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IN FRATERNAM MEAM
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
REQUIEM AETERNAM DONAIS DOMINE......MY BROTHER PHILLIP
My younger brother Phillip in the Phils. died this morning at the Asia Hospital of the Philippines. My sister said that he was able to take the holy communion and the Last Rites given by my nephew who is a priest and he was also with my aunt who is a nun when he was given the rites.

My brother battled his cancer more than a year. He was having pain in his throat and when the doctor opened it, there was a big cancer as big as the tennis ball on his throat and then immediately spread out to his stomach. On his last stretch with cancer, it went to his bones and he was bed ridden.

My brother needed to rest now. He did a long battle with cancer and he needed to rest and forget about pain and sorrows.

The youngest among us three brothers and five sisters. Strange how sometimes this dreadful illness could just strike and give such a horrendous pain and trouble to a person. He did not know that he had cancer. All the while he thought he was having indigestion and acidity problem, until he cannot swallow food and water. When it was discovered, it was already too late to stop.

My brother, in his prime of life has been snatched away from us and his family. I cannot ask WHY because I know there wont be an answer.

I was looking for some comfort and get some sense of what had happened to my brother and I was able to get some solace to some spiritual writings of Kahlil Gibran:

"SONG OF THE SOUL"

IN THE DEPTH of my soul there is
A wordless song -- a song that lives
In the seed of my heart.
It refuses to melt with ink on
Parchment; it engulfs my affection
In a transparent cloak and flows,
But not upon my lips.


How can I sigh it? I fear it may
Mingle with earthly ether;
To whom shall I sing it? It dwells
In the house of my soul, in the fear of
Harsh ears.


When I look into my inner eyes
I see the shadow of its shadow;
When I touch my fingertips
I feel its vibrations.


The deeds of my hands heed its
Presence as a lake must reflect
The glittering stars; my tears
Reveal it, as bright drops of dew
Reveal the secret of a whithering rose.


It is a song composed by contemplation'
And published by silence,
And shunned by clamour,
And folded by truth.
And repeated by dreams,
And understood by love,
And hidden by awakening,
And sung by the soul.


It is the song of love;
What Cain or Esau could sing it?


It is more fragrant than jasmine;
What voice could enslave it?


It is heartbound, as a virgin's secret;
What string could quiver it?


Who dares unite the roar of the sea
And the singing of the nightingale?
Who dares compare the shrieking tempest
To the sigh of an infant?
Who dares speak aloud the words
Intended for the heart to speak?
What human dares sing in voice
The song of God?
posted by infraternam meam @ 9:18 AM   2 comments
SUPERCARS '05
*** BMW M5
Spec Check
Price: US$90,000
Engine: 5.0-Liter, 500 BHP, V-10
0 - 60 4.7 sec.
Top Speed: 155 MPH
--- An all new V-10 generates 25 percent more power that last year's M5 from the same engine displacement. One could hear the high-reviving mill, hwich spins, 1,250 revs faster than it's predecessor and has a broader torque curve for more grunt in every gear.
--- But the engine's only havel the story. BMW's SMG(Sequential Manual Gearbox) has 11 different gear change options, including an accelerating maximinzing "launch control". From a dead step, stomp the gas pedal and tranny engages at an optimum 4,000 rpm, then shoots through all seven gears at the ideal speed. The M5 also enables the driver to tune power (507 ponies for sport, 400 for round town) and features suspension damping, steering assist, and stability control.

Drawback: The styling does'nt fully live up to BMW's design legacy, and its engine governor will give owners a case of road rage.

Crazy German Driver: The M5's iDrive is awful. It's also too easy, of course, btu still vry agile -- and comfortable.

*** PORSCHE CARRERA GT
Spec Check
Price:US$440,000
Engine: 5.7-Liter. 605 BHP V-10
0 - 60 3.3 sec
Top Speed: 205 MPH

--- Two thoughts tend to race through your mind when driving Porche's half-million-dollar balsting German industrial metal on its 100-watt digital amplifiers. You will be the coolest person alive! and whoever left those silly string skid marks must be dead!
--- There's no slowing down in a machine that transcends the holy trinity of sports-car engineering; light weight, low center of gravity, and high power.
--- Contructed of carbon fiber, the GT's chassis weighs 40 percent less than a dtraditional chassis -- only 220 pounds. Its spectacular body body is made of the same stuff, requiring patented superscticky lacquers taht don't slip off the slick material.
--- Foregoing a clutshless manual transmission, Prosche stuck with a manual six-speed to keep the ride just 3.4 inches from the asphalt, a goal enhanced by a new ceramic composite clutch whose diminuitive diameter (6.7 inches) keeps the drive train light.
--- Constructed as a load-bearing chassis component, the race inspired V-10 follows the same forumula, The high strung 472 pound mill hits its power peak at a screaming 8,000 rpm, coolnat and oil passages within the aluminum block ensure that engine failire is not an option.
--- Just as important are the GTs show stopper looks and racing detials, which include chunky aluminum pedals, knockoff hubs, and a rear spoiler that raises 6.3 inches -- perfect for admiring in the rearview.

Drawback: Ouch---- it scrapes the driveways.

Crazy German Driver: "You need to have racing lesson to truly engoy this car.

(abstracted from MAXIMMAG/ MAXIMONLINE.CON)
posted by infraternam meam @ 12:25 AM   0 comments
Monday, August 29, 2005
DEADLY MONTH FOR AIR TRAVEL
At least 325 people have been killed in plane disasters this month, the most since May 2002, when at least 465 died.

** Aug. 23; At least 312 killed when TANS Peru Boeing 737- 200 crash-lands during storm.

** Aug. 16; 160 killed when Colombia registered charter MD-82 crashes in Venezuela after reported engines failed.

** Aug. 14; 121 die when Cyprus Hellos Airways Boeing 737-300 loses cabin pressure, crashes north of Athens, Greece.

** Aug. 6; 13 die as ATR-72 flown by Tunisia's Tuninter crashes off Sicily after engines fail.

** Aug. 2; All 309 aboard survive when Air France Airbus A340 overshoots Toronto runway.

Source: Associated Oress, World Reference Almanac Reference Database at FACTS.com.infoplease.com
posted by infraternam meam @ 12:07 AM   0 comments
Sunday, August 28, 2005
WHITE HOUSE HIRES FIRST FEMALE HEAD CHEF......AND A FILIPINA .
Laura Bush Auditioned Applicants for Months.

WACO, Texas -- Kitchen duties may have traditionally been viewed as women's work, but not at the White House. Until no; Cristeta Comerford has been named executive chef.

After an extensive six-month search, first Lady Laura Bush announced Sunday that Comerford was chosen from hundreds of applicants to head the Executive Kitchen. A naturalized U.S. cirizen from the Philippines, she will be the first woman and first minority to hold the post.

The 42 year-old Comerford has been assistant chef at the White House for 10 years. She worked under former executive chef Walter Scheib III, who resigned in February.
Scheib said Sunday that Comerford was hands down the best assistant he had in his 30-year career and is a wonderful choice to take over. He said she is a great cook with an artistic eye and a calm demeanor that can handle the pressure cooker that is the White House kitchen.

"People keep talking about how wonderful it is that she's a woman," Scheib said in a telephone interview. "If there is value in the gender, that's fine and dandy. But I say she's a create chef who happens to be a woman".

While being executive chef at the White House is prestigious, the job also can be grueling. Comerford will be in charge of whipping up everything from state dinners for world leaders to munchies for the commander in chief, his family and guest.

As many as 2,000 guests per month are fed at the White House. Mrs. Bush has signaled her intent to do more entertaining that in the first term, when festivities were taboo after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,2001.

Mrs. Bush said she was delighted that Comerford accepted the job. "Her passion for cooking can be tasted in every bite of her delicious creations," the first lady said in a statement.

Mrs. Bush has been trying out finalists for the job, asking them to prepare test meals at special functions and private meals at the residence.

Comerford developed the menu for last months honorary dinner for Indian Prime Minister Mammohan Singh. The 134 dinner guests dined on chilled asparagus soup and lemon creme; pan-pried roasted halibut, ginger-carrot butter, basmati rice with pistachio nuts and currants and herbed summer vegetables; and salad of Bibb lettuce and citrus vinaigrette.

The first lady's press secretary, Susan Whitson, said Mrs. Bush chose Comerford while spendng August at the Bushes' Texas ranch. The job was offered to Comerford on Friday by the White House social secretary, Lea Berman, and head usher Gary Walters.

Whitson said Comerford then left for a vacation to a foreign country that the White House would not disclose and was not available for interviews Sunday.

Comerford has a bachelor's degree in Food Technology from the University of the Philippines. She has worked at Le Ciel in Vienna, Austria and at restaurants in two Washington hotels -- the Westin and the ANA, which has since changed ownership.

The head chef is responsible for designing and executing menus for state dinners, social events, holiday functions, receptions and official luncheons hosted by the president and the first lady. The job pays around $80,000 - $100,000 a year.

Mrs. Bush's statement said Comerford has been trained in French classical techniques and specializes in ethnic and American cuisine and has experience working with chefs in San Francisco and the California wine country.


(Associated Press by: Nedra Pickler)
posted by infraternam meam @ 11:39 PM   0 comments
Friday, August 26, 2005
MAN'S 3.078 INCH HAIR RAISES EYEBROWS

Frank Ames, 43, has made the Guiness Workd Records for the longest hair at more than 3 inches.

SARANAC, N.Y.-- A 43 year old upstate New York man has made the Guinness World Records in a new entry for the longest eyebrows hair.

Frank Ames of Saranac in Clinton County measured in at 3.078 inches.

"I don't know why it grows like that; it just always has", Ames told the Press-Republican of Plasttsburgh.

Ames journey toward notoriety began almost two years ago when a co-worker at Bombardier Corp. noticed the bushy brow and suggested he try for a record.

So, he made a phone call to Guinees and was sent a bunch of forms to fill out and rules for officially getting recognized.

Ken Joy, a mcahinist and measuring expert at Bomnardier, measured the hair in Febrauary 2004 with Plattsburgh Mayor Daniel Stewart and the city's entire Common Council standing a=by as sitnesses to the event.

Now, Ames is on page 24 of the 2006 editon, in the "Body Parts" section.

(Associated Press)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:26 PM   0 comments
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
WORLD YOUTH DAY IN COLOGNE, GERMANY
COLOGNE, Germany
Attended by 184 countries represented at World Youth Day, there's no shortage of falgs and different stripes, stars and colors.

Banners and T-Shirt Slogans:

"Holy Hugs"

"I'm Just Trying to Meet Some Nice Catholic Girls"

"Kiss Me, I'm a Californian Catholic -- the Perfect Combo"


THE BEST SLOGAN

"I LOVE MY GERMAN SHEPHERED"

(CHICSUNTIMES/Religion/Matt Moore)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:34 PM   0 comments
CHOCOLATE GOOD FOR YOU? NOT YET
Cocoa beans potent antioxidants removed from goodies we eat.

The truth is bittersweet. Something in cocoa beans may be good for your heart, but -- sigh --- that's still no reason to load up on chocolate bars and brownies.

The health potential is real. Cocoa beans have antioxidant compounds called FLAVANOLS and a growing pile of scientific research suggests they do good things to blood vessels.

Despite the enthusiasm, FLAVANOLS are missing from much of the chocolate on store shelves today. FLAVANOLS make chocolate and cocoa taste bitter, and confectioners have spent years trying to perfect ways to remove the pungent flavor.

"Most chocolate, in fact, isn't flavanol-rich", said Norm Hollenberge, a radiology professor and flavanol expert at Harvard Medical School. "But all chocolate is a delight. It can and should be part of a prudent diet. That means you limit what you take".

FLAVANOLS are found in other foods, such as red wine, grapes, apples, and green tea, although cocoa beans are a particularly rich source.

They are tiny, they cannot be seen, even under a microscope. To find them, it takes sophisticated machinery that seems more appropriate for NASA than a chocolate company's laboratories.

Mars Inc. developed the technology to visualize Falvanols on a computer screen. Says Harvard Schmitz, the company's chief science officer. "Now we understand cocoa well enough to start to do new things with it."

The company is starting with CocoaVia granola bars, armed with a special cocoa powder that retains most of the Flavanols. The bars also have plant steroids, which have been shown to help lower cholesterol.

For now, the 80-calorie, 21-gram snack bars are sold only on the INternet. The bars have a satisfyingly rich chocolate flavor, along with a slight but distinct bitter taste.

Researchers are excited by the potential of Flavanols to ward off vascular disease, which can cause heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, dementia and hyperthension. Vascular disease are linked to the artery's inability to make a simple but fundamental chemical called nitric oxide. Flavanols appears to reverse that problem.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS by: Libby Quaid)
posted by infraternam meam @ 12:23 AM   0 comments
BLOGWATCH......
A WEEKLY MAINSTREAM MEDIA SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT IN THE EVER WIDENING WORLD OF WEBLOGS. FOR FULL LINKS, GO TO NEWSWEK.COM

Proof that the Web does celebrity schdenfreude best: A-list fashion disasters get skewered at gofugyourself.typepad.com

A crook hot-wires a car and takes off. Minutes later, cops shut off the engine via remote control and sweep in for the arrest. See blog.wfmu.org for hidden-camera tapes of "bait car" busts.

"ER" mot gritty enough? Try codeblog.com where medics share blood-spattered and bitterwsweet stories of life on the wards.


(abstracted from NEWSWEEK MAG)
posted by infraternam meam @ 12:16 AM   0 comments
Friday, August 19, 2005
ROARING BACK....
WHO'S HOT, WHO'S NOT
Some bears are thriving to the point where they can still be hunted; others are wobbling on the brink of extinction.

** POLAR BEAR
Weight: 440 to 1,760 lbs.
Length: Up to 8 ft. 5 in.
Range: Greenland, Norway, Russia, Canada, Alaska.

How Dangerous: Extremely dangerous. The polar bear will stalk humans for food.

Status: It could be extinct by the end of the century, as global warming reduces the ice it roams in its hunt for seals, itsprimary food.

** AMERICAN BLACK BEAR
Weight: 130 to 660 lbs.
Length: Up to 6 ft. 3 in.
Range: Much of Canada; 32 U.S. States, mostly in the Rockies, Appalachians and Ozarks; northern Mexicao.

How Dangerous: Not especially. The black bear avoids humans but can't resist garbage dumps; will attack if conrnered.

Status: Thriving throughout most of its range.

** GIANT PANDA
Weight: Up to 275 lbs.
Length: Up to 6 ft. 4 in.
Range: Mountainous areas of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces in western China.

How Dangerous: Not. The giant panda is extraordinarily shy and will avoid contact with humans at all costs.

Status: Highly endangered; no more than 1,000 remain in the wild.

** SUN BEAR
Weight: 60 to 145 lbs.
Length: Up to 5 ft.
Range: Burma, Laos, southern China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia.

How Dangerous: Quite. Will attack humans without provacation.

Status: Unknown, because of insufficient field date. Poaching and habitat destruction hae conservation experts worried.

** GRIZZLY BEAR/BROWN BEAR
Weight: 300 to 860 lbs.
Length: Up to 9 ft. 6 in.
Range: Western Canada, northwestern U.S., Alaska, Russia; tiny remanant populations in Europe, Inida, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, the Middle East, Japan, Korea, China.

How Dangerous: Very. Won't usually attack without provocation, but it does'nt take much.

Status: Thriving in Alaska, Canada, northern Russia; recovering in the U.S.; in danger of extinction in much of the restof the world.

(by Pat Dawson/Bozeman from Science Section/TIMEMAG)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:11 PM   0 comments
Monday, August 15, 2005
TALKING ABOUT DOGS.....
Why Do Male Dogs Lift Their Legs to Urinate?

Contrary to popular belief, the reason dogs lift their legs isn't to avoid "missing" and squirting their legs by mistake. Whenever you ask an expert any questions about animal behaviour, be prepared to receive the answer "to map territory". So it is with the matter of dog urination.

Most dogs are compulsive in their urination habits and have favorite "watering holes". By lifting a leg, the urine flows up and out much farther, extending the boundaries of the male's "territory". From a dog point of view, evidently, the bigger their territory, the better.

According to veterinarian Ben Klein, the lifting of the leg seems to be linked to the testicular hormone. Puppies who have been castrated before the age of four months tend not to lift their legs to urinate, with no obvious ill effect.


Why Do Dogs Love to Put Their Heads Out the Windows of moving Cars? But Then Hate to Have Their Ears blown Into?

Dogs like to put their heads out of car windows because they are visually curious. Many dogs are not tall enough to have an unobstructed view of the outside world from the front seat, and most dogs are too short to have any forward or rearward view from the back seat. Poking their head out of the window is a good way to check out their surrounding and enjoy a nice, cool breeze at the same time.

But blowing in a do' ear, even gently, can hurt it, not because of the softness of the skin or the sensitivity of the nerves, but because of the sound of the blowing. One way a dog is tested for deafness is by the vet blowing into the ear of a dog as playfulness. The external ears of the dogs are full of sensory nerves that help to prevent trauma injuries and preserve hearing. The dog's ears can't trap all the debris sticking their heads out of a car window, that causes ear infections in dogs.


Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?

Most healthy dogs have wet noses most of the time. If a dog has a dry nose, it might just mean it has slept in a heated room, or buried its nose between its paws for an extended period of time. But it might mean also that dog is dehydrated, often an early warning sign of illness. What causes the wetness of dogs noses, here are some theories:

1. The lateral nasal glands in a dog's nose secrete a fluid. Some of these glands are the opening of the nostril and may be responsible for most of the moisture, but no one has proven how these secretions get to the tip of a dog's nose(there are no glands on the exterior of the nose)

2. Dr. Howard Evans at Cornell University believes that the wetness is probably a combination of secretions of the lateral nasal glands and the (nasal) vestibular glands.

3. Dr. Don Adams, a specialist in the respiratory system of canines At Ioawa State university, adds the dogs often lick their noses with their tongues. Much of what we perceive to be secretions on a dog's nose might actually be saliva.

So what function might a wet nose of the dog serve? Here are several theories:

1. Most likely, the secretions of the nasal glands help dog dissipate heat. Dogs don't sweat the way humans do. They dissipate most of their heat by panting with their tongues hanging out, evaporating from the moist surface of the tongue. While they pant, most of the air enters through their nose, which is more efficient
thant
the mouth is evaporating water vapor.

2. Lateral nasal glands contain odorant binding particles that help the dog smell. Dr. Dieter Dellam of Cornell University told us that all animals can smell better when ordors are picked from a moist surface.

3. Dr. Adams thinks it is possible that the lateral nasal glands might be connected with salivary functions.

4. The wetness is a cosmic joke meant only to spoil the life of anyone who writes about it.

(abstracted from the book: Why do Dogs Have Wet Noses? by: David Feldman)
posted by infraternam meam @ 11:36 PM   0 comments
WHY DID THE CHINESE FIRST USE CHOPSTICKS?
The conventional wisdom on this subject is that the Chinese consider it the chef's duty to carve meat or slice vegetables into bitesize morsels. Chopstick were then invented to serve tools to pick up morsels of food and rice. But there is much evidence to suggest that their use was originally motivated by by aesthetics but by practical consideration.

Chopsticks were introduced sometime during the Chou Dynasty, probably a century or so before the birth of Christ. Until the Chou Dynasty, stir frying did not exist. But China faced a serious fuel (i.e., wood) shortage. Forests were cut down to clear land for agriculture to feed a burgeoning population.

Stir frying developed as the most efficient method to use the least amount of wood as fuel for the shortest period of time. Because the food was cut before stir frying, the meat and vegetables cooked much faster than by other methods.

During the Chou Dynasty, few people owned tables (a luxury, especially with the wood shortage), so a utensil was needed that would allow diners to eat with one hand only -- the other hand was needed the bowl of rice. Because most Chinese dishes have sauces, chopsticks enable users to scoop up food without getting goop all over their fingers. And now chopsticks allow non-Orientals the opportunity to propel goop all over the tablecloths of Chinese restaurants.

And why did the Chinese decided to use chopsticks in the middle of this supposed wood shortage? Only some of the chopsticks were made of wood. More were made of ivory and bone.

(abstracted from WHY DOGS HAVE WET NOSES? By David Feldman)
posted by infraternam meam @ 4:11 AM   0 comments
IF THERE IS A NEW ZEALAND, WHERE IS THE OLD ZEALAND?
Where is the Old Zealand?

In the dictionary, "Zealand" says the following: "largest island of Denmark, between Jutland and Sweden."

The first European to land on New Zealand was Abel Rasman, a Dutchman. Now we know that all of the famous explorers blundered upon their discoveries, but this was too much. Did Thomas actually name his island after the wrong country? Was he a traitor?

Not quite. Tasman worked for the powerful Dutch East India Company, which wanted to find new trading partners willing to part with gold or silver in exchange for Dutch cloth and iron (now you know why the Dutch East India Company was successful).

Dutch explorers had already found Australia, which they called "New Holland". But they didn't realize that it was an island., the company that New Holland might extend south to where Antartica is located. Abel Tasman didn't find the long continent he expected, but he and his crew were the first to discover several islands. The first was what Tasman named Van Diemen's Islands, (after his Governor General) -- its name as later changed to Tasmania, for obvious reasons.

Sailing east from Van Diemen's, Tasman bumped into a big land mass that, much to his consternation, was occupied by Maori tribesman who did'n't cotton to European intruders. The Maoris paddled up to the strange boats in their canoes, shouting and sounding combat trumpets. The Dutch thought they were being met by a welcoming committee and blew their trumpets back! Eventually, the Dutch did get the message when tribesmen killed several of Tasman's men and made it impossible for the crew to explore the land.

Tasman's diaries record that he named his discovery "Staten Landt", Tasman theorized that this island was actually only a small part of a great continent stretching all the way from the South Pacific tot he foot of South America. So he named his discovery after Staten, the land off the southern tip of Argentina.

The very next year, another Dutchman discovered that Staten was an island and not part of the South America, so Staten Landt no longer was suitable name for Tasman's discovery. The Dutch renamed the island "Zeeland" (sea land), not after the Danish island but after a province of the same name back in Holland.

Probably because of the Maori's unfriendly greeting, the Dutch didn't follow up Tasman's discovery until Captain James Cook's expedition in 1769. But Tasman, one of the few explorers not to impose his name upon any of his discoveries, was later honored by having not only the island Tasmania but a bay and a sea named after him.

(abstracted from the book,WHY DOGS HAVE WET NOSES? By Bill Sinesky of Orville, Ohio and David Feldman)
posted by infraternam meam @ 3:47 AM   0 comments
Sunday, August 14, 2005
EMAIL ADDRESSES YOU MIGHT WANT TO VISIT
1). EMode.com which promises "in depth, personalized analyses" Quizzes include everything from "Which Candle Suits You? to "Who's Your Hip Hop Hearthrob?"

2). Quizilla.com Learn how to make quizzes, too. Existing quizzes include everything from "Are You Witch Material?" to "What Kind of Flirt Are You?"

3). Queendom.com The "world's largest testing center". Quizess include everything from "The Sexual Purity Test" to "THe Accident Proness Test."

4). iVillage.com The women's Web site has a quiz section. Quizzes include everything from "Who's Your Celebrity Body Double?" to "Are You a Goddess of Happiness".

5). Angryblackwoman.com A quiz this month on this site lets you figure out what kind of angry balck woman you're most similar to.

(abstracted from SHOWCASE)
posted by infraternam meam @ 1:21 PM   0 comments
Friday, August 12, 2005
HUMOR IN A CLERICAL ATTIRE
SAN DIEGO, California -- There is this Catholic priest who loves cockfighting and was a cockfight aficionado when he was not yet ordained as a priest.

One day, when he was on sabbatical leave from the priesthood, he decided to cross to Mexico and watch and cockfight. His adrenalin got pumped again, with all the shouting and with all the bettings being posted and screamed at by the Christos.

Then he saw this magnificent fight, this magnificent rooster, fighting like a true gladiator and facing his enemies in battle.

He said to himself, "I want to have that kind of Rooster".

So after the fight, he followed the owner of the rooster, and the owner seeing that this person who was so delighted and was so impressed with his rooster, decided to take him to his farm. The priest was shown the different types of rooster and the care and protection they do for the eggs from the fighting roosters.

The priest asked the owner of the farm if he could buy the eggs and take it back to the states. The owner, being a devout Catholic said, "For you padre, I will give you two of the eggs of this magnificent rooster." So the priest was delighted and was so pleased.

When he was at the airport, bound to the USA, he found out that there is a strict rules from the Dept. Of Agriculture, that nobody could bring into the UNited States meat and other produce, birds and other endangered species of animals, which includes eggs.

The priest went to the washroom of the airport, and luckily he was wearing a brief underwear. So he tucked the two eggs in his underwear and boarded the plane with no problem.

On his seat, by the window of the plane was a Catholic nun, who kept on smiling at him, because he was wearing his clearical suit. When the plane lights was soften, he opened the zipper of his pants, thinking that this will help the two eggs from not breaking on his tight pants.

The priest fell asleep, and the unforeseen event happened. The eggs got hatched, the two chicks came out of his pants.

The nun saw the two chicks coming out of the priest pants and woke up the sleeping priest and said, "Father, I don't know much about sex---- but I think your eggs just got hatched!!"

(sent by an ex-seminarian fron San Diego, Calif.)
posted by infraternam meam @ 1:10 PM   0 comments
MAJOR SPAMMER TO PAY MICROSOFT US$7MILLION
REDMOND, Washington -- A man once accused of being one of the world's top three spamers has agreed to pay $7 million in a settlement with Microsoft, the software maker announced Tuesday.

The money from Scott Richter and his company, OptInRealBig.com of Westminster, Colo., will be used to boost efforts to combat the illegal sending of unsolicited and misleading computer misuse, said Microsoft's chief counsel, Brand Smith.

Besides spending the money in enhance Internet safety partnership with governments worldwide through training, technological development and investigative assistance, the company pledged $1 million to expand computer access for the poor at community centers in New York state.

The settlement is conditional upon dismissal of bankcruptcy petitions Richter and his 4 year old company have pending in U.S. Bankcruptcy court in Denver, and they were expected to file the required motions tuesday.

He and his affiliated businesses also agreed to comply with Federal and State laws, including CANSPAM, the Federal Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act, and will not confirmed a willingness to receive it.

Another provision calls for three years of oversight of Richter's operation.

In a settlement announced July 19, Richter and OpInRealBig.com agreed to pay New York state $50,000 in penalties and investigative costs to provide New York Attorney General's office with customer information and all advertisements it sends, and use proper indentifying information when registering Internet domain names.

Richeter, who was removed last month from the Register of Know Spam Operators maintained by the Spamhaus Project, an anti-spam and consumer advocacy group, did not admit wrongdoing but said he had changed the way he does business.

(Associated Press)
posted by infraternam meam @ 12:55 PM   0 comments
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
HUMOR IN OUR SOUL
SUBJECT: Life Savers Taste Test

A teacher was doing a study testing the senses of first graders, using a bowl of lifesavers.

The children began to say ......

"Red ...... Cherry,"
"Yellow ...... Lemon,"
"Green ...... Lime,"
"Orange ...... Orange,"

Finally, the teacher gave them all honey lifesavers. After eating them none of the children could identify the taste.

"Well", the teacher said, "I'll give you all a clue. It's what your mother may sometimes call your father."

One little girl looked up in horror, spit her lifesaver out and yelled,

"Oh my God!!!! They're Assholes!"


Baptist Bra

A man walked into the Women's Department of Macy's in New York City. He told the saleslady "I would like a Baptist Bra for my wife, size 36B."

With a quizzical look the saleslady asked; "What kind of Bra?

He replied "A Baptist Bra. She said to tell that she wanted a Baptist Bra, and that you know that she wanted."

"Ah, now I remember" said the saleslady."We don't get as many requests for them as we used to. Mostly our customers lately wants the Catholic Bra, or the Salvation Army Bra, or the Presbyterian Type."

Confused and a little flustered, the man asked; "So, what are the differences?"

The lady responded. "It is all really quite and simple. The Catholic type bra supports the masses. The Salvation Army bra lifts up the fallen, the Presbyterian type bra, keeps them staunch and upright".

He mused on that information for a minute, and asked; "So what is the Baptist type bra for ?
The saleslady replied; "They make mountains out of molehills".


Bra Sizes

Have you ever wondered why A,B, C, D. DD, E,F, G, H and how the letters used to define bra sizes? If you have wondered why, but couldn't figure out what the letters stood for, it is about time you become informed!!

A...Almost Boobs..

B... Barely there..

C... Can't Complain..

D... Dang!..

DD... Double Dang!..

E... Enormous!

F... Fake..

G... Get a reduction..

H... Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up.


(sent by an African American friend from my office)
posted by infraternam meam @ 1:39 PM   0 comments
Monday, August 08, 2005
WHAT ARE THE JOB DEFINITIONS FOR ALL THE CREDITS YOU SEE AT THE END OF A MOVIE?
When a movie is over, if you stay to watch all of the credits at eh end you'll be there for quite some time. Rather than discribe each of these credits, it's better to cover those that most people wonder about.

Gaffer.. the head electrician in charge of all lighting personnel. In the early days of film, producers had to rely on the natural light. Stages had canvas roofs that could be opened and closed to allow varying degrees of sunlight to fall on the sound stage. Gaffing hooks, traditionally used for landing large fish, were used to move the canvas back and forth. The person responsible for setting the proper amount of light on the stage became know as the Gaffer.

Best Boy .. there are two best boys, one for lighting and one for the grips. The grip is a crew member who works with the camera and electric department to set up and mover equipments such as cranes and dollies. One Best Boy is in command to the Gaffer and the other Best Boy is second in command to the Key Grip.

Key Grip.. the person in charge of everyone who moves anything. Grips move scenery and cameras, set up and take down scaffolding, etc. In live theatre they are called stage hands.

Foley Artist.. the person who creates sounds that cannot be recorded during the filming. Sounds that are later added to the film might be footsteps, creaking doors, thunder, or breaking glass. In radio, they were called sound effects men.

Property Master.. this person, who is in charge of the prop department, is responsible for obtaining any object that an actor will come in contact with during the film.

Anything that an actor can move is a prop, whether it is a plate, a weapon, or a broom. If the object is never moved, such a picture hanging on the wall, it is a decoration. For instance, a lamp on a table is a decoration. If an actor is supposed to pick it up and throw it, then it's a prop.

FACTOIDS:
The second assistant cameraman is a fancy title for the person hold the clapboard. The film's title, director, take number, and other information is written on the board. In earlier days, it was written in chalk, but today most clapboards are electronic. The tip of the board is slapped shut when filming starts. The sound of the clapboard is later used to synchronize the sound track, while the image is used to synchronize the film track.

Color film was initially viewed as a ploy to attract audiences into the threatre. It was often loud, too bright, and unrealistic. Its only purpose was to novelty of being different from black and white film. Eventually color became more natural to appearance and was used artistically.

The director of photography does not run the camera, he simply supervises the camera work. He us often called the cinematographer. The person operating the camera is called "second cameraman."

The credit of "craft services" has nothing to do with building models or any other type of craft. This is the group that provides beverages and snacks to the cast and crew throughout the day.

DID YOU KNOW?
There are always people who predict the end of the movie industry? When television first became popular, many people said that it would be the death of the film. Yet given more freedom and with newer technology, movies became better than ever.

Today, many filmmakers are predicting that film will be obsolete in just a few years and will be replaced by digital media. Some people think that a link of computers, digital video disks, satellites and television will eventually sound the death knell for movies.

How accurate are these predictions? As Sam Goldwyn once said "never make forecasts, especially about the future". In 1922, Thomas Edison said, "I believe that the motion picture will revolutionize our educational system and in a few years will supplant the use of textbooks." Over 25 years ago, some people predicted that the only way movies could compete with television was to be three-dimensional.

It seems that prophets and futuristic have been trying to kill off the movie industry for years. However, there's a very good chance that movies are going to be around for a long time to come.

(abstracted from A Colorful Collection of Q & A's for the Unquenchably Curious by: Bill McLain/ What Makes Flamingos Pink)
posted by infraternam meam @ 11:14 PM   0 comments
Saturday, August 06, 2005
DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT PAPERBACK BOOKS
70 Years ago in England, Penguin Books was born to produce inexpensive, paperbound books. IN America, Pocet Books followed suit in 1939. Before then, there were few bookstores in America, and many American's did'nt own a book other than the Bible. But the mass-market paperback, sold in drugstores and newstands, made America a nation of readers like never before.

** When introduced to America by Pocket Books, all paperbacks cost a quarter.This is because the publisher decision was based on the act that he did, when he threw a a quarter into the toll machine.

** Pocket Book No. 1 was James Hitlon's noverl Shangri-La, Lost Horizon. A market test had been done and Hilton's novel was officially Pocket Books no. 1 in an initial of 10 books.

** During World War II, U.S. soldiers received millions of free paperbacks. This distribution was known as the Armed Services Editions, these free books were distributed to GIs through the war years. Their motto was "Books Are Weapons in the War of Ideas".

(abstracted form USA)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:54 PM   0 comments
Friday, August 05, 2005
THE CRASH OF AIR FRANCE AIRBUS A340 JETLINER IN TORONTO,CANADA
All 309 passengers and crew escaped alive in an evacuation that took less than two minutes. Air France said 22 people were injured; airport officials said 43 were hurt.

TIPS TO ENHANCE CHANCES OF SURVIVING CRASH

WASHINGTON -- Dangers always accompany flying, but passengers can take precautions to improve their chances of surviving.

Q: What are my chances of surviving a commercial airline accident?
A: Good. A National Transportation Safety Board study found that while 2,280 people died in 568 commercial plane accidents from 1988 through 2000, another 51,207 survived.

Q: What can I do to improve my chances of survival?
A: Han an evacuation plan. When you take your seat, check where the emergency exits are and count the number of rows to them in case the lighting fails. Read the safety card instructions. If you are in an exit row, make sure you understand the tasks you may have to perform if the aircraft is evacuated. Stay alert during takeoff and landing because that is when an accident is most likely. Keep laptops and other items stowed until the plane reaches cruising altitude because they can become dangerous projectiles in an accident. Keep your shoes on.

Q: How much time will I have to evacuate?
A: The Federal Aviation Administration requires that planes be capable of being emptied within 90 seconds; any longer from fire or smoke inhalation increases significantly. If your plane is evacuated, look behind you for exit doors; many passengers crowd toward the front exits because that's the way they got on. Leave your baggages behind, but not in the ailes.

Q: How can I avoid injuries?
A: Wear clothing made from natural fibers. Synthetic clothing has melted on the skin of people involved in accidents. To avoid slide burns on escape chutes, wear long pants and do not wear nylon hose. Avoid heels, which can puncture the evacuation slides.

Q: What if slides don't work or some exits are blocked?
A: This happens up to one third of the time, according to the safety board. If a chute fails listen to the flight attendants for new directions.

Q: What has been done to make airliner cabins safer?
A: The FAA has done a lot to prevent in-flight fires. Seat cushions must be made of fire retardant material, lavatories have fire extinguishers, and cabin ceilings and walls must be made of material that doesn't burn quickly. The agency has ordered the insulation replaced or upgraded in some kinds of aircraft. Manufacturers now must install stronger seats that won't collapse or rip out of the floor.

(Associated Press: Leslie Miller)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:11 PM   0 comments
Thursday, August 04, 2005
DO YOU HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM?
If you can answer YES to any of these questions, it may be time to seek help.

1). Has gambling made your home life unhappy?

2). Has gambling got in the way of your work or school?

3). Have you lost sleep thinking about gambling?

4). Have you gambled with income savings while bills went unpaid?

5). Have you made unsuccesful attempts to quit gambling?

6). Have you borrowed to finance your gambling?

7). Have you considered breaking the law to pay your gambling?

8). Have you felt depressed or suicidal because of your gambling?

9). Hve you gambled to get money to meet your financial obligations?

10).Have you ever lied about your gambling?

11). When you're angry or disappointed, do you turn to gambling to feel better?

(abstracted from TIME MAG: When Gambling Becomes Obsessive)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:41 PM   0 comments
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
FOR WOMEN...WHAT'S YOUR SEXIEST....AND YOUR BOOSTING.....?
TIME OF DAY? It's in the morning. Testosterone is highest in the morning, then decreases gradually throughout the day. But most people have sex in the evening, according to one survey -- which may explain why some women aren't always so ready to burn it up between the sheets.

TIME OF MONTH? It's whenever you're ovulating. Studies have found that women are more likely to think about and have sex just before ovulation, which occurs about two weeks after your period starts. Researchers think it's a Mother Nature-induced nudged, since that's the time when women are most fertile.

TIME OF YEAR? Hello, summer! Researchers in Denmark found that testosterone levels were highest in women from July through September and lowest in January through March. Men's testosterone levels peak in late fall, however, which may explain why birth rates typically soar toward the end of summer.

TIME OF LIFE? It's up for debate. Biologically, for men and women, levels of testosterone peak in the late teens and twenties, but that doesn't mean that's your sexiest age. Research from the Kinsey institute shows that women in their early thirties have more orgasms than younger women, presumably because they feel more comfortable with sex and experts say that satisfaction can continue to rise through your forties. Once you're in menopause, though, dropping hormone levels can cause a decline in desire.


*** A SEX BOOST IN A BOTTLE ? ***

Lots of women say that when it comes to sex, they can take it or leave it -- a full 22 percent report lack of desire. So what's a girl gotta do to get a little help? Researchers have essentially given up on trying to find a female version of Viagra (it turns out women's sex drive is just too complicated), but a number of products claim to make sex better for women. Are they safe and do they work?

* DHEA A few small trails have shown the supplement may boost testosterone and other androgens, "but because it's not a drug, it's completely unregulated" says DeRogatis. With DHEA's safety unproven, "It's a case of buyer beware"

* ASIAN GINSENG "This herb can improve energy, so if fatigue is interfering with your sex drive, it's worth a try", says Albertson. Still, you may get the same bang from a regular workout routine.

*ARGINMAX FOR WOMEN A small company funded study found that the supplement desire, but that's a long way from proof it really works. If you try it, hold on to your receipt, there's a money back guarantee.

* AVLIMIL COMPLETE The manufacturer says the tablets enchance libido after 60 days. "Many of my patients like it," notes Dr. Turpin.

* ZESTS FEMALE AROUSAL FLUID A study of 20 women found that the oil, applied during foreplay, increased desire and pleasure in women. Sounds great but experts would still like more research.

* TESTOSTERONE GEL This prescription remedy works for and should be used only by people with low testosterone - a problem that's uncommon in young women. "if someone with normal levels uses it", says DeRogatis, "she could grow facial hair and break out, side effects of too much testosterone.

(abstracted from GLAMOURMAG)
posted by infraternam meam @ 11:39 PM   0 comments
SIX THINGS THAT SUPER SIZE YOUR SEX DRIVE
** 1. WORKING OUT. It's got nothing to do with getting thinner -- the actual act of exercise primes your body for sex. Research from the University of Texas at Austin found that women with low sexual arousal who did 20 minutes of fairly intense cardiovascular exercise (the equivalent of a fast jog or a Spinning class) before watching an erotic video became more aroused that when they watched the film without working out. Try taking a brisk walk before a big night -- why not?

** 2. FANTASIZING. Men go there all the time, but "many women are still surprisingly squeamish about using fantasy. That's unfortunate, because it's a powerful libido boosting tool," says Dennis Surgue, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, and coauthor of Sex Matters for Women. Experts emphasize that fantasy is just that pretend -- a harmless way of exploring things you find arousing. If your inner censor objects, remember: These images are for your mind only, so they can be as tame or racy (bondage sex is public!) as you want.

** 3. EATING RIGHT. "Good blood flow and circulation are critical for sexual responsiveness, which is another reason to keep your cholesterol and blood pressure down by eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein." says Suzanne Trupin, M.D. clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana, Champaign. "That's one reason why the obesity epidemic is fueling more and more health related sexual problems". What's more, most fatty foods make you sluggish and tired - a definite turnoff.

** 4. GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP. When Carol Rinkleib Ellison, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of Women's Sexualities, surveyed more than 2,600 women, she found that one of the most common causes of lack of desire and frequency was fatigue. Aside from helping you feel more rested, sleep gives you the presence of mind to deal with mood-killing stress.

** 5. THINKING LIKE A GUY (for women) "For many busy women, sex is one more item on the to-do list, which makes it seems like a chore - an avoidable one at that", says Sugrue. "Besides, from the time they're young, boys are taught to see sex as scoring or getting lucky, while girls are taught to approach sex cautiously or withhold it altogether". Instead, to view sex as antidote to your frenzied life, a time to relax and enjoy.

** 6. DRINKING COFFEE. Really! Caffeine increase dopamine, a brain neurotransmitter that plays a role in feeling pleasure, including sexual pleasure, says Ellen Albertson, a nutritionist in Boston who has studied aphrodisiacs. "That may be why research shows that coffee drinkers are more sexually active that non-coffee drinkers."

(abstracted from GLAMOUR MAG)
posted by infraternam meam @ 11:04 PM   0 comments
SIX THINGS THAT SHRINK YOUR SEX DRIVE
** 1. BAD BODY IMAGE . Researchers in Minnesota fount that women who are satisfied with their bodies are more likely to initiate sex and have more orgasms than less body-confident women. Obesity can also be a buzz-kill. A study at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, found that only 2 percent of the healthy-weight participants reported low desire, while 50 percent of obese participants did. Researchers aren't yet sure why, but they did find that weight had a bigger impact on women's sexual happiness than men's.

** 2. PREGNANCY FEARS. A study by Indiana University in Bloomington found that women about unwanted pregnancy turn off a woman's interest in sex.

** 3. FOR SOME, THE PILL. Oral contraceptives may assuage pregnancy fears, but they can have a downside. "Many patients complain about the sexual side effects of the pill," says Dr. Trupin. "It actually decreases your levels of testosterone (the hormones that fuel desire, lowering your sex drive" Triphasic pills, which change hormone levels throughout the month, may have less of an effect than monophasic versions, which provide a stable does of hormones all month long. If triphasics don't he;p, experts recommend nonhormonal options, like diaphragms, IUDs or condoms.

** 4. CHRONIC STRESS. Biologically speaking, stress lowers testosterone, which is why a bad day at the office can wreck the mood for both men and women. But because sex tends to be more mental for women, feeling tense is a bigger problem for them: "Stress is distracting -- it makes your brain go into overdrive and interferes with your ability to focus, " says Leonard R. DeRogatis, Ph.D., director of the John Hopkins Center for Sexual Health and Medicine in Baltimore. "That interferes with your ability to get in the mood." No wonder a relaxing activity, whether it's doing yoga or listening to soft music, can help.

** 5. RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS. Tension in a relationship weighs for more heavily on women than on men, experts say. For men. sex is usually just as simple as getting an erection. "But women need to have their minds engaged -- to feel relaxed, cared for and emotionally connected with their partner," says Sandra Leiblum, Ph.D., director for the Center for Sexual and Relationship Health at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, New Jersey.

** 6. DEPRESSION. "You lost interest in things you would typically enjoy, including sex, when you're depressed",
says Leiblum, In fact, serious blues were a factor in 43 percent of women with low sexual desire in one small study. Treating the disease, whether with therapy or drugs, is critical, but since some doctors find that certain antidepressants can interfere with desire, ask your doctor which one your should take.

(Abstracted from GLAMOUR MAG)
posted by infraternam meam @ 10:37 PM   0 comments
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
I ate tons this weekend. Now, Monday, the scales says I gained five pounds. Can that be?
It's highly unlikely, says Liz Applegate, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at the University of California at Davis: "That would mean you ate an extra 17,5000 calories -- which is a whole lot of beer, fries and ice cream. Most of the gain is probably fluid retention from eating more food, and more salty or greasy meals That usual. Alcohol can also add water weight."
Her advice: Give it a few days and your weight should even out. In the meantime, eat a little extra fiber to help clear your system.
"And hey, stop weighing yourself on Monday!" says Applegate. "If you must, eat until Wednesday to get a more realistic picture of what weight, if any, you've gained."

How come my eye sometimes twitches uncontrollably?
the technical terms for your spasms is eyelid myokymmia, and while it sounds serious, it's not. "Twitching of the eye -- usually the lower lid -- is very common. Almost everyone experiences it at some point in their lives", says Neil R. Miller, MD professor of Opthalmology, neurology and neurosurgery at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. It's often caused by too much caffeine or too little sleep, both if which can irritate the nerves in your face and cause the surrounding muscles to twitch. The spasms generally vanish within a few seconds or minutes, but if yours persists or keep recurring, limit the amount of coffee or soda you drink and get more shut-eye.

What causes my stomach to growl (loudly) when I'm not even hungry?
"There's actually a name for those gurgles --borborygmi",
says Sunanda Kane, M.D. an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago and a gastrointestinal specialist. (Even the experts thinks the term is funny: "My husband uses it as his fantasy baseball league name", laughs Kane).
The noise is caused by microspasms of the nerve endings that feed into the nerve endings that feel into the small intestine and cause the organ to contract and growl -- a reaction that can be brought on by the mere thought or sight of food
"Your brain is the first tool of digestion", says Dr. Kane, "Even daydreaming about chocolate or your upcoming dinner out --hungry or not -- can bring on these reflexes". Taking sips of water can often squelch the noise (putting anything in your mouth causes the pattern of contractions to change and pipe down, says Dr. Kane.

I used to drink like a fish and feel fine. Now if I have only two cocktails I get a hangover. What gives?
"There's a paradoxical aspect to drinking," says Howard Worman, M.D. a liver specialist and associate professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City. "When you stop drinking heavily, your body loses its ability to metabolize alcohol efficiently -- which, by the ways is a healthy sign. But when you have even one or two drinks again, you end up feeling worse".
Drink size matters too, said Dr. Worman. Today's martini, for example is often more than twice the size ones our parents sipped. So what you think is two cocktails may be more than four.

Now and then I get a quick stabbing pain in my chest -- like I'm having a mini heart attack. What is it?
First of all, not all chest pain, is a heart attack, which "is less of a stabbing pain and more of an intense pressure," says Nieca Goldberg, M.D., chief of women's cardiac care of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "People often say a heart attack feels like an elephant sitting on your chest. You're unable to take a deep breath and you feel light-headed." I you ever have those symptoms, or experience sudden, sharp chest pain with shortness of breaths, call 911. But you can relax about the pain you're describing .If it lasts just a few seconds, it's most likely from a strained muscle. Said Dr. Goldberg. Muscles between your ribs can get inflames dues to exercise, a coughing fit or just the stain of daily movements, causing this fleeing pain.

Why are some orgasms so much better than others?
"Because orgasm 'size' is hugely mental,", says Laura Berman, Ph.D. director of the Berman Center, a clinic for women's sexual health in Chicago. "If you're feeling particularly amorous or have just returned from a romantic evening out, for example, you will probably have a more powerful orgasm -- the anticipation or buildup has been longer, so the contractions that happen when you climax will be more intense", Also, the mental and physical buildup that comes from having a lot of foreplay, says Berman, can bring on a more toe-curling orgasm.

Why is yawning contagious?
Let's start with a few facts: Yawning is human instinct -- something you've probably been doing since you were in the womb, says Robert R. Provine, Ph.D. a professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Just thinking or reading bout it can produce the gape mouthed state -- which his research shows lasts for six seconds, on average. The old theories about what causes yawning -- such as the need for more oxygen -- have been debunked and Provine says experts still don't know what purpose it serves. Contagious yawning may synchronize behavioural or physiological changes in a group of people. For example, long before alarm clocks existed -- we're talking caveman days here -- yawning may have sent the message that it was time for bed. A study at the State University of New York in Albany furthers the idea of yawning as communication. Researchers found that people who readily caught the yawning bug tend to score higher on tests of empathy than those less apt to open up on cue, suggesting that yawning may be a way to better relate to others.

I often discover mystery bruises I don't remember getting. What's going on?
A bruise happens when a small amount of blood leaks out from your capillaries (tiny blood vessels in your body) due to some sort of trauma, says Jeanne Lusher, M.D., professor of hematology at Wayne State University in Detroit. For some it takes a memorable bonk to produce a bruise. But other people bruise easily, so even a tiny ding -- one you might not remember -- will do it.
Also, if you've got high tolerance for pain, your brain may not register a bump -- even a big one. All of this is perfectly normal. However, if you notice multiple marks on hard to hurt places, like your stomach or back, says Dr. Lusher, see your doctor to rule out a more serious problem, like blood or autoimmune disorder.

What are those tiny white blotches on my fingernails?
They're usually a gisn of part trauma to your finger or nail --from banging it on the edge of your desk or getting it caught in a door, says Karyn Grossman, M.D. a dermatologist in Los Angeles. Such injuries cause a small area of the nail bed to become loosened and appear white. You notice them because they stick around for up to three months until your nail grows out.

(abstracted from Health and BodyBook Healt Bulletin)
posted by infraternam meam @ 2:26 AM   0 comments
Monday, August 01, 2005
ALL YOU NEED IS $1 MILLION
"It's probably one of the few remaining beatles lyrics in private colectors' hands and one of the most important musical manuscripts in existence". TED OWEN, of John lenon's handwritten lyrics to "ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE".

Lennon's Handwritten Lyrics Fetch Sky-High Price at Auction.

LONDON -- John Lennon's handwritten lyrics for "All You Need Is LOve", salvaged from his music stand after The Beatles' final television appearance in 1967, have sold at auction in London for $1 million.

It was among a trove of Lennon memorabilia that fetched $1.75 million during a sale at London's Hippodrome nightclub on Thursday.

The tunic of a World War I military bandsman, worn by Lennon for a 1966 Life Magazine photo shoot -- and a possible inspiration for the group's martial look on the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album -- sold for $175,000.

The sale included youthful paintings and handwritten lyrics, jackets, eyeglasses and even furniture from the late former Beatle's home.

The most valuable items were gathered over 25 years by one anonymous American collector.

Auctioneer Cooper Owen, a company that specialize in music and film items, said it was "the most definitive collection of John Lennon memorabilia ever assembled."

$97,000 for specs.

Cooper Owen managing director of John Collins said the items stood out for their "rarity, importance and cultural significance".

A piano from Lennon's New York Apartment fetched $245,000 and watercolors painted by the musician at age 11 were bought for $123,000.

A pair of his signature round granny glasses, which came in a box addressed to "Mr. John Lennon", went for $97,000.

There was no immediate information on who bought the items.

Cooper Owen director Ted Owen said the "All You Need is Love" manuscript was "the Holy Grail of the Beatles lyrics."

"It's probably one of the few remaining Beatles lyrics in private collector's hands and one of the most important musical manuscripts in existence," Owen said."It was the anthem of the peace movement...the anthem of 1967".

(from the Associated Press)
posted by infraternam meam @ 11:52 AM   0 comments
About Me

Name: infraternam meam
Home: Chicago, United States
About Me: I am now at the prime of my life and have been married for the past 25 years. Sickly at times, but wants to see the elixir vita, so that I will be able to see my grandchildren from my two boys.
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