food

WHY CAT IS NOT IN THE TWELVE SYMBOLIC ANIMALS?

2010-01-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

WHY CAT IS NOT IN THE TWELVE SYMBOLIC ANIMALS ?

The 12 zodiac animal signs (shenxiao), are in order, the rat, ox (or Cow), tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog and pig (or boar). There are many legends to explain the beginning of the zodiac.

One of the most popular reads, in summarised form, as follows:

The rat was given the task of inviting the animals to report to the JADE EMPEROR for a banquet to be selected for the zodiac signs. The cat was good friend of the rat, but the rat tricked him into believing that the banquent was the next day. The cat slept through the banquet, thinking that is was the next day.

When he found out, the cat vowed to be the rat's natural enemy for age to come.

A variation tells that the cat had asked the rat to wake him up the day of the Race. The rat agreed, but on the said day, he did not wake the cat in his greed to win. When the cat finally woke up and got to the racing ground, he found the race to be over. The cat than swore upon the rat.

Rats are ruthlessly, power-hungry, vindictive, and MACHIAVELLIAN.

YEAR OF THE TIGER 2010

2010-01-13T04:17:00.000-08:00

YEAR OF THE TIGER 2010

The Tiger is the third in the Chinese zodiac, line-up and correlates to the sign of GEMINI, an air sign which corresponds to symbolism of diversity, constant activity and intellectual superiority.

In China, the tiger is considered the KING OF ALL BEASTS and represents powerful energy. Further, the tiger is associated with TSAI SHEN YEH, the Chinese God of Wealth, and this god is usually seen sitting on a tiger in Asian Art.

The Tiger is powerful because it strength comes from both lunar and solar sources (symbolically). It is at once mystical and magical in lunar light-as well as commanding and authoritative by solar shine.

Stealth, Duality, Royalty strength, intellectual prowess, strategy, watchfulness, shapeslifting,

supernatural powess courage, Herois, Determination.

THE LANTERN FESTIVAL

2010-01-10T04:30:00.000-08:00

THE LANTERN FESTIVAL

The 15th day of the first lunar month is the traditional Lantern Festival (YUANXIAO IN CHINESE). The name comes from the fact that the first lunar month is also called YUANYUE and XIAO means night. The night of the 15th day of the first lunar month marks the appearance of the first full moon.

It's a tradition to admire lanterns at the festival. The custom started from the Han Dynasty, and has a history of more than 2,000 years. On the night, every place is decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers and there is a bustling atmosphere. As night falls, people go in crowds to admire the colorful lanterns: palace lanterns, wall lamps, figure lanterns, flower lanterns, revolving horse lanterns, animal lanterns, and toy lanterns, of all hues and colors, forming a sea of flickering light and color. Some lanterns have riddles on them, which encourage people to compete to find the answer.

It is also a traditional custom to eat rice dumplings at this time. As early as the Song Dynasty over 1,000 years ago, there was such kind of food. The rice dumpling is a round ball of glutinous rice flour filled with a stuffing made of sugar and different kernels. After it is boiled, it is very fragrant, sweet and tasty. Since it is eaten on the Lantern Festival, people call it "YUANXIAO". The Chinese people hope that everything is satisfactory ("YUANMAN" in Chinese), and to eat rice dumplings on the first night witha full moon in a year is to wish that family members will remain united, harmonious, happy and satisfied.

THE SPRING FESTIVAL

2010-01-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

THE SPRING FESTIVAL

The first day of the first lunar month is the New Year in the Chinese lunar calendar. Among the traditional Chinese festivals, this is the most important and the most bustling. Since it occurs at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, people also call it the Spring Festival.

Chinese have many traditional customs relating to the Spring Festival. Since the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, people start to prepare for the event. It was the day to offer sacrifices to the kitchen god in olden times. Every family will undertake thorough cleaning, do their Spring Festival shopping, create paper-cuts for window decoration, put up New Year pictures, write Spring Festival couplets, make New Year cakes, and also prepare all kinds of food to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new. The New Year pictures are those put up in the room for a happy and festive atmosphere when Chinese people spend the Spring Festival. The New Year cake, made of glutinous rice flour, is a kind of food for the Spring Festival, meaning "higher year after year".

New Year's Eve is the time for a happy reunion of all family members, when they sit around the table to have a sumptuous New Year'sd Eve dinner, talking and laughing, until daybreak, which is called "staying up to see the year out". When the bell toils midnight on New Year's Eve, people eat dumplings. In ancient time, midnight was called ZISBI (a period of the day from 11p.m. to 1 a.m.). Dumplings (JIAOZI) are eaten because it sounds the same as "change of the year and the day" in Chinese.

From the first day of the lunar year, people pay New Year calls on relatives and friends, which is an important custom for the Spring Festival.

Setting off friecrakers is the favorite activity of children in the Spring Festival. According to legend, this could drive off evil spirits. The continuous sound of firecrackers can be heard everywhere, adding to the atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity.

Many places hold temple fairs. The wonderful dragon lantern dance and the lion dance performances, along with various handicraft articles and local snacks attract thousands of people

With the development of the times, some changes have taken place in the customs of spending the Spring Festival. For example, to prevent environmental pollution, many cities have banned firecrackers. But this does not have an impact on the happy atmosphere of the festival. On New Year's Eve, family members get together to have dinner while watching TV programs.

For Chinese at home and abroad, the Spring Festival is always the most importan festival.

FIRST TIME EVER IN THE WORLD, A GRAND SYMPHONY OF A 1000 SITARISTS

2009-12-30T05:54:00.000-08:00

FIRST TIME EVER IN THE WORLD, A GRAND SYMPHONY OF A 1000 SITARISTS- BY RAAGH BAGESHWARI VIDEO

21st Nov, 2008 NCR Delhi, India BRAHM NAAD, for the first time ever in the world - a grand symphony of a 1000 sitarists, was conceived by Art of living founder and spiritual guru. His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.. Sri Ravi Shankar Art of living BRAHM NAAD Grand Symphony 1000 sitarists Sitar Indian Classical Music India Raag Gandharva Veda Rhythm Harmony Culture Historic Event Concert Bageshwari One Thousand Sitars Guiness World Record Records.

I have seen the largest orchestral score ever wirtten. It requires and enormous orchestra, 3 choruses and solosits to be performed. It comes to a total of over one-thousand musician. But 1000 sitarists Indian Classical Music. Fantastic performance.

A THOUSAND SYMPHONY NO.8 BY MAHLER

2009-12-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

A THOUSAND SYMPHONY NO.8 BY MAHLER

Why it is called a thousand symphony?

This is probably the lartest orchestral score ever written. It requires an enormous orchestra, 3 choruses and soloists to be performed. So it should come as no surprise to anyone why this work is seldom staged. Once you have all the necessary ingredients: it comes to a total of over one-thousand musician (orchestral and vocal forces combined). A very poignant point: Mahler never called this work "The Symphony of a thousand"; it was music critic who first made note of this fact. However and with all being said: when Mahler first conducted the work in Munich in 1910, there were more than one-thousand musicians on the stage.

Here it the video of a thousand symphony no. 8 by Mahler.

TONSILLITIS SURGERY

2009-12-29T11:37:00.000-08:00

TONSILLITIS SURGERY

A tonsillectomy is a 2,000 year-old.
1. Surgical procedure in which the tonsils and removed from either side of the throat. The precedure is performed in resporise to causes of repeated occurrence of acute tonsillitis or adenoidtis, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal airway obstruction, snoring, or peritonsillar abscess. Sometimes the adenoids are removed at the same time, a procedure called adenoidectomy. Although tonsillectomy is being performed less frequently than in 1950, it remains one of the most common surgical procedures in children in the United states.

I have been having a case of chronic swollen tonsils and what feel like slightly swollen nodes directly above where you would check your pulse on your neck and below the jaw. Some white spot on the tonsil.

Sometime swelling of lymph nodes. Usually it swell both side in my case the right side is swelling. The Dr. say is better to removed it.

BASSOON INSTRMENT

2009-10-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

BASSOON INSTRMENT

The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 1800, the bassoon figures prominently in orchstral, concert band and chamber music literature. The bassoon is a non-transposing instrument known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, variety of character, and agility. Listeners often compare its warm, dark reedy timbre to that of a male baritone voice.

HAWAIIAN GUITAR

2009-10-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

HAWAIIAN GUITAR

UKULELE a small four-stringed guitar that developed in Hawaii in the 19th century from the Portuguese *machete, which was brought there by sailors. It is a different instrument, however, from the HAWAIIAN GUITAR. Shaped much like classical guitar but only half as large, the ukulele has four strings, today usually of nylon, and a fingerboard provided with frets. The strings, usually tuned either A D F# B or G C E A, are plucked with the fingers or with a small plectrum. The ukulele is used almost wholly to accompany the singing of popular songs or folk songs. Music for ukulele is often written in a kind of tablature that consists of a drawing of the fingerboard, showing the stopping positions required to produce the desired chords. It is used in dance music and is closely related to the *banjo.

THE LONE RANGER ON THE ACCORDION; UNBELIEVABLE

2009-10-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

THE LONE RANGER ON THE ACCORDION; UNBELIEVABLE.

What is an accordion instrument?
A musical instrument that consists of two bowlike boards connected by a folding bellows. The player hangs the instrument around his neck. The board near his right hand is fitted with a keyboard like that of a piano, on which he plays melody notes; the board near his left hand has buttons for playing chords and bass notes. Inside the boards are pairs of flat, flexible tongues, called reeds. Each reed vibrates and sounds a single tone whose pitch depends on the reed's length and thickness. Opening and closing the bellows creates a flow of air that makes the reeds vibrate and therefore produce a sound. One of each pair of reeds sounds when the bellows are pushed together, and the other sounds when they are drawn apart. The keys and buttons open valves to admit air to the desired pairs of reeds. In some accordions the two reeds of a pair are tuned to sound adjacent tones of the chromatic scale (C and C-sharp, for example), so that one note sounds when the bellows are pushced and a different onw when they are pulled. In most modern accordions, however, the two reeds of pair are tuned to the same tone.

I played the accordion during my school time. I enjoyed playing. Sometime when i am free i still played it.

JANISSARY MUSIC

2009-09-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

JANISSARY MUSIC

A type of late eighteenth-century band music that used some of the percussion instruments employed by the military band of the Janissary, the life guards of the Sultan of Turkey. Among these instruments were the triangle, cymbals, bass drum, and Turkish crescent. Their sound, considered very exotic, became quite fashionable in Europe about 1780 and was imitated by serious composers.

JANISSARY COMPANY.
Meheter, the oldest marching band in the world.

STRING QUARTET

2009-09-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

STRING QUARTET

A performing group of 4 instrumentalists where the instruments are unspecified (e.g. Amadeus Quartet) a string quartet is assumed - 2 violins, viola, cello.

ORCHESTRA

2009-09-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

STRINGS INSTRUMENTS

PIANO

HARPS

PERCUSSION

BRASS

WOODWIND

ORCHESTRA

A numerous mixed body of instrumentalists. As a more or less stable institution, the orchestra originated in early 17th-century opera, being afterwards contiunally modified (obsolete instruments being replaced by new ones), enlarged, and re-systematized. So SYMPHONAY ORCHESTRA, standard, large orchestra of 19th and 20th centuries, able to play symphonies, etc.- as opposed e.g. to chamber orchestra (small size) or STRING ORCHESTRA (strings only). The term THEATRE ORCHESTRA customarily indicates not an opera orchestra (which is ideally of 'SYMPHONIE' size) but a smaller orchestra used for musicals, etc., commonly including saxophones. A combination of wind instruments only, or any combination for dancing to, is commonly called not an orchestra but a band - the occasional 20th century used of DANCE ORCHESTRA being pretentious. Not that PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, unlike symphony orchestra. Although composers may vary boththe kind and numbers of instruments used (variety being especially noticeable in the percussion setion), the forces standardized by the requirements of 20th-century (and late 19th-century) symphonic music are:

(a) woodwind: 3 flutes, 1 doubling piccolo.

3 oboes, 1 doubling English horn.

3 clarinets, 1 doubling bass clarinet.

3 bassoons, 1 doubling double-bassoon.

(b) brass: 4 (sometimes 6) horns.

3 trumpets.

3 trombones (2 tenor, 1 bass).

1 tube.

(c) percussion: 3 kettledrums (1 player). Snare-drum, bass-drum,m cymbals, gong, trinangle, xylophone, vibraphone, etc. (2 or more players).

(d) unclassified: 2 harps.

1 piano.

(e) strings: first violins (about 14).

second violins (about 14).

violas (about 12).

cellos (about 10).

double -bassese (about 8).

NO MORE ACHECS IN YOUR JOINTS!

2009-09-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

NO MORE ACHES IN YOUR JOINTS!

You still taking others join supplements?
Exclusive Formulation + Patent Certifications = Security.
Derived from BioCell Technology LLC, California USA; Patent is related to microRNAs process technology to extract Type II Collagen; and obtain 3 types of US Patents: Process, Formula, and Production.

BIOCELL COLLAGEN: File
A common collagen is a large molecule, those molecular mass is 1,500,000 Dalton, and the molecular mass of Type II Collagen is only 1500 Dalton, which is 1000 times smaller than a common collagen. As a result, the absorption rate of Type II Collagen is higher and with a better effect.

EXCLUSIVE AND EFFICACIOUS DELIVERY SYSTEM
1. Crab shell extract.
2. Mucopolysaccharide.
3. Collagen.
4. Trace element.

Exclusive and Efficacious Delivery System Joint Cartilage.

Which stage are you now?
1. Muscle Weakness * CAUTION.
2. Aches * Do not hesitate.
3. Inflammation * It's awful. What are you waiting for?
4. Deformity * It' about to have an operation.
5. Joint Replacements * Needs long-term health care.

PLEASE DO THE SELF-EXAMINATION RIGHT NOW!
Examination for aches or discomfort.
1. (A) Leg aching or discomfort while moving on the bed during your bed time.
1 point ( ).
(B) Leg aching or discomfort even you are not moving on the bed during your
bed time. 2 points ( ).
2. (A) Stiffness and aching problem on your legs when you wake up in the morning
and it will last for not more than 15 minutes. 1 point ( ).
(B) Stiffness and aching problem on your legs when you wake up in the morning
and it will last for at least 15 minutes. 2 points ( ).
3. The longer you stand, the more painful you feel in the poeriod of 30 minutes.
1 point ( ).
4. Pain at lower body when you stand up from a seat without any assistance by hand.
1 point ( ).

EXAMINATION FOR WALKING DISTANCE

5. (A) more than 1 km (without limitation of time) 1 point ( ).
(B) 15 minutes for 1 km 2 points ( ).
(C) 8-15 minutes for 500 to 900 meters 3 points ( ).
(D) 300 to 500 meters 4 points ( ).
(E) 100 to 300 meters 5 points ( ).
(F) less than 100 meters 6 points( ).

ASSESSMENT FOR DAILY MOVEMENT OF JOINT.

EASY DIFFICULT IMPOSSIBLE
0 point 1 point 2 points
climb up 1 stair.
walk down 1 stair.
able to squat.
walking on rough road.

RESULT
If you got 2 points, you might suffer from osteoarthritis.
If you got 3 points, you may be need to take a medical treatment immediately.
If you got 4 points and above you are suffer from osteroarthritis and your livelihood is affected by osteoarthritis

THE NEW FIELD OF JOINT MAINTENANCE - Nimble Plus (NP).
We are not only lubricate and protect your joints, we are also protect and regulate four main systems such as skeletal system, the joint, muscular system as well as nervous system to achieve optimal joint health.

Arthritis is not a disease just because of degenerative cartilage. In fact, it will affect other system such as muscular, nervous and skeletal system., We need to regulate and restore all these systems in order to get rid of arthritis problem and towards opotimal health.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NP is based on the above principle. Therfore, NP helps to prevent osteoporosis (OA), a form of degenerative joint disease as well as osteoporosis. NP provides the best, fastest and most complete regulation and protection compare to other products with the same category.

NP not only lubricates your joints, on the other hand it helps to regulate.....
Bone health,
Nerve transmission,
Joint lubrication,
Muscle contraction,

COMMON TREATMENTS IN THE MARKET:

1. Antibiotic: a substance that prevents inflammation, but sometimes causes
the complication in the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Anodyne (Steroid): used to relieve pain, but pain may occour after stop taking
it;long-term usage may lead to a gastric ulcer, a moon-like face, and so on.
3. Glucosamine: improve the joints' lubrication, but mostly it may be destroyed by
Gastric acid and the absorption rate is about 10% only.
4. Hyaluronan (Injection); helpos to lubricate the joints, making them work more
smoothly. It is a 5 weeks treatment, an injection every week, and it is not
allowed to take more than two treatments in a year.

VENUE : EPF TOWER
DATE : Every Wednesday 3pm
Every Thursday 8 pm.

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ANDRE RIEU & 3 YEAR OLD VIOLINIST, AKIM CAMARA 2005

2009-09-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

ANDRE RIEU & 3 YEAR OLD VIOLINIST, AKIM CAMARA 2005.

Akim plays Concerto G major op.11 with the Johan Strauss Orchestra.

Concerto means a composition for one or more solo instruments and orchestra, in which the parts of the soloist and of the orchestra are about equal in importance. Occasionally composers have written a concerto for orchsetra alone, in which they contrast different instruments much as soloist and orchestra are contrasted in the solo concerto.

Violin is a great toy for child

2009-09-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

VIOLIN IS A GREAT TOY FOR CHILD

The technique of playing a stringed instrument with a bow, the most important of such modern instruments being the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. There are many ways of using a bow, some of which are indicated in scores by special signs. The two most important are down-bow, which indicates that the bow arm moves away from the body (from left to right), and up-bow, which indicates that the bow arm moves toward the body (from right to left). In general, the down-bow is used on accented notes and the up-bow on unaccented notes.

VIOLIN GENIUS JENNY JIN 3 YEAR OLD.

BALALAIKA IS A KIND OF GUITAR POPULAR IN RUSSIA.

2009-09-12T01:49:00.000-07:00

BALALAIKA IS A KIND OF GUITAR POPULAR IN RUSSIA

A kind of guitar popular in Russia and other East European countries, where it is used mainly to accompany folk singing and dancing. It has a triangular body and a long neck provided with four movable frets to show where the fingers must stop the strings. There are three strings, which the player plucks with a plectrum. The balalaika is made in at least six different sizes; one of the most common has its strings tuned E E A.

THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

2009-09-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the lunar eighth, ninth and 10th months make up autumn. The eighth month falls in mid-autumn, and the 15th day is in the middle of the month, hence the name "Mid-Autumn Festival". On that day, the Chinese have the custom to admire the moon and eat moon cakes. In autumn, it is fine and cool, there are few floating clouds in the sky and the moon at night seems particularly bright. This is especially true on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Since people consider the full moon as the symbol of reunion and satifaction, the festival is also called "the Festival for Reunion'. According to traditional custom, Chinese people enjoy fruits and moon cakes while admiring the moon. As the moon cake is round, symbolizing reunion, it is sometimes called "Reunion Cake". The Chinese moon cake has many varieties and production methods differ from place to place. There are sweet, salty, meat and vegetable fillings. It has various decorative patterns and words. In autumn, people reap the results of their year's labor. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole family will sit together to admire the moon and eat moon cakes, filled with happiness for the bumper harvest and a family reunion. At that time, people far away from hometown will also look up at the moon and miss their hometown and family members. Children carried lanterns walked along from street to street and have a lot of fun. Since ancient times, China has had many fairy tales and legends about the moon, among which the most famous is "Chang'e Flying to the Moon'. Chang'e was the wife of Houyi in ancient Chinese myths. Legend has it that she swallowed an elixir stolen from Grand Old Lady of the West, became an immortal and flew to the moon palace.

WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?

2009-09-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS OSTEROPORSIS?

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also know as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine and wrist.

Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip and spine. A hip fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can impair a person's ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged or permanent disability or even death. Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequence, including loss of height, severe back pain and deformity.

5 steps to bone health and osteoporosis preventions.

EAT RIGHT:

Get your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D.

EXERCISE:

Engage in regular weight-bearing and muscle. Strengthining exercises maintain a health life style:

Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

Talk to your health care provider about bone health.

Get Tested:

Have a bone density test and take medication when appropriate.

A NEW DOMAIN IN OSTEOPOROSIS TREATMENT:

Calmodulin (calcium-Binding Protein)

CALCIUM IS THE FLAME OF LIFE. REVIVE THE WRONG PERCEPTION ON CALCIUM INTAKE.

Health Talk On Osteoporosis etc.

According to the statistic report issued by WHO, in a total of 135 common disease, 106 disease are related with calcium deficiency. Unbalanced calcium of human body will cause osteroporosis, calcification and the following illness.

internal elastic lamina.

insomnia.

cardiopulmonary.

diabetes.

senile plaque.

menopause.

insufficiency.

sexual disturbance.

high blood pressure.

liver disease.

senile dementia.

obesity or too thin.

tumor.

arterioscierosis.

headache.

cardiopathy.

urine acid and Gout.

acne.

spondylitis.

micturition.

fatigability.

apoplexy.

child hypogenesis.

CLINICALLY VALIDATED FUNCTIONS OF CALMODULIN (CAM)

REGULATE THE CONCENTRATION OF CALCIUM IONS

Prevent osteoporosis.

Prevent hypercalcemia.

Prevent lithiasis.

Reduce the acidity of the body.

Improve learning capacity.

REGULATE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Improve memory.

Alleviate insomnia.

Reduce cramps.

Improve concentration.

REGULATE THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

Prevent diabetes & thyroid disorder.

Alleviate menstrual discomforts.

Improves sexual functions.

Reduce skin spots.

Reduce acnes.

ACTIVATE THE ENZYME SYSTEM

Promote intestines peristalsis.

Prevent peptic and duodenal ulcers.

Prevent colon and rectal cancer.

Alleviate gastrointestinal problems.
Increase cell metabolic rate.

ENERGY STARTER

Anti-aging.

Lessen fatigue.

Enhance vitality.

Make skin smooth & white.

Promote metabolism.

ACTIVATE THE MACROPHAGES

Prevent infectious diseases.

Eliminate tumors, lipoma, myoma.

Prevent cardiovasular diseases.

Remove aga spots.

Improve allergic predisposition.

TO REVEAL THE SECRET CODE OF BONE.

The fata;otuy rate of fracture due to osteroporosis is the same as breast cancer!!!!!!!!!!

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THE INVISIBLE DRUM KIT

2009-09-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

THE INVISIBLE DRUM KIT

Drum set percussion instrument composed of a set of drums and cymblas.
1. Ride cymbal: circular brass plate producing treble sounds.
2. snare drum: drum producing a sharp ratting sound.
3. lug: enable to adjust the membrane of the drum to a desired tension.
4. Bass drum: the biggest drum of the set, it produces and deep low sound.
5. Percussion sticks: instruments used to hit the drum and cymbals to produce different sounds.
6. Tripod stand: three-legged support.
7. Rock toms: pair of drums.
8. High-hat cymbals: pair of cymbals which produce a sound when operating a pedal that makes the upper cymbals hits the lower cymbals. The pedal also allows to modify a sound when the upper cymbal is hit with a percussion sticks.
9. Tension post crash cymbal: screw used to adjust the length of a sound.

THE MARIMBA IS A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT

2009-08-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

THE MARIMBA IS A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT The marimba is a musical instrument similar to the xylophone in appearance. It make a beautiful sound that i think sounds a little like across between a piano and a harp. The marimba is most commonly played in a larger ensemble, such as an orchestra or percussion group, but increasingly it's being played as a solo instrument. Some music has been composed and or arranged specifically for the marimba, and you can also play pieces written for other instrument (especially piano, violin and trumpet) on it. The marimba can be traced all the way back to Africa (hollow logs over holes in the ground), but the modern marimba shape and style actually came from Latin America. The bars on most marimbas today are made either from rare topical woods like rosewood, or else symethetic materials like kelon. The resonators are typically metal (aluminium or brass) and extend beneath the bars. Marimbas are played with mallets made specially for the purpose, usually holding one or two mallets in each hand (for a total of two or four). Most commonly these mallets have wood handles (commonly birch or rottan) with rubbe disk attached at one end and wrapped in yarn. Some mallets use acrylic or latex heads without yarn.

THE GHOST FESTIVAL IS A TRADITIONAL CHINESE HOLIDAY CELEBRATED ON THE 15TH DAY OF THE 7TH LUNAR MONTH.

2009-08-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month. A solemn holiday, the Ghost Festival represents the connections between the living and the dead, earth and heaven, body and soul.
The entire seventh month of the Chinese calendar is called the Ghost Month, a month in which ghosts and spirits are believed to emerge out from the lower world to visit earth. The Ghost Festival is the climax of a series of the Ghost Month celebrations.
Activities of the festival include preparing ritual offerings of food, and burning ghost money (or paper money) to please the visiting ghosts and spirits as well as deities and ancestors. Other activities include burying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies "giving directions to the lost ghosts."
Offerings for a Ghost Festival in Taiwan. Photo: Wm Jas.
The Ghost Festival has roots in the Buddhist festival of Ullambana, and also some from the Taoist culture. In the Tang Dynasty, Ullambana and traditional festivities were mixed and celebrated on one day. Thus, the Ghost Festival has special meaning for all Buddhists as one of their most important festivals.
The Buddhist origins of the festival can be traced back to a story that originally came from India, but later took on culturally Chinese overtones. This story, "Mu-lien Saves His Mother from Hell," is an account of a well-to-do merchant who gives up his trade to become a devout follower of Buddhism.
After the merchant attains enlightenment, he thinks of his father and mother, and wonders what happens to them. He travels over the known Buddhist universe, and finds his father in heaven. However, his mother has been sent to hell, and has taken on the form of a hungry ghost--it cannot eat because its throat is very thin and no food can pass, yet it always hungers because it has such a large belly. His mother was greedy with the money he left her. He had instructed her to kindly host any Buddhist monks that ever came her way, but instead she withheld her kindness and her money. It was for this reason she was sent to hell. Mu-lien eventually saves her from this plight by battling various demons and entreating the help of the Buddha.
Buddhists instituted a day after the traditional summer retreat (the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar--usually mid-to-late August) as a day of prayer and offering in which monks can pray and make sacrifices on behalf of dead ancestors or hungry ghosts. The family members of the deceased essentially pay for this service, and thus their patronage is a form of charity. The deceased ancestors are pacified and hungry ghosts can eat (the sacrificial foods). The Mu-lien story ends with this festival and the rescue of his mother from hell. She ends up being reborn as a pet dog in a well-off household.
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AUSPICIOUS PATTERNS

2009-08-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

PANCHANG PICTURE

LONGEVITY PICTURE

DOUBLE HAPPINESS PICTURE

AUSPICIOUS PATTERNS

In China, many auspicious patterns are popular. On the occasion of the New Year, festivals or festive days, people like to decorate their rooms and articles with such auspicious patterns, expressing their desire for a happy life and celebrations on a propitious time and festive day.

These patterns emerged in the Zhou Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago, and then became popular among the Chinese people. Nowadays, they are still an indispensable part of Chinese life.

These auspicious patterns cover a wide range, and here are several commonly seen:
The pattern of DOUBLE HAPPINESS means that two happy events occur at the same time, representing extreme auspiciousness. People often use this pattern when celebrating their weddings.

After being embellished, the Chinese character of LONGEVITY became a symmetrical pattern.The pattern of GOOD FORTUNE and LONGEVITY is composed of the character of bats and longevity. Since the pronunciation of the bat is homophonic to that of good fortune, this pattern indicates good fortune and longevity.

The symmetrical pattern consisting of two POSSESSION means that there is POSSESSION when the pattern is upright or viewed upside down. In China's rural areas, the pattern is often pasted on utensisls for storing corns, meaning a bumper harvest and prosperity.

The pattern of the HEAD OF RUYI (an S-shaped wand or scepter, usually made of jade) symbolizes smoothness and good fortune.

The pattern of BAIJI (one hundred luck) is also called poanchang. It has no beginning and no end, and thus can be conceived as many knots, whose pronunciation of the Chinese character is homophonic to that of luck, symbolizing one hundred events are lucky and auspicious and also indicating happiness and longevity are continuous without end.

In the pattern of "FIVE GOOD-FORTUNES BOLDING LONGEVITY IN THE CENTER", five bats encircle a Chinese character. The five sectors of good fortune are lonevity, wealth and rank, health, morality, and a natural death

In the pattern of "FOUR RUYI ENCLOSING EACH OTHER", four ruyi are enclosed and connected with each other on four sides, symbolizing everything goes as one wishes.

The Dragon Boat Festival

2009-08-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is a traditional Chinese folk festival-the Dragon Boat Festival, also called the "Festival of the Fifth Month". On that day, people eat zongzi(pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) and hold dragon-boat races. It is said, these activities commemorate the great patriotic poet Qu Yuan in ancient China.

Qu Yuan lived in the State of Chu in the Warring States Period(475-221 BC). Among the states of Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin, the State of Qin was the strongest, and it wished to annex the others to become even more powerful. Qu Yuan was DAFU. He maintained that Chu's politics should be reformed and that it should inite with other states to resist Qin. But his stand was opposed by crafty sycophants, who used malicious accusations to persuade the king of

Chu not to adopt the idea and to drive Qu Yuan from the capital. Despite being exiled, Qu Yuan was still concerned about the fate of the state. Later, when he heard the news that Qin had defeated the State of Chu, he was very grieved and felt that he had no power to save his motherland, and drowned himself in the Miluo River. It was the fifth day lunar month in 278 BC.

When people heard the news, they rowed their boats to try and find his corpse, but failed. In order not to let the fish and shrimps eat the corpse, people threw food into the river to feed them. Thereafter, on each fifth day of the fifth lunar month, people would throw food into the river. And later, people used reed leaves to wrap glutinous rice into pyramid-shaped dumplings (zongzi) for this purpose. Thus the custom of eating zongzi and staging dragon-boat race was formed.

The Zongzi is usually four-sided with pointed, rounded ends or pyramid shapes. Sometimes it is in the shape of a cone or cyclinder. The glutinous rice mixture as wrapped in leaves of wild rice, palm or bamboo. Bamboo-leaf zongzi is a specially of South China.

The Beijing style is the sweetest, with coarse bean pastes. Guandong zongzi is either sweet-tasting, with walnut, date or bean, or salty with filling ham, egg, meat, roast chicken.

THE STANDUP EGG

The Dragon Boat Day is usually in June, which is Horse month. Horse hour in astology is from 11:00 AM to 13:00PM. They said that you will be lucky for the coming year if you can make an egg standing up during Horse hour on the Dragon Boat Day.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REFLEXOLOGY?

2009-08-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REFLEXOLOGY?

In general terms the benefits of reflexology have to do with the reduction of stress. Because the feet and hands help set the tension level for the rest of the body they are an easy way to interrupt the stress signal and reset homeostasis, the body's equilibrium.

Here are some conditions which can benefit from reflexology therapy:
1. Blood circulation: varicous veins, hemorroids, high blood pressure.
2. Digestive system: stomach upsets, stomach bloating, irritasecurity_tsyndrome, colitis, diarrhea, ulcers.
3. Nervous system: sleep disorder, depression, lack of concentration or energy, memory loss.
4. Articulations: muscular aches and pains, arthritis, sciatica.
5. General: weight gain, skin problems, asthma, migraine, acceleration of ageing process.

REFLEXOLOGY- good health through foot massage

Reflexology promotes relaxation and well being. This ancient therapy is known to promote the body's own healing powers. It is suitable for any age grops, from babies to seniors. Reflexology is more than a foot massage, it's a natural healing therapy which is highly effective in dealing with many complaints.

Reflexology is based on the principle that the foot, divided in reflex zones, is a mirror image of the body. Each reflex zone corresponds to a part of the body. Specific manipulation and pressure of these zones reduces and eliminates blockages in corresponding glands, organs and other parts of the body.

Thanks to reflexology, you have at your feet a natural healing therapy to get you back on your feet on It should not be a replacement to medical help. Pleases use it wisely. We care about your safety.

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