Jace 'n' Place: Snippets

Inline Skating Videos For Beginners

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:30:46 GMT

I was so surprised and glad to find Skateline School putting their easy-to-learn blading tutorials on a YouTube channel. This is really useful for a beginner, e.g. noobies like me! I really enjoyed myself when I was enrolled for the basic level 1 and 2 classes last year, my best buddy there being a young Korean kid (aka 김성진 no.2.. lol). Now I can actually use the clips to review what I have learned so far before moving on to level 3 (kind of rusty now.. Marcus, Aaron, Daniel, pls get me out for blading!!!!). You can go direct to the channel itself, or browse through the nifty moves that I have organized based on Skateline's own "Learn-To-Skate Program" booklet format:

Learn-To-Skate Program (ICP Standard)

Level 1:

Stride 1
Heel Stop (I bought a pair of blades without heel brakes, hence I shunned using heel brakes to stop initially. Never did I know that it is in fact very important, especially for slopes, after going through the lessons. This is also my main reason for failing my first ever evaluation..ㅠㅠ ! Learn well.)
A-Frame Turn (The very first basic turn to learn and you can then turn everywhere!)
Scooter (Important to familiarize placing your weight on one foot.)
Swizzle (Looks easy but watch your balance.. it is easy to fall backwards doing this! Bend your knees for better thrust and balance.)

Level 2:

Stride 2
1-Foot Balance (Another very important aspect to master.)
Toe Roll (Fun to try, luckily not tested during evaluation.. lol)
Heel Stop 2
Scooter Turn
Parallel Turn (I like this turn, it is so smooth. Maybe the hip is the trick.)
Simple Slalom (my instructor told me ppl can fail this 8 times in a row.. his stern advice: no body rotation!)

Level 3:

Stride 3 (My first lesson in level 3? Speed skating? *ahh* looks difficult!)
Spin Stop
Forward Cross-over (Nice move.. always wanting to learn this.)
T-Stop (*hehe* I had secretly started training on this using the sloping overhead bridge at East Coast.. many horrifying experiences to share though! Maybe I should wait until proper lessons start...)

Level 4:

Level 5:

Lunge Turn (Marcus seems to know this instinctively!)
Lunge Stop
1-Foot Slalom
Heel-Stop 3
Forward Power-slide
Backward Cross-over

Level 6:

Anyway, nothing beats having someone qualified to guide you along, and through my experience with Skateline's group of dedicated instructors, I find them to be pleasant and *overly* enthusiastic to impact knowledge, not forgetting the feel-good environment for all beginners during classes. The fun thing about inline skating is that there are so many interesting moves that I can gradually pick up as my skill improves (but I just can't do Aaron's Eagle move *sianz*) , as opposed to my first impression then as a leisure activity plus *lazy* way to exercise from one end of East Coast to another. I'm thinking of going for level 3 class this Saturday, anyone joining me? =p

Age doesn't matter so don't be shy to learn! For more information, check out the Learn-To-Skate Program by Skateline now!

➸ Other useful downloads...

Skateline Tutorials (in video format):

Level 1-3 4-6 Intermediate Skate Backward
Viewable in Nokia Phones 1-4 5-7

Skating Guides:

Skate Rockering pdf
Skate Backward pdf
Slalom FAQs pdf

Slalom Progression Chart (by SGSkaters):

Level 1-2 3 4 5-7

Interesting Clips*:

Tricks by Universkate zip
The Chinese MSTeam zip
Paris Slalom World Cup zip
Shanghai Slalom Open zip
IFSA Slide Contest zip
The Clopinettes' Gang zip
and more...

* use winzip if cannot uncompress file in this section.

Twin YouTube Delights From 2007

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:56:36 GMT

I laughed myself silly along with this little bundle of joy! This is seriously ~~not~~ a laughing matter not for the faint-hearted!

YouTube: Laughing Baby (mp4 / advert)

Imagine a pride of sly gangsters ambushing some really blur passersby, out sprang a jaw-dropping robber challenging the gangsters to a tug-of-war, while the young victim's comrades reunite to bring forth the world's greatest rescue act *my gang is bigger than yours*! Never in my life have I witnessed such incredible wonders of nature..

YouTube: Battle @ Kruger (mp4)

For more real wicked videos, check out YouTube's award winners for 2007! Woah... =P

(This post is best viewed in Firefox)

Dolphin Rescues Stranded Whale Family

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:25:44 GMT

An amazing story of Moko the dolphin, quintessence of nature that has captivated me ever since I was a child!

Most days Moko the bottlenose dolphin swims playfully with humans at a New Zealand beach. But this week, it seems, Moko found his mojo.
Witnesses described Wednesday how they saw the dolphin swim up to two stranded whales and guide them to safety.
Before Moko arrived, rescue workers had been working for more than an hour to get two pygmy sperm whales, a mother and her calf, back out to sea after they were stranded Monday off Mahia Beach, New Zealand Conservation Department worker Malcolm Smith said.
But Smith said the whales restranded themselves four times on a sandbar slightly out to sea from the beach, about 300 miles (500 kilometers) northeast of the capital, Wellington.
It was looking likely they would have to be euthanized to prevent a prolonged death, he said.
"They kept getting disorientated and stranding again," said Smith, who was among the rescuers. "They obviously couldn't find their way back past (the sandbar) to the sea."
Then along came Moko, who approached the whales and appeared to lead them as they swam 200 yards (180 meters) along the beach and through a channel out to the open sea.
"Moko just came flying through the water and pushed in between us and the whales," Juanita Symes, another rescuer, told the Associated Press. "She got them to head toward the hill, where the channel is. It was an amazing experience."
Anton van Helden, a marine mammals expert at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, said the reports of Moko's rescue were "fantastic" but believable because dolphins have "a great capacity for altruistic activities."
There's evidence of dolphins protecting people lost at sea, and the swimmers are known for their playfulness with other animals.
"But it's the first time I've heard of an inter-species refloating technique. I think that's wonderful," said van Helden, who was not involved in the rescue but spoke afterward to Smith.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed (unless on a blog?).

See here (video) for more...

I remembered the good old days when I would read finished all the books available on nature, animals and insects in the Marine Parade National Library and had to wait longingly for new releases. Just want to show you a couple of pictures of one of my favourite mammals, the Narwhal, or "unicorn" whale:

At times, a male Narwhal may even have 2 tusks, although such instances are rare. The sociable and ever-smiling Beluga whales are also another of my favourites, the scene of a baby Beluga stranded on the shore helplessly as the family waited in anxiety was a really distressing sight: =(

Beluga Whale Stranded (National Geographic): When a baby beluga whale gets stranded on the shore, there's nothing its mother and pod can do but wait.

We Love Torres

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:46:04 GMT

The doom and gloom for the last few months finally lifted for all Liverpool fans, and chasing all doomsayers and critics away for some needed breathing space for Rafa and Co. A heart-warming report that I saw in The New Paper recently, the camaraderie is a joy to behold as Gerrard presented the match ball to the hat-trick hero followed by a warm embrace as the Kop roared its approval.

Torres es magnífico!

By David Lee (TNP)

YOU would have missed this if you had switched off your TV straight after the game.

It was a scene of brotherly love that could have come straight out the pages of Mark Twain's Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

A Fernando Torres hat-trick and Steven Gerrard's howitzer had just given Liverpool an easy 4-0 win over West Ham. But what happened after would have made even the most sceptical of Reds fans smile.

From one hero to another, Captain Courageous picked the ball up, teased referee Steve Bennett with a clever feint and walked over to the one they call El Nino, or The Kid.

With the grin of a Cheshire cat, Gerrard presented Torres with the match ball followed by a warm embrace as the Kop roared its approval.

After a season hampered by internal strife and petty paranoia, love is in the air again at Anfield.

Ten goals in their last three straight league wins will have done enough to suggest a mini-revival is on the cards.

The reason behind their change of fortunes? One word - Torres. They love him at Anfield, and for good reason.

Without Torres, Liverpool only managed a measly 57 goals over the course of 38 league games last season.

This season, they already have 50 goals in March with 10 more league games left.

Arriving at Anfield for a princely sum of £21 million ($57.9m), the 23-year-old provided immediate returns on his home debut in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea in August.

Since then, Torres has netted 24 goals in 33 appearances, including three hat-tricks and 18 league goals.

Yesterday morning, the scoring sensation showed just why he can be bigger than Kop demi-god Robbie Fowler.

Nipping ahead of Anton Ferdinand, Torres flashed a volley past a stunned Robert Green to open the scoring from a poor bobble of a Dirk Kuyt cross.

Lesser strikers would have sulked and swore at that type of supply. But not Torres.

His second goal oozed simplicity as he merely stooped to head a better cross from Kuyt into the top corner.

And the final instalment of the Torres Treble showcased the Spaniard's excellent first touch as he zipped past Lucas Neill, and showed great composure to thread the ball past the scrambling Green.

So you see, what's there not to love about him?

He doesn't complain like Didier Drogba, he is more hardworking than Dimitar Berbatov, and he is better-looking than Wayne Rooney.

As one of Mark Twain's quotes read: 'Man will do many things to get himself loved.' For Torres, all it takes is for him to continue his red-hot scoring form.

It is always nice to relive the wonderful actions of the last 3 matches again, and the goal against Inter at the San Siro was simply brilliant! What more can I say; Torres and Gerrard's expressions said it all! Wow!

watch

"The Spaniard's movement, control and finish were an object lesson in centre forward play at its finest, and the combination of all three of the striker's main arts produced a moment which Torres will, quite rightly, cherish for ever." (Liverpool Echo)

Get the full match torrents before the seeding ends, highlights from the fan sites listed, or direct from the official LFC TV:

Premiership: Liverpool vs West Ham (mininova)
Premiership: Liverpool vs Newcastle (mininova)
Champions' League: Inter vs Liverpool (mininova)

Credits: liverpool-vlog.blogspot.com, www.liverpoolclip.com

Enjoy and let's aim for this! =p

*updated on 16th Mar, 2008

Singapore's World Cup Dream 2014

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:01:42 GMT

Supporting the Singapore Lions has always been my passion, although age has since dwindled the affections a little. One of the more memorable games was watching Singapore lost to Myanmar on penalties in the 1993 SEA Games football semi-final, a heart-breaking moment as I stood solemnly with thousands of fans at the end of the game for a long while. Plastic bags with ice were raining all over my head as the visitors' fans were sitting a short distance in front of me. I simply love being at the Kallang National Stadium to soak in the atmosphere, do the Kallang Wave in unison and shout myself hoarse (and a place where I mastered shouting vulgarities aloud). You can read "why is swearing legitimate in a soccer stadium" here. =p

(A full Kallang Stadium in 2007 watching Singapore against Malaysia)

Malaysia Cup Era

Memories of our 80-90's Malaysia Cup campaigns shone brighter. It was a joy watching Steven Tan nutmegged Alan Davidson, swerving past another defender to hit home in the last minute against Pahang as the whole of the 55,000 fans erupted (after 89 minutes of nail-biting) during the group stage!

credits: Devotion of KallangRoar.com

It all culminated in the great final (17th Dec 1994) in the intimidating Shah Alam Stadium when Singapore thrashed Pahang 4-0 with a brilliant hat-trick from Abbas Saad and a superb goal from Fandi. The 1994 special edition Puma T-shirt with all their signatures is still kept crisply in my cupboard.

(Fandi celebrating the Malaysia Cup win in 1994,
picture by Chandler Bing)

Video Collection:

100 Years of Singapore Football (Part 1)

100 Years of Singapore Football (Part 2)

Malaysia Cup 1994 Champions

The Lions Montage

The Lions Manifesto and more videos by Faris

Tiger Cup Era

In recent years, Singapore had won the Tiger Cup (ASEAN Football Championship) thrice, a solitary shoulder-blade goal in final of 1998 against Vietnam followed by absolutely thrilling performances in 2004 and 2007! In 2004, Singapore overcame all odds, including a first leg visit to the colossal 100,000 capacity Senayan Stadium, to register a 5-2 aggregate victory in the final. The semi-final in the 2007 campaign was emotional, being the last match against historical arch-rival Malaysia at the Kallang Stadium before being replaced by a newer Sports Hub after the competition. The 55,000 fans were there with the Roar and the Wave, the match was electrifying with a late equaliser by Ridhuan taking the match to penalties. The goal was a blur, but jumping up and down to celebrate in delirium with everyone beside me brought back the years and memories. The final against Thailand was equally fantastic, with the famous walkout and a superb Khairul Amri's goal to win the Cup the main highlights. It was an era to be proud of.

Video Collection:

ASEAN Cup 2007 Champions
- Singapore vs Laos (Group Stage)
- Singapore vs Malaysia (Semi-Final)
- Singapore vs Thailand (Final)

Tiger Cup 2004 (Final Leg 1)
- Indonesia vs Singapore

Tiger Cup 2004 (Final Leg 2)
- Singapore vs Indonesia

The Future

I shall make this up. I am sure we can all dream? Can't we? Singapore qualifies for the World Cup in 2010 and actually wins the World Cup in 2014! I know I know, we lost to the Saudis 2-0 in Riyadh in the first game of round 3. Whatever happened in the end, I will stand by the Lions who has made it this far. Congratulations to Singapore for making Goal 2010 a reality with the winning Youth Olympics Games bid. Here comes the fantasy in my dream:

Singapore qualifies for the World Cup in 2010 and went through the group stage!

Singapore loses to France in the 2nd round. Still a great achievement!

Singapore wins the 2014 World Cup with an emphatic 5-0 thumping of England!

Hope you enjoy Singapore's football journey =p

...and don't forget to visit Singapore's favourite football community @ KallangRoar.com!

A Rosy Guide To Valentine's Day

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:45:47 GMT

It is time to prepare your bouquet of roses for your loved one! May both of you have a wonderful time together on the 14th of Feb ^^

BUDS, LEAVES, THORNS

Red rosebud	Pure and lovely
White rosebud	Too young to love
Rosebud with leaves and no thorns	There is nothing to hope or fear
Full-blown rose over two buds	Secret love
Rose without thorns	Love at first sight
Rose leaf	You may hope

NUMBERS

1	You're the only one for me	12	The ultimate declaration of love
2	You and me; Let's get engaged	20	You and I are perfect together
3	I love you; Please forgive me	24	I cherish our love
5	No regrets	36	You light my fire
6	I want to be yours	48	True love
8	Sincere apologies	99	Will you be mine?
10	You're perfect	100	I'm totally in love with you
11	I am the missing stem to make the perfect dozen

COLOUR

Red	Love
Full red	Beauty
Burgundy	Unconscious beauty
Dark red	Mourning; Bashful shame
White	Spiritual love and purity; I am worthy of your love
Yellow	Joy (traditionally, waning love; infidelity; jealousy)
Coral	Desire
Orange	Fascination
Lavender	Love at first sight
Pink	Perfect happiness; Please believe me
Pale pink	Friendship
Dark pink	Thank you
Black	Farewell
Red and white	Unity
Red and yellow	Happy feelings
Yellow and orange	Passionate thoughts

Source: The Straits Times

Recently, I heard a very nice and romantic French song introduced to me by Jessie titled Je m'appelle Hélène (youtube) by Hélène Rollès. The lyrics are quite interesting and a Chinese cover version (依恋) of it was sung by Singaporean songstress Joi Chua. Hope to share this song with you. ^^

A Request: Then I remembered that there is another French song that I have been searching in vain for the last 2 years, after hearing it on an online Korean radio station. I managed to record part of the song here:

Till today, I have neither discovered the song title nor the singer. If you know of the song, or you can write out a small portion of the lyrics in French and let me know, I will be very grateful to you. I really hope to find out what this beautiful song is. =)

Tiger Airways Set Up Base In Korea

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 05:07:08 GMT

Incheon City has agreed to establish a low cost air carrier based at Incheon International Airport early next year with Tiger Airways in Singapore. The two sides signed the agreement Monday in Singapore and will first open a special purpose corporation for the carrier's launch (KBS Global).

The new airline aims to begin operations within 12 months, pending government approval. "I am confident that our customers in Korea, Eastern China and Japan will be receptive and embrace low cost travel," said Mr Tony Davis, Tiger's chief executive. Incheon Tiger Airways will operate an initial fleet of five Airbus A320 aircraft and expects to carry two million passengers in the first year of flights. The carrier will focus on the domestic market and will later fly to North Asia, Russia and Mongolia, Mr Davis said.
He added that expanding into the North Asian market would allow Tiger passengers greater connectivity. For example, a passenger can fly from Singapore to Macau or the Philippines and connect to Incheon on the low-cost carrier (TODAYonline.com).

However, it is yet to be seen whether the carrier will be able to operate international flights when the business opens, as the transportation ministry is planning to only grant international operation licenses to airlines that have operated domestic routes for a minimum of three years without any major accidents.
An official of the city government's maritime, airport and distribution bureau said he expects the Incheon carrier to operate domestic routes for about a year and be allowed to start international operations. The carrier's domestic routes are likely to include those between Incheon and Busan, Daegu and Jeju. "While other carrier's domestic flights operate in Gimpo airport, the Incheon airline will be based in the Incheon International Airport. Passengers from provinces who are leaving the country, will be able to transfer through Incheon airport,'' he said.
The official said its airfare will be much lower than other budget carriers , Jeju Air and Hansung Airlines, whose fares are about 70 percent of those by Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. "The fare will cost around 40 to 50 percent of the two national flag carriers' fares, as we'll cut costs as much as possible. For example, free drinks or meals will not be provided, and flight attendants will wear white shirts and jeans instead of uniforms designed by famous designers,'' he said (The Korean Times).

All in all, it is exciting news for me as I look forward to yearly trips to trek up the 808-steps to the summit of Ulsanbawi (울산바위) and give the Heundeulbawi (흔들바위) boulder a little push along the way -- if the airfare is affordable!

The city of Sokcho (속초) had given me many wonderful memories, and I can't wait to be back.

Rubbish LFC Forumers

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:39:16 GMT

I was so aghast with so many forumers bashing their own club in their own *backyard* e-Season Ticket Football Forum that I put up this reply in one thread aptly named "Rubbish Rubbish LFC Supporters" by Joe-El in anger and vowed never to visit the official forums at Liverpoolfc.tv again!!!

I have almost the same sentiments as Joe-El. I’m fed up too. It is more of an issue when we know we are talking among “ourselves”, but our own manager and players keep getting trampled by our “very own” fans. Imagine spending time in a pub and someone is saying all these derogative remarks each and every day since the season started. I am sure my punches will fly.
Everyday, even before my current nick, I would come into the e-season ticket forum for more interesting discussions after reading the main LFC.tv news. It is almost like a routine. Compared to general discussion forums elsewhere where opposing fans flame one another, I particularly like to listen to my fellow fans’ comments, although I seldom make postings probably due to my lack of knowledge.
These days, I realize fans have essentially changed. Gone are the days where our managers are given the respect they deserve in a gentlemanly way.
I have never seen the glorious years to understand how great Liverpool was, as I started supporting this club only after 1992, but with a passion that never fade since. In addition, what I like all along is the feel-good factor of this club, almost like a big football family, and coming to view Man U (lately Chelsea) as an example of an arrogant club that one should learn to dislike. Strangely, I do not dislike Everton, but I know we "die die" must beat them in every derby for me not to feel terrible. Even when we were under siege for the spice boys culture, it was us against them all.
Of course, we will dislike players within the clubs at times, but only if they turned their back against us. Mcmanaman is one, Ziege, then Owen, and very nearly, Gerrard. I still remember vividly the turmoil that goes through my mind in that nervy few hours Gerrard was on the brink of signing for Chelsea, as I constantly refreshed the forum posts. This forum was a great place back then, and never like the state it is now. But usually, all is forgiven once we know where the true loyalty lies.
I emphasized again, only to people that turned their back on the club. Hence, I am appalled by the great deal of atrocious insults and disrespect that pervade the boards against Rafa, and to others like Momo, as if Rafa’s motive is to ruin the club. Liverpool is not England, and it is never in our culture to turn against our own manager, until recently. Football is a fickle game, so why should we lay blame every time?
The boards look more and more like a manure hangout where it becomes a necessity for our fans to keep going in to defend our beloved club, and then be mocked further. I have seen negative posts, such as those by fowi, who are capable of justifying their criticisms while positive posts are sadly inundated by insults, mockery and pettiness supposedly by our own fans, especially with their over-used “rose-tinted glass” justifications for every good being said.
So, what do passion and support for the club mean now? So what if we cannot win the title? Why are 30,000 fans going to Elland Road for? Surely there are better reasons to support a club. The real problem is not with Rafa or the players, but with people who persistently bash their own manager and players here in a bid to foster their own self-fulfilling prophecies. This is the job of our rival fans, not us. How meaningless can “You’ll Never Walk Alone” be?
The last straw has to be the Everton match for me, where all the great feelings and unbridled joy coursing through my veins immediately vaporized upon browsing through the forums. It makes no sense to visit Liverpool’s own forums, if there are mostly members but little fans. The fact is it is no longer the same forum I used to visit back then. I’m sick of this place and not afraid to say so. Don’t worry, I will go away.

Toffee Bitterness

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:20:22 GMT

EVERTON 1-2 LIVERPOOL
Saturday 20 October 2007 12:45 , Barclays Premier League

"Eventful even by normal derby standards, the weekend's 206th running of the fixture contained enough controversy and talking points to make an average episode of the Jeremy Kyle Show seem tame in comparison. If Liverpool do make a decent fist of a championship challenge, they may well look back on Saturday as pivotal moment in their season. For unhappy Everton, however, the game will long be remembered for the pivotal performance of one man."
The Daily Post

I say let's just enjoy this sweet victory to the fullest! And I meant the bluenoses no harm!

Bitterness (provided by lfctash)

(chorus)
Oh bitterness, bitterness,
The only thing that the blues possess.
I thank the lord that I've been blessed,
with none of the blueshite bitterness...

To me this world is a wonderful place,
A red and white glow all over my face.
I feel so good to be alive,
European cups, oh we've got five....

The bitters were living in a land of dreams,
"you'll lose if you ever face a decent team".
But Juventus, Chelsea and Milan tried,
They all got beat so the blueshite cried...

At half time AC thought they had us beat,
The blueshite were dancing in the North Wales streets,
But Stevie G played like a man possessed,
So all they've got now is their bitterness...

They said Milan Baros was offside,
They say Steven Gerrard took a dive,
They say Jerzy Dudek shouldn't have no pride,
But they've got none and we've got FIVE...

Listen

Best Midfield In The World Chant

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:24:46 GMT

I only saw this video highlighted on LFC TV today, on the "This is Anfield" show with Peter McDowall. I also love watching the way Jan Molby speaks on the show. If anyone can still recall, Jan Molby and our very own Fandi Ahmad were on trial, together with Marco van Basten, in Ajax in the early 80s! It is a club I have followed through thick and thin, since the day I watched the Reds against Crystal Palace.

You have to be impressed when the spirited fans kept up the fun and banter a day after the Champions' League final despite the defeat. A really funky chant to the tune of "The Entertainer" by the ever-ingenious Liverpool fans:

"Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh we've got the best midfield in the world!

We've got Xabi Alonso, Momo Sissoko, Gerrard and Mascherano-oh-oh.."

Liverpool fans singing in Monastaraki on Thursday night, one day after Champ League final..
Added: May 27, 2007
From: ceebs71

Red Face After A Beer

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:06:33 GMT

It is often quite embarrassing whenever I drink the occasional beer with acquaintances I met later in life. I'll often be mistaken as being easily drunk (looking woozy when I'm *really* not..), since my face will develop a conspicuously reddish hue even before finishing a pint! I must be the first one NOT to inherit my family line's omnipotent genes in drinking. =p

In general, close friends are quite accustomed to the redness for me not to feel self-conscious over it. Feeling a little curious today, I tried to browse around for a little explanation. Wow, the info can be quite boggling, ranging from dilation of blood vessels, allergic reactions to even rosacea. The following explanation seems most credible to me in getting to know this condition better:

Quote

You're probably not the only red one in the bar; as many as 50 percent of people of Asian descent experience a flushed complexion after drinking alcohol. Alcohol flush reaction, the more technical name, describes the body's inability to break down ingested alcohol completely. You and others like you have an inactive enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), which is normally responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde, a byproduct of the metabolism of alcohol. Acetaldehyde is a toxin and if your body can't break it down, it accumulates and causes flushing. Other symptoms you might experience include dizziness, nausea, headaches, and an increased pulse.
Scientists don't know why the enzyme is inactive primarily in people of Asian descent, but it is genetic and can be passed on by either or both parents. Some researchers find that the presence of the mutation can help account for the lower levels of alcoholism in Asian communities, since many of the symptoms of alcohol flush reaction discourage people from drinking. There is some evidence that ALDH2 is inactive in higher than average levels in people of Jewish descent as well.
Because it's genetic, there isn't much you can do to prevent your red face. Tolerance levels and the severity of flushing and other symptoms vary from individual to individual, so you might want to test how much alcohol it takes before your rosiness becomes noticeable. If your coloring makes you self-conscious, sometimes the room is dark enough that people may not notice. If people do notice, they may think you are warm or excited to see them. You could also explain to any drinking partners why you're turning red, but it's likely they will soon forget about your flushed face.
There is some suspicion that a build up of acetaldehyde can cause cancer, but more research needs to be done before a definitive answer can be given. Otherwise, there are no known long-term health consequences resulting from the alcohol flush reaction.
`·.¸¸.☁‧: From Alice :‧☁,.¸¸.·´

Online Depression Support

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:56:47 GMT

I came across this very interesting article.. you know what.. on a Techie website! :p I find the net-based success rate described in the article below quite intriguing and believable as most people with personal problems will definitely find it daunting to speak to an unfamiliar doctor face-to-face or seek help from a psychiatrist in a mental hospital.

Net-based psychiatric treatments sometimes beneficial
10/26/2006 12:17:13 PM, by Eric Bangeman
A yet-to-be-published study is making some startling claims about psychological treatment. According to researchers at The Australian National University in Canberra, spending time on therapeutic and educational web sites can be just as effective as regular visits to the psychotherapist.
Researchers studied a group of patients who were referred to two web sites: The MoodGYM and education site BluePages. The MoodGYM is therapeutic in nature, a cognitive behavior therapy site dedicated to preventing depression by helping users to "identify and overcome problem emotions," showing them how to "develop good coping skills for the future" in order to enjoy good mental health. BluePages is a depression education site, providing information about the symptoms of and treatments for depression.
After 12 months, users of both web sites reported improvement. Interestingly enough, the educational site BluePages proved to be more effective than the behavior-therapy site. BluePages users "were less likely to use actions that did not have an evidence basis," researcher Helen Christensen said. "We don't know exactly why the Internet interventions are so effective in the longer term, but it may be that there is a reduction in use of ineffective and potentially damaging treatments."
Read further

The social stigma of having *this* particular appointment card , especially in the society that we live in, can be very hard to deal with in the face of loved ones and best friends even. Maybe this is another effective and unobtrusive avenue for self-help, just like when we console one another using instant messenging at times. You can truly lift your spirits only when you convinced your own soul to do it. =)

We Love Gerrard

Sun, 14 May 2006 11:11:21 GMT

There is only one Steven Gerrard !

"I thought the game's over, I just thought we were seeing out the clock. I was cramped up, I was really tired. On another day, if I didn't have cramp and if the scoreline was different, I may have tried to control that ball and set up an attack, but I just thought to myself, the clock's running out, I'm just going to hit this as hard as I can.

Just before my second goal I had taken a free-kick and it nearly went out of the stadium, my legs were so weary, so I don't quite know where I got the energy from. I must admit I was absolutely delighted to hit the next shot like that. I didn't mean to put it exactly there but knew I had to get good contact to make sure it would hit the target and I caught it really sweetly. It was a great moment when it went in, and I don't know how I did it. I just concentrated on giving everything to the shot.

I didn't hear the stadium announcer say how much extra was being added, but I knew there wasn't long left and it was really hard - I was all over the place. In fact, in extra time I just didn't want the ball. I just kept looking at the clock and wanting it to run out. I had absolutely nothing left. We basically finished the game with about five men! People were going down with cramp all over the place, we'd put so much effort in. The players were so brave because there were quite a few who would have come off if we had any subs left. We have a great team spirit here and we needed it to win that Cup."

-- Gerrard after the FA Cup 2006 success triumph

Numb And Numb-er

Tue, 27 Dec 2005 15:06:59 GMT

Medical statements doctors reportedly wrote in patients' charts:

"The skin was moist and dry."

"The patient lives at home with his mother, father and pet turtle, who is presently enrolled in day care three times a week."

"The patient was in his usual state of good health until his airplane ran out of gas and crashed."

"The patient was to have a bowel resection. However he took a job as a stockbroker instead."

"I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy."

"While in the emergency room, she was examined, x-rated and sent home."

"She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life until 1989 when she got a divorce."

"When she fainted, her eyes rolled around the room."

"She is numb from the toes down."

"The baby was delivered, the cord clamped and cut, and handed to the doctor, who breathed and cried immediately."

Madly In Love

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 14:19:15 GMT

Your heartbeat accelerates, you have butterflies in your stomach and you feel euphoric and a bit silly.
It's all part of falling passionately in love, but scientists now tell us the feeling won't last more than a year.
The powerful emotions that bowl over new lovers are triggered by a molecule known as nerve growth factor, or NGF, according to Pavia University researchers.
The Italian scientists found far higher levels of NGF in the blood of 58 people who had recently fallen madly in love than in that of a group of singles and people in long-term relationships.
But after a year with the same lover, the quantity of the "love molecule" in their blood had fallen to the same level as that of the other groups.
The Italian researchers, publishing their study in the journal of Psychoneuroendocrinology, said it was not clear how falling in love triggers higher levels of NGF, but the molecule clearly has an important role in the "social chemistry" between people at the start of a relationship.
*Molecule gives passionate lovers just one year (Reuters)

It's interesting to look at love from a scientific point of view, especially in dealing with an overwhelming crush or infatuation, but once past the initial irresistible affections of *butterflies, love bugs and molecules* can love take on a whole new meaning, of sheltering each other through thick and thin, eternity and everlasting happiness.