GRANADA, SPAIN - APRIL 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIE!

You are willing to extend yourself for those you love, even when it means you must get along with less. You have strong sentimental ties with your family so that you could have some difficulty relating to people other than your family in a person-to-person relationship. Your loyalty to people you love is admirable, but it can interfere with forming meaningful outside contacts. You are possessive with the objects of your affections to they may feel unable to do anything without first asking your permission or at least discussing it with you. You don’t want to be excluded from any situation your lover may be involved with and you can wear out your welcome unless you change your attitude.

Basically shy, yet susceptible to kindness and flattery, you are uncomfortable with persons who are overly aggressive. You are essentially a dreamer who dwells on romantic imaginings or reveries to satisfy your emotional longings. You are therefore very vulnerable to partners or associates with charming personalities and refinement.

You are unrealistic in facing the harsh realities of life and may postpone taking a partner you are waiting for the nearly perfect individual to come into your life. You are inclined to go more than halfway in making concessions if it will produce greater harmony. Be careful you don’t allow others to abuse your generosity by making excessive demands on you. Your protective instincts are probably stronger than most and you would defend the one you love in spite of the demands being made.

Your career interest might include such professions as law, politics, business management and arbitration. You should also find much fulfillment working with people in social activities as are found in clubs, societies, encounter therapy and counseling. Your mature and polished common sense prevails when there are disagreements in which you are involved.

You are gifted in occupations requiring some business sense, and your ability in management is considerable. You are a no-nonsense person and appreciate the efforts of those who are organized for action. Take care you aren’t obstinate in your opinions and learn to let others make their own decisions. They may learn more when they realize why they failed.

Not content to stand still for very long, you eagerly assert yourself in your affairs. You are usually well informed on every facet of the enterprises you have so that you are able to successfully manage them. You enjoy competition and the risks associated with challenging situations. You never believe you will not succeed, and this raises the probability of success.

Your greatest lesson will come from your relationships and how well you can handle them. Compromise is essential to bring out the very best in you and those you deal with. It is urgent that you give others the same respect you demand from them.

DOUBLE-ENTENTE

Shortly after the language bill was passed unanimously in the Congress to become a law that would provide a better understanding of the business transactions for inexperienced non-English local speakers, the President technically vetoed it because she found the translations were not only too embarrassing and scary but also very vulgar and obscene.

Below are the few samples of the accounting terms, with what the locals would likely take as the appropriate double-entente in parenthesis:

Asset - Ari (popularly referred to as the male organ)
Fixed asset - Nakatirik na ari (organ in erection)
Liquid asset - Basang ari (wet organ)
Solid asset - Matigas na ari (hardened organ)
Owned asset - Sariling pag aari (one’s organ)
Other asset - Ari ng iba (other’s organ)
False asset - Ari-ari-an (tiny organ)
Miscellaneous asset - Iba-ibang klaseng ari (different kinds of organ)
Asset write off - Pinutol na pag aari (dismembered organ)
Depreciation of asset - Laspag na pag aari (wilted or worn-out organ)
Fully depreciated asset - Laspag na laspag na pag aari (organ in its worst lamentable state)
Earning asset - Tumutubong pag aari (hardening organ)
Working asset - Ganado pa ang ari (already satisfied organ)
Non-earning asset - Baldado na ang ari (already exhausted or over-used organ)
Erroneous entry - Mali ang pagka pasok (penetrated by error)
Double entry - Dalawang beses ipinasok (penetrated two times)
Multiple entry - Labas pasok nang labas pasok (in and out in succession)
Correcting entry - Itinama ang pagpasok (rectifying the penetration)
Reversing entry - Baligtad ang pagkakapasok (penetration by the rear)
Dead asset - Patay na ARI (The ORGAN is dead and kaput!)

REFLECTION By Anonymous

Today before you think of saying an unkind word
Think of someone who can't speak

Before you complain about the taste of your food
Think of someone who has nothing to eat

Before you complain about your husband or wife
Think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion

Today before you complain about life
Think of someone who went too early to heaven

Before you complain about your children
Think of someone who desires children but they're barren

Before you argue about your dirty house; someone didn't clean or sweep
Think of the people who are living in the streets

Before whining about the distance you drive
Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet

And when you are tired and complain about your job
Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another
Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down
Put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around

Life is a gift
Live it...
Enjoy it...
Celebrate it...
And fulfill it.

Top of Form

TWO TRUE STORIES ABOUT RACISM

1) Oprah Winfrey Show
I'm sure many of you watched the recent taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show where her guest was Tommy Hilfiger. On the show, she asked him if the statements about race he was accused of saying were true. Statements like"..."If I'd known African-Americans, Hispanics, Jewish and Asians would buy my clothes, I WOULD NOT have made them so nice. I wish these people would *NOT* buy my clothes, as they are made for upper class white people."

His answer to Oprah was a simple "YES". Where after she immediately asked him to leave her show.

My suggestion? Don't buy your next shirt or perfume from Tommy Hilfiger. Let's give him what he asked for. Let's not buy his clothes, let's put Him in a financial state where he himself will not be able to afford the ridiculous prices he puts on his clothes. BOYCOTT. PLEASE SEND THIS MESSAGE TO ANYONE YOU KNOW. Then send it to the whole community that's not white people and see the result. We have to see the result of unity.

Let's find out if Non-whites really play such a small part in the world. Stop buying any range of their product, perfume, cosmetics, clothes, bags, etc.,

2) Scene took place on a British Airways flight between Johannesburg and London.
A White woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess. "Madam, what is the matter," the hostess asked. "You obviously do not see it then?" she responded. "You placed me next to a black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat."

"Be calm please," the hostess replied. "Almost all the places on this Flight is taken. I will go to see if another place is available." The Hostess went away and then came back a few minutes later. "Madam, Just as I thought, there are no other available seats in the economy class. I spoke to the captain and he informed me that there is a seat in the business class. All the same, we still have one place in the first class." Before the woman could say anything, the hostess continued: "It is not Usual for our company to permit someone from the economy class to sit in the first class. However, given the circumstances, the captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting." She turned to the black guy, and said, "Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in first class." At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by what they had Just witnessed stood up and applauded.

Both the above are true stories. If You are against racism, please copy and send this message to all your friends.

TRANSHUMANCE FESTIVAL IN EGUILLES, FRANCE - 25 MAY 2006

ONCE UPON A DREAM...

In the spring of 1967, I competed with a number of students from different universities in an examination given by the French Government. The main prize at stake was a round-trip ticket to Paris plus a year fully-paid scholarship grant at the University de Lille. Although I was not officially endorsed to represent my school, I boldly made a go at it on my own personal initiative because it was my only and unique chance to make my dream come true, i.e. to go overseas without incurring a major financial undertaking. Alas, my initial hope crumbled when I did not make it through the last question of the oral examination. In a flashback, however, I could have passed it by default had I only known in advance the nationality of Jean-Jacques Rousseau was not French, but Swiss!

Worse yet, that summer I experienced the most frustrating setback in my life that had plunged me deeper into despair and desolation but short of a major nervous breakdown. The underlying reason for which was that I was very confident that I though I already had the post I applied for at the Foreign Office exclusively for myself because I had passed all the required entrance examinations successfully, complete with the appropriate experience and the necessary civil service qualification. What an utterly fool I had made of myself to have believed so naively that such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity could only be too good to be true!

On the big day that I thought I would be signing the employment contract and assume my post officially, I nearly passed out from seeing the event turned suddenly into a nightmare as I witnessed helplessly in confusion how I was being practically bypassed by a young and unexperienced newly graduate who was already occupying the desk that was supposed to be intended for me while she was being personally escorted and recommended by an influential family acquaintance employed internally who was seemingly in a very intimate conversation with the head of the department at the moment as I waited for my turn. As a consolation, I only got the same old refrain "don't call us, we'll call you once a suitable post would be available in due course!" How on the earth could such a thing ever happen to me at the most crucial moment that I was so desperately counting on as if my whole future only depended on it? What an ironic twist of destiny that I even had to sacrifice and resign from a very promising and stable position in an international organization the month before so that I could serve my own country!

In the aftermath of all this chain of unlucky incidents, I just felt so badly humiliated and totally betrayed by such a flagrant and vicious practice that I completely lost whatever trust I had in the political system. What else were my options and raison d’être of staying behind and fighting against injustice and corruption when I already knew from the start that I was only waging a losing battle? Feeling too vulnerable and forlorn to see that my only opportunity to serve my own government being practically shattered and disintegrated right in front of my eyes, I firmly decided right there and then to leave the country for good. In my state of rage and frustration, however, the thought of losing my temper by attacking blindly the authorities would not only prove to be a quixotic and suicidal initiative but also a totally useless and ephemeral cause to die for.

Finally, I chose to remain alive and be a coward than to be dead and become a martyr or an unsung hero who would only to be forgotten before he could be completely buried six feet under the ground. Moreover, such a radical reaction would very likely be tantamount to be sentenced to imprisonment without a fair trial for sedition or treason against the internal security of the state which could subsequently compromise my precarious situation and jeopardize my plan of carrying out my immediate departure.

Meanwhile, the prevailing political atmosphere had become so intolerable that I could hardly bear to stay any much longer or else I would go banana. Like an injured animal that was trapped in an ambush, I just then became so obsessed and jealous to keep my only fondest dream alive within me no matter how impossible it could be or how long it would take me but I'd do my best to make it come true at any costs in the end. On the other hand, to think of leaving on a spur of the moment in such an erratic state of mind with a few pennies in my pocket would be highly too farfetched and most unlikely to materialize on a very short notice. Hopefully before I could do something foolish which would make me regret dearly for the rest of my life, I lighted candles in every church that I passed by on my way and prayed hard for a miracle to happen...

Unexpectedly that fall just a few days before my birthday, I received a wire from the French Embassy requesting me to present myself again for an oral examination and interview by the newly-appointed cultural attaché. All of a sudden, I saw a ray of hope. Although I knew I had a rather slim chance of winning the scholarship this time, I just couldn’t cry victory until the result was official, because I was too scared to go through the same experience I have had at the Foreign Office, once again. Moreover, I was competing with two other candidates who came from more prestigious and exclusive schools. Deep inside me, I was somehow ravaged by a sense of guilt of self-apprehension for not having been an outstanding student or an alumnus of a big league university. Yet I could be too proud to be the only one from my school to have qualified in the finals.

What a mixed blessing of laughter and tears when the scholarship was officially awarded to me a week later. My office colleagues were so overwhelmed to see me jumped with joy by the telephone as I broke them the good news and they congratulated me, even those who detested and envied me for speaking French. It came to me as a total surprise that I could hardly believe I finally made it. For a fraction of a second, I went blank and couldn’t utter a word as if I was practically hit by a lightning. My mind traveled at a supersonic speed into a kaleidoscopic jumble of images of the landmarks I only saw on postcards, like the Seine, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur, Latin Quarter, and all the other sights that I read and saw in the books and magazines. As I gradually regained consciousness, I hazily imagined having distinguished the word « Paris » appearing on tilt like in a slot machine, for a dream that was still to be realized very soon!

In fact, it was the craziest moment of my life yet the most memorable because all my hardships and sacrifices were duly recognized and finally rewarded -- by a foreign government! As a result of this lucky stroke of fate, my whole life radically took a 180-degree turn and it was changed overnight completely!

SKEPTIC WELCOME!

Brussels, Belgium - May 6, 2006

Greetings!

Superstition aside, there are still many of those who are very skeptic or wary of having their hands read because they would be afraid to hear and be influenced by the negative remarks that would be given by the hand reader. Generally, they would immediately jump to the conclusion that when they see that their life or any other lines are short or broken, it would utterly mean a premature, sudden or tragic end. From the many hands that I’ve already came across and read, however, they totally meant the opposite. Fortunately in most cases, a break would generally signify the end of an old and unfulfilling existence or situation into a new, positive and more meaningful lifestyle such as a radical change or improvement in one’s career, home, finance, health, love, marriage, motherhood, travel, and personal accomplishments. No matter what I see on somebody’s hands, never in my practice did I mention death, accident, separation or anything unpleasant that I consider would easily affect the psyche of the consultant traumatically or otherwise, whether he or she is sensitive or not. My personal priority as a guideline to follow when reading hands is to give each one a chance to live his or her life to the full by accentuating on its positive aspects. Honestly, I couldn’t change their destiny, but I could help them to follow the parallel path that would lead them to be happier and more optimistic in their life in the long run.

Inasmuch as I've never taken any formal schooling or training in astrology, I couldn't tell you in what level I'd be right now. On the other hand, I must confess to you that I don't have a highly logical mind to any seemingly complicated calculation as a result of a traumatic experience with my mathematics teacher when I was in the grade school that made me somewhat allergic to whatever is related to problem solving in numbers or figures. Fortunately, there are easy and ready-to-use programs on natal charts available on the market or online that I could resort to. Otherwise, I'd just easily go banana by taxing my cluttered brain manually on a chart and screwing up with my interpretations of the signs and planets in the end. With a somewhat limited knowledge and training of astrology, I don't interpret the charts on my own personally as I still have a long way to go before I could do so. In practice, I go by the book. Perhaps with the passing of time, I'd be able to acquire the expertise of it the same way as in hand reading.

For your information, I give less attention to the origin and pedigree of the authors whom I wish to consult as long as the content of their works would interest me that it should fully meet with my requirements. What matters more to me are the detailed illustrations and the descriptions contained therein with every minute particularities that would accompany them. Perhaps I must have had read so much on the basics from the beginning that I’ve slowed down or have reached a saturation point in acquiring new titles as I’m getting more and more confused on the technical terms used that could appear new or foreign to me than putting what I’ve already learned into practice. From my own past experience, I find the major hand lines as already predestined, whereas the minor as the evolution of all the future changes and improvements in the course of our growth. Before mastering the hand reading techniques, I resorted to astrology and numerology as an ice-breaker in order to carry out a conversation with new and interesting faces that I’d like to meet. Surprisingly, such a strategy would often work wonders and could spread like a bush fire especially when everybody would become interested on the subject matter out of curiosity.

I'm honored indeed by your comparing me to your grandmother. However, I’d like to tell you that I don’t consider myself as an empath because I had to learn the basic of hand reading from the outset before I could practice it with ease and acquire it instinctively later. I believe your grandmother mainly practiced it by her strong affinity with her consultants. When I was young, I did it first from a growing obsession and attraction to the exotic physique of the white race so that I could touch and hold their hands while I fantasize on how exciting it was to be too close to them, to feel the softness of their skin and to listen to the warmth and sound of their voice. Many years ago, I had a rather funny experience that could have nearly turned into a diplomatic incident with a blond Dutch woman who hailed me to read the hands of her grown-up daughters in a family beach on the Italian Riviera one summer day. One of them was topless and accompanied by her boyfriend. What a gorgeous couple! I was so confused where to put my undivided attention that I couldn’t get my words straight without stammering at the sight of her firm and bulging breasts that almost reached up to her navel. With a seemingly tropical heat at nearly 35 degrees Celsius, I was perspiring so profusely that I thought I’d just wanted to faint and fall as hard as a sack of potatoes right on top of her hadn’t her boyfriend offered me a bottle of cold water to appease my burning desire and bring me back to reason. In the end, I had a great and wonderful time with them by reading everybody’s hand.

Thanks for recommending me the photo websites. Are you the one who is beside the luxury sports car? Wow, I didn’t know how cute and sexy you are! Your suggestion for me to pursue my hand reading studies in India is worth considering. However, I have other plans for such a trip which would be for tourism and culture, with a special emphasis on spiritual enlightenment through yoga. Perhaps, I might stay in an ashram and spend some time with a guru or a holy man. Warmest regards.

ON HANDREADING...

Lille, France - July 21, 2004

Dear Pearl,

Thanks for your kind note. I'd be only too glad to read your hands as I do with others. I don't know where you live at the moment. In case you're working somewhere in Europe, perhaps you could take a time off and come to Brussels. Who knows what the future has in store for you? You may not be aware that the lines of marriage and children have long found their way on the palm of your hands. Frankly, I get better results and positive feedbacks when I do the reading in person on the spot because I could decipher and interpret easily the minor lines that represent the improvements and changes in life which would hardly appear very clearly on bad prints. However, I enclosed herewith a fine example of a print from which I could obtain important data effectively.

I tried making prints with ordinary photocopiers in the past, but they didn't produce optimum shots particularly on the hollow middle part of the hand where many important events and changes that occur mainly between 20 and 40 years are reflected. Perhaps there are now advanced and sophisticated state-of-the-art photocopiers that are available on the market which could make comparably razor-sharp copies not only of flat surface but also on hollow surface. Otherwise if you don't care much to get your hands dirty and want to have the job done properly, here's how you could take a good print. Get a water-based black printing ink from any art shops and squeeze a little of it onto a ceramic tile and then roll it onto the roller. Lightly roll off any excess onto a paper kitchen towel. Gently roll the ink onto the hand being careful not to press it deeply into the lines on the hand. Place the hand on a white plain paper and press gently so that all of the hand is in contact with the paper. If the hand is very hollow in the middle, then place the paper on the rolling pin and roll the hand over it.

Kind and warm regards.

Pablo

PS. Pearl, you should go out and enjoy life as much as you could while you're still young and strong. I personally believe that it isn't a question whether you're sunny not if you do really want to meet others or encounter your one and only dream lover. I was just like you before I diversified into hand reading when I travelled regularly by train from Belgium to Italy and back from the late 60's to the 80's. During those long rides, I found myself in the presence of total strangers with whom I couldn't dare to talk on sensitive subjects such as politics and religion. However with a basic knowledge of astrology and palmistry, I was able to break the ice and got them talk to one another, made their acquaintance and fortunately won their goodwill and confidence in the end. Why not try it? Here's wishing you a good start and good luck!

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR

In the course of my visits to the Embassy between the late '60's and early 70’s, I came to observe closely the flagrant modus operandi on how the consular staff rely on their personal whims and caprices prevailing at the moment in treating their own nationals in a very obvious selective manner. They classified them according to their social status, nature of their occupation, the level of their education or most especially by the degree of their affinity and relationship before they set up their priorities on whose applications would be processed and expedited first. Unfortunately, I have had my share of misfortune not only once but on a number of occasions after I went through such a nasty experience when I requested for an ordinary document that could have been processed on the spot the same day but only to be told off to return not once but twice because the front desk staff could not be disturbed in the middle of their intimate conversation regarding their own personal business or the officer authorized to sign was in a foul mood for having been stood up by her lover that she did not sleep well the night before. How I deplored so much such kind of gratuitous perverse and immoral practice of keeping the people to wait and then telling them off to come back for as many times as they wished without any consideration to the inconvenience that could eventually cause them by their indifference. There was no other alternative I could do but to wait and be patient for they could still be much nastier the second time around. Worse yet, I could never forget the way they looked down on me with obvious arrogance and derision as if I were an ordinary domestic worker they completely ignored me when a group of students arrived shortly after me for a courtesy call. When I wrote my observations and complaints to the Ambassador, I was only too surprised to get his personal reply where he explained about the framework and the specific functions of the different departments in the Embassy. Although I got a slightly better treatment thereafter, I just made my presence less and less ubiquitous and my visits very rare as much as possible.

I was so shocked and scandalized to learn officially that I would never get back a single cent from the taxes I've already paid for from all the previous annual income tax declarations that I filed with the hope of spending a golden retirement in my hometown someday. Instead, what I only got was a resounding and direct but cold reply that "it's an irony of life." Hearing such a rather insensitive and brutal remark from a senior consular officer, I seemed to have been struck by lightning that I felt utterly cheated and betrayed. Henceforth, I decided to keep my distance as much as possible and vowed to myself that I’d break away completely from any possible dealings with the Embassy from the day when I would finally obtain my naturalization. When I reflect on the miserable pension money which could hardly cover up decently the daily subsistence that my mother received for having sacrificed almost all her entire life working as a public elementary teacher, I could consider myself more fortunate and better off to be able to live comfortably on what I'm now getting as a pre-retiree from the local government. There was a particular incident that a stranded fellow national shared with me when he was refused entry to England and had to go to the Embassy to seek for advice and moral support but only to be told off with indifference by the consul general to just pack up and go home directly, being the standard official procedure to avoid any possible diplomatic incident with the local authorities.

When I flew to Europe in the fall of 1967 as a scholar, I wasn't only too happy to have finally fulfilled my most-cherished dream of going abroad but also too pleased and honored to come over at the expense of the French Government. Many a time, I had to pinch myself in order to prove that I wasn't dreaming awake. If it could have been a fairytale, I thought I could be Alice who got lost her sense of direction in a wonderland and practically went out of her mind visiting and admiring all the places that I read in the book. Unfortunately, I later discovered during my frequent trips that being an ordinary passport holder could prove to be more of a liability and a burden than an asset to one’s personal pride when traveling around Europe from the series of not-so-pleasant incidents and misadventures that I experienced, such as the untoward treatment in the course of a seemingly third-degree interrogation performed by the consular staff of foreign embassies in obtaining entry or transit visas which could prove to be very discouraging and humiliating or the unorthodox practice of random search and scrutiny by some unscrupulously rude customs and border control agents on ones body and belongings to be somewhat abjectly brutal if not traumatic that could eventually lead a highly sensitive person to the brink of a serious nervous breakdown or worse yet to disappear completely from the face of the earth for having been practically defiled and dishonored. Being in such a predicament of vulnerability and desperation, how I'd wished so badly that I would have had a passport from a powerful and rich country so that I could make a rebuttal and defend my honor as an decent and honest human being rather than always play the role of the usual docile victim or an underdog who would just remain to be insulted and oppressed worse than a presumed criminal and be subjected to certain forms of prejudice and discrimination. When I finally realized that I already have had more than my dose of all kinds of harassment and misadventure because I am from a Third World country, I decided to change immediately my nationality at all cost so that I could redeem and give myself a certain sense of self-esteem and pride, thus to be able to regain my self-respect and confidence in the long run. I am so glad my children were automatically entitled to my new citizenship that they were spared from going through what I had experienced. Somehow, I firmly believe that this could have had a substantial influence as an important factor which contributed much to their personal development in a more constructive and positive way while they were growing up.

Finally, it's too pathetic and sad to learn about the growing notoriety from the not-so-flattering image and reputation acquired by Filipinos abroad as economic refugees resulting from their continued massive exodus to look for work since the latter half of the 70's. In Italy, they constitute the largest foreign population where the word "Filipino" has been ostensibly incorporated in the local vocabulary and thereby widely used in the spoken language simply to refer to anybody in general who "is or works as a domestic," regardless of race, creed or country of origin.

LIVE A LIFE THAT MATTERS - By Anonymous

Whether you are ready or not, someday your life will come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours, or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant, even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered, or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone.

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who love you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s not a matter of circumstances, but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

HOW ABOUT A BANANA?

Importance: High BANANAS

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!

This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber.

A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptphan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brainpower. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body; so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work: Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, "eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%."

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around so maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit.

GRANDMA'S CURES*

Did You Know That?

Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover... just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's tomato paste boil cure... cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters...To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises .. Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief....It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and ! warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

If you send this to 10 people and only one of them doesn't know about this, then it was worth it.

*Keep this on the Fridge

BRUSSELS ZINNEKE PARADE - 13 MAY 2006

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Dear Pablo, Sara & Sophie,

The days have come down in the west much as the setting sun and now I find myself leaving for home. Twilight has come on my trip and I think back on all the good times that I have had and reminisce the fond memories of days well spent. From welcoming me into your home back in January to the celebration on my birthday in March on through the rest of my stay.

It was a wondrous gesture to give without knowing the nature of the guest you accommodate. Only an individual pure of heart and soul that is endowed with compassion is able to quarter a stranger in their house. I can not nor can my family ever truly recompense you and your family for allowing me to stay these past four months within your residence. I hope that in part I was able to display a portion of the kindness bestowed upon myself by you and your family.

From my family unto yours numerous thanks are imparted for the hospitality and generous nature demonstrated. God bless your house as you have blessed me. I will keep in contact with you but for now I am going, I bid you all a fond farewell.

Goodbye.

Steve

May 13, 2006

ITALIAN FESTIVITIES IN BRUSSELS - SPRING 2005

FAMILY REUNION IN ITALY - SUMMER 2005

HOLY WEEK IN SPAIN WITH DAVID, SILVIA & SOPHIE - 2005