GetPowers Website Network

VR English 免费帮助你学习日常实用英语的APP快去下载吧

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

我最近很努力做新的免费APP,为了帮助努力学习英语的朋友提高他们的日常英语。这个APP的特点就是让用户觉得他们真正跟对方做英语会话。而且有一点game 的感觉。

虚拟现实英语会话

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

尝试虚拟的英语会话。专为ESL学生运用英语技能和知识在现实生活中的情况。旨在模仿英语的互动，而不是一个简单的测验或考试。 http://vr-english.com

我做了故事接龙的案桌软件，免费下载

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

我做了故事接龙的案桌软件了。大家现在可以免费安装了。你玩故事接龙的时候可以选择自己的冒险路线，但是到了故事的最后，就可以加自己的新故事, 这样故事就会一直接力下去。有你，故事更丰富精彩

故事接龙网 – 可以选择你自己的冒险路线

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

自由故事汇 : 这个是特别容易的，你玩游戏的时候可以选择自己的冒险路线，但是到了故事的最后，就可以加自己的新故事, 这样故事就会一直接力下去。有你，故事更丰富精彩 http://gushijielong.net

外国人怎么看中国人用手机

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

在地铁看别人，除了一些老人，大家都看手机或者平板。我记得以前人人看报纸或者看书，现在都变化了。用手机看电影，看电视节目，看新闻，玩游戏等。没有手机的人好像没有了。我在吃饭的时候，旁边有男人和女人一起吃饭。他们不说话了。他们在那里过了至少30分，也许他们说一句话以外，都看手机。在咖啡厅看了一个家庭一起。有一个妈妈和爸爸，还有他们的女儿。他们女儿都看平板没有跟父母说一句。她父母说什么，好像他们女儿都听不到。我那时刻决定不让我儿子在吃饭的时候玩手机平板等。家庭会话虽然也许无聊还是重要。

My beautiful life during the lovely month of May!

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

I have been spending so much time working in my beautiful meditation garden this year and now with the weathers cooperation the roses and jasmine are putting on quite a show. I love to sit out on my patio or take my lawn chair out into the yard and kick off my shoes and just feel the grass under my feet. Then I listen to all the birds sing and water fall from our fountain and begin my meditation.Each morning I awake to a day that is all mine to enjoy.I hike or play tennis, walk my dog and garden for exercise and love feeling energized by keeping fit!! Loving life is the choice i choose to make daily and I have found many habits easing my flow naturally into peace and contentment.

I find the more I open up to new possibilities like learning and practicing Reiki and joining the Artist Guild the more I know I am following the right path for me.

.Hope you enjoy the pictures from our garden.

Namaste

希望中国人在环境的方面可以提高素质

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

以前中国人问我“你觉得中国怎么样”的时候，我都说了中国人很友好，我喜欢。在中国过了几年，我还是觉得很多中国人是友好的，但是我发现一个让我很失望的，就是太多中国人随便随地扔掉垃圾，感觉很脏，很恶心。我不可数几次看过中国人买东西吃东西以后就随便随地扔掉他们的垃圾。不管在路上或者在海边，很多中国人不找垃圾箱而是把垃圾放在地上。而且这垃圾不是苹果那样的可生物降解的,而是大部分是对环境和动物特别不好的塑料东西。我真希望中国朋友会珍惜地球，环境，做干净健康的生活方式，请把垃圾放在正确的地方就是垃圾箱。

看图识字，提高你的英文词汇量，看看卡片英语

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

卡片英语就是一个帮助你增加英语词汇量的网站。有点像看图识字的方法，你可以背单词。专门为了手机或者Pad而做的。希望大家会喜欢而受到帮助！卡片英语 Kapianyingyu.com

呼吸不了！上海的空气污染太严重了！

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

最近上海的空气太不好了。空气质量已经超过500了。我都不敢让我妻子和儿子去外面玩。我都告诉他们，这样的空气能杀你，至少可以让你的生命少几年。不要去外面。我买了空气面具，但是只有青红色的，别的比较男人味的颜色都美乐，只有青红色的。反正要避免呼吸这样的空气，没办法用。到浦东的时候，都看不清楚上海的高楼。空气都是一种茶色云，什么都看不清楚。看新闻说原因是有太多的非法烤烧肉的野餐，但是我认为是有太多的汽车，最近没有风或者雨。我以为北方的严重污染也应该是和焚烧煤炭有关系的。不管怎么样，在这样的情况下，都不要出门！

美国信息的网站

2020-10-17T08:49:03+08:00

我做了新的网站，帮助中国朋友很快招到美国的信息。比如金融，货币兑换率，时区，天气，美国的大学列表，等等。欢迎大家来看给我反馈，谢谢！ http://meiguoxinxi.com

A Wonderful Life

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

Dear readers In May I retired from a formal job and am now freelancing my life style. I love waking each morning with a new dawn I can call my own!!! Yes my life is still full and in many ways fuller with happiness and more meaning. I Also have a new beautiful Grandson the most wonderful gift in the world
Yes life is good as I find my way into the future. Many changes will always arise and many options present themselves daily but now they are more of my choosing based on my

pursuit of happiness.

Loving life in 2012

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

April 2012

I am so grateful to have wonderful friends to hike with and close friends at work .I am loving my job and my home life. So many great changes have happened to me since my last post .I have been able to keep excessive weight off for a couple of years and enjoy my life more thanks to different forms of energy medicine I have found. I have used EFT ( emotional freedom technique) , Brain Integration Therapy and Body Talk at different time + I use many techniques I have learned from Donna Edens videos. I hope that if you need help mentally or phisically you might try energy medicine and get the helpyou need.

I have been listening to "Quantium Healing" with Shifra A wonderful series of programs on the web to help us improve our quality of life and find ways to improve the quality of life on the planet. I also listen to Wayne Dyer on Hay house radio. He is always so uplifting. These are just some of the many sources of information I have found inspiring. Love and peace to All -Susan

plans for the new year

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

My big plan for the new year is learning to meditate.

Recently I have read many articles extolling the virtues of meditation.First meditation helps heal the immune system which is very important for overall health. Secondly meditation creates feelings of happiness peace and serenity all fundamental for a good life. I have started this process by getting tapes and books from the library on meditation and going online to find meditation classes in the valley.This year with my focus on the body mind connection I am looking forward to a more spiritually fulfilling lifestyle and radiant health. Happy New Year!!!!!

Loving Life in my 60s

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

Here are some of the ideas I have been formulating recently as I begin a new decade in my life.

Loving life starts with caring for the house we live in, our bodies. As we age it is more and more obvious that" we are what we eat"and lucky for us we are in 2010 a great age of knowledge availability. With the computer new health information and medical breakthroughs are almost daily. All we need is an open mind and the will to improve our lives then just begin taking advantage of these discoveries.

Lets all take the time to learn about nutrition, stress management and exercise they are our spring board for the good life. We must have vibrant health to maximize our potential, achieve our goals and become our best selves. Of course potential must be acted upon and nurtured to prosper and a healthy positive mental state is essential for success and happiness.

I still feel like I am standing in the middle of life and so much is still ahead of me. I just need to take care of my house and my best years are to come. I have so much to live for : My wonderful family,comfortable home, good job and so many interests and things to learn . I now have so many more gifts and love to give.

A New Decade 2010

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

My son Marcus has been visiting this past month . I am so happy to have him here even for this short time and really enjoying his company.
The other major change in my life is the "Brain Integration Therapy" I went through in December up in Prescott. This is a trans formative new therapy capable of eliminating dyslexia and dissolving all the resulting psychological problems brought on by years of living with a learning disability. I have been literally given a new lease on life. I highly recommend this therapy to anyone ready to improve there quality of life.
Happy New Year!!!! Lets make it Great !!!! Lets all work together to make it a better world!!
YES WE CAN ! YES WE CAN!

Mark and Hannah Dog at the Great Bark Dog Park in Colorado

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

Mark and Hannah Dog at the Great Bark Dog Park near Denver, Colorado

Summer in Beijing 2009

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Mark's Frisbee Trick

Wow, this feels strange, to write a post in English! I have been writing in Chinese so much I almost forgot what its like to write in my native language. Unfortunately because Blogger.com was blocked since June, it has been difficult to find ways to get posts onto this website. Since then I focused on the Chinese website because A) it gets more viewers and B) I use a different system to write posts with the Chinese blog which is more convenient where I am.

Since my last post I have moved to Shuangjing, not far from downtown Beijing. I like this area quite a bit because it feels more international and cosmopolitan. There are nice restaurants and shopping. Traffic, particularly public transportation, is also more convenient than where I stayed before in Lishuiqiao.

Since March I have done a lot of sightseeing around Beijing with my Chinese friend. We have had such a good time I have stayed much longer in China than I imagined. I have also live in a nice apartment with a good view of downtown. For the price, and few thousand Yuan, which amounts to a few hundred US dollars, I can't imagine living in such a nice apartment in the US. Honestly, to live in the capital city, near downtown, in an apartment with a spacious living room, bedroom and nice kitchen and have a nice view of downtown and only pay few hundred dollars a month would be nearly impossible in the US.

For exercise, I usually do a little workout in the morning I have been doing for years. And nearly every evening before sundown my friend and I play Frisbee near the apartment. My friend has really improved since the first day we played. A lot of Chinese people pass us on the street as we play and seem very curious and interested in Frisbee as its not a sport or activity played at all in China. Matter of fact, we had to buy the Frisbee online because none of the stores around here sold them.

There are some international stores nearby and those have really helped me. I can buy things like cereal which I like to eat and even some taco sauce and pepper-jack cheese so I can make Mexican tacos, which I made for my friend. Life has been pretty nice this summer. However, I do need to start working regularly again soon. I prepared my resume and need to remember how to get myself into the job market. I have decided long-term that I want to be a website designer or media mogul, but a decent job would be good for the short-term.

Frisbee Trick! 玩飞盘

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

我很喜欢玩飞盘！

positive thoughts for July and my birthday 2009

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

Yesterday on the way home from the airport Vic and I stopped at the Town and Country farmers market . I just loved seeing all the beautiful fresh organic produce. I bought some wheatgrass green drinks and signed up for a bodytalk healing session. This turned out to be a very interesting process where I tried to relax and let my body talk to the practitioner. Heal any problems that might be blocking my best life . I am going back in two weeks and will have more to say in future posts.
I am hoping to get back on my healthy eating track now that my birthday is over and all our wonderful guests have gone home. I will be doing affirmations and get back with you soon.
Big love to all, may peace and joy find there way into your heart.

Dreaming of websites 网站梦想

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

我在认真地考虑考虑一个梦想的网站会怎么样....

China's Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

A small video I produced for my friend's Chinese class. 为朋友的中国历史课程做的视频...

The Getpowers chat room 得到力量网-聊天室

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

我的聊天室: http://www.getpowers.com/chat/

Fragrant Hills Park near Beijing 美丽的香山, 精彩的一天

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

美丽的香山, 精彩的一天

Chinese Noodle Maker Performs Tricks At Beijing Restaurant - 海底捞火锅

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

Chinese Noodle Maker Performs Tricks At Beijing Restaurant

在火锅饭馆，一个小伙子作面条，非常有意思的作法！

Guy Carries Huge Desk On Tiny Bicycle

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

Find Yourself - 寻找你自己

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

寻找你自己

My Day in LA - 洛杉矶, 丛山顶看城市, 看海

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

My first day back in the US in Los Angeles on the mountains and beach.我回美国第一天！在洛杉矶, 丛山顶看城市, 看海

Sledgehammer to the Nose!

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

Sledgehammer to the Nose!

Wakeboarding in Singapore

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

Taken at the beachside park in Singapore. The place is called Singapore 360.在新加坡海边公园拍的视频. 好像他们玩得很开心.

Spiderman Wannabe - Climbing the walls in Singapore

2022-11-11T16:53:44+08:00

Climbing rock walls at a practice facility in Singapore! This exercise is really tough if you don't have good technique, which I don't have. So the next day I woke up sore all over. However, despite the soreness and scratches, it was alot of fun! This sport helps you build confidence too. 我要成为蜘蛛侠！在新加坡一个练习攀岩运动的地方。很安全，也好玩。但是如果你的技术不好，以后你身体会很痛！

a beautiful day in June

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

Our weather in phoenix this June has been unseasonably mild and we have enjoyed drinking ice tea out on our patio all month.
I have been transferred to another store this week and I am very glad to announce that I feel more relaxed and comfortable in my new working environment.
I am always open to incorporating healthy eating ideas into my lifestyle. Recently I've discovered green smoothies as a great summer pick me up.They are an easy way to get lots of antioxidants into my diet and keep my body more alkaline.
Here is my recipe:
any combination of
Kale, spinach, parsley
1- banana
1- wedge of watermelon
water
I fill my blender with lots of greens then the banana and a few cubs of watermelon to sweeten. Then add water and blend. Amazingly this drink tastes great and is very filling .
Have a great day full of energy and happiness .
Let peace of mind abound in your life .

6 weeks and counting in Beijing

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

So I have been in China for a little over a month and a half, most of that time in the northern edge of Beijing, an area called Lishuiqiao. It feels more like the wild west in this part of Beijing. The streets are wide and dusty, the traffic chaotic, people everywhere going to and fro. That is a distinct feature of the eastern half of China where 90% of the Chinese population is located, it feels like there are people everywhere. You can't hardly go anywhere without seeing someone else.

It feels like a frontier town because everything is this area is relatively newly built, but not necessarily more modern or nicer. Its seems like people rushed to build up on the outskirts of town like a fevered gold rush during the boom around the Olympics. The contrasts of a modern shopping mall nearby surrounded new 30 story high rises, followed by tiny little brick housing left over from 30 years ago where some people line up to buy hot water.

Anyway, there have been some things that have struck me over the past few weeks, good and not so good, so I will be sharing them here. Here are some examples:

For example, Beijing transportation has improved. The subway and monorail system has gotten so much better in Beijing than before. I live near a very convenient station and it is much easier to get around town than my last stay when I often had to take the bus. The fair is still about the same, only 2 RMB per ride, that is about 25 cents. Still very cheap. Taking the bus is even cheaper.

However, I was shocked to see a new phenomena on the streets of China. There wer children literally, in the streets working. They would walk between lanes of traffic, going from window to window, passing out fliers or putting little cards into doors. Drivers hardly slowed down to avoid them.

I was dumbstruck to see this. I asked, how could people pay children to do such things, how could a society permit it? But I understand when some people are so poor, safety and education may not be above survival and eating. As everyone here tells me its not uncommon and that China is a developing country. When I see people struggle to survive here, it makes me treasure even more the opportunities for education and work so available and accessable in the US.

My Chinese website

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

My English blog doesn't get even a tenth of the attention or viewers my Chinese blog does today. I remember a few years ago the reaction people had when I just had an English blog about my life in China. A Chinese girl asked to see my blog and I gave her the web address. She said it looked nice but everything was in English and she felt it was too tiring to try and read it. Which left me sorely disappointed.

I am sure there are some Chinese who enjoy reading in English, but I learned something very important from that girl's reaction. First, Chinese people are quite interested in foreigners, but reading English can tiresome for them. I can completely understand this and have the same feelings about reading in Chinese. I am interested, but reading a Chinese newspaper article or blog can quickly drain a lot of mental energy.

I wanted to reach a Chinese audience with my websites, so I decided the best way to do it was to try and write a blog in Chinese. I took my first shot with a website called Xiaoxitian "Little Western Heaven" which was the name of the community I lived in, in Beijing. I created a nice background, added pictures, and did my best to explain a little about my life and the community.

The reaction from Chinese readers was not what I expected, but positive. I was concerned my poor writing would be a big turn off. But on the contrary, Chinese didn't seem to mind my Chinese writing, and seemed anxious to help me improve. Additionally, they said they really liked my unique perspective and thought my writing was funny and cute (maybe cute in the sense that my writing was more like a child's than an adult). Anyway, the reaction was very positive. However, one big problem at that time was the long load-up time in China of web pages from web servers in the US. Normally, a website should load up within a few seconds, but from servers in the US, load-up times in China could take 30 seconds or more, which made people give up rather than wait. I fortunately overcame this problem by finding a local web host in China, and www.getpowers.net was born. The Chinese you see there actually says De-dao Li-liang, which means "Get Powers" in Chinese. Below that it says, "A blog written in Chinese by a foreign friend"

There were more twists and turn to the story, and the website still needed (and still needs) a lot of work. But average daily viewership has hit a few dozen a day in China, which I truly believe could just be the beginning.

There are plenty of videos, music, and one-time articles made by foreigners using Chinese, but I have scoured the web for other blogs written in Chinese by foreigners and there are very very few. Most have either stopped or write rarely. I was surprised to discover the prime minister of Australia (a former diplomat to China) speaks perfect Chinese, he's quite amazing.

My goal is to keep writing and promoting my website. I just love how the web can leverage one man's work to reach so many 24 hours a day. I think that is the big attraction of the Internet for me. The ability of one person to reach so many in time and space, to be so accessible, to reach such a broad audience, so quickly.

When I realized a few years ago while living in China how often I would be asked the same questions, and found myself repeating the same answers again and again, I knew there was interest, but not enough of me. I only have a limited time in a day, a limited amount of voice to talk with before I go hoarse, a limited amount of energy, and a need to make money somehow. The Internet leverages your time and energy a seemingly infinite amount.

So my dream of a web-based business was born. Of course its still in development, but I have hope that with continued work, good things will happen. Since I have returned to China, I have been able to promote my site further and write more content relevant to Chinese, and have seen a boost in the number of viewers and hits. Time will tell how things go. If you are interested to read what I write about on my Chinese blog, but can't read Chinese, there is a Google Translate tool on the webpage that allows you to change it to English instantly.

my working out

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

I joined LA Fitness a fitness center near our home at the first of the year to help me get into better shape and build up my energy and stamina. At first i tried to go after work but i lost interest and the club was very crowded at that time making it hard to get on to the equipment I wanted to use. I still wanted to keep my membership and use it but i just never made it over there. Then on the first of April I made a decision to get up a half hour earlier in the morning and go work out before work.Now I go several times a week and I feel much better and I have more energy. I have lost a little weight and have added more resistance and speed to my workout .

This is my one month workout anniversary. I am very pleased with my progression and plan to keep going. I also plan to make more possitive changes to improve my life.

two salads

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

These are two of my all time favorite salads:
I make these all the time .they are fast and easy to make
Greek salad:
sliced tomatoes,red onion,cucumber, green bell peppers,kalamata olives and feta cheese
dressing:2/3 olive oil 1/3 lemon juice season salt and oregano to taste
toss
spring mix and fruit:
spring organic mixed lettuce , sliced strawberries and oranges ,cranraisins, kalamata olives and feta cheese, walnuts
dressing: equal parts olive oil,orange juice,rice vinegar
toss
Bon appetite

Back in Beijing

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Well, its back to Beijing. I had some trouble at the Singapore airport though on the way. They typically allow 50 Kilograms on long-haul flights, like LA to Tokyo, and I considered Singapore to Beijing the same. But I found out at the airport, all flights within in Asia are considered short-haul and only allow 20kg. So I had to negotiate with airline and basically beg them for a break. Otherwise I would have been 30kg overweight with my check-in luggage and pay more money than the cost of my ticket! I wasn't about to throw away my skateboard and guitar to get the weight down. I eventually got them down to just 10kg and paid that instead. I had to find a Internet Cafe and find my old e-ticket that proved I flew in from the US 6 months ago and that I would be returning to the US, which allows for more weight. What a pain in the butt.

Arriving in Beijing I got to see the new airport terminal they had built for the Olympic games. It was a massive glass and steel structure, very clean, well-designed and modern. Its nicer than the old terminal by far, but it takes a while to get around because its so big.

Also, once I got through customs I was not greeted by dozens of "heiche" drivers like before. Heiche means "black car" or illegal taxi. There used to be many of these drivers who would harass you as you get into the main lobby of the terminal. They supposedly charge less than a regular taxi, but if you are not sure what you are doing or where you are going, they could really rip you off. I used them before because I didn't know any better and learned the hard way.

But this time, they were all gone, and I went to a taxi stand where the taxis actually lined up. I just had a bit of bad luck in getting a taxi with a very grumpy driver who seemed like he just wanted to get his money and go home. I had him call my friend to tell him where to drop me off, and he dropped me off somewhere in that vicinity on the street, but I didn't know where. It was an embarrassing scene. Here is this foreign guy with all this luggage just standing on the sidewalk next to a busy street full of people. There wasn't another foreigner to be seen and I felt like all eyes were on me. I could feel the curious gazes.

Since I didn't have a phone I got some people on the street to call my friends and tell them where I was. Finally they came by car and picked me up. That taxi driver was really bad, he dropped me off about a block from where I was supposed to be.

My friends treated me to a giant Huoguo, literally "Hotpot" dinner that night. They take a pot that has a steel separator in the middle. They boil water on one side and spicy stuff on the other. You order all the noodles, meat and vegetables that you like and put them in the hotpot. If you like spicy, you put them on the spicy side of the pot. Once we got into the restaurant I could really smell the powerful aromas.

I ate a day's worth of food. I even ate a kind of tofu-like duck blood which looks like little red cakes. Actually it takes fine and is supposed to be good for you. I ate more than I wanted to, but when you are being treated its just polite to eat as much as you can of what's ordered.

My friend's also lent me a room to stay in. It was cozy and I can use the Internet, so I have was I needed. I can even see the Olympic stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest" from one of the windows. Its good to have friends in China.

The first thing I did the next day was go to the US embassy. I had only half a page left in my passport and needed to get more added. The US embassy does this for free if your passport is still valid for a few more years and you have less than a few pages left. The embassy compound is near Liangmaqiao on the east side of Beijing alongside many other embassies. There was a huge crowd of Chinese outside the building waiting for whatever reason. I was able to get straight in with my printed appointment letter and passport. They took care of me right away and was done within 30 minutes. I met some fellow Americans there, the first I had met in a long time.

I still have a lot of work to do. Extend my Chinese visa, find a apartment, find a job, etc, etc. Beijing is still cold in March, fortunately I brought a jacket with me.

Singapore - end of the line

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

As I can't go into details here, but due to lack of trust, I feel I can't stay with my current employer. The last couple of years have been a bad time to work in the financial industry. Sometimes I think I have a little bit of bad luck, because the last time I got into the industry was around the time the Internet bubble busted and sent stocks into a free fall. However it seems this is much worse. I fortunately should come out of this financially a little better than before, but mentally exhausted and motivation to work in the industry again spent. Going forward I will probably choose work that I enjoy than whatever pays well. If I could get this website business off the ground, that would be even better.

I feel like I am getting closer. I have figured out some technical items, learned to better promote, and getting better content. I was surprised when I created my Mixed Martial Arts website just how quickly that could get viewers. As well as the website on probability. My Chinese websites are also doing well. I feel like that is the direction I want to go in. I have always dreamed of building great websites that could make money. I am still working on it. I want the freedom, control, and ability for them to work for me 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You make a website once, it keeps working for you and doesn't stop. But maintaining it is hard work. You have to keep adding and adding to keep it relevant. That's why I am working on finding other writers.

Anyway, the end game between my employer and I has finally arrived. I had to work hard just to get what was due to me. Since the work situation has changed now, I will have to move on soon. I have an idea of where I want to go, but I am keeping my options open until I have committed to a certain direction.

Submit a Blog RSS or Atom Feed to Google - Ping Service

2022-11-15T21:51:33+08:00

After several minutes of searching, I finally found where you can submit a RSS or Atom feed to Google as to provide the leading seach engine with your website or blog's most up-to-date posts.

Simply go to: http://blogsearch.google.com/ping

And type in your feed's web address such as:

http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Getpowers

Ich bin Amerikaner

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

"Ich bin Amerikaner" means "I am American" in German. I love to say that, it sounds so cool. I feel like Arnold Swarchenegger when I say it. From the couple of books I bought on the German language and the flash cards, I have started learning German.

I have discovered its so much easier to start reading German than Japanese or Chinese mainly because reading a new word doesn't require memorizing a whole new Chinese character. The grammar is more complicated in German though. Chinese and Japanese grammar is much easier. Its funny, because Chinese uses the same word for "He", "She", and "It", everything is a "ta". That is easy to remember. Chinese has no feminine or masculine grammatical conjugations. In German, everything has a feminine or masculine tense or formal and informal one. But at least I can start reading right away. I just need to learn how to pronounce them correctly.

I think in today's world it must be easier to learn a language. There is so much material on the Internet available to start learning and applying your language skills. For learning Chinese, my favorite website is http://www.chinesepod.com/. I can also easily read the original story of Hansel and Gretel written in German on another website.

The only thing that holds me back from learning more and faster is my own energy level. Sometimes I am just to plain too lazy to pick up the flash cards and learn something. But once I get going, I usually will enjoy it. Also, I don't want to forget one language while learning another, so its important to try and review.

Singapore TV has a Chinese channel that I watch often. But sometimes I will just read the English subtitles rather than focus on listening to what is said. I suppose that really is not helpful except for getting used to the sound and rhythm of Chinese speakers.

When watching TV in a foreign language, not only do you have to listen and pay attention to what is said, figuring out what words were said, you also have to figure out what was the meaning of what they just said. That takes concentration.

One interesting thing is I feel I have overcome the various accent differences in Chinese. For example, Americans in New York and Atlanta both speak English, but may have different accents. Chinese speakers from different areas are the same. Just like I can understand what a New Englander or Southerner from the US says in English, I feel like I can pick up what a Chinese speaker says no matter where he or she is from, as long as they use Standard Chinese words. In some parts of China they use almost completely different languages, like Cantonese in Guangdong province, or Hokkien in Fujian Province. Those same people when speaking Standard Chinese usually have an local accent. This difference, I feel I have overcome. When I first started learning Chinese, the vast variety of accents confused me. My experience going to a university to learn Standard Chinese helped me recognize what standard pronunciation is supposed to be like. Its funny when Chinese people tell me my accent is very standard, compared to Chinese people from provinces who grow up with strong local accents.

I really look forward to going to China again in the future. And maybe, someday, I will be able to make use of learning German and even go to Europe.

New Year Some New Lessons for 2009

2022-10-08T07:32:45+08:00

Life is so amazing and unpredictable!!! Could anyone have believed we would be inaugurating Barack Obama president tomorrow and the Arizona Cardinals would be going to the super bowl.
This year I am starting the year off so right I am really excited. I am welcoming in January this year as employee of the month in a beautiful store surrounded with great people to work with. I joined LA fitness at a very low rate and have a long term plan for fitness and weight loss that is practical and sustainable. I am now full time at work and for the first time in a long time I feel safe financially. Last year I started taking my thyroid medicine again and taking vitamins regularly. I set up a savings account and a regular deduction from my pay check.Now I have a lot more energy and I have not been sick this year, it also feels great to have a little nest egg set aside in case on emergencies. Making some small decisions to improve my life last year have paid off for me and I have added a few new ones already this year that I am looking forward to pursing and enjoying.Life is going good for me now thanks to some easy simple and smart decisions. Happy New Year everyone.

New Activity

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Wow, its almost 2009 already! Since moving to Singapore, I first struggled to get started, but I feel more relaxed and stable over the past month or so.

I finished reading the last book of Harry Potter. The series is 7 books long and took me a awhile to completely finish, but I enjoyed them a great deal, expecially the last 3 books as the story became more intense, darker, and more challenging for Harry.

I have purchased several books over the past few months on many topics from Chinese History to Economics to Brain Teasers to How to pick up girls. But I really enjoyed Harry Potter for the escapism, the magical world, the challenges and heroism.

Besides Harry Potter, I have been playing alot of basketball lately. I found a outdoor court, where people of many nationalities come to play. The level of play is in the range of my ability, not too hard, not too easy. It really has become part of my regular routine to go to the court in the evenings and play games of 3 on 3, 4 on 4, or full court with the guys. Its hard to believe, here we are in late December and I am playing outdoor basketball, sweating like a pig in shorts and a t-shirt, but that is Singapore for you, hot and humid.

I have become a huge fan of Mixed Martial Arts. I read news and watch the events over the Internet. I liked it enough I just recently started a new website at www.getpowers.com/mma to share news, videos and such.

Finally, I also added a new section to my PresidentSeek.com website for videos. I will add the debates, nomination speeches, inaugration speech, and other related videos so people can look back at all the excitement of the election and upcoming presidency. I look forward to building the site up to be 100% ready for the 2012 election.

Americans under attack

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Somehow, I get the feeling America and Americans have become the some new symbol of repression. It seems people around the world hate Americans because they consider us to be arrogant, overbearing, loud, short-sighted, aggressive, and almost imperialist.

They see Americans as takers and not givers.

Recently, there were attacks on foreigners in India. The attackers wanted to find anyone who had US or British Passports. I told a friend about this, and she said, "But why the British?", which sounded to me like, Americans, oh that is understandable.

If some attacker with guns calling out Americans and British stepped up to me, I would do my best Danish impression, "I'm from Coppenhagen Denmark!" Why Denmark? Because I think few people can distinguish what a fake Danish accent sounds like.

Obviously, I don't believe America and Americans are all bad. Matter of fact, I think Americans have shown many times they are ready to step up in times of global crisis. The first to give in times of need around the world. The people you can count on when the going gets tough. Americans have done alot of good and the world takes that for granted.

How can America improve its image? How can America change the growing tide of negative attitudes towards it? A change of foreign policy is certainly in order. Does America need to have its finger in every pie? A decrease in our demand and consumption of the rest of the world's resources would be another improvement. Stop attacking places without reason or provocation would be a big step in the right direction. Help the rest of the world with medicine and technology where we are wanted without demanding a change in that country's culture and politics would make us look better. We need not bow to dictatorships and oppresive regimes, but we need to learn to show respect and genuinely try to understand other countries systems, values, cultures, and differences. Rather than demand improvement from other countries, improve our own country. Lead by example. Let others follow our lead if they so desire.

I hope these kinds of changes will improve America's image.

GetPowers.com Two Year Anniversary

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

I started GetPowers.com in October 2006. Previously, I had a little blog on Yahoo! GeoCities which I started in order to share pictures and stories from my stay in China, but I saw that Yahoo! kept putting their ads onto my website, partially blocking out the page and generally being annoying. I also wanted my own website, but I knew nothing about web hosting.
It was a cold Friday evening at Renmin University in October 2006 that changed my life. I was at English Corner, chatting away with some of the Chinese students. I met another foreigner there, a guy from South Africa, who was also visiting China. I asked him what he did there, and he explained to me that he was a writer and was making an income from his website. I was intriged, I had always been interested in making money on the Internet, how did he do it?

He said he didn't sell anything, simply he put ads on his website, and when people clicked on them, he could make a little money. Of course, I knew Yahoo! could make money by putting their ads on the website I made that was hosted by them. But how could I make money doing that? Would I have to find advertisers?

The South African man explained that you simply set up an account with Google's Adsense program, you get the programming code, you cut and paste it onto your website, then the ads just come up on your site. Of course the agreement with Google prohibits you from clicking on the ads on your own website, but if your vistors do, you can make a little money, and I do mean little. But with time and traffic, it adds up.

I really wanted to give it a try. I liked using the Internet, I already had my own website, so I thought lets give it a try and see what happens. I needed my own website though. I decided at first to use Yahoo! Webhosting, with a small fee, they would take off their annoying pop-up ads.
Then I had to rack my brains for a good website name. I wanted to think of something that was related to me, but unique and easy to remember. After a couple of days of brainstorming, I stumbled on "GetPowers". Like, if you want to get in touch with Mark Powers, just go to GetPowers.com! I contacted my family to ask what they thought, I wanted to make sure it was not to corny of an idea. They said it sounded alright and was easy to remember. Additionally, the domain name was still available. Nowadays its harder and harder to find website names that are not already taken. Soon, GetPowers.com was mine!

I immediately went to work. The thought of trying to make some money inspired me to try to make my online journal look better and add interesting content. Things were working great for the first 3 months, I was very pleased. I was getting lots of visitors from the US and China, and actually making money, enough to pay off the cost of the domain name and webhosting at least.
But then a series of disasters befell my website.

At the beginning of the new year, an Earthquake near Taiwan knocked out the trans-Pacific cables that linked the Internet from Asia to North America. My website was inaccessable for weeks, and even when Internet traffic was rerouted and generally restored, it seemed my website was still very slow to upload to most of the visitors in China.

Additionally, a website forum that I spent alot of time working on that started to take off was being attacked by Spam robots. These "robots" would visit my website and automatically post garbage messages onto the forum to visit their bad websites and buy their junk. I was spending more time deleting junk messages than actually writing new posts. And with the lost visitors from the earthquake disruption, I nearly gave up. It was too much trouble for too little in return.

Later, I discovered the Great Chinese Firewall of Censorship was blocking out Yahoo! servers. If any website on Yahoo! servers got blocked for having material that was illegal in China, all the websites on that server got blocked. Of course, that could be thousands or websites. Even after the Internet was restored in general, my website would often load very slowly or not at all. When I contacted Yahoo! about it, they told me about their problems with working in China. I only wish I would have know about that earlier and used another webhosting company!

In 2007 I returned to the states. I still dreamed of doing something special on the Internet, but was unsure how to do it. I forgot to mention, just before coming to the states, I was finally able to find a trustworthy webhosting company in China. The cost was reasonable, and at least, the speed and reliabilty to have a website hosted in China was comforting. So, GetPowers.net was born. A website in Chinese for Chinese people, accessable in China.

I also decided to spend the extra money and start working with a superior webhosting company in the US as well. I picked Dreamhost.com, smaller but by far better than Yahoo! but maybe a little more difficult to use than Yahoo! webhosting for beginners.

I created several webpages under the GetPowers.com name that were of interest to me. Such as alternative energy investing, determining probabilities, and funny pages.

I also picked up some ideas about different website topics that I could make like teaching English and politics. I created findenglishteacher.com and presidentseek.com. These websites are not blogs, but more like specialty topic websites. Recently, I even started a new website about foreigners in China called littlechinaworld.com.

I ended up making more money by building websites for other people or creating videos to put on websites than I ever made with web advertising. But I have not given up and I still have a few ideas up my sleave.

Change is in the air....

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Here is a great news article from Yahoo! news :Iraqis have money but lack know-how in spending it What's really funny is that the problem is the Iraqi government has money, but is having trouble spending it. SO... the US Government is sending advisers over there to help them out. I can imagine many you see the irony in this.

I don't want my blog to be a political platform, so I will refrain from further elaborating, but what a problem to be in, "too much money". From the news I read nowadays, it seems there is a lot of fear out there about the direction of the economy, and rightly so.

Singapore is technically in a recession. The economic growth went backwards again in the last quarter, a whopping negative five percent! A recession is defined as two quarters of negative growth. The US looks headed in that direction. Despite Singapore having a relatively strong financial base compared to other SE Asian countries, the Singapore dollar has been weakening against the US dollar. It seems that even though the US is ground zero for the credit crunch and economic turmoil, people believe the US Dollar is still a safer place to be than currencies of small and developing nations.

Though I live in Singapore, I miss China quite a bit. To alleviate my feelings I bought a couple books on China recently. One book, called "China - Land of Emperors and Dragons" was a brief history of China from the first dynasty of a unified China (Qin Dynasty) through the present. Though I've read books on Chinese history before, the events and people are so interesting and dramatic, and the turmoil, the battles, the heroes and ladies, the fools and betrayals.... no comic book or movie could capture it all. I think that is what many western tourists are looking for when the visit China today. Glimpses of that amazing past.

I hurts me though to read the terrible role westerners played in Chinese history in the last century. From forcing the Chinese to import opium, to blackmailing the emperors, to having western armies ride roughshod into Beijing and destroying some the China's greatest palaces, and outright thievery as some westerners stole and looted Chinese historical treasures is truly shameful. It reminds me in a way of how the Europeans came to Americas and brazenly killed and removed the natives for their treasure and land.

I truly believe China was in for the same fate if they didn't stand up for themselves. I can sympathize with periods in Chinese history where they wanted the foreigners out of their country and wanted to be self-sufficient. However, history has shown that doesn't work very well.

One of my favorite lines from Chinese literature comes from the first sentences in the first paragraph in the Three Kingdoms, a Chinese masterpiece written centuries ago...

"The world under heaven, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of union, tends to divide. This has been so since antiquity."

Chinese history is the history of the rise and fall of kingdoms and dynasties in Far East Asia. I guess that citizens of the Roman Empire or the Tang Dynasty, great empires in history, could hardly imagine their civilizations would fall and new ones reborn on their ashes. It makes me wonder about the world today, are we in the midst of a great destruction of a society giving birth to new one which will take its place? Maybe not a wholesale destruction, but maybe in bits and pieces. This change seems to take place violently, if not in weapons, then in some form, maybe even money, or stocks and bonds. I watch the world with bated breath.

Lose those unwanted love handles the Singapore way!

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Singapore Style Trim & Fit Plan
Annoyed by fatty flabs that just won't go away around your mid-section? Now you can sweat them off - Singapore style! Forget about the Atkins diet, South Beach diet. Forget about exercise and eating right, pills and other weight loss gimmicks. You can lose those unwanted pounds even while you're sleeping in Singapore, the heat and humidity will melt those unwanted love handles right off your body.

Singapore's unique location in the world, near the equator and surrounded by water allow for the ideal weight loss environment. With year round heat and humidity, you'll be sweating away excess fat in no time! For maximum weight loss potential be sure to turn off your air conditioner. Better yet, just go outside and walk around the block. Once you see and feel your sweat soaked clothes, you'll know just how effective the Singapore Style Trim & Fit Plan really is!

Testimonial:
Mark Powers, originally from the US, arrived in Singapore just recently. What does he have to say?

Mark: I used to be a health nut, watching what I eat and doing exercise, but it required a lot of work and discipline. Now, I can just walk to the store and sweat off at least a pound on the way, and another two pounds back carrying the bags! Sometimes I can just sweat standing around waiting for the train or bus! Thanks Singapore!

We're so sure you'll be satisfied with your new Singapore Style Trim & Fit Plan, we will give you a new convenient Travel Towel! Take it with you wherever you go, to wipe away the pounds as they come off your body!

The Macabre Box of Short Stories - By Jason Epple - Available Now!

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Interview with Jace

My best buddy from way back in 2nd grade in elementary school, Jason Epple, has authored a book! A real, 100+ pages book, ready for purchase online right now. Jason, who worked his tail off in California, first as a struggling musician, and then later as struggling student trying to get his degree in education so he could become a teacher, wrote in his extra time. I think he wrote a lot as a form of therapy, but in our difficult and darkest hours, if we let our minds go, we can unleash amazing amounts of creativity. I think that was what happened to Jason. When he wasn't substitute teaching for some of the toughest schools in the country, inner-city Los Angeles schools, or preparing for his university classes at night, he wrote stories to blow off steam. He said he couldn't tell where the inspiriation or passion for these stories came from, but he couldn't stop from writing them down. He wrote one story after another. The story topics were dark and mysterious, but thought provoking and memorable.

I had just started my website business and invited Jason to write stories that we could put online. Jason first wrote some stories for the website, but soon discovered he had enough good stories that he could put them together and publish a book. He went about copyrighting his work and finding a online publisher. Every step along the way, we talked about his progress and what to do next.

I invested in Jason's efforts and remade Jason's website to just show a couple of sample stories, introduce Jason and get people to buy the new book online. Jason had to go through numerous editings, read-throughs, get a cover design (which came out great!), while finding a way to pay for professional proof-reading and publishing services with a reputable firm. And now finally, Jason's long-awaited book is online and available for sale!! I admit, I'm so excited because I have talked with him and encouraged him to write his stories. I feel like I did play a small role in the new book's development and arrival, so I am also thrilled to see it go into the world. I have built the new website for the book and I hope you will take a look, and maybe even buy a copy!

Please visit www.macabrebox.com

Saying goodbye to Hawaii

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

Due to work, the time to leave Hawaii has come. I'll be heading to the exotic, international, and leading financial center of Asia, Singapore.

I expect that there will be plenty of things to learn and new experiences. I have some butterflies in my stomach, but at this point, there is no choice but to move forward.

My good friend took me out for a farewell meal. Though I had a choice of a variety of foods, I just wanted a big burger. Who knows the next
time I'll get to eat one of those.

I would have liked a bit more time to swim in the ocean and really soak in the beauty and environment of Hawaii before I go, but time is short and have to move quickly.

At least in Singapore, I should have some interesting and fun things to write about and take pictures of. I have often thought of creating a travel blog, full of wonderful images and interesting articles. I believe that Singapore will offer plenty of opportunities for that.

Skiing - Singapore Style

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

First, to get around Singapore, I needed some transportation. The MRT trains and subways are convenient, but I can't easily get down to the beach from the station. Skateboarding is nice, but my knee acts up if I go a long distance, so I bought a new bicycle yesterday. I had to ask around where is a good place to buy a bicycle in Singapore and was recommended to go to the Parkway Parade Shopping Centre. Notice that "Center" is spelled "Centre" here, must be British English. Anyway, on the top floor is a store called Giant, kind of like Singapore's version, albeit smaller, of Walmart. I found the bike section and tested out several bikes in the store. No one gave me any crap around riding in the store, and even a cute girl smiled at me.

Anyway, I chose the best and cheapest (call it a value?) bike I could find. A red framed S$98 off-road econo-bike. I rode it through check-out and took it home, not without getting lost on the way in Singapore's crazy street system.

I must mention for a moment here, some cities like Beijing and Phoenix have great street systems, well thought out, with all the roads running north-south, east-west, very easy to understand. Tokyo and Singapore on the other hand, with their constantly curving and diagonal streets, confuse the heck out of me. Especially when I pop out of a train station, I usually am totally lost. Even having a map in hand is not always enough to prevent me from getting lost. Come to Singapore and see what I mean.

Anyway, I took my new bike and camera to Singapore's lovely beach park today. With its clean, wide bike and walking paths, lush trees and flowers, and plenty of recreation equipment, I think I will be heading over there quite a bit. Today, I even discovered a small lake for doing water-skiing and wakeboarding! There is no boat involved, simply a cable system erected around the lake and people hold onto the cable and are pulled around as if behind a boat. I took this video because it looked so fun.

The bike path never seems to end. I wonder if it goes around the island. Unfortunately, I wasn't using any sunscreen and could feel my skin turning beat red and decided to head home.

Skating through Singapore

2022-11-17T09:44:17+08:00

One pleasant thing about Singapore is that the local beach park is very nice. It runs all along the east coast of the island, and stretches from the shore to the freeway, at least a football field in length full of grass and trees. There are smooth walking and bike paths, BBQ pits and exercise equipment, and places to wade into the water, with life-saving emergency equipment set up next to the beaches. There are several park custodians who trim bushes, pick up trash, and take care of the park. Its very clean despite all the visitors, a hallmark of Singapore.

I visited on a Sunday, and the bike and foottrails where full of people of all ages on roller-blades, bikes, and some funny new shoes that have springs on them. Actually, I saw people walk and run around on these things, but they seemed more uncomfortable and unstable then if they were just walking. The people didn't seem like they were moving around any faster, rather they looked like they would fall down in a second if they bumped into anything.

I went there with my long-skateboard (which looks exactly like the picture on the left). Its about double the size of typical skateboard and used for going long distances rather than tricks. I rode along the bike path, weaving around, people watching and being watched. Of course, I was the only person in the whole park with such a skateboard, and as I flew by, I stood out from the crowd.

I can do one trick, a kind-of skateboard pop-a-wheelie. I kick the back of the board and let the front rise up and roll along on just the back wheels. Its always fun to hear little kids yell out as I go along "Woooow! A Skateboard!"

Of course, I see mostly Asians in Singapore. I can't really tell their nationality by their looks. Most people look anything like from Indian to Chinese to Indonesian and everywhere in between. I hear alot of people speak Chinese dialects.

Singapore Languages:
Mandarin (35%), English (23%), Malay (14.1%), Hokkien (11.4%), Cantonese (5.7%) and other Chinese dialects (source: Worldatlas.com). Hokkien is spoken in Fujian province of China. Its like a different language, hardly resembling Mandarin at all. Cantonese is spoken throughout Southern China, particularly Guangdong Province and Hong Kong. Like Hokkien, its sounds like a different language from Mandarin, though they use traditional Chinese characters in writing.

I visited the Chinese Cultural Center in Singapore a week back and saw that many Chinese immigrated to Singapore over the past 100 years, under threat of death, (illegal immigration meant execution 100 years ago) to escape poverty and hardship in their native country.

I have to remember that many of these people maybe of Chinese, Malay, or Indian ancestry, but they are Singaporean. Just like in the states, we have people immigrate from all over, but they become Americans. I think many Singaporeans take pride in their citizenship like we do in the states. They owe their allegiances to Singapore, not the country of their ancestors. Just like I owe my allegiance to the US, not any European country where my ancestors came from.

As I skate along at the park, I turn into a sweaty mess. I'm a little embarrassed, but I take off my shirt and show my white untanned skin to this world of Asians. I'm sure the reflection of intense sunlight temporarily blinds many of them.

Besides a few pot bellies on the men, most Asians are slim. Even the overweight people look slim. Yet, among the younger generation there are a few kids who could use some exercise and reduce their McDonalds intake. At 6 feet tall, though about average in the states, I'm taller and wider than most people here. I have not done any clothes shopping yet, but typically I cannot find shirts with shoulder lengths long enough for me in Asia.

Do Asians use deodorant? I have not attempted any serious smell tests on people, but I hardly have ever seen Speed-Stick or Arrid Extra-Dry sold in stores like we have in the US. Matter of fact, Asian stores usually have some wet oily deodorants, that seem to me, would make things worse under your arms rather than better. And the package is so small you'd have to wipe with that thing several times to make sure you were covered. Maybe in Asia, a little dab will do ya'.

As I skate home, I cross the bridge over the freeway. The sign reads "Do not ride on the overpass, Penalty $1000" Another hallmark of Singapore, signs and fines. It seems to work though, every person who gets to the overpass steps off their bike and walks their bike across.

GetPowers Website Network

VR English 免费帮助你学习日常实用英语的APP快去下载吧

虚拟现实英语会话

我做了故事接龙的案桌软件，免费下载

故事接龙网 – 可以选择你自己的冒险路线

外国人怎么看中国人用手机

My beautiful life during the lovely month of May!

希望中国人在环境的方面可以提高素质

看图识字，提高你的英文词汇量，看看卡片英语

推荐玩玩故事接龙

呼吸不了！上海的空气污染太严重了！

美国信息的网站

A Wonderful Life

Loving life in 2012

plans for the new year

Loving Life in my 60s

A New Decade 2010

Mark and Hannah Dog at the Great Bark Dog Park in Colorado

Summer in Beijing 2009

Frisbee Trick! 玩飞盘

positive thoughts for July and my birthday 2009

Dreaming of websites 网站梦想

China's Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square

The Getpowers chat room 得到力量网-聊天室

Fragrant Hills Park near Beijing 美丽的香山, 精彩的一天

Chinese Noodle Maker Performs Tricks At Beijing Restaurant - 海底捞火锅

Guy Carries Huge Desk On Tiny Bicycle

Find Yourself - 寻找你自己

My Day in LA - 洛杉矶, 丛山顶看城市, 看海

Sledgehammer to the Nose!

Wakeboarding in Singapore

Spiderman Wannabe - Climbing the walls in Singapore

a beautiful day in June

6 weeks and counting in Beijing

My Chinese website

my working out

two salads

Back in Beijing

Singapore - end of the line

Submit a Blog RSS or Atom Feed to Google - Ping Service

Ich bin Amerikaner

New Year Some New Lessons for 2009

New Activity

Americans under attack

GetPowers.com Two Year Anniversary

Change is in the air....

Lose those unwanted love handles the Singapore way!

The Macabre Box of Short Stories - By Jason Epple - Available Now!

Saying goodbye to Hawaii

Skiing - Singapore Style

Skating through Singapore