At this moment of posting, the world is watching the two little fellows talking and chatting with no clothes on their body.   You may not understand what they are talking about.  It does not matter.   What matters is you would love these two little guys talking in the baby talk.   They are adorable.    Guys, enjoy and have a very good day like the twin.

 

Yesterday I attended a seminar on dementia at Richmond Hill Community Church. The speaker is a lady from Yee Hong Geriatric Centre.  The people attending this seminar are boomers and seniors who are having the common problem of forgetfulness.  Of course, it also includes me. 

In our daily life being forgetful is very common.  For instance, people may forget where they put their keys or  glasses.  Most likely, if you are a driver, you may forget where you have parked the car in the parking lot.   There are at times some mental blocks affecting people's proper thinking or memorizing.  The example used in the seminar was a housewife who was supposed to cook some rice for her dinner.  She set up the rice cooker but forgot to put rice and water in the cookware   Then as she took the rice container out to get some rice, the phone rang and she answered the phone call.    She was holding rice container as she talked energetically over the phone.   She  forgot the rice until her huband reminded her.  Are these the symptoms of dementia?

In the seminar, short videos were showed.   Through it we have advices from  geriatric doctors, language therapist, pharmacist  and social workers.  According to the geriactric doctors, dementia is not and cannot be determined by one symptom such as forgetfulness.   It should be determined on a wide range of tests and examination.    However, we should watch out for the syndromes of  dementia.  To illustrate this point, let say, in the above example the housewife 's forgetfulness alone cannot determine she has dementia.   If she has other problems,  such as she cannot do the cooking properly which she was good at and has been doing well in the past 20 plus years.     Then, this is a serious warning.   Or if she put things in wrong place, For example, put the iron into the fridge.  It is a huge warning.  Or if she keeps on buying the same stuff without knowing that there is already more than enough. 

Another example was cited.  A math teacher was asked to do a simple math test by the family doctor,  say, 100 minus 7.  This is a piece of cake for the math teacher.  If the math teacher cannot do it correct, there is a problem that is assciated with dementia.  

Usually, people with dementia would lose their ability, even a simple task of taking care of themselves.   For severe dementia,  the affected patient cannot do basic tasks such as bathing, change clothes, teeth brushing, put of the shoes, the list can go on and on.



Early Warning Signs of Dementia



Prevention  of dementia

It appears that the regular moderate consumption of alcohol (beer, wine, or distilled spirits) and a Mediterranean diet may reduce risk. A study has shown a link between high blood pressure and developing dementia. The study, published in the Lancet Neurology journal July 2008, found that blood pressure lowering medication reduced dementia by 13%.


Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression is associated with some dementia types.


A Canadian study found that a lifetime of bilingualism delays the onset of dementia by an average of four years when compared to monolingual patients.


Early detection and treatment of this disease is important.  Remember to check with your family doctor whenever you are in doubt for yourself and people you love.


Related article:
Seven Second Memory 

Which is the cheapest cellphone plan?   Let me tell you it is the Telus pay as you go plan.   I have been using this pay as you go plan for years.  I am very happy about this plan and the service both on the phone and online.  The monthly fee is $10 by automatic top-up every month.  This plan is best suit for people who don't use much airtime.  and only those who use the cellphone occasionally for important and urgent matters.   You know what, I still have a credit balance over $150.  

Yesterday, I called the Telus service people and I learned there is a way to save more with my pay to go plan.   Don't misundestand me that I  asked Telus for that.  The cool thing, the gentleman on the other end of the phone line advised me after reviewing my account details.   He said I  use the cellphone very infrequently and there is still a good surplus in the account.   He went on to advice me that I can save a little more with the $100 per 365 days top-up instead of the $10 per month.   I can save $20 for the year.  As for the old cellphone I have been using for years.  It needs a replacement.  I asked him if there is free cellphone for replacement.  He said he would give me a refurbished cellphone and it is free.  He gave me choices to choose and advised me to check it out for more details.  The choices are Samsung U510, R540, and another one I forgot the model also by Samsung    I thanked him for the information and I told him I would give more thought to it before I make any decision.

Today, I decide that I would change my cellphone to Samsung U510 and I am going to change the top-up plan to $100 per 365 days.  I already changed Julie's  top-up plan yesterday. 

Guys,  this is a bit of money I can save these days when everything becomes so expensive.   Have a good day..
    

Guys, please pass on to all of your friends and family.   It is a very important advice:

Precautions re Mammograms and Dental XRays
A Useful Warning

On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer.  It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms. 


He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck.  Many dentists don't bother to use it.  Also, there is something called a "thyroid guard" for use during mammograms. 


By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn't routinely used. Answer: "I don't know.  You have to ask for it." Well, if I hadn't seen the show, how would I have known to ask?

 
Someone was nice enough to forward this to me. I hope you pass this on to your friends and family.


Thank you Ben for sending me this important message. 

I am not a pastor, nor a deacon.  I am a Roman Catholic a lay person believing and practising Christianity according to the teaching of Jesus Christ.    I want to share what I perceived and believed in. 


If you are a Christian,  you know the bibiical verse 'Your Kingdom Come ' ex  the 'Our Father' prayer. Jesus taught this prayer personally to  His apostles who followed him spreading the Gospel of God.   This is the model prayer for all Christians.    It is the guideline for people who pray to God.     The English version of this prayer is:

Our Father, Who is in heaven,
Holy is Your Name;
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

This prayer is simple and easy except one verse, namely,  'Your Kingdom come'.   What is meant by 'Your Kingdom Come'?  To  understand the meaning of these words,  it is better to review the historic background then and there according to the Bible.  Very briefly they are:

• Jesus was borned in a manger in Bethlehem, Judaea during the reign of Herod the Second, the son of Herod the Great.  Both of them are known for their cruelty and tyrany.

• The Massacre of the Innocents of all 1-month infants in Judaea.

• Judaea was defeated by the Roman Empire and became a Roman province.

• The Jews then lived in hunger, poverty and high tax.

• The Pharisees were the privileged group of religious people who preached with their mouth not the spirit nor the heart of God.

With the above background, simply imagine what will be the feeling within Jesus when he taught His Apostles the prayer 'Our Father'?  

Jesus is the son of God.  He  came from God's Kingdom.  He is all-knowing.  HE humbly took  fresh   and came on earth born in the manger.  He faced cruelty and poverty from day one.    He undertook all sufferings on earth and later die on the cross at the age of 33.

Jesus being son of God in fresh experienced our human pain and sufferings.  He pitied His people and  earnestly prayed to His Father that His Father; the God and His Kingdom come on earth relieving all people believing and practising His teachings.
 

When Jesus prayed, he deeply sympathized the poor people around him,  He prayed that His Father's Kingdom would come where there is abundance of love and peace.  The hunger will be fed, the thirst will be quenched, the naked will be clothed.


The Love and Peace from God and His beloved son becomes His preaching.  He planted seeds of faith, love and hope into all believers of the early Church.  The value of God and His Kingdom is planted in the hearts of these people sharing and practising what Jesus taught.   

Per the prayer 'Our Father', the verse 'Your Kingdom Come' was the hope for the people then and there following Jesus.  It is also the hope for all Christians in the time line of people.

 
I believe that the Kingdom of God is there all the time before and throughout the history of mankind.  the Kingdom of God is God Himself and all those within His Reign, the universe, the earth, Heaven, the visibles and invisibles. 


The Original Sin of Adam and Eve brought about the deprivation of our Heavenly Relationship with God.  Through Jesus and His Redemption  people have a second chance for entry to the Kingdom of God.

As the  Words of God are seeded within people,  the seeds of God's Kingdom are with people.   People have to take good care of their Seeds.  A day will come for God to judge these seeds. 


A good reference point for our belief is the Apostle's Creed.

    1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
    2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
    3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit & born of Virgin Mary.
    4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
    5. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
    6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
    8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
    9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
    10. the forgiveness of sins,
    11. the resurrection of the body,
    12. and life everlasting.
    Amen.
  


God's Love for His people is so great that God sent Jesus His beloved Son to come down from the His Kingdom to earth to redeem the sin of His people.   
 

This morning I went to the Sunday Mass.  In our parish church Julie and I met some buddies and we went together to a Chinese restaurant for lunch.   We returned home shopping some more food for the week.  It is then the private time for reviewing  my blog.  I decided to make several changes  as follows:

• The blog's new name is 'Baby Boomers Retirement Journey' replacing the old name 'David Au's Blog'.

• The header colour is now changed to blue instead of black.

• The video clip on the top right hand corner is replaced with 'David & Julie' photo.

• The Google image graphic advertisements are changed to text only advertisements

• The horizational navigation bar is taken out.  

Now with these minor changes the blog has a new facelift.   In order to make this blog more informative,  I decided to write to some boomer friends  inviting them to forward me their articles and stories on boomers related topics sharing their insight, experience, knowledge, etc.   Hopefully, we shall have their support and we may have more stories and articles.   Readers around the world may then share and enjoy via the internet.  Of course, you guys are welcome to join us.    Just email me If you have any interesting stories to tell and share with others.        

Today is a pretty busy day for a Saturady.  On top of the usual activities such as morning tea and dim sum in the morning,  shopping for weekly food I have to do some marktet research for a video camera.   The first place to start with for today's market research is BestBuy.   At BestBuy there are wide range of cameras and camcorders to choose.  For cameras and camcorders there are the popular brands such as Nikon, Cannon, Sony, Panasonic and  Flip.  We go through almost one by one testing the functions and features of different mades and models.  The  price range is from $150 to $300.   Tentatively, the one that I like most is Nikon S8000 for the fine quality of the pictures, the display window,  the 10x zooms, 14 mega pixels and the 1080p picture quality.  It produces quality still pictures as well as videos.  That is something I need for making my own videos for this blog.



We also checked the other stores such as Black and another camera store at Market Village and finally at CostCo,  Costco offers the best price.    We decided to buy one but at a later date.  You know the reason why?   The Nikon 9100 will come soon probably in April 2011.   So,  I better wait a little longer.


What I have in mind is producing my own videos for cooking and later on for singing.  Therefore guys keep tuned in for my cool videos.  

Sometimes we tease ourselves saying that we may have Alzheimer's disease.  When buddies meet and talk over the table during breakfast, lunch or dinner we may talk on ourselves being so forgetful of the recent matters.   For examples, we forget where we place our pairs of glasses,  the car keys, the wallets,  and even where we have just parked our cars.   It happens more and more common and sometimes we doubt whether it is related to Alzheimer's disease.     

I have similar problem with these what people call loss of short term memory.  For instance, where exactly I have parked my car say 15 minutes ago.   I cannot figure it out instantly as I were younger.   I have to think backward before I can remember the approximate location.   I told Julie one way to help us remembering where we parked our car in a busy parking lot is to memorize the details of the park location, e.g. the signs, the numbers, the company name, the exit/entrance name/number,  take a photo with our cellphone camera.   You know what, most of the time when we get out of the car we just do one thing.  And that one thing is dash to the destination and the rest is simply forgotten.   When we have to get back to the car, we notice then and there that we have forgotten to memorize the location.   This is not uncommon among us and a lot of our buddies. 


I don't know whether we have Alzheimer;s disease, but I am sure that our brain and memory are aging just like our body.   To be nice to our body, we eat the healthy food.  To maintain the fitness of our body, we exercise regularly.  To maintain the brain and memory, we have to know them more and give them what they need in terms of food , exercises and rest.  Just the way we treat our body.    For expert's advise, here is where you can find the related information,  the Brain and Memory Foundation founded by Gillian M Eadie

I am  pleased to have Gillian as our guest author here.   I simply take this opportunity to thank her and her Foundation for sharing their knowledge, experience and insight with our readers. If you would to like to improve your memory I highly recommend them to you. 


Some Featured Articles:

• Avoid or Delay Dementia Later in Life.
• You Need Brain Food!
• Beat Alzheimer's with Brain Training.
• Start Training Your Brain Today
• Honey, I lost the CAR!

Have a nice day and see you tomorrow again. Hey, before you go, check on the following video clip.  It is a nice piece of information on Alzheimer's Disease.

Today's post is about baby boomers stretching exercises for  low back pain relief.  This is a follow up of the seminar organized by Richmond Hill Christian Community Church on common pain syndrome last Wednesday.  I attend this Wednesday 3-hour golden age gathering almost every week.  The time there is well spent on Taichi, Wellness Seminar and Bible Study.   Yesterday's post on stretching exercises for neck pain is also a follow up.

 

Stretching exercises for Low Back Pain:

• 
  
• Lie flat on your belly
• Relax the whole body with both hands to slightly support your body
• Then use both arms to raise up slightly your upper body
• Hold this position for 10 second
• Lower the whole body to relax flat as the original position
• Then use both arms to raise up the body high
  
• Hold this position for 10 second
  
• Repeat above process several times. 
  
• Don't over exercise.
  

 
 

Low Back Pain related article:

1. Boomers Health - Low Back Pain

My wife Julie has neck pain.  From time to to time she would tell me she has the pain in her neck and the back of her head adjacent to the neck.   According to the doctor, it is an occupational pain symdrome for people such as secretaries, office clericals, administrators, and people who need to work for long hours on their computers, mouse and keyboard.  

We  have consulted our family doctor several times and there is no solution to our problem.  A little advice from him is to do some stretching exercises which may help to strengthen the neck muscle and relief the pain.   To help Julie to find suitable stretching and strengthening exercises is my task.  I search the internet for related information.


Stretching
  1. Let your neck bend to the side, and with your hand apply a little pressure to your head to help bring it into the same direction. Go until you feel a nice stretch and hold it for 6 seconds. Do this three times and repeat with the opposite side.
        

   2. Let your head hang forward, as if you are touching your chin to your chest. Lace your fingers behind your head to apply a little pressure to bring your chin further down. Stop when you feel a good stretch and hold for 6 seconds. Do this three times.
        

   3. With your shoulders relaxed, turn your head to side as if you were looking over your shoulder. Go until you feel a stretch and hold it there for 6 seconds. Do this three times and repeat with the opposite side.



Strengthening:

 
1. Place one hand on the side of your head, and hold it there. Press your head into your hand, trying to bend it to the side, but don't let your head move. Hold that contraction for 10 seconds. Do this three times, and repeat with the opposite side.
         

   2. Place both of your hands on your forehead. Push your head into your hands, again not letting it move, and hold the contraction for 10 seconds. Do this three times, and repeat with the opposite side.
         

   3. Place one hand onto the side of your head, and hold it there. Turn your head into your hand as if you were going to look over your shoulder, only don't let your head move. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds. Do this three times, and repeat with the opposite side.
       

   4. Stand with your back flat against a wall. Tuck your chin and press your head into the wall, and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this three times.


I would remind to Julie to do all these stretching and strengthening exercises.   Stay tune in for the results after two weeks.


 

Prices of gas are going up.  A chain reaction is set in causing price spikes for almost everything.  According to the local news, this month would mark a new high price for the electricity.   The key question we ask ourselves is  'What can we do to conserve electricity and reduce related expenses?' There are several ways I can think of and they are:


1. Avoid Electricity Usage during on-peak hours

During winter weekdays, 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

During summer weekdays, 11 a.m. -5 p.m.

on-peak hours @9.9cents/kWh

It is important to avoid on-peak hours, rates are almost double.


2. Use Electricity only during off-peak hours:
Winter - weekdays (9 p.m. - 7 a.m. off-peak hours)

Weekends and holidays (24 hours off-peak hours)

It is best to wash clothes during weekends and holidays
when 24 hour off-peak apply.

Summer - weekdays (7 p.m. - 7 a.m. off-peak hours)
off-peak @5.1 cents/kWh



3. Use Energy saving bulks

I have already replaced all bulks with the energy saving ones.


4. Use electricity efficient heater instead of baseboard heater

According to a energy technician the daily consumption the baseboard heater averages to several dollars each day. Therefore, we decided to replace it with new energy
efficient heater.


5 Get a New Fridge

If your fridge is over 15 years old replace it with a new one. Probably you can save $125 each year.


6. Change our habit a little bit.
For example, in clothes washing, we only do our clothes washing when there is a full load of soiled/dirty clothes instead of half load of clothes. Wash them only during the off-peak hours. This would help to save the energy further.


7. Better Insulation to avoid heat escape

Windows are the usual places for heat escape. Check them and fix them if there is any leakage defects. The other areas where heat may escape from the house are the doors and attic. Sometimes, it is found in the walls In such cases, it is advisable to get your contractor to fix the problem if you are not a handyman.

Gillian M Eadie  (guest author)

The air was alive with anticipation, the theatre was at full capacity, it was 1937, and the audience was about to see George Gershwin himself playing the magnificent 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Horror stuck about half way through the performance as the legendary composer's fingers stopped caressing the keys, the orchestra eventually quietened, Gershwin sat very still, his shoulders stooped, and then, after some time, he was escorted away from the stage.  His mind had gone blank, his fingers couldn't find the notes, and he couldn't remember the rest of the piece, his own composition.

OK, so it turned out that the great man had a brain tumor and died later that year, but don't you hate that?  You are in the middle of an important presentation or telling a funny story and suddenly, you can't think of what comes next! Try as you might, the mind's gone blank and you have no idea how to finish.  Fortunately for most of us, this doesn't happen in front of an audience of 2000, and even more fortunately for us it doesn't mean we have a brain tumor!

Many years ago it happened to me in a rather public way, and I can still remember the awful feeling now. I was a competitive dancer and I had practiced and practiced a spectacular new step. I couldn't wait to perform it as one of a series of six different dance movements.  All was going well until I came to the point where the new step was to be performed and I stopped. My mind was a blank. You see, I'd practiced the step on its own and not in sequence, so under the pressure of competition, my memory couldn't cope.

Pressure! Pressure! Pressure! We all know about it, and pressure on your memory comes from many quarters: when you're tense, afraid or in panic; when you're under pressure, multi-tasking or feel angry, emotionally charged or under threat. Feelings of loneliness, insecurity or confusion can all lead to mental blocks and, in the midst of the ever-increasing pace of our technological world, these blank moments occur in even the youngest of adults. What usually happens is that the sustained release of adrenalin actually decreases the efficiency of essential brain connections needed for you to remember well. Your memory is a complex and amazing set of reactions and processes which work best when you are not stressed, and are operating in 'normal' mode.

So what can be done to clear a mental block?

Firstly, it's important to check that there is nothing physical causing the condition, particularly if it is happening more frequently than twice a week. Stress, if sustained over a long period, can cause mental blocks, so evaluate honestly how stressed out you really are.

Relaxing the mind is a key factor in clearing mental blocks, take a few deep breaths and exhale slowly. Don't panic (I know, easier said than done) - if you are in a public situation, make a humorous comment and move on. Find another way to continue and, chances are, the lost thought will pop back into your mind seconds later.

Thinking about the task in a different way will sometimes clear the mental block. Reframing your thinking and looking at other possibilities will also give you new brain connections to approach the task.  A really good example of this is a famous problem which was solved when the makers of hotel elevators tried to overcome the many complaints they received about the slowness of even their newest elevators. After spending a lot of time analyzing the machinery and the physical impact on patrons of increased elevator speeds, some clever thinkers redefined the problem. Why did hotel guests complain? Why did the lifts seems so slow? Answer: Because they had nothing to do while they were waiting! When visible screens indicated the progress of the elevator, and mirrors were installed inside and outside the elevators, the complaints stopped.

Butterflies in the stomach, or 'nerves' are great in small amounts, and allow us to really perform at our best, whether competing in a dancing competition, running a race or giving a presentation to colleagues.

Trust your brain - given the right conditions, your brain will remember. If you can control the factors surrounding you at the time, mental blocks will be a thing of the past. Or, if they occur, you know what to do. Relax, laugh, reframe and respond. 

 

Why not try our free memory check and see how you rate Give It A Go!

 

Gillian M Eadie

CEO

The Brain and Memory Foundation

The author, Gillian Eadie founded the Brain and Memory Foundation. Gillian is an award-winning educator with more than 20 years as a principal at several prestigious private schools and is a Churchill Fellow. For more free help and personal advice on diet, exercise, brain food and improving your memory, please visit the Brain and Memory Foundation. You'll find lots more information and tips like these in the great new book by Allison Lamont PhD and Gillian Eadie, Seven Second Memory.

 

 

By Gillian M Eadie (guest author)

Now here is a bizarre story for you - About 4 weeks ago I met up with an old work colleague I hadn't seen for ages, it was lovely, we were enjoying a rather decadent late afternoon glass of Chardonnay in a very swanky cafe overlooking the harbour and having a good old catch-up when suddenly,  just as I was taking a sip, Camille began telling me about a car accident her husband had been involved in last summer - and I had the most peculiar feeling, as I knew exactly what she was going to say!  It was really eerie as my mind was jumping ahead of her sentences and I had to nibble at some olives to stop myself from completing them for her.  Now, I had only taken a few sips of my drink, I hadn't actually seen Camille for at least two years, and as she was recently married, I'd never even met her husband.  There is no way I could have known about the accident.  It really was just like an episode of 'The Twilight Zone'.

Was this déjà vu?

Well, if it was, then I had just become one of the nearly 70 percent who admit to getting this feeling at least once in their lives, where the sight, sound, taste or even smell of something leads us to think that we've experienced this 'moment' before, although we know that we couldn't have. The term déjà vu literally means "already seen" and the French scientist Emile Boirac, one of the first to study this strange phenomenon, gave the subject its name in 1876.

There are many theories as to what déjà vu actually is and what causes it, ranging from reincarnation to simple lapses in our memory processes. I'm still trying to work out how and why I knew what Camille was going to say. I even knew what the cafe was going to look like, although I can't ever remember going in there before.

The most common misuse of the term déjà vu seems to be with precognitive experiences, where someone gets a feeling that they know exactly what's going to happen next, and it does. It is important to remember, though, that déjà vu is experienced during an event, not before. Hallucinations that are brought on by illness or drugs sometimes bring a heightened awareness and these are often confused with déjà vu. False memories that are brought on by schizophrenia can also be confused with déjà vu. Unlike true déjà vu, which typically lasts from 10 to 30 seconds, these false memories or hallucinations can last much longer.

I don't think I was having a hallucination! I'd only had a couple of sips of wine! 

Actually, scientists don't all agree about why these experiences happen. Several psychoanalysts attribute déjà vu to simple fantasy or wish fulfillment, while some psychiatrists ascribe it to a mismatching in the brain that causes the brain to mistake the present experience for something similar that has happened in the past. Hence the feeling of familiarity. Then again, many parapsychologists believe it is related to a past-life experience that may have been repressed or forgotten.

I know that I had an eerie experience in that cafe but it looks as if there's a lot more investigation to be done before I can tell you, for certain, why.

Gillian M Eadie

CEO

The Brain and Memory Foundation

The author, Gillian Eadie founded the Brain and Memory Foundation. Gillian is an award-winning educator with more than 20 years as a principal at several prestigious private schools and is a Churchill Fellow. For more free help and personal advice on diet, exercise, brain food and improving your memory please visit the Brain and Memory Foundation. You'll also find lots more information and tips like these in the great new book by Allison Lamont PhD and Gillian Eadie, Seven Second Memory

Lord, I just want to say THANK YOU,
Because this morning  I woke up and knew where my loved ones were.


Because this morning my home was still standing,
Because this morning  I am not crying,
Because my spouse, my child, my brother or sister or my parent does not need  to be buried
or to be pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete,
Because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water,
Because this morning I was able to turn on the light,
Because this morning I was able to take a shower,
Because this morning I was not planning a funeral.


But most of all I thank  you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of  Japan .
Lord I cry out to you, the One that makes the impossible, possible,
The One that turns darkness into light,
I cry out that You give those mothers strength.
   

That  You give them peace that surpasses all understanding,
That  You may open the streets so that help can come,
That You may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a  blink of an eye.
     
     
For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on!
Protect the children and shield them with your power.
I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!  Amen,
     
Please continue to  forward this so that we can pray together for the people in Japan.

Couple of years ago, I posted photos of crocodile man in my blog.   Recently as I browsed through Youtube, I found the video clip about this wonder man and his beast.  Now see with your own eyes how the video unfold and blow you away.





IF you thought the legend of the horse whisperer was impressive, here's an animal tale with even more bite   Rather than trying to tame wild stallions, fearless Costa Rican fisherman Chito prefers a playful wrestle in the water with his best pal Pocho - a deadly 17ft crocodile.


The 52-year-old daredevil draws gasps of amazement from onlookers by wading chest-deep into the water, then whistling for his 980lb buddy - and giving him an affectionate hug.


Crazy Chito says: "Pocho is my best friend. This is a very dangerous routine but we have a good relationship. He will look me in the eye and not attack me.


"It is too dangerous for anyone else to come in the water. It is only ever the two of us."


Chito made friends with the croc after finding him with a gunshot wound on the banks of the Central American state's Parismina river 20 years ago..
He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was close to death.
But Chito enlisted the help of several pals to load the massive reptile into his boat.


He says: "When I found Pocho in the river he was dying, so I brought him into my house.


Fearless .... Chito enjoys crocs company

I got the following poem from a buddy.   It is modified from a classic children poem almost everyone is familiar with.   The changes and additions of words make the  poem meaningful broad and deep.   Buddies join me read this poem and give some thought to it.  To help our children and  grandchildren pass this message to people you know ....  spread the words of wisdom! 

Mary had a little Lamb,
His fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school each day,
When it wasn't against the rules.
He made the the children laugh and play
To have the Lamb at school

Then the rules changed one day,
Against the law it became.
To bring the Lamb of God to school
Or even speak His name.

Every day got worse and worse,
And days turned into years.
Instead of hearing children laugh and play,
You heard them crying tears.

What must we do to stop the crime,
That's in our schools today?
Let the Lamb come back to school
And teach our kids to pray.

-Unknown

his morning I got an email from Gillian Eadie.  She brought me good news that she would contribute her articles to my blog.  These articles would concentrate on health and fitness for the brain focusing on keeping the brain and memory youthful.  It is of course a very good news for the boomer readers.  Here I would like to thank Gillian for her generosity and kindness sharing the articles with us.        


Welcome Gillian to be a guest author.  Here below is her first article for this blog:

Live to 100 and think like you're 50!

 The secrets of a long and healthy life

 

Sounds crazy right? Well, on a recent trip to China I was lucky enough to meet some very bright, alert 100 year-olds who are still working!

 

 

Take a look at these lovely friends - bright eyes, alert minds, lots of laughs and knowing just how to get tourists on side.  I know what you're thinking - What's their secret?

This is what they told me (with the help of an interpreter):

·        Simple food - rice, fresh vegetables, fish and a little meat, water and lots of green tea.

·        A life of hard work and physical activity - working in the fields, walking, maybe riding a bicycle, - but no car, fast food, sitting around all day....

·        Keeping their brains active with Chinese chess, maybe mahjong and, let's be honest, trying to make ends meet nearly all their lives.

·        And (they didn't say this but I saw it for myself) enjoying life and laughing a lot!

OK - so it isn't for everyone and we can't help living in a time when food is available on tap and transport comes with four wheels.

But there are lifestyle changes you can make that will keep your brain alive and alert.

Imagine if you could boost your IQ, sharpen your memory, improve your mood and keep your mind youthful.  Research shows that you can do all of these by just eating the right foods - pretty impressive huh!  The way your body moves, your intelligence, your memory and even your lungs filling with air, all rely on brain cells so it would be crazy not to feed those cells with the good stuff.  Look at these delicious examples of some of the best foods for your brain:

• Fish - Salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring
• Chicken and turkey (skinless)
• Meat - lean beef and pork
• Eggs - free-range and/or organic eggs are best
• Tofu and Soy products
• Nuts and Nut Butter, especially walnuts, macadamia nuts
• Avocados
• Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
• Olives
• Berries - especially blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries (keep frozen berries on hand as well)
• Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, peaches, plums
• Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
• Oats (the long cooking kind), whole wheat items, wholemeal bread with at least 3 grams of fiber.
• Water, green tea

Your brain also needs oxygen to grow, function well and stay mentally alert.  After eating, especially a big meal, most of your body's oxygen is used by your stomach and digestive system, as it digests that meal.    This means that your brain is being denied much of the oxygen it needs - no wonder you feel sleepy after lunch!

Eating a little and often, is a good plan to use oxygen wisely, allowing your mind to stay sharp throughout the day and plan some exercise every day as even a 30 minute walk around your neighbourhood will exercise your body and increase the flow of oxygen to your brain.

Are you ready to start work on your brain health and fitness?  Why not take this free memory test and see how you rate Give It A Go!

 

Gillian M Eadie

CEO

The Brain and Memory Foundation

The author, Gillian Eadie founded the Brain and Memory Foundation. Gillian is an award-winning educator with more than 20 years as a principal at several prestigious private schools and is a Churchill Fellow. For more free help and personal advice on diet, exercise, brain food and improving your memory please visit the Brain and Memory Foundation. You'll also find lots more information and tips like these in the great new book by Allison Lamont PhD and Gillian Eadie, Seven Second Memory.

 

Today almost every body blogs.  Some blog for fun, some blog for money and a lot of bloggers blog for fun first and eventually also for money.  No matter which group you belong, traffic is the critical factor which determines the success of your blog.  Therefore, it is logical to setup the blog in a platform which helps you to draw plenty of blog traffic.  In this respect, I recommend you to look around and find out for yourself which are the platforms the big guys are using currently.    When you find the top 500 companies are using Wordpress and Movable Type, then choose Wordpress or Movable Type.  I am pretty safe to say your choice is right then.


The next thing to draw constant traffic to your blog is content.  Good content means original content of your own,  classy and stylish writing, quality contents with unique points and substance,  useful and applicable in daily situation.  Duplicated content is the last thing the search engines would like.  As the search engines would spider your content, they like fresh content for example regular updates.  For your blog, at least one posting per day is the minimum requirement.


A blog with the above mentioned attributes is more than ready to take off.   Give it time and it would take off and fly.   At this point of time, most bloggers would consider the monetization for their respective blogs.     Below are some monetization examples :



(1) Selling Clickbank Products
It is the huge marketplace for tons of information products,e.g. ebooks, software downloads.  There are over thousands and thousands of these products under different categories.  These products are available to the Clickbank affiliates.  It is free to join.   So, there is nothing to lose when you are selling the Clickbank infoproducts.

According to market research reports, the best selling products on the internet are by far are the ebooks and softwares.   Therefore I choose them as my choices of online products for my blog and websites.   Here in this blog you can find them in the individual articles where I added the hyperlinks.  There are about one or two related links for each article.  I also put some on the sidebars, for examples - the affiliate marketing ebooks,  the antiaging and  better living ebooks and last but not least the Facebook tutorial books by the experts.   You know, Facebook is now the talk of the internet world.  Every body rushes to this goldmine. 



(2) Make Money with Google Adsense
Google is the giant in the internet world.   Google Adsense is the number one money makers for a lot of beginners in the internet.  People can make some money to start with but not enough for a living in the long run.  To learn the internet know-how is a long learning process.  It takes a lot of  your time and effort and it also needs a bit of luck to be very successful.   Learn it direct from the successful professionals is the shortcut and it saves you lot of time being wasted in the search of the appropriate ways and tool.  If you are new to the blogging world and you would like  a step by steip guide, my recommendation is the Multi-media program by Super Affiliate Blogger Rosalind Gardner since 2000.   Her success is well documented.


 Below are some Adsense Basics for beginners:

• Getting started with AdSense
• Payment Schedule demo

• Activation Demo
• Help with Ad Code Demo

 

(3) Selling through Retail Online

I setup David Au's Shop  in my blog.  Over tens of thousand quality tangible items are available online ready for people shopping online.   Check it out for Health & Beauty,  Essential Home,  Gifts Collection and much more.  
  

Recently I put a few changes in my blog 'David Au's Blog'.  One of them is a customized  Google Search button.   I removed this button from its original place located at the top right hand corner.  I put it in the horizontal navigation bar.  It is in the middle at the second role which is a prominent position for your eyes.   So you can't miss it.  In case you want to know more about something, just type in what you want to know in the search box.  It looks like this as follows:

Custom Search

• Friends and readers you can use the above search box to find more 'related articles' by David Au . 

• Just type in the search box the article titles or if you cannot remember the whole title then type in some keywords you remember.  

• Then press 'enter' or click the 'Search' button.  Then a new page with the related info will come up.

If you want to know about something on make money,  just type in the search box then it will show you my articles on make money.

The advantage of this new arrangement is that readers will still stay within my blog when they are doing their search.   Otherwise, the readers will switch to the next screen.   By this new arrangement my readers would spent more time in my blog reading my articles and other stuff I have prepared for them.   I like it.  How about you?  Would love to hear from you guys!


However, if you want to widen your search all over the internet, you have to use the Google Search box at the top of your screen near the browser.  If you have some questions simply let me know. 

Have a nice day! 

The earthquake, tsunami and a possible nuclear meltdown at Sendai is a mega huge disaster to Japan. People are at risks which are beyond  control. As we watch the news in the television and computers, the Japanese people earn our deep respect for their being so calm and organized in face of the quakes and aftershocks.

Below is a video clip of what happened at the nuclear plant at Sendai. The nuclear leakage and the possible meltdown are the challenge a team of heros who are sacrificing their own lives to rescue the nuclear plant .  They do their best for the safety of people in the area. This is a team of about 150 people and they work around the clock in shifts to fight against the huge task at the Fukushima putting nuclear plant harzard under control.

 

In my recent blogging I spent more time to learn and familiize with Facebook.  Facebook is catching up with internet giant Google.   If it continues to progress at its current rate it will soon become the number one in the internet world.   In the net world people rush in for the goldmine.   For example, if you google 'Facebook applications' 'Facebook profits' 'Facebook software'  you will find tons of similar products. 

e.g. 
Facebook Ad Guide.
Complete A to Z guide of how he generated over $1,000,000 in revenue using Facebook Ads in just 10 months time! Hot product put out by well known Super Affiliate (trusted) Jonathan Volk.


In the last couple of days,  I set up a Facebook business page for my online business in addition to the profile page which is the starting point for my presence on Facebook.  This is my landing page for myself among the Facebook users online.


By the way my Business Page is my online selling platform for tangible products such as vitamins, phytonutrients, supplements, cosmetics, skincare, health and beauty, bath, kitchenwares and other homewares.  They are not cheap stuff .  They are renowned brand name products. People can purchase  at their comfortable home even on their bedroom and the products will be delivered at their doorsteip within couple of days.    The transactions are executed under a highly secured computer system online.   I like Facebook as it provides an excellent platform for doing business online  on top of the huge number of people using Facebook daily finding and chatting with friends.



I also setup a Fan Page  'Simply Eating Healthy Fans'.   The goal is to build a group of fans who share a common goal of simply eating healthy.  As you know,  groups are simplest way to build community around a brand or company on Facebook.  Now with my group page, I create a central place for friends to talk among themselves around the common goal of 'Simply Eating Healthy'.  


The beauty of Facebook Groups is its all  round builtin.   It comes with boards for posting discussion topics, photos, videos, and links.  You can send news and updates to your group members as often as you like - messages arrive in their Facebook Inbox.   The best part about Groups is you can create as many as you like.  They are free.

Groups are one of the simplest ways to do viral marketing on Facebook. Once members have joined the group, they can invite their friends to join the group via a built-in Invite feature. If your members are excited about your group, it can grow really quickly.


Additionally, your group name will usually appear on your members' personal profile pages until they leave the group. Many people view groups as "Bumper Stickers" for their profile page in this regard.  You know profile pages are highly trafficked, these links can generate a lot of clicks to your group page.

Just Adorable
        
It is not common for a Koala to bear twins, and regrettably in this instance the Mum was struck and killed by a passing car.

Fortunately, the driver stopped, and took the mother to the local vet, not knowing she was dead, where it was discovered she had these twins in her pouch.


Tiny koala being fed with syringe ... sooo tiny!

'Thanks for saving my life'!

It's so nice to see a story that has a happy ending in these troubled times.

Taking care of others is a great way to forget about our own problems and difficulties!

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.


Below is a video clip about a mother koala with her twins.   They are healthy and happy as we can see.   Enjoy and have a good day.


 

I am pleased to inform you guys I have set up 'Simply Healthy Eating Group' in Facebook. As the group name implies it is for people who enjoy cooking their food and eating healthy. This is a culture shared by plenty of friends among ourselves. Enjoy good food and eating healthy is our common goal.

Check out some of the healthy eating posts here.  

Another one here

With the platform provided through Facebook we can share and exchange our experience and views pertianing to our eating culture. Meanwhile, invite your  friends to join the group. Most people would like to know more about good food and healthy eating.


I am going to share with you my cooking experience and recipes as well some  healthy eating recipes through my daily posts.

 

It is completely FREE. You know I just retire and what I have now is plenty of time. By posting daily to my friends on some good stuff is what I would enjoy doing to enrich life. Tune in for any update.  Have a nice day!

Guys, if you have sharp eyes, you would have noticed there are some changes in my blog.   Yes, it has new face.  Yesterday I gave my blog a little touch up at the sidebar.  I put there couple of Facebook badges as follows:

• Profile Badge

How do I create my Page Badge?
To create a badge, just click here or navigate to the "Create a Profile Badge" link at the bottom of the left column on your profile page. This will take you to your Facebook Badge page. On this page, select the "Create Badge" option. Follow the on-screen steps to create a badge



The goal of this exercise is to better connect with my readers and people who come to my blog via the search engines.  Facebook is the most widely used social media.  If you want to socialize with people and potential customers online,  I am pretty sure to say there is no body who may come close to Facebook.   Finally,   guys thank you for visiting and stay connected via Facebook by clicking the Facebook Badges. 

Have a nice Sunday! 


.  

Yesterday, George emailed me  the exciting  news about the Interschool Athletics championsip 2011 in Hong  Kong  La Salle College our mother shcool won the trophy. He also reminded me to search in Youtube for the relevant video clips and post them to my blog.   Thank you George for reminding me.  


Buddies especially the La Salle old Boys let us celebrate and share the joy with LSC athletics and LSC Boys.  We are not boys anymore yet we are the LSC Old Boys. 

 Here below is another video on La Salle College Campus TV production by the LSC Boys.   I am impressed as I watch this video clip.    Young men, keep up the good work.


Meanwhile,  buddies enjoy and have a good time!



 

Good morning guys!   Are you a senior?  If you are I have information that makes you feel good.   As senior you are eligible to plenty of discounts.  Scroll down and read carefully to find out details before you start shopping. Senior Discounts offered to those who pay attention.  Useful info for the Juniors also---you can if you wish ask your seniors to get items for you and save some money!


Monday

• Zellers - 10% (1st Monday of every month) - Age 55

Tuesday

• Home Hardware - 10%
  

• The Bay - 15% (1st Tuesday of every month) Hudson's Bay Company;

• Zellers; the Bay;
• Home Outfitters

Excludes: Furniture, Mattresses, Major Appliances, Microwaves, Vacuums,
Lawn Mowers, Snowblowers, Tvs, Vcrs, Dvd Players, All Computer
Hardware,Software and Accessories, Video Game Hardware and software,
Prerecorded Music and Movies, Cosmetics and Fragrances, Tobacco,
Prescriptions, Lottery Tickets, Gift baskets, Direct Mail Offers,
Special Order Pickups, Take Home Foods, Hbc Rewards orders, Charity
Plush Toys, Gift Cards From Hbc, Phone Cards and Licensed Departments

• M&M - 5%

Wednesday

• A & P - 10%
• Bulk Barn - 10%
• The Bay - 15% (1st. Wednesday of every month) I think it is also for

age 55 plus


Thursday

• Shoppers Drug Mart - (? %) - Last Thursday of every month (age 65)

Friday


Saturday


Sunday

Any Day

• Wendy's - Age 55 -10%(Ask for senior's rate)
• Zellers (restaurant) 10%
• I believe McDonalds has a senior discount also

http://www.viarail.ca/planner/en_plan_truc...fr.html#seniors


NATIONAL PARKS

Parks Canada Agency is responsible for national parks, national
historic sites and canals.. Those over 65 years of age receive 25% off
the entry fees. Please contact the individual parks for more
information.


VIA RAIL

Seniors, take someone for a FREE ride! Take advantage of the standard
10% discount offered seniors and get a FREE second ticket for your
accompanying spouse, child or friend!


Hotel Discounts

Best Western
Anyone 55 or older receive at least 10% off regular room rates at any
of our nearly 2,400 Best Western locations in North America and many of
the more than 1,700 locations elsewhere in the world.

Sandman Hotels
Seniors 55 years or better will find fabulous discounts -approximately
25% off regular rates - at all 26 locations throughout Western Canada
all year long.

Canadian Pacific Hotels
10% - 30% off regular room (rack) rates to AARP
and CARP members. Restrictions and blackout dates may apply.

Choice Hotels International
(includes Clarion, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn,
Econo Lodge, MainStay Suites, Rodeway Inn)
As a 60+ traveler, you are entitled to savings of 20% - 30% (+) when
you book in advance at any of our participating hotels in the United
States. Just call 1-800-4-CHOICE and request the Sixty Plus Rate. 50+
receive a 10% discount.

Days Inn
All Days Inn hotels offer 10% off standard standard rates to senior
citizens with valid proof of age (60 or over) or membership in any
Senior Citizen organization, such as AARP, Catholic Golden Age, The
Golden Buckeye Club, Human Seniors Association, or The National Council
for Senior Citizens. In addition Days Inn has a September Club which
offers 15% - 50% discounts. Designed specifically for the active
traveler 50 and older, September Days Club allows members to enjoy great
discounts of 15% - 50% off standard room rates at more than 1,900 Days
Inn hotels. For more information visit
www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/september.

Hilton Hotels
(also includes Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Harrison Conference Centers,
Homewood Suites, Hampton Inn, Red Lion)
Another paid membership plan for folks over 60, they guarantee low
rates, and 20% off meals at participating restaurants.

Howard Johnson Hotels
AARP members are eligible for 15% to 30% discounts from Howard Johnson
and everyone over 55 is entitled to a 10% discount.

Marriott Hotels
Discount with AARP membership. Call 1-888-236-2427 for details. No
other discounts that I could find.

Radisson Hotels
Discounts for those 50+. Some hotels will provide upgraded rooms and
15% off food.
Discounts vary by hotel, call 1-800-333-3333 for more
information.

Travelodge Hotels (includes Thriftlodge)
AARP/CARP members who make advance reservations are given a 15%
discount off the regular room rate. 50+ can receive a 10% discount off
the regular room rate. Additionally, seniors can also receive in-room
coffee, no long distance access charges and free weekday lobby
newspapers.

Fairmont Hotels and Resort
Discount varies with each hotel and resort. Ask for senior discount
when making reservations.

Buses

Greyhound Seniors Club
For a $5 membership fee those 62+ receive a 10% discount on any
unrestricted Greyhound passenger fare, a 10% discount for food items at
Greyhound operated restaurants, a 10% discount for Greyhound charter
services, a 25% discount for Greyhound PackageXpress shipments (prepaid
personal shipments only, please), and from 10% to 30% off reservations
at Choice Hotels International locations (30% subject to availability
and advance reservations). Seniors that are not members of the Seniors
Club may still request a 5% discount at a terminal counter on
unrestricted passenger fares. Appropriate ID may be required.

Banks
Many Canadian chartered banks and financial institutions offer
discounts for people, 60-plus. For example, service charges on
transactions such as certified cheques, utility and cellular phone
bills, and traveller's cheques are eliminated.

Public Transit
With appropriate passes, 65 year olds may ride the Metro or use public
transit at reduced rates.

Entertainment
Movie houses and theatre companies offer discounts for the 65-plus
crowd.

Auto Insurance
In Canada Insurers must offer a premium discount to retirees aged 65
and over and those younger, if they are receiving a pension such as
Canada or Quebec pension. See
http://www.insurance-canada.ca/consinfoauto/l12.php
 

The tsunamis struck Japan's Pacific coast.  A warning has been issued for a possible tsunami across the whole of the Pacific.   This is to impact economies around the Pacific. From Hawaii to Russia, tsunami warnings have been issued.

The U.S. mainland is also in danger, with warnings that a tsunami could hit the West Coast from California to Oregon. 

The tsunami first waves already hit Hawaii according CNN News.  In Hawaii, islanders and tourists were heading for high ground ahead of the waves. In California, warnings have been issued along the coast.

 

Japan Earthquake 8.9 - Tsunami 10 M Waves  these are the headlines of today's news worldwide.

A 8.9 major earthquake struck Northeastern Japan at 2:45 pm Friday local time.  This is followed by series of tsunamis with giant waves about 10 meters high washing away ships, cars and houses on its way.  According to the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency 32 people dead.  The death toll will rise.



The tsunamis struck Japan's Pacific coast.  A warning has been issued for a possible tsunami across the whole of the Pacific.   This is to impact economies around the Pacific. From Hawaii to Russia, tsunami warnings have been issued. The U.S. mainland is also in danger, with warnings that a tsunami could hit the West Coast from California to Oregon.  In Hawaii, islanders and tourists were heading for high ground ahead of the waves. In California, warnings have been issued along the coast.


The northeastern areas of Japan have been badly hit. Pictures showed water flooding houses, cars and farms as well as ships.

 

Tsunami waves with muddy waters strike Japan airport.   These giant waves swept over farmland near the city of Sendai. The Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was also badly hit with cars, trucks, buses and muddy waters all over the places. 

What can be done before Prostate Cancer is diagnosed?

A  significant relation between lifestyle and cancer prevention.  Exercise and diet may help prevent prostate cancer to the same extent as medications.    For prostate cancer prevention, diet and lifestyle play a very important role...

Source:
a report by World Cancer Research Fund

 

Treatment

  After prostate cancer has been diagnosed, staged, and graded, the next step for the physician is to evaluate the health condition weighing the pros and cons of treatment options.   The physician would suggest a custom-made treatment plan. There are four standard treatment options.   




1. Watchful Waiting

In certain men more often in the old men, active treatment may be withheld while the patient is closely monitored for signs of change in their disease or the development of new symptoms. If at any time that the cancer is progressing, active treatment may then be started. This kind of "wait and see" approach is chosen most often in men who are older and have other significant medical problems.



2. Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy deploys x-rays to kill cancer cells by damaging the DNA that is needed by cells to grow and divide. At the same time focus on minimizing its effect on healthy nearby tissue. There are two ways of  radiation theray: 

* External beam radiation - A source of radiation outside of the body is used.
* Brachytherapy - A source of radiation is implanted or inserted into the body.




3. Hormonal Therapy

Male sex hormones such as testosterone are produced naturally within the body. Hormonal therapy is to block the production or effects of these hormones.   More often hormonal therapy is used in conjunction with other form of cancer treatments, e.g.radiation.

Examples of hormone therapy medications:
* Anti-androgens (flutamide, nilutamide)
* LH-RH agonists (leuprolide, goserelin
* Adrenal gland blockers (ketoconazole, aminoglutethimide)
* Estrogens




4.  Surgery

The primary goals of surgery are to remove the cancerous tissue from the body, to remove other structures that may contain cancer such as lymph nodes, and to minimize damage to any normal, cancer-free tissues and organs that are nearby.

• Radical Prostatectomy - The prostate, some surrounding tissue, and the seminal vesicles are all completely removed. This is, by far, the most commonly chosen type of surgery for prostate cancer.
  

* Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy - The initial incision  by the surgeon is made in the lower abdomen between the navel and just above the penis. From this site, lymph nodes near the prostate can also be removed and examined for evidence of cancer.

* Perineal Radical Prostatectomy - The initial incision by the surgeon is made in the skin between the anus and scrotum. From this site, lymph nodes cannot be removed, so a second incision is sometimes needed in the lower abdomen to remove them. 


Less Common Treatment Options Besides the four primary types of prostate cancer treatments:

1. Cryotherapy
This technique utilizes special equipment to freeze the prostate in order to kill cancer cells.

2. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is not commonly used to treat prostate cancer, but may be an option in certain men whose disease has spread outside of the prostate.

3. HIFU
HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. It is a technology that utilizes ultrasound waves that have been focused onto a very small area to generate intense heat at that site. Not yet approved for use in the United States.

4. Robot-Assisted Surgery
Robotic instruments have been developed to assist surgeons in removing the prostate. This advance has been met with a great deal of excitement and discussion, but has its own shortcomings as well. 

Sources:

Adolfsson J, Steineck G, Whitmore WF Jr Recent results of management of palpable clinically localized prostate cancer. Cancer 72 (2):

310-22, 1993. Duncan W, Warde P, Catton CN, et al. Carcinoma of the prostate: results of radical radiotherapy (1970-1985) Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 26

(2): 203-10, 1993. Potosky AL, Legler J, Albertsen PC, et al. Health outcomes after prostatectomy or radiotherapy for prostate cancer: results from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 92 (19): 1582-92, 2000.Whitmore WF. Expectant management of clinically localized prostatic cancer. Semin Oncol 21 (5): 560-8, 1994.

Risk Factors

• Age

As men get older his chance of getting prostate cancer is higher. Here is an example, a 80 years old man has a higher risk than the one at 60. The chance of developing this disease dramatically increases as of age of 55.

• Race

In comparison, the risk of prostate cancer is higher among blacks than among whites. The native Japanese according to research is comparative low. Research also showed a link between levels of testosterone and prostate cancer risk, with black men having the highest levels.

• Diet

Studies also suggest that a diet for instance the Western diet which is usually high in saturated fat may cause prostate cancer. More studies are being conducted to further substantiate this theory.

• Family History

Genetics are hereditary and a contributory factor to man's prostate cancer. About 10% of cases diagnosed are due to a genetic mutation that has been passed down from parents.


Source: National Cancer Institute


Anatomy of Prostate Gland

Watch this video clip below for details:




Prostate Diagnoses

1. Regular Screening
Men over 50 should be screened for prostate cancer annually. Men with family history of prostate cancer especially African Americans have higher rates of prostate cancer. It is advisable to start their screening at 40.Men who show prostate cancer symptoms need to undergo screening with a yearly digital rectal exam and prostate specific antigen blood test.





* Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)
This rectal examination takes 5 to 10 seconds only. The physician inserts a lubricated gloved finger into the patient's rectum and feel the edge of the prostate for abnormalities if any such as bumps or hardness of the prostate.


* Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Test
High levels of PSA or rapid increases in the PSA level alerts the physician to a possible underlying prostate cancer. It just needs a small sample of blood for lab analysis.



2. Prostatic Biopsy
When abnormalities are found on DRE or PSA test, the physician will order a prostatic biopsy. This is done usually by an urologist or surgeon in their office and involves using local anesthesia. A tiny amount of tissue is trapped in the needle while it is inserted in the prostate. Then the needle is pulled out. This is repeated in a number of locations throughout the prostate minimizing the chance of missing an area where cancer may be present. The tissue samples are then sent to a pathologist who is specialized in diagnoses diseases based on microscopic findings. He makes the prostate cancer final diagnosis. He looks at the cancer cells and grade them. A high grade means very abnormal and that the cancer is more likely to spread.

3. Tests to Determine the Extent of the Cancer
To determine how far the cancer has spread, a number of tests can be used. Your physician will determine which would work best choices for you.

* Ultrasound - A thin ultrasound probe is inserted into the rectum to show ifs nearby organs and tissues affected by cancer.

* Bone Scan - It provides a detailed picture of the body's bones to find out if any areas of cancer in the bones . Prostate cancer often spreads to bones if not detected early.

* CT Scan or MRI - These two tests are used to provide detailed look of large, bulky areas of cancer outside of the prostate e.g., the organs and tissues in the abdomen and pelvis. Their use in conjunction with other tests provide the most useful findings.

* Lymph Node Biopsy -Cancers often spread to nearby lymph nodes earlier than to other tissues. By surgically removing some of the lymph nodes near the prostate and having them analyzed, your physician can better confirm the cancer condiiton.

All of these tests help to determine how far the cancer has spread or the "stage" of your cancer. Staging helps your physician determine the best treatment option for you.

Sources:
Gerber GS, Goldberg R, Chodak GW. Staging of prostate cancer by tumor volume, prostate-specific antigen, and transrectal ultrasound.Urology 40 (4): 311-6, 1992.
Stone NN, Stock RG, Unger P. Indications for seminal vesicle biopsy and laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection in men with localized carcinoma of the prostate. J Urol 154 (4): 1392-6, 1995.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner was originally planned to enter service in May 2008.  For various reasons it was repeatedly delayed. The Dreamliner's  maiden flight took place on December 15, 2009.  It is currently undergoing flight testing programs before its entury to service in 2011.



Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size, wide-body, twin-engine commercial airplane with seat capacity of  210 to 330 passengers.  According to Boeing,   787 consumes 20% less fuel than the similarly-sized Boeing 767. Some of its distinguishing features include a four-panel windshield, noise-reducing chevrons on its engine nacelles, and a smoother nose contour.

787 Dreamliner has become the fastest-selling wide-body airliner in history.  By February 2011, 847 Boeing 787s had been ordered by 56 customers.

The 787  is being assembled at the Boeing Everett Factory in Everett, Washington.   Production will be enhanced as new aircrafts will also be assembled in a new factory at North Charleston, South Carolina, USA.

 

Guys, according to my internet search, Boeing has five commercial models 737, 747, 767, 777 and the 787 Dreamliner. each with anywhere from 100 to 500 passenger seats. The latest model 787 Dreamliner is still in production.  It will offer advanced technology which allows the plane to self-monitor.


Now, you are going to watch an amazing video which shows you how a Boeing air  plane is assembled.  In real life building an air plane  may take  months or even more time.   This video shows the process of assembling in a very quick mode.   It is amazingly fast yet it is breath taking.   I simply say,  'Wow'!  Now, enjoy and have a good day.

I got from my buddy a brain test link couple of days ago.  I cannot remember exactly when.  May be my brain is older than my body.  The short term memory is not as good as the long term old memories.  Most buddies told me they have these similar symptoms.  These are the sign that the boomers are aging. 
   
This is an interesting test.  It  will tell you if your brain is as old as your body. The link to the website is at the bottom.  Once you get there follow these instructions:
 
1. Touch 'start'

2. Wait for the count-down of 3, 2, 1, seconds.
3. Memorize the number's position on the screen, then click the circle in the order from the SMALLEST NUMBER TO THE BIGGEST NUMBER.
4. At the end of game, the computer will tell you how old your brain is.

 
Here is the link:
http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html

Free Games for
Brain Health Improvement

1.  Brain Age Test 01
2. Jigsaw Puzzle
3. Brain Age Test 02
4. Brain Age Test 04
5. Toilet Paper Game
6. ZooKeeper moc
7. Brain Age Test 03
8. Basketball Game
9. BMI Measurement

Muhammad Ali was previously known as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.  He was born on January 17, 1942.  Ali is three-time World Boxing Heavyweight Champion. He is widely considered as one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. As he became professional, he went on to win the  world heavyweight championship three times.





Artist Michael Kalish created a breath taking monument for Ali's legacy.  It is a testament to the essence of the legend the world has come to know, simply, as "The Greatest."


The monument is an enormous, 360-degree, two-story structure. It is composed of five miles of stainless steel, two miles of aluminum tubing, and 1300 boxing speed bags. Viewed from nearly every angle, the result appears to be a massive, boxing-inspired rainstorm.  However, if you find the exact right position, it unexpectedly becomes a 2-D vision of the timeless face of Muhammad Ali.

Conceptualized by Kalish and designed by Kalish and architectural firm Oyler Wu Collaborative, reALIze is the ultimate tribute to the iconic boxing legend scheduled opening ceremony on March 25, 2011 at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA.

Place
British Airway's flight from Johannesburg to London
on the plane

Story
It is a true story on the plane.
A white woman age around 50, was seated next to a black man.
She was so uncomfortable she spoke to a hostess.  Hostess asked 'What is the matter?' She said, 'You don't see it? You placed me next to a black guy. I do not want to sit next to a color guy.   I want an alternative seat'. Flight attendant replied: 'Please relax, this flight is almost full, but I'll go to see if any space is available'.

The hostess went away, came back a few minutes later and said:
'This flight is full as I expected. All the economy class is full. I asked the captain and he told me that business class was completely full too, but in the first class there is a vacancy' .  She continued saying, ' It is unusual for our company to help customers upgrade from economy class to first class, but based on current circumstances, the Captain feels that a passenger sitting next to another disgusting passenger is an insult to our company'.  Then turned to the black guy said: 'So ... this gentleman, if you wish, you hold your luggage. First class seat is ready for you'.

The other passengers were shocked, but then all stood up and applauded.



Next  Story


Dear white、something you got to know.
 
When I was born、I was black.
     
When I grow up、I am black.

When I'm under the sun、I'm black.

When I'm cold、I'm black.
   
When I'm afraid、I'm black.
   
When I'm sick、I'm black.
  
When I die、I'm still black!
 
You......white people,

When you were born、you were pink.
   
 
When you grow up、you become white.
    
You're red under the sun.
 
You're blue when you're cold.!
 
 
You are yell! ow! when you're afraid.

 
You're green when you're sick.

    
You're gray when you die.


And you、call me ' c o l o r '
  
 

It is urgent!

In February, the House of Commons passed a vote to add 'gender identity' and 'gender expression' to the Canadian human Rights Act and Criminal Code (Bill C-389).  Now it is up to the Senate to make final decision - vote to pass or defeat the Bill.  Yet, we still have one chance to defeat the Bill.  It is NOW!

If Bill C-389 is passed, men who say they are women can use women' public facilities, increasing the unpredicctable threats.  It wold also lead to negative consequences in the medical, legal, education , business and other fields.  For the public good, the Bill must be defeated.  We need your immediate action to help!   Send a letter/email to ask the Senators to vote against the Bill C389.


Action:

Go to website http://againstbillc389.blogspot.com and copy and paste the Senators' email addresses and the appeal letter  attached onto your email and send it.  If  each time you copy one column - around 30 addresses, for three times, you send your message to around 100 Senators. 

You can also access another webite here to petition against Bill C389.


Thank you.

Lappland is located at the North-pole region next to Finland and Sweden. On the North it is bounded by Norway's counties Finnmark and Troms, on the West by the Kjølen mountain range and on the East by the Russian border.

Its original inhabitants are  the Sami people, formerly called Lapp people. They are like Eskimos with  a kind of Asian outlook  They spread over a very large area - from Lappland,  Siberia and Alaska . Their best friends are the north-pole dogs. 

Enjoy the slideshow below on Lappland' s nature and beauty.  Guys, remember to view it on Slideshare with fullscreen.  You will get the best efgfect.  Relax and enjoy!  Have a nice day.

When buddies meet, we talk about the past and buddies we know living around us in the  past.   Sometimes, we mentioned names who already passed away.  Some die at young ages.   Their lives taken away by cancer at their prime life.  Some survive the cancer conditions but their lives completely changed due to their deteriorated health.    


We know cancer is the number human killer.  Generally, it affects the weak and old.  However, there are new indications showing that cancer incidences are getting common even in the very young ones.  Situations get worse in recent time despite the medicinal development.  How much do you know about cancer.  Here below is the  world renowned  John Hopkins Cancer Research updates: 


1. 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.

 
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.  

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.



4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.


5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.


6. 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.

 

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

 
8. 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.

 

9 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.



10. 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.

 

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

 

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:


a. 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.
 

b. 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 soya milk cancer cells are being starved.

 
c. 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.


d. 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 and 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).

 
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.


12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

 
13. 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.

 
14. 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.


15. 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.


16. 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


CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S - PLEASE READ


1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.


3. No plastic wrap in microwave.   
 

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.


Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.
Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.


Recently, Dr.. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.


This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.


Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.


Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.


約翰霍普金斯最新之癌症研究



每一個人身上都帶有癌細胞，除非癌細胞擴增至幾十億個數量時癌細胞是無法在一般檢查時被檢查出來的。所以每當病患治療到一個階段後醫生會告訴病患其體內已無癌細胞時，醫生所指的是其體內癌細胞數量已縮小到儀器無法偵測出來的數量。



在每個人的生命期裡，癌細胞都會出現6至10次。


 當人體免疫系統強時，癌細胞是會被摧滅的，同時免疫系統強是能抑制腫瘤形成及擴增。


 當人被發現有癌症時，它意謂這個病患是有大量營養缺乏；這可能是由於基因、環境、食物及生活方式等因素造成的。



 如何克服營養缺乏，那就是要改變飲食及多進用增強免疫系統之食物



 化療不祇能毒殺快速增長之癌細胞，亦會一併消滅骨髓及胃腸道內之健康細胞，同時造成器官衰竭；如肝臟、腎臟、心臟及肺臟等等。


 放射治療在摧毀癌細胞時，亦會灼傷健康細胞、組織及器官


 初期化療及放射線治療是很容易將腫瘤面積縮小到某一程度，然再延長上述療法並不能造成腫瘤完全消除。



 化療及放射線治療會讓體內存有大量毒素而危及或摧毀免疫系統，因而導致病患易於感染及病發症


 化療及放射線治療會造成病患癌細胞突變及產生抗體而變得難以摧毀，而手術則易使癌細胞擴散至其它部位


 一個有效的擊潰癌細胞之方式是不供給癌細胞繁殖所需之食物，即是餓死癌細胞


 癌細胞以何為食物：


糖是癌的食物，若不食糖即刪除癌細胞很重要的一項食物供給。代糖如Nutra sweet, Equal spoonful等均是由Aspartame 組合而成的，是有害的。較好之天然代糖是 Manuka糖漿或Molasses糖蜜，但祇能取用少許。食鹽為使顏色變白而掺有化學添加物，較妥之選擇是海鹽。


 牛奶會使人體產生黏液，尤其是在胃腸道內，而黏液正是癌症之食物。因而阻絕牛奶及採用不甜之豆漿作替代，癌症就會在無食物情況下萎縮的。


 癌細胞是在酸性環境中繁衍的，以肉為基本飲食的體質是酸性的，因而食用魚類及少量雞肉是較食用牛、豬為妥的。且肉品均含有家畜抗生素、生長賀爾蒙及寄生蟲等，而這些均是對人體的有害物質，尤其是對癌症病患。


 以80%新鮮蔬菜及青菜汁之飲食；含全穀類、種子、堅果及少量的水果是有益於體質轉變為鹼性的，剩餘20%可進食煮熟的豆類。新鮮蔬菜汁可提供活性酵素，活性酵素極易在15分鐘內被細胞組織吸收進而滋養增強健康細胞，為取得活性酵素強壯健康細胞應多飲用新鮮果菜汁（多樣蔬菜含豆芽），同時每天進食生青菜（未煮過之）兩至三次，按活性酵素在40度C時會被摧毀。

飲料必須避免飲用咖啡、茶、巧克力因上述飲料含咖啡因，綠茶是較佳之選擇因為其有抗癌特性。而平常應飲用淨化水或過濾水，然應避免飲用有毒的或重金屬的水。蒸餾水是酸性的不要喝



 肉類的蛋白質是不易消化的，因為肉類的蛋白質需要大量消化酵素消化，未消化的肉質會留殘在腸內淨化，而引發有毒物質形成。



 癌細胞壁有很硬之蛋白質包裹，因而節制食用肉類可讓多出之酵素去攻擊癌細胞之蛋白質，而體內殺手細胞則有空間摧毀癌細胞



 部份營養品是能增強免疫系統（如抗氧化劑、維他命、礦物質等等）去驅使自體殺手細胞去摧毀癌細胞，其他營養品如維他命E會使細胞萎縮，或漸使細胞死亡，而非原體內一般處置損壞、無用及不需要細胞之模式。



 癌症是一種心態、肉體和心靈上之疾病，因而能有前衛及積極的心靈是可造就癌症戰士變為勝利天使，怨尤和苦痛會讓體質變為緊張及酸性，所以必須學習愛與寬恕，同時學習放鬆及愛習惜生命


 癌細胞是無法在充滿氧氣的環境中繁衍，所以每日必須運動，同時多作深呼吸以利氧進入細胞層，按氧氣療法是另一種擊潰癌細胞之工具。



 不要將塑膠盒放入微波爐加熱


 不要將塑膠水瓶放入冷藏室

 不要將塑膠袋放入微波爐加熱
  
 


 約翰霍普金斯已將這篇研究報告用新聞稿方式發佈，同時Walter Reed 陸軍醫學中心亦將這篇報告傳播


 戴奧辛之化學物質會導致癌症，尤其是乳癌。按戴奧辛對體內細胞具很高之毒性，因而千萬別將裝有水之塑膠罐放入冰箱，因為它亦會將戴奧辛釋出。


 前不久Dr. Edward Fujimoto在電視節目中談到健康之風險，他就強調戴奧辛對健康是多麼有害，因而請千萬不要用塑膠容器放入微波爐加熱食物。


 這尤其是指含有脂肪之食物，當脂肪與高溫與塑膠結合時，塑膠即會釋放出戴奧辛並進入食物中，最終就進入體內之細胞。因而他建議使用玻璃器皿作為加熱食物用，因為它一樣可使食物變熱，然卻少了戴奧辛。


 紙是不錯的容器，然你無法瞭解紙裡到底含有什麼物質，因而較安全之容器是冶煉過的玻璃器皿，如康寧器皿等等。他提醒為何前不久速食店將泡沫塑料容器改為紙容器，其中戴奧辛就是問題之一


 同時他亦指出塑膠袋；如Saran耐熱塑膠袋用於包裝食物，在微波爐加熱時亦是非常危險的，因為當食物用微波爐加熱時，高溫會讓毒素由塑膠袋溶解出來進入食物內，所以應用紙包裹食物作替代。

因而請將這份文件傳送給任何你認為對你是很重要的朋友




 

Yesterday I got an email from a buddy who advised me to watch the movie  'Chairman Mao's Last Dancer'.   I was told it may take two and half hours for the movie.  The  first reaction within my mind is I didn't have the time and I didn't have special interest in ballet.   Anyway,  I accessed the movie checking out whether it was really good as my buddy said.  

As the movie unfolded on the computer screen I was stunned.   My mind was brought back to the years when people of China suffered poverty and hunger as well as being killed in the chaotic turmoil, during the years of  the People's Cultural Revolution.  Life was miserable. Life was about survival only.  The movie was shot in China and United States depicting stories between the two countries contrasting strongly the difference of cuture and value. 

I like the actors especially Chi Cao who is Li Cunxin in the movie.   From his performance, I am sure he is one the best Chinese ballet dancer in the world. I am not familiar with ballet.   This is my first contact with ballet movie.   It is superbly beautiful, classy  and elegant and I am totally attracted to it like love at first sight.    The way Chi Cao danced seemed effortless in his activities such as lifting the girl up smoothly and slowly above his head and shoulders, his staying time in the air when he jumped spliting his two legs,  his body movements, his spinning so natural yet so powerful and balance, his facial expression, his eye contact with the audiance.  They are unquely esthetic.    Being ignorant of ballet and yet so in love with it my mind was totally immersed in the story.   
  
It is an extraordinary story about the legend Li Cunxin.  And here below is his true story with the Courtesy to SaxtonSpeakersBureau:

Li Cunxin was born into Mao's communist China, and at the age of 10, he was selected to train in Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy. And so began Li's dance career. He was 11 when he left home to begin a harsh training regime at the Beijing Dance Academy. Li hated dancing during his first two years and pined for his family. But fear of what he would return to kept him going. At first his grades were poor, but soon, under the guidance of a special teacher, his true potential was recognised and developed. Li's astounding determination and drive became apparent as he practised his turns at night by candlelight, and hopped up and down stairs with sandbags tied to his ankles to build his strength.





When he was 18 Li was offered a soloist contract with the Houston Ballet. After two years, Li defected to the West in a dramatic media storm which involved the then Vice President, Mr George Bush Snr. A few years later, he fell in love with another Houston Ballet dancer, Mary McKendry. They married in 1987, and in 1995 moved to Melbourne where Li became a principal dancer with the Australian Ballet. He quickly made an impression.

By now 34, an age at which many dancers have already hung up their shoes, Li was wondering how he would continue to support his two (soon to be three) children when his dancing career ended. Learning how to compound his money was his latest fascination, so in 1997 he began studying at the Australian Securities Institute with a view to becoming a stockbroker. For his final two years with the Australian Ballet, this meant rising at 5am to start barre work, then racing to the stock exchange by 8am to study until noon. By the time he joined the rest of the company's dancers for afternoon rehearsals; he had already put in a full day's work.

Lis extraordinary and inspirational autobiography Maos Last Dancer was published in 2003. A tale of talent, faith and determination, the book is a moving account of the moral complexities, personal costs and rich rewards of following one's dreams. In October 2009, Mao's Last Dancer has it's world wide cinema release starring Chi Cao and directed by Bruce Beresford.

Currently in its 23rd reprint, Maos Last Dancer is now sold in over 20 countries. It was awarded the Book of the Year by the Australian Booksellers Association, the Nielson BookScan (2004) and was named in Amazon.com's Break-Out Books list just weeks after its USA release.

An inspirational and motivational speaker, Li Cunxins story is a beautiful account of his extraordinary journey told with honesty, dignity and pride.

This movie is banned in China!   It is a true story about  world legendary dancer Li Cunxin   "The New York Times" rated Li as the world's top ten Chinese ballet dancer.  Li is the son of poor peasants, His faith,  diligence and perseverance made him to become as Chairman Mao Zedong and Jiang Qingqin appointed dancer.  Li went to USA as China and  United States established diplomatic relations in 1979.  Li was one of the first batch of arts students.


For his pursuit of love he defected.  He was under house arrest by the Chinese embassy.  With help from his company and lawyer, and through the U.S. Vice President George Bush he was set free.  If you have 2-1/2 hours click on the links below part A and part B.  Guys simply watch and enjoy this fantastic movie. 
 
http://www.56.com/u12/v_NTA3NTY4MTc.html (part A)
http://www.56.com/u84/v_NTA3NjM3NTM.html (part B)


If you are in a hurry now,  watch the video trailer as an introduction.




Here is a comment from Youtube about the actor Chi CAO:

he's stunning... absolutely... didn't watch the film yet... just saw the trailer, and i'm deeply impressed by his dance, his face and his figure... what a sexy Chinese man.

 

Buddies, you think you have seen all. No, you have not seen this one yet. It is amazing. According to our culture human is the most remarkable species of all.  Human is the only species that think, learn and apply to daily situation. It seems to me after watching this video, both the goat and monkey can think, learn and apply. I have to rethink and give more thought to this matter. Anyway, guys, enjoy and a good day.

 


There is one thing which makes human standing out among all species.  That is human can write, record and update what they have learned.  Then organize such knowledge, experience and know-how  so that they are passed on to the other people sustaining future development continuously.

Are you looking for way to improve your painful knees and to become healthy and strong?  There is a traditional way as follows:


Kneeling Knees Method

Kneeling is an excellent way to keep knees healthy.   It enhances the blood supply to your knees.  People with knee problem, they don't want to walk because of the knee pain.  Many people stay home all day.  They do not dare to move resulting in accelerated deterioration of symptoms. (The lack of synovial fluid and cartilage nutrients over a long time would lead to bigger knee problem)

 
   


Walking, swimming and cycling are good exercise, but due to the knee pain, it is inconvenient to go out.   How can we strengthen the knee and improve knee health?
   
The answer is the Kneeling Knees Method

Cartilage with synovial fluid  is like a sponge filled with water.  When we use the kneeling method, the kneeling posture would naturally bring in the pressure of body weight down on both knees, then the  cartilage synovial fluid inside the knee will be pushed  out.   And when the knees are on the lift up posture, the body weight on the knees disappeared.  This would produce a sucking force pulling  back the synovial fluid to the cartilage, thus forming a dynamic equilibrium.
   
In this dynamic equilibrium process the synovial fluid entering and exiting the cartilage tissue nutrients are brought into the internal blood circulation nourishing the peripheral area.  In this way the kneeling knees method can maintain the health of cartilage and strengthen the tendons around the adjacent joints.  It reduces the chances of wear and tear of cartilage.

Remember to use the kneeling knees method only  a few minutes each time. The elders can adjust their strength, simply use your body weight.  You can achieve the above results.     People can do it at home.  It is time saving, easy and convenient. The elders will like this method and keep on practising this method.   Your knee pain will improve and become healthy again.   


You can practice the Kneeling Knees Method in a soft bed or on the carpet.    By kneeling walking, blood will continuously flow to the knees, thus improving blood circulation.  The cold feeling in the legs would disappear.  As the legs become healthy and strong, the swollenness and pain would be gone.
   
People with severe knee pain shoud start this practice in a very soft bed in fixed position.   Later on, gradually use slow movements driven by the waist slowly moving from side either side.  As the body adjust and improve, the knee pain will slowly improve.  Painful knees are no more pain. 


A Note for Readers:
Check with your family doctor first before you practice this method.

Some Exercises for Arthritis & Aging : Hip & Knee Arthritis Exercises

    Sometimes we forget the really important things in life.
                            
        Last week, I  took my grand-children to a  restaurant.

    My six-year-old  grand-son asked if he could say  grace.

  
As we bowed our heads he  said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for  the food, and I would even thank you more  if Nana gets us ice cream for  dessert.  And liberty and justice for  all!  Amen!"

    Along with the  laughter from the other customers nearby, I  heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with  this country.  Kids today don't even know  how to pray.  Asking God for ice  cream! Why, I never!"

    Hearing  this, my grand-son burst into tears and asked  me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at  me?"

    As I held him and assured him  that he had done a terrific job, and God was  certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman  approached the table.

    He winked at  my grand-son and said, "I happen to know that  God thought that was a great  prayer."

    "Really?" my grand-son  asked.

    "Cross my heart," the  man replied.

    Then, in a theatrical  whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose  remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad  she never asks God for ice cream.  A little  ice cream is good for the soul  sometimes."

    Naturally, I bought  my grand-children ice cream at  the  end of the meal.  My grand-son stared at  his for a moment, and then did something I  will remember the rest of my  life.
  
He picked up his sundae  and, without a word, walked over and placed it  in front of the woman. With a big smile he told  her, "Here, this is for you.  Ice cream is  good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good  already." 
    
    The End

    I  love this story!
    Please keep it  moving.
    Sometimes, we all need  some ice cream.




    I  hope God sends you some ice cream  today! 
    
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My buddy sent me yesterday an excellent video.   This is a BBC documentary.  What a fantastic series.  It unfolds breathe taking moments of life in the human planet.  It is earth a beautiful blue dot among numerous planets in the universe.  It is about us the people living on mother earth,  These  stuning pictures can only be captured when love, time and effort combined and worked together.


This video is powerful and compelling.  It makes people think deeper and broader the meaning of living.   Life is measured in number of days when we are babies.   Life is measured in years as we grow.  If you live beyond a hunded years, then it is meaured with days again.e.g. 100 years plus 30 days. And finally, life is lived in hours and minutes as it approaches its end.


Life is measured but should not solely by numbers.  It is more meaningful for life to be measured by the moments when our breath is taken away and how much enrichment we have brought along with our own lives..  Life is multifacet.   Life is simple but can be complicated.  Life is love but can turn to hatred.   Life is change as life is splendid.at the same time horrible. These pictures carry me away  in deep thought. Guys, turn on the speaker and watch this video with full screen to get the best effect.   Enjoy and have a nice day.

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