Flying cars swoop to the rescue

As motorways become more and more clogged up with traffic, a new generation of flying cars will be needed to ferry people along skyways.
That is the verdict of engineers from the US space agency and aeronautical firms, who envision future commuters travelling by "skycar".
These could look much like the concept skycar shown in the picture, designed by Boeing research and development.
However, such vehicles could be some 25 years from appearing on the market.
Efforts to build flying vehicles in the past have not been very successful.
Such vehicles would not only be expensive and require the skills of a trained pilot to fly, but there are significant engineering challenges involved in developing them.
"When you try to combine them you get the worst of both worlds: a very heavy, slow, expensive vehicle that's hard to use," said Mark Moore, head of the personal air vehicle (PAV) division of the vehicle systems program at Nasa's Langley Research Center in Hampton, US.
But Boeing is also considering how to police the airways - and prevent total pandemonium - if thousands of flying cars enter the skies.
"The neat, gee-whiz part is thinking about what would the vehicle itself look like," said Dick Paul, a vice president with Phantom Works, Boeing's research and development arm.
"But we're trying to think through all the ramifications of what would it take to deploy a fleet of these."
Past proposals to solve this problem have included artificial intelligence systems to prevent collisions between air traffic.
Nasa is working on flying vehicles with the initial goal of transforming small plane travel.
Small planes are generally costly, loud, require months of training and lots of money to operate, making flying to work impractical for most people.
But within five years, Nasa researchers hope to develop technology for a small plane that can fly out of regional airports, costs less than $100,000 (￡55,725), is as quiet as a motorcycle and as simple to operate as a car.
Although it would not have any road-driving capabilities, it would bring this form of travel within the grasp of a wider section of people. Technology would automate many of the pilot's functions.
This Small Aircraft Transportation System (Sats) would divert pressure away from the "hub-and-spoke" model of air travel.
Hub-and-spoke refers to the typically US model of passengers being processed through large "hub" airports and then on to secondary flights to "spoke" airports near their final destination.

Recreational Activities

　21st century has brought with it an unprecedented variety of recreational activities ranging from traditional outdoor activities such as playing ball games to all kinds of online ones, the latter of which is a great appeal to the young generation. So I’d like to narrow my topic down to online recreational activities.
　　It goes without saying that various activities brought by modern technology have greatly broadened our horizon and brought much excitement to us. With access to the Internet, you can get to know people from any country in the world and you can talk with them, play games with them --- a temptation very hard to resist, and even see them via web cam. The disadvantage, however, is that anyone who lacks self-control would very easily get lost and become addicted to the online world, which in turn might seriously affect their life, work and interpersonal relationships.
　　As a college student, I think what really matters is to make better choice and exert more discipline. We’d better take advantage of good online recreational activities to enrich our lives and broaden the scope of knowledge. When it comes to those addictive, time-consuming and less meaningful activities, I think to stay away from them is a wise decision.

Good Thoughts For The Day

When things go wrong, it is easy to get into a bad mood, and that bad mood has a way of spiraling out and affecting our life for days to come. In the same way, when we feel badly about ourselves, we tend to act in ways that have repercussions, again creating a negative vibe that can negatively influence the next several days. While it is important that we allow ourselves to feel what we feel, and to be genuine, we do not have to completely surrender to a dark mood or feelings of self-doubt. In fact, the more we simply allow and accept our darkness as one part of the picture, the more easily we can also allow and accept our light. In this vein, we can temper our grey moods with an injection of sunshine in the form of sending good wishes to ourselves for the next 24 hours.
　　If you feel a bad mood coming on or find yourself plagued with negative feelings, take a moment to acknowledge that. At the same time, recognize that things can and will change, and that you can still have a good day, or a good week, especially if you take the time to visualize that for yourself. This is a great way to support yourself when you are working through tough times and hard feelings. When you visualize good things for yourself, you are sending yourself love and warmth, as well as encouraging yourself to keep going.
　　Before you even get out of bed in the morning, you can take the time to send good wishes to yourself all the way through to the next morning. As you picture your day, take the time to fill in the details梬here you are going, who you will see, what you will do梐nd send love and good wishes ahead to yourself, as well as everyone you encounter. It will be like arriving in a new place and finding that an old friend has sent a bouquet of flowers from back home to welcome you and remind you that you are loved.

You Are The One You Are Waiting For

We spend a lot of our lives looking for role models, mentors, teachers, and gurus to guide us on our path. There is nothing wrong with this and, in fact, finding the right person at the right time can really help. However, it is important to realize that in the absence of such a figure, we can very safely rely upon ourselves. We carry within us everything we need to know to make progress on our paths to self-realization. The outer world serves as a mirror. Or to use another metaphor, our inner world has a magnetic force that draws to us what we need to evolve to the next level. All we need to do to see that we already have everything we need is to let go of our belief that we need to seek in order to find.
　　The path of the spirit is often defined as a journey with a goal such as the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In this metaphor, a person begins a search for something they want but do not have and then they find it, and there is a happy ending. However, most of us know that getting what we want only makes us happy for a moment, and then the happiness passes until a new object of desire presents itself. Joy is a permanent aspect of our inner selves and is not separate from us at any point. We do not have to travel to find it or imagine that it resides only in the body of another. In fact, what the best teachers will do is point out that this very precious elixir is something we already possess.
　　So when we find ourselves on our path, not knowing which way to turn and wishing for guidance, we can turn to ourselves. We may not know the right answer rationally or intellectually, but if we simply ask, let go, and wait patiently, an answer will come. The more we practice this and trust this process, the less we will look outside ourselves for teachers and guides for we will have successfully become our own

Is failure a bad thing?

Failure is what often happens. it is everywhere in our life. students may fail in exams, scientists may fail in their research work, and athletes may fail in competitions.
　　Although failure happens to everyone, attitudes towards failure are various. some people don’t think their failure is a very important thing at all. so they pay no attention to it. as a result, they will have the same failure a period later. some people think themselves are fools and lose their hearts in everything after they get a failure. consequently, they spend their time and energy on useless things and they may really be fools as they have thought.
　　Other people are quite different from the two kinds of people mentioned above. instead of being distressed and lost, they draw a lesson from every failure and become more experienced. after hard work, they will be successful in the end. it is said that failure is the mother of success. success will be gained after times of failures so long as we are good at drawing lesson from our failures.
　　In my opinion, failure is not a bad thing, the really bad thing is taking a failure as failure or even lose our heart after failure.

Will Yoga Help You Lose Weight?

suppose it was only a matter of time before the mass marketing about diet and fitness and weight loss caught up with yoga.
After all, yoga is certainly going through a period of resurgance - not the first, as these things typically move in cycles as does most of the market.
Typically though, when you read about yoga, the topic is peace of mind, spirituality, relaxation, meditation, perhaps physical conditioning and strength (both physical and mental).
This time though, the debate rests squarely on yoga's ability to shed pounds in a society that is struggling with record levels of obesity on the one hand, and a severe "thin" image problem held by popular celebrities on the other.
A recent study started the heated debate by claiming a link between yoga and weight loss.
Specifically, the study found that middle-age people who practice yoga tended to experience gradual weight loss over a 10-year period, while those that did not practice yoga seemed to experience fairly substantial weight gain over the same period.
Since the study was released, a constant barrage of skeptics have pointed out flaws in the research that range from self-reported results to missing many other factors that may lead people to both practice yoga and have reduced weight.
As usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, at least based on my own experiences.
It is much more likely that the positive factors of yoga and meditation have on your mind and body impact your self-image, nutrition choices, and overall stress level which are major factors in weight control. We point to many of the benefits of practicing yoga over at: http://www.yogasuccess.com
Stress not only results in unhealthy binge eating and poor nutritional choices, but actually has physiological impacts on your body that often result in craving foods that can result in greater weight gain such as sugars, starches and carbohydrates.
In the end, what is important is that you are becoming healthier, happier, experience less stress in your life and enjoy your life to the maximum possible.
Let the journalists fight it out over who is technically right, after all, they are likely all fighting to meet deadlines and beat each other's coverage of the story.
It's time I took a break and go practice some meditation.

How to Avoid Allergic Reactions To Food

Have you ever started sneezing when eating peanuts, getting rash on your skin or feeling your heart starting to beat faster? Statistics show that around 12 million Americans suffer from food allergy, with 6.9 million allergic to seafood and 3.3 million allergic to peanuts or tree nuts.
Food allergies occur immediately after consumption of an allergen food unlike food intolerance where it takes hours for the first symptoms to appear. The food is treated as harmful to the body, by the immune system, which defends our organism from harmful external attacks. Chemicals called histamines are released in the blood and trigger allergic symptoms which include:
* itching
* Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body
* wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing
* hoarse voice
* coughing
* stomach pain
* diarrhea
* nausea or vomiting
* dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
The most severe form of food allergy is called anaphylaxis. It is a life threatening condition which is often fatal to certain people. Symptoms may include:
* itchy skin rash (hives),
* swelling of the lips and tongue,
* tightening of the throat,
* difficulty breathing and
* feeling faint.
Statistics show that more than 150 people die annually from allergy to certain types of food.
The foods that are responsible for 90 percent of food allergies are:
* Peanuts
* Tree nuts, such as walnuts and pecans
* Milk
* Eggs
* Fish
* Shellfish
* Wheat
* Soy
The best way to prevent food allergies and eat healthily is to avoid eating allergen foods and try replacing them when possible with a corresponding food with the same nutritive values. Here is a few more guidelines about things you should know and how to put them into practice.
1. Check the food labels cautiously When buying food, read attentively the labels on the food products. All manufacturers according to the new Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Act must clearly list all the ingredients of the product including the 8 food allergens even if they are present in trace amounts. If the sticker is not very explicit avoid buying these products, even if they might be cheaper.
2. Enjoy new products manufactured just for you Specialized industries are producing new foods such as cakes, desserts and biscuits which were not eatable by allergic persons initially. They taste nearly the same but substitutes are used for the allergen foods such as nuts and eggs. There are also organisations on the internet like food allergy that design new recipes for children and adults that suffer from food allergies.
3. Always be on your guard The person suffering from food allergy must always carry a first aid kit containing adrenaline and antihistamine injections in case of accidental intake of the allergens.
4. Sensitize the person concerned and his environment The child should be sensitized about his health problem and the dangers of consuming even if its a small bite of a restricted food. The earlier the sensitization starts, the better it will be because kids are more cooperative at a younger age. Siblings and friends should also be informed about the health problems so that they can be more cooperative.
5. Safe food preparation Parents should be very cautious when preparing food. The table and utensils used need to be clean. It is recommended to cook the food of the allergic person in the first place. And while laying the table, they must wash their hands clean to prevent any accidental contact of allergens with the allergic persons.
6. Visit your doctor regularly and be patient Food allergic persons should be patient. In certain people, the allergy disappears gradually. Visit your doctor regularly to find about the progress of your allergies instead of having strict diets everyday. One day you may be able eat like everyone without any fear of having an allergic attack.
7. Keep a diary Keep a diary to note the foods that aggravate your food allergies and new experiences as well as changes that you notice. The help of a dietician is recommended in the beginning. Your GP can direct you to them more easily.
8. Never succumb to temptation Being tempted to have a piece of cake can be very dangerous. Your health and life is much more worth than it. Always think about the efforts people around you are putting to create an allergic-free environment for you.
9. Use the arrangements made for you In school, there are special programs to accommodate special diets to children suffering from life threatening food allergies.
10. Eat food you are sure is safe Allergic persons should avoid consuming cakes that are not Homemade and should always carry some snack on them. Buying food in restaurants are risky.
Different laws are being renewed and voted to protect people suffering from allergies. From restaurant foods to dishes served in airplanes, the allergic person has the right to enquire and ensure that the food is safe for him.
Here is a site which can be helpful to you if you have kids and babies.
There have been different studies that have been carried on allergens which I'm sure can be of some help to you.

Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic

Garlic has long been touted as a health booster, but it’s never been clear why the herb might be good for you. Now new research is beginning to unlock the secrets of the odoriferous bulb.
In a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of sciences, researchers show that eating garlic appears to boost our natural supply of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is actually poisonous at high concentrations — it’s the same noxious byproduct of oil refining that smells like rotten eggs. But the body makes its own supply of the stuff, which acts as an antioxidant and transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase blood flow.
In the latest study, performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, researchers extracted juice from supermarket garlic and added small amounts to human red blood cells. The cells immediately began emitting hydrogen sulfide, the scientists found.
The power to boost hydrogen sulfide production may help explain why a garlic-rich diet appears to protect against various cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancer, say the study authors. Higher hydrogen sulfide might also protect the heart, according to other experts. Although garlic has not consistently been shown to lower cholesterol levels, researchers at Albert Einstein college of Medicine earlier this year found that injecting hydrogen sulfide into mice almost completely prevented the damage to heart muscle caused by a heart attack.
“People have known garlic was important and has health benefits for centuries,'’ said Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama. “Even the Greeks would feed garlic to their athletes before they competed in the Olympic games.'’
Health Top Tips Nutrition Lifestyle
Now, the downside. The concentration of garlic extract used in the latest study was equivalent to an adult eating about two medium-sized cloves per day. In such countries as Italy, Korea and China, where a garlic-rich diet seems to be protective against disease, per capita consumption is as high as eight to 12 cloves per day.
While that may sound like a lot of garlic, Dr. Kraus noted that increasing your consumption to five or more cloves a day isn’t hard if you use it every time you cook. Dr. Kraus also makes a habit of snacking on garlicky dishes like hummus with vegetables.
Many Home chefs mistakenly cook garlic immediately after crushing or chopping it, added Dr. Kraus. To maximize the health benefits, you should crush the garlic at room temperature and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. That triggers an enzyme reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in garlic.
Garlic can cause indigestion, but for many, the bigger concern is that it can make your breath and sweat smell like…garlic. While individual reactions to garlic vary, eating fennel seeds like those served at Indian restaurants helps to neutralize the smell. Garlic-powder pills claim to solve the problem, but the data on these supplements has been mixed. It’s still not clear if the beneficial compounds found in garlic remain potent once it’s been processed into a pill.

Helping a parent who smokes

You can't escape the message that smoking is bad for you. But what if one or both of your parents smoke? You might be worried about their health, sick of smelling the smoke, or even a little embarrassed by it. You can't order your mom or dad to stop smoking , but you can encourage them to quit. There are lots of good reasons. Here are some you can mention:
Smoking will hurt their health. Smoking creates secondhand smoke, which you don't like. Smoking will make it hard for them to keep up with you because they might run out of breath easily. If you think it will help, you could print out articles like this one to give it to your mom or dad. Many states now have free programs to help people quit smoking. You might see them advertised on billboards in your town. Point these out to your parents and encourage them to find out more about these programs.
But what if your parent gets angry with you for bringing up the topic of smoking? People don't like to be reminded that they are doing something unhealthy, so it's possible your parents will be insulted or angry, especially if they're worried they won't be able to quit. Maybe they have tried before and failed.
Remember to be kind and respectful when you discuss smoking with your mom or dad. Also remember that it is difficult to quit. Some people try several times before they're able to quit for good. Instead of yelling at them, tell them that you love them and want them to enjoy many healthy years ahead. In time, your mom or dad may realize you are right about smoking.
And if they do agree to stop smoking, be their biggest supporter. Ask if there's anything you can do to help them when they feel the urge to smoke. Maybe you could go for a walk, do a puzzle, or listen to music together. As they reach milestones, such as a month without smoking, be sure to celebrate the achievement. Way to go, mom! Way to go, dad!

Why Fashion Matters

Fashion has suffered its share of browbeating and scorn. To understand fashion and what it truly implies for a culture I take a step back from my undertaking to catalogue fashion history. The wedding itself and the events leading up to the ceremony are stepped in Victorian customs one of the first influence the young girl is choosing the month and the day for her wedding. June has always been the most popular month, for its name after Juno, Roman goddess of marriage she would bring prosperity and Happiness to all who wed in her month.
The very word "fashion" is derived from the Latin "factio", which gave birth to the politically sensed "faction". The word "faction" applies to differences and conflicts among groups with further connotations of the possession and exercise of power by them. Our website www.ebridals.com serves for the best of bridal gown and prom dresses for Today's fashion conscious brides, these all dresses are designed by one of the leading designer Andy anand, who have designed his bridal gowns and bridal dresses which add extra grace and poise to the bride. According to him ''fashion is has always been for the elite. It has two effects: a trickle up effect, when streets fashion comes into the main stream; and a trickle down effect, when fashion moves from the elite to the masses. His bridal dresses have the special quality which appeal to people of all the class, color and shape, ebridals.com has the beautiful bridal gowns, prom dresses, and wedding dresses.
Fashion becomes a signifier of class structures. Such is the nature of social class that the elite never mix well with the commoners. We live under hegemonic structures, whether we like to admit as much or not, and we use fashion to not only preserve our differences but also to legitimize them. When the well heeled order haute couture, they order dresses that establish them as different. Wearing that expensive outfit becomes a statement that seals these differences once and for all. Thus, fashion is used as a fence to keep away lesser citizens by the elite.
But it doesn't stop there. The commoners use it as a bridge to become nearer to their social superiors. This explains the pathological rush towards designer labels, taking place today, and also leads to the branding of fashion as meaningless. But the truth is that fashion is an aspiration towards creating meaning. Such class struggle may seem frivolous and fashion may seem to be the culprit. But fashion is only a symptom that communicates the illness. The illness lies in society itself.
The aim of www.ebridals.com is not only to provide designer dresses but also to introduce you to the ''WORLD OF fashion'' all the bridal dresses and prom dresses are made with the special sresearch and care to give the ''style'' and ''comfort'' with classic touch.
Fashion has a cultural profile that saves it from trivial. Those who dislike differences of ideology and class are usually that ones that view fashion negatively, call it shallow and hold it for creating misguided desires. Those who come to accept that there is no easy utopia and that differences amongst people will remain, can seen fashion for what it truly is: an outlet for creativity, a tool of cultural production and the means by which cultural differences find peaceful voices.

Three Quick Steps to Healthier Skin

If you do only three things to improve the look and feel of your skin, make them these three, agree several of our experts:
1. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. This helps flush toxins through your kidneys instead of your skin.
2. Follow a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish. When researchers from Monash University in Australia studied the diets of 453 people ages 70 and older from Australia, Greece, and Sweden to see if there was any correlation between what they ate and the number of wrinkles in their skin, they found those who ate the most fruits, vegetables, and fish had the fewest wrinkles. Conversely, the researchers found, foods high in saturated fat, including meat, butter, and full-fat dairy, as well as soft drinks, cakes, pastries, and potatoes, increased the likelihood of skin wrinkling.
3. Protect your skin from the sun all year round with a sunblock with an SPF of 30 or greater. Just because there's snow on the ground doesn't mean your skin can't be damaged by the sun, says Andrea Lynn Cambio, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. Time outdoors is time well spent, but be sure to keep your skin either well covered or well protected with sunblock. In particular, the sun is at its most damaging between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

7 Ways to Better Recall Your Dreams

What can you do to recall your dreams more often and interpret them more clearly? The experts offer these tips:
1. Incubate an idea. Before you go to sleep, consciously think about a topic or a person you'd like to dream about. Pose a question that's troubling you and see how your dream responds to it.
2. Keep track. Next to your bed, place a pad and pen, or a tape recorder or laptop, to record your dreams as soon as you wake up.
3. Try to awaken naturally, without the help of an alarm clock or barking dog that can disrupt your dream cycle. If your schedule doesn't allow you to sleep in during the week, begin your dream journal on a weekend or during a vacation.
4. Wake up slowly. For the first moment after you awaken, lie still and keep your eyes closed, because your dream may be connected to your body position while you slept. Try to recollect the dream and then store it in your memory by giving it a name like "Late for an Exam" or "My Date with Ashley Judd." When you rise, immediately write down as many images, feelings and impressions as you can.
5. Connect the dots. To better interpret your dreams, try to make connections between your recalled dreams and recent events. Do you recognize people from the present or past? Can you detect any themes from the dream? Look for patterns over several dreams that might help explain an individual dream.
6. Change the outcome. If you have recurring nightmares that make it difficult to sleep, try to change the endings. Once you awaken from a bad dream, visualize a change in the action to create a more positive outcome. If you are trapped, try to fly. In your dream, you can do what you want!
7. Be patient. It may take days or weeks before you're able to recall your dreams in detail, but the experts advise to keep practicing. Dream memories are fragile, and trying to recall all the plot twists and turns on consecutive nights seems to have a cumulative effect

Putting Yourself on the Road to Success

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people, achievers from non-achievers, winners from losers? Are people born that way or do they develop habits as they grow older which determine their stations in life?
It would be fair to say that the answers to these questions are very complex ones. It is a combination of factors which include such things as your country of birth, when you were born, your IQ, your physique, your capacity to remember, your environment, your parents, your friends, your associates, the formal education you receive and the books you read.
Let us look at the things you have no control or little control over and work through to the things that you have absolute control over.
First, you have no say when, where or how you were born or who your parents are. Genetics dictate such things as your IQ, to a large extent your physique and your capacity to remember. However, these things can be improved through training and effort.
As a youngster you also have no control over your environment or the formal education that you receive, but that can also be improved as you grow older and take more control of your life - if you choose.
So, what is left? You might think not much. However, I contend that what is left could very well be the most important determinants of failure versus success. The people you keep company with and the books that you read.
Now, here is the exciting part of it all. They are the two things that you definitely have control over. So I need to ask you two questions:
Are you associating with positive people who are interested in helping you achieve your goals?Are you educating yourself, on a continuous basis, with appropriate books to improve your knowledge base? There are books available to suit everybody's taste. For those who have an aversion to reading books might I suggest "Rhinoceros Success" by Scott Alexander (ISBN: 0-937382-00-0). It is one of the most amusing "success" books you will ever find. It also contains cartoons complementing the text. It is quite a masterful production written by a very talented writer.
Scott Alexander has written three "Rhinocerotic" volumes. All are eminently readable.
I first read Scott's books some fifteen years ago and have read them several times since. They are always enjoyable and are just as relevant today as when he wrote them way back in 1980.
You cannot change the conditions of your birth but you can take advantage of those things, which are within your control. You can put yourself on the road to success. Just surround yourself with positive people and read, read, read!

Who Wants to Work?

I feel a loss when pragmatism wins over the mystical. There is a greater magic at work when you engage with Source. I believe that strength and optimism combined with hard work will keep marketing principles and other learned strategies working well for success. I have a much different story to tell.
I've spent many years in the corporate world and in the service and sales industry. Letting those learned and hard-work principles go to engage in a relationship with the divine has been one of the most difficult challenges I've ever faced. So why face it? Why not stick with the old ways?
Simply put, the mystical, the divine, the source energy, or God if you like, wouldn't let me go. No matter how hard I worked, I simply did not see the results I desired. There was a transformation already underway and I would be embracing a new way of living. You cannot deny who you truly are. As I moved away from working hard and focused more and more on my gifts, passion & purpose, magical things began happening.
In spite of all my marketing and Business focused activities, none of my prospects had become a client and none of my projects came to life. Strangely, people from across North America were finding me, and rarely through my website. As long as I engaged in a relationship with the source and exercised faith, clients began showing up. Clients that were looking for the gifts that I had to offer and the connection I had to share.
This has pushed me deeper into a relationship with the mystical, the metaphysical, the spiritual - so many words to describe the same thing - and practicing a new way of being in this world. It is much simpler, much more organic, much more peaceful, and in many respects, very easy. Well, easy when I get out of my way.
There have been times when I've been in a complete and utter panic over what was not materializing. I'd come close to reverting to an old pattern and headaches would show up and more resistance in mind, body, and spirit. Within 24-48 hours, I'd back off from my worries, unable to give-in and give up the dream. I'd trust and just as suddenly, abundance again made itself known.
I see this pattern, these ups & downs, as part of the training I am receiving. To deepen my relationship with the divine. To trust source. To trust my true calling, passion and purpose. To express more fully who I am and thereby be a much better guide and teacher to those who wish to engage in the same relationship with the source of creation.
Magic lives everywhere. Being pragmatic can work, but who wants to work?
Lee Down is a Professional Coach, Trainer/Facilitator, Speaker, & Writer of One Man Can Human Capital Development that focuses on relationships, the key foundation to success in Business and life. With more than 15 years professional experience and a thirst for truth and understanding, he focuses on the human spirit and human capacity.
Working with clients, he facilitates the breaking down of beliefs, barriers or obstacles that bring clients forward on their journey of discovery with spirit, energy, abundance, passion and purpose, integrating the mind and body experience. Working with Business, he brings visionary leadership and relationship skills to the forefront that witnesses an empowered culture evolve and develop directly impacting the improvement to the bottom-line.

tree

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and lay around it every day. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow... He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.
　Time went by... the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I don’t play around trees anymore.” The boy replied, “I want toys. I need money to buy them.”“Sorry, but I don’t have money...but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
　One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”“Sorry, but I don’t have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
　One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?”“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. The tree was happy, but it was not true.
　Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you...” the tree said.
　“I don’t have teeth to bite,” the boy replied.
　“No more trunk for you to climb on.”
　“I am too old for that now,” the boy said.
　“I really can’t give you anything... the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.
　“I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years.” The boy replied.
　“Good! Old tree roots is the best place to lean on and rest. Come, Come sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears...
　This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad... When we grown up, we left them, and only came to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could to make you happy. You may think that the boy is cruel to the tree but that’s how all of us are treating our parents.
　Take time out during the day for quiet time to listen to your inner voice. You may want to use your quiet time to meditate or pray. However you use this time, the key is to shut out all of the noise around you by focusing deep within yourself. Breathing deeply during quiet time will also help you focus. I know it’s hard to find quiet time during a particularly busy day, but it’s so important — even if it’s just 10 minutes a day and you have to sneak away to get it. Quiet time can really make a difference in your life. It enables you to hear God speaking to your heart reminding you of His perfect love for you.
　Be honest with yourself by paying attention to your actions. Actions speak louder than words, and they always tell the truth. What do your actions say about you? If you say you love your job, but your actions say otherwise, which do you think is more true — your words or your actions? On the other hand, if you say you’re not good at a certain job, but your actions say otherwise, that’s also important. What do you do with this insight? You can use it to make more beneficial choices in your life. By being honest with yourself based on your previous actions, your actions moving forward will be based on truth instead of just what you tell yourself.
　Despite what your subconscious may be telling you, you can have love with no limits. The key is to unconditionally love yourself first.

20 Ways to Stay Healthy and Safe in a Hotel-Holidays

Let's say you're lucky enough to get to take two weeks of vacation away from home each year. Maybe your job sends you to a training session or trade conference for a few days. Then there's your niece's wedding, Thanksgiving with the family, a weekend getaway or two with your spouse to the hills -- or Las Vegas. For many adults, a typical year may have us sleeping in a hotel room 10-20 nights per year. That's nothing to sneeze at.
Or more accurately, that's a lot to sneeze at. Not all hotels can offer plush bathrobes, superb security, and immaculate cleanliness. The reality is that even five-star hotels have been found to harbor plenty of hidden mildew and germs.
However, there are ways to make your home away from home not only more pleasant, but healthier and safer too.
1. Pack your own sheets. If you have any concerns about your hotel's cleaning practices, pack a queen-size sheet to throw over the bedspread so you're not exposed to dust mites, germs, or allergens lurking in the cover.
2. Pack a long-sleeved sleep shirt and long sleep pants. Again, if you are concerned about the hygiene of the bedding, reduce contact by wearing body-covering pajamas and light socks to bed.
3. Use your bed for sleeping only. Don't do work on it, eat on it, and don't watch movies or TV on it. Not only is that more hygienic, but you'll likely find it easier to fall asleep that way.
4. Ask for an allergy-free room. Some hotels are now offering rooms that are built and furnished to minimize the amounts of dust mites and other allergens. Even if you don't have allergies, this might be a good choice for people prone to colds and flus. Other hotels provide allergy packs, including face masks, special pillows, and mattress covers. But you have to ask for them.
5. Choose modern over old. Yes, Victorian bed-and-breakfasts are far superior in terms of charm and personal touches. But they also lead in the amount of allergens and dust you are likely to encounter in the rooms and public sitting areas. So if health is a real concern while traveling, go for good-quality modern hotels.
6. Ask for a room on the third floor or higher. Most thefts occur on the first two floors. Stay below the seventh floor, however; few fire engine ladders can reach above it.
7. Choose a hotel over a motel. This is mostly for safety reasons: Burglaries are easier when your room's door is quickly accessible from the parking lot. You also get more dirt and allergens coming through the doorway when it opens directly to the outside. You wouldn't want to sleep eight feet from the front door at home, would you?
8. If you're going to be staying for several days, book a hotel with a pool or exercise room -- and use them. Exercising will exorcise the traveler's stiffness from your body and burn off some of the calories from that breakfast buffet, business lunch, or wedding cake.
9. Split your breakfast and lunch schedules in two. Use half for eating and the other half for walking outside. Just like you should be doing at work.
Stay Safe10. Check the bed for bedbugs before you unpack. Have you ever woken up in a hotel room, felt itchy, and assumed you'd been bitten by mosquitoes in your sleep? It might have been bedbugs. Growing pesticide resistance has resulted in outbreaks of bedbugs in even some of the best hotels. These brown bugs, which are the size of an apple seed, can leave itchy welts on the skin. One veteran traveler suggests pulling back the comforter quickly and watching closely to see if any bugs scamper. Also look for bloodstains on pillows or mattress liners and carefully check the seams of mattresses. If you see anything suspicious, ask for another room -- then repeat the process. Even if you don't find any bugs, move the bed away from the wall, tuck in the sheets, and keep the blanket from touching the floor. Just in case!
11. Check your luggage for bedbugs when you get home -- and do it in the laundry room. If you find any, dump the clothes right into the washing machine, then dry them on high heat for at least 15 minutes. Anything that isn't washable should be put into the freezer for a couple of days.
12. Light a scented candle in your room. The scent will help to hide the antiseptic stale smell of the hotel room as well as provide some stress-relieving aromatherapy. (But use common sense: Never leave a burning candle unattended, or light one if you think there's a chance you might fall asleep.)
13. Moisten the dry air with the help of a teakettle. If your room has a kitchen area, fill the teakettle with plenty of water, heat it until it steams, and let the steam escape into the room until the water's almost gone. Your sinuses will thank you.
14. Pack a photograph of someone you love (even your dog). When you come back to your room after a stressful day, begin to feel lonely, or get that "What city am I in?" confusion that often comes with long trips, you can anchor yourself by looking at the picture and reminding yourself of home.
15. Bring along your own battery-operated travel alarm. You'll fall asleep better and sleep better all night if you don't have to worry that you set the hotel alarm wrong and will miss that important appointment.
16. Pack a pair of rubber thongs, a.k.a. flip-flops. Use them in the bathroom, on the carpet (who can guess the last time the carpet was cleaned?) and in the pool area to prevent any fungal (or worse) infections.
17. Stay out of the hotel's hot tub. Okay, now you think we've gone totally nuts. There's no doubt that hot tubs are luxuriously soothing, and if you're willing to take a slight chance, go ahead and plunge in. Just be aware that hot tubs can foster bacteria such as the one that causes folliculitis (itchy red bumps). And some people have developed bronchitis and even serious forms of pneumonia from breathing in air contaminated by bacteria growing in the water.
18. Play it safe. One of the easiest ways to stay healthy is to make sure that you're not physically attacked in a strange place. And hotels are strange places. Here are some important tips on how to protect yourself:
When registering, make sure the front-desk person doesn't say your room number aloud, but instead writes it down and hands it to you. If he does say it aloud, ask for another room and ask that he write down the number.
Ask who is at your door and verify before opening. If you didn't order room service, or don't know why the "employee" is there, call the front desk and verify that they sent someone.
Use the main entrance of the hotel when returning in the evening.
Use all locking devices for your door, and lock all windows and sliding glass doors.
19. Don't leave the Please Make Up Room sign outside your door unless you want to tell the whole world you're not there. Instead, put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. If you want your room made up while you're out, call housekeeping and let them know.
20. Make sure hotel operators don't give out room numbers. Try it by calling the front desk from your cell phone, giving your name, and asking for your room number.

Fly Casting - the Overhead Cast

The overhead cast is the most basic fly cast. Learn to execute it well and you will be able to easily adapt the skill to the side cast and backhand casting.
Good casting starts with learning to grip a fly rod correctly and adopting the right stance to maintain comfort and balance.
Gripping the Fly Rod
The normal grip is with the thumb on top and slightly to the left of center (assuming a right-handed grip) so that the 'V' between the thumb and the index finger is in line with the top of the rod. Your grip should feel comfortable and firm - but not tight. Your rod and reel only weigh a few ounces, so it won't require a death grip to contol it.
If you prefer, placing the thumb directly on top of the rod is acceptable, and you might find this useful if extra force is needed on the forward cast. Another variation is sometimes used for accuracy when casting short distances, or just as a "change up" to relieve fatigue during a long day of fishing. Instead of placing the thumb on top of the rod, try shifting the index finger around so that it lies along the top of the rod instead.
Fly Casting Stance
The correct stance is important to maintain comfort and balance. It's very easy to lose your balance when trying to get the most distance out of your cast, or to lose your footing on the loose, water polished rocks in the bed of a stream.
The proper fly casting stance is to lead with the foot on the same side as your casting arm (i.e. right foot forward for a right-handed caster). Your feet should be set approximately at shoulder width for balance and stability. This will allow you to easily transfer body weight from one foot to the other during the cast.