Driving at Top Speed

You are driving in a car at a constant speed.On your left side is a 'drop off' (The ground is 18-20 inches below the level you are traveling on), and on your right side is a fire engine traveling at the same speed as you. In front of you is a galloping horse which is the same size as your car and you cannot overtake it. Behind you is a galloping zebra. Both the horse and zebra are also traveling at the same speed as you . What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?


For the answer click and drag your mouse from star to star.
* Get your drunk ass off the merry-go-round. *

Coffee, Tea or ME?

Typical scene.

Man calls up woman; man ask for a date; woman said yes; man meets woman in a nice and cozy restaurant; have a quiet romantic dinner; then man brings woman to her house.

And then, right at the doorstep, just as they bid their goodbyes, here comes the tricky part ...

Woman suddenly turns around and ask the man, "would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?"

Or maybe, she'd say "would you like to come in for coffee?"

Familiar lines, aren't they?

On the surface, you would think the two innocent "invitations" do mean one and the same, right? Or do they?

Many people think they're interchangeable, but they're wrong.

It has been said that if invited to have "a cup of coffee," it means, well, you are being offered a cup of coffee, literally. While inviting someone "to have coffee" really means, "do you want to come in and have sex with me?"

So there, the cat is out!

Ladies, next time you invite someone into your house for a night cap and have a cup of coffee, make sure you say "a cup of coffee" clearly, unless you want to have more than just a cup of coffee.

As for the men, you know what to do, don't you?

Ladies and gentlemen, join us here, and have your say, as we list some reasons why you think coffee is better (or worse) than sex!

Ethiopia tackles AIDS with Coffee-Flavour Condoms

Doctors have long argued about the health effects of coffee, but its reputation seems likely to receive a boost thanks to a flavoured condom that aims to encourage safer sex in Ethiopia.

Around 300,000 of the coffee condoms were sold in a week when they were launched in September, according to the US charity DKT International.

It hopes to tap into Ethiopia's coffee mania as a means to tackle high rates of HIV in the country, which is said to have invented the drink.

The charity said that with 2.1% of Ethiopians infected with Aids - and more than 7% in the capital, Addis Ababa - the flavoured prophylactic was more than a novelty. "Everybody likes the flavour of coffee," said a spokeswoman.

For the complete article, click here.

Get Out of the Car

A Friendlier Cup of Coffee

Freshly brewed research reports about coffee are changing the image of the popular drink from harmful to healthy in many ways.

Thanks to some of the latest knowledge about coffee reported in April at the Experimental Biology 2007 symposium in Washington, D.C., negative myths about coffee are evaporating.

"The good news is it seems an extremely popular beverage can be safely consumed by most people in moderation," said Joan Salge Blake, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and nutrition professor at Boston University.

"It doesn't look like there is any downside to coffee in any disease process," said Dr. Craig McClain, professor of medicine, pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Louisville, who attended the spring meeting.

The story about coffee grew dark and negative a decade or more ago when a study linked pancreatic cancer to caffeine, a link that has since been debunked, McClain explained.

"That got everybody down on coffee, but more recently in diverse areas research is suggesting that coffee -- at least in moderate consumption -- can be beneficial," he said.

Studies of large populations of real coffee drinkers are pointing in a positive direction.

New research suggests coffee can reduce the risk of such major diseases as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and type 2 diabetes.

"Animal studies suggest it might even be good for weight control through thermogenesis (the process by which the body generates heat, or energy, by increasing the metabolic rate above normal)," McClain said. "Drink six cups of coffee a day and you may have an energy expenditure of 100 calories."

In studies of mortality, it appears that moderate coffee drinkers have a slightly reduced risk of death, McClain also reported.

Excerpt courtesy Linda Stahl, The Courier-Journal and GJ Coffee Companion. For the complete read of this article, click here.

The Obedient Wife

There was a man who had worked all his life, had saved all of his money, and was a real miser when it came to his money.

Just before he died, he said to his wife...'When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me.'

And so he got his wife to promise him, with all of her heart, that when he died, she would put all of the money into the casket with him.

Well, he died He was stretched out in the casket, his wi fe was sitting there - dressed in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony, and just! before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said,

'Wait just a moment!'
She had a small metal box with her; she came over with the box and put it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down and they rolled it away. So her friend said,

'Girl, I know you were not foolish enough to put all that money in there with your husband.'

The loyal wife replied, 'Listen, I'm ! a Christian; I cannot go back on my word. I promised him that I was going to put that money into the casket with him.'

You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him!?!?!?'

'I sure did,' said the wife. 'I got it all together, put it into my account, and wrote him a check.... If he can cash it, then he can spend it.'

Coffee as Source of Soluble Fiber

Coffee is a surprising source of soluble dietary fiber, but a U.S. newsletter advises it's not the only one.

Soluble fiber may help lower Low Density Lipoprotein, LDL, or "bad" cholesterol and blood sugar, the Mayo Clinic Health Letter reports.

Fiber comes in two forms -- soluble fiber, which dissolves in water to form a gel-like material and comes from beans, some fruits and even coffee, and insoluble fiber, which doesn't dissolve in water and passes through the digestive system largely unchanged. Sources of insoluble fiber are cereals, wheat bran, and the stalks and peels of fruits and vegetables, the American Dietetic Association says.

The American Dietetic Association recommends the daily allowance of dietary fiber for men is 30 to 38 grams per day and for women, 21 to 25 grams.

A study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found one cup of coffee per day contains up to 1.8 grams of soluble fiber.

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter says other good sources of soluble fiber include beans, fruits, berries, vegetables and oatmeal.

Eat Slowly

Slow Down and Enjoy a Slimmer Waistline

Eat slowly and you'll consume less and enjoy your meal more.

Researchers at the University of Rhode Island in the US have new scientific data to back up this long-touted theory.

In their study, 30 women were told to eat a huge plate of food as quickly as possible until they felt full, without pausing between bites. ON a return visit, they were instructed to take smaller bites, pause often and to chew each mouthful 15 to 20 times.

It seems eating fast and furiously impacted both on meal satisfaction and in kilojoules. When eating quickly, the women consumed 2750kJ in nine minutes, compared to an average of 2324kJ in about 29 minutes when eating slowly. They also had a greater feeling of satiety.

Spread over three meals a day, the difference will really add up.


Source: Reader's Digest

Life Explained

On the first day, God created the dog and said:

"Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:

"Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I 'll give you a twenty-year life span"

The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:

"You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family For

This, I will give you a life span of sixty Years."

The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said:

"Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But man said: "Only twenty years ? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the

Ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves.

For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family.

For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren.

And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark.

Of Men and English

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that write rs write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, i n which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

Lastly, why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"?

Up, Up and Away

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP

When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP , so........... it is time to shut UP.....!

Old Lady and Traffic

older lady gets pulled over for speeding...
Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?
Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.
Older Woman: Oh, I see.
Officer: Can I see your license please?
Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.
Officer: Don't have one?
Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.
Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.
Older Woman: I can't do that.
Officer: Why not?
Older Woman: I stole this car.
Officer: Stole it?
Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.
Officer: You what?
Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you
want to see.
The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and
calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior
officer slowly approaches the car , clasping his half drawn gun.
Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman
steps out of her vehicle.
Older woman: Is there a problem sir?
Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and
murdered the owner.
Older Woman: Murdered the owner?
Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.
The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.
Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?
Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. The officer is
quite stunned.
Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving
license.
The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands
it to the officer.
The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.
Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have
a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up
the owner.
Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.

MORAL:

Don't Mess With Little Old Ladies :-)

Philippine Adsense and Western Union Quick Cash

Philippine Adsense Publishers can now receive their earning via Western Union Quick Cash.

We’re excited to tell you that we're offering a new payment method for some countries. If you're located in Argentina, Chile, China (Mainland), Colombia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, or Romania, you can now sign up for Western Union Quick Cash, a new form of payment that lets you receive your AdSense payments in cash using the worldwide Western Union money transfer service. Payments will be available for pickup at your local Western Union agent the day after they are issued, according to our normal payment schedule.

It's free to receive your AdSense payments by Western Union; you'll no longer need to wait for a check to arrive in the mail. this choice can also cut down on bank fees and long clearing times associated with depositing checks.

Before you sign up, please keep these important points in mind:

• As mentioned above, Western Union Quick Cash is only available in Argentina, Chile, China (Mainland), Colombia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, and Romania. We'll be sure to let you know if we're able to offer new payment options to additional publishers.
  
  
• This payment method is currently only available to individual payee names; we can’t offer it to businesses.
  
  
• You'll need to bring your government-issued ID to pick up your payment, so please make sure that your AdSense account payee name exactly matches that of your ID.
  
  
• Payments must be picked up within 35 days of issuance or they will expire. If this happens, a payment hold will be placed on your AdSense account and the payment will be credited back to your account.
  
  
• Payments will be made in US dollars, but depending on your local Western Union agent, they may be picked up in your local currency.

Reference: http://www.infoguide2.com/western-union-quick-cash-for-philippine-adsense-publishers.htm

How to Shower Like a Man

Take off clothes while sitting on the edge of the bed and leave them in a pile.

Walk naked to the bathroom. If you see wife along the way, shake wiener at her while
making the woo-woo sound.

Look at your manly physique in the mirror.

Admire the size of your wiener and scratch your butt.

Get in the shower.

Wash your face.

Wash your armpits.

Blow your nose in your hands and let the water rinse the snot off.

Fart and laugh at how loud it sounds in the tially dry off.

Fail to notice water on floor because curtain was hanging out of tub the whole time.

Admire wiener size in mirror again.

Leave shower curtain open, wet mat on floor, light and fan on.

Return to bedroom with towel around waist.

If you pass wife, pull off towel, shake wiener at her and make the woo-woo sound again.

Throw wet towel on her pillow.

How to Shower Like a Woman

Take off clothing and place it in sectioned laundry hamper according to lights and
darks.

Walk to bathroom wearing long dressing gown.

If you see husband along the way, cover up any exposed areas.

Look at your womanly physique in the mirror, make mental note to do more
sit-ups/leg-lifts, etc.

Get in the shower.

Use face cloth, arm cloth, leg cloth, long loofah, wide loofah and pumice stone.

Wash your hair once with cucumber and sage shampoo with 43 added vitamins.

Wash your hair again to make sure it’s clean.

Condition your hair with grapefruit mint conditioner.

Wash your face with crushed apricot facial scrub for 10 minutes until red.

Wash entire rest of body with ginger nut and jaffa cake body wash.

Rinse conditioner off hair.

Shave armpits and legs.

Turn off shower.

Squeegee off all wet surfaces in shower.

Spray mold spots with Tilex.

Get out of shower.

Dry with towel the size of a small country.

Wrap hair in super absorbent towel.

Return to bedroom wearing long dressing gown and towel on head if you see husband along the way, cover up any exposed areas.

Who Does What?

A man and his wife were having an argument about who
should brew the coffee each morning.
The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first,
and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."
The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here and
you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."
Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible
that the man should do the coffee."
Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me."
So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament
and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says.........."HEBREWS"

ABC Studios says "Sorry"

ABC Studios sorry for racial slur on ‘Desperate Housewives’

The network and producers of “Desperate Housewives” have issued a statement apologizing for a remark made by actress Teri Hatcher’s character in a recent episode of the television series.

The following is the network’s statement: "The producers of ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines. As leaders in broadcast diversity, we are committed to presenting sensitive and respectful images of all communities featured in our programs."

The remark, made by Hatcher’s character in a scene with a doctor, was, “Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? Because I would just like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines."

Filipinos, especially healthcare professionals in the US and the Philippines, were outraged by the remark. E-mails expressing outrage circulated among Filipinos all over the world. Blogs and websites denounced the remark.

The Philippines’ Consul General in Los Angeles, Mary Jo Bernardo-Aragon, sent a letter of complaint to Mark Pedowitz, president of ABC Studios, which has the domestic and international franchise rights to the show.

The remarks “served to create racial stereotypes, thereby tainting unnecessarily the excellent record of Filipino health care professionals all over the world,” she said in her letter.

The Philippine presidential palace, Malacanang, also said it would seek an apology from the TV network.

Alec Mapa, a Filipino-American actor who has a recurring role in the series, told this reporter via e-mail: “It's unfortunate that the Philippines was used as a punch line. My family is filled with doctors and medical professionals. I know first hand from them, that the medical schools in the Philippines are top notch.”

The actor’s full statement appears in this reporter’s column, “Only in Hollywood,” Friday (October 6).

When asked by if ABC would release a lengthier statement, Charissa Gilmore, ABC Studios vice president for media relations, said this is "the only statement planned."


- Philippine Daily Inquirer

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' Unconscionable Remark

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' Unconscionable Remark; Lodge Protest, Sign Petition


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To view the episode, log in to www.abc.com, click on Desperate Housewives, look for the Sept 30 episode.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Ambassador Gaa:

Further to my email to you, aside from my recommendation to lodge a formal protest, kindly encourage officials and employees from the different Philippine consulates general, and the Filipino American community, to sign the petition on line, through this link:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/FilABC/

We need as many signatures as we can gather to show ABC that we have the number, and that "In Unity, There Is Strength," (borrowing from MANILA-U.S. TIMES' slogan).

Here's what I emailed you earlier:

"Dear Ambassador Gaa:

"The Philippines and the Filipino people have been insulted by some racist remarks in the "Desperate Housewives' TV show" when Susan Mayer Delfino, played by actress Teri Hatcher, stated in its September 30, 2007 broadcast: "Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? Coz I would just like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines."

"The insult was directly hurled at some med schools in the Philippines, but ultimately, it impacted on every Filipino all over the world.

"I am bringing this to your kind attention so we can officially lodge a formal protest against the Management of the Desperate Housewives TV program for them to apologize publicly to the Filipino people and to the Philippines, and to refrain from making such insulting remarks henceforth.

"Thank you."

Zoobic Safari

Simplified RoadMap to Subic

The entrance to the only world class expressway in the Philippines - the North Luzon Tollways. This is where we begin our trip to Subic Bay Freeport. Upon entrance, you need to prepare a toll fee of P38. This shall cover the toll fee for the first few exits only.

We shall get off the expressway at the San Fernando Exit. Along the way, some notable landmarks will be the gas stations, where you can stop for a refill, get yourself a freshly brewed coffee, or relief yourself in some comfy clean comfort rooms.

First in line is the Petron gas station. Then, a few kilometers away is the Shell station. Both stations have plenty of food stores to choose from. But it gets a little crowded sometimes. The last gas station, at least before we exit from San Fernando, is the Total gas station. In here, you'll have the luxury of "space," as fewer people/cars are stopping by. No queues in refilling, no queues in comfort room, and no queues in restaurants. Albeit you have very limited choices.

About after 30-45 minutes drive, depending on traffic condition, we shall reach the San Fernando exit already. Prepare a toll fee of P92. Upon exit, right in front of us is the Robinsons Mall - resist your shopping urge, and turn right. After crossing the bridge (with the expressway right below us). We shall be greeted by a big "Welcome to Pampanga" landmark post. Drive further straight, and use the flyover to bypass the busy intersection.

From there, prepare to coast along for another hour of stop and go traffic. Your skill of being able to overtake slow moving trucks and trikes will be put into test. An average speed of 50kph is good in an afternoon traffic.

At this point, when we see this T- intersection, slow down. Turn right at the corner, and you'll just be 30 minutes away from Subic Bay. You can grab the picture and zoom in to see the road sign.

A few kilometers after we've turned the corner, there will be a road split. Choose the left side. From this point on, just follow the major road - winding up the mountain side.

About 20 minutes later, another major T-intersection that reads "Subic-Tipo Tollway - Turn Left" "Olongapo - Straight Ahead". Take the left turn and spend another P19 for a traffic free ride! At the end of the toll way is the entrance to the Subic Bay Freeport! Enjoy your vacation! Hope this helps!

Road to Subic Bay

Subic Bay Freeport (SBF), otherwise known as SBMA, is located southwest of the Luzon Island in the Philippines. It is sandwiched by the Zambales Mountain Range at the east and the Subic Bay at the west. It is northwest of the Bataan Peninsula and southwest of the Zambales Province.

Subic Bay Freeport is about 110 kilometers north of Manila. Manila Bay and the Bataan Peninsula separate SBF from Manila. The mountain ranges around the Subic Bay area and the deep natural harbor provide excellent and protected anchorage. In addition, these features make SBF safe from typhoons, as well as from the devastating effects of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo last June 15, 1991.

Like the rest of the country, it has two seasons: Dry, from November to May. Rainy, from June to October. The climate is without extremes. Average temperature is about 26 degrees Celsius. And about this time of the year, we should enjoy the “pleasantly cool” climate at the mountains.

It’s been quite a while since we went to Subic. We used to go to Subic every summer on late 1990’s up to early 2000’s. Somehow, the kids got tried. =)

Anyway, for those who doesn’t know the way to Subic Bay, I took some pictures on the road on our way to Subic Bay last Sept 27.

From the entry point at North Luzon Expressway toll gate at Balintawak, it should take about 2 hours to reach the famous freeport

Directions and more pictures will be posted later.

Forex Trading

The Foreign Exchange market, also referred to as the "Forex" or “FX,” is the largest financial market in the world, with a substantial volume turnover of about $2 trillion a day. Compare that to the $25 billion daily volume trade at the New York Stock Exchange, one can easily imagine how enormous the forex market really is. In fact, the FX market is so huge, it actually equates to more than three times the total amount of the global stocks and futures markets combined!

Until the late 1990's, to be able to trade with the forex market, one needs to have at least ten to fifty million US dollars. With the advent of high-speed internet connection, so does the proliferation of online forex trading firms. Thus, it has made online forex trading become very accessible. And because the cost of transactions is low and there are no commissions, anyone can get involved in this great opportunity to make money.

"Money begets money," as the old adage goes. But in-depth knowledge about how forex market works is a must too! A mistake I personally made - went into live trading with limited knowledge - that eventually cost me some good hard earned money!

Forex Trading Made Easy, or so I thought, is a blogspot I started at the beginning of the year. About the same time when I learned about the potential of making big money by trading forex online. After suffering a huge loss, with the China market meltdown sometime Feb-Mar, my portfolio was almost wiped out. Lost 75% of my principal. Still I persisted, and traded a bit more carefully, as I scrambled to learn the tricks of the trade more religiously.

On April, I met a friend who's into forex trading too. He's way too conservative and patient in trading - virtues I realized is actually an advantage. He is using the hedging technique and the inverse hedge trading. The former being commercially available. The same trading techniques I tried to use myself, but somehow, I can't seem to get the correct timing in entering and exiting the market. Maybe patience is something I need to master.

So, with whatever funds that is left of me, I "teamed up" with him, nay, I virtually ask him to trade for me. So far, so good. From April to September this year, I have recovered about 20% back. I plan to actively continue in posting at forex blogspot pretty soon.

You'll find some useful online resources, like Babypips.com - a comprehensive site that teaches forex trading basics; Forex Market Hours - real time guide of which forex market is open/close relative to your local time; RealTime Forex News, and Forex News Commentary -
up to the minute forex news and commentary, reported when it happens, as it happens.

You can even get a one-time free $5 to trade live at Marketiva. But personally, I am trading using the platform of InterbankFX. I have also posted a lot of useful links to forums which actively shares and discusses their own experiences - mostly for free.

As forex trading is likened to gambling, whatever happens, always remember to play only with money you can afford to lose, and learn to cash out while ahead!

Ultimate Insurance Coverage

One day, Joe decided to get an insurance for his family.

Insurance Agent 1: Here, I’ve got the best insurance coverage for you. When you get my insurance policy, you’ll be covered from “birth” to “death.”

Joe nodded, and said nothing.

Insurance Agent 2: Oh, with me, you’ll get an even greater deal. With my policy, you are being covered from “womb” to “tomb.”

“That’s real nice,” Joe commented.

Insurance Agent 3: Hahaha! Stop kidding. Mine should be the best. With me, you’ll get covered from “sperm” to “worm”!

Joe replied with disbelief, but smiling, “Wow, now that’s what I call complete insurance coverage!”

Suddenly, Jesus interrupted, and told Joe, “Son, with me, I can give you the ULTIMATE INSURANCE COVERAGE. Just have faith, and I have you covered from ‘erection’ to ‘resurrection’! Best of all, it’s free!”

* Moral of the story:
Oftentimes, we have this false sense of security. We tend to cover our future with monetary insurance only, neglecting our spiritual security. By the way, got this “story” from our community priest. =) And remember too, the best things in life are indeed free!

Of Coffee and Cirrhosis

Once again, a new study shows that coffee may contain an ingredient that protects us from yet another widely known disease of the liver - alcoholic cirrhosis. The comprehensive study, shows that among more than 125,000 people studied for up to 22 years, coffee drinkers were less likely to be diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis.

The researchers noted, “these data support the hypothesis that there is an ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.”

Of course, they aren’t recommending that anyone rely on drinking coffee to prevent alcoholic cirrhosis. After all, “not drinking heavily” is definitely a better strategy for liver health, the researchers emphasized.

The participants were signed up for the study between 1978 and 1985. They were followed until the end of 2001. Upon joining the group, participants were given a thorough checkup and was asked to fill out a complete report about their own consumption of alcohol, coffee, tea, and cigarettes. Most importantly, none had been diagnosed with liver problems.

Here’s a summary of the participants’ own report

* Most particiant were noted drinking light or moderate amounts of alcohol (up to two daily drinks).
* About 8% of them admitted drinking three or more alcoholic drinks per day.
* Typical coffee consumption was one to three daily cups, as reported by 42% of the group.
* Approximately 16% reported drinking four or more daily cups of coffee.

Over the years, 330 participants were diagnosed with cirrhosis; 199 of those cases were alcoholic cirrhosis, while the remaining cases of cirrhosis were nonalcohol related. Which means about 60% are related to alcohol drinking.

For every daily cup of coffee that participants reported drinking, they were 22% less likely to have been diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis during the study. Although the odds of developing nonalcoholic cirrhosis weren’t linked to coffee consumption.

Coffee drinkers were also less likely to have high blood levels of liver enzymes. That pattern was strongest in people with the highest reported alcohol consumption.

The study didn’t identify what ingredient in coffee might help protect the liver from alcoholic cirrhosis. Caffeine might not get the credit. Tea contains caffeine, but tea consumption didn’t appear to lower participants’ odds of being diagnosed with any form of cirrhosis.

Finally, the study doesn’t prove that drinking coffee cuts the chance of developing alcoholic cirrhoses, the researchers caution. They also point out that if coffee protects the liver, the effects of adding cream, milk, sugar, or other substances to coffee aren’t yet known.


SOURCES: 1. Klatsky, A. Archives of Internal Medicine, June 12, 2006; vol 166: pp 1190-1195.
2. Gloria Jean’s September 2007 e-newsletter.

The World of Coffee

History of Coffee
Coffee’s roots are widely debated and like a fine wine, are shrouded in mystery and Romance. There are many versions of how this extraordinary beverage came to be. The most famous and well known is the legend of Kaldi, a third century monk living in Ethiopia.

It is believed that this monk discovered the Arabica coffee bean (indigenous to Ethiopia) when he found his goats dancing wildly after eating the cherries from a bush. He tried the cherries himself and enjoyed their stimulating effects so much that he shared them with the other monks. It soon became a religious ceremonial drink to keep them awake during their long hours of prayer at night.


The Emergence of Coffee as a Beverage
Coffee first emerged in the form similar to tea today. The leaves from coffee shrubs were boiled in water and the liquid was consumed “black”. This preparation technique gave way to the use of cherries and later the roasted seeds of cherries known as coffee beans.

It did not take long for the popularity of coffee to spread, and as a result a great demand was created for drink. Coffee is both a functional beverage (a wake-me-up) as well as a sensual experience. An understanding of the romance and history of coffee is integral to truly enjoy a fine cup of coffee. Few people realize the history they hold in their cup!


The Cultivation of Coffee
The coffee tree grows at altitudes between sea level and 6,000 feet (1829 meters). Botanically, the coffee tree is an evergreen shrub and can grow as high as 10 feet. It is kept trimmed to facilitate harvesting methods. The coffee tree produces hard green cherries, which turn bright red when ripe. Arabica trees are left to mature for a five-year period before they are put into production. Numerous stages of development occur simultaneously.

Coffee is derived form a cherry and is, in fact, a fruit and not a bean, as many people think. (The bean is actually the pit of the cherry.) There are usually two hard green and waxy beans inside each cherry.


How Coffee is grown
Similar to winemaking, coffee farming is a very delicate and intricate process. The coffee plant begins as a shrub, living in seedbeds in a nursery until it is approximately 3 inches high. The seedling is then transplanted into pots, where after a year, it is re-planted in the ground. The cherries on the shrub require the perfect balance of shade, rain and sunshine, and thrive in warm, humid climates.


Coffee Growing Regions
Latin America
o Costa Rica produces some of the world’s finest wet-process coffees. At its best, it balances acidity, body, and flavourful richness.
o Mexico the very best of Mexican coffees have a delicately balanced acidity and are smooth with a hint of sweetness and nutty overtones
o Brazil is the worlds leading coffee growing nation producing 29% of the world’s coffee. Brazilian coffee is typically dry processed and is often described as having a “nutty” flavour.
o Colombia’s coffee is carefully handpicked, wet-processed and beans are graded according to their size, not their quality. Colombian Supremo, large, bold beans, is Colombia’s finest quality coffee.

Africa and the Middle East
o Ethiopia – Coffee is indigenous to Ethiopia, where it was found growing wild in the third century. Much of Ethiopia’s coffee crop goes un-picked because it cannot be accessed by roads. Ethiopian coffee is processed by the dry method and has a pungent exotic quality and a vigorous spicy aroma.
o Kenya – With the most rigid grading and production systems, beans are classified by growing district, bean size and by letters (AA being the largest and highest quality, followed by A, B). Kenya AA produces a cup that is sharp and bright with the perfect balance of acidity.
o Yemen – Yemen Mocha coffee is rich and dark, and can be described as chocolate-like. It is common misconception that the word “mocha” means a chocolate-flavoured coffee. In fact, Mocha is a port in Yemen.

Asia-Pacific
o Indonesia coffees are the fullest bodied coffees in the world. Sumatra, in particular, is famous for its full-bodied, tangy and exotic flavour qualities.
o Vietnam is now one of the world’s largest producers of coffee, however, most Vietnamese coffees are low-grade Robusta.


N.B. A similar, but more comprehensive post can be found here, "Coffee Sessions with the Academe" blogspot.