tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66132262840855048452022-09-26T14:43:13.780+07:00Pratana Coffee TalkJust imagine.
Just imagine you hear a mainstream jazz music play while
you are reading my blog. Just imagine you hear the tinkling of glasses.
Just imagine the noises of people talking around you.
Welcome.
You are inside a coffee shop, my very own cyber coffee shop.
And now you are enjoying The Pratana Coffee Talk.pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.comBlogger2307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-14856210424044076242017-02-08T22:52:00.002+07:002017-02-08T22:52:45.108+07:00PERSONALIZED "CODED COUTURE" DRESS BASED ON SMARTPHONE APP DATA IS CREATED BY GOOGLE AND H&M<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/H%26M-Logo.svg/1280px-H%26M-Logo.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/H%26M-Logo.svg/1280px-H%26M-Logo.svg.png" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="400" /></a>"Finding something unique to wear is difficult. It can be expensive or take a lot of time," says Swedish fashion blogger Kenza Zouiten, in a film on the H&M-backed Ivyrevel fashion website.<br /><br /><br />But now the "I have nothing to wear" dilemma could be solved by a new app, which aims to create a customized dress design based on smartphone data showing someone's location and activity, as well as the weather.<br /><br />The "data dress" technology is a collaboration between Google and Ivyrevel, and is based on Android's Awareness API, which lets apps "be aware of all aspects of a user's environment," according to a post on the <a href="https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2017/02/fashion-gets-digital-upgrade-with.html">Android Developers' blog.</a><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUlF3rW8flU" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />The new app – which is at trial stage – monitors what someone is doing every day for a week, to recommend and design a dress style for them.<br /><br />"Where do you regularly eat out for dinner or hang out with friends? Are they more casual or formal meetups? What's the usual weather when you're outside?" writes Google's group creative business partner Jeremy Brook in the post. This information – known as context signals – is passed through an algorithm to tailor the design of the dress, which can then be bought.<br /><br /><img alt="" height="400" src="http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2017/02/07/104266806-Ivyrevel_2.Screen_Shot_2017-02-05_at_11.48.15_PM.600x400.png?v=1486535085" width="600" /><br /><br />"Custom made designs for everyone. You install an app on your phone and select why you need the dress," Zouiten continues in the Ivyrevel film.<br /><br />The "coded couture" app is at alpha stage and is being tested by fashion "influencers". It will be released publicly later this year, according to the <a href="http://www.ivyrevel.com/uk/codedcouture/codedCouture.html">Ivyrevel website.</a><br /><br />-----------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/08/google-and-hm-create-personalized-coded-couture-dress-based-on-smartphone-app-data.html</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-22939888913358526412015-09-03T13:24:00.000+07:002015-09-03T13:24:05.708+07:00BY FOCUSING IN READING BOOKS MAKES ME LESS BUSY<a href="http://www.uglydogbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://www.uglydogbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/books.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="640" /></a>Six months ago, I found myself drowning in a flood of easy information. The internet—and all the lovely things on it, things like Wikipedia, Twitter, podcasts, the New Yorker, email, TED Talks, Facebook, Youtube, Buzzfeed occasionally, and yes, even the Harvard Business Review—provide unlimited sources of delight at the touch of a finger.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />The delight, indeed, abounds. But it’s not always delightful. It comes with some suffering too. I was distracted when at work, distracted when with family and friends, constantly tired, irritable, and always swimming against a wash of ambient stress induced by my constant itch for digital information. My stress had an electronic feel to it, as if it was made up of the very bits and bytes on my screens. And I was exhausted.<br /><br />This all came into a sharp focus when I realized, to my horror (but probably not to my surprise), that I had read just four books in all of 2014. That’s one book a quarter. A third of a book per month. I love reading books. Books are my passion and my livelihood. I work in the world of book publishing. I’m the founder of LibriVox, the largest library of free public domain audiobooks in the world; and I spend most of my time running Pressbooks, an online book production software company. I might have an unpublished novel in a drawer somewhere.<br /><br />I love books. And yet, I wasn’t reading them. In fact, I couldn’t read them. I tried, but every time, by sentence three or four, I was either checking email or asleep.<br /><br />I started to wonder: could training myself to read books again help me manage the digital information stress in the rest of my life? Could the cure for too much information be slower information? In the same way that snake venom can be used to produce curative antivenom, I wondered whether that old, slower form of information delivery—books—could act as a kind of antidote to the stress caused by the constant flow of new digital information. Whether my inability to sustain my focus—at work, home, and on reading books—could be cured by finding ways to once again sustain my focus…on a book.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Understanding Our Brains, Part 1: Dopamine, pleasure, and learning bad habits</span></b><br />Recent neuroscientific research is starting to help us understand why we behave as we do with our modern information systems. Humans brains, it turns out, are built to privilege new information over just about anything else (including, some studies suggest, food and sex). The promise of that new information, spurred by, say, pressing the refresh button in your email, or the ding of a Twitter DM alert, triggers the release of a neurotransmitter—dopamine—in the brain. Dopamine makes us more alert to the promise of potential pleasure, and our brains are wired to seek out things that generate dopamine.<br /><br />There is a learning loop to this process—new information + dopamine = pleasure—that lays down neural pathways that “teach” your brain that there is a reward for pressing the email refresh button (even if that reward is nothing but another message from Dave from accounting).<br /><br />This loop is reinforced every time you watch a second, third, or fifth, cat video on Facebook. And it’s a very hard loop to break. It’s almost—almost—as if hundreds of billions of dollars of engineering and product design have gone into building the perfect machine for keeping us distracted; the perfect system to tickle certain wiring in how our brains are set up.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Understanding Our Brains, Part 2: The energy costs of flitting around</span></b><br />While the addictive attraction of new information is one side of the problem, the other side is the cost of jumping from one thing to the next and back again.<br /><br />The typical human brain is about 2% of the body’s weight, but it consumes in the range of 20% of the energy, according to neuroscientist Daniel Levitin. What the brain is doing dictates how much or how little energy it consumes: when you are relaxing or staring out the window, your brain is “at rest,” and uses around 11 calories per hour. Focused reading for an hour will use up around 42 calories. But processing lots of new information takes around 65 calories per hour. And jumping from topic to topic is worse.<br /><br />Every time you pop out of your work to read an email, it costs you not just time, but energy too. As Levitin says: “People who organize their time in a way that allows them to focus are not only going to get more done, but they’ll be less tired and less neurochemically depleted after doing it.”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>So what do we do?</b></span><br />My workday is tied to fast digital information: a keyboard, a big glowing screen, an Internet connection, data in and data out, crises to handle, fires to extinguish. While I can make some changes to how I approach that workday, it’s almost impossible for me, for most of us, to escape the digital flows of information during working hours. For me it’s been more effective to start weaning myself from digital inputs during my life outside of work.<br /><br />I’ve used “reading books again” as the focus of my efforts—to unplug from the flow of digital information, and reconnect with that slower kind of information, the kind I used to get so much pleasure from.<br /><br />I’ve settled on three hard rules that achieve two things: they get me reading books again, and they give my brain a break from constant digital overload. Here are my three rules to read again:<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>1. I get home from work, I put away my laptop (and iPhone).</b></span> This was probably the scariest change—there is an expectation that we are always on, always connected for work. But, for me, there are very few emails that arrive at 10:15 p.m. (or 8:15 p.m.) that need to be answered right away. There are crunch times when I need to work in the evenings, but in general having a clear, well-rested mind when I start my work in the morning is far more valuable than having an overtaxed, exhausted mind from too many emails the previous night.<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>2. After dinner during the week, I don’t watch Netflix or TV, or mess around on the Internet.</b></span> This is probably the change that has had the biggest impact. That hour or two of post-dinner wind-down is, for me, the only real free block of time in my day. So, once kids are in bed, dishes cleaned, I no longer even ask the question; I just get out my book and start reading. Often in bed. Sometimes at an outrageously early hour. I thought this change would be most difficult, but it’s been the easiest. Making time to read again has been a real pleasure. (And I enjoy the TV I do watch more than ever.)<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>3. No glowing screens in the bedroom (Kindle is OK, though).</b></span> This was my first move away from digital overload, and even if I cheat on the other rules occasionally, this is the one rule I never violate. Not having a connected iPhone or iPad by my bedside means I am no longer tempted to check email at 3:30 in the morning, or visit Twitter at 5 a.m. when I wake up too early. Instead, in those moments of insomnia or an early wake up, I reach for my book (and usually fall right back to sleep).<br /><br />Following these three rules has made a huge impact on my life. I have more time—since I am no longer constantly chasing the next byte of information. Reading books again has given me more time to reflect, to think, and has increased both my focus and the creative mental space to solve work problems. My stress levels are much lower, and energy levels up.<br /><br />Managing the flows of digital information in the workplace, and in our personal lives, is going to be an ongoing challenge for all of us in the years and decades to come. Digital information flows will get faster and more voluminous. The internet is just a couple of decades old, and we’ve only had smartphones for less than 10 years.<br /><br />We are still learning how to live in this information ecosystem, and how to build the ecosystem for humans rather than for the information. We will get better at it—as humans, and as builders of technology. And in the mean time, reading books again will help.<br /><br /><i>Hugh McGuire is a literary technologist. He’s the founder of LibriVox and Pressbooks, and the co-editor of Book: A Futurist’s Manifesto. He can be found on Twitter at @hughmcguire.</i><br />----------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://hbr.org/2015/09/how-making-time-for-books-made-me-feel-less-busy</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.uglydogbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/books.jpg</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-199312216199220122015-08-14T15:41:00.002+07:002015-08-14T15:41:18.892+07:00G FOR GOOGLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mc-PjbDb5OI/Vc2pcECo7xI/AAAAAAAAFpM/alkx0cYexas/s1600/48433722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mc-PjbDb5OI/Vc2pcECo7xI/AAAAAAAAFpM/alkx0cYexas/s1600/48433722.jpg" /></a></div>G is for Google, as the company's chief executive, Larry Page, put it this week in a blog post introducing Alphabet, Google's new corporate name.<br /><br />G is also for genericization.<br /><br />That's the process of becoming generic, or "not sold or made under a particular brand name," according to Webster's dictionary.<br /><br />The definition is of more than just linguistic interest to Google and its shareholders.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Google is one of the most valuable brands in the world. According to Forbes magazine, it ranks third with an estimated brand value of $66 billion, behind Apple and Microsoft. The company vigilantly defends its trademark, both in and out of court.<br /><br />It's in no imminent danger of losing its trademark protection. But given the popularity of Google's brand, and how it has entered mainstream English usage as a verb (to google) and participle (googling), it may only be a matter of time.<br /><br />If so, it will join the distinguished company of aspirin, cellophane, thermos, escalator, dry ice and trampoline - all once-prominent brand names that lost their legal status as protected trademarks after entering mainstream usage. Webster's itself has been genericized as a synonym for dictionary, and the name can be used by anybody, even though it's owned by Encyclopaedia Britannica.<br /><br />Thanks to zealous policing by their corporate owners, Band-Aid (Johnson & Johnson) and Kleenex (Kimberly-Clark) still cling to protected trademark status, but are so much a part of common usage "they're almost 100 percent of the way to genericization," said Grant Barrett, a lexicographer and co-host of a public radio show about language, "A Way With Words."<br /><br />Xerox, FedEx, TiVo, Skype and Photoshop face similar issues. All are trademarked names commonly used as verbs.<br /><br />Google, however, is hurtling toward genericization with unprecedented speed, according to linguistics experts. The word google was derived from the mathematical term googol - the numeral one followed by 100 zeros, or 10 raised to the 100th power. It was registered as a domain name by the company in 1997. Its first known use as a part of speech came just a year later, when Page appended the phrase "Have fun and keep googling!" to an email announcing new search features.<br /><br />Some of the early published examples of Google as a generic word appear in references to dating. The headline "Don't Be Shy Ladies - Google Him!" appeared in the weekly New York Observer in January 2001. ("With Googling, it's easy to find out if a new crush has ever made news, has ever been published or, on the flip side, has ever been indicted for securities fraud.")<br /><br />Two months later, The New York Times reported: "According to dating experts, it is increasingly common for people to perform Web searches on their prospective mates. A search engine that is often used for this activity is called Google, which has spawned a new verb, to google, as uttered in sentences like, 'I met this woman last night at a party and I came right home and googled her.'"<br /><br />A year later, google had so entered the vernacular that it appeared on prime-time television in an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": "Have you googled her yet?" Willow, Buffy's best friend, asks her.<br /><br />The language establishment took notice. The American Dialect Society voted "google" as runner-up for word of the year in 2002 (behind "WMD" and ahead of "blog"). Google appeared in both the Oxford English Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster Collegiate dictionary in 2006 and is now in nearly all English dictionaries.<br /><br />Google itself deemed these developments to be "simultaneously highly flattering and faintly unsettling," as the company put it in a 2006 blog post.<br /><br />"While we're pleased that so many people think of us when they think of searching the Web, let's face it, we do have a brand to protect, so we'd like to make clear that you should please only use 'Google' when you're actually referring to Google Inc. and our services," the company said, in what proved a futile effort to turn back the language tide.<br /><br />That doesn't mean Google has lost its protected status yet. Last year a federal judge rejected a claim that the Google trademark is generic because a majority of the population uses "google" as a verb for Internet search.<br /><br />"To be generic, a word has to refer to an entire category," said Geoffrey Nunberg, who teaches linguistics at the School of Information of the University of California, Berkeley, and is the author of "The Way We Talk Now." (He appeared as an expert witness on language for Google.) "People almost never say, 'I googled this on Bing.'"<br /><br />Laura Heymann, a professor at William and Mary Law School and author of "The Grammar of Trademarks," a widely cited law review article, noted: "It's possible for people both to say 'Let me google that' and to recognize that 'Google' is a search engine provided by a single company. If you asked someone to sit at a computer and 'go to Google,' I'm guessing that almost no one would open Bing or another search engine. Google is no doubt working very hard to prevent that from happening."<br /><br />But the powerful forces of language, "one of humanity's most important innovations," in the words of Page's recent post, may swamp even Google's efforts. The term google is now so deeply embedded in the language as a synonym for Internet search that it can be difficult for Google's nonsearch products to shed the association. That is why Barrett applauds the corporate name change.<br /><br />"It's a great way for the company's other ventures to come out of the shadow of Google and establish their own identity," he said.<br /><br />Barrett said some linguists had complained that "Alphabet" was too bland to be an effective brand, "but it's perfectly fine for the mother ship as long as it's overseeing the other brands," he said. "It doesn't need to be a brand itself."<br /><br />Nunberg agreed. "Google is a powerful brand, but brands can be diluted when they're applied to too many things. Google needs to liberate the nonsearch brands."<br /><br />He also noted that not all associations with Google were positive. "The French are obsessed with Google," he said. "They have a new word, 'omnigooglization,' and it's not a compliment." (It means American digital imperialism.)<br /><br />A Google spokeswoman dismissed the notion that the name change to Alphabet was motivated by linguistic concerns, but it seems consistent with Page's statement this week that "the whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands."<br /><br />Page also revealed some linguistic flair of his own. In a sly nod to, Page said he liked the word "alphabet" because it "means alpha-bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for!" (Google shares rallied 7 percent in after-hours trading the day of the announcement.)<br /><br />Google said that its search-related businesses, along with a few others, including Android and YouTube, would remain part of the Google subsidiary. Ventures like Nest, which makes home thermostats and alarms, and Calico, a life sciences company focused on longevity, are not Google-branded, and will be separate companies free to develop their own brands operating under the Alphabet holding company.<br /><br />If the day comes when Google is deemed a generic term, the Alphabet holding company and these companies - and any new trademarks they develop - will be unaffected.<br /><br />In the meantime, "Alphabet" is all but immune from genericization. Google may pervade much of our lives, but one thing it will surely never control is the letters of the English language.<br /><br />By James B Stewart<br />----------------------------------<br />http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/will-google-lose-its-protected-trademark-status-any-time-soon/articleshow/48480073.cms<br /><div><br /></div>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-73430324153464092442015-07-24T13:36:00.002+07:002015-07-24T13:36:34.707+07:00UNICEF REIMAGINE 'IMAGINE' IN A WORLD VERSION<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L7IP4UlXvG8" width="640"></iframe>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-91471793563078848272015-07-22T21:41:00.002+07:002015-07-22T21:41:50.074+07:00SPECTRE (the newest trailer)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LTDaET-JweU" width="640"></iframe>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-72400416323601945672015-04-17T17:45:00.002+07:002015-04-17T17:45:50.103+07:00HOW SUCCESS ALMOST KILL "MAGIC: THE GATHERING" CARD GAME<a href="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2015/04/16/bilanko_small_wide-a66b623ab6a03233a82a520560cd53bd819e5336-s800-c85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This guy is ready to play a really sick hand." border="0" class="img" height="360" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2015/04/16/bilanko_small_wide-a66b623ab6a03233a82a520560cd53bd819e5336-s800-c85.jpg" title="This guy is ready to play a really sick hand." width="640" /></a>Magic: The Gathering is a game where players use cards to cast spells on their opponents. The game quickly became a hit after it was introduced in the mid-1990s. But the game's very popularity led to a crisis inside the company.<br /><br />Magic cards are sold in small packs with random sets of cards, like baseball cards. And, like baseball cards, some Magic cards quickly became more desirable — and more expensive — than others. Not long after the game was invented, particularly desirable cards were selling for hundreds of dollars each.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>To many people at Wizards of the Coast, the company that created Magic, this was the dream. "People at the company wanted to push that side of it," says George "Skaff" Elias, a game designer at the company in Magic's early days. "Produce more cards. Produce rarer cards. Keep the print runs limited"<br /><br />But for Elias and many of his fellow designers, there was a problem: the expensive, rare cards took the fun out of the game. It was card game where, if you had enough money, you could effectively buy all the aces.<br /><br />Elias and his friends persuaded their colleagues at the company to deflate the bubble in card prices, and make the game fun to play again. It would be less profitable in the short run. But if the game could remain popular for years, rather than being just another fad, it would be good for business in the long term.<br /><br />The first thing the company had to do was to bring the price of the cards back down, so the average person could buy them again. They did this by dramatically increasing the supply.<br /><br />"We just printed so many cards of the new sets coming out," said Elias "We warned people that we were going to do that. But what that meant immediately from the get-go was the speculators would no longer touch a new set of cards coming out."<br /><br />They were able to push the price of each pack down to about $3. They also tweaked the rules so that all-powerful cards were played less often. Lots of players hated the changes.<br /><br />"We heard from so many people that we were destroying the game," Elias said. "Like, 'This is the end. You guys have screwed everything up.'"<br /><br />The game became more competitive, and most importantly, people kept playing. Today, more than 20 years later, people still line up on the street when a new set of Magic cards is released.<br /><br />One Friday night earlier this year, players crowded into the 20-Sided Store, a gaming store in Brooklyn, for the latest card release. There was one card everyone was excited about: The Ugin.<br /><br />As the players unwrapped their new packs of cards, somebody shouted, "We got an Ugin!"<br /><br />"All right, are you going to sell it?"<br /><br />"Not this second. For now, I'm playing with it."<br /><br />This moment right here is exactly what the makers of Magic cards want to hear. Someone finds a rare card. And, rather than putting it in a frame or selling it to a dealer, he uses it to play the game.<br /><br />----------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/04/16/400140583/how-success-almost-killed-a-game-and-how-its-creators-saved-it</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-1496216168752908622015-04-17T13:01:00.000+07:002015-04-17T13:01:06.611+07:00A LITTLE JOLT OF ELECTRICITY WILL BOOST PEOPLE'S CREATIVITY<a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2015/04/shutterstock_213577519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Shutterstuck" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-10460 aligncenter" height="265" src="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2015/04/shutterstock_213577519.jpg" width="400" /></a>Need some creative, out-of-the box ideas? Try adding a little jolt to your next brainstorming session.<br /><br />Researchers from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have found that stimulating the brain with electrical impulses boosts creativity. The impulses, researchers say, activated specific brain waves associated with originative thinking, and people who were buzzed scored significantly higher on a test of creative thought.<br /><br />Time to kiss writer’s block goodbye.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">Making Waves</span></b><br /><br />Our brains are constantly emitting different flavors of rhythmic electrical patterns, called neural oscillations, as neurons fire. Alpha oscillations, it was shown nearly 100 years ago, occur most often when we close our eyes and attempt to shut out the outside world. And in 2012, researchers found a link between alpha oscillations and creative thinking. Alpha waves appear to signal a brain deep in thought, daydreaming or conjuring new ideas.<br /><br />The team from Chapel Hill wanted to see if artificially generated alpha waves could accomplish the same result. So they delivered electrical stimulation to the frontal cortexes of 20 volunteers between the ages of 19 and 30. Each person was tasked with completing two versions of the widely used Torrance Test of Creative Thinking while receiving impulses to the brain for about 30 minutes. The procedure is called transcranial alternating current stimulation, a technique similar to the more well known transcranial magnetic stimulation.<br /><br />The experiment included two stages: a control stage with sham stimulation and an alpha wave stimulation stage; however, participants didn’t know which type they were receiving. In both stages, participants felt a slight tingle at the start of the test. When participants received alpha stimulation they performed significantly higher — about 7.4 percent on average — on the Torrance test than they did during the control session. Researchers published their findings this week in the journal Cortex.<br /><br />“That’s a pretty big difference when it comes to creativity,” Flavio Frohlich, the study’s author, says. “Several participants showed incredible improvements in creativity. It was a very clear effect.”<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>Boosting Creativity</b></span><br /><br />The findings will be of interest to the emerging DIY brain stimulation community. Tinkerers are making their own electrical stimulation kits to treat their chronic pain or depression, building on recent evidence that’s shown transcranial magnetic stimulation to be widely promising, as Wired reports:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">British neuroscientists have claimed it can make people better at learning math. A team at Harvard has found promise for depression and chronic pain. Others are looking into using it to treat tinnitus and eating disorders and to speed up stroke recovery. Hundreds of papers have been published, and clinical trials are under way.</span></blockquote>However Frolich cautions against people zapping their own brains for personal benefits. “We did a well-controlled, one-time study and found an acute effect,” says Frolich. “Also, I have strong ethical concerns about cognitive enhancement for healthy adults, just as sports fans might have concerns about athletic enhancement through the use of performance-enhancing drugs.”<br /><br />Regardless, electrical brain stimulation certainly adds new meaning to “putting on your thinking cap.”<br /><br />---------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: Tinydevil/Shutterstock</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2015/04/16/brain-stimulation-creativity/#.VTCRoZSUfYk</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-63882245624452029582015-04-16T12:53:00.003+07:002015-04-16T12:53:45.970+07:00COFFEE DRINKERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL<a href="http://coffee454.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Woman_Drinking_Coffe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://coffee454.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Woman_Drinking_Coffe.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" /></a>I love coffee. I hope you do too. There is a ritual that comes with making it and the smell is wonderful. While others are yawning and trying to get their days going, coffee is like a punch in the face to wake you up into the real world. Perhaps you drink coffee all the time or merely sometimes, yet do not quite fully understand how pivotal it is to your success. If so, here is some news for you!<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">1. They are more physically active</span><br />When caffeine enters your blood stream, it acts like fuel. It also increases the adrenaline level in your body to significantly enhance your physical performance. Some suggest that you have a cup of coffee roughly an hour before you hit the gym or engage in a physically engaging exercise.<br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"></span><br /><a name='more'></a>2. They have fewer health risks<br />According to some studies, those who drink coffee tend to have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Following this report, studies also showed that diabetics were less likely to die from the disease if they were coffee drinkers. Coffee also works against cardiovascular disease.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">3. They are smarter</span><br />The caffeine in coffee blocks the adenosine in the brain, which is an inhibitory transmitter. That is why coffee drinkers have higher energy levels. Their brains function at significantly higher levels. Coffee improves reaction time, memory, and general cognitive function.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">4. They have healthier brains</span><br />Studies have shown that coffee works against brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Although there are no cures for these diseases, coffee drinkers are less likely to have Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">5.They have fewer bouts of depression</span><br />According to a Harvard study, drinking several cups of coffee could reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50 percent. Drinking cups of coffee keeps your spirits high, as it makes you 10% less likely to be depressed. Although the protection from depression may not be attributable to caffeine, according to researchers, the coffee’s mood-lifting effect may be traced to its anti-oxidants.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">6. They have longer life spans</span><br />According to studies and based on the health benefits attached to drinking coffee, people who drink coffee have a longer life span, as they are less susceptible to premature death and the negative effects of heart diseases, cholesterol intake, and blood pressure.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> 7.They are not prone to obesity</span><br />Sluggishness and obesity do not belong to the coffee drinker. In most fat burning supplements, you will find caffeine. According to studies, caffeine is a fat-burning substance that boosts your metabolic rate by 3-11% and increases your fat burning by 10-29%.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">8. They are funny and interesting to be with</span><br />According to a study conducted in the United Kingdom, those who drink coffee are more exciting to work with and add more fun to the workplace. They tend to be team players and love to engage others in a discussion or activity.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">9. They earn more money</span><br />In a study conducted on workers in the United Kingdom, it was discovered that coffee drinkers earn 2,000 pounds more than their counterparts who drink tea. According to the study, coffee drinkers are less likely to be late for work than tea-sippers.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">10. They are high achievers</span><br />In an article by the Guardian, it is noted that drinking coffee is part of the identity of high achievers. With a desperate need for time, a cup of caffeine is what drives and kick-starts a day. Rather than slowly rolling out of messy beds, the coffee drinker is ready to meet his goals as quickly as possible.<br /><br />If you have enjoyed reading through this post, make yourself another cup of coffee and make a toast to success! You may have just increased your CHANCES of being a success.<br /><br />-------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-reasons-why-coffee-drinkers-are-more-likely-successful.html?mid=20150415&ref=mail&uid=456309&feq=daily</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://coffee454.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Woman_Drinking_Coffe.jpg</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-41249578118987263002015-04-15T12:05:00.000+07:002015-04-15T12:05:47.064+07:00PERCY SLEDGE DIES AT 74<a href="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/04/15/arts/15sledge-1-obit/15sledge-1-obit-blog427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="media-viewer-candidate" data-mediaviewer-caption="Percy Sledge in 1966, the year “When a Man Loves a Woman” was released." data-mediaviewer-credit="Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images" data-mediaviewer-src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/04/15/arts/15sledge-1-obit/15sledge-1-obit-superJumbo.jpg" height="400" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/04/15/arts/15sledge-1-obit/15sledge-1-obit-blog427.jpg" itemprop="url" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/04/15/arts/15sledge-1-obit/15sledge-1-obit-blog427.jpg" width="345" /></a>Percy Sledge, the R&B singer whose soulful ballad of eternal love and rejection, “When a Man Loves a Woman,” topped the charts in 1966, died on Tuesday in Baton Rouge, La. He was 74.<br /><br />His death was confirmed by Artists International Management, which represented him. Mr. Sledge had liver cancer, for which he underwent surgery in 2014, Mark Lyman, his agent and manager, said.<br /><br />Mr. Sledge, sometimes called the King of Slow Soul, was a sentimental crooner and one of the South’s first soul stars, having risen to fame from jobs picking cotton and working as a hospital orderly while performing at clubs and colleges on the weekends.“I was singing every style of music: the Beatles, Elvis Presley, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Motown, Sam Cooke, the Platters,” he once said.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>“When a Man Loves a Woman” was his first recording for Atlantic Records, after a patient at the hospital introduced him to the record producer Quin Ivy. It reached No. 1 on the pop charts in 1966 and sold more than a million copies, becoming the label’s first GOLD record. (The Recording Industry Association of America began certifying records as gold in 1958.) Raw and lovelorn, the song was a response to a woman who had left him for another man, Mr. Sledge said. He called its composition a “miracle.”<br /><br />An album of the same name was released that year, and three more studio albums for Atlantic followed in the 1960s: “Warm and Tender Soul,” “The Percy Sledge Way” and “Take Time to Know Her.”<br /><br />While Mr. Sledge never again reached the heights of his first hit, “When a Man Loves a Woman” had many lives: as an early highlight of the Muscle Shoals, Ala., music scene; as a movie soundtrack staple in the 1980s, heard in “The Big Chill” and “Platoon”; and in a 1991 cover version by Michael Bolton, which also topped the Billboard chart and earned Mr. Bolton a Grammy.<br /><br />Although the song, which ranks 53rd on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest of all time, is credited to two of Mr. Sledge’s early bandmates, the bassist Calvin Lewis and the organist Andrew Wright, who assisted with the arrangement, Mr. Sledge said of the melody, “I hummed it all my life, even when I was picking and chopping cotton in the fields.”<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7lp7FtJXp7k?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />Still, because he was not listed as a co-writer, Mr. Sledge never received royalties for “When a Man Loves a Woman” in any of its forms. “Worst decision I ever made. But I am not at all bitter,” he told Blues and Soul MAGAZINE, noting that he was only 25 at the time. “It was God’s will for me to give it to them. But if I had my time again, I wouldn’t do it. Because of my children.”<br /><br />Percy Tyrone Sledge was born on Nov. 25, 1940, in Leighton, Ala., a poor farm town where he developed as a vocalist by singing in the local gospel choir. The music critic Dave Marsh has compared Mr. Sledge’s weighty, smooth wail to “the South itself, in all its bountiful, contradictory mystery.”<br /><br />After he was discovered by Mr. Ivy in 1965 — patients at the hospital where Mr. Sledge worked “all told him, ‘You should make records,’ ” Mr. Lyman said — Mr. Sledge hit the studio in nearby Sheffield, Ala., an opportunity that left him scared and “shaking like a leaf,” he said.<br /><br />But having struck GOLDright away, Mr. Sledge, whose wide, gaptoothed smile never changed, spent much of the next 50 years recording and performing to international audiences, hitting the charts with songs like “I’ll Be Your Everything” well into the 1970s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, and his final album, “The Gospel of Percy Sledge,” was released in 2013.<br /><br />The next year Mr. Sledge played his final concert. “I just couldn’t keep him out there,” Mr. Lyman said. “He wanted to, but I couldn’t do it.”<br /><br />Mr. Sledge’s survivors include his wife, Rosa Lee Sledge, and 12 children. His admirers in the industry, Mr. Lyman added, included Billy Joel, James Taylor, Bo Diddley and the E Street Band’s Steven Van Zandt, who enlisted Mr. Sledge to perform “When a Man Loves a Woman” at his wedding in 1982.<br /><br />Daniel E. Slotnik contributed reporting.<br />------------------<br />http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/15/arts/music/percy-sledge-who-sang-when-a-man-loves-a-woman-dies-at-74.html?_r=0pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-47038423437993528222015-02-14T11:23:00.002+07:002015-02-14T11:23:30.877+07:00BEHIND THE SCENE OF "SPECTRE", THE NEXT BOND FILM (video)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YYKB75aIHWE?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-57069375623992246432014-12-03T09:58:00.001+07:002014-12-03T09:58:56.058+07:00DENZEL WASHINGTON'S BOXING WORKOUT<a href="http://www.milliontalks.com/uploads/monthly_08_2010/post-6-019129500%201281680355_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.milliontalks.com/uploads/monthly_08_2010/post-6-019129500%201281680355_thumb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="400" /></a>At 55, the Oscar-winning star of such films as Malcolm X and Training Day follows a workout routine that would tire out most men half his age. Washington does 10 rounds of boxing five days a week — a good exercise that combines strength training and aerobic exercise, helping to build muscles and burn fat at the same time. If you’d like to try a boxing workout, a boxing gym is a good place to start.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />But you must be aware that boxing is a serious workout. You work almost every muscle in the body. A person can burn between 400-1,000 calories. The reason that so many celebrities use boxing as a way to lose weight is because boxing is interval training. That means that so 3 minutes you go really hard and then you let your hart rate slow down for 1 minutes and then you do that again and again. This form of fitness burns almost 20% more fat than if you were to hard for the duration! Use boxing to lose weight and part of your fitness training!<br /><br />To help you hone your skills, here are 3 workouts to improve your staying power:<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Workouts</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">1. UFC Power Punches</span></b><br /><br />Whether you’re facing Wanderlei Silva in a cage match or a 75-pound bag in your basement, the same rules apply: Once you’re warmed up, you should be throwing each punch at full blast. Here is a demanding six-round routine to build mental and physical tenacity.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Grow your intensity:</b></span> Clock each round at 3 minutes, resting 1 minute between rounds. With each round, you’ll add one punch to your sequence.<br /><br />1. Warmup. Strike the bag at 50 percent with a variety of punches<br />2. Up your power to full strength and launch jabs<br />3. Jab, throw a cross, and repeat<br />4. Jab, cross, hook, repeat<br />5. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut, repeat<br />6. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut, body punch, repeat<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">2. LAPD Precision Punch</span></b><br /><br />The perfect pop is built on posture and bone alignment, not fist strength. Use this routine to refine your form.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Set the stance:</span></b> Leading with your nondominant leg, position your feet shoulder-width apart, with the toe of your dominant foot in line with the heel of your nondominant foot. Your head extends over your shoulders, and your shoulders over your hips. Your knees are slightly bent.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Throw the blow:</b></span> Step forward with your lead foot and extend your nondominant arm so that your shoulder, elbow, wrist, and front two knuckles are in alignment. Your punch and your foot should land at the same time. Follow up with a cross, regaining with your rear foot the distance you took in your first step. Then come back to your original stance.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect the punches: </b></span> Repeat the sequence, shadowboxing for 3 minutes. Then do another 3-minute round of the same sequence, this time on a heavy bag. That’s 1 set. Complete 3 sets, building speed each time. When you master the strike, it should feel like you’re snapping your target with a wet towel. Rest 1 minute between each exercise.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">3. Middleweight Lightning Hands</span></b><br /><br />Shadowboxing allows you to rack up high reps without the resistance of a bag to slow your punches. You’ll tone your shoulders, back, and core, which will help you throw faster punches.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hit on beat:</span></b> Play five songs that have strong rhythms and last 3 to 4 minutes each. On every fourth beat (count out loud to keep yourself on track), unleash one of the punch combinations below, and then bring your hands back to your starting stance before the next beat. The shifting tempo of some tracks may require you to punch continuously until the song slows.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Combos for each song:</b></span><br /><br />1. Left jab, left jab, right cross<br />2. Right cross, left jab, right uppercut<br />3. Left body punch, right body punch, left uppercut<br />4. Right uppercut, right cross, left hook<br />5. Right cross, left hook, right hook<br /><br />---------------------<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>http://blackdoctor.org/4301/denzel-washington-boxing-workout/</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>http://www.milliontalks.com/uploads/monthly_08_2010/post-6-019129500%201281680355_thumb.jpg</i></span>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-13399827780614352272014-10-03T13:06:00.003+07:002014-10-03T13:06:45.795+07:00JOHN WICK (trailer - video)<a href="http://www.123wallpapers.in/file/2002/1920x1080/John-Wick-2014-poster-HD-wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="359" src="http://www.123wallpapers.in/file/2002/1920x1080/John-Wick-2014-poster-HD-wallpaper.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="640" /></a>John Wick is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Alfie Allen, Jason Isaacs, Bridget Moynahan, Adrianne Palicki, Michael Nyqvist, Ian McShane, Dean Winters and Willem Dafoe.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2AUmvWm5ZDQ" width="640"></iframe>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-10327182691891344772014-09-11T16:54:00.002+07:002014-09-11T16:54:26.689+07:00RICHARD KIEL (WHO PLAYED JAWS IN JAMES BOND MOVIES) DIES AT 74<a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77517000/jpg/_77517139_kielrexfeatures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Richard Kiel, The Spy Who Loved Me" border="0" height="405" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77517000/jpg/_77517139_kielrexfeatures.jpg" width="304" /></a>Actor Richard Kiel - who played steel-toothed villain Jaws in two James Bond films - has died in California aged 74.<br /><br />The towering American star, who appeared in The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977 and Moonraker in 1979, died in hospital in Fresno on Wednesday.<br /><br />A spokeswoman for Saint Agnes Medical Center confirmed Kiel's death, but did not reveal the cause.<br /><br />The 7ft 2in (2.18m) actor also appeared in the sports comedy Happy Gilmore, starring Adam Sandler, in 1996.<br /><br />Kiel made his name as cable-chomping henchman Jaws opposite Roger Moore as 007.<br /><br />Sir Roger said he was "totally distraught" at the death of his co-star.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />"We were on a radio programme together just a week ago," said the former Bond star, adding "[I] can't take it in".<br /><br />Kiel and Sir Roger were aguests on BBC's Radio 4 programme The Reunion, which aired on Sunday, along with Bond actress Britt Ekland, recalling their roles in the spy series.<br /><br />During the programme, Kiel said he initially thought playing Jaws - a man who killed people with his teeth - could appear "over the top".<br /><br />"I was very put off by the description of the character and I thought, well, they don't really need an actor, he's more a monster part," he said.<br /><br />"So I tried to change that view of it... I said if I were to play the part, I want to give the character some human characteristics, like perseverance, frustration."<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Christopher Lee, Richard Kiel, Rick Yune and Toby Stephens" height="351" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77516000/jpg/_77516581_77516580.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="624" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Bond's villains reunion: (from left) Christopher Lee, Kiel, Rick Yune<br />and Toby Stephens</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Sandro Monetti, director at Bafta in Los Angeles and a former showbiz reporter, described Kiel as having "teeth of steel, but a heart of gold".<br /><br />He recalled seeing the actor at James Bond conventions: "It was like seeing kids meeting Santa Claus. Everyone has got such joyous memories of Jaws, and he had time for everybody."<br /><br />Monetti added: "Whenever you mentioned Jaws, his eyes lit up and there was that famous grin."<br /><br />Micky Dolenz, who starred with Kiel in the seminal episode of The Monkees - I was a Teenage Monster, tweeted his memories of the star: "The great character actor and gentle giant."<br /><br />The character of Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me was originally intended to die at the end of the movie, but he was so popular with fans that Kiel was brought back to reprise the role in Moonraker.<br /><br />"The original script had me being killed by the shark," Kiel said.<br /><br />"They filmed that and they also filmed an ending where I survive and pop out of the ocean.<br /><br />"That was one of the big moments for me, watching the blue-collar screening of the movie, The Spy Who Loved Me, and having the reaction of the crowd at the theatre when Jaws popped out of the ocean, survived and swam away. There were hoots and howling, applause. I couldn't believe it."<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Richard Kiel and Roger Moore" height="351" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77516000/jpg/_77516519_77516518.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="624" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Roger Moore. Kiel played Jaws in Moore's Bond movie: The Spy Who Loved Me<br />and Moonraker</td></tr></tbody></table>Born in Detroit, Michigan, Kiel had the hormonal condition acromegaly, which was said to have contributed to his height.<br /><br />His first break came in 1959 when he played the alien Kanamit in Twilight Zone.<br /><br />He published an autobiography in 2002, called Making It Big In The Movies.<br /><br />His many other acting roles included deadly assistant Voltaire in the 1960s TV series The Wild, Wild West; playing opposite William Shatner in the 1970s TV sitcom Barbary Coast; taking on the lead character of Eli Weaver in the movie The Giant of Thunder Mountain; and spoofing his most famous role as "Famous big guy with silver teeth" in the movie version of Inspector Gadget.<br /><br />In recent years, he also spent much of his time touring the world and appearing at conventions to meet Bond fans.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">----------------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-29152398</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-4098068239949824882014-08-23T08:51:00.002+07:002014-08-23T08:51:32.901+07:00"PAY IT FORWARD" ACTS IN ST. PETERSBURG STARBUCKS <a href="http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/8/20/starbucks_st_pete/_jcr_content/contentpar/articleBody/image.img.jpg/1408570327773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="starbucks-st-pete-82014" border="0" height="431" src="http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/8/20/starbucks_st_pete/_jcr_content/contentpar/articleBody/image.img.jpg/1408570327773.jpg" title="starbucks-st-pete-82014" width="640" /></a>The acts of kindness began at 7 a.m. Wednesday with a woman, her iced coffee and a stranger's caramel macchiato.<br /><br />The woman paid for her own drink, then asked to pay for the drink of the person behind her in the drive-through. That person returned the favor and paid for the person behind, and so did that person, until the employees at the St. Petersburg Starbucks on Tyrone Boulevard began a tally on green laminated paper near the drive-through window.<br /><br />By 1:30 p.m., the chain had reached 260 customers.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>People ordered a drink at the speaker. When they pulled through to the next window, the barista, Vu Nguyen, 29, leaned through and said with a smile that their drinks had already been paid for by the person in front of them. Would they like to return the favor?<br /><br />"It makes your day better, I think," said Lexie Kane, 17, of St. Petersburg, who ordered an iced coffee.<br /><br />Tim Burnside, 19, had visited in the morning and paid it forward. He returned later to see whether it was still going on. Seeing that it was, he ordered a second chai tea.<br /><br />"It's nice just to do a random act of kindness for someone you don't know," said Burnside, also of St. Petersburg.<br /><br />Some said the simple act connected them to all of the others in line before them. Others said they didn't want to be the jerk to end it.<br /><br />The baristas inside began to think of what they might do if it lasted until 10 p.m., when the Starbucks closed. Perhaps they could put the final amount on a gift card and continue the next day? They tallied 378 people by early evening.<br /><br />Then at 6 p.m., customer No. 379 — a woman in a white Jeep Commander — pulled into the drive-through and ordered a regular coffee.<br /><br />Nguyen leaned out the window. He told her about the chain that had begun that morning. Would she like to participate? The woman declined, saying she just wanted to pay for her $2.25 drink and not someone else's.<br /><br />Nguyen said it appeared the woman didn't understand the concept of paying it forward.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/N-XW1BSM0nA?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />A random act of kindness called 'paying-it-forward' happened more than 330 times in an unbroken chain on Wednesday at a Bay area Starbucks, according to the store manager.<br /><br />"It was a pleasant surprise," said customer Melissa Garrand. "Everybody likes their coffee paid for. So, it was nice."<br /><br />It happened at the Starbucks located at 2186 Tyrone Boulevard, in St. Petersburg.<br /><br />Store manager Grant Drain said it started at 7 a.m. with a woman in her mid-60's and by 4 p.m. a whopping 333 customers had kept it going, which more than doubled that stores previous record.<br /><br />"Someone started a good thing and we’re just trying to carry the ball," said customer John Myers.<br /><br />"I paid for the two cars behind me," said customer Sharon Taylor. "I was feeling generous today."<br /><br />Garrand said she bought a gift card to pay it forward because there was nobody in line behind her.<br /><br />"I had nobody behind me. So, I just bought a gift card in the amount of mine," she said. "So, whoever’s next will get it."<br /><br />Customer Lucy Ramon said she paid it forward twice in the same day. This morning Ramon said she was No. 57 and by the afternoon she was No. 297.<br /><br />"I think it just puts a smile on people’s face and it made me happy this morning," she said. "It actually showed my son here a nice little lesson as well. So, it’s a great thing."<br /><br />"It’s nice to have people being nice to each other," Garrand said.<br /><br />The Starbucks manager said the previous record was 141 times.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">-------------------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/more-than-250-have-paid-it-forward-at-local-starbucks-and-the-chain-is/2193784</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/8/20/starbucks_st_pete.html</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-21531399322186877632014-08-23T07:53:00.000+07:002014-08-23T07:53:05.906+07:00HOW SYLVESTER STALLONE BUILT HIS BODY IN ROCKY III<div><a href="http://active8canada.com/360/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/sylvester-stallone-rocky.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sylvester Stallone Rocky" border="0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1275" height="508" src="http://active8canada.com/360/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/sylvester-stallone-rocky.jpeg" title="" width="640" /></a>Sly Stallone first got his inspiration to pursue exercise and nutrition when he saw Steve Reeves (a former Mr. Universe) in HERCULES! At 13 years old, Sylvester was astounded with films such as Hercules:Unchained, Goliath and the Barbarians and The Thief of Baghdad.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today Sylvester Stallone is an inspiration to many who strive to improve their physical prowess, willpower and determination. For an example of his physique at its best, take a look at films like Rocky III or Rocky IV, Rambo II, or Rambo III.<a name='more'></a></div><div></div><div>Of course, Sly has had his fair share of injuries from his incredible physical pursuits. When training for Rocky II, Sly trained so hard with two time Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu, that he tore his pectoralis, resulting in a four hour operation.</div><div><br /></div><div>To get the lean look of a POW in the film Victory, Sylvester ate only 200 calories a day, all protein food, with an occasional potato, just so he wouldn’t faint. In the film he weighed in at 159 pounds, the lightest he ever weighed in his adulthood, until Rocky III.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://active8canada.com/360/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/sylvester_stallone.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Sylvester Stallone Rocky " border="0" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1277" height="720" src="http://active8canada.com/360/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/sylvester_stallone.jpeg" title="" width="380" /></a></div><div>When making Rocky III, Sly would begin the day with a two mile jog, then go straight into 18 rounds of sparring, two hours of weightlifting and jumping rope. After all this, he would take a nap in the afternoon, then go running again! He would finish the day with a swim. On this film he made himself even leaner and smaller to enhance the ‘David & Goliath’ imagery. To get this effect Stallone dropped his body weight to a mere 155 lbs, with a diet of 10 eggwhites and a burnt piece of toast once a day, and a piece of fruit every third day. Although this diet left him weak and dizzy, he then built his muscle mass up ounce by ounce until he was up to about 175.</div><div><br /></div><div>The rigorous training continued for Rocky IV. During the scene where Rocky is pulling a sled, Sly heard a snap. Two weeks later he had excruciating pains in his chest. When he went to the hospital he found out it was a bruised heart muscle. Stallone was back on set filming only 10 days later to complete the movie.</div><div><br /></div><div>Although Sly found these dieting methods good to lose weight in extreme ways for a role, Sly himself recommends that the best way to lose weight and stay healthy is a balanced nutritional meal and regular exercise. Remember it is never too late to workout and get in shape. Sly was 30 years old when he made the first Rocky and in a matter of only a few years the body of Sylvester Stallone was known and revered worldwide.</div><div><br /></div><div>-------------------------</div><div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://active8canada.com/360/workouts-fitness/sylvester-stallone-and-bodybuilding-part-1/</span></i></div><div><br /></div>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-67695770984511190672014-08-23T07:41:00.002+07:002014-08-23T07:41:57.080+07:00HOAX: SYLVESTER STALLONE DIES<a href="http://sylvesterstallone.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stallone1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sylvesterstallone.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stallone1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" /></a>American actor/film director Sylvester Stallone again became the victim of a celebrity death hoax.<br /><br />A Facebook post claiming that the 67-year-old Rocky actor died in a car accident went viral on social media.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>The description read: "[R.I.P] Sylvester Stallone Died in a Horrible Car Accident! His driver was drunk did'nt saw truck"<br /><br />The post has an image of a toppled car, with a play button over it.<br /><br />However, there is no such video and the link directs users to a fake page that asks them to provide it access to their Facebook account before viewing it, thus spreading the scam.<br /><br />In June, IBTimes UK had reported about a fake article on the actor's death circulating online.<br /><br />The list of celebrities affected by similar hoaxes is growing all the time, and includes comedian Bill Cosby, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Margaret Thatcher, Phil Collins, Kris Jenner, Denzel Washington, Adele, John Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman personally came forward to clear rumours and poke fun at fake stories suggesting he had died, assuring fans he was alive and well.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">---------------------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/sylvester-stallone-death-hoax-rocky-star-died-horrible-car-accident-facebook-scam-1462199</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://sylvesterstallone.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stallone1.jpg</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-49491824890926482592014-08-22T07:40:00.003+07:002014-08-22T07:40:51.807+07:00THIS VIDEO WILL CHANGE OUR HABITS OF EATING (video)<a href="http://b.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/coexist/imagecache/1280/article_feature/1280-eating-habits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://b.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/coexist/imagecache/1280/article_feature/1280-eating-habits.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="640" /></a>A PSA posted to YouTube by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is making people think twice.<br /><br />The video points out that obesity doesn’t happen overnight.<br /><br />“You’ll get a shocking sneak peek into the future to see what life might be like for a child who carries unhealthy habits.”<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">WARNING: This video may be upsetting for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. </span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xUmp67YDlHY?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">---------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://kfor.com/2014/08/10/wow-powerful-video-may-change-the-way-you-view-healthy-eating/</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://b.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/coexist/imagecache/1280/article_feature/1280-eating-habits.jpg</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-61445089164129023312014-08-22T07:35:00.000+07:002014-08-22T07:36:44.820+07:00SALINE INJECTION: TEMPORARY BREAST ENLARGEMENT<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/08/21/fashion/21INJECTIONS/21zINJECTIONS-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-lightbox-image-url="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/08/21/fashion/21INJECTIONS/21zINJECTIONS-superJumbo.jpg" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/08/21/fashion/21INJECTIONS/21zINJECTIONS-articleLarge.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda Sanders showing results of an injection of saline solution to temporarily enlarge her breasts,<br />a quick fix that some doctors do not approve of.</td></tr></tbody></table>Before a romantic Caribbean weekend with her new boyfriend, Amanda Sanders decided she needed a little lift. So she called her doctor, Dr. Norman M. Rowe, to help out.<br /><br />Dr. Rowe, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan, offers a quick fix — temporary breast enlargement. Instead of surgery, he injects a saline solution into the breasts, which briefly expands them.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>The procedure began as as a way for women seeking breast enhancement to determine how they might look if they chose surgery. “We can take pictures and put them on computers, but those are sometimes unrealistic and can lead to false expectations,” Dr. Rowe said (giving new meaning, perhaps, to the term “falsies”). “So we said, if patients are unsure if they want implants, let’s put saline in the breast and let them live with it for 24 hours to see how they like it.”<br /><br />It may not surprise that the injections were soon being requested as pick-me-ups for parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, red-carpet events or, as with Ms. Sanders, a tropical vacation.<br /><br />Ms. Sanders, 41, an image consultant in New York and a mother of two, had been toying with the idea of a breast lift to enhance her “very shallow C cup,” but she was a little reluctant. When she heard of the temporary saline option (cost: $3,500), she leapt at the chance. Twice.<br /><br />“It was worth it,” she said. “I could wear halter tops and a string bikini and feel really sexy. I’m in the business of vanity. As an image consultant, I have to look the part and be the part.”<br /><br />While “lunchtime lifts” using injectable fillers similar to Restylane or Juvéderm are available in Europe, they are not F.D.A.-approved in the United States. Macrolane, another filler, was banned in Britain as a breast injectable because it was thought to cloud mammogram readings, among other complications. Saline is essentially saltwater that is absorbed into the bloodstream in about 24 hours.<br /><br />Breast enhancement surgeries are decidedly popular in the United States. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 313,327 breast augmentations and 137,233 breast lifts were performed in 2013. A noninvasive procedure like a saline injection would seem to be just what the doctor ordered.<br /><br />But not every doctor. Few seem to condone the injections, which Dr. Rowe has been doing for about five years for presurgical patients. Over the last year, he has been flooded with requests for one-night use. He does three to five procedures a week, he said, with minor bruising the only complication.<br /><br />Dr. Michael C. Edwards, a plastic surgeon in Las Vegas and the president of American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, called the practice “a party trick.”<br /><br />“I can’t see that there’s a huge harm in it, but you’re stretching the skin out,” he said. “You’re altering the architecture of the breast. I would be concerned that you would be taking away some intrinsic support in the breast.”<br /><br />Dr. Steven Teitelbaum, a plastic surgeon in Santa Monica, Calif., and an associate clinical professor of plastic surgery at the U.C.L.A. School of Medicine, called the saline solution unnecessary. “Between good bras and chicken cutlets, you can always look good in clothes,” he said.<br /><br />As for its use in gauging implant size, he added: “The feel of saline is sharply dissimilar from an implant, and the appearance is different because the edges diffuse and feather, which an implant does not.” Three-dimensional imaging, which has become a viable option for projecting surgical outcomes, would be a more accurate prediction of size and shape, he said. (Indeed, a recent study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that 3-D imaging was more than 90 percent accurate in predicting postoperative breast volume and surface contour.)<br /><br />Dr. Jennifer Capla, a plastic surgeon in New York, offers saline injections as part of her $450 consultation for breast augmentation surgery. “If done by a board-certified plastic surgeon in a fashion that’s safe, I think it’s O.K.,” she said. “But is it safe to do three days in a row? Will it cause electrolyte imbalance? I’m a big fan of moderation.”<br /><br />Courtney Daal, 27, of Brooklyn was married in June. Before her wedding, she paid a visit to Dr. Rowe. “I wanted to not be too enhanced but look my best,” said Ms. Daal, who went from an A cup to a C cup for the big day. To be sure her custom strapless gown would fit over her new additions, she advised her seamstress in advance, so she could plan accordingly.<br /><br />Like Cinderella after midnight, her breasts returned to their natural state some 24 hours later. Still, it was enough time for the groom to notice: “He asked me if I was wearing something, and I said, ‘No, it’s all me!’ ”<br /><br />As for Ms. Sanders, she didn’t tell her boyfriend where her extra padding came from. “But he was certainly very happy,” she said.<br /><br />Alas, like her saline injections, the relationship was short-lived. The couple broke up soon after their trip.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By ABBY ELLIN</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">------------------------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/fashion/what-a-difference-a-day-makes.html?referrer=</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-82325731114386199902014-08-22T06:50:00.002+07:002014-08-22T07:35:18.615+07:00B.K.S. IYENGAR, WHO BRINGS YOGA TO THE WEST, DIES AT 95<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-13L2LZrJYxU/U_aFgGgF6DI/AAAAAAAAE_M/boH_g6lRms0/s1600/IYENGAR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-13L2LZrJYxU/U_aFgGgF6DI/AAAAAAAAE_M/boH_g6lRms0/s1600/IYENGAR.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>B. K. S. Iyengar, who helped introduce the practice of yoga to a Western world awakening to the notion of an inner life, died on Wednesday in the southern Indian city of Pune. He was 95.<br /><br />The cause was heart failure, said Abhijata Sridhar-Iyengar, his granddaughter.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>After surviving tuberculosis, typhoid and malaria as a child, Mr. Iyengar credited yoga with saving his life. He spent his midteens demonstrating “the most impressive and bewildering” positions in the court of the Maharaja of Mysore, he later recalled.<br /><br />A meeting in 1952 with the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, an early yoga devotee, proved to be a turning point, and Mr. Iyengar began traveling with Mr. Menuhin, eventually opening institutes on six continents.<br /><br />Among his devotees were the novelist Aldous Huxley, the actress Annette Bening and the designer Donna Karan, as well as a who’s who of prominent Indian figures, including the cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and the Bollywood siren Kareena Kapoor. He famously taught Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, 85 at the time, to stand on her head.<br /><br />In a 2005 book, “Light on Life,” Mr. Iyengar mused about the vast changes he had seen.<br /><br />“I set off in yoga 70 years ago when ridicule, rejection and outright condemnation were the lot of a seeker through yoga even in its native land of India,” he wrote. “Indeed, if I had become a sadhu, a mendicant holy man, wandering the great trunk roads of British India, begging bowl in hand, I would have met with less derision and won more respect.”<br /><br />The news about Mr. Iyengar — or “guru-ji,” as many here called him, using a Sanskrit honorific — rippled through India on Wednesday morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter that he was “deeply saddened” by Mr. Iyengar’s death and offered “condolences to his followers all over the world.”<br /><br />Mr. Iyengar’s practice is characterized by long asanas, or postures, that require extraordinary will and discipline. A reporter who watched daily practice in 2002, when Mr. Iyengar was 83, said that he held one headstand for six minutes, swiveling his legs to the right and the left, and that when he finished, “his shoulder-length hair was awry, he seemed physically depleted,” but he wore the smile of a gleeful child.<br /><br />Ms. Sridhar-Iyengar said her grandfather recognized early on that yoga, up until then viewed as a mystical pursuit, “had something for everybody, not just the intellectually or spiritually inclined.”<br /><br />“He felt satisfied,” she said. “Even at the end, even a few weeks before, he said, ‘I’m satisfied with what I’ve done.’ He took yoga to the world. He knew that.”<br /><br />Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar was born on Dec. 14, 1918, into a poor family in the southern state of Karnataka. The 11th of 13 children, he was born in the midst of an influenza outbreak. Three of his siblings died before reaching adulthood, and he watched his father, a teacher, die of appendicitis when he was 9 years old. Mr. Iyengar himself contracted tuberculosis, typhoid and malaria; by the time he began studying yoga, at 16, he was painfully frail.<br /><br />“My arms were thin, my legs were spindly, and my stomach protruded in an ungainly manner,” he wrote. “My head used to hang down, and I had to lift it with great effort.”<br /><br />His first teacher was his brother-in-law, a Brahmin scholar who had set up a school of yoga at the Jaganmohan Palace, and who sometimes denied his student food if his performance was deemed inadequate. Mr. Iyengar, then a teenager, was the youngest member of the Maharaja of Mysore’s entourage, and was asked to demonstrate his ability to stretch and bend his body for visiting dignitaries and guests.<br /><br />Mr. Menuhin, who visited India in 1952, heard of his practice and penciled him in for a five-minute meeting, and was so instantly impressed that the session went on for more than three hours. Mr. Iyengar recalled, in an interview with CNN, that “the moment I adjusted him and took him, he said, ‘I’ve never felt this sense of joy, elation.’ ”<br /><br />The violinist later brought Mr. Iyengar to Switzerland, where he introduced him to other prominent Westerners who became his followers. In his first visit to New York in 1956, Mr. Iyengar said he encountered little interest in yoga. It was not until the next decade that he began to attract crowds.<br /><br />“We were just coming out of the ’60s change-your-consciousness thing, and many of us were in our heads, and wanting to meditate, and reach Samadhi,” or enlightenment, Patricia Walden, a longtime student of Mr. Iyengar’s, said in an interview in 2000. “Iyengar was, like, ‘Stand on your feet. Feel your feet.’ He was so practical. His famous quote was, ‘How can you know God if you don’t know your big toe?’ ”<br /><br />Were it not for his celebrity in the West, Mr. Iyengar would hardly have gained a reputation in India, said Latha Satish, who heads a major yoga institute in the southern city of Chennai.<br /><br />“He was at the right time at the right place; he would not have survived here,” Mr. Satish said. In India, he said, “everybody was interested in Western education; yoga was not so popular.” Mr. Iyengar’s trademark improvisations — like the use of blocks, blankets and straps to assist in holding difficult postures — were adopted “because of the need of students abroad,” he said.<br /><br />Mr. Iyengar’s survivors include a son, Prashant; five daughters, Geeta, Vinita, Suchita, Sunita and Savitha; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.<br /><br />Past students recalled Mr. Iyengar as warm and charismatic, but also strict. Elizabeth Kadetsky, who wrote a memoir of the year she spent studying with him, recalled that she was standing on her head in a class when he “took his fingers and shoved them in my upper back, and bellowed, ‘In the headstand, this portion of the back is not straight.’ ”<br /><br />As his influence spread, she said, he was fiercely competitive with other leading yoga gurus, and would get cranky when asked about their methods.<br /><br />“He demanded loyalty,” she said. “One had to be 100 percent with him.”<br /><br />By the time he reached his 80s, Mr. Iyengar had become accustomed to the kind of reception usually reserved for pop stars. As power yoga became a multimillion-dollar industry, he occasionally cringed at the commercialization of the practice, and wondered whether it would survive its own popularity. But the pleasure he took in the practice was unaffected.<br /><br />At the end of a session in 2002, he lay on his back, knees bent so that his calves were beneath his thighs, arms out to either side, weights holding him down. He lay still for 12 minutes, perfectly immobile except for the twitch of a pinkie. Asked what he was thinking, he replied, “Nothing.”<br /><br />“I can remain thoughtfully thoughtless,” he said. “It is not an empty mind.”<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By ELLEN BARRY</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nida Najar and Suhasini Raj contributed reporting.</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">--------------------------------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/world/asia/bks-iyengar-who-helped-bring-yoga-to-west-dies-at-95.html?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.z_sma=WO_BIW_20140820&bicmp=AD&bicmlukp=WT.mc_id&bicmst=1388552400000&bicmet=1420088400000&_r=1&referrer=</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-74132772172131066892014-08-21T10:47:00.001+07:002014-08-21T10:47:29.455+07:00FOODS TO REMOVE BELLY FAT<img src="http://abs.webservicereport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/female-male-abs1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" /><br /><br />Are you really working hard and still finding it very hard to lose tummy fat? There are millions of people from all over the globe who wish to burn stomach fat. Nobody really likes to be overweight and have lots of excess pounds around their stomach. More and more studies show that packing on too much belly fat can harm your <br /><a name='more'></a>health and raise your risk of many major health problems including heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Lowering calorie consumption and boosting your physical exercise degree remain one of the most certain ways to produce tissue to lose body fat. Weight loss is easy but losing belly fat is a huge challenge. Trimming your belly is completely different from just trying to lose weight. Only a few people really know how to lose belly fat naturally. Here are some natural tips which will help you to reduce belly fat naturally.<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Causes of Fat Tummy :</b></span><br /><br /><ol><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Slow metabolism</span></li><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Poor posture</span></li><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Stress</span></li><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Eating late at night</span></li><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Hormonal changes</span></li><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Menopause</span></li><li><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Genetics</span></li></ol><br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Best Natural Tips to Lose Belly Fat:</b></span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">(1) Lemon</span></b><br />First thing in the morning drink 1 cup of warm water with lemon.Drink lots of water throughout the day and with all meals.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(2) Berry Family</b></span><br />Eat only 1 fruit a day, and before 12 noon. (Eat fruit from berry family: Blueberries, strawberries, cranberries) for reduce belly fat.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(3) Green Tea</b></span><br />Green tea extract is known to produce weight reduction due to it’s natural material, belonging to polyphenol material. Numerous study possess suggested that green tea makes use of metabolism and uses up excess fat, which makes it the actual possibly helpful weight reduction device to get rid of belly fat.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(4) Almonds</b></span><br />Almonds are also said to reduce body fat and have manifold health benefits as well. Eating at least 6 almonds in the morning will promote the protein in it to burn fat.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(5) Guggul Tea</b></span><br />Guggul tea, also known as Indian Bedellium, is used in Ayurveda medicine.This tea, used for weight management, also has purifying and rejuvenating properties.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(6) Fat Burning Foods</b></span><br />Incorporate fat burning foods in your diet. These “fat burning foods” are foods, which helps in increasing the metabolism, which in turn helps the body to lose the fat. Include fats, which are high in proteins. Foods such as broccoli, green tea, cabbage, carrots, jalapenos, beans (kidney, navy, white), grapefruit, watermelon, apples, berries (blue, black, etc), cayenne pepper, garlic and ginger, low fat dairy products, papayas etc.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(7) Eat Healthy</b></span><br />Eating the right foods helps fat loss: protein has the highest thermic effect and satiates,<br /><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;"><b>Proteins:</b> Meat, poultry, fish, whey, eggs, cottage cheese</span><br /><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;"><b>Veggies:</b> Spinach, broccoli, salad, kale, cabbage</span><br /><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;"><b>Fruits:</b> Banana, orange, apple, pineapple, peers</span><br /><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;"><b>Fats:</b> Olive oil, fish oil, real butter, nuts, flax seeds</span><br /><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;"><b>Carbs:</b> Brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(8) Whole Grains</b></span><br />Fill you plate with whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruit. Use monosaturated fats like olive oil when possible.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(9) Heavy Intake Of Fluids</b></span><br />Heavy intake of fluids keeps your metabolism proper and improves your digestive system.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(10) Healthy Breakfast</b></span><br />A healthy breakfast is a good ally in the battle against mid-morning hunger which often causes people to binge on carbs and sugar-laden food. It also helps to kick-start your metabolism so that your body is primed to start burning off calories from early in the morning.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(11) Oolong Tea</b></span><br />Oolong tea enhances metabolism, helps your body to digest fat and block carbohydrates. When the leaves are picked, they are shaken, which causes bruising. As the leaves dry, the bruised edges turn a reddish color with the surfaces becoming light yellow. The leaves are then pan fried, which creates a semi-fermented tea.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(12) Yoga</b></span><br />Yoga is the best way to reduce belly fat or abdominal fat quickly. However, if you want to get rid of fat with the help of yoga, you need to practice it regularly.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(13) Exercise</b></span><br />Exercises that can help them reduce belly fat. But the best exercises that can help in this respect are the overall workouts like walking, swimming, jogging and weight bearing exercises. Remember it is very necessary to cut back on junk and unhealthy food while doing exercises and eating a balanced nutritious diet if you want to reduce belly fat.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>(14) Sleep</b></span><br />Getting the right amount of shut eye helps. In one study, people who got six to seven hours of sleep per night gained less visceral fat over 5 years compared to those who slept five or fewer hours per night or eight or more hours per night. Sleep may not have been the only thing that mattered but it was part of the picture.<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Avoid:</b></span><br />(1) Stress helps to increase cortisol levels which is known to fast-track the breakdown of lean muscles and hold onto fats in the abdominal region. Managing your stress levels by getting in sufficient amount of sleep and reserving time for relaxation is therefore a good way to reduce belly fat. Also increase your intake of Vitamin C to balance cortisol spikes.<br /><br />(2) A serving of soda contains more calories than a large banana, with none of the nutritional value. Many of those calories come from high fructose corn syrup, which our bodies don’t really know how to process, and which often ends up turning into belly fat. Ditch the soda and save those calories for something much better for burning belly fat.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">by: Roxy Lara</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">-----------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.healthdigezt.com/natural-ways-to-remove-belly-fat/</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://abs.webservicereport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/female-male-abs1.jpg</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-74752219094999995592014-08-21T10:33:00.002+07:002014-08-21T10:33:36.877+07:00NY WORLD TRADE CENTRE NEW LOGO<br /><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="512" src="http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news-wtclogo15082014/2.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The new logo for the World Trade Center in New York City has been revealed—it is the result of a US$3.57 million branding project that was undertaken by Landor Associates. </div><br /><br />Considering the historical significance of the site, the logo is rather unsurprisingly brimming with meaning and references—however, according to Fast Co. Design, it is more “confusing” than poetic.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>While the five bars in the logo stand for the five towers of the new World Trade Center complex, the negative spaces between these bars represent the Twin Towers and the National September 11 Memorial.<br /><br />Even the slant of the top half of the logo leans at a precise 17.76 degrees to correspond to the height of the building.<br /><br /><img src="http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news-wtclogo15082014/3.jpg" /><br /><br />Finally, the logo could be read as the letter “W” for World Trade Center, or as Westfield World Trade Center, the luxury mall that is set to open next year.<br /><br />Do you think that it is a fitting logo for the building, or do you find that it embodies too many references?<br /><br /><img alt="" class="media-viewer-candidate" data-mediaviewer-caption="The new World Trade Center symbol, seen on Wednesday on Vesey and Church Streets, was designed by Landor Associates." data-mediaviewer-credit="Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times" data-mediaviewer-src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/08/14/nyregion/subWTC/subWTC-superJumbo.jpg" height="426" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/08/14/nyregion/subWTC/subWTC-master675.jpg" itemprop="url" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/08/14/nyregion/subWTC/subWTC-master675.jpg" width="640" /><br />------------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://designtaxi.com/news/368388/The-New-Logo-of-NYC-s-World-Trade-Center-Is-Packed-With-Different-Meanings/?interstital_shown=1#.U-33BML-HlA.facebook</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/nyregion/world-trade-center-logo-captures-sites-destruction-and-rebirth.html?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad&_r=3</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-46964480080428195022014-08-21T10:24:00.000+07:002014-08-21T10:24:05.606+07:00THORIUM CAR: NEED TO BE REFUELED EVERY 100 YEARS (video)<a href="http://energyfromthorium.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Thorium-Concept-Car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://energyfromthorium.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Thorium-Concept-Car.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="640" /></a>If you haven’t yet been amazed by the hybrid car that runs on air or the water-powered engine, this vehicle is sure to make you think twice about the alternative forms of transportation which will one day rule the road.<br /><br />The new Thorium car, created by a company called Laser Power Systems, is completely emission-free, turbine-free, and is electricity generated. It’s one of the new sustainable-powered engines to show just how unnecessary modern day propulsion engines are and also offer an exciting alternative.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Fueled by nuclear thorium lasers, this engine only needs 8 grams of fuels every 100 years. Charles Stevens, the CEO and chairman of the Connecticut-based company, claims that one gram of thorium yields the energy of 7,500 gallons of gasoline. Harnessed by heating the energy from an external source, the energy becomes so dense the molecules produce heat. A vehicle that needs refilling once a lifetime.<br /><br />It seems many countries and military agencies have been experimenting with this type of energy to power vehicles for a number of years. And now with designs to create a car for the public, those who find their gasoline budget a sensitive topic may find relief in this model.<br /><br />Go Thorium sheds insight to its long-time study: “What China is attempting is to turn the nuclear clock back to the mid-1960s, when Oak Ridge successfully operated a reactor with fuel derived from thorium and cooled with molten salts. The lab also produced detailed plans for a commercial-scale power plant. Despite considerable promise, the thorium test reactor was shut down in 1969 after about five years of operation. Research was effectively shelved when the Nixon Adminsitration decided in the 1970′s that the U.S. Nuclear industry would concentrate on a new generation of uranium-fueled, fast-breeder reactors. For a range of technical and political reasons, not least the public’s fear of nuclear plants, these new uranium reactors have yet to come into widespread commercial use.”<br /><br />Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive element, and may be best known for its potential to replace current nuclear energy generation by implementing reactors fueled by thorium. This element is an alternative for the use of uranium, therefore it’s a much safer fuel for civilian power plants.<br /><br />Fang Jinqing, a retired nuclear researcher at the China Institute of Atomic Energy shared his thoughts on the subject, “If a thorium, molten-salt reactor can be successfully developed, it will remove all fears about nuclear energy.” In addition, “The technology works in theory, and it may have the potential to reshape the nuclear power landscape, but there are a lot of technical challenges.”<br /><br />It is quite clear that modern day nuclear reactors are no longer needed. The technologies to fuel alternative modes of transportation are becoming more widely implemented, and with growing awareness surrounding the necessity to adopt greener transportation, no doubt their prevalence in mainstream society will grow in time.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/68A_HPYGdlk?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />-----------------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.themindawakened.com/2014/05/re-fuel-every-100-years-with-new.html?m=1</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://energyfromthorium.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Thorium-Concept-Car.jpg</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-85915886538959048422014-08-20T14:04:00.002+07:002014-08-20T14:04:34.594+07:00WHICH VEGETABLES HAVE THE MOST PROTEIN<a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/wh6_uploads/imagecache/scale_600_wide/images/high-protein-veggies_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="imagecache imagecache-scale_600_wide" height="479" src="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/wh6_uploads/imagecache/scale_600_wide/images/high-protein-veggies_0.jpg" title="" width="600" /></a>Vegetables aren't typically known for being a great source of protein, but there are some sneaky ones out there that contain a decent amount—so we asked Emily Gilbert, R.D., for the best plant-based ways to get this essential nutrient.<br /><br />Something important to keep in mind: "Plant proteins are 'incomplete' proteins, meaning they don't contain all of the essential amino acids," says Gilbert. To make sure you get the different types of amino acids you need, make sure to combine these veggies with whole grains.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Peas</b></span><br />Each half-cup contains three and a half grams of protein. Try them in this creamy fresh pea soup with mint.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Spinach</b></span><br />You'll find three grams of protein in a half cup of spinach. Get your fill with one of these yummy spinach smoothies.<br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Baked Potato</b></span><br />Another stealth source of protein? Potatoes! A medium-sized one contains three grams. Need some fun topping ideas? Make these spinach- and goat cheese-stuffed baked potatoes.<br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Broccoli</b></span><br />Broccoli's not just filled with fiber (2.6 grams per half cup)—it's also a great source of protein, with two grams per serving. Up your intake by sampling one of our four favorite broccoli recipes.<br /> <br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Brussels Sprouts</b></span><br />These little green guys get a bad rap, but they're actually nutritional superstars: Each half cup packs two grams of protein, along with 247 milligrams of potassium and 110 micrograms of vitamin K. Luckily for haters everywhere, we found these six new (and delicious) ways to eat Brussels sprouts.<br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Corn</b></span><br />OK, we know that corn is technically a grain. But you can find it in the produce aisle—and you'll be glad to know that half a cup of kernels provides two grams of filling protein. Try this grilled corn with lemon-parsley butter with dinner tonight.<br /><br />-------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/high-protein-vegetables</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-292829587242288572014-08-20T07:31:00.000+07:002014-08-20T07:31:05.552+07:00BEIJING FROM THE SKY (video)<a href="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-7jDgK2z/0/900x521/Forbidden%20City%201-900x521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Forbidden City From Above" border="0" height="370" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-7jDgK2z/0/900x521/Forbidden%20City%201-900x521.jpg" width="640" /></a>Before I tell you the story of being detained by the Chinese (and, like Taborlin the Great, I similarly did not have key, coin, or candle), I’ll share the video I made! I would have gotten even more footage had the quadcopter not been, ahem, confiscated… BTW, I recommend running the video in HD mode with earphones!<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>This was made with a really awesome quadcopter — the New DJI Phantom 2 with Zenmuse H3-3d 3-axis Gimbal and Gopro Hero 3+ Black Edition. All the footage was shot with that GoPro. I did a mixture of wide angle and narrow shots. I also had it in a mode that automatically took a photo every 5 seconds, and I put some of my favorite photos at the bottom of this blog post!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/A8I5Z01OKvw?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />That music is by the great Jon Hopkins. The name of the track, fittingly, is “A Drifting Up.” Thanks to Chris Craker for the introduction.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THE DETENTION FACILITY AND QUADCOPTER CONFISCATION</span></b><br /><br />So, I went into this not knowing what was legal and what was not legal. Okay, I had a sinking feeling that flying a quadcopter over the Forbidden City might be more black than grey, but my intentions were pure and artistic, so I figured that gave me some sort of leeway. At least, this is how I justified everything in my head beforehand. You’re starting to see how I make bad decisions.<br /><br />Let me set the stage here. Beijing is the seat of all Chinese government power. So, deciding to fly a drone over China is kind of like Luke Skywalker deciding to ride his landspeeder on the Death Star.<br /><br />There are multiple “rings” that encircle Beijing. The first ring is the Forbidden City. The second ring has many monuments and other houses of government. It’s kind of like Washington D.C., except with less communists.<br /><br />I had flown the DJI Quadcopter for about five days with no problem. I was there with my friend Tom Anderson who also had the same DJI Quadcopter setup as I did. We were both having a great time and getting some really cool shots. I am so excited to take photos and experiment with this thing! We had even flown it several times around police in various places. They never said anything. The police were probably generally confused; their lack of interference only emboldened us.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;"><b>Note To Future Self: Do Not Fly Quadcopter Over The Chinese NSA Intelligence Buildings</b></span><br /><br />So here comes the juicy bit. Well, it could have been worse. But I was certainly at fault!<br /><br />I was at Beihai Park. Now, some of you may already be rolling your eyes, because you know what I did not know. That behind those trees there are all their government buildings, where they would rather not have things flown above.<br /><br />My DJI remote control was low on batteries, and I have this rather sane fear of the controller going dead while quadcopter is off having a party somewhere without me. So I set the quadcopter on the ground beside my assistant. My assistant is this 28-year-old female who was kind of cute and quite bubbly named Ady. I say this because it comes into play later in the story. One other thing I can tell you about her is that she was absolutely zero help in warning me that I was about to fly the quadcopter over the Chinese NSA and FBI buildings. That’s one of those things I would have liked to know… My plan was to take an aerial shot of the White Dagoba on Qionghua Island (which you can see from the ground level here).<br /><br />Anyway, I went out to get my batteries and walked back. I saw Ady still standing by my quadcopter with a rather surly-looking female police officer. I was getting a bad vibe. As I approached, the surliness seemed to increase, and it was really harshin’ my mellow.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;"><b>Off To The Lockdown</b></span><br /><br />I approached and planned on using my charm offensive. It’s the only strategy I have, so I hoped it would work. One unforeseen fault in my plan is that this policewoman did not speak English.<br /><br />But Ady spoke both languages, so we began a brief frenzy of back-and-forth, all of which went nowhere fast. We were then escorted to the nearby police area. My friend Tom was standing nearby. But not that near. Actually, he was off in the bushes by the lake, peering at us from afar through multiple tiers of shrubbery.<br /><br />We were escorted inside a series of secure doors, and the last of which made that CLA-CHUNK-CLINK sound effect that you hear in movies and TV shows. It really made that sound.<br /><br />There were more enforcement officers inside. I figured I had a lot of ‘splainin to do. And I did!<br /><br />I had a feeling that I was in a rather sensitive area that I did not know about. So I was sure I had indeed done something wrong, but I just didn’t know what. Thank mao I wasn’t actually flying the thing and it was sitting inert on the ground when security descended. This helped.<br /><br />Now, this small little detention facility did not have a lot of lights. It was dimly lit, flickering in a sickly yellowish light, and I could not quite see everything inside. I did see the rather burly gentleman officer that was right there with me, leading the questioning. Ady translated. Although I wasn’t so sure of her translation capabilities because earlier in the day we had gone to KFC and she had ordered me a chicken neck.<br /><br />Luckily, she was very smiley and cute, which probably did not hurt. She seemed very positive and happily began translating for me. The senior policeman seemed to enjoy her bubbly nature.<br /><br />He was holding the quadcopter and turning it around, examining the camera, the blades, the everything. He was a curious cat. He asked many questions while a female officer held something that looked like an old CB radio but actually had a camera and was recording me. So I’m somewhere in some Chinese video database, making some amazing arguments.<br /><br />I basically explained that I was a photographer, and I like getting unique angles. I simply like taking photos and making Beijing look beautiful. I noticed they liked to hear this and were a bit surprised. I saw an opening.<br /><br />I whipped out my Samsung Nexus Android (S4) phone. I pulled open my photo portfolio and asked Ady to translate. I started sliding through the photos, then I handed the phone to the alpha male. He started swiping and asking questions. She translated and I answered. Oh, that is in Japan. That one is in New Zealand, my home! That one is in Indonesia. This one is in Death Valley where the rocks move on their own! Very mysterious! By now, the guy was smiling and inviting the other officers over to see. They were all crowding around, smiling and laughing, pointing. Now Ady was laughing and having fun and explaining. I was telling stories about the photos… etc etc. It was a suddenly a fun party in jail!<br /><br />Okay, so this little photo party went on for about ten more minutes… this was an exciting day for them! I think they saw that I was an artist and I really had no interest in taking photos of sensitive things. Those of you that have been coming to the blog for the past 8 years also know this… but, well, these guys were not regular readers so I had to fast-track them! In fact, the alpha male there asked for my blog website here so he could come see new photos. He’s probably reading this now. Hello Nice Chinese Military Police Man! I forgot your name, but thanks for not doing bad stuff to me and stuff.<br /><br />After the little photo partay, he gave me back the quadcopter and said, “Okay, here you go, but please don’t fly it inside the first or second ring of the city.” I said, okay, cool. And then we made our hasty egress.<br /><br />Apparently, the news kind of spread around to another group with which I was working in Beijing. They showed up at my hotel the next morning to confiscate the quadcopter, obviously not trusting me not to fly it any more. They agreed to bring it to the airport before I left Beijing. I doubted I would ever see the thing again, but, sure enough, they showed up! I threw the sweet beast in my bag then jumped on my flight back home to New Zealand.<br /><br /><img alt="Quadcopter Perspective" height="352" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-w5rwncK/0/900x496/Beijing%20Air%20%2814%20of%2015%29-900x496.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><img alt="Trees on Roof" height="359" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-gqHKknR/0/900x506/Beijing%20From%20Above%20%2812%20of%2027%29-900x506.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><img alt="World Wonders" height="480" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-XrXTdLr/0/900x675/LR%20Export-40--900x675.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><img alt="Drum Tower" height="359" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-bJDZh5s/0/900x506/Beijing%20Air%20%283%20of%2015%29-900x506.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><img alt="CBD" height="512" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-wJCtrjq/0/900x720/newnew-900x720.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br /><img alt="Drum Tower Axis" height="369" src="http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Portfolio/i-65tw6m8/0/900x520/Beijing%20Air%20%281%20of%2015%29-Edit-900x520.jpg" width="640" /><br /><br />-------------------------<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2014/06/19/dji-quadcopter-china-detention</span></i><br /><br /><br />pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613226284085504845.post-68438362461485343462014-08-19T08:46:00.000+07:002014-08-19T08:46:55.274+07:0012 FOODS FOR DIABETIC PERSON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1-weightloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Diabetic-Diet-Food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1-weightloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Diabetic-Diet-Food.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" /></a></div>We all know that maintaining a healthy diet is vital in terms of diabetes prevention and treatment. Generally, the advice given to diabetics is relevant to the general population as well: consume adequate vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry and fish, and less industrial sweets and foods high in fat and salt. It is known that patients who use professional advice and expert dieticians and nutritional supervision have a much better chance to maintain balanced levels of sugar, and avoid the complications of the disease. Diabetics should also keep meals at regular times throughout the day to avoid sharp rises in blood sugar levels.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>So what are the best foods to control diabetes and add to the menu? There are 12 foods that can help balance blood sugar in your body. These are olive oil, cinnamon, green tea, pulses, green vegetables and oats. These common foods that are already in our kitchen help maintaining adequate blood sugar and prevent diabetes complications:<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>1. Olive oil</b></span><br /><br />Oil lacks carbohydrates, and therefore does not raise blood sugar levels. In addition, it slows the absorption of foods eaten along with the oil. Olive oil is rich Omega 9 and Omega 3 which help maintain the flexibility of blood vessels, allowing good blood flow. Also oil does not increase insulin levels, thus reducing the non-insulin tolerance that exists in many people and causes an increase in blood sugar levels. Find here more information about the great health benefits of olive oil.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>2. Cinnamon</b></span><br /><br />Many studies show that consumption of one teaspoon cinnamon (5 mg) to three teaspoons a day has a positive effect on reducing blood glucose levels. It was found that the cinnamon can make your cells more sensitive to insulin. Thus, the cells convert sugar into energy more efficiently and control the amount of sugar level in the blood. Diabetics who received cinnamon extract daily for 40 days experienced lower levels of blood sugar after eating, as well as substantial improvements to the heart health. Read here more about how to use cinnamon as a medicine.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>3. Green tea</b></span><br /><br />Green tea contains the antioxidant EGCG, which helps to maintain the flexibility of blood vessels and stabilizing blood glucose levels. A recent study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that this element reduces blood sugar levels and prevents its sharp rise after a meal consisting mainly carbohydrates. Read here more about the amazing health benefits of green tea.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>4. Pulses</b></span><br /><br />Legumes such as lentils, peas, beans and chickpeas are low in fat and calories and also rich in fiber and protein. Dietary fiber slows the rate of sugar absorption into the blood and reduces the glycemic load. They are a great addition to soups, salads and a variety of other dishes.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>5. Green vegetables</b></span><br /><br />According to a study published in the British Medical Journal fresh green leaves vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard and parsley, and other green vegetables (fresh, steamed or frozen) such as celery, cucumber, cauliflower, green beans and kohlrabi contain carbohydrates that release hormones in the gut that reduce appetite. In addition, the researchers found that these vegetables improves insulin sensitivity and thus better regulate blood glucose levels. Eating vegetables like asparagus, garlic and Jerusalem artichoke can help in cases of diabetes and obesity, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes because vegetables are rich in magnesium and are known as effective antioxidants.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>6. Oatmeal</b></span><br /><br />Oats contain a high percentage of fiber, B vitamins (especially B1), vitamin E and antioxidants. The large amount of fiber causes a slower absorption of glucose, and combining antioxidants makes the oatmeal recommended food to stabilize blood sugar levels. Click here to find easy and delicious porridge recipes with oatmeal.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>7. Red Apples</b></span><br /><br />A recent study conducted in Finland found that men who ate the greatest number of apples (and other foods rich in quercetin) had 20% less deaths related to diabetes or heart complications. Other good sources of quercetin are red grapes, tomatoes, onions, green vegetables and berries. You can find easy and nutritious berry recipes in my e-book The Healing The Healing Berry Guide. This e-book will teach you how to transform your health with berries, and is a must for berry lovers.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>8. Vitamin C rich foods</b></span><br /><br />Studies show that people with diabetes have lower levels of vitamin C in their body, so rich foods in vitamin C such as berries, citrus fruits, peppers, dark green leafy vegetables, kiwifruit, tomatoes, etc are loaded with antioxidants and are an excellent choice.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>9. Cold-water fish</b></span><br /><br />Those who suffer from diabetes are twice more likely to suffer also from heart disease. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish, can help to lower “bad “cholesterol and raise your “good” cholesterol. Seafood is a great source for omega 3, such as: halibut, herring, mackerel, oysters, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna and cod. Vegetables, especially green leafy ones, such as: kale, parsley, mint, Brussle sprouts, spinach and watercress, are rich in ALA, one form of omega-3 fatty acids (although ALA isn’t as powerful as the other omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA). Ground flaxseed is also a good source of omega 3. Read here more about the fantastic health benefits of omega 3.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>10 . Dark Chocolate</b></span><br /><br />Researchers from Tufts University in Massachusetts found that dark chocolate improves cell sensitivity to insulin and significantly improves the chances of avoiding diabetes. In addition, dark chocolate lowers blood pressure and the amount of “bad” cholesterol in the body, and strengthens the blood vessels.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>11 . Grass fed beef</b></span><br /><br />There are other things in beef other than protein, iron and vitamin B. There is an element which is part of the beef fat which is called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). The most abundant source of CLA is beef from grass-fed cows. Experiments have shown that CLA works to correct improper utilization of blood sugar and helps fight cancer and heart disease. In a recent study in Norway scientists have added a few grams of CLA to the daily diet of 180 people. They reported that they lost 9% of their body weight in one year. Make sure that the beed is processed as little as possible, as it contains more CLA. Other food sources of CLA in smaller amounts include milk and eggs.<br /><br /><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>12. Apple Cider vinegar (ACV)</b></span><br /><br />According to webMD website, the effect of ACV on blood sugar levels is one of the best researched and the most promising. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. For example, a small 2007 study with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">-----------------</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/6-best-foods-to-control-diabetes/</span></i>pratanacoffeetalkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13812468778475943267noreply@blogger.com0