EMPOWR.com REVIEW 2017(netboard.me)

I just found nice photographic page:

I just found nice photographic page: Award Winning Music and Fine Art Photographer: Kaupo Kikkas Kaupo Kikkas (b. 1983) is an Estonian music and fine art photographer. He received formal training in photography at Finland’s Visual Arts Institute, but he attributes his award-winning portraits of musicians to his education in that field (clarinet, sax, and voice). He has concentrated on fine art photography for twelve years. Although based in Northern Europe, he

Double Exposure Portraits Of Wild

Double Exposure Portraits Of Wild Animals That Reflect Their Habitat By Andreas Lie During my engineering exams

The Beauty Of Boston

Andrea Fanelli: I’ve Captured The Beauty Of Boston For The Last 12 Months – These Are My 20 Favorite Photos By Andrea Fanelli My name is Andrea Fanelli, I am an MIT researcher and a landscape and travel photographer. I was born and grew up in Italy,

When Wasps Are Given Colored Paper, They Build Rai

When Wasps Are Given Colored Paper, They Build Rainbow Nests By James Gould-Bourn Wasps. Few people like them. Mainly because they’re not very friendly. But not all wasps are aggressive. Some of them are gentle. Some are even downright hippies. Don’t believe me? Then take a look at these psychedelic nests to see just what I mean. They’re the product of an experiment conducted by Mattia Menchetti, a biology student at the University of Florence. He realised that by giving a captive colony of European paper wasps different colored paper over time, the insects would eventually construct their own kaleidoscopic houses. And as you can see, the result is pretty remarkable, if not slightly reminiscent of a bad trip. While this experiment was deliberate, unintentional human interference with the insect world has also produced some equally surprising results. In 2012 for example, beekeepers in France were amazed to discover that their bees had created green and blue honey. The reason? The unsuspecting insects were using sugar collected from the shells of M&Ms at a nearby waste-processing plant. More

What Happens When You Re-Save an Image

http://petapixel.com/2016/04/06/happens-resave-image/ What Happens When You Re-Save an Image 500 Times in Different Formats Re-saving an image over and over and over again in a lossy format (a format like JPEG that tosses some data each time you save/compress the file) slowly but surely degrades the image. This is called generation loss, and it’s demonstrated beautifully in these almost painful-to-watch YouTube videos. The videos are created by YouTube user

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)

APOD: Behind Saturn (2016 Aug 01) Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160801.html Explanation: What's behind Saturn? The first answer is the camera itself, perched on the Cassini spacecraft currently orbiting behind the planet with the most grand ring system in our Solar System. The unusual perspective places Cassini on the far side of Saturn from the Sun so that more than half of Saturn appears dark -- a perspective that no Earth-based observer could achieve. Behind Saturn, in the context of the featured infrared image, is Saturn's moon Tethys, visible as the small speck above the unusual hexagonal cloud pattern that

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) - 2016 August

APOD: Annular Solar Eclipse over New Mexico (2016 Aug 31) Image Credit & Copyright: Colleen Pinski http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160831.html Explanation: What is this person doing? In 2012 an annular eclipse of the Sun was visible over a narrow path that crossed the northern Pacific Ocean and several western US states. In an annular solar eclipse, the Moon is too far from the

Just for fun. Pure entertainment. :)

If Game of Thrones Characters Were

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)-2016 September

APOD: Lynds Dark Nebula 1251 (2016 Sep 30) Image Credit & Copyright: Lynn Hilborn http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160930.html Explanation: Stars are forming in Lynds Dark Nebula (LDN) 1251. About 1,000 light-years away,

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)-2016 October

APOD: Ghost Aurora over Canada (2016 Oct 31) Image Credit & Copyright: Yuichi Takasaka

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)-2016 November

APOD: Flaming Star Nebula (2016 Dec 01) Image Credit & Copyright: Adam Block, Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, Univ. of Arizona http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161201.html Explanation: A runaway star lights the Flaming Star Nebula in this cosmic scene. Otherwise known as IC 405, the Flaming Star Nebula's billowing interstellar clouds of gas and dust lie about 1,500 light-years away toward the constellation of Auriga. AE Aurigae, the bright star

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)-2016 December

APOD: Seagull to Sirius (2016 Dec 15) Credit & Copyright: Rogelio Bernal Andreo (Deep Sky Colors) http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161215.html

I'm So Wealthy in Love

Fun with my Family

A little bit Funny

life quote

Tired After Wake Up

3 Keys to a Better Night’s Sleep It’s harder for so many of us to get a good night’s sleep in these times. There are lots of reasons why. I’ve been taking medication for an inflammation the past 5 days which is known to create insomnia and haven’t gotten much sleep. I’ve been able to ease through it peacefully, with the tips I’m going to share with you. You probably know the statistics. Not enough sleep affects quality of life emotional well-being, mental clarity, communications, performance at work or elsewhere, even our sense of connection to our spirit or authentic self and ultimately our long-term health. (Anything I’ve left out?) You stay up late to get things done, like “just one-more-email,” which just keeps stimulation active when you need to be relaxing. Sometimes I watch TV to relax before sleep, but I have to select what I watch carefully. Otherwise the theme of the last show takes over my brain. (American Idol or action shows are not on my allowed list, otherwise repeating lines of the music or scenes from the movie won’t shut off in my head all night.) Your reason for tossing and turning at night may be different than mine. For many of us, worries and concerns we’ve been pushing aside finally get their time to play out on the stage of our minds without distraction at night. Then we get anxious about not sleeping, which only makes it harder to sleep the next night. Anxiety releases adrenaline which prompts body and mind into action—the opposite of what we need for sleeping. It’s a catch-22. But the result is usually the same. You are foggy or exhausted the next day. Maybe you keep yourself alert with coffee, sugar or other stimulants, but then you crash and drag around. Many of us have tried a lot of the remedies and still often find ourselves lying awake a good part of the night. What are we to do? If any of this describes you or someone you care about, there is a place about one to two feet under your nose (depending on how tall you are) that you may not have looked for a remedy. That place is your heart. How Your Heart Can Help You Sleep Better Tip 1: Reset your inner rhythm.

Atlantis Theories

joy and pain of birth There are no photos or videos of either of my sons actually being born -- and that's how I wanted it. To my mind, in that crowning

Not Getting Older

Reason to Embrace Getting Older 1: You’re all kitted out The further we advance into old age, the more we seem to have acquired useful possessions that most people may never have even thought of. Collecting paraphernalia over the years is fantastic because it means we can do pretty much anything without having to hit the shops first to buy special items. Vintage fashion is back in? Perfect – we kitted our wardrobe out for this trend back in the 1950s. You need a melon baller? No probs – there’s one in the cutlery drawer. It’s so handy! Reason to embrace getting older 2: Less spots and more laughter lines As we get older our skin tends to get drier, which means less chance of spots (hooray!). This is great news as we no longer have to worry about the dermalogical impact of eating a greasy pizza when we need a little pick-me-up. We may have wrinkles instead of spots, but we don’t call them wrinkles; we call them “laughter lines”. Laughter lines are great because they remind us of all the times we’ve laughed until our ribs hurt – funny memories are one thing that plastic surgery and fillers won’t give us. Reason to embrace getting older 3: You’re one wise owl Grandma was right all along – it has been scientifically proven that older really does mean wiser. Researchers

Feng Shui to Spice Up Romance Feng Shui to Spice

6 Famous Mysteries That Have Already Been Solved Some things in life, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary, will be perceived as unsolved mysteries or unexplainable phenomenon. From missing royalty to contagious bodily habits, click through for some of the world’s most endearing mysteries that have actually been solved. On the last page, take a look at two more famous mysteries that may very well have been solved! 1. What Happened to Atlantis? Well, nothing did. That’s because it almost certainly never existed in the first place. For one thing, science doesn’t support it — due to plate tectonics, it’s geologically impossible for an entire continent to have disappeared so recently in the past. Still skeptical? Here’s another important tidbit — the existence of Atlantis wasn’t even taken seriously in antiquity. It wasn’t until recently that the “lost continent” achieved its “unsolved mystery” status! 2. Where do Tigers Get Their Stripes? In the 1950′s, famed mathematician, codebreaker and father of computer science Alan Turing first posited that tiger’s get their stripes from the interactions between pair of chemicals known as morphogens. One chemical triggers cell activity and the other hinders it, thus creating those repeating patterns we know all too well. 60 Years after he put forth this theory, Turing was proven right. A study

Pregnant Bikini Pageant

Pregnant Pageant Contestants Flaunt Their Bodacious Bumps I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida, where parading around in a bikini was a year-round sport. Like everyone else, I did it -- shyly, sometimes slyly -- but I never felt fabulous (and my sarong was never far behind). In fact, the only time in my life when I was able to strut my next-to-naked body in two tiny scraps of Lycra confidently was, perhaps ironically, when I was pregnant. Talk about freedom! There was no need to suck in my gut, and I had temporarily massive porn-star hooters that made it near impossible to look anywhere else. Sure, my rear view wasn’t so hot, but for once I didn’t care. I was a life-giving goddess and happy to flaunt the very visible proof. Too bad I didn’t know about this pageant back then. In Texas, gestating mamas-to-be are encouraged to don their teeniest bikinis and vie for the coveted Rod Ryan Pre-Labor Day Pregnant Bikini Contest crown. (There is a a diaper changing and throwing contest before the bikini round -- no joke!) The conservative crowd might cry “too much info!” Others -- like me -- think it’s about time we celebrated our baby-making bods and all of their fertile, fabulous glory. Take a look at a few of our favorite moments from the pageant action. A Labor of Love

World Unsolve Mysteries

Mysteries of Love and Relationships

How To Make Your Love Last How do you keep your relationship going? By Marie Calica for Yahoo! Southeast Asia More than 15 years ago, I met an 80-something-year-old man in the Intensive Care Unit waiting room. My late father was in critical condition then, while this man's son who had suffered a heart

Eating at Home Lives Longer

How to Cut an Onion Without Tears So you’re preparing dinner all by yourself when a family member walks in, takes a look at you, and turns white. “Is everything OK?!” they’ll ask. “Did somebody die?!” You laugh through the tears and say, “Oh no, I just cut an onion!” Has that happened to you before? It has certainly happened to me. Those pesky, stinging tears that go along with chopping up an onion are such a pain! Luckily, though, these tears can be easily avoided if you know what you’re doing and you have the proper equipment. Read on for the proper way to cut an onion. As an added bonus, discover the best techniques for caring for “onion eyes” on the following page. So why do onions make you cry in the first place? Well, it’s all about the enzymes. Cutting into

Friendship With Open-Hearted

What Should I Do with My Life?

Tips to Beat Vacation Stress Some people dream of spending their summer vacations in sparkling water during the day and taking languorous walks on the beach in the evening. Others anticipate the sights and sounds of a city, with plenty of time to enjoy great restaurants and art. Whether they plan to go away or stay at home, most hope for freedom from the “daily grind” and time for pleasure and relaxation. The following questions and tips can help you get a handle on vacation stress. 1. Are you being realistic in your planning? Confer with fellow travelers in advance about what each expects in terms of activities and rest time, then plan accordingly. Children aren’t the only ones who need to unwind between stimulating activities – adults need to do so as well. 2. Have you planned “unscheduled time?” Unscheduled time gives family members a chance to kick back and just do what they want to for

Wake Up, People Of The Philippines

Philippine Flag Pictures Evolution of the Filipino Flag The first Filipino flag can be traced from the time of the Andres Bonifacio's secret society named: Kataastaasang Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Highest and Most Honorable Society of the Sons of the Nation) or the Katipunan or KKK for short. Benita Rodriquez and Bonifacio's wife, Gregoria de Jesus, made the first Filipino flag. The first Philippine flags was made of red cloth with white KKK initials sewn in white. The red color symbolized the blood of the members of the Katipunan in which inductee to the society signed in their names with their own blood. The Filipino

Holiday Dresses For Every Party

Stay Hydrated this Summer With the weather warming up, it's more important than ever to stay hydrated. But if the idea of downing 8 glasses of water doesn't appeal to you, have no fear: Although it's recommended that women over 19 get at least 2.7 liters of fluids per day, that includes all fluids, not just water--and food can provide a significant chunk of that. So if you're trying to increase your intake of fluids, add these hydrating foods to your diet to get a boost: 1. Cucumbers: The flesh of cucumbers is primarily composed of water but also contains vitamin C and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling-which is why cucumbers are often used to help swollen eyes and sunburn. 2. Tomato sauce: It may vary depending on the brand, but most store-bought tomato sauces are about 90 percent water. Plus, one half-cup serving of tomato sauce has only 50 calories and zero grams of fat, while the same amount of creamy Alfredo sauce weighs in around 200 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Dating Attitude

Dances That Will Tone Your Body Belly Dancing Belly Dancing Belly dancing has a reputation for theatrics and seduction, but its rhythmic isolations of the hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms and back make for a surprisingly low-impact workout. “It uses all the core muscles of the body with minimal effort on the joints, so it's perfect for people of all ages or those who have sports-related injuries,” according to Zinia Rahman, instructor at NYC Belly Dance. Belly dancing is also a great way to strengthen the muscles in your back, minimizing lower back pain, she says. To get started, all you need is some music and a scarf to tie around your hips. “Stand comfortably in front of a mirror and move your hips, shoulders, arms and chest in as many different ways as possible, one by one,” Rahman says. “Just relax and shimmy!” Look for a class at your local gym or dance studio or pop in a DVD. Burlesque here’s a lot ofA sort of classy strip tease, burlesque will help you shed pounds as you shed clothes. While you’re busy strutting your stuff, there’s a lot of ab work hidden in those bumps and grinds, says Michelle L’amour, a burlesque teacher in Chicago. Dancing in modest heels also awakens muscles in your legs you didn’t know you had, and it doesn’t end when you kick off your shoes. “That’s when we put on our ‘air pumps,’” L’amour says, and the class walks on its toes for an intense calf workout. Many dance studios and gyms

Butterfly Collection

First Aid for Butterflies Call me a wimp, but it breaks my heart to see a butterfly, lethargic and struggling, on its last wings, so to speak. It makes me feel beyond helpless. So I was surprised to learn recently that there are things one can actually do to help out a butterfly in distress. Who knew? I have to say, this made me very happy, if not a little guilty about the butterflies I’ve unwittingly left in the lurch in the past. If you find a butterfly with a torn wing, you can tape it! I kid you not. You can try to carefully use a small bit of lightweight transparent tape to mend the wing. This may allow the butterfly to fly again and to live long enough to reproduce–it may even let it live out its normal lifespan. Another good trick, according to my butterfly

Cheap Fabulous Holiday Party

Pork Recipes: Chops, Ribs, Tenderloin and More Parmesan and Sage–crusted Pork Chops Sweet and Sour Pork

Financial Rules to Live By

How not to let money ruin your marriage By Mike Aquino for Yahoo! Southeast Asia You can’t expect to stay happily married if you and your spouse disagree about money. And as far as relationship conflicts go, money is a doozy: your attitude to money boils down to your fundamental beliefs about life, and money spats quickly become fights about deeper things. Not a few marriages have foundered on the rocks of money incompatibility. Not all couples find themselves on the S.S. Moneyfight and headed for the rocks, though. Money incompatibility by itself is not an issue if you follow a few successful rules of thumb. Keep communication channels open. “Money isn't the root cause of divorce, but failing to talk about money certainly is a leading

Ways to Break the Cycle of Comfort Eating

Ways to Break the Cycle of Comfort Eating Managing the Food-Mood Dilemma Many women turn to food to manage their moods. Unfortunately, what we call “comfort food” is usually loaded with saturated fats and sugary carbohydrates. Eating too much of these feel-good foods can cause weight gain, which in turn makes us feel ashamed of our bodies. These feelings, of course, can have an effect on our moods. It’s a good idea then to talk to other women who are trying to manage their moods and to work toward creating healthier strategies. Read on for my tips for breaking the food-mood cycle. Eat Mindfully The first step toward breaking the food-mood cycle is to take a few days and begin to eat mindfully. In our fast-paced, multitasking culture, we are usually in a rush, with multiple family and job responsibilities. We may eat quickly to manage stress, but we rarely eat mindfully, unless it is a “special”

Aerial Photograph

Beautiful & Bizarre Landscapes sometimes Mother Nature creates landscapes so fantastical that it is hard to believe they’re even real. Check out some of the most out-of-this-world landscapes on Earth. Stone Forest, China Covering over 150 square miles, China’s stone forest contains some amazing limestone pillars that range from 16 to to nearly 100 feet tall. From far away, the pillars do look like trees, thus the stone forest’s name. Mima Mounds, Washington State Everything from gophers to earthquakes has been proposed as possible reasons for the mysterious mima mounds. The eerily uniform 4-6 feet tall mounds that dot the Western Washington prairie almost

Most Eligible Bachelors in the World

Top 10 Most Eligible Princes Around the World While royals like Prince William of Wales and King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan broke millions of hearts by tying the knot, the following princes are still basking in the glory of their bachelorhood. Take a look! 1. Prince Harry Of: Wales Age: 27 Clearly the most famous and popular of the lot, Prince Harry is one big catch. While his older brother was tying the knot, the worldwide media couldn't stop making speculations as to when Prince Harry would tie the knot. It was obvious that he was the next IT guy after his older brother, Prince William. Prince Harry has had his fair share of link-ups, but the most steady relationship he had was with Chelsy Davy. Now that the steady relationship has ended, the doors are wide open for women to try their luck. 2. Prince Andrea Casiraghi & Prince Pierre Casiraghi Of: Monaco Age: 27 & 24 These two brothers are the grandsons of the famous Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Though none of them is technically a Prince, Andrea Casiraghi might succeed the Monegasque throne, if the current Prince of Monaco, Prince Albert II dies without a legal heir. While the younger one, Pierre Casiraghi is a known wild child, Andrea Casiraghi is the sober and responsible one. Both the brothers are massively popular amongst women across the globe and are considered to be two of the most eligible bachelors in town. 3. Prince Carl Philip Of: Sweden Age: 32 This extremely good looking prince is the son of Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. Prince Carl Philip is third in line of succession, next to his sister Crown Princess Victoria and her daughter Princess Estelle. Prince Carl Philip is extremely fond of outdoor activities and indulges in football, skiing, swimming and car racing.

Underwater Sculpture Park

What is Pain to a Fish? “…the way humans readily project their emotions and intentions into some animals and not others is itself a cause for concern. Few people have much fellow feeling for fish even though many fish are long-lived, have complicated nervous systems and are capable of learning complicated tasks.” —Professor Patrick Bateson Professor of Ethology University of Cambridge From salmon making the long journey from river to ocean and back, to goldfish swimming circles around a small pond, the inner lives of fishes are a mystery that scientists are only beginning to unravel. One of the key elements they are searching for is the extent to which each fish is sentient or, more specifically, how they process what we would call a “painful” sensation (such as a hook cutting into their lip.) On this journey, scientists have discovered that fish have nerve structures that are anatomically very similar to those of humans and many other species of animals. Among these common structures are receptor cells called nociceptors, which are found throughout animals’ bodies and are activated by stimuli expected to cause damage to bodily tissues. Tellingly, some species of fish have upwards of 58 different nociceptors located in their lips alone*. As in human anatomy, these nociceptors are wired by nerve fibers to the central nervous system (the spinal cord and brain.) When the pain centers in the brain are activated by signals from the nociceptors, they trigger the body to respond to the potentially harmful or life threatening events that may be happening. Fish anatomy is so complex that they have even evolved the same “pain-blocking” substances (endorphins) as humans.** It is theorized that endorphins help animals to tolerate pain from severe injuries in order to help them escape from a predator. This leaves us with the question: Why would fish have endorphins in their bodies if they couldn’t feel pain? And why is there still a debate over their sentience? * Physiologist Lynne Sneddon discovered 58 different nociceptor sites in rainbow trout lips. ** Endorphins are akin to naturally occurring morphine, although their role in the body is more complex. It is also worth mentioning that some analgesic drugs used by humans also appear to reduce pain in fish. In the scientific world the line between simply reacting to negative stimuli and “feeling pain” is marked by the capacity to process and express emotions. “Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.” - The International Association for the Study of Pain Thus one of the main arguments scientists use against fish feeling

People who Disappeared

People who Disappeared There are certain people who disappeared without a trace and till date, officials have not been able to figure out where they went. The following are the top 10: 1. Joseph Crater Joseph Crater disappeared in 1930 when he was on a vacation in Maine. He got a phone call from a stranger and told his wife that he had to return to New York City immediately. He was leaving a restaurant with his friends and mistress and got into a taxi alone. He disappeared after that and his mistress vanished a month later. 2. Richard John Bingham Lady Lucan was covered in her own blood when she ran into a pub screaming about how her husband had tried to murder her. The police searched the Lucan house and found the nanny lying dead along side a bloodstained pipe. Lord Lucan said that he was in the house when the woman was attacked. He disappeared a few days later and a similar pope was found in his bloodstained car. 3. Dorothy Arnold A wealthy woman named Dorothy Arnold was shopping for a dress in 1910 in New York when

Home Organization Ideas

Home Organization Ideas: Up and Away Installing a wall-mounted cube shelving system gives plenty of space for storing odds and ends in assorted containers. Orange Pop Painting the interiors of shelves a bright orange highlights the shapes of white ceramics and storage containers. Modern Library An expansive shelving system dominates the look of this masculine, modernly furnished living room. Flexible Arrangement Modular shelving can be adjusted and rearranged according to your specific storage needs. In the Box Open shelving is kept neat and tidy with uniform storage containers. Steel Logic Industrial elements—a factory chair, metal file cabinets and a lab-style desk—contrast nicely with a pair of upholstered chairs in this masculine study. Plus, the desk's cubbies help keep paperwork and magazines organized. Lively Display Covering the back of an antique sideboard with bright, modern wallpaper makes a cheerful place for displaying office supplies. Three Cheers Scalloped wooden drawers look sweet tucked under a bed and provide ample storage in an underused space. Basket Cases Wall-mounted cubbies fitted with baskets keep hats and other outdoor items organized. Save the Date Creating a giant monthly calendar on a chalkboard-paint wall helps everyone stay on schedule Mix It Up An impressive white shelving unit adds an unexpected element to a dining space and provides the perfect spot to store large serving dishes and cookbooks. Showcasing Sets

Tips for Healthier Heart

Why Am I So Tired? 10 Possible Causes of Fatigue When it's time to see a doctor about your exhaustion -- and what to try first. By Gina Shaw WebMD Feature Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD This morning, you promised yourself that you'd head straight to the gym right after work. But by the end of the day, you were so beat that all you could think about is collapsing on the couch with takeout and the remote. Why are you so tired all the time? Are you just not getting enough sleep, or could something be medically wrong? Chronic tiredness is one of the most common complaints that bring people to their doctor, says J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD, an internist practicing in western Tennessee and a past president of the American College of Physicians. "People put it all kinds of different ways: Some say they're tired, some say they're fatigued, some say they just aren't able to do what they need to do," Ralston says. If you're constantly plagued by exhaustion, there are a host of medical issues that could be wrong, and we'll talk about those later. You may also wonder if you're doing too much. But the most likely answer is just the opposite: You're not doing enough.

Valentine’s Day Can Ruin Your Relationship

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You

How Valentine’s Day Can Ruin Your Relationship Candlelit dinners replete with a fine bottle of wine, diamonds, roses or imported chocolates. If you haven’t planned or purchased something from this list, you’re more than likely going to have a horrifying night (and you won’t get lucky either) this Feb. 14th. Why? Because unrealistic expectations are not just about women, but men too. We all fall into the Valentine’s Day trap and beyond. The problem with romantic fantasy is that it starts long before our first big Valentine’s purchase or even before our first kiss. We’ve been hearing the “happily-ever-after” fairy tales since we were in kindergarten and we’ve grown up with a steady diet of the diamonds-are-forever commercials. The commercialization of Valentine’s Day has given rise to great expectations and just as often great disappointments if the gift giving is not enough to meet our romantic fantasy. These expectations have evolved over time and, with the help of jewelers and car makers, have encapsulated our longings to be loved with an equally open wallet. This profligate giving of expensive tokens has become the opportunistic statement of our enduring emotional wishes. We all want someone to think we’re special, that we can’t live without them! What better means of satiating our need to be loved than coughing up a diamond or two. The problem is that we may not have the means to meet the need. So it is with Valentine’s Day. As our expectations soar with the coming of this much ballyhooed holiday, we can make out the problems that may come with it. It is not that gift giving is bad or that we should not give them but if we are making a connection between the size and cost of the gift with the quality of our love, we are creating an expectation that can cause a deep emotional rift in what may be an otherwise healthy relationship. Ted Huston, a professor at the University of Texas, developed a project in 1979 that followed 168 married couples for 14 years to see what factors were present in successful long term marriages. He found that couples who entered their relationship with high expectations were far more likely to experience conflict and disenchantment. Huston found that even though there is a change from courtship to marriage in the adage that “all finance’s love football” it will not ultimately ruin our relationship. He concludes that the greatest harbinger of hope for couples is, of all things, friendship. It appears that those couples who managed to keep their expectations realistic and concentrated more on the way they interacted with each other proved to be a winner over the long haul. When we think

Best Home Remedies for Colds and Flu

Best Home Remedies for Colds and Flu Tried and true ways to get relief when you don’t feel well Foodie Photography/Getty Images If you’re sick, build your body’s defenses back up—in bed. In fact, bed is one of the best places that will help you ward off illness in the first place. One study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that participants

How to Sharpen Your Brain with Your Heart

How to Sharpen Your Brain with Your Heart Like many baby boomers, I’ve been noticing my memory isn’t as sharp as it once was. Scientists call this “cognitive decline.” I don’t really like that expression, because other aspects of my cognitive functions are sharper than ever. For example, more often I can’t remember where I put my car keys or I enter a room forgetting why I went there and have to retrace my steps back to where I started to remember. However, my problem-solving abilities and intuitive discernment are getting more keen and refined. A recent CNN news report said cognitive decline begins around age forty. I’ve read other reports that say we are sharpest up to age 25-35. One thing these reports hardly ever discuss is how our emotions affect our cognitive functions and that we can improve our minds, not just by playing puzzles or going back to school, but by reducing our stress and increasing how much time we spend in positive emotional states. Stressful emotions that we all experience at times, like anxiety or worry, anger and fear, invariably lead to stress and tend to cause a desynchronization in the activity in the brain and nervous system, which directly impairs cognitive functions. In fact, it’s well established that ongoing stress is a major contributor to the decline of our cognitive functions. On the other hand, when we have a more positive outlook, when we’re feeling hopeful, appreciative, caring and loving, it improves the way our brain and nervous system process information.

Whitney Houston’s Final Days

Paragliding 101-Year-Old Grandma Sets Guinness Record Written by Josh Loftin SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A 101-year-old Utah woman who ushered in her birthday with a tandem paraglide ride last year soared into the record books Tuesday . Great-great grandmother Mary Hardison, of Ogden, has been officially recognized as the “Oldest Female to Paraglide Tandem” by Guinness World Records. She has supplanted a 100-year-old woman from Cyprus who took

North Korea Children Playing Guitar

North Korea children playing the guitar. Creepy

The Rich and The Poor

"The Rich and The Poor" One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

Are You A Good Friend?

Color Empower Your Life

The Power of Red Red is the color of blood–and has many healing properties. Dress up in rich, warm red, and you will feel relief from an aggravated Vata or Kapha dosha. But overdo it, and you risk raising your Pitta quotient. Dip a toe into Ayurvedic color therapy sometime, and you will learn that Red is also the color of Rajas–one of the three ‘gunas’ or qualities identified by Ayurveda (Rajas, Tamas and Sattva). Rajas signifies ambition, action and success. The use of the color red increases the Rajas element in your being, making you more dynamic. But again, use it with caution, or it can cause burnout–read stress, heartburn, and an increased Tamas (associated with darkness and lethargy.) But Ayurveda apart, I love red because it stimulates, excites, whets appetite and enhances enthusiasm. In fact, psychologists say red has more personal associations than any other color. We associate this color with power and passion for two reasons: evolution—where the color

Tender Coconut Water

Things to Do With Bad Wine Old wine, old wine. Hmm . . . well, it’s not a problem I often come across, to be perfectly honest. We’re pretty fond of spiky beverages, ‘round these parts. (Some of our neighbors here in Portland even send their plumbers home with a bottle of wine.) But okay, I suppose it happens every now and again. A lonely bottle of Chardonnay gets pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten. Or a post-party Merlot gets left open, left out, for far too long to consider salvageable. These things happen to even the most dedicated of drinkers. Then of course, there’s just the tragic occasion when a bottle, brand new and freshly poured, simply . . . stinks. Much like electrical work, winemaking is an

The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes Jesus said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Marriage Beyond Monogamy

Lessons from the Monk I Married At age 25, Katherine Jenkins was searching for inner peace and a sense of purpose. That search led her, on a bit of a whim, to South Korea where she was hired to teach English. Nothing was quite as she anticipated. At first, even the art of meditation seemed impossibly out of reach. Ms. Jenkins shares her spiritual journey — from meeting a bowling monk to a mysterious photo to learning to listen to the inner voice we each possess — in her book, Lessons from the Monk I Married. Excerpt: I just never expected my search for peace would lead me to a bowling alley. Nor did I expect my first experience with a Buddhist monk to involve putting on tacky

Leaked Documents From Climate Denialism Lobbyists

How “Climategate” Exposed Our Ambivalence About Science While on a recent vacation in the Southwest, I came across an article in USA Today about the repercussions of “Climategate” (the “scandal” involving stolen -– stolen! — emails regarding one researcher’s questions about global warming data). It would seem that this ONE batch of debatable emails from this ONE scientist is all the naysayers need to confirm their suspicions that this whole crazy fuel-rationing, lifestyle-altering global warming hysteria is nothing more than a left-wing hoax. I read the article in my hotel room in Sedona: a gorgeous room on the canyon rim overlooking the city lights, the soaring red rock formations and dazzling sunsets. Well, I was overlooking where the sun was supposed to be setting because in fact, the weather was a bizarre combination of snow, rain, hail and thunder. It was, as a friend of mine wintering in Stockholm characterized the strange weather there: “global weirdness.” The point I’m trying to make here is that we Americans have a convoluted relationship with science (I use the word inclusively to encompass technology and math). On one hand, we revere the idea of science. Mathematics is the cornerstone of standardized testing, the primary way we choose to measure the achievements of our students against all others. The world-altering list of things and capabilities that science has given us — from the incomparable Mel Brooks’s nomination of Saran Wrap™ as the most important invention of the last two thousand years, to the Internet to mass transportation to antibiotics to images from the edge of the universe –- is nearly infinite. When science means doing – essentially utilizing the physical world for tangible products and services — then we’re all for

Help Our Children Make the World a Better Place

How to Help Our Children Make the World a Better Place I’ve been a humane educator for more than 25 years, teaching about the interconnected issues of human rights, environmental stewardship and animal protection,with the goal of providing students with the knowledge, tools and motivation to be conscientious choicemakers and changemakers for a just, peaceful and healthy world for all. Early on in my career, I looked up the word “humane” in the dictionary, and one of the definitions was this: “Having what are considered the best qualities of human beings.” After reading this definition, I began to see my role as fostering humanity’s best qualities in my students. But I didn’t want to presume to name these best qualities for them, so I began asking my audiences what they thought were humanity’s best qualities. Over and over they generated similar lists. No one ever said greed or violence or hatred. The most common word I heard was compassion, closely followed by honesty, kindness, generosity, courage, perseverance, respect, curiosity, integrity and wisdom. With these lists in hand, I’ve endeavored to help students explore how to put such qualities into practice in their lives. This sounds a lot like character education, but that was a term I hadn’t yet heard when I became a humane educator in the 1980s. As I learned more about character education, I was thrilled to discover that the goals of humane education and character education were fundamentally the same: to foster humanity’s best qualities and abiding values and help students implement them in their lives. Where humane education and character education diverged was around the focus of these values. While character education programs tend to focus on the proximal practice of core values, humane education generally asks how we can put these best qualities into practice in a globalized world. We all know what compassion feels like, and what kindness looks like. We know when we experience empathy, and we are aware when we are kind to another person or animal. We also know how kindness feels when we are its recipient. But what does it mean to be kind within a globalized economy? What does it mean to be kind in relation to our food, clothing, product, career, transportation, and dwelling choices, and in relation to the economic, production, agricultural, energy and other systems in society? The most ostensibly kind teenager in a high school may be complicit in horrendous cruelty and exploitation and shocking levels of environmental degradation when she sits down to eat in the school cafeteria or when she buys a new electronic device or pair of athletic shoes. But how would she know?

Beginning With Self-Forgiveness

10 Simple Ways to Change Your Life in 2 Minutes a Day Image by Pink Sherbet Photography (license). “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Lao Tzu “The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.” Madame Marie du Deffand Making a positive change in your life does not have to be about making a huge leap. But I believe that belief is one of those things that hold people back from improving their life and world. A simpler way that more often results in actual action being taken and new habits being established – in my life at least – is to take smaller steps but many of them. So here are 10 ways to change your life in just 2 minutes or so a day. Through these small steps you can start to build habits that become stronger and over time can change your life in ways you perhaps can’t imagine now. To remember to actually do one of the things below each day write down a simple reminder. Put it on your night table so that you see it when you wake up each morning. Or put the note in your workspace so you see it early in your day. If you like and if possible, expand on the small habit after a week or two and do it for just a few more minutes a day. 1. Just start working for 2 minutes on your most important task. I use this one at least one day every week. On some days I simply don’t feel like getting started with work. I’d much rather stay lazily on the sofa. So on such days I just start to work for 2 minutes on my most important task. That is the deal. The thing is: getting started is pretty much always the hardest part. After I have started moving and been at work for those 2 minutes it is usually pretty easy or simple to just continue working on that task. 2. Review and appreciate your day at the end of it. If you do good things during the day and get things done then that can raise your self-esteem. If you reflect upon that you have done so that is.

101 Days of Passion

Watch A Century Of Global Warming In Less Than 30

Watch A Century Of Global Warming In Less Than 30 Seconds 2011 was the ninth warmest year on record since the 1800′s, meaning that the 21st century already contains nine of the 10 warmest years in the modern meteorological record. NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Can You Change Your DNA?

Can You Change Your DNA? Is it possible to change our DNA from within ourselves? Can we even alter our DNA blueprint? At the Institute of HeartMath, we have been researching these questions for over a decade. This is such an intriguing subject to me that I wanted to share some of the results with you and invite you into the conversation. First a little background on DNA. The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in the nucleus of our cells contains the blueprint for our developing body and instructions for who we will become. For example, it can tell our eyes to eventually turn from blue at birth to hazel later on, tell our height to grow from 20 inches at birth to 70 inches as an adult, and direct a multitude of other changes over the course of our lives. Scientists used to believe that the DNA with which we are born is the sole determinant for who we are and will become, however studies have shown that strict genetic determinism is a flawed theory. Thus, a new field of study called epigenetics was born, which is quite exciting. Epigenetics and Beyond The field of epigenetics studies how the development, functioning and evolution of biological systems are influenced by forces operating outside the DNA sequence, including intracellular, environmental and energetic influences. Scientists have accepted since the 1950s that epigenetic influence is critical to human development. Epi – Greek for “besides” – combines with the word, genetics, to essentially mean “something more than genetics.” That “something more” is most often held to be the environment –meaning that our genetic code and the environment in which we develop together determine who and what we are. Stem cell biologist, Institute of HeartMath scientific advisory board member, and a bestselling author on the subject of epigenetics, Bruce Lipton, Ph.D. explains why exploring the distinction between genetic determinism and various epigenetic influences is vitally important: “The difference between these two is significant because this fundamental belief called genetic determinism literally means that our lives, which are defined

Child of My Heart: An Adoptive Mom’s Story

3 Ways To Improve Relationship With Mom Being realistic is one way to have a harmonious and mature relationship between mother and daughter (or son)

If You Can’t Forgive, You Can’t Dance

When is it okay to tell a white lie? Admit it, you’ve told a white lie or three (or maybe even over a dozen!) sometime in your life. And if put in the same situation, you probably would do it again. But is it really okay to tell a white lie? How often has it been drummed into our heads that lying is wrong? But when there’s no other choice but to lie through your teeth, it doesn’t seem like such a bad option. So why tell white lies? 1. To keep someone from getting hurt Clarissa tells white lies to protect her friends’ feelings. “I hold back and instead of saying what I really mean, I say it in a nicer way,” she explains. “Like when I’m dying to tell my friend how dumb she is for going back to her cheating ex, I say that it’s good they're back together but if it doesn't work out this time, maybe it’s a sign it’s not meant to be.” Jessica

Tribe ‘Forced to Dance for Tourists for Food

A Graduation Memory Japanese girl delighted by bottle found in Hawaii A photo of 6th grade students from Kagoshima, Japan found in a bottle by Petty Officer …

15 Ways to Boost Your Liver for Great Health

Reasons to Stop Eating Dairy

We’re Getting Less Friendly on Facebook

Tiny Houses Create More Freedom

Tiny Houses Create More Freedom Jay Shafer is a designer of tiny houses, so small some might laugh when they first see the 89 square-foot house on a trailer, but there is something undeniably practical and sane about what he is doing. The term McMansion was created from the trend of building larger and larger homes that waste both land and materials. Jay’s homes take an opposite stance on the “bigger is better” mentality. A recent study indicated that 1.2 million households were lost during the current economic recession, in part due to mortgage size. If those homes had been much smaller, with proportional mortgages, perhaps some of the economic downfall could have been avoided. One of Jay’s small houses costs only about $48,000. If you build it yourself, the cost is only $21,000. You can see an online journal about building one here. Of course, smaller homes require less energy to heat and cool. The interview with Jay below provides some insights in how a person might start to change his or her mindset about home ownership in America.

How to Overcome Nervousness

The Meaning of Menopause By Hanny Roskamp I’m 48 now. A year and half ago, I could still say I was “approaching menopause.” But a year ago, the first hot flashes presented themselves, in series of 20 or 30 a day. Menopause had come, no doubt about it. Red-faced and covered in sweat, I wrote my book De houdbare vrouw (The Everlasting Woman). Since then, I’ve put a year and a half and countless hot flashes behind me. To be honest, I’m rather cold-natured, so I don’t have much of a problem being very warm for a few minutes. I finally understand why the cardigan is such an important piece of clothing for women over a certain age. I actually like hot flashes. As a result of my journalistic and scientific background, I’ve approached menopause primarily from a place of curiosity. My thermostat appears to be somewhat confused. A little research tells me that during a hot flash, blood pressure drops dramatically for a short time. That’s a consequence of blood vessel dilation, which is also what causes facial flushing. A recent study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle tallied the number of hot flashes experienced by more than 1,400 women with and without breast cancer. The study also explored the women’s risk of developing breast cancer. It turned out that the women with breast cancer experienced far fewer hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Women aged 50 have an average 2 percent risk of developing breast cancer; during menopause, that number is cut in half. Since reading that, I’ve become even fonder of my hot flashes. I see them as part of my body’s natural defense system. Considering the sweat they engender, you could even call them cleansing. Sometimes a positive experience hits you from left field: not just hot flashes, but menopause itself, and growing older as a whole. The socially and culturally defined pressure to stay young, fertile and vibrant as long as we can is enormous, but what does it do to us? Don’t we miss out on many things by focusing so much attention on our youthful years, which—let’s be honest—ended some time back? Psychological developments, new insights, spiritual growth—all these are part of growing older. But where do these aspects go while we’re so busy delaying and preventing the physical aspect of aging? Why is this new phase of our lives characterized by Botox and dates with our plastic surgeons? Why are more and more women embracing hormones that are supposed to keep us young? Of course the media play a role by constantly confirming that we only count if we look young. But most of all, we do it to ourselves, because we’re vain, and we think the package is all that matters. All the while, we’re missing out on an enlightening journey, one that’s vital for anyone who wants to grow as a human being. Let’s talk about this side of the story: getting older as an experience that can be personally valuable to each and every one of us. The symptoms of menopause are caused by falling levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. It begins in tiny steps around age 30. Once the ovaries definitively go on strike, somewhere between 45 and 55, things suddenly careen downhill. Hot flashes are one clear symptom, but heart palpitations are also part of the package, as are night sweats, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, loss of libido and vaginal atrophy. Mentally, we undergo significant changes, and these may be accompanied by fear, anger and feelings of depression. Those mental changes in particular

Why Cloudy Cities Are Good for Us

Why Cloudy Cities Are Good for Us By Jeff Opperman, The Nature Conservancy Most people love blue skies and clearly prefer being drenched with sunshine rather than rain. The sunny regions of the country are booming as people move to where they know the calendar will be filled with blue-sky days. But think a bit more about what a blue sky means. In other words, think about the absence of clouds. If you know where your water comes from, you know towns and cities draw their water from rivers, lakes or groundwater. These sources are replenished by rain and snow, and we all know that rain and snow come from… clouds. So clouds are like water-delivery trucks rolling into town. What does this say about places with clear, blue—and cloud-free—skies? To better understand the relationship between clouds and water supply, I did a very quick analysis of some readily available numbers. First, I looked at SustainLane’s ranking of the sustainability of major U.S. cities’ water supply systems. These rankings provide an indication of how reliable or, on the other hand, how stressed or vulnerable a city’s source of water is. Second, for each city I looked at the average number of cloudy days per year, from the National Weather Service. The result shows that the most water-sustainable cities are the most cloudy, and the least water-sustainable cities are those with the most sun. (See the graph on the next page; the most water-sustainable cities have low numbers and are on the left side of the graph.) This correlation will not shock anyone who remembers the hydrological cycle from high school.

Thinking Powerful Habits That Work For Me

Common Mistake to Destroy your Self-Esteem

Why We Lie

Man and Nature Unified According to a commonly held idea, ancient cultures saw a unified creation, while we moderns look on a fragmented and divided world. The decline of faith has been blamed for this, as has the absence of myth, traditions, and social bonding. But I believe the opposite is true: The ancient way of understanding could barely explain a sliver of

10 Ways You Can Help Prevent a Heart Attack

15 Ways to Boost Your Liver for Great Health Your liver must perform over 500 functions, making it potentially one of the most overburdened organs in your body. Our modern lifestyle, replete with air pollution, food additives and high amounts of stress ensure that the liver has plenty to do. So, it’s no surprise that the liver can become sluggish, making it a factor in many health conditions, including: allergies, arthritis, asthma, bad breath, chronic fatigue syndrome, cravings for sweets, depression, environmental illness/multiple chemical sensitivities, fatigue, fibromyalgia, headaches and migraines, hepatitis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia, hormone imbalances, immune system disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, overweight or obesity, poor digestion, recurring nausea and/or vomiting, skin diseases, and ulcerative colitis. Of course there are other factors involved in these conditions so it is important to see a physician if you suffer from any of them. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the liver is its ability to regenerate itself. When it is given the critical nutrients, a healthy whole foods diet, and herbs to help it function, it can be restored to health in most circumstances. Strengthening the liver is one of the ways to boost energy, balance weight, and strengthen overall health. Here are 15 ways to give your liver a boost: 1. The liver requires high amounts of vitamins and minerals to perform its many functions. Your diet should be high in fruits and vegetables and fibrer-rich foods.

10 of the World’s Strangest Laws

10 of the Biggest Lies in History Adolf Hitler, one of history's biggest liars, takes the podium. See more pictures of military leaders. According to myth, a young George Washington confessed to cutting down a cherry tree by proclaiming, "I cannot tell a lie." The story is testament to how much respect Americans have for their cherished first president and honesty in general. Unfortunately, in the annals of history it seems there are 10 dishonest scoundrels for every honorable hero like Washington. Supposedly, the truth can set you free. But for many, deceit holds the key to money, fame, revenge or power, and these prove all too tempting. In history, this has often resulted in elaborate hoaxes, perjuries, and forgeries that had enormous ripple effects. In the following pages, we'll go over some of the most colossal and significant lies in history. Although such a list can't be comprehensive, we sought to include a variety of lies that influenced politics, science and even art. As a result of these, lives were lost, life-savings destroyed, legitimate research hampered and -- most of all -- faith in our fellow man shattered. Without further ado, let's delve into one of the oldest and most successful lies on record. Artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's depiction of the infamous Trojan Horse. The Trojan Horse If all is fair in love and war, this might be the most forgivable of the big lies. When the Trojan Paris absconded with Helen, wife of the Spartan king, war exploded. It had been raging for 10 long years when the Trojans believed they had finally overcome the Greeks. Little did they know, the Greeks had another trick up their sleeves. In a stroke of genius, the Greeks built an enormous wooden horse with a hollow belly in which men could hide. After the Greeks convinced their foes that this structure was a peace offering, the Trojans happily accepted it and brought the horse within their fortified city. That night, as the Trojans slept, Greeks hidden inside snuck out the trap door. Then, they proceeded to slaughter and decisively defeat the Trojans. This was unquestionably one of the biggest and most successful tricks known to history -- that is, if it's true. Homer mentions the occurrence in "The Iliad," and Virgil extrapolates the story in "The Aeneid." Evidence suggests that Troy itself existed, giving some validity to Homer's tales, and scholars have long been investigating how historically accurate these details are. One theory behind the Trojan horse comes from historian Michael Wood, who proposes that it was merely a battering ram in the shape of a horse that infiltrated the city [source: Haughton]. In any case, the story has won a permanent place in the Western imagination as a warning to beware of enemies bearing gifts. With his fake Vermeers like the one here, van Meegeren duped experts and made lots money. Han van Meegeren's Vermeer Forgeries This lie resulted from a classic case of wanting to please the critics. Han van Meegeren was an artist who felt underappreciated and thought he could trick art experts into admitting his genius. In the early 20th century, scholars were squabbling about whether the great Vermeer had painted a series of works depicting biblical scenes. Van Meegeren pounced on this opportunity and set to work carefully forging one such disputed work, "The Disciples at Emmaus." With tireless attention to detail, he faked the cracks and aged hardness of a centuries-old painting. He intentionally played on the confirmation bias of critics who wanted to believe that Vermeer painted these scenes. It worked: Experts hailed the painting as authentic, and van Meegeren made out like a bandit producing and selling more fake Vermeers. Greed apparently overcame his desire for praise, as he decided not to out himself. However, van Meegeren, who was working in the 1930s and '40s, made one major mistake. He sold a painting to a prominent member of the Nazi party in Germany. After the war, Allies considered him a conspirator for selling a "national treasure" to the enemy [source: Wilson]. In a curious change of events, van Meegeren had to paint for his freedom. In order to help prove that the painting was no national treasure, he forged another in the presence of authorities. He escaped with a light sentence of one year in prison, but van Meegeren died of a heart attack two months after his trial. Bernard Madoff pulled off the biggest

Festive Easter Tables

Decorating tips: Orchids for your Home Now you can decorate your home with these exotic flowers. ORCHIDS, ETC is a one stop shop for all things Orchids. Bouquets include prized varieties of orchids such as the Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobiums, Vandas, Anthuriums and various types of Bromeliad. For more info, go to - http://orchidsetc.in/index.aspx A picture is worth a thousand words.

Are Vitamins Dangerous?

Are Vitamins Dangerous? Photo Courtesy Of: iStockphoto/Thinkstock Over the past several of weeks, the media have gone wild over studies allegedly showing that vitamins have lethal consequences. Again and again, journalists who are clueless about health have misled readers while catering to the interests of Big Pharma and their hired lackey, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Will Vitamin E Increase Risk of Prostate Cancer? Back in 2009, the initial report of the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) found “no reduction in risk of prostate cancer with either selenium or vitamin E supplements but a statistically non-significant increase in prostate cancer risk with vitamin E.” Then came the recently released update, which allegedly shows that high doses—400 IU’s a day or more—of vitamin E may increase your risk of prostate cancer by 17 percent. According to CNN: “Based on the results of this trial, [the researchers] suggested that men should have a serious conversation with their doctors about whether taking vitamin E supplements is a good idea.” However, there’s a glaring problem with this finding, which has been completely overlooked by conventional media, and the researchers of the study itself. For some reason, many fail to appreciate that there are usually major differences between natural nutrients and their synthetic counterparts. They simply do not have the same biological effects, and this appears particularly true when it comes to vitamin E. Synthetic Vitamin E is Problematic, So Why Did They Use it? In this case, the vitamin E used was all rac-α-tocopheryl acetate—a synthetic petrochemically-derived form of dl-alpha tocopherol, which has known toxic effects. GreenMedInfo.com has a listing of published research relating to the many ill health effects related to this compound. The Toxicology Data Network also lists numerous health problems related to synthetic vitamin E at various dosages. Unfortunately, most studies investigating vitamins use synthetic versions. On the one hand this is good, as synthetic vitamins in general have overwhelmingly been shown to be largely harmless. However, studies such as this one—and the journalists reporting on the findings—can also do great disservice by failing to specify that the results pertain to petrochemically-derived vitamin E. The study says absolutely nothing about the health effects of natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol).Part of the problem with synthetic alpha tocopherol is that it depletes gamma tocopherol. As explained in a recent article by Life Extension: “In 1997, we announced that taking only the alpha tocopherol form of vitamin E displaces critically important gamma tocopherol in the body. By displacing gamma tocopherol, we feared that high doses of alpha tocopherol could increase cancer risks. In fact, three years after Life Extension’s first warning, the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health released the results of a huge study (10,456 men). The findings showed that men with the highest gamma tocopherol blood levels had a fivefold reduction in prostate cancer risk. This same study showed that selenium and alpha tocopherol also reduced prostate cancer risk but only when gamma tocopherol levels were high. Confirmatory studies document higher levels of gamma tocopherol to be strongly associated with reduced cancer risks. While both alpha and gamma tocopherol are potent antioxidants, gamma tocopherol has a unique function. Because of its different chemical structure, gamma tocopherol scavenges reactive nitrogen species, which can damage proteins, lipids, and DNA. … The fact that supplementation with isolated, synthetic alpha tocopherol depletes plasma gamma tocopherol levels means that the researchers who designed the SELECT trial created a biological catastrophe… The fact that higher prostate cancer rates were observed in the group overloaded with synthetic alpha tocopherol in the SELECT trial was predictable and expected based upon fundamental facts Life Extension understood more than a decade ago.” I believe Life Extension is correct in their evaluation of this study: it was designed to fail in order to protect the financial interests of the cancer industry, which thrives by providing very expensive toxic drugs, radiation, and surgery. Did You Know? Some Vitamin E on Market May Be Genetically Modified Another risk factor of vitamin E supplements and foods fortified with vitamin E relates to the fact that it may be derived from genetically modified (GM) plants. The chemical name for vitamin E is “tocopherol.” Tocopherol, which is the generic term for at least seven different types of vitamin E, are naturally formed in a variety of plants. Tocopherol can be produced either by chemical synthesis, or by extraction from:

8 Things Your Feet Say About Your Health

Simple Solutions to Prettier Feet Have you stopped wearing open-toed shoes because you are ashamed of your dry, cracking skin? Are your feet feeling abused and worn from the everyday hustle and bustle, which usually involves heels for work and being on your feet all day? After a long hard week, all you really want to do is give your feet a break and walk around in flip-flops or a nice pair of flats or sandals. But, but how can you, when your feet look so battered? Thankfully, there are simple ways you can improve the condition of your feet—all in the comfort of your own home! 1. Dead skin problems? Soak your feet in warm water for about 15 minutes to soften. Scrub with a pumice stone to remove and bring out new, healthy skin underneath. You can also use foot scrubs available in the market for a nice, minty scent. 2. Want to avoid ingrown nails? Ingrown nails are not only off-putting, but also can get really infected and hurt a lot. To prevent from getting them, cut your toenails straight across. Leave the shaping to the pros when you go for your monthly mani-pedi and cleaning. 3. Dry, brittle nails? Use nail creams or oils to help restore them to their

Ways Not Be Overwhelmed and Drained by Work

Ways Not Be Overwhelmed and Drained by Your Work by Henrik Edberg |“One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.” Bertrand Russell “Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest.” Ashleigh Brilliant “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” John Lubbock Maintaining a balance in life is perhaps harder today than ever. Demands in school or at work can push down on you. Information is flooding like a never-ending river into life. The opportunities to explore different things have never been so abundant. If you don’t set limits and work in a balanced way you can become drained, overworked and in the end even burn out for quite some time. So what can you do about this serious challenge? Well, I do not have all the answers. But I have some. I have found a couple of things that work well for me. If I do not do them regularly I tend to become cranky, feel drained and my thoughts tend to become more pessimistic. But when I stick with these habits – which is fortunately most of the time by now – I can maintain a balance that allows me to do good work and feel good. 1. Set your clear boundaries for the day. This is extremely important, at least for me. I have to have limits to properly balance work with relaxation.

The Self-Steem Course

Profit From God’s Gifts

The Real Will Never Stop Existing Four conditions must exist if you want to find reality: Contentment, Inquiry, Self-awareness, Strength. Four ordinary, somewhat innocuous words. Contentment. This is the quality of restfulness in the mind. Someone who is content exists without doubt and fear. Doubt is a constant

Graduation Ceremony (Gillian)

Graduation Ceremony (Gillian) Roy's daughter Gillian is now going into 6th grade, and that's the last year in "children's" school here in the southern Philippines. After 6th grade they do 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year of high school...so when I'm doing my copy work for The Truth Project across from the University, the college students are mostly 14-17 years of age. It seems strange by American standards, but they still beat us on the Math & Science Standardized Tests...so I wonder about the age issue.... Here are some pictures from the graduation ceremony... Rose and Gillian really looked so great with their complimentary colors Mother Rose and daughter Gillian are ready to go, and this is her new outfit for a dance number The event was at CAP Auditorium in downtown Davao Here the students are doing a number from CATS Each class did a musical number

A Story Of Loss And Hope

I'm so Depressed

4 Legendary Trees

10 Cheap Ways to Landscape Famous Gardens Image Gallery A tastefully landscaped yard can increase your home's worth by up to 11 percent. See our collection of famous garden pictures. Picture two brick ranch-style houses, side by side. There's nothing remarkably different about their architecture or aesthetic -- except for the yards. One lawn is well-tended with neat beds of vibrant plants splashed among freshly mown Kentucky bluegrass. The other looks pitifully neglected with yellow, parched grass and scraggly shrubs that conceal the house's front windows. If you had pick between these two houses solely based on the curb appeal, which would you choose? The one with the nicer landscaping, right? Thoughtful landscaping can improve your overall satisfaction with a home while you live there, as well as the chances of luring of potential buyers when you move. In fact, landscaping is an investment that can boost the value of your home up to 11 percent [source: Garskof]. If done well, you can recover up to 200 percent of landscaping expenses when you sell your house [source: American Nursery & Landscaping Association]. But to reap those benefits in the long term, you have to spend some money initially. Depending on how drastic of a transformation you're going for and how you go about it, a landscaping budget can grow as quickly as summertime weeds. Some experts recommend allotting between 5 and 15 percent of your house's worth to pay for a lawn makeover [source: Archer]. What if you don't have thousands of dollars to spend? Although it will require a little more sweat and strategizing, you can pull off a landscaping project easily on a lean budget. Here are 10 tips to revamp your yard thriftily, organized from the beginning of your landscaping endeavor to when everything's in the ground. Before you start landscaping, plan ahead. Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy/Getty Images Plan ahead When grocery shopping on a budget, it's a good idea to go to the store with a list instead of relying on memory. Knowing precisely what you need keeps you on task and away from frivolous extras. Likewise, before you plant a single seed in your yard, come up with a plan of action. The notion of having a backyard koi pond surrounded by lush vegetation may appeal to you -- until you research the accompanying price tag. Gardening books and Web sites are smart places to search for initial inspiration. Or take a stroll around your neighborhood or local botanical garden to see what other gardeners have created and take note of what appeals to you. Chances are, you'll want something that fits smoothly into the surrounding aesthetic. A bright, tropical-style theme might clash if you live in an older, more traditional neighborhood. Perhaps a lush urban oasis or English garden might suit your house better. Think loftily at first, and then tally up the hardscaping and softscaping expenses required to make that vision a reality. From there, you may have a better idea of what you can practically afford. Hiring a landscape architect to design a garden may be out of your price range. But if you can sketch out an idea of how you want to landscape, you can arrange a consultation with a landscaper for a couple hundred dollars. Some specialty nurseries may also have knowledgeable staff who can offer free advice on the best types of plants to achieve your desired layout. Want a cheap, reliable landscaper who's always on time? Do it yourself. Do It Yourself Three words should become your motto for frugal landscaping: Do it yourself. If you aren't prepared to get a little dirty and sweaty, you'll have to pay the premium for professional help. For instance, a zinnia that you pay $3 for to plant yourself will cost around $12 if installed by a landscaper [source: Archer]. There may be some jobs that are too big or complex for one person, but when you're brainstorming goals for your landscaping project, think about what you can do alone and when you might need to call in the pros. Also, consider asking for help from friends or family who might be willing to share the workload in exchange for dinner or a favor. Clearing

Longing for and Fear of Intimacy

Five Golden Rules Of Flirting Flirting is a harmless act of casually hitting on an acquaintance of the opposite sex, the key being ‘without the emotional quotient’. So it’s an easy going, light hearted process. Having said that, there are certain rules you need to play by. Yes, R-U-L-E-S. 1. Do a reality check The first rule is the self assessment. Give yourself points on scale of 1 to 10 as to how to you fare in looks department. You need to be absolutely honest here. Work on yourself, because the female involved isn’t going to fall for that little joke if you look even a tad bit tacky. In other words, suit up!

How Chewing Aspirin Could Save Your Life

Common Food Safety Mistakes Most food safety mistakes are made innocently, simply because we didn’t know the rules. And with so many of us juggling multiple responsibilities at work and home, it’s no wonder that we are more concerned with convenience and saving time than we are with washing that head of lettuce thoroughly before using it or heating up the leftovers to the proper temperature.

What is Your Belief System about Trauma?

Stop Defending Your Self-Image Over the years you have built an idealized self-image that you defend as “me.” In this image are packed all the things you want to see as true about yourself; banished from it are all the shameful, guilty, and fear-provoking aspects that would threaten your self-confidence. But the very aspects you try to push away return as the most insistent, demanding voices in your head. The act of banishment creates the

What Happens in a Nasal Allergy Attack

Depression Overview Depression: What Is It? It's natural to feel down sometimes, but if that low mood lingers day after day, it could signal depression. Major depression is an episode of sadness or apathy along with other symptoms that lasts at least two consecutive weeks and is severe enough to interrupt daily activities. Depression is not a sign of weakness or a negative personality. It is a major public health problem and a treatable medical condition. Shown here is a PET scan revealing "hot spots" of increased activity in the brain of a non-depressed person. Depression Symptoms: Emotional The primary symptoms of depression are a sad mood and/or loss of interest in life. Activities that were once pleasurable lose their appeal. Patients may also be haunted by a sense of guilt or worthlessness, lack of hope, and recurring thoughts of death or suicide. Depression Symptoms: Physical Depression is sometimes linked to physical symptoms. These include: Fatigue and decreased energy Insomnia, especially early-morning waking Excessive sleep Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment Depression Symptom: Appetite Changes in appetite or weight are another hallmark of depression. Some patients develop increased appetite, while others lose their appetite altogether. Depressed people may experience serious weight loss or weight gain. Impact on Daily Life Without treatment, the physical and emotional turmoil brought on by depression can derail careers, hobbies, and relationships. Depressed people often find it difficult to concentrate and make decisions. They turn away from previously enjoyable activities, including sex. In severe cases, depression can become life-threatening. Suicide Warning Signs People who are depressed are more likely to attempt suicide. Warning signs include talking about death or suicide, threatening to hurt people, or engaging in aggressive or risky behavior. Anyone who appears suicidal should be taken very seriously. Depression: Who's at Risk? Anyone can become depressed, but many experts believe genetics play a role. Having a parent or sibling with depression increases your risk of developing the disorder. Women are twice as likely as men to become depressed. Depression: Who's at Risk?

Song for the morning Shower

Songs for the Morning Shower Sometimes a selection of happy songs is essential to liven up the depressing reality of your morning routine. So here is a list of morning songs to play during your shower, sing along to, make you smile and hopefully stop you sneakily crawling back under the covers We’ve all done it... embarrassingly bellowed song lyrics out of key into our shampoo bottle during our morning shower with the comfort of no one listening, as far as we know anyway. The morning for some of us can be the worst time of day, having to drag yourself out of bed when your body is really protesting. For many of us the only thing that can truly rouse us is the cool water of a refreshing morning shower. As well as plummeting water on your body and singing out of tune, why not listen to a music playlist of songs

One Year After The Quake: UN Tribute To Japanese R

One Year After The Quake: UN Tribute To Japanese Resilience (Video) On March 11, 2011, an earthquake struck Japan, followed by a tsunami, destroying cities and villages along the coast of the country’s Tohoku region. More than 15,000 people died, and some 3,305 people are still listed as missing, a year later. In addition, more than 340,000 others who were evacuated have not been able to return.

Pet Loss: Matters Of Love and Death

How to Be Happy I’m a bit of a nomad. I’m the type of person who craves novelty so much that I get the itch to move as soon as things become too stable or routine. I begin to question if I’m really happy and I wonder if I’m becoming complacent. The usual solution to my problem is to try something new in a different place. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve packed up my things, driven across the country, or flown across an ocean to go to where I’m “supposed” to be. But as with every situation, the novelty wears off eventually and I am left with those same thoughts. Everything around me has changed, but my internal questions haven’t.

Top 5 Mad Geniuses

Biggest Lies in History Hitler, one of history's biggest liars, takes the podium According to myth, a young George Washington confessed to cutting down a cherry tree by proclaiming, "I cannot tell a lie." The story is testament to how much respect Americans have for their cherished first president and honesty in general. Unfortunately, in the annals of history it seems there are 10 dishonest scoundrels for every honorable hero like Washington. Supposedly, the truth can set you free. But for many, deceit holds the key to money, fame, revenge or power, and these prove all too tempting. In history, this has often resulted in elaborate hoaxes, perjuries, and forgeries that had enormous ripple effects. In the following pages, we'll go over some of the most colossal and significant lies in history. Although such a list can't be comprehensive, we sought to include a variety of lies that influenced politics, science and even art. As a result of these, lives were lost, life-savings destroyed, legitimate research hampered and -- most of all -- faith in our fellow man shattered. Without further ado, let's delve into one of the oldest and most successful lies on record.

Richest Countries

Weird & Wonderful Houses For these homeowners, a house isn’t just a place to rest your head — it’s also a piece of art itself. Check out some amazing and unusual homes from across the globe. Would you live in an unusual home? Let us know in the comments section below! Dar Al Hajar Perched atop a rock, Dar Al Hajar was built in the 1930′s as a summer residence for a Iman Yahya, the then-leader of Yemen. The mansion is a particularly exquisite of example of Yemeni architecture. Today the house, which can be seen from all over Sana’a, is a tourist destination. Image Credit: Raphael Fauveau via Fotopedia

The Longest Wedding Dress

9 Surprising Green Wedding Traditions From Around The World A 5-star catering company, air-conditioned tent and designer dress offers its own beauty—it’s true—but there is a different kind of beauty to be found in an eco-friendly wedding. Not only will a wedding stripped of energy-sucking ornaments focus the attention more on the love-struck couple, it’s also far less expensive! You can minimize the carbon footprint of your fist steps as husband and wife by incorporating some of these green wedding traditions from around the world. 1. Jewish Wedding In a Jewish wedding, the couple stands under a marriage canopy, or a Chuppah, to receive blessings and exchange the ring. This portion of the wedding is held outside under the stars at sundown, but it can be even more eco-friendly if you build your own Chuppah out of tallit and branches. 2. Italian Wedding The amount

20 Reasons To Be In Your Body

Life is Awareness Age deterioration would be unavoidable if the body was simply material, because all material things are prey to entropy, the tendency of orderly systems to become disorderly. But entropy

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Ways to be a Better Parent

Things To Do Before You Have Kids The decision to become a parent is an important step in an adult's life. Children can impact your life in many ways, and they will most certainly affect your finances. From daycare costs to an increase in medical insurance premiums to higher costs on groceries and clothing, becoming a parent doesn't come cheap. Here is a look at five things you should do financially before having children. Maintain a Residence Prior to taking the plunge into parenthood, one of the most important financial moves you can make is securing a stable residence. Whether you own a home or rent a house or apartment, it is important to be well-established in your residence before becoming a parent. Bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital can be stressful for many new parents. Being established in

Super Moon Photos

The Great Pyramids The Great Pyramids. The people of Ancient Egypt believed that death on Earth was the start of a journey to the next world. The embalmed body of the King was entombed underneath or within the pyramid to protect it and allow his transformation and ascension to the afterlife. (Photo and caption by Jesus Oranday). The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil is considered a wildlife sanctuary, but today, even in this isolated archipelago dolphins are victims of the bad habits of consumption. (Photo and caption by João Vianna) The Center building in Central Hong Kong Lightning Crashes. A lightning bolt strikes the antenna of The Center building in Central Hong Kong during a storm on September 13, 2009. (Photo and caption by Michael Siward) Kanana Camp, Botswana. The giraffe vs the lion Kanana Camp, Botswana. Pulling over by the side of the road to watch a grazing giraffe, we spotted an amber head lurking behind a small mound. A hungry lioness. Watching, waiting, camera to my eye, she eventually chose her moment and pounced just as the giraffe sensed danger. The lioness gave chase, but failed. Hungry, she lay down, invisible, in the grass not ten feet from us and waited again. (Photo and caption by Alex Tan) Unsafe train journey in Bangladesh Unsafe Journey. A woman is riding between the railway carriages of a local train heading north from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Her luggage is tucked under the carriage in front of her. It is the month of Ramadan, a fast which culminates in Eid-ul-Fitr, a three-day

Myths and Facts About Constipation

Lessons from Queen Elizabeth

Princess Diana – mDhil Diva A beautiful person inside and out, Princess Diana lived a very public life of ups and downs. Her life was cut short by a tragic accident over 10 years ago, but the princess continues to hold a special place in the hearts of all her fans around the world.

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Healthy Smile

Foods to Boost your Workout When it comes to working out, food impacts upon your performance in different ways, and we all want to get the most from our hard work. We present you with seven foods that enhance your performance to make your workout worthwhile. So whether you go running as a hobby, or you’re a hardened athlete, here are our seven suggestions to enhance your performance: Easily digestible fruit: Fruit is nature’s answer to a healthy sugar high, and it provides carbohydrates to boost your energy levels. Fresh fruit such as bananas and apples are loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants, and fibre, making this a fantastic way to give you a natural boost of energy before your workout. Make sure you opt for easily digestible fruit as those that are hard to digest – such as those from the citrus family – could hinder your exercise by causing stomach cramps.Bowl of fruit. Greek yoghurt: Greek yoghurt is a great pre-workout treat as it contains

Go Easy

A Better Sleep

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical disorder seen primarily in men. Unfortunately, this is frequent overlooked as "normal" snoring. This condition occurs when obstructions in the nose and throat block the ability to breathe. This can cause several symptoms including: 1. Gasping for air during sleep 2. Witnessed apnea (stopping of breathing for at least 10 seconds) 3. Waking up tired, even after a full night's sleep 4. Feeling sleepy during the day (at work or while driving) 5. Irritability or short temper 6. Problems with concentration or memory 7. Medical conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease Breathing During Sleep Normal Sleep Snoring is caused when there is narrowing of the normal airway. Because of a phenomenon known as the "Bernoulli Effect", air flows faster through a narrowed passage similar to how water sprays faster and farther when you put your finger on the tip of a garden hose. This faster flow of air causes high frequency vibrations of the soft tissue of the airway resulting in the characteristic sounds of snoring. Different patterns and sounds of snoring can occur if the obstruction is located in the nose or in the back of the throat. Snoring without obstruction

Are Women Really So Mean To Each Other?

Cope With Anxiety Symptoms

Panic Attacks–Causes and Symptoms common condition, usually confused with heart attacks, which can be controlled by yoga and meditation. Your heart starts pounding heavily and suddenly you feel short of breath. Feeling of dizziness and “something” in your stomach overpowers you. Anxiety and restlessness surges to its peak. You wonder if you are going “crazy” or even worse, dying. You may be having a panic attack What is a panic attack? Panic or anxiety disorder is a condition where intense anxiety or fear grips the person suddenly, often without warning and no good reason. It can strike just out of the blue, come uninvited anywhere, anytime even during sleep. It differs from the normal feeling of dread and nervousness, which occur in response to stressful events in our lives. Most triggered panic attacks reach their peak within 10 minutes. These attacks usually last for 20 to 30 minutes. Causes of panic attacks Several environmental and biological factors can contribute in pressing the panic button.

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Color Psychology At Work

Color Psychology At Work Colors are believed to have an effect on our psychology; try wearing these shades in different work situations and see if it helps. Adapted from Juliet Soh, JobsCentral There is a reason why there are so many idioms that describe moods with colors: having the blues, seeing red, tickled pink and green with envy. That’s because colors indeed have powerful effects on our psychology. In fact, the Egyptians and Chinese have been practicing “chromotherapy”, an alternative treatment using colors to heal, for thousands of years. Now, tap on the knowledge of color psychology and find out if it works for you. Blue: The calming color The color of the ocean and sky, blue is synonymous with peace and composure. This color has a relaxing and calming effect on people. Wear it when: You are meeting a disgruntled customer or an angered boss to do some damage control. Seeing shades of blue on you can make him/her feel less stressed and lower inclination to aggression. This (fingers crossed!) should make appeasing him/her much easier. Black: The shade of authority Black is a somber color that oozes responsibility, power and authority. That’s probably the differentiating factor that makes Batman’s getup look less hilarious than Superman’s. Wear it when: You are chairing an important meeting. To ensure that every attendee—even those more senior than you are—take you seriously, wearing black can make them feel that you mean business. You could also include black in your work getup if you want your boss to start noticing you as a potential candidate to promote to a managerial position. Orange: The energetic hue Just like red, orange is an attention-grabbing color, but is more soothing on the eyes. Orange helps channel energy and can put people instantly in a chirpy and positive mood. Wear it when: You need to encourage your team mates. During a particularly demoralizing period when everyone in the office is feeling moody from setbacks or crazy deadlines, include orange in your outfit when you address them so the optimistic spirit can rub off on them too 1. Purple: The tint of intuition Purple is often associated with luxury and sophistication. At the same time, this color is a stimulating shade that’s said to get you in tune with your spiritual and intuitive side.

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10 Tips to Let Go of the Past & Embrace the Future

10 Tips to Let Go of the Past & Embrace the Future By Cat O'Connor "Two monks were on a pilgrimage. One day, they came to a deep river. At the edge of the river, a young woman sat weeping because she was afraid to cross the river without help. She begged the two monks to help her. The younger monk turned his back. The members of their order were forbidden to touch a woman. But the older monk picked up the woman without a word and carried her across the river. He put her down on the far side and continued his journey. The younger monk came after him, scolding him and berating him for breaking his vows. He went on this way for a long time. Finally, at the end of the day the older monk turned to the younger one. "I only carried her across the river. You have been carrying her all day." Letting go can be difficult. Letting go of people, ideas, expectations, desires; letting go of bad habits, false beliefs and unhealthy relationships... the list goes on. Every day, every moment presents an opportunity to create ourselves anew, to shrug off the baggage of the past, open ourselves up to the possibility of the moment and take action to create an incredible future.

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