A Life of No Regrets

On August 10, 2015 By Paul1 Comment

By Paul Chong Monday 10 August 2015

I am a Chinese by Descent & an Australian by Consent. Though born in a little village town called Matang, Perak, Malaysia, I should rightly call myself a Malaysian. I wish I could proudly called myself that, not for all the headline news Malaysia is making all for the wrong reasons. We have been disowned as “sons of the soil” or urged to go home to our motherland. Now the question is who should be going home?

Beneath all that news splash, Malaysia has been rotting away right down to the core. As a teacher, I had seen the political & social deterioration setting in since 13 May 1969, the year of racial riot & civil commotion when the Alliance ruling party was eroded in its two-third majority. Deprivation of rights was/is robbing deserving citizens clean & dry. Meritocracy flew out of the window to give way to “Malay-democrazy”. Malay special rights & privileges for the “Bumiputras” (sons of the soil – a term reserved only for the Malays) set to roll in tertiary education, jobs, scholarships, business ownerships, government contracts & others. Their rights & privileges supersede all others.

There’s no fairness or justice – it’s a country where anything goes (Malaysia Boleh). Law & order take cue from the Prime Minister Najib Razak, who possesses straight A’s in his credentials . . . greater qualifications than any other great leaders of the world!(Refer to my blog archives for details: “Najib: Straight A’s Malaysian Prime Minister” Thursday 27 November 2014).

Najib & Rosmah - king & queen of all they survey — Najib & Rosmah – king & queen of all they survey

With the kind of qualifications, strictly self-conferred, who else can rule over him. As a side-track kick, even his wife Rosmah, got conferred with an honorary PhD from Curtin University, Perth in Western Australia, on what ground it’s difficult to verify. So Najib rules. He rules over the courts, the MACC (Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission), the police & army, the civil service, the press to mention a few. Najib rules with absolute power.

For example, Mahuyidin Yassin was sacked as DPM for speaking out loud in requesting Najib to explain re the financial scandal of 1MDB . . . What a world to be living in? “Malaysia apa pun boleh”! Two other critics in the cabinet were also sacked.

Resuffled New Cabinet - The 'Yes' men & women — Reshuffled New Cabinet 2015 – The ‘Yes’ men & women team

The new reshuffled Malaysian Cabinet is now a poisoned chalice, unpredictable, volatile & explosive. History will be in the making. Najib is desperate & in a do or die attempt he is removing all opposition members who are critical of him & promoting others who are with him, whether it’s legal or otherwise. It’s a political quagmire that he has created and the UMNO camp in the Supreme Council is somewhat divided. Take a look at this cartoon video clip below:

No law or order . . . .

Najib has been known to say that “Cash is King”. It has nothing
to do with the economic wellbeing of Malaysia, but everything to do with political control through financial tyranny – the financial
corruption of the political institutions of Malaysia.

Now in the light of the recent financial scandal related to IMDB (I Malaysian Development Berhad), Najib Razak today said he has been cleared by MACC of corruption claims linked to a RM2.6 billion deposit in his personal accounts. MACC is newly & presently staffed by people who are in his favour. It’s maintained that the sum of money came from private donations & as prime minister, Najib is entitled to receive such donations & no crime is being committed. Even IMDB confirmed that the money didn’t come from it.

As was reported by Sarawak Report & the Wall Street Journal’ 1MDB ran up a debt of RM11 billion & apparently RM700 million was found to be deposited into Najib’s personal account. Najib told the white people to stay away & to stop meddling with Malaysia’s internal affair during the recent visit of British PM David Cameron who was telling Najib to clean up his acts. How can a dirty broom sweep clean a dirty floor? By the way, the founder of Sarawak Report has been threatened with arrest, but it would be a hard act to extradict her from UK. The same goes for WSJ.

There has long been a history of CCN (Corruption, Cronyism, Nepotism) . . . a persistent phenomenon that pervades the nation. It’s all about money & power playing out on the Malaysian stage.

Suffice for me to mention all these in passing to show the mess of the national affairs. Lots of other dirty stuff could be swept under the carpet & it’s only now that we are slowly uncovering them. The people are having their coffers robbed & there don’t seem to be any way out.

There are on-going investigations but they have been subverted by the Prime Minister when he sacked the Attorney-General, the Head of the Special Task Force and corruptly elevated four low-level UMNO flunkeys in the Parliament Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to the Cabinet. With his men placed in the right places half or the whole battle is won.

You just wonder how long will the financial saga take to be solved. Now looking in from outside I am glad we made the decision to quit the country which we so love dearly. Life’s good down under where security & safety are concerned & everything is fair & square.

When we packed up our bags to migrate in 1982 we were inclined to think that Malaysia would be sliding down more & more which is what’s happening. Our objective was to secure a better future for our three children. This we have achieved. Our daughter is a PhD holder from Murdoch University. Our elder son is a doctor with specialisation in anaesthesia. Our younger son graduated from the same University of Western Australia with double honours in civil engineering & computer science. It’s Malaysia’s loss but a gain to Australia.

The world is undoubtedly watching Malaysia. It will be interesting to see how the dramatic saga unfolds. Besides this created quagmire there are also patches of quick sand which are dangerous to tread upon.

Atlantuya - who did kill her? — Altantuya – who did kill her?

Hollywood would be interested to shoot a movie & make Najib a notorious hero on the big screen. Such a pity . . . Najib, with his good personality, tall & eloquent, could have evolved to be a national hero. Of course, he’ll play the romantic role with the Mongolian ghost ALTANTUYA SHAARIIBUU. She was allegedly bombed away when things got rough.

Doom & gloom? Deaparate & fighting hard for survival

Righteousness is a rare commodity among politicians.

Now in the twilight years of my life, I live a contented & happy life. Our object to provide our children with the best education possible was uppermost in our mind when we decided to migrate. All have been fulfilled. We wanted them to have a good start to life’s journey and they are now well established. It’s all so worthwhile, despite having to make initial sacrifices of our own, foregoing a lucrative real estate business of my own & making adjustment in the new environment.

They have a saying in Malay: “Gaya mahu, lain lain tiada apa”.

What’s the Secret re Japanese Surrender & the A-Bomb?

On August 9, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

Paul Chong Sunday 9 August 2015

Hiroshima-Nagasaki Hiroshima bomb. (Photo on Flickr by Isabella lynn Lee)
August 6, 2015

Seventy years ago, the United States dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing an estimated 70,000 people in the highest death toll from a single weapon. Just a few days later, another 40,000 civilians would die in the U.S. bombing of Nagasaki, Japan.

The anniversary comes just as Japan is divided over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to pass unpopular legislation to expand the country’s military role internationally, a year after his Cabinet’s decision to loosen Japan’s war-renouncing constitution by adopting a new interpretation of it. Abe’s grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was then the prime minister 1957 -1960.

American University Professor Peter Kuznick spoke with CCTV America’s Anand Naidoo on the Heat on Thursday 6 August 2015 and shared some of his thoughts about the dropping of the atomic bomb and the push for re-militarization in Japan.

Kuznick,History Professor & Director of Nuclear Studies Institute, co-authored with Oliver Stone the 10 part Showtime documentary film series and book “The Untold History of the United States” and offers an uncommon view of the atomic bomb and Japan:

1. “The atomic bomb was either militarily unnecessary or morally reprehensible.”
2. “The real target of the bomb was the Soviet Union.”
3. “The Japanese were initially welcomed as liberators [in Asia] because they were taking over from Western colonialists… but they were so cruel and oppressive in those countries that they were widely hated.
4. “Initially we imposed a very democratic radical reform on Japan… Japan would ban the use of warfare and offensive military forces. Now we’re supporting Abe in remilitarizing Japan… so we’ve had a complete reversal.”
5. “[Obama] marched against nuclear weapons in Central Park as a Columbia student in 1982… Obama is now calling for the revitalization of America’s nuclear capabilities.”
6. “Killing innocent women and children is a war crime, threatening all of humanity with extinction… goes far far worse.”

What Prof. Kuznick said may astound you & no doubt will take the whole world by horror. The Americans have since WWI adopted a policy of exceptionalism & idealism under the guise of democracy, human rights & freedom . . . in turn find themselves being hated & wonder “Why do they hate us when we are out there doing good?”

To have a better perspective, I came across another interview which Prof Peter Kuznick did with Paul Jay’s “Reality Exerts Itself” TV program. US wants to establish world dominance & hegemony & devise ways & means to cling on to its world power & the 50% of the world’s wealth when it’s having only 6.3% of global population . . . a situation no doubt an envy & resentment.

Americans, in contrast to others, claim to do “bad things with good objectives”, thus giving them the right to intervene, change regimes, bomb & kill millions of civilians. But the fact remains that truth must be revealed to the world & its citizens who have been deeply ingrained or indoctrinated with falsehoods.

Above: George F Kennan- American Advisor, Diplomat, Political Scientist

Are the Americans really “the Saviour of the world”?

According to Prof. Kuznick there was no need for America to drop the A-bombs, first in Hiroshima & then Nagasaki when Japan was ion fact considering surrendering at the threat of Soviet Union’s entry into the war.

Senator Madeleine Albright, past Secretary of State, had this to say: (See picture below)

Now 70 years oon, America is having a reversal of intent & supporting Japan to re-militarise & to send its soldiers to fight in wars outside Japan. Judging from Japan’s notorious past, can the world really trust Japan, especially China & Korea?

You’d be the judge & jury!

Read more: http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/08/06/what-this-academic-says-about-japan-and-the-a-bomb-may-surprise-you#ixzz3i9LJt78N
Watch us live anywhere at http://www.cctvamericalive.com
Follow us: @cctv_america on Twitter | CCTVAmerica on Facebook

Source: CCTV America, Paul Jay’s “Reality Exerts Itself” & YouTube

Why Visit China

On August 8, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

Paul Chong Saturday, 8 August 2015

China is an ancient country rich in culture, traditions & history. No other country comes close to compare. Other civilisations have come & gone, but Chinese civilisation has persisted through the test of time – a five thousand odd years of sustained civilisation – undiminished & virtually isolated from the rest of the world, only really opening up during the last 30 odd years.
Free of bureaucracy & red tape, transformation of the country’s economy & social landscape moves on rapidly. China still retains its ancient past, its mysterious wonderland amidst its modernity. Everything is humungous as with its ancient Great Wall, Yangtze Three Gorges Dam & the Grand Canal. Modern technology has seen the growth of super speed rail, urbanisation & the building of super cities known as megalopolis with population ranging from 42 million (Pearl River Delta region) to
130 million in Jing-Jin-ji (amalgamation of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) – six times the size of NYC. Can you imagine that nearly a third of the total US population to be living there. All in all there will 13 such megalopolis.
There’s no telling what will happen next.

The Chinese are living in a dynamic exciting While others stallcountry with happenings everywhere such as the revival of the Old Silk Road, the reestablishment of the Maritime Sea Route, the initiation of AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank), theWinter Olympics in 2022, just some for mention. According to BHP-Billiton executives (Australia), China is building a city equivalent to the size of Sydney every 5 days. While others stall, China surges ahead. Soon it will be a country beyond recognition.

The focus of the world is on China and it will remain so for a long time to come. The West is looking to the East even as China prepares to march westward in an attempt to revive the ancient silk road- this time around on a scale never seen or imagined before. It is a herculean task and all continents are on board. No camels my friend, it is high-speed rails and other AIIB, OLD SILK ROAD, MARITIME SEA ROUTE, means of super transportation with turbo speed. Better grab a seat on the next available flight or whatever & rid your mind of whatever misconceptions you have about the real China. Often what you get from the western media are largely untrue. Experience for yourself the excitement awaiting you in all their splendour. Just don’t rely on hearsay, get the facts.

I hate to say that western media have been out to bash China and brainwash you. For example, talk about Chinese brands – until you enter mainland China, you would never believe that there are home grown brands that are far superior in quality than some popular foreign brands. To name just a few – there is Haier, TCL, Midea, and Konka, and that’s just in electronics and home appliances. There is one reason why some of these brands find it difficult reaching your doorstep. Ask your commissions and regulators. Either they’re damn scared of competition or probably they want you to keep your job.

One of the challenges facing China is the ability to create jobs for the growing number of graduates the country’s universities churn out each year, semester after semester, millions of students. But hey, there’s always room for another foreigner. Jobs abound in the expat employment industry and the government is constantly reducing the threshold to attract foreign talents. Be it SOE’s or private organisations, there are jobs for foreigners willing to abide by the laws and regulations of the land. It’s now Chinese Dreams in the playing field.

You’ve never seen so many Chinese all at once. With a population of 1.4 billion China harbours almost a quarter of the world’s population.. China is an adventurer’s wonderland. Forget the Great Wall, enter deep into the hinterlands. Visitors would be blown at the sheer number of national parks in China. Within the 28 provinces that made up China, there are approximately 225 national parks officially recognized by the government. They’re huge landmasses managed by professional conservationists all for your viewing pleasure. Even locals have a hard time choosing where to visit on holidays.

Top on the list are parks in Yunnan, Sichuan, Anhui and those in Hunan province. Most of these parks are relatively unknown to expats living in China because of the remoteness of the regions. Quite a number of these parks are UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites. They include the Three Parallel Rivers, the Stone Forest in Kunming, and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain National Parks of Yunnan.

Other famous parks include the Wulingyuan Zhangjiajie National Park- described as China’s Avatar, the Zhangjiajie National Park is a popular tourist destination in Hunan. It is home to striking sandstone and quarts cliffs which inspired the fictional world of Pandora in James Cameron’s movie, Avatar. The Jiuhaigou National Park – located in the Jiuhai Valley; it is home to nine Tibetan villages where over 220 bird species as well as a number of endangered plant and animal species including giant pandas, Sichuan golden monkeys are protected.

Huangshan The Huangshan National Park is home to the legendary Yellow Mountains. Surrounded in the myths of ancient immortals, the Yellow Mountains have some strange charming geomorphology.We were there some years ago in winter & it was freezing that the cable cars stopped operation. We were forced to descend by the narrow stepped way with spikes attached to our shoes because the steps were iced over.

Most visitors to China shouldn’t encounter any problem with language. English is understood & spoken among the Chinese now. When we first set foot in China in 1989, the hotels then were first class, mostly in the five-star category. Now there are available more classes of hotels with modern sanitation. No fear of ancient toilets that used to put tourists off.

Almost every foreigner is a star. The Chinese are warm. Rest assured you’ll be welcomed & well treated.
Don’t attempt to change China, for China will change you instead!

Dubai Miracle Garden – The World’s Largest Flower Garden

On August 6, 2015August 6, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

Paul Chong 06/08/2015

Video: https://youtu.be/WDlqgA3ALDI

Who would have thought of the possibility of transforming Dubai’s natural desert landscape, hot & dry & barren, into a spectacular world’s largest flower garden. With its desert sand glimmering with gold & rich in oil any transformation is indeed possible. Just like Dubai’s cityscape with the tallest skyscraper in the world & every other superstructure like indoor ski slopes, it’s a miracle come true!

The middle of the desert is the last place you would expect to find: *Rainbow-coloured oasis with 45 MILLION flowers is in the middle of a desert:

· *The Dubai Miracle Garden features over 45 flower species imported from all over the world · *A multitude of shaped archways, flowerbeds and structures can be seen at the 18-acre site ·

*The colourful array is watered by a system that recycles waste water while avoiding evaporation. Indeed money breeds miracles in the world, except that I would say it’s outrageous, opulent, a show-off piece, unnatural, artificial & superficial, to say the least. It’s fine while Dubai keeps pumping & supplying its oil, but what happen when the oil wells run dry?

It’s been open to the public since 2013 but it’s closed during the notoriously hot summer months (June to September) when temperature soars above 40 degrees celcius.

The Dubai Miracle Garden features a sensational 45 million flowers over an 18-acre site, from breathtaking flowerbeds to heart-shaped archways and adorned castles. Dubai Miracle Garden is situated in the North West Quadrant of Arabian Ranches interchange. This amazing tourist attraction is a Guinness Record Holder for the Largest Vertical Garden.

Also popular is the heart shaped flower beds at the Alley of Hearts. The Miracle Garden boasts of more than 45 million blooming flowers with stunning colour combinations achieved through 45 different flower varieties and colour. All imported of course from around the world.

If the natural landscape was not enough, what makes this attraction particularly impressive is the unique sub-surface irrigation system that recycles waste water via drip irrigation while avoiding evaporation and saving up to 75 per cent of water and energy. According to a report in Gulfnews.com, Miracle Gardens’ landscaper, Akar, says it wants to demonstrate “that it’s possible to green the desert through judicious re-use of waste water, through drip irrigation.”

Landscaping company, Akar, sought to deck out the gardens with an awe-inspiring assortment of flowers – most of which are rare and seen for first time in the Middle East, such as petunias and geraniums. In order to create a fresh experience for guests visiting the rainbow gardens, the displays are changed seasonally.

These have included millions of flowers in the shape of a UAE floral flag, floral clock, a Ferrari car with driver decorated by flowers, a vertical buried car zone, flower apple structures, artificial animals, flower boats and an Islamic Arch Design. Of course, the attraction would not be complete without open parking, VIP parking, sitting areas, prayer room, toilet blocks, ablution facility, security room, first aid room, carts for handicapped visitors, retails and commercial kiosk and all other related services available to facilitate visitors. A pathway shaded by umbrellas at the Miracle Garden, provides a colourful walkway for visiting guests.

It’s a magic land, Disneyland of wonderful array of colours & all unimaginable rolled into one. Dubai Miracle Garden is designed to be above all other gardens of the world – the be all & end all of gardens, if the claim for the title is fitting!

Dubai Miracle Garden: Al Barsha South; open daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., October to late May. Entrance 20 AED (US$5.50) per person, kids under three free. http://www.the-miracle-garden.com

Source: CNN, Wikipaedia, YouTube

Brilliant Business Advice – Is It Worth The Toil To Be Rich?

On August 5, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

Paul Chong Thursday 6 August 2015

The Americans are very good in telling stories before beginning their speeches. The object is to captivate the audience attention or to demonstrate a point. Here’s one such story of an American MBA businessman tourist’s encounter with a simple Greek fisherman.

A boat docked in a tiny seaside village. An American businessman tourist complimented the local fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” answered the fisherman.

“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the businessman. The fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The businessman asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, play the guitar, and sing a few songs… I have a full life.”

The businessman interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard, and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the fisherman.
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to the city, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the fisherman.

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the businessman.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well my Friend, That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the businessman, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the fisherman.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings doing what you like and enjoying your friends.”

Such an irony it turned out to be!
Why struggle?
Be Content & Happy.

GREED WITHOUT END
GETTING RICH IS NOT THE BE ALL & END ALL OF LIFE!

Cholesterol Is Finally Officially Removed From ‘Naughty’ List

On August 5, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

The US government has finally accepted that cholesterol is not a ‘nutrient of concern’, doing a U-turn on their warnings

By Nikki Barr | #ICYMI – Tue, May 26, 2015 13:25 BST
Cholesterol has been on the “naughty” list of nutrients for nearly 40 years, with health officials warning us to stay away from high-cholesterol foods since the 1970s to avoid heart disease and clogged arteries.

Full-fat
dairy products

Two stuffed avocados — Stuffed avocados and advocados

are high in
good fats.
Copyright
[Rex]
Full-fat dairy products and advocados are high in good fats. Copyright [Rex]

But US officials have finally given the green light for a U-turn on previous warnings, which means eggs, butter, full-fat dairy products, nuts, coconut oil and meat have now been classified as “safe” and have been officially removed from the “nutrients of concern” list.

The US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for updating the guidelines every five years, stated in its findings for 2015: “Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day.

“The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol, consistent with the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology) report.

“Cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.”

Eggs are
no longer on
the ‘naughty
list’.
Copyright
[Rex]
Eggs are no longer on the ‘naughty list’. Copyright [Rex]
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will, in response, no longer warn people against eating high-cholesterol foods and will instead focus on sugar as the main substance of dietary concern.

The 70s, 80s and 90s were the ‘non fat’ years, with the government warning people to limit the amount of high-cholersterol foods in their diets to avoid heart disease and strokes.

But nutritionists and scientists have long been campaigning for the U-turn, which started with introducing “good cholesterols” back into the ‘safe zone’.
US cardiologist Dr Steven Nissen said: “It’s the right decision. We got the dietary guidelines wrong. They’ve been wrong for decades.”

He esitmated that about 20 per cent of cholesterol levels in your blood come from your diet, which means the rest is produced by your liver and is actually needed by the body.

Dr Chris Masterjohn added:“Since we cannot possibly eat enough cholesterol to use for our bodies’ daily functions, our bodies make their own.

“When we eat more foods rich in this compound, our bodies make less. If we deprive ourselves of foods high in cholesterol – such as eggs, butter, and liver – our body revs up its cholesterol synthesis.”

Nuts were
previously
thought to
contain too
much
cholesterol.
Copyright
[Rex]
Nuts were previously thought to contain too much cholesterol. Copyright [Rex]
Sugar has now been identified as the “worst” food culprit for health problems, with GPs now focusing on weaning patients off the sweet stuff.

Cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, who works with group Action On Sugar, says a clamp-down on the food industry is next.

He said: “It’s very clear that added sugar has absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever and, contrary to what the food industry want you to believe, the body doesn’t require any carbohydrate for energy from added sugar.

“And we know the food industry have been spiking our food with added sugars. We also know that carbohydrates and particularly refined carbohydrates – so carbohydrates that lack fibre, sugar being one of them – have the biggest impact on insulin in terms of surges of insulin in our body. And insulin is a fat storing hormone.”
So, in summary, ditch your skinny latte for a full-fat latte and get some avocados down you.

Fascinating Beautiful ‘Frankenstein’ Tree Growing 40 Different Types Of Stone Fruit At Once

On August 3, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

Source: TEDxManhattan – YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9EuJ9QlikY [5.19 mins]

Once, long time ago, I was fascinated with a rose plant in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. It was growing some varieties of roses all in one plant.But this Beautiful ‘Frankenstein’ Tree can grow 40 different types of fruit at once. Should you think otherwise, please read on & watch the 2 videos from YouTube.

If you thought this tree looks amazing, you should know it is also a scientific marvel.  Using various grafting methods art professor Sam Van Aken has created a series of ‘Frankenstein’ trees, which are capable of producing 40 different types of stone fruit including peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries and almonds.

Sam Van Aken is an artist and professor at Syracuse University Speaking in a video for National Geographic, Van Aken said: “Part of the idea behind the Tree of 40 Fruit was to plant them in locations that people would stumble upon them.  “And once they happened upon one of these trees, they would start to question ‘Why are the leaves shaped differently?’ ‘Why are they different colours?’”  Explaining his inspiration to Huffington Post, he added: “I was able to see the grafting process while growing up on a farm and have always been fascinated by how one living thing cut could be cut inserted into another living thing and continue to grow. ”As this fascination evolved I came to see grafting used as a metaphor for sexuality such as in Ovid’s Metamorphosis and the modern man such as Frankenstein. Like the forms in these books I wanted the tree to be the beginning of a narrative. A form that when seen causes one to create narrative.” The 16 trees involved in the project are currently entering harvest season and should soon be heavy with 40 different varieties of fruit.

He said: “I take a sliver off one of the trees that includes the bud, I insert it into a like-size incision in the working tree, tape it, let it sit and heal in all winter, then I prune it back and hope that it grows.” Van Aken’s experiments began in 2008 when he came across a neglected orchard on the verge of bankruptcy. He promptly bought the property and began splicing.  The Tree of 40 Fruit project sees each tree take around five years to create, and has yielded 16 trees so far. They are planted in these locations around the United States (Map Below).

Sam Van Aken uses “chip grafting” to create trees that each bear 40 different varieties of stone fruits, or fruits with pits. The grafting process involves slicing a bit of a branch with a bud from a tree of one of the varieties and inserting it into a slit in a branch on the “working tree,” then wrapping the wound with tape until it heals and the bud starts to grow into a new branch. Over several years he adds slices of branches from other varieties to the working tree.

Slimming with Fennel Seeds Drink

On August 3, 2015June 17, 2018 By PaulLeave a comment

By Paul Chong Monday 31 July 2015

Slimming diet & method are a dime a dozen. Most are quite confusing & arduous to follow. Slimming is big business. There isn’t a single day that goes by without commercials on how to slim.

I highly recommend it knowing this fennel drink which is simple to make. You can sip it every day and enjoy its slimming effects. This is a very old remedy that helps weight loss, originating in India, and it works remarkably well.

All you need to do is take a glass jar, put 2 table spoons of fennel seeds in it and fill it up with a litre of filtered water. Close the lid of the jar and let it sit for the night. In the beginning you’ll see the seeds float, but by morning they will have sunk to the bottom.

Although this drink helps with weight loss, drinking more of it will not make the process any quicker. Like everything else in life, this drink should be taken in moderation. Follow the instructions and make a daily batch with 1 litre of water, sipping it throughout the day.

In addition, fennel seeds contain potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and Vitamins A and C, they also offer a variety of health benefits that aid our weight loss:

1. Accelerates metabolism: Our metabolism is the rate in which our cells use the energy we gained from the food we eat. By boosting and accelerating this process, the calories we consume are used by our cells more rapidly, which both gives us energy and helps us burn fat from our body.

2. Suppresses hunger: The fennel seed water prevent muscle contraction, which helps with our hunger pangs by relaxing the stomach muscles, and so we feel less hungry.

3. Purifies the blood: Fennel seed water help dump the remnants of urine acid in the blood, and in addition, break down stomach acids to prevent the accumulation of additional fat in the liver.

4. Helps with toxin clean-up: In today’s world, we are beset by toxins at every corner: Car exhaust fumes, cosmetics, polluted water and meat. Fennel seed water help wash the body, purifying it from these toxins and removing them through the kidneys.

5. Encourages the production of melatonin: Melatonin is the hormone responsible for our sleep cycles. A good night’s sleep is between 6 and 9 hours, and is essential for good health and the appropriate body weight. Drinking fennel seed water helps make sure that the melatonin levels in our body work in our favor and prevent insomnia. Note: This doesn’t mean the drink will make you sleep, quite the opposite: During the day you will feel like you have extra energy, but you will notice it is easier to fall asleep come bed time.
A few tips: It is recommended to use filtered water, the cleanest you can drink. To add aroma to the beverage, you can roast the fennel seeds on a pan until they release their sweet scent (about 20 seconds). It’s recommended one starts with a small amount (about half what appears in the recipe). If you like the drink and feel like you’ve finally found your method for losing weight, continue drinking it every day.

It is herbal & guaranteed to have no side effects.

Please note that besides slimming there are other amazing benefits with fennel seeds.

Fennel seeds are considered quite useful for relieving various ailments, ranging from congestion and stomach gas to asthma and diabetes.Fennel seed symbolizes longevity, courage, and strength. In addition to its use as medicinal values, fennel indeed has health benefiting nutrients.

A Simple Guide to Meditation at Home

On August 3, 2015August 3, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

By Paul Chong – Monday 3 August 2015

Meditation, though an ancient practice with the Hindus & Buddhists, has no religious overtone attached. It’s perfectly alright for everyone & anyone who wants to attain calm & peace of mind or whatever. For a Christian or believer, it’s captivating the presence of God . . . contemplation, thought, thinking, musing, pondering, consideration, reflection, prayer, deliberation, study, rumination, cogitation, brooding, mulling over, reverie, concentration, speculation or rate cerebration. On a one-to-one basis, it’s ideally suited for one to draw close to God. I reckon your conversation with God should be private & unique & not shouting out loud or amplified for all the world to hear. Simply, it’s defined as “the act or process of spending time in quiet thought: the act or process of meditating”.

Meditation has many known health benefits, such as increasing longevity and reducing stress. People have been practicing meditation for over two millennia, with Hindu texts describing meditative forms as early as the 6th-century BC. Whatever preconceptions you may have, I suggest you don’t rely on hearsay but get the facts. Discover for yourself its calming and healing properties.
Many people meditate without even knowing that they’re doing it. A person sitting and fishing for a few hours in silence is performing a type of meditation, the same as another who might be jogging with their headphones on. It involves dedicating 100% of your attention to one subject. Meditation has also been a key factor in Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as Western religions like Christianity and Judaism.

Meditation has many proven health benefits, such as silencing your internal chatter, calming and grounding one’s self, and getting in touch with yourself, to name a few. A recent Harvard University study discovered that daily meditation can rebuild the brain’s grey matter in as little as eight weeks. Participants also reported a reduction in stress – a prime factor in the decrease in grey matter density.

From young children to elderly people, everyone can meditate. There are many forms of meditation, some more suitable for people of different ages, so don’t be daunted if one form doesn’t work for you. Finding the meditation that suits you best is very gratifying.
The first thing you need to do, is decide on the purpose of your meditation: You may want to calm down, get to know yourself better, or even make an important business decision. Knowing why you’re meditating is the first step to a useful meditation. You don’t need special clothes (but comfortable ones make it easier) or equipment. All you need a quiet spot and to reserve some time for it.

When you begin your meditation, don’t lay down or sit in a slumped position – these positions do not help you stay alert and focused. Sit up straight, either on a chair, on your heels or cross-legged. Find the position that is comfortable for you, sitting in the lotus position is not mandatory in meditation.
Don’t meditate after eating, digestion can be very distracting during a session. If you just had a meal, wait for 2 hours and let your stomach calm down. You should avoid smoking for at least 30 minutes before the meditation.

Find a quiet spot that you will be comfortable in, this is essential for the first few times you meditate. Once you are comfortable with meditation, you’ll be able to do it anywhere.
Remember to switch off your cell phone – it’s a distraction. Consider lighting a scented candle or some incense to help your meditation and switch off or dim the lights – bright lights may also be a distraction.

Do some basic stretching before you start, it will loosen up your muscles and help you be more attentive to your body later on.

Breathing is the most important factor in meditation, we use each breath as a focal point. Close your eyes and deeply inhale through your nose, then slowly exhale through your mouth. Feel how your chest expands and contracts with each breath. Listen to the silence between breaths – notice how everything becomes still and quiet. You may even notice your heartbeat slowing down. If your thoughts begin to scatter, concentrate on your breathing.
As a beginner, focusing might not come naturally. Give it time and be patient with yourself. Some people find that focusing on their breathing won’t quiet their minds, and may need to try other methods:

• Counting your breaths may help – count each breath and when you reach ten, start over. However, if you become focused on the numbers and not on the breathing, stop.
• Another alternative is repeating a mantra – there’s a reason some people say “Om” when they meditate – it helps drown the outside world and focus on the sound. You can repeat any other word that helps you calm down if Om is not for you.
• Try visualising a calm place – it can be anything: the beach, a forest, your childhood home, etc. as long as it’s your sanctuary. When you find your sanctuary, don’t be afraid to explore it – there’s no need to try and “create” your surroundings, they’re already there.

Set aside at least fifteen minutes a day for meditation (more is welcome). Remember: short daily repetitions are better than one long weekly session because they form a habit. Eventually, the practice of meditation will find its way into your everyday life. You’ll find yourself considering your food choices more carefully, making decisions more consciously and focusing on things you read, watch or listen to with greater attention.

Learning to silence your inner thoughts takes practice, but managing to attain inner peace is a huge reward. Remember – “practice makes perfect”, so keep meditating regularly. It may take you a few weeks or even a couple of months to learn to properly focus, so don’t get frustrated or discouraged.

Not trying to be a meditation guru overnight, are you?

Drink THIS First Thing in the Morning

On August 2, 2015 By PaulLeave a comment

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This daily trick can help you detoxify, improve your digestion and boost your metabolism & energy levels

by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of the best seller: The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging
Aug, 02, 2015
You’re bombarded with toxins in today’s modern world… everywhere from the polluted air you breathe, the water you drink, the shampoos and other cosmetics that lather your body with chemicals, and of course, all of the chemical additives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other harmful compounds in the food that you eat.

All of these TOXINS can have harmful effects on your body, harming your metabolism and hormones, impairing your digestive system, and zapping your energy levels.

If I could tell you ONE thing that you could do each morning right as you wake up to help your body eliminate some of these toxins, improve your digestion, stimulate your metabolism, and BOOST your energy, would you do it?
Of course you would… and it takes less than 1 minute!
Here’s the trick…
Immediately upon waking each day, squeeze about 1/2 to 1 full lemon (depending on size of the lemon) into an 8 oz glass of warm or room temperature purified water. This is gentler on your body first thing in the morning compared to ice cold water. I’ve found that slicing the lemon into quarters before squeezing by hand is easier than squeezing halves.
Drink this at least 10 minutes before eating any food for the day.
Make sure to use fresh organic lemons to make this drink, and not bottled lemon juice. You want to use organic lemons to avoid the pesticides that can accumulate.

According to a leading health publication, TheAlternativeDaily.com:

“The health promoting benefits of lemons are powerful. For centuries, it has been known that lemons contain powerful antibacterial, antiviral and immune boosting components. We know that lemons are a great digestive aid and liver cleanser.
Lemons contain citric acid, magnesium, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, pectin, calcium and limonene, which supercharge our immunity so that the body can fight infection.  Lemons are considered one of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. This may seem untrue as they are acidic on their own. However, in the body, lemons are alkaline; the citric acid does not create acidity once it has been metabolized. The minerals in lemons are actually what helps to alkalize the blood. Most people are too acidic (from eating too much sugar and grains), and drinking warm lemon water helps reduce overall acidity, drawing uric acid from the joints.
This reduces the pain and inflammation which many people feel. And the American Cancer Society recommends warm lemon water to encourage regular bowel movements.”

Benefits that you can enjoy:
1. Improves your digestion:
Lemon juice helps your body improve digestion and stimulates bile production. Lemon juice can even be an aid for heartburn and indigestion.

2. Boosts your energy for the day:
Even just the scent of lemon juice has been shown to improve your mood and energy levels, and reduce anxiety. Plus the detoxifying effect and alkalizing effect of fresh organic lemon juice can improve your energy through the removal of toxins from your body.

3. Helps you to lose fat:
Since lemon juice helps to improve your digestive system, aids in removal of toxins, and increases your energy levels, this all combines together to help you to lose body fat as well through improving your hormonal balance… Yet another reason to add warm lemon water to your daily morning routine!
That’s a pretty simple trick, right?

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Paul Chong's Blog

Author: Paul

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