son."

A little later the boy asked his father, "Why is the sky blue?"

Again, the father replied "Don't rightly know, son."

Worried he was going to annoy his father, he says, "Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?"

"Of course not son. If you don't ask questions, you'll never learn anything!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Different Kind of Math

ROMANCE MATHEMATICS

Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy

OFFICE ARITHMETIC

Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime

SHOPPING MATH

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need.

GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

HAPPINESS

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

LONGEVITY

Married men live longer than single men, but married men are a lot more willing to die.

COMPREHENSION

There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman: before marriage and after marriage.

Love Yourself First

2008-07-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

Don't be afraid to fall in love with yourself. Don't be afraid to give yourself the love that you think you need from others. And this goes beyond taking care of yourself and pampering yourself from time to time.

I mean truly fall in love with you. The whole you - the good and the bad. Love the person you are, the person you have been and the person you can be. Show yourself unconditional love and gratitude for your gifts and your faults.

How can you expect someone else to love you unconditionally if you can't accept and love yourself the way you are? Yet we have this tendency to think that love from others is what validates us. No, it's the love you give yourself. The more love you give yourself the more you give to the world. It's all connected, we are all one.

Once you experience true unconditional love through yourself it becomes easier to show and spread that love to others. Even complete strangers and your enemies. Love is all there is.

If you love yourself unconditionally, someone else's harsh words can't affect you. Why? Because you know that those works are untrue and that those words were spoken from a place where love is not present.

Keep love present in your hear and soul at all times. Remember that love is everywhere and it starts with you. When you start emanating your love from within you start to receive it as well.

One of the keys to a healthy relationship and a happy life is expressing love for yourself first. And as I said before this goes beyond just taking time to pamper yourself - even though a good massage wouldn't hurt.

Loving yourself is all about taking care of yourself - mind, body and soul and appreciating who you are now, who you've been and who you can be. Loving yourself is about stopping the negative self talk and replacing those harmful words with beautiful, positive words.

Loving yourself is about only accepting the best for yourself - about treating yourself like the royalty you are by respecting yourself and knowing that you are worthy of the best that life has to offer.

Treat yourself with love and respect, love yourself unconditionally and know that what you give will return to you multiplied. So give yourself love first and watch it grow and spread on to others.

By Selena Richardson

F.A.M.I.L.Y

2008-07-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

A father came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

Son: "Father, may I ask you a question?"

Father replied: "Yeah sure, what it is?"

Son: "Father, how much do you make an hour?"

Father said angrily: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?"

Son: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"

Father: "If you must know, I make $20 an hour."

"Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down. Looking up, he said, "Father, may I please borrow $10?"

The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such childish behavior."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. Father sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the father had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10 and he really didn't ask for money very often.

The father went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep, son?" Father asked.

"No Father, I am awake," replied the little boy.

"I have been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the father. "It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $10 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you Father!" He yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The father, seeing that the little boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

"Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled.

"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied. "Father, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh excuse me please" was my reply. He said, "Please excuse me too; I wasn't watching for you". We were very polite; this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said good-bye.

But at home a different story is told, how we treat our loved ones, young and old:

Later that day, cooking the evening meal, my son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse. Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue. He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."

By this time, I felt very small, And now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by his bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said. "Are these the flowers you picked for me?"

He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree. I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."

He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway."

I said, "Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days? But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think? So what is behind the stories?

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Attitude

2008-07-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when she was told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room... just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged… it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ... It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do."

"Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ...just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

~Author Unknown~

Khoi and Khoa

2008-06-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

Teachers... It's cute

2008-06-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE: No, sir. It's the same dog.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher

Mother Teresa Wisdom

2008-06-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

People are often unreasonable,
illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
there may be jealousy;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Bill Gates' Speech

2008-06-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice. Bill Gates gave a speech at a high school about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.