From & 4 Life

Welcome

2010-11-12T20:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to fnflife!

We are providing helps for non native students (especially Indonesian) who want to know more about English in many interactive ways ..

Want to know more? Follow this link^^

"Everything is from and for our life, so don't be afraid to learn as much as you can for your life^^"

Regards,

fnflife Team

Used To

2010-11-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

In this usage, the expression used to means the same as would. Used to is always in this form; it can NEVER be use to.

Pattern: Subject + used to + [verb in simple form] …

· Example: When Bella was young, she used to swim once a day. (past time habit)

Compare with this sentence: When Bella was young, she would swim once a day.

Also there are two grammar rules for used to. Notice the difference in meaning as well as in grammar.

1. BE USED TO

Be used to means to be accustomed to.

Pattern: Subject + [be] + used to + [verb + -ing] …

Example: Edward is used to swimming every day. (He is accustomed to swimming every day.)

2. GET USED TO

Get used to means to become accustomed to.

Pattern: Subject + [get] + used to + [verb + -ing] …

Example: Edward got used to swimming every day. (He became accustomed to swimming every day)

Let’s Practice This Topic!

Supply the simple form or [verb –ing] as required in the following sentences and explain the meaning of each sentence.

1. I was used to __________ (eat) at noon when I started school

2. He used to __________ (eat) dinner at seven o’clock.

3. When Obama was young, He used to __________ (read) every day.

4. He used to __________ (like) her, but he doesn’t anymore.

5. Don’t worry. Some day you will get used to __________ (speak) English.

6. Kitou Aya can’t get used to __________ (walk).

7. Lady Gaga used to __________ (dance) every night, but now she swims.

8. Kristen is used to __________ (sleep) late on weekends.

9. Chieko is used to __________ (eat) American food now.

10. She finally got used to __________ (eat) our food.

Answers and explanations for this topic:

click here

New Science Links Food and Happiness

2010-08-14T04:54:00.000-07:00

Joe Hibbeln maneuvers his small blue Mazda 626 around traffic on a wide boulevard in Bethesda, Md.

Joe Hibbeln, M.D., believes our diet is making us depressed, addicted and violent. He thinks he’s found a simple solution.

"How many people," he shouts over the noise from the open window, "even Miss America, say ‘I want to make the world a happier place’?" He turns the wheel sharply to the left. "Well, I’m doin’ it! I’m zeroing in on a nutritional deficiency that makes the world an unhappy place."

Hibbeln, a captain in the United States Public Health Service, one of the country’s seven uniformed services ("army of the Surgeon General," says Hibbeln), is talking about omega-3 fatty acids. He has, in fact, devoted his entire career to studying the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are best known for their heart-health benefits. He loves them. He loves the fish they come from.

Hibbeln, 49, is average height, with dark, graying hair slightly longer on top and matching bushy eyebrows. His love affair with fats began simply. In a musty autopsy suite at the University of Illinois-Chicago medical school more than 25 years ago, Hibbeln, an aspiring psychiatrist, held a brain for the first time. It was jiggly and white, not what one would expect of a computing juggernaut. "What the heck is this thing made of?" Hibbeln asked. Mostly fat, his instructor replied.

Fascinated by the idea that the most complex organ in our bodies was, in large part, a type of tissue most of us want to get rid of, Hibbeln began scouring the scientific literature to learn more about how the fat comprising the brain influenced its function. He kept encountering the work of Norman Salem, Jr., Ph.D., a neurobiologist who studied docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a particular type of omega-3 fat prevalent in the brain—and in fish. (Fish often consume a lot of omega-3-rich algae or eat other, smaller fish that do.)

During his last year of medical school, Hibbeln reached out to Salem, who told him something that forever changed his career path: Our bodies do not produce DHA or other omega-3s from scratch; we have to get them from food. These words opened up a whole new avenue of inquiry for Hibbeln, and he jumped into researching how the fats we eat (or don’t eat) might change our brain.

He was especially interested in mental illness. He has a family member with mental illness and in 1985, his parents, Raymond and Shirley, helped found the first national support group for families dealing with mental illness, what’s now called the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

We careen through the streets of Bethesda and finally pull up to a guard station at the National Naval Medical Center, where we are meeting Col. Mike Lewis, M.D., M.P.H., one of Hibbeln’s collaborators, to talk about some new studies. A soldier in dusty fatigues salutes and waves us in. "Sir, very good sir." Hibbeln returns the salute. Hibbeln tells me that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in the U.S. military are affecting 20 percent of those who have been deployed. He points to construction vehicles and men in hard hats who swarm around the medical center. "They’re building new treatment facilities to capture this flood of psychiatric distress," he says. "If I can get the military to change their diet, show that it works to reduce depression and suicide there, then there’s a great potential for societal change."

After a few hair-raising attempts to secure parking, we find Lewis in the waiting area for Pulmonary Medicine. He and Hibbeln recently received Department of Defense funds to compare blood samples from 800 servicepeople who committed suicide between 2002 and 2008 to those of 800 healthy people in the military (matched by age, sex and rank) to see if low omega-3 levels are linked with likelihood of suicide. No results yet.

In addition, the U.S. Army recently awarded the duo almost $1 million to study the effects of giving omega-3 supplements to a special-operations unit that spends a third of the year in combat. They will give half the unit the omega-3 supplements and the other half a placebo, every day for a year, and then follow them for a couple of months to see if the omega-3s might prevent occurrences of depression and suicidal thinking. Hibbeln calls it giving "nutritional armor to the war fighter." They’re also looking at whether it might protect a soldier should he or she suffer traumatic brain injury—not an unlikely occurrence for special-ops persons who jump from planes and engage in combat.

Hibbeln doesn’t fight wars in the traditional sense, but as an officer in the public health service, he’s been serving on the front lines of mental-health research for the last 17 years. "Joe truly wants to help people with his science," says Norman Salem, Hibbeln’s former boss and mentor. "And he’s got a lot of great ideas and great data."

What drives him? "I am motivated by a very strong sense of duty," says Hibbeln. (He mentions finding role models in his mother, a librarian; his father, a World War II vet who fought in Okinawa for 63 days straight; and his scoutmaster, Herb Wittenborn, also a WWII vet.) "Since I have the ability to do it, it is my duty to create the best science," says Hibbeln. "That’s why I wear this uniform."

His government-issued dress, he tells me, is a daily reminder of the people he’s committed to serving: veterans with PTSD, violent alcoholics, people with depression, underprivileged mothers who need access to foods that will maximize their children’s potential. He points out the window to a man on the island of a busy intersection, holding a sign asking for money. "That’s my boss. That’s the guy I’m working for."

Diet-induced epidemic of distress?

In 1995, Hibbeln and Salem published the paper that launched Hibbeln’s career in this field, an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition presenting the theory he had been working out ever since he first held that lump of brain in his hands: mental illness could very well be a result of omega-3 deficiency.

His reasoning is this: The modern American diet is vastly different from the one upon which our ancestors evolved. Our ancestors consumed about equal amounts of omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats, the other polyunsaturated fats (found in vegetable oils) that compete with omega-3s for space in the brain. Today, Americans get 10 to 25 times more omega-6s than omega-3s, partly because we don’t eat as many omega-3-rich fish, such as salmon and sardines (or wild animals, which are also higher in omega-3s), but mostly because our diets now contain processed foods that are packed with omega-6-rich oils, including oils made from soybeans, safflower and corn.

Hibbeln presented the possibility that this dramatic shift could have changed the way our brains function—sort of as if a car designed to run on unleaded gas suddenly started using diesel. Might it even trigger or perpetuate psychiatric illnesses? Hibbeln offers an interesting correlation: statistics suggest that depression and homicide rates have risen steadily over the past century—the same time period during which Americans’ annual per capita intake of omega-6-rich oils increased by nearly 500 percent, from 11 pounds to 64 pounds.

"When the brain becomes deficient in nutrients, the first things to go are mood, the expression of emotion and concentration," Hibbeln explains. Though the idea of a nutritional deficiency affecting mood isn’t exclusive to omega-3s (the Institute of Medicine mentions depression and irritability as symptoms of numerous nutrient deficiencies, including iodine and vitamin B12), Hibbeln’s theory is unique in that it proposes too few omega-3s—or too many omega-6s—may be at least partly responsible for a national epidemic of psychiatric illness.

Fifteen years after the publication of that first paper, Hibbeln, who is now Acting Chief, Section on Nutritional Neurosciences at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is even more passionate about his hypothesis. Now, he has a growing body of scientific research to support it.

Hibbeln started building his case with broad observational studies and in 1998, he compared fish consumption to the prevalence of major depression in nine countries. He found that in countries with higher fish consumption, like Japan, the prevalence of major depression was lower than in countries with lower fish consumption, like the U.S. In 2001, he showed that among 3,204 Finnish people, those who rarely ate seafood were more likely to suffer symptoms of depression than those who ate it all the time. Later, Hibbeln showed that low fish consumption was also associated with bipolar disorder in 11 countries and schizophrenia in 14 countries. Furthermore, countries where people ate less fish tended to also have higher rates of homicide.

Hibbeln and others soon started testing the theory in clinical trials. The results were compelling enough to prompt the American Psychiatric Association (APA), in 2006, to recommend that people with major depression consume a daily omega-3 supplement in addition to their regular medications. (Recommended daily dose: 1 gram of DHA+EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid, another omega-3 fat in fish. That’s the equivalent of what you would get eating 1 pound of oily fish, such as salmon, every week.) Additionally, the APA suggested that people with other mental-health conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and ADHD, might also benefit from this complementary treatment.

Hibbeln likes these recommendations. He mentions them often. He also mentions the people who call, thanking him for his dedicated work. He played me a voicemail from a colleague whose sister’s severe, treatment-resistant depression improved significantly after she began taking omega-3 supplements at the suggestion of her psychopharmacologist, who happened to be a big follower of Hibbeln’s work.

I asked if he gets that a lot. "There are certainly people who have suffered from debilitating depression for 20 years, despite having gone through every reasonable pharmacological therapy," he says, leaning forward. "They take the omega-3s at high levels (2 to 3 grams per day), and suddenly their brain is freed."

Healthy fats make happy brain chemicals

Hibbeln explains that omega-3 fats help keep the membranes surrounding brain cells supple. This flexibility is important because the proteins that stick in the membrane need to twist to do their jobs, which include helping brain cells communicate. Studies suggest that omega-3s also may improve mental health by altering concentrations of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters—specifically dopamine and serotonin—perhaps by switching "on" or "off" genes that regulate these chemicals. Low levels of serotonin are linked with depression, aggression and suicidal tendencies, while dopamine is a "reward" chemical that the brain releases in response to pleasurable experiences, such as eating or having sex—or taking drugs like cocaine. Depletion of dopamine as a result of low omega-3 levels could cause an addict to seek more and more drugs to get high, worsening the addiction, says Hibbeln.

In 2003, Hibbeln and colleagues looked at omega-3 levels in 38 cocaine addicts in a rehabilitation clinic. Some kicked their addiction; others relapsed after discharge. Hibbeln found that those who relapsed had lower levels of omega-3s in their blood. Whether they recovered or relapsed, addicts with aggressive tendencies also had lower omega-3s. Hibbeln followed up with a controlled trial in 2008, and found that giving omega-3s to substance abusers made them less angry and anxious.

Now Hibbeln and some colleagues are looking at whether the same thing may hold true for alcoholics. (Alcohol breaks down omega-3 fats, depleting the body’s supply.) To find out, Hibbeln and his team recruited 90 aggressive alcoholics. The volunteers underwent 30 days of in-patient rehabilitation, followed by 90 days of out-patient therapy with or without DHA+EPA supplements (the "without" group got placebo pills). By changing levels of neurotransmitters, omega-3s might help remedy issues underlying these subjects’ alcoholism, namely depression, says Hibbeln, noting that it might also make them less violent. "If you treat their underlying depression and irritability and restore their brain DHA," Hibbeln asks, "will that assist them in reducing their drinking?"

Hibbeln can’t say yet, as he’s still analyzing the results of the study. He does, however, offer up an anecdotal account of one man for whom the omega-3 doses seemed to make a profound, positive impact.

When "Mr. D.," in his early 60s, was referred to Hibbeln’s study by a homeless shelter, he’d been living on the streets or in prison for 25 years and had a long history of arrests for physical violence and multiple assault convictions. Basically, says Hibbeln, his daily routine consisted of "panhandling enough money to buy the booze he needed to get really drunk and go to sleep."

After "drying out" for 30 days, Mr. D. underwent baseline tests that found the omega-3 levels in his body to be "profoundly low," says Hibbeln. He was randomly assigned to the group that got the omega-3 supplements. The first thing the nurses and staff noted was that he looked healthier and happier.

He got a job for the first time in 20 years—at a car wash—and he showed up to work every day, says Hibbeln, who recalls: "He came in at one point in the study and pulled $650 out of a sock and says, ‘Doc, this is the most money I’ve had at one time in 25 years. I used to spend all of my panhandling money at the liquor store. I still go there to buy cigarettes and lottery tickets, but I don’t crave any of the booze in the store.’" (This never happened the other times Mr. D. went through detox without omega-3s, says Hibbeln.)

As for Mr. D.’s aggression issues: "Here was a guy who’d had an impossibly long record for drunk and disorderly conduct transformed," says Hibbeln, into "a complete pussycat."

Diet of evolution

It’s midday and we’re standing in one of the medical center’s public waiting areas, when Hibbeln suddenly gets a smile on his face and announces it’s time for lunch. "EatingWell Magazine offers to take me out to lunch. Most people are smart enough to go to the fanciest restaurant in Bethesda. I have a twisted sense of humor, so we’re going to eat what the military eats." He laughs.

We take the elevator to the basement, walk down a long hallway to the galley. It looks like any hospital cafeteria. There’s fish on the menu today—cod.

But all that’s left of the fish is a steaming tray of broth.

"Ten minutes till it’s ready," the lady tells us.

"Glad to see it’s popular," says Hibbeln.

"Yeah, it is," she says. "It’s healthy."

"It’s healthy, there you go," Hibbeln replies.

Hibbeln chooses pepper steak with rice instead. (His normal lunch is "hardtack [Scandinavian flatbread] and a can of tuna.") I have the same. Mike Lewis, who has joined us for lunch, selects a salad with soup.

After talking about Lewis’ ideas for providing omega-3s to protect soldiers’ brains from traumatic injury, Hibbeln reveals his grandest plan, one that applies all his research toward helping people in the "real world." Hibbeln wants to create what he calls a modern-day "Diet of Evolution." He is designing this diet—which he plans to someday introduce into the Naval hospital’s cafeteria—to boost the ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s in the brain, not so much by increasing omega-3s but rather by dramatically reducing omega-6 fats—from about 10 percent to 1 percent of total calories. (On 2,000 calories a day, that’s 2 to 2.5 grams versus the 17 to 20 that a typical Western diet delivers.)

For years, Hibbeln and others have advocated eating lots of omega-3-rich fish to restore the omega balance in the brain. But they haven’t lost sight of the fact that animal studies suggest slashing the omega-6s may work just as well. "We don’t need to increase the world’s fisheries production tenfold to achieve the same goal," says Hibbeln. Eating a traditional Mediterranean-style diet that’s centered on vegetables and fruits, legumes and olive oil, provides plenty of seafood and is limited in meat, will help to lower omega-6 intake dramatically, says Hibbeln. (Vegetables, fruits, legumes and olive oil don’t contain significant amounts of omega-6s or omega-3s; seafood provides plenty of omega-3s; and meat tends to deliver more 6s than 3s. The diet as a whole is low in omega-6-rich processed foods. But overhauling an institutional menu is expensive, he says, "so the question is how do we make the same menus, backing off the omega-6 fatty acids?"

Answer: Replace the inexpensive high-omega-6 oils the military currently uses, such as soybean oil, with lower-omega-6 oils, such as high-oleic safflower and high-oleic sunflower oil (which have been bred or engineered to have more monounsaturated fats and fewer omega-6s).

If Hibbeln can show that balancing the omega-3/omega-6 equation in the medical center cafeteria can reduce risks of depression and suicide, it might convince the entire military to switch to lower-omega-6 oils (which cost a little more than, say, soy oil, but far less than the expense of changing the entire military diet). This could open the door to wider-reaching changes—like commercial product reformulations. Hibbeln is already preparing for that. His research team is figuring out how many omega-3s and omega-6s are in foods on supermarket shelves: Different brands of salad dressings. Mayo. Peanut butter. Chicken. Pork. "Pretty much everything," says Hibbeln.

What if he’s wrong?

Near the end of our long day together, Hibbeln’s conviction of the extreme importance of his work had not waned. After saying good-bye to Lewis and ending up in another of Hibbeln’s several offices, this one at the NIH main campus, I asked: What would it take for him to discard his theory that a lack of omega-3s causes mental illness? He sat quietly for a few seconds, then said steadily, "I could ask Jeremy [the student sitting with us] to find all of the published scientific studies on omega-3s in humans—I think the total is somewhere between three and four thousand. So you’re asking me to override the published data on several thousand studies?"

But, I say, most of the studies are not gold-standard randomized controlled trials (and they’re not all in psychiatric illness; many are in cardiovascular disease).

"You have to take every piece of science for what it’s worth," he says.

OK—but there are quite a few pieces of science, and researchers, who don’t support Hibbeln’s theories. Critics argue that Hibbeln’s initial observational studies simply show associations and note there could be plenty of other reasons why—besides high fish consumption. For example, people in Japan seem less prone to depression than those in the United States. They also argue that the clinical science is equivocal: of the handful of controlled trials examining the effects of omega-3s on people with major depression, the most well-studied of these psychiatric illnesses, only about half suggest they help. In studies of people with milder depression, omega-3 supplementation has worked even less well. The same is true for mentally healthy people, though there have been even fewer studies.

Peter Rogers, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist who specializes in food and nutrition at the University of Bristol in the UK, is one of the skeptics. "I was very excited by this field, when I read the very first studies nearly 10 years ago now," says Rogers. "But the more I’ve been involved in this, the less I’m convinced about the impact" of omega-3s on mental illness. In a 2008 study, Rogers found omega-3 supplements did not improve the moods of people with mild to moderate depression. Rogers also reviewed hundreds of studies on omega-3s and various mental conditions, including depression, anxiety, aggression, ADHD and schizophrenia. That paper, published in Nutrition Research Reviews in 2008, concluded that, while early observational studies were promising, clinical trials have produced inconsistent and inconclusive results overall; much more evidence is needed to recommend omega-3 fats as a way to boost mental health.

Hibbeln waves all this off, acknowledging that the field is still young. What’s important, he says, is finding the conditions under which omega-3s do work. Michel Lucas, Ph.D., M.P.H., a research fellow in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, agrees. "Even antidepressant drugs do not work for everybody," says Lucas, who thinks that, for people with mild to moderate depression, omega-3s might work about as well as antidepressants. Hibbeln, Lucas and Rogers all see the same data but come to different conclusions. Hibbeln’s are the rosiest.

We get back into Hibbeln’s Mazda, which has an ichthys (one of those religious fish tags) on the back—only this one says "sushi"—and drive back to my rental car. Hibbeln draws me a shortcut on my notepad—while driving—so that I can avoid D.C. rush-hour traffic and make my flight. We talk about his hobbies: serving as Cub Scout master, taking his school-age kids to historic presidential homes on vacation, cooking in his open-fire brick oven.

As we circle the garage looking for my car, he starts speaking almost out of nowhere, as if in response to the naysayers I would talk to later. "I think my role is not to provide definitive answers, although I do that on some level," he says, a bit more subdued than he’d been earlier. "My bigger contribution has been to ask the best questions. Open up new fields for inquiry. I’m a psychiatrist. If I only practice medicine, I can only affect hundreds, maybe thousands, of people. But if I do research that shifts the paradigm of treatment, I can create useful therapies that could impact millions."

By Rachael Moeller Gorman, EatingWell.com
Source: health.msn.com

The 7 Healthiest Foods You're Not Eating, But Should

2010-08-14T04:16:00.000-07:00

A little culinary adventure can add nutrients, fiber, and flavor to your diet.

Kimchi

Koreans are among the leanest and healthiest people on the planet. Could it have something to do with this spicy pickled cabbage, which they eat the way Americans eat French fries and baked potatoes? Eaten at almost every meal in Korea, kimchi is packed with vitamins and immune system-boosting phytochemicals. Its main ingredient, fermented cabbage, contains lactic acid, which helps with digestion and may weaken infections. Several years ago, kimchi made big news when Korean researchers found chickens infected with the avian flu recovered more quickly after being fed an extract of kimchi. More recently, a study at the University of New Mexico suggested that eating cabbage might help ward off breast cancer. Kimchi is low in calories and rich in dietary fiber.

Pearled barley

The chewy, nutty hulled grain used in soups and bread and as a substitute for rice is quickly becoming a favorite of people trying to lose weight. It’s made up of 43 percent slow-digesting carbohydrates and 12 percent of a fiber known as a “resistant starch” because it goes through the small intestine without being digested at all. In 2008, a Swedish study showed that people who ate barley bread as part of their dinner felt much less hungry than those who munched on plain white bread—and the hunger-quenching effect lasted for more than 10 hours.

Pickled lunch herring

Keep a jar of pickled herring chunks in your refrigerator for a quick omega-3 lunch with crackers. It’s an easy way to get more fish into your weekly diet without the hassle of cooking fresh fish. Herring, essentially a larger sardine, is still small enough to be low in contaminants. And it’s a good source of EPA and DHA as well as calcium.

Shirataki noodles

These noodles made from the root of an Asian yam consist of a no-calorie soluble fiber, so they are a healthier alternative to egg noodles or pastas high in fast-digesting carbohydrates. Studies show that the fiber, called glucomannan, helps lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and may even help lower body weight. Researchers say that just 1 gram of this fiber can significantly slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream after a high-carbohydrate meal. Because they have little flavor of their own, shirataki noodles take on the flavor of sauces and herbs from the dishes to which they are added. Try them in vegetable salads, soups, and stir-fry dishes.

Paddlefish caviar

When you’re trying to get more omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, expanding your repertoire of egg dishes can help. We’re talking fish eggs as well as those from chickens. Caviar contains three times as much omega-3 as salmon does. Spooning 2 teaspoons of paddlefish caviar into your omelet just before folding it over will give you a tasty morning boost of fish oil. And if you use omega-3 eggs from chickens who are given feed rich in omega-3s, you’ll get a double shot.

Greek yogurt

Called "yiaourti" in Greece, this is a thicker, creamier yogurt because the liquid (whey) has been strained away. It contains probiotic cultures and has twice the protein of regular yogurt and fewer carbohydrates. It is lower in lactose, too.

Flaxseeds

These trendy seeds are one of the few plant sources of healthful omega-3 fatty acids. Toss these tiny brown seeds into cereal, yogurt, soups and stews. Sprinkle them on top of ice cream or on slices of apple coated with peanut butter. My kids call this “ants on apples.”

By Jeff Csatari, Men’s Health contributing editor and author of The Belly Off! Diet
Source: health.msn.com

The White House

2010-08-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

What really does The White House mean?

The White House is a building which does not only became a house of the President and his family for over 200 years. Of course the President is meant the President of the United States (USA). Throughout history, this building was known as a symbol of the administrative activities of the President of the United States. In other words, we could call the Presidential Palace or the Presidential Office.

The White House has been the scene of many events in the history of our nation. Here the President holds meetings that decide national and international policy, signs new legislation, and carries out the many duties of the office. Here, too, the President and First Family entertain guests and live their private lives, as every President except George Washington has done. Designed by Irish born architect, James Hoban, the White House contains numerous artworks and fine crafts from every era of American history.

Why was it named White House? (The History of White House)

About the Building

For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency, the United States government, and the American people. Its history, and the history of the nation's capital, began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district "not exceeding ten miles square…on the river Potomac." President Washington, together with city planner Pierre L’Enfant, chose the site for the new residence, which is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As preparations began for the new federal city, a competition was held to find a builder of the "President’s House." Nine proposals were submitted, and Irish-born architect James Hoban won a gold medal for his practical and handsome design.

Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. Although President Washington oversaw the construction of the house, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions. The White House is, after all, the President’s private home. It is also the only private residence of a head of state that is open to the public, free of charge.

The White House has a unique and fascinating history. It survived a fire at the hands of the British in 1814 (during the war of 1812) and another fire in the West Wing in 1929, while Herbert Hoover was President. Throughout much of Harry S. Truman’s presidency, the interior of the house, with the exception of the third floor, was completely gutted and renovated while the Trumans lived at Blair House, right across Pennsylvania Avenue. Nonetheless, the exterior stone walls are those first put in place when the White House was constructed two centuries ago.

Presidents can express their individual style in how they decorate some parts of the house and in how they receive the public during their stay. Thomas Jefferson held the first Inaugural open house in 1805. Many of those who attended the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol simply followed him home, where he greeted them in the Blue Room. President Jefferson also opened the house for public tours, and it has remained open, except during wartime, ever since. In addition, he welcomed visitors to annual receptions on New Year’s Day and on the Fourth of July. In 1829, a horde of 20,000 Inaugural callers forced President Andrew Jackson to flee to the safety of a hotel while, on the lawn, aides filled washtubs with orange juice and whiskey to lure the mob out of the mud-tracked White House.

After Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, Inaugural crowds became far too large for the White House to accommodate them comfortably. However, not until Grover Cleveland’s first presidency did this unsafe practice change. He held a presidential review of the troops from a flag-draped grandstand built in front of the White House. This procession evolved into the official Inaugural parade we know today. Receptions on New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July continued to be held until the early 1930s.

* There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
* At various times in history, the White House has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion." President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
* Presidential Firsts while in office... President James Polk (1845-49) was the first President to have his photograph taken... President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) was not only the first President to ride in an automobile, but also the first President to travel outside the country when he visited Panama... President Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45) was the first President to ride in an airplane.
* With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres to more than 1,000.
* The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.
* For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents, including a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.

Rooms in The White House

Oval Office

The President's Oval Office is located on the first floor of the West Wing. President Clinton's historic oak desk was a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from Queen Victoria in 1880.

Diplomatic Reception Room

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Fireside Chats were held in the Diplomatic Reception Room. It is one of three oval shaped rooms in the residence and is furnished as a Federal Period parlor. The panoramic wall paper, printed in France, is entitled "Views of North America", and features Early 19th Century American landscapes.

State Dining Room

The State Dining Room can seat 140 guests. The chandelier dates back to the 1902 renovation by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Red Room

Long a favorite of the First Ladies, the Red Room is used for small receptions and teas. The room is decorated as an American Empire parlor of 1810-30.

The Hallway

The Hallway that extends from the State Dining Room to the East Room displays portraits of recent Presidents.

Blue Room

During State receptions, the President and his wife often receive guests in the Blue Room. It is furnished in the French Empire style, the decor chosen for the room by President James Monroe in 1817. Portraits include John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler.

The China Room

The China Room was set aside by Edith Wilson in 1917 for displaying pieces of china and glass used by the Presidents. It contains china, glassware, or silver from almost every past President, and a portrait of Grace Goodhue Coolidge.

The Vermeil Room

The Vermeil Room is used as a sitting room during formal occasions and also houses a collection of vermeil (gilded silver) bequeathed to the White House in 1956. On the south wall hangs the Aaron Shikler portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Source:
1. clinton1.nara.gov
2.whitehouse.gov

Help & Support

2010-08-09T07:45:00.000-07:00

We are providing helps for you who have problems in using this site.

Regards,

Fnflife Team

Keong Racun (Venomous Snail)

2010-08-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

haha.. What's in your mind when you were seeing this "Venomous Snail" title?
It isn't about science explanation about venomous snail, but it is only a title of a song in Indonesia.

Whatever.. Let's begin the story :)

Once upon a time, there were two girls from Bandung city named Shinta and Jojo. They still are students in the college. One day they were having fun with making videos of themselves, singing songs of the lipsync and uploaded it to Youtube.

And Then..

Initially, the videos were only seen by few people, the extent of their closest friends and family. But the videos were stealing the attention of the netters on the virtual world especially "Keong Racun" and became Trending topic on micro blogging site Twitter on July 27, 2010. After that, the media was busy preaching both like an artist and finally they live happily ever after.

--------The end--------

Jojo (Left) and Shinta (Right)

Actually the song has already exists and sung by Lissa, a dangdut singer. But, It becomes popular now after the song (Keong Racun) was sung with lipsync by Shinta and Jojo. That is a short story how do Shinta and Jojo become the famous artists in Indonesia now a days.

hahaha .. how funny this country is. Yes, That is Indonesia, full of sensation. After Ariel Peterporn, now venomous snail, and then what else next? =p
I wonder actually how many the twitter users in Indonesia are. It seems that Indonesian people really love tweeting to each others =)

Although there were many sensation in Indonesia Entertainment world, but this time it's okay .. not too bad though if we compare it to the artist from the Philippines Moymoy palaboy (who is famous from this similar things) is still very different in quality, but at least it could make the majority of Indonesian society laughed and happy after have seen this two girls on youtube. haha XD

This is the video of Keong Racun by Jojo Shinta (lipsync)

Original Lyrics

Reff:
Dasar kau keong racun
Baru kenal eh ngajak tidur
Ngomong nggak sopan santun
Kau anggap aku ayam kampung
Kau rayu diriku
Kau goda diriku
Kau colek diriku
Eh ku takut sekali
tanpa basa basi kau ngajak happy happy
Eh kau tak tahu malu
Tanpa basa basi kau ngajak happy happy

*
Mulut kumat kemot
Matanya melotot
Lihat body semok
Pikiranmu jorok
Mentang-mentang kau kaya
Aku dianggap jablay
Dasar koboy kucai
Ngajak check-in dan santai
Sorry sorry sorry jack
Jangan remehkan aku
Sorry sorry sorry bang
Ku bukan cewek murahan

Back to Reff, *, Reff

English Lyrics (Translation)
by fnflife

Reff:
What the fuck venomous snail you are
just first met eh (you) ask me to make out.
(you) speak without manners
You think I'm a chicken
You flirt me
You tease me
You dab me
Eh I'm so scared
blunty you persuade (me) to have fun.
Eh you are shameless
blunty you persuade (me) to have fun.

*
(Your)mouth is mumbling.
Your eyes is glaring
Seeing plump body
Your mind is filthy
whilst you're rich
I am assumed as bitch
What the garlic chives cowboy (you are)
invite check-in and relax
sorry sorry sorry jack
don't underestimate me
sorry sorry sorry sir
i am not hooker

Back to Reff, *, Reff

Eggsperiment

2010-08-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

This is the first experiment from our site. The aim is to determine which toothpaste is better to protect humans' teeth from being decayed, Formula Strong or Pepsodent. Here are the videos :

fnflife Eggsperiment Introduction

fnflife Eggsperiment The First Step

fnflife Eggsperiment The Second Step

fnflife Eggsperiment The Third Step

fnflife Eggsperiment: The Observation

fnflife Eggsperiment: The Last Observation and Testing

Discussion:
--under arrangement.. Please pardon us for this inconvenience--

Relative Clauses (4)

2010-08-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Prepositions in relative clauses

Part A

In formal styles we often put a preposition before the relative pronouns which and whom:
• The rate at which a material heats up depends on its chemical composition.
• In the novel by Meyer, on which the film is based, the main character is a teenager.
• An actor with whom Gump had previously worked contacted him about the role.
• Her many friends, among whom I like to be considered, gave her encouragement.

Notice that after a preposition you can’t use who instead of whom, and you can’t use that or zero relative pronoun:
• Is it right that politicians should make important decisions without consulting the public to whom they are accountable?
(NOT) Is it right that politicians should make important decisions without consulting the public who they are accountable?
• The valley in which the town lies is heavily polluted.
(NOT) The valley in that town lies is heavily polluted.
• Arnold tried to gauge the speed at which they were travelling.
(NOT) Arnold tried to gauge the speed at they were travelling.

In informal English we usually put the preposition later in the relative clause rather than at the beginning:
• The office which Graham led the way to was filled with books.
• Jim’s footballing ability, which he was noted for, had been encouraged by his parents.
• The playground wasn’t used by those children who it was built for.

In this case we prefer who rather than whom (although ‘whom’ is used in formal contexts). In defining relative clauses we can also use that or zero relative pronouns instead of who or which e.g. the children (that) it was built for.

If the verb in the relative clause is a two- or three-word verb (e.g. come across, full in, go through, look after, look up to, put up with, take on) we don’t usually put the preposition before the relative pronoun:
• Your essay is one of those (which/that) I’ll go through tomorrow.
(rather than Your essay is one of those through which I’ll go tomorrow.
• She is one of the few people (who/that) I look up to.
(NOT) She is one the few people to whom I look up.

Examples:
1. They climbed up to the top of a large work, from which they got a good view.
2. I would like to thank my tutor, without whom I would never have finished the work.
3. She has now moved back to the house on Long Island in which she was born.
4. The star is to be named after Patrick Jenks, by whom it was discovered.
5. This is the ball which Dennis scored three goals in the final.
6. He is now able to beat his father, from whom he learned how to play chess.
7. The book is enjoyed by adults as well as children, for whom it was primarily written.
8. There are still many things in our solar system about which/of which we know nothing.

The sentences above in a less formal way:
1. They climbed up to the top of a large work, which they got a good view from.
2. I would like to thank my tutor, who I would never have finished the work without.
3. She has now moved back to the house on Long Island (which/that) she was born in.
4. The star is to be named after Patrick Jenks, who it was discovered by.
5. This is the ball (which/that) Dennis scored three goals with in the final. (or in the final with)
6. He is now able to beat his father, who he learned how to play chess from.
7. The book is enjoyed by adults as well as children, who it was primarily written for.
8. There are still many things in our solar system (which/what) we know nothing about/of.

Others:
1. It’s a piece of jewellery across which I came across in an antique shop.
2. The extra work which she took on was starting to affect her health.
3. My mother, who/whom I looked after for over 20 years, died last year.
4. The people who I work with are all very friendly.
5. Some of the criticisms which they had to put up with were very unfair.
6. He had many friends with whom he had a regular correspondence.
7. The woman who/whom(formal) he is engaged to comes from England.
8. The form which I had to fill in were very complicated.

Part B

In formal written English, we often prefer to use of which rather than whose to talk about things:
• A huge amount of oil was spilled, the effects of which are still being felt, or
A huge amount of oil was spilled, whose effect are still being felt.
• The end of the war, the anniversary of which is on the 16th of November, will be commemorated in cities throughout the century or
The end of the war whose anniversary is on the 16th of November will be commemorated in cities throughout the memory.

Notice that we can’t use of which instead of whose in the patterns described in Relative Clauses (1b) :
• Dorothy was able to switch between German, Polish, and Russian, all of which the spoke fluently.
(NOT) Dorothy was able to switch between German, Polish, and Russian all whose she spoke fluently.

We can sometimes use “that…of” instead of “of which” This is less formal than of which and whose, and is mainly used in spoken English:
• The school that she is head of is closing down or
The school of which she is head of is closing down.

Whose can come after a preposition in a relative clause. However, it is more natural to put the preposition at the end of the clause in less formal contexts and in spoken English:
• We were grateful to Mr Marks, in whose car we had travelled home or
We were grateful to Mr Marks whose car we had travelled home in.
• I now turn to Freud, from whose work the following quotation is taken.
I now turn to Freud whose work the following quotation is taken from.

Examples:
1. Tom, whose car the weapons were found in, has been arrested.
2. Meyer, whose novel the TV series is based on, will appear in the first episode.
3. Dr Jackson owns the castle whose grounds the main road passes through.
4. Tessa Parsons is now managing director of Simons, the company that she was once a secretary in.
5. Allowing the weapons to be sold is an action that the Government should be ashamed of.
6. The dragonfly is an insect that we know very little of.

The sentences above in more appropriate for formal written English:
1. Tom, in whose car the weapons were found, has been arrested.
2. Meyer, on whose novel the TV series is based, will appear in the first episode.
3. Dr Jackson owns the castle through whose grounds the main road passes.
4. Tessa Parsons is now managing director of Simons, the company in which she was once a secretary.
5. Allowing the weapons to be sold is an action of which the Government should be ashamed.
6. The Dragonfly is an insect of which (or about which) we know very little.

Reference: Advanced Grammar in Use - Martin Hewings

Relative Clause (3)

2010-08-05T04:34:00.000-07:00

Other relative pronouns

Part A
Whose

We use a relative clause beginning with whose + noun, particularly in written English, when we talk about something belonging to or associated with a person. Compare:
• Ellen Page is an architect. Her designs have won international praise. And
Ellen Page is an architect whose designs have won international praise.
• Doctor Arthur has had to do all his own typing. His secretary resigned two weeks ago. And
Doctor Arthur, whose secretary resigned two weeks ago, has had to do all his own typing.

We can use whose in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.
We sometimes use whose when we are talking about things, in particular when we are talking about town or countries, and organizations:
• The film was made in Botswana, whose wildlife parks are larger than those in Kenya.
• We need to learn from companies whose trading is more healthy than our own.
• The newspaper is owned by the Mearson Group, whose chairman is Sir James Bex.

We can also use whose when we are talking about particular items, although it is often more natural in spoken English to avoid sentences like this:
I received a letter, whose poor spelling made me think It was written by a child.
(more natural would be I received letter, and it’s poor spelling.. )

Examples:
1. First, go through the text underlining the words whose meanings you don’t know
2. My friend Miriam, whose mother is Indonesian, has gone to live in Jakarta.
3. He’s a teacher in London working with children whose first language is not English.
4. People whose work involves standing for most of the day often suffer from backache.
5. It has been found that the trees are being destroyed by a moth whose caterpillars tunnel under the bark.
6. The airline, whose head office is situated in France, has recently begun to fly between Paris and Lima.
7. An orphan is a child whose parents are dead.
8. A plumber is a person whose job it us to fit and repair water pipes.
9. A refuse collector is a person whose job it is to empty people’s dustbins and take their rubbish away.

Part B
Where, When, Whereby, Why

We often use the words where, when, and whereby as relative pronouns. But in formal English in particular, a phrase with preposition + which can often be used instead:
• This was the place where we first met or
This was the place at/in which we first met.
• He wasn’t looking forward to the time (when) he would have to give evidence to the court or
He wasn’t looking forward to the time at which he would have to give evidence to the court.
• Do you know the date when we have to submit the first essay?
Do you know the date on/by which we have to submit the first essay?
• The government is to end the system whereby (=by which means) farmers make more money from leaving land unplanted than from growing wheat or
The government is to end the system in/by which farmers make more money from leaving land unplanted than from growing wheat.

We can also use why as a relative pronoun after the word reason. In informal English we can use that instead of why:
• I didn’t get a pay rise, but this wasn’t the reason why I left
I didn’t get a pay rise, but this wasn’t the reason that I left

Examples:
1. The beach is the place where I most like to be in the summer.
2. The agreement whereby whisky made in Japan can be sold in Britain has been criticized in Scotland.
3. The period during which Russ lived in Italy was also the time when he began to paint.
4. The new law means an end to the situation whereby charities have to pay tax on money given to them.
5. The building where I used to work had 24 floors.
6. He has been unwell, and this may be the reason why he lost the match.
7. A referendum is a vote in which all the people in a country are asked to give their opinion about a policy.
8. Morse code is a system for sending messages in which letters are represented by short and long marks or sounds.
9. A chat show is a television programme in which famous people are asked questions about their lives and their work.

Part C
Who, What, Whatever, Whoever, Whichever

We sometimes use relative clauses beginning with who or what. In this case,
who means ‘the people that’ and what means something like ‘the thing(s) that’:
• Can you give me a list who’s been invited?
• I didn’t know what to do next.
Notice that we can’t use what in this way after a noun.
• I managed to get all the books that you asked for.
NOT (I managed to get all the books what you asked for.)

Relative clauses beginning with
• whatever (=anything or it doesn’t matter what)
• whoever (=the person/group who or any person/group who), or
• whichever (=one thing or person from a limited number or things or people)
are used to talk about things or people that are indefinite or unknown:
• I’m sure I’ll enjoy eating whatever you cook.
• Whoever wins will go on to play Barcelona in the final.
• Whichever one of you broke the window will have to pay for it.

Exercises:
1. Buy vanilla ice cream. It’s the only flavor (that) he likes.
2. Whichever party comes to power at the election will face major economic problems.
3. The room was lit only by the candle (that) Martha carried.
4. It is difficult to predict what she will do next.
5. Whoever wins the contract to build the tunnel will have a very difficult job to do.
6. ‘Do you want to drive or go by train?’ I’d prefer to travel whatever/whichever way is faster.’
7. Help yourself to fruit from the trees in the garden. Take whatever you want.
8. She had bought a lot about what she was going to say.

Reference: Advanced Grammar in Use – Martin Hewings

Relative Clause (2)

2010-07-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

Bella, who is only six, can speak five languages

Part A

Some relative clauses are used to add extra information about a noun, but this information is not necessary to explain which person or thing we mean:
• Valerie, who has died aged 90, escaped from Russia with her family in 1917.
• We received an offer of $80.000 for the house, which we accepted.

There are sometimes called non-defining relative clause to add information about a person or people:

We use who as the subject of the clause
• One of the people arrested was Mary Arundel, who is a member of the local council.

We use who or whom as the object of the clause, although whom is more formal and rarely used in spoken English:
• Professor Johnson, who(m) I have long admired, is to visit the university next week.

When we use a non-defining relative clause to add information about thing or group of things, we use which as the subject or object of the clause:
• These drugs, which are used to treat stomach ulcers, have been withdrawn from sale.
• That Masters course, which I took in 1990, is no longer taught at the college.

That is sometimes used instead of which, but some people this is incorrect, so it is probably safer not to use it. We also use which to refer to the whole situation talked about in sentence outside the relative clause:
• The book won’t be published until next year, which is disappointing.
• I have to go to hospital on Monday, which means I won’t be able to see you.

We can also use whose in a non-defining relative clause:
• Neil Adams, whose parents are both teachers, won first prize in the competition.

Notice that we don’t use zero relative pronoun in a non-defining relative clause.

Examples:
1. The Southam Chess Club, which has more than 50 members, meets weekly on Friday evenings.
2. Dr Richard Newman, who is an aviation expert, was asked to comment on the latest helicopter crash.
3. The strike by train drivers, which ended yesterday, is estimated to have cost over $3 million.
4. John Graham’s latest film, which is set in the north of Australia, is his first for more than five years.
5. The police are looking for two boys aged about 14, who stole a computer from the office.
6. The hurricane, which caused such damage in the islands, has now headed out to sea.

Part B

When we want to add information about the whole or a part of a particular number of things or people we can use a non-defining relative clause with of which or of whom after words such as all, both, each, many, most, neither, none, part, some, a number (one, two, etc.; the first, the second, etc.; half, a third, etc.) and superlatives (the best, the biggest, etc.):
• The speed of growth of a plant is influenced by a number of factors, most of which we have no control over.
• The bank was held up by a group of men, three of whom were said to be armed.
• The president has made many visits to Japan, the most recent of which began today.

Examples:
1. The film is about the lives of three women, all of whom are played by Angelina Jolie.
2. The island’s two million inhabitants, most of whom are peasant farmers, have been badly affected by the drought.
3. She has two older brothers, neither of whom went to university.
4. About 30 of her friends and relations, many of whom had travelled long distances, came to the airport to welcome her back.
5. The minister has recently visited Estonia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, all of which have large Russian minorities.
6. The fish, the biggest of which is only 2 cm long, are multi-colored.
7. Scotland have won their last five international matches, one of which was against England.

Part C

We can use the following phrases at the beginning of a non-defining relative clause: at which point/time, by which point/time, during which time, and in which case:
• It might snow this weekend, in which case we won’t go to Wales.
• The bandages will be taken off a few days after the operation, at which point we will be able to judge how effective the treatment has been.
• The next Olympics are in three years, by which time Stevens will be 34.

Examples:
1. I might fail the test, in which case I’d probably re-sit it next year.
2. A bull charged towards the car, at which point I drove away quickly.
3. I didn’t finish work until 10 o’clock, by which time everyone had already gone home.
4. The meeting might go on for three or four hours, in which case I’ll be late home from work.
5. Sam started to tell one of his terrible old jokes, at which point I decided that I should go home.
6. I hadn’t seen Jane for nearly ten years, in/during which time I had got married and had two children.

Reference: Advanced Grammar in Use – Martin Hewings

Relative Clauses (1)

2010-07-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

The girl who I was talking about is beautiful

Part A

A relative clause gives more information about someone or something referred to in a main clause. Some relative clauses (defining relative clauses) are used to specify which person or thing we mean, or which type of person or thing we mean:
• The couple who live next to us have sixteen grandchildren.
• Luna and Ariel brought a camera which is black.

Notice that we don’t put a comma between the noun and a defining relative clause. Relative clauses begin with a relative pronoun: a wh-word ( who, which, etc.) or that. However, sometimes we omit the wh-word/that and use a zero relative pronoun.
• We went to a restaurant which/that) Evelyn Salt had recommended to us.

We prefer to put a relative clause immediately after or as close as possible to the noun it adds information to:
• The building for sale was the house which had a slate roof and was by the stream
(rather than The building for sale was the house by the stream which has a slate roof.)

Part B

When we use a defining relative clause, the relative pronoun can be the subject or the object of the clause. In the following sentences the relative pronoun is the subject. Notice that the verb follows the relative pronouns:
• Rockall is an uninhabited island which/that lies north west of mainland Scotland.
• We have a friend who/that plays the piano

In the following sentences the relative pronoun is the object. Notice that there is a noun (or pronoun) between the relative pronoun and the verb in the relative clause. In this case, we can use a zero relative pronoun.
• He showed me the rocks (which/that) he had brought back from Australia.
• That’s the man (who/that) I met at Allison’s party.
We can also use whom instead of who as object, although whom is very formal:
• She’s an actress whom most people think is at the peak of her career.

We use that as subject after something and anything; words such as all, little, much, and none used as nouns; and superlatives. (Which is also used as subject after something and anything, but less commonly. ) We use that or zero relative pronoun as object after these:
• These walls are all that remain of the city. (not.. all which remain…)
• She’s one of the kindest people (that) I know. (not… who I know.)
• Is there anything (that) I can do to help? (rather than…anything which I can do…)

Part C

You can’t add a subject or object to the relative clause in addition to the relative pronoun:
• The man who gave me the book was the librarian. (not The man who he gave me…)

Notice also that adding a pronoun to the main clause in addition to the relative clause is unnecessary, although it is found in speech:
• A friend of mine who is a solicitor helped me. (or, in speech A friend of mine who is a solicitor – she helped me.)

Examples
1. The thought of going home to his family was all that kept him happy while he was working abroad.
2. She was probably the hardest working student (that) I’ve ever taught.
3. Lewis, the man (who/m) Johnson beat in the last World Championships, has broken the world record.
4. Lightning bonfires at this time of the year is a tradition which goes back to the 17th century.
5. Dorothy said something (that) I couldn’t hear clearly.
6. There was little (that) we could do to help her.
7. The Royal Floridian is an express train which runs between New York and Miami.
8. The machine (which) I have to use in my job cost over a million pounds.
9. The diary (which) Ron kept when he was in prison was sold for $50,000.
10. I have a friend who ran in the New York Marathon last year.
11. We were told that we would be held responsible for anything that went wrong.
12. He’s probably the best golfer (that) I’ve played against.
13. Jane has now sold the car (which) she was given by her parents.
14. The house which is next to ours is for sale.
15. Most of the forests which once covered Britain have now been destroyed.
16. He took me to see the old farmhouse (which) he is rebuilding.
17. There have been complaints about the noise from people who live in the flats.
18. A doctor (who/m) we know has had to retire through ill health.
19. My brother who is in the army came to see us.
20. A small amount of money was all that was taken in the robbery.
21. The path was made by walkers who crossed the mountains each summer.
22. The difficulties of living near the volcano are well understood by the people who farm the land there.
23. The danger of driving is something that worries me each time I travel.
24. The park (which) I usually go running in is across the road.
25. I bought the present (which) I gave him for Christmas in Japan.
26. The person (who/m) we selected to represent us on the committee has had to resign due to illness.
27. It’s one of the most interesting books (that) I’ve read this year.

Reference: Advanced Grammar in Use - Martin Hewings

Lucid Dream

2010-07-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

Have you already seen Inception? an American science fiction-action film written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. This film is inspired by the experience of lucid dreaming. What is lucid dream? Have your ever heard or maybe experienced this before? This following are some explanations about Lucid dream.

Hypnos and Thanatos, Sleep and His Half-Brother Death, an 1874 painting by John William Waterhouse

A lucid dream is a dream in which the sleeper is aware that he or she is dreaming. A lucid dreamer can actively participate in and manipulate imaginary experiences in the dream environment. Lucid dreams can seem extremely real and vivid, depending on a person's level of self-awareness during the lucid dream. The term was coined by the Dutch psychiatrist and writer Frederik van Eeden (1860–1932).

A lucid dream can begin in one of two ways. A dream-initiated lucid dream (DILD) starts as a normal dream, and the dreamer eventually concludes it is a dream, while a wake-initiated lucid dream (WILD) occurs when the dreamer goes from a normal waking state directly into a dream state, with no apparent lapse in consciousness. Lucid dreaming has been researched scientifically, and its existence is well established.

Scientists such as Allan Hobson, with his neurophysiological approach to dream research, have helped to push the understanding of lucid dreaming into a less speculative realm.

1.Scientific history

The first book to recognize the scientific potential of lucid dreams was Celia Green's 1968 study Lucid Dreams. Green analyzed the main characteristics of such dreams. She reviewed previously published literature on the subject, and incorporated new data from subjects of her own. She concluded that they were a category of experience quite distinct from ordinary dreams, and predicted that they would turn out to be associated with rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep). Green was also the first to link lucid dreams to the phenomenon of false awakenings.

In the early 1970s, Daniel Oldis of the University of South Dakota leveraged the scientific principle of external sensory incorporation in an attempt to influence dream content and evoke lucidity. Three psychological techniques were employed: subconscious suggestion using a tape played before and during sleep; associative signaling using a muffled bell alarm timed to go off during REM sleep; and classical conditioning using a REM detection circuit and a bright eye-light. The results indicated that lucid dreaming can be facilitated using external cues and psychological methods.

Philosopher Norman Malcolm's 1959 text Dreaming had argued against the possibility of checking the accuracy of dream reports. However, the realization that eye movements performed in dreams affected the dreamer's physical eyes provided a way to prove that actions agreed upon during waking life could be recalled and performed once lucid in a dream. The first evidence of this type was produced in the late 1970s by British parapsychologist Keith Hearne. A volunteer named Alan Worsley used eye movement to signal the onset of lucidity, which were recorded by a polysomnograph machine.

Hearne's results were not widely distributed. The first peer-reviewed article was published some years later by Stephen LaBerge at Stanford University, who had independently developed a similar technique as part of his doctoral dissertation. During the 1980s, further scientific evidence to confirm the existence of lucid dreaming was produced as lucid dreamers were able to demonstrate to researchers that they were consciously aware of being in a dream state (again, primarily using eye movement signals). Additionally, techniques were developed which have been experimentally proven to enhance the likelihood of achieving this state. Research on techniques and effects of lucid dreaming continues at a number of universities and other centers, including LaBerge's Lucidity Institute.

2.Research and clinical applications

Neurobiological model

Neuroscientist J. Allan Hobson has hypothesized what might be occurring in the brain while lucid. The first step to lucid dreaming is recognizing that one is dreaming. This recognition might occur in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is one of the few areas deactivated during REM sleep and where working memory occurs. Once this area is activated and the recognition of dreaming occurs, the dreamer must be cautious to let the dream delusions continue but be conscious enough to recognize them. While maintaining this balance, the amygdala and parahippocampal cortex might be less intensely activated. To continue the intensity of the dream hallucinations, it is expected the pons and the parieto-occipital junction stay active.

L'Ange du Foyer ou le Triomphe du Surréalisme by Max Ernst. Surrealist art can capture the disturbing nature of some dreams. Lucid dreaming is a possible nightmare treatment.

Treatment for nightmares

It has been suggested that sufferers of nightmares could benefit from the ability to be aware they are indeed dreaming. A pilot study was performed in 2006 that showed that lucid dreaming treatment was successful in reducing nightmare frequency. This treatment consisted of exposure to the idea, mastery of the technique, and lucidity exercises. It was not clear what aspects of the treatment were responsible for the success of overcoming nightmares, though the treatment as a whole was successful.

Australian psychologist Milan Colic has explored the application of principles from narrative therapy with clients' lucid dreams, to reduce the impact not only of nightmares during sleep, but also depression, self-mutilation, and other problems in waking life. Colic found that clients' preferred direction for their lives, as identified during therapeutic conversations, could lessen the distressing content of dreams, while understandings about life—and even characters—from lucid dreams could be invoked in "real" life with marked therapeutic benefits.

Perception of time

The rate at which time passes while lucid dreaming has been shown to be about the same as while waking. However, a 1995 study in Germany indicated that lucid dreaming can also have varied time spans, in which the dreamer can control the length. The study took place during sleep and upon awakening, and required the participants to record their dreams in a log and how long the dreams lasted. In 1985, LaBerge performed a pilot study where lucid dreamers counted out ten seconds while dreaming, signaling the end of counting with a pre-arranged eye signal measured with electrooculogram recording. LaBerge's results were confirmed by German researchers in 2004. The German study, by D. Erlacher and M. Schredl, also studied motor activity and found that deep knee bends took 44% longer to perform while lucid dreaming.

Awareness and reasoning

While dream control and dream awareness are correlated, neither requires the other—LaBerge has found dreams which exhibit one clearly without the capacity for the other; also, in some dreams where the dreamer is lucid and aware they could exercise control, they choose simply to observe. In 1992, a study by Deirdre Barrett examined whether lucid dreams contained four "corollaries" of lucidity: knowing that dreamt people are indeed dreamt, that objects won't persist beyond waking, that physical laws need not apply, and having clear memory of the waking world, and found less than a quarter of lucidity accounts exhibited all four. A related and reciprocal category of dreams that are lucid in terms of some of these four corollaries, but miss the realization that "I'm dreaming" were also reported. Scores on these corollaries and correctly identifying the experience as a dream increased with lucidity experience.

Near-death and out-of-body experiences

In a study of fourteen lucid dreamers performed in 1991, people who perform wake-initiated lucid dreams operation (WILD) reported experiences consistent with aspects of out-of-body experiences such as floating above their beds and the feeling of leaving their bodies. Due to the phenomenological overlap between lucid dreams, near death experiences, and out-of-body experiences, researchers say they believe a protocol could be developed to induce a lucid dream similar to a near-death experience in the laboratory.

Illustration from "The Secret of the Golden Flower". A Chinese book of alchemy and meditation

3.Cultural history

Even though it has only come to the attention of the general public in the last few decades, lucid dreaming is not a modern discovery. A letter written by St. Augustine of Hippo in 415 AD refers to lucid dreaming. In the eighth century, Tibetan Buddhists and Bonpo were practicing a form of Dream Yoga held to maintain full waking consciousness while in the dream state. This system is extensively discussed and explained in the book Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light. One of the important messages of the book is the distinction between the Dzogchen meditation of Awareness and Dream Yoga. The Dzogchen Awareness meditation has also been referred to by the terms Rigpa Awareness, Contemplation, and Presence.

Awareness during the sleep and dream states is associated with the Dzogchen practice of natural light. This practice only achieves lucid dreams as a secondary effect—in contrast to Dream yoga which is aimed primarily at lucid dreaming. According to Buddhist teachers, the experience of lucidity helps us to understand the unreality of phenomena, which would otherwise be overwhelming during dream or the death experience.

An early recorded lucid dreamer was the philosopher and physician Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682). Browne was fascinated by the world of dreams and described his own ability to lucid dream in his Religio Medici: "... yet in one dream I can compose a whole Comedy, behold the action, apprehend the jests and laugh my self awake at the conceits thereof". Similarly, Samuel Pepys in his diary entry for 15 August 1665 records a dream "that I had my Lady Castlemayne in my arms and was admitted to use all the dalliance I desired with her, and then dreamt that this could not be awake, but that it was only a dream". Marquis d'Hervey de Saint-Denys was probably the first person to argue that it is possible for anyone to learn to dream consciously.

In 1867, he published his book Les Reves et les moyens de les diriger; observations pratiques (Dreams and How to Guide them; Practical Observations), in which he documented more than twenty years of his own research into dreams.

The term lucid dreaming was coined by Dutch author and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden in his 1913 article "A Study of Dreams".This paper was highly anecdotal and not embraced by the scientific community. Some consider this a misnomer because it means much more than just "clear or vivid" dreaming. The alternative term conscious dreaming avoids this confusion. However, the term lucid was used by van Eeden in its sense of "having insight", as in the phrase a lucid interval applied to someone in temporary remission from a psychosis, rather than as a reference to the perceptual quality of the experience which may or may not be clear and vivid.

In the 1950s, the Senoi hunter-gatherers of Malaysia were reported to make extensive use of lucid dreaming to ensure mental health, although later studies refuted these claims.

4.Induction Methods

Many people report having experienced a lucid dream during their lives, often in childhood. Children seem to have lucid dreams more easily than adults. Over time, several techniques have been developed to achieve a lucid dreaming state intentionally. The following are common factors that influence lucid dreaming and techniques that people use to help achieve a lucid dream:

Dream recall

Dream recollection is simply the ability to remember dreams. Good dream recall is often described as the first step towards lucid dreaming. Better recall increases awareness of dreams in general; with limited dream recall, any lucid dreams one has can be forgotten entirely. To improve dream recall, some people keep a dream journal, writing down any dreams remembered the moment one awakes. An audio recorder can also be very helpful. It is important to record the dreams as quickly as possible as there is a strong tendency to forget what one has dreamt. For best recall, the waking dreamer should keep eyes closed while trying to remember the dream, and one's dream journal should be recorded in the present tense. Dream recall can also be improved by staying still after waking up, so the principles of state-dependent memory may apply. Similarly, if the dreamer changes positions in the night, they may be able to recall certain events of their dream by testing different sleeping positions. Another easy technique to help improve dream recall is to simply repeat (in thoughts or out loud) "I shall remember my dreams," before falling asleep. Stephen LaBerge recommends that you remember at least one dream per night before attempting any induction methods.

Wake-initiated lucid dreams (WILD)

The wake-initiated lucid dream occurs when "the sleeper enters REM sleep with unbroken self-awareness directly from the waking state".There are many techniques aimed at entering a WILD. The key to these techniques is recognizing the hypnagogic stage, which is within the border of being awake and being asleep. If a person is successful in staying aware while this stage occurs, they will eventually enter the dream state while being fully aware that it is a dream.

There are key times at which this state is best entered; while success at normal bedtime after having been awake all day is very difficult, it is relatively easy after sleeping for 3–7 hours or in the afternoon during a nap. Techniques for inducing WILDs abound. Dreamers may count, envision themselves climbing or descending stairs, chant to themselves, control their breathing, count their breaths to keep their thoughts from drifting, concentrate on relaxing their body from their toes to their head, or allow images to flow through their "mind's eye" and envision themselves jumping into the image to maintain concentration and keep their mind awake, while still being calm enough to let their bodies sleep.

During the actual transition into the dream state, dreamers are likely to experience sleep paralysis, including rapid vibrations, a sequence of loud sounds, and a feeling of twirling into another state of body awareness, or of "drifting off into another dimension", or like passing the interface between water into air, face front, body first, or the gradual sharpening and becoming "real" of images or scenes they are thinking of and trying to visualize gradually, which they can actually "see", instead of the indefinite sensations they feel when trying to imagine something while wide awake.

Reality testing

Reality testing (or reality checking) is a common method used by people to determine whether or not they are dreaming. It involves performing an action and observing if the results are consistent with results which would be expected in a state of wakefulness. By practicing these tests during waking life, one may eventually decide to perform such a test while dreaming, which may fail and let the dreamer realize that they are dreaming.

• The pain test -- "Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming!" -- is only effective in very few dreams. In Stephen LaBerge's book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming it is proven that dreamed action produces real effects on the brain and body. Therefore, if the dreamer pinches itself, it will indeed feel pain but it will be unlikely to induce lucidity, because the schema for pain in the dreamer's brain will activate and the dreamer will feel pain even if there is no real physical stimulus. This same logic applies for other sensations, such as pleasure, heat, cold and a variety of other feelings the dreamer could experience in the waking world.

• Looking at text or one's digital watch (remembering the words or the time), looking away, and looking back. The text or time will probably have changed randomly and radically at the second glance or contain strange letters and characters. (Analog watches do not usually change in dreams, while text and digital watches have a great tendency to do so.) A digital watch or clock may feature strange characters or the numbers all out of order.

• Flipping a light switch. Light levels rarely change as a result of the switch flipping in dreams.

• Looking into a mirror; in dreams, reflections from a mirror often appear to be blurred, distorted, incorrect, or frightening.

• Looking at the ground beneath one's feet or at one's hands. If one does this within a dream the difference in appearance of the ground or one's hands from the normal waking state is often enough to alert the conscious to the dream state.

• If you listen to music while you sleep, listen to see if the lyrics are changed or if the tempo (or speed) of the song changes.

A more precise form of reality testing involves examining the properties of dream objects to judge their apparent reality. Some lucid dreamers report that dream objects when examined closely have all the sensory properties, stability, and detail of objects in the physical world. Such detailed observation relates to whether mental objects and environments could effectively act as substitutes for the physical environments with the dreamer unable to see significant differences between the two. This has implications for those who claim there is a spiritual or supernatural world that might be accessible through out of body experiences or after death.

Prolongation

One problem faced by people wishing to experience lucid dreams is awakening prematurely. This premature awakening can be frustrating after investing considerable time into achieving lucidity in the first place. Stephen LaBerge proposed two ways to prolong a lucid dream. The first technique involves spinning one's dream body. He proposed that when spinning, the dreamer is engaging parts of the brain that may also be involved in REM activity, helping to prolong REM sleep. The second technique is rubbing one's hands. This technique is intended to engage the dreamer's brain in producing the sensation of rubbing hands, preventing the sensation of lying in bed from creeping into awareness. LaBerge tested his hypothesis by asking 34 volunteers to either spin, rub their hands, or do nothing. Results showed 90% of dreams were prolonged by hand rubbing and 96% prolonged by spinning. Only 33% of lucid dreams were prolonged with taking no action.

Other variations on this theme have been proposed by lucid dream enthusiasts, the common basis for all these techniques is to focus on and/or increase ones tactile or sensory engagement with the dream world.

5.Other associated phenomena

Rapid eye movement (REM)

Rapid eye movement sleep
When a person is dreaming, the eyes move rapidly up and down and vibrate. Scientific research has found that these eye movements correspond to the direction in which the dreamer is "looking" in his/her dreamscape; this has enabled trained lucid dreamers to communicate whilst dreaming to researchers by using eye movement signals.

REM Sleep. EEG highlighted by red box. Eye movements highlighted by red line.

False awakening

In a false awakening, one suddenly dreams of having been awakened. Commonly in a false awakening, the room is similar to the room in which the person fell asleep. If the person was lucid, they often believe that they are no longer dreaming and may start exiting the room and start going through a daily routine. This can be a nemesis in the art of lucid dreaming, because it usually causes people to give up their awareness of being in a dream, but it can also cause someone to become lucid if the person does a reality check whenever he/she awakens. People who keep a dream journal and write down their dreams upon awakening sometimes report having to write down the same dream multiple times because of this phenomenon. It has also been known to cause bed wetting as one may dream that they have awoken to go to the lavatory, but in reality are still dreaming. The makers of induction devices such as the NovaDreamer and the REM Dreamer recommend doing a reality check every time you awake so that when a false awakening occurs you will become lucid. People using these devices have most of their lucid dreams triggered through reality checks upon a false awakening.

Sleep paralysis

During REM sleep the body paralyses itself as a protection mechanism in order to prevent the movements which occur in the dream from causing the physical body to move. However, it is possible for this mechanism to be triggered before, during, or after normal sleep while the brain awakens. This can lead to a state where a person is lying in bed and feels paralyzed. Hypnagogic hallucination may occur in this state, especially auditory ones. Effects of sleep paralysis include heaviness or inability to move the muscles, rushing or pulsating noises, and brief hypnogogic imagery. Experiencing sleep paralysis is a necessary part of WILD, in which dreamers essentially detach their "dream" body from the paralyzed one. Also see OBE or Out-Of-Body-Experience, opposing the scientific theory of these occurrences stating that the paralysis is actually an occurrence to one who is already "separated" from their physical body meaning that "physical action potentials" have no effect here but "mental actions" do - a hint given that those who are finding difficulty moving are using the wrong "mechanism".

Out-of-body experience

An out-of-body experience (OBE or sometimes OOBE) is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and, in some cases, perceiving one's physical body from a place outside one's body (autoscopy). About one in ten people think they have had an out-of-body experience at some time in their lives. Scientists are learning about the phenomenon.

OBEs induced from waking (with the intention of achieving Astral Projection) and lucid dreams induced from waking cover such similar ground that common misinterpretation of one as the other (or even equivalence) can be hypothesized Realistic-seeming yet physically impossible impressions of flying, time-traveling or walking through the walls of an environment matching one's bedroom are equally hallmarks of either. (As those who have experienced them will attest, neither "feels" like ordinary dreams at all.) Their induction techniques are similar, and both are easier to perform at times typical for afternoon naps and late morning REM cycles.

Rarity

During most dreams, sleepers are not aware that they are dreaming. The reason for this has not been determined, and does not appear to have an obvious answer. There have been attempts by various fields of psychology to provide an explanation. For example, some proponents of Depth psychology suggest that mental processes inhibit the critical evaluation of reality within dreams.

Physiology suggests that “seeing is believing” to the brain during any mental state. This being said, if the brain perceives something with great clarity or intensity, it will believe that it is real. Even waking consciousness is liable to accept discontinuous or illogical experience as real if presented as such to the brain. Dream consciousness is similar to that of a hallucinating awake subject.

Dream or hallucinatory images triggered by the brain stem are considered to be real, even if fantastic. The impulse to accept the evident is so strong the dreamer will often invent a memory or story to cover up an incongruous or unrealistic event in the dream. “That man has two heads!” is usually followed not with “I must be dreaming!” but with “Yes, I read in the paper about these famous Siamese twins.” Or other times there will be an explanation that, in the dream, makes sense and seems very logical, but when the dreamer awakes, he/she will realize that it is rather far fetched or even complete gibberish.

Developmental psychology suggests that the dream world is not bizarre at all when viewed developmentally, since we were dreaming as children before we learned all of the physical and social laws that train the mind to a “reality.” Fluid imaginative constructions may have preceded the more rigid, logical waking rules and continue on as a normative lifeworld alongside the acquired, waking life world. Dreaming and waking consciousness differ only in their respective level of expectations, the waking “I” expecting a stricter set of “reality rules” as the child matures. The experience of “waking up” normally establishes the boundary between the two lifeworlds and cues the consciousness to adapt to waking “I” expectations. At times, however, this cue is false—a false awakening. Here the waking “I” (with its level of expectations) is activated even though the experience is still hallucinatory. Incongruous images or illogical events during this type of dream can result in lucidity as the dream is being judged by waking “standards.”

Another theory presented by transpersonal psychology and some Eastern religions is that it is the individual's state of consciousness (or awareness) that determines their ability to discriminate and differentiate between what is real, and what is false or illusory. In the dream state, many experiences are accepted as real by the dreamer that would not be accepted as real in the waking state. Some religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism describe states of consciousness (i.e., Nirvana or Moksha) where individuals "wake up", and discover a new or altered state of consciousness that reveals their normal waking experience to be unreal, dream-like, or maya (illusion). The assumption is that there are degrees of wakefulness or awareness, and that both lucid dreaming and normal waking experience lie somewhere towards the middle of this continuum (or hierarchy) of awareness. In this context, there must therefore be states of wakefulness that are superior to normal waking awareness. Just as when the dreamer awakens to realize that a nightmare was illusory, the individual can, like the Buddha, undergo a spiritual awakening and realize that what is called normal waking awareness is, in fact, a dream.

It has been hypothesized that Meditation before sleep can also improve the occurrence of a lucid dream as it potentially minimizes the time taken for a person to fall asleep therefore increasing the chances of maintaining awareness to induce a lucid dream.

Source: Wikipedia.org

Inception (2010)

2010-07-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Genres: Action,Sci-Fi
Released: July 16, 2010
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio | Joseph Gordon-Levitt | Michael Caine | Marion Cotillard | Ellen Page | Cillian Murphy | Ken Watanabe | Tom Hardy
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis:
Visionary filmmaker Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Dark Knight) writes and directs this psychological sci-fi action film about a thief who possesses the power to enter into the dreams of others. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) doesn't steal things, he steals ideas. By projecting himself deep into the subconscious of his targets, he can glean information that even the best computer hackers can't get to. In the world of corporate espionage, Cobb is the ultimate weapon. But even weapons have their weakness, and when Cobb loses everything, he's forced to embark on one final mission in a desperate quest for redemption. This time, Cobb won't be harvesting an idea, but sowing one. Should he and his team of specialists succeed, they will have discovered a new frontier in the art of psychic espionage. They've planned everything to perfection, and they have all the tools to get the job done. Their mission is complicated, however, by the sudden appearance of a malevolent foe that seems to know exactly what they're up to, and precisely how to stop them. (~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi)

My Review:
Inception is a really really incredible & perfect complicated movie. Spectacular.. perfect idea which I have never seen the same before, perfect plot with great twist and turn, fantastic performance from the all actors, wonderful visual and sound-effects, and sure perfect finishing-touch for the ending. The last great masterpiece from a genius Cristopher Nolan. It's the best film of this year so far. If you're thinking about seeing Inception, definitely go! Don't see/search for the plot/synopsis/summary. It will be more spectacular if you see it without any expectation.

Rating: (9,7) ~ 10/10

Heftiest Star Discovery Shatters Cosmic Record

2010-07-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

At 300 times the mass of our sun, it's double the size scientists thought possible

Using a combination of instruments on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, astronomers have discovered the most massive stars to date. This montage shows a visible-light image of the Tarantula nebula as seen with the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope (left) along with a zoomed-in visible-light image from the Very Large Telescope (middle). A new image of the R136 cluster, is shown in the right-hand panel, with the cluster itself at the lower right.

Astronomers have discovered the most massive stars known, including one at more than 300 times the mass of our sun — double the size that scientists thought heavyweight stars could reach.

These colossal stars are millions of times brighter than the sun and shed mass through very powerful winds.

The stellar discovery, which represents the first time that these hulking stars were individually identified, could help astronomers understand the behavior of massive stars, and how large they can be at birth.

A European research team led by Paul Crowther, professor of astrophysics at the University of Sheffield in England, discovered the massive stars inside two young clusters of stars NGC 3603 and RMC 136a. They used a combination of instruments on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, in addition to archival data from the Hubble Space Telescope, to study the stellar nurseries.

The NGC 3603 nebula, located 22,000 light-years from the sun, is a star-making factory where flurries of stars form from the extended clouds of gas and dust.

RMC 136a, which is more commonly referred to as simply R136, is another cluster of young, massive and hot stars, located within the Tarantula Nebula. This nebula is found in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring galaxy that is 165,000 light-years away.

Astronomers found several stars with scorching hot surface temperatures of over 71,500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than seven times hotter than the sun. The stars are also tens of times larger and several million times brighter.

Source: (Article by Denise Chow) msnbc.msn.com

Affirmative & Negative Agreement

2010-07-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

Affirmative Agreement

When indicating that one person or thing does something and then adding that another does the same, use the word “so” or “too”. To avoid needless repetition of words from the affirmative statement, use the conjunction “and”, followed by a simple statement using so or too. The order of this statement will depend on whether so or too is used.

• When a form of the verb be is used in the main clause, the same tense of verb be is used in the simple statement that follows.

Affirmative statement (be) + and + [ S + verb (be) + too]
Example: I am happy and you are too.

Affirmative statement (be) + and + [ so + verb (be) + S ]
Example: I am happy and so are you.

• When a compound verb (auxiliary +verb), for example, will go, should do, has done, have written, must examine, etc., occurs in the main clause, the auxiliary of the main verb is used in the simple statement, and the subject and verb must agree.

Affirmative statement (compound verb) + and + [ S + auxiliary only + too ]
Example: Edward should do his homework and Bella should too.

Affirmative statement (compound verb) + and + [ so + auxiliary only + S ]
Example: Edward should do his homework and so does Bella.

• When any verb except be appears without any auxiliaries in the main clause, the auxiliary do, does, or did is used in the simple statement. The subject and verb must agree and the tense must be the same.

Affirmative statement (single verb except be) + and + [ S + do, does ,or did + too ]
Example: Tae Yeon plays guitar every day and Jessica does too.

Affirmative statement (single verb except be) + and + [ so + do, does, or did + S ]
Example: Yuri sung “Gee” and so did Yoona.

Additional Examples:
1. Rose likes to fly, and her brother does too.
2. They will leave at noon, and I will too.
3. He has an early appointment, and so do I.
4. She has already written her composition, and so have her friends.
5. Their plane is arriving at nine o’clock, and so is mine.
6. I should go grocery shopping this afternoon, and so should my neighbor.
7. We like to swim in the pool, and they do too.
8. Our Spanish teacher loves to travel, and so do we.
9. He has lived in Mexico for five years, and you have too.
10. I must write them a letter, and she must too.

Negative Agreement

“Either” and “neither” function in simple statements much like “so” and “too” in affirmative sentences. However, either and neither are used to indicate negative agreement. The same rules for auxiliaries, be and do, does, or did apply.

Negative statement + and + [ S + negative auxiliary or be + either]
Negative statement + and + [ neither + positive auxiliary or be + S ]

Examples:
I didn’t see Bella this morning. Edward didn’t see Bella this morning
I didn’t see Bella this morning and Edward didn’t either.
I didn’t see Bella this morning and neither did Edward.

Additional examples:
1. The children shouldn’t take that medicine, and neither should she.
2. We don’t plan to attend the concert, and neither do they.
3. I don’t like tennis, and he doesn’t either.
4. She didn’t see anyone she knew, and neither did Tim.
5. The Yankees couldn’t play due to the bad weather, and neither could the Angels.
6. Mary can’t type well, and her sister can’t either.
7. I’m not interested in reading that book, and neither is she.
8. They won’t have to work on weekends, and we won’t either.
9. I can’t stand listening to that music, and she can’t either.
10. Michael doesn’t speak English, and his family doesn’t either.
11. That scientist isn’t too happy with the project, and neither are her supervisors.
12. We can’t study in the library, and they can’t either.
13. I haven’t worked there long, and neither have you.
14. You didn’t pay the rent, and she didn’t either.
15. They didn’t want anything to drink, and neither did we.
16. John shouldn’t run so fast, and neither should you.
17. The students won’t accept the dean’s decision, and the faculty won’t either.
18. Your class hasn’t begun yet, and neither has mine.
19. She couldn’t attend the lecture, and her sister couldn’t either.
20. He didn’t know the answer, and neither did I.

Reference: Cliffs, Test of English as a Foreign Language Preparation Guide.1991.

Being A Good Parent Figure

2010-07-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

Which parent doesn't want to be an idol of his/her children? Viewed as a figure who protects, advises, as a "hero", a friend, and also being a role model. There are many things that can be done to be that figure, here they are among others.

Giving mutual time in business or daily routinity is a good beginning to start build neighbourhood with the children. Then, they will feel warmth as well as full affection.

Developing good communication is also another thing to construct closeness with the children. Try in order that the communication which happens goes both ways, meaning not only parents who talk, but also give also time to the children to tell their idea.

Avoid to be arrogant to the children. While they are telling opposite view, do not immediately snap at them, in contrast, persuade them to have discussion so as mutual comprehension is formed.

Disciplining the children is the same thing. Do not use violence to punish them, even when they have become adults because it can make resentment in their heart.

Give them understanding about their guilties, and advise them patiently and properly, because you are a role model and their horseblock. If you say harsh words to them, it can cause your children to have poor self-image in themselves.

Remember that assignment as a parent never ends. Even when your children have grown up and are ready to leave their house, they still need your guidance.

Therefore, if your children ask and still need advice, give them the best counsel. Don't pretend that they have been great and can decide or solve problems by themselves.

Source: KOMPAS; Saturday, 17^th July 2010

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (3)

2010-07-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

Cabbage

Cabbage is a powerhouse source of vitamins K and C. Just one cup supplies 91 percent of the recommended daily amount for vitamin K, 50 percent of vitamin C, good amounts of fiber, and decent scores of manganese, vitamin B6, folate, and more—and it'll only cost you about 33 calories. Calorie for calorie, cabbage offers 11 percent more vitamin C than oranges.

Cabbage contains high levels of antioxidant sulforaphanes that not only fight free radicals before they damage DNA but also stimulate enzymes that detoxify carcinogens in the body. Researchers believe this one-two approach may contribute to the apparent ability of cruciferous vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer more effectively than any other plant food group. Numerous studies point to a strong association between diets high in cruciferous vegetables and a low incidence of lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and bladder cancers.

Cabbage builds strong bones, dampens allergic reactions, reduces inflammation, and promotes gastrointestinal health. Cabbage is routinely juiced as a natural remedy for healing peptic ulcers due to its high glutamine content. It also provides significant cardiovascular benefit by preventing plaque formation in the blood vessels. In Chinese medicine, cabbage is used to treat constipation, the common cold, whooping cough, depression and irritability, and stomach ulcers. When eaten and used as a poultice, as a dual treatment, cabbage is helpful for healing bedsores, varicose veins, and arthritis.

How much: The more cabbage you can include in your diet, the better. A study of Polish women found that those who ate at least four servings of cabbage per week as adolescents were 72 percent less likely to develop breast cancer later in life than their peers who consumed only one weekly serving or less.

Tips: Try raw sauerkraut. It has all the health properties of cabbage, plus some potent probiotics, which are excellent for digestive health.
Use the whole cabbage; the outer leaves contain a third more calcium than the inner leaves.

Both are nutritional stars, but red cabbages are far superior to the white variety, with about seven times more vitamin C and more than four times the polyphenols, which protect cells from oxidative stress and cancer.

Broccoli

You'll find it difficult to locate another single food source with as much naturally occurring health-promoting properties as broccoli. A single cup of steamed broccoli provides more than 200 percent of the RDA for vitamin C (again, more than oranges), nearly as much of vitamin K, and about half of the daily allowance for vitamin A, along with plentiful folate, fiber, sulfur, iron, B vitamins, and a whole host of other important nutrients. Calorie for calorie, broccoli contains about twice the amount of protein as steak—and a lot more protective phytonutrients.

Broccoli's phytochemicals fight cancer by neutralizing carcinogens and accelerating their elimination from the body, in addition to inhibiting tumors caused by chemical carcinogens. Studies show evidence that these substances help prevent lung and esophageal cancers and may play a role in lowering the risk of other cancers, including gastrointestinal cancer.

Phytonutrients called indoles found in broccoli help protect against prostate, gastric, skin, breast, and cervical cancers. Some research suggests that indoles also protect the structure of DNA and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Extensive studies have linked broccoli to a 20 percent reduction in heart disease risk. In Chinese medicine, broccoli is used to treat eye inflammation.

How much: If you can eat a little broccoli every day, your body will thank you for it. If you can't swing it, aim for eating it as regularly as possible. Like many other vegetables, broccoli provides fantastic nutrition both in its raw form and when it's properly cooked. Cooking reduces some of broccoli's anticancer components, but lightly steaming it will preserve most of the nutrients. Broccoli is available fresh year-round in most areas, but if you can't find it where you live, frozen broccoli is a good substitute.

Tip: Steaming or cooking broccoli lightly releases the maximum amount of the antioxidant sulforaphane.

Kale

Kale is highly nutritious, has powerful antioxidant properties, and is anti-inflammatory. One cup of cooked kale contains an astounding 1,328 percent of the RDA for vitamin K, 192 percent of the RDA for vitamin A, and 89 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. It's also a good source of calcium and iron.

Kale is in the same plant family as broccoli and cabbage, and, like its cruciferous cousins, it contains high levels of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which guards against prostate, gastric, skin, and breast cancers by boosting the body's detoxification enzymes and fighting free radicals in the body. The indoles in kale have been shown to protect against breast, cervical, and colon cancers. The vitamin K in kale promotes blood clotting, protects the heart, and helps build strong bones by anchoring calcium to the bone. It also has more antioxidant power than spinach, protecting against free-radical damage. Kale is extra rich in beta-carotene (containing seven times as much as does broccoli), lutein, and zeaxanthin (10 times the amount in broccoli). In Chinese medicine, kale is used to help ease lung congestion.

How much: Like cabbage, the more kale you can eat, the better. A daily serving is ideal. Eat it as much as you can, as long as you can find it fresh at your local grocery or farmers market. In some areas, it's available all year; in others, it only makes an appearance during summer and fall.
Tips: Kale's growing season extends nearly year-round; the only time it's out of season is summer, when plenty of other leafy greens are abundant.
Steam or sauté kale on its own, or add it to soups and stews. Cooking helps tenderize the leaves.

Kale is also a great addition when it's blended in fruit smoothies or juiced with other vegetables.

Dandelion

The same pesky weed known for ruining lawns has a long history of being used as a healing herb in cultures around the globe. One cup of raw dandelion greens provides 535 percent of the RDA of vitamin K and 112 percent of the RDA for vitamin A. Dandelion greens are also a good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, fiber, and potassium. Among all foods, it's one of the richest sources of vitamin A; among all green vegetables, it's one of the best sources of beta-carotene.

Dandelion has been used for centuries to treat hepatitis, kidney, and liver disorders such as kidney stones, jaundice, and cirrhosis. It's routinely prescribed as a natural treatment for hepatitis C, anemia, and liver detoxification (poor liver function has been linked to numerous conditions, from indigestion and hepatitis to irritability and depression). As a natural diuretic, dandelion supports the entire digestive system and increases urine output, helping flush toxins and excess salt from the kidneys. The naturally occurring potassium in dandelions helps prevent the loss of potassium that can occur with pharmaceutical diuretics.

Dandelion promotes digestive health by stimulating bile production, resulting in a gentle laxative effect. Inulin, a naturally occurring soluble fiber in dandelion, further aids digestion by feeding the healthy probiotic bacteria in the intestines; it also increases calcium absorption and has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels, therefore being useful in treating diabetes. Both the dandelion leaves and root are used to treat heartburn and indigestion. The pectin in dandelion relieves constipation and, in combination with vitamin C, reduces cholesterol. Dandelion is excellent for reducing edema, bloating, and water retention; it can also help reduce high blood pressure. On top of all that, dandelion contains multiple antidiarrheal and antibacterial properties.

In Chinese medicine, dandelion is used in combination with other herbs to treat hepatitis and upper respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. The sap from the stem and root is a topical remedy for warts. Imagine—all this from a lowly weed!

How much: How much dandelion to incorporate into your diet boils down to two factors: availability and personal preference. Dandelion greens are considered a specialty item in some areas and therefore can be difficult to find. They also have a pungent taste, and people tend to love or hate the flavor. If you can find fresh dandelion greens and you enjoy the taste, make them a regular part of your diet.

Tips: Use the root in soups or sauté it on its own.
If the raw leaves are too bitter for you, try them lightly steamed or sautéed.

Source: Health.msn.com

Links:

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (1)

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (2)

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (2)

2010-07-18T04:08:00.000-07:00

Watercress

Not only is watercress extremely nutritious, it's about as close as you can get to a calorie-free food. Calorie for calorie, it provides four times the calcium of 2 percent milk. Ounce for ounce, it offers as much vitamin C as an orange and more iron than spinach. It's packed with vitamin A and has lots of vitamin K, along with multiple antioxidant carotenoids and protective phytochemicals.

The nutrients in watercress protect against cancer and macular degeneration, help build the immune system, and support bone health. The iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your body's tissues for energy. The phytochemicals in watercress battle cancer in three ways: killing cancer cells, blocking carcinogens, and protecting healthy cells from carcinogens. They've also been shown to help prevent lung and esophageal cancer and can help lower your risk for other cancers.

In Chinese medicine, watercress is thought to help reduce tumors, improve night vision, and stimulate bile production (improving digestion and settling intestinal gas). It's used as a remedy for jaundice, urinary difficulty, sore throat, mumps, and bad breath.

How much: Eat watercress daily if you can. In some regions, it's more widely available during the spring and summer, when it's cultivated outdoors. But since it can also be grown hydroponically in greenhouses, you can find it year-round in many grocery stores and at your local farmers market.

Tips: You can cook it, but watercress is better for you when you eat it raw. Tuck it into a sandwich in place of lettuce.
Toss it with your favorite vegetables and eat it in a salad.
Watercress is great in pesto—just replace the basil with watercress—and soups.
Use watercress as a wonderfully detoxifying ingredient in juice or smoothies.

Spinach

You already knew spinach was good for you, but did you know just how good? Spinach protects against eye disease and vision loss; it's good for brain function; it guards against colon, prostate, and breast cancers; it protects against heart disease, stroke, and dementia; it lowers blood pressure; it's anti-inflammatory; and it's great for bone health. Spinach has an amazing array of nutrients, including high amounts of vitamin K, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and iron.

A carotenoid found in spinach not only kills prostate cancer cells, it also prevents them from multiplying. Folate promotes vascular health by lowering homocysteine, an amino acid that, at high levels, raises the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach protect against colon cancer in addition to fighting inflammation, making them key components of brain health, particularly in older adults.

Spinach is loaded with vitamin K (one cup of cooked spinach provides 1,111 percent of the recommended daily amount!), which builds strong bones by helping calcium adhere to the bone. Spinach is also rich in lutein, which protects against age-related macular degeneration, and it may help prevent heart attacks by keeping artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.

How much: Fresh spinach should be a daily staple in your diet. It's available in practically every grocery store, no matter where you live, it's easy to find year-round, and you'd be hard pressed to find a more nutritionally sound, versatile green. So do yourself a healthy favor and aim for a few ounces, raw or lightly steamed, every day.

Tips: Add a handful of fresh spinach to your next fruit smoothie. It'll change the color but not the taste.
Conventionally grown spinach is susceptible to pesticide residue; stick to organic.

Onions

Onions get a bad rap for their effect on the breath, but that's not the only part of the body where they pack a wallop. Onions contain potent cancer-fighting enzymes; onion consumption has been shown to help lower the risk of prostate and esophageal cancers and has also been linked to reduced mortality from coronary heart disease. Research suggests that they may help protect against stomach cancer. Onions contain sulfides that help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as a peptide that may help prevent bone loss by inhibiting the loss of calcium and other bone minerals.

Onions have super antioxidant power. They contain quercetin, a natural antihistamine that reduces airway inflammation and helps relieve symptoms of allergies and hay fever. Onions also boast high levels of vitamin C, which, along with the quercetin, battles cold and flu symptoms. Onions' anti-inflammatory properties help fight the pain and swelling associated with osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. Onions are also extremely rich in sulfur and they have antibiotic and antiviral properties, making them excellent for people who consume a diet high in protein, fat, or sugar, as they help cleanse the arteries and impede the growth of viruses, yeasts, and other disease-causing agents, which can build up in an imbalanced diet.

How much: For all the health benefits onions provide, it would be ideal to eat one a day. However, if that's not doable for you, add a few onions to your weekly grocery list and try to eat a little bit every day. All varieties are extremely good for you, but shallots and yellow onions lead the pack in antioxidant activity. Raw onions provide the best nutrition, but they're still great for you when they're lightly cooked. And cooking meat at high temperatures (such as on a grill) with onions can help reduce or counteract carcinogens produced by the meat.

Tip: Onions should be stored at room temperature, but if they bother your eyes when you cut them, try refrigerating them for an hour beforehand.

Carrots

Carrots are a great source of the potent antioxidants known as carotenoids. Diets high in carotenoids have been tied to a decreased risk in postmenopausal breast cancer as well as cancers of the bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, and esophagus. Conversely, diets low in carotenoids have been associated with chronic disease, including heart disease and various cancers. Research suggests that just one carrot per day could reduce your risk of lung cancer by half. Carrots may also reduce your risk of kidney and ovarian cancers. In addition to fighting cancer, the nutrients in carrots inhibit cardiovascular disease, stimulate the immune system, promote colon health, and support ear and eye health.

Carrots contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin C, and an incredible amount of vitamin A. The alpha-carotene in carrots has shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth. Carrots also contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which work together to promote eye health and prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. In Chinese medicine, carrots are used to treat rheumatism, kidney stones, tumors, indigestion, diarrhea, night blindness, ear infections, earaches, deafness, skin lesions, urinary tract infections, coughs, and constipation.

How much: Eat a serving of carrots each day if you can, and enjoy them year-round. Carrots are good for you whether they're raw or lightly cooked; cooking helps break down the tough fiber, making some of the nutrients more easily absorbed. For the best nutrition, go for whole carrots that are firm and fresh-looking. Precut baby carrots are made from whole carrots and, although they're convenient, they tend to lose important nutrients during processing.

Tips: Remove carrot tops before storing them in the fridge, as the tops drain moisture from the roots and will cause the carrots to wilt.
Buy organic; conventionally grown carrots frequently show high pesticide residues.

Links:
Foods With Super-Healing Powers (3)

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (1)

Gee - SNSD (Girls Generation)

2010-07-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is one of SNSD single "Gee" which holds the record for the longest-running #1 song on KBS's Music Bank for 9 weeks, and M.Net for 8 weeks in 2009.
This song with SNSD cheerful dance is absolutely cute, colorful, girly & funny XD Watch up! Let's sing and dance together.:P

Lyric

[Tiffany] Aha! Listen Boy My First Love Story
[Jessica] My Angel and My Girls
My sunshine
Oh! Oh! let's go!

[Seohyun] Neomu neomu meotjyeo nooni nooni busyeo
Sumeul moht shigesseo tteollineun geol

Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

[Tiffany] O neomu bukkeureoweo chyeodabol su eobseo
Sarange ppajyeosseo sujubeun geol

Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

[Sunny] Eotteoke hajyo [Yoona] (eotteokhajyo)
[Sunny] Tteullineun maeum [Yoona] (ddeuleeneun maeum)
[Sunny] (Dugeun dugeun dugeun dugeun) [Yoona] dugeundugeun georyeo
[Sunny & Yoona] bamen jamdo mot eerujyo

[Jessica] Naneun naneun babongabwayo
Geudae geudae bakke moleuneun babo
Geulaeyo geudael boneun nan

[All] Neomu banjjak banjjak nooni booshuh no no no no no
Neomu kkamjjak kkamjjak nollan naneun oh oh oh oh oh
Neomu jjarit jjarit momi ddeullyuh gee gee gee gee gee
O juhjeun nunbit (oh yeah~) oh joeun hyanggee (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

[Sunny] O neomu neomu yeppeo mami neomu yeppeo
Cheot nune banhaetseo kkok jjipeun gul

Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

[Sooyoung] Neomuna ddewguhwuh manjil suga eopseo
Sarange tabeoryeo hookkeunhan geol

Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

[Seohyun] Eojjeomyeon joa [Hyoyeon] (eojjeomyeon joayo)
[Seohyun] Soojoobeun naneun [Hyoyeon] (soojoobeun naneunyo)
[Seohyun] (Molla molla molla molla) [Hyoyeon] mollahamyeo maeil
[Seohyun & Hyoyeon] geudaeman geurijyo

[Taeyeon] Chinhan chingudeureun malhajyo
Jeongmal neoneun jeongmal motmalryeo babo
Hajiman geudael boneun nan

[All] Neomu banjjak banjjak nooni booshuh no no no no no
Neomu kkamjjak kkamjjak nollan naneun oh oh oh oh oh
Neomu jjarit jjarit momi ddeullyuh gee gee gee gee gee
O juhjeun nunbit (oh yeah~) oh joeun hyanggee (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

[Yuri] Maldo mothaet geol
Neomu bukkeureoweo haneun nan

[Taeyeon] Yongiga eopneun geolkka
Eotteokhaeya joeun geolkka
[Taeyeon & Jessica] Dugeun dogeun mam jorimyeo barabogo itneun nan (ya~)

[All] Neomu banjjak banjjak nooni booshuh no no no no no
Neomu kkamjjak kkamjjak nollan naneun oh oh oh oh oh
Neomu jjarit jjarit momi ddeullyuh gee gee gee gee gee
O juhjeun nunbit (oh yeah~) oh joeun hyanggee (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

Neomu banjjak banjjak nooni booshuh no no no no no
Neomu kkamjjak kkamjjak nollan naneun oh oh oh oh oh
Neomu jjarit jjarit momi ddeullyuh gee gee gee gee gee
O juhjeun nunbit (oh yeah~) oh joeun hyanggee (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

Translation

[Tiffany] Aha!
[Tiffany] Listen boy
[Tiffany] My first love story
[Jessica] My angel
[Jessica] And my girls
[Jessica] My sunshine
[Jessica] Uh! Uh! Let's go!

[Seohyun] You're so so handsome
My eyes my eyes are blinded
I can't breathe because I'm trembling

[All] Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

[Tiffany] Oh I feel so embarrassed
I can't look at you
I feel shy because I've fallen in love

[All] Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

([Sunny] What should I do~)[Yoona] What should I do?
([Sunny] My trembling heart) [Yoona] About my trembling heart
([Sunny] Thump thump thump thump) [Yoona] My heart kept thumping, So I couldn't fall asleep at night

[Jessica] I guess I guess I'm a fool
A fool that knows you, only you
Yes, as I look at you~~

[All] So bright so bright My eyes are blinded no no no no no
So surprised surprised I'm shocked oh oh oh oh oh
So tingly tingly my body is trembling gee gee gee gee gee
Oh glittering eyes (oh yeah~) Oh sweet aroma (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

[Sunny] Oh so so pretty
Your heart is so pretty
I was captured from first glance, caught so closely
[All] Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

[Sooyoung] I can't touch it because it's so hot
I'm engulfed by love's fire completely
[All] Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby
Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby

([Seohyun]What should I do) [Hyoyeon] What should I do
([Seohyun] because I'm so shy) [Hyoyeon] because I'm so shy
([Seohyun]No no no no no) [Hyoyeon] I don't know why but every day I long for only you

[Taeyeon] My close friends tell me
That I'm really a helpless fool
But as I look at you~~

[All] So bright so bright My eyes are blinded no no no no no
So surprised surprised I'm shocked oh oh oh oh oh
So tingly tingly my body is trembling gee gee gee gee gee
Oh your glittering eyes (oh yeah~) Oh this sweet aroma (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

[Yuri]I can't even say anything
I'm too embarrassed

[Taeyeon] Do I not have any courage?
What would be the right thing to do?
Thump thump my heart is anxious as I'm looking at you

[All] So bright so bright My eyes are blinded no no no no no
So surprised surprised I'm shocked oh oh oh oh oh
So tingly tingly my body is trembling gee gee gee gee gee
Oh your glittering eyes (oh yeah~) Oh this sweet aroma (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

[All] So bright so bright My eyes are blinded no no no no no
So surprised surprised I'm shocked oh oh oh oh oh
So tingly tingly my body is trembling gee gee gee gee gee
Oh your glittering eyes (oh yeah~) Oh this sweet aroma (oh yeah yeah yeah~)

How Happy is Our Nation?

2010-07-17T00:24:00.000-07:00

Picture 01. Indonesian Flag

Adrian White from Leister University made a survey recently, what is the happiest nation in the world? The result is not from the richest countries, but Danish nation. Proof that’s not everything can be bought by money. Indonesian stunned in the number-64.

Another survey a decade ago concluded the same message. People’s happiness in the world hasn’t increased significantly since 1950. Advanced technology, economics, and world facilities in fact are not increase happiness of the world people. Then what?

Gratitude. Danes are easy thankful, enjoy life without abundant, life with contentment, and feel no need to be enslaved by success.

Why could Danish do that?

Picture 02. Danish people

In Denmark, education and healthcare are free, secure retirement, supported living philosophy don’t need to ambitious. Other than that the level of hope (expectation) of Danish people are low. A little success has made them happy. If failed, they were still pleased to rise again.

Picture 03. Danish Crown Prince & Crown Princess Visit The Danish Old People's

That means the stress level of the Danish people’s lives is minimal. Different with an athlete in our nation who we think is very healthy, listed also has a heart attack as well. The Reason is stress factor. Cardiac coronary vessels could have been closed (coronary spasm) if stress infests.

Picture 04. Danish Family

Stress damage to the body, in addition to undermine happiness. Most of people illness now, stress is the trigger. Bestowed troubled soul to the form of suffering body(psychosomatic). The misguided and wrong life also will add load stress for most people today.

The Paradox of “n-Ach”

Picture 05. a stress person

At the beginning of the modernization, the progress of a nation was determined by the spirit of the need-for-achievement (“n-Ach mental virus”). The soul of nations that never feel satisfied is more accelerated in their rate of development. All nations compete want to be more advanced race. Troya Nation first, and the Japanese people now, for example. That spirit which is never satisfied, is the principal rapid economic boom in a nation.

Picture 06. a Japanese man who is sleeping in the train because of his fatigue of work.

However, it’s proven now, the nation which is dictated by the high desires and ambitions are not happier than people who prefer to live gratitude and live on enough. That’s because there are really no upper limit for satisfaction.

Unfortunately only quarter of respondents in the world who have believed this.
By Measuring the satisfaction with life index, the Japanese people’s happiness only at number 90 of the world. Small countries and not too rich, like Bahamas, Sweden, Malta, Costa Rica, and Butane, are included on 20 highest of the world in his nation’s happiness.

Picture 07. a Japanese man who is sleeping on the train because of his fatigue of work.

Happiness surveys that using WHO, UNESCO, the CIA and the New Economic Foundation data, are measured from the subjective nation satisfaction on health, education, and relative wealth, in addition to life expectancy levels. The lower the expectations of a nation, increasingly easy to grow up feeling grateful and feeling happy.Conversely, the higher of the expectations of the nation, more and more dissatisfied and become less happy.

Picture 08. a Japanese man who is sleeping on the train because of his fatigue of work.

We see how the Japanese people walking as being chased by ghost. They average are workaholic and have high expectations in life so also the Republic of Korea, China, and Thailand which the degree of happiness were at number 102, 82nd, and 76th only. Endless pursuit of the achievement level of the nation is inversely proportional to the rate of happiness in life.

Picture 09. a Japanese man who is sleeping on the train because of his fatigue of work.

Lots of money was not happy

Philosophy of the people are a lot of misguided. Average parents brought their children to school with the goal to be money-making machine merely. Success of life assessed with the money. Fact the money is really important. But that’s not what increases happiness. Danish people view the success of life is important. But, enjoy life, friendly with the family and friends become the main value. To be happier, better way of life needs to be taken.

Picture 10. the Japanese who are queing to propose a job.

Because the success of most people mixed in with money and property, people are stuck to worked-hard for money, wealth, and power in abundance, but often unhappy because they don’t like their field of work. Average parents and universities are now already wrong to take children reap happiness.

Picture 11. A dead Japanese man because of Karoshi (death due to stress of working)

People could buy a gold bed, not sleeping. Could buy sex, not love. Could buy drugs, not health. It’s true the educational paradigm should be rotated so that the graduates work in a profession that only truly loved by himself. That's also why the college entrance test is considered an important motivation for selecting candidates for future professional success, not for the false success. A lot of money, but not happy.

Universities in developed countries now receive a student do not merely look at academic achievement. There are many prospective smart students, but to be a true professional is a little. Just because of the love of the job, true success and productivity for the country will be reached.

Clever is not enough. Now child needs to be smart plus. Some types of intelligence are not necessarily acquired in school. There are kinds of intelligence that cannot be learned but develops by itself if the child is not nerdy. Pros such as tacit knowledge isn’t all children have. Save the intelligence is capable reach happiness, one of them.

State wealth is not everything. Enchanted against American Dreams, reputedly that makes the happiness of American nation which is wealthy only at number 23. Looking at the above survey results is not hard to make people happy.

For us, that can be as happy as the Danes, at least the state should provide sufficient education and health, in addition for retirement benefits. Schools must educate children in easy to feel grateful and believe that there is no upper limit in terms of life satisfaction, in addition to believing that money cannot buy anything purchased. Not really able to atone for happiness in life.

Source: KOMPAS; December 2009

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (1)

2010-07-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

Whole foods that help fight disease.
Nikki Jong, Caring.com contributing editor

As part of a healthy diet, whole foods play a significant role in helping our bodies function optimally. There are hundreds of extremely nutritious whole foods, but the dozen on this list do more than contribute healthy nutrients—they help you heal. In fact, every food on this list boasts multiple healing effects, from fighting cancer to reducing cholesterol, guarding against heart disease, and more. Eat these super-healing picks and start feeling pretty super yourself.

Kiwifruit

This tiny, nutrient-dense fruit packs an amazing amount of vitamin C (double the amount found in oranges), has more fiber than apples, and beats bananas as a high-potassium food. The unique blend of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in kiwifruit helps protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease. Kiwifruit's natural blood-thinning properties work without the side effects of aspirin and support vascular health by reducing the formation of spontaneous blood clots, lowering LDL cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that kiwifruit not only reduce oxidative stress and damage to DNA but also prompt damaged cells to repair themselves.
Kiwifruit are often prescribed as part of a dietary regimen to battle cancer and heart disease, and in Chinese medicine they are used to accelerate the healing of wounds and sores.

How much:
Aim to eat one to two kiwifruit a day while they're in season, for the best taste and nutrition. California-grown kiwifruit are in season from October through May, and New Zealand kiwifruit are available between April and November.

Tips:
Kiwifruit contain enzymes that activate once you cut the fruit, causing the flesh to tenderize. So if you're making a fruit salad, cut the kiwifruit last.
The riper the kiwifruit, the greater the antioxidant power, so let them ripen before you dig in.

Cherries

Cherries boast a laundry list of healing powers. For starters, they pack a powerful nutritional punch for a relatively low calorie count. They're also packed with substances that help fight inflammation and cancer. As if that weren't enough, in lab studies, quercetin and ellagic acid, two compounds contained in cherries, have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors and even cause cancer cells to commit suicide—without damaging healthy cells. Cherries also have antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Anthocyanin, another compound in cherries, is credited with lowering the uric acid levels in the blood, thereby reducing a common cause of gout. Researchers believe anthocyanins may also reduce your risk of colon cancer. Further, these compounds work like a natural form of ibuprofen, reducing inflammation and curbing pain. Regular consumption may help lower risk of heart attack and stroke.

In Chinese medicine, cherries are routinely used as a remedy for gout, arthritis, and rheumatism (as well as anemia, due to their high iron content). Plus they're delicious.
How much: Aim for a daily serving while they're in season locally. And keep a bag of frozen cherries in your freezer the rest of the year; frozen cherries retain 100 percent of their nutritional value and make a great addition to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal.

Tip: Buy organic, since conventionally grown cherries can be high in pesticides.

Guavas

Guavas are a small tropical fruit that can be round, oval, or pear-shaped. They're not all that common, so they might be hard to find, depending on where you live. But if you can track them down, it's more than worth it. Guavas contain more of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable, and nearly 20 percent more than tomatoes. Our bodies can't process much of the lycopene in tomatoes until they're cooked; the processing helps break down tough cell walls. However, guavas' cell structure allows the antioxidant to be absorbed whether the fruit is raw or cooked, and the whole fruit offers the nutrition without the added sodium of processed tomato products.

Lycopene protects our healthy cells from free radicals that can cause all kinds of damage, including blocked arteries, joint degeneration, nervous system problems, and even cancer. Lycopene consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of prostate cancer; in addition, men with prostate tumors who consumed lycopene supplements showed significant improvements, such as smaller tumors and decreased malignancy. Lycopene has also been found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, and research suggests that this antioxidant may also help protect against coronary heart disease.

This strange-looking little fruit is also packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants. Serving for serving, guava offers more than 60 percent more potassium than a banana, which can help protect against heart disease and stroke. In fact, the nutrients found in guavas have been shown to lower LDL and boost HDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and lower blood pressure.

How much: Aim to eat fresh guavas as often as you can when you can find them in stores. They're not commonly available in the freezer section; and most guava juices are processed and sweetened, so they don't provide the same superior nutrition that the whole, fresh fruit does. One to two guavas a day is a good goal.

Tip: Opt for the red-fleshed variety if you can; both are loaded with antioxidants, but the red type has more than the white-fleshed apple guava.

Beans

Beans are a miracle food. They lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and insulin production, promote digestive health, and protect against cancer. If you think of fiber, protein, and antioxidants and immediately think whole grains, meat, and fruit, think again—beans offer all three in a single package.

An assortment of phytochemicals found in beans has been shown to protect cells from cancerous activity by inhibiting cancer cells from reproducing, slowing tumor growth. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that women who consumed beans at least twice a week were 24 percent less likely to develop breast cancer, and multiple studies have tied beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers.

Beans deliver a whopping amount of antioxidants, which help prevent and fight oxidative damage. In fact, the USDA's ranking of foods by antioxidant capacity places three varieties of beans (red beans, red kidney beans, and pinto beans) in the top four—and that's among all food groups. Beans are a great source of dietary fiber, protein, and iron. They also contain the amino acid tryptophan; foods with high amounts of tryptophan can help regulate your appetite, aid in sleep, and improve your mood. Many are also rich in folate, which plays a significant role in heart health. And depending on the type of bean you choose, you'll also get decent amounts of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B1 and B2, and vitamin K. Soybeans are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

In Chinese medicine, various types of beans have been used to treat alcoholism, food poisoning, edema (particularly in the legs), high blood pressure, diarrhea, laryngitis, kidney stones, rheumatism, and dozens of other conditions.

How much: Aim for a minimum of two servings of beans per week.

Tip: Adzuki and mung beans are among the most easily digested; pinto, kidney, navy, garbanzo, lima, and black beans are more difficult to digest.

Links:
Foods With Super-Healing Powers (2)

Foods With Super-Healing Powers (3)

Predators (2010)

2010-07-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

Director: Nimrod Antal
Released Date: 7 July 2010 (Indonesia)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Cast:
-Adrien Brody
-Topher Grace
-Danny Trejo
-Alice Braga
-Laurence Fishburne
-Danny Trejo

Writers: Michael Finch, Alex Litvak
Homepage: http://www.predators-movie.com/

Synopsis (from msn movies):
Group of hardened killers are hunted on an alien planet in producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimród Antal's entry into the popular sci-fi action franchise. Mercenaries, murderers, gangsters, and convicts, they were the most feared men on Earth. But now they're a long way from home, and when the predators become the prey, fearless mercenary Royce (Adrien Brody) prepares for the fight of his life. And he's not alone, because Mexican gangster Cuchillo (Danny Trejo), Israeli Defense Forces veteran Isabelle (Alice Braga), notorious mass murderer Stans (Walton Goggins), Russian Special Forces operative Nikolai (Oleg Taktarov), RUF death squad member Mombasa (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), and sword-wielding Yakuza Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchien) are all armed to the teeth, and out for blood. The odd man out is Edwin (Topher Grace), a once-prominent physician whose career came to an end following a big scandal. When the motley crew encounters Noland (Laurence Fishburne), a resourceful human who has somehow managed to survive on the alien's hunting grounds for some time, they prepare to take the ultimate stand against the most powerful Predators yet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

My Review:
I thought it would be a great thriller movie. But after I watched this movie..
hmm.. Overall I think It's a good predator movie but It wouldn't make me remember this film for a long time. Yes, I didn't really get the sense of this film, too easily forgotten. I think the plot is too flat and boring, nothing special in this movie, seems like only repeated from the old sequel. At the first, it was good, made me curious, but not at the middle until finished.

Last, I think it is a great predator movie if you are a big fan of Predator. For me, It's not great but it's not bad too and I do not recommend this to the children. There are some disturbing scenes in this film. However, I'm curious and looking forward to the next sequel of predators.

My Rating: 6,3/10

Trailer:

7 Facts and Myths about Germs in Our Daily Life

2010-07-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

Germs are everywhere. We always clean up our selves in our daily life for distancing ourselves from germs. But, before you claim yourselves as a super-sterile, check the fact and myth out:

1. Myth: Hand Drying Machine is the best way to drain up your hands.

Fact : Hand Drying Machine can actually increase the number of bacteria on your hands after washing hands. Bacteria can growth in the hand drying machine because this area is very warm and humid. When the dryer is turned on, the air that comes out could be full of bacteria. Tissue and Paper Tissue are still the best way to dry hands, because this can remove the bacteria physically from your hands.

2. Myth: Hand Sanitizer and Alcohols can replace the function of washing hands.

Fact: Alcohol and hand sanitizer has been proven effective for cleaning bacteria from relatively clean hands. However Sanitizer less powerful to remove germs which are contained on extra dirty hands and oily. For this one, water is still the best. Also, don’t forget that alcohol can make hands dry, so in the long period time, the number of bacteria is increases continually. Instead, only use hand sanitizer at the emergency situation or no water.

3. Myth: During a toothbrush is placed far from toilet, bacteria won’t grow up.

Fact: If you like to keep your toothbrush in bathroom, there’s one you need to know. When you are flushing the toilet, water tight rotation will make bacteria sprayed up into the air and stayed until 2 hours afterwards. Every time you brush your teeth, the germs which stick on a toothbrush will go into your mouth! Well, you have two choices : close down the toilet lid when flushing, or store your tooth brush outside the bathroom.

4. Myth: All germs are danger for healthy.

Fact: Apparently there are some bacteria which benefits the body. This type of bacteria are usually found in the group in charge of maintaining the ecosystem in the particular body part. Some parts of body which are inhabited natural bacterial flora or good bacteria are stomach and vagina.

5. Myth: Using soap together would make us share the germs.

Research shows that bacteria don’t necessary move from one person to another through a soap. Some experts argue, it is because soap – especially anti-bacterial soaps- have an ability to clean themselves. Beside that, the bacteria whom you are obtained from the soap would be shed when you wash your hands with water.

6.Myth: Trying cosmetics in the shopping center is safe to do, because the covers or the samples is always cleaned all days.

Research shows that cosmetic samples at makeup stores save many Stapylococci and E.coli, even after the end of the lipstick or powder is thrown/ cleaned.

7. Myth: Foods that fall could still be eaten as long as they haven’t been 5 seconds.

The motto “hasn’t been five seconds” actually should be thrown far away. When a slice of cake fell to the floor, microorganisms directly invade the cake .What’s worse is if the floor is wet. The germs which is nested will be more.

Reference: Health Today; May 2007 (with arrangement)
Images by Google

What is Biotechnology?

2010-07-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

An Introduction to Modern Biotechnology
By Theresa Phillips

Biotechnology is most briefly defined as the art of utilizing living organisms and their products for the production of food, drink, medicine or for other benefits to the human race, or other animal species. Technically speaking, humans have been making use of biotechnology since they discovered farming, with the planting of seeds to control plant growth and crop production. Animal breeding is also a form of biotechnology. More recently, cross-pollination of plants and cross-breeding of animals were macro-biological techniques in biotechnology, used to enhance product quality and/or meet specific requirements or standards.

The discovery of microorganisms and the subsequent burst of knowledge related to the causes of infectious diseases, antibiotics and immunizations could probably be counted among man’s most significant, life-altering discoveries. However, the most modern techniques in biotechnology owe their existence to the discovery of DNA and several techniques essential for gene cloning. Current scientific methods are more specific than historical techniques, as scientists now directly alter genetic material with atomic precision, using techniques otherwise known as recombinant DNA technology.

Biotechnology in Industry

As technology advances, the many roles biotech plays in our lives increases. Since George Washington Carver, scientists have been learning how to use biochemicals isolated from plants, to produce chemical products for everyday use around the house, the first "green biotech products". Since then, biotechnological advances can be found in nearly all sectors of industry. There are, of course, the obvious medical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Biotechnology is being used to determine cause and effect of various diseases and are used in the production of drugs. The production of foods is enhanced by biotechnological advances that improve crop yields, introduce in-situ insect resistance and provide new ways of food preservation. Other food biotechnology advances include biodegradable packaging and built-in bio-indicators of contamination. In the environmental sector, biotech has played a role in remediation of contaminated land, water and air, pest control, treatment of industrial effluents and emissions, and acid mine drainage.

Biotechnological Advances and the Human Race

Moral debates in bioethics continue to surround the field of biotechnology. The public response to issues such as the value of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), versus the risks involved in their release into the environment, more-or-less quenched the enthusiasm of the bioremediation industry for GMO research, in the early 1980’s. Genetically modified foods (GMFs) continue to be produced, but with more and more governments clamping down on production and distribution and answering calls by the public demanding strict testing and labeling procedures.

Exciting new developments are being made in bio-fuels research, at a time when fossil fuel prices as going through the roof. However, the question of whether a diminishing supply can meet the ever-increasing demand is under debate by those who don’t believe the fossil fuel crisis is imminent, and those who are concerned about the diversion of food crops for fuel production. If they are correct, there is still some question of whether the cost of biofuels research and development is worth the effort.

Finally, there are the highly publicized and emotional debates surrounding the use of human embryos and stem cells for genetic research. Although the benefits of such research are obvious to most, the cost to human rights, morality and religious integrity are too high for some.

The Current State of Affairs

Despite on-going debates and occasional road-blocks, the biotech industry continues to persevere. Anyone looking for a career in biotechnology can choose from a wide variety of scientific and non-scientific disciplines, ranging from molecular genetics to chemistry, to business management and law. A chosen career in a biotech startup is sure to lead to a variety of roles and responsibilities on a daily basis. A startup is a risky endeavor, both as a job choice, or for venture investors. However, the many roles of a startup employee are what makes this career path appealing to many.

Almost every aspect of human life is touched by biotechnology. We continue to look for ways to improve our health, increase food production with an eye to feeding the poor in less industrialized countries, and clean up our environment. Green biotechnology offers environmentally sound solutions to the onslaughts of the industrial revolution, and a wealth of hidden answers to our most intriguing medical questions. For those reasons, biotech research will carry on and the industry is here to stay.

Source: About.com
Images: google.com