A New Currency is Available Soon

A New currency that is shared by Mexico, Canada, and the United States will be soon available at your neighborhood banks. It is printed as we "speak".

Good Bye 2011

I guess I wanted to type 2011 one more time. What a year it was. It took away two impossible dictators. Generally speaking, 2011 was a warm year in my area. Who knows what the new year will bring us. For now I just wanted to say good bye 2011. I will miss you.

Gas Price in North Carolina Will Jump at Least 8 Cents Per Gallon in January 2012

Due to North Carolina tax rate on gas, beginning January 2012 the price of gas will increase by 4 Cents a gallon. Another 4 Cents will be added courtesy of the Federal government. The total is an increase by 8 Cents per gallon. By the way, the Republicans now control both houses in North Carolina and Democrats are in the Governor's House. I guess it does not matter, when it comes to taxes everybody wants our money.


Happy New Year

It is Christmas Day

Today is Christmas. The temperature is going to be in the 50s. No rain today. They were wrong. My family and I ate Chinese foods yesterday Christmas Eve. We then went to Walmart until they closed at 8 pm. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas from BMP

BMP wishes you a very Merry Christmas. God is with us and as Christians we are all witnesses to the miracle birth of our savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.

Towards One World Government

It is almost there, well on its way, the world is headed toward the establishment of a United government for all the nations. The evidences for this are all around us. The first is the existence of the United Nations. Next, the establishment of United Europe, with one currency, one economy, one defense system, etc. The third is the formation of a "Kalafat" in the Middle East. In Asia, the unification of nations under the Chinese dominance. In America, the economic unification between the countries would make it easier to join one world government. Upon total collapse of the world economy, it would be justifiable to get rid of local currencies and replacing them with a single world currency. If an outside "force" is identified, then justifications for one world government is identified. Whether all of this will happens is a matter of many complex convoluted factors. Only the future can tell. As Christians we need not be afraid of what happens in the world. I have read the last chapter of the good book. We win.

Christmas 2011: The Weather is Not Frightful

The temperature this year in Holly Springs, NC during Christmas season has been wonderful. People are shopping in their summer cloth on. It won't be White Christmas in Holly Springs tomorrow, but the broadcast calls for a raining Christmas day.

A Disk Shape: UFO

Most UFO objects appear to have a disk shape. I think for flying, a disk shape is the best aerodynamically speaking. However, other UFO shapes have been also reported. The argument remains, are UFOs real? There are videos and photographs of these objects. No government has yet declared that UFO is real. As a matter of fact NASA does not consider UFO is real. I think this is the best argument that they are real! However, occasionally you will find a government official declares that he/she believe in them. This happens after they leave the office, and not during their tenure. I believe that next year is going to be the year of the UFO. An official declaration of some sort is going to be made concerning this matter. It may not be from the USA, but from the Japanese or the Chinese. They are also planning to go to the Moon soon, and if rumors are correct, they will show the presence of UFO structures on the Moon, something NASA never has admitted officially. 

Happy Birthday BMP

Today this Blog is three years old. Happy Birthday BMP.

North Korea's Dear Leader Dies

The "Dear Leader" of North Korea died on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:30 AM. He was lifted directly to meet his creator and the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Dear Leader arrived to Heaven's door, he expected to be welcomed and pampered, but rather he found the door close. He had to wait a while until an Angel opened it slightly. The Dear Leader asked the Angel to go and get him his favorite bread from Moscow. The Angel smiled and asked him to wait a day. I think he will be waiting for a while because a day in heaven equals to a thousand year. And, the Dear Leader is still waiting at the door. No one is there but him. There is nothing. It is hell. For people like him deserve hell. The only issue is that Satan is now protesting to the good Lord asking Heaven not to permit the Dear Leader to enter hell. Satan argues that hell is for people who did bad on Earth. The Dear Leader did not do much. He ate, enjoyed himself, when he got bored he tortured or raped a few people, made people starve to death, sent people to labor camps where they died from torture and starvation, made people worship him like a god, and at the end of the day he enjoyed it all. You see, hell is too good for the Dear Leader. Not even Satan thinks that the Dear Leader deserves hell. Meanwhile, the Dear Leader will be waiting some thousands of years at the door where there is nothing but him. Enjoy it Dear Leader. You have arrived to the doors of Heaven and you are alone. Dead alone.

NC's Christmas Gift to its Citizens

The State of North Carolina added 4 cents per gallon on its gas tax beginning January 2012. Merry Christmas to all.

Endothermic/Exothermic

An endothermic reaction is one that absorbs more heat from its environment that it gives up. An exothermic reaction yields an excess amount of heat to its surroundings. Dissolving a large amount of crystalline sodium chloride in water requires a large amount of heat to be absorbed from the surrounding environment. This results in a significant lowering of temperature in the environment. A significant decrease in temperature is enough to turn "Cream" into "Ice-Cream".

Buying Gold

They are everywhere. In malls, street corners, and main street shopping districts. They often employ someone to carry a sign outside their store stating "We Buy Gold". The price of gold has increased exponentially recently. However, there is no guarantee it will remain at its current price or increase further. Gold is a commodity. This means it is similar to corn and peanuts (i.e., Gold = Corn = Peanuts). Its price is dictated by demand. If the demand for gold goes down, then you will see a sharp decline in its price, perhaps even reaching a few dollars per ounce. That is why those who are trying to deal with gold are creating an 'artificial" demand for it to keep its price going up. I hope Glen Beck did not invest all his money in gold. If he did then don't be surprised to see him lining up in a Soup Kitchen somewhere. And if he did not invest all his money in gold, then why is he so sure in convincing you to buy gold? There is something intrinsically wrong about this picture!

The Meaning of the "p value"

The term "p value" is often encountered in medical science literature. It is used to indicate whether an event is significant or not. A significant event carries a small probability for it to occur by chance alone (the words small is traditionally considered a probability of less than 5%.) Therefore, when this event is observed one can state that it is "real". Consider for example the difference between taking aspirin and taking a "sugar pill" in relieving headache. Aspirin has a superior effect on relieving headaches than that of a sugar pill. Thus, the difference between aspirin and the sugar pill in relieving headache is significant. Assuming that difference was a 10-point score (vs. a 0-point score for no difference between them), this difference would be associated with a 'p value" less than 5%. In other words, the probability of finding that difference of 10-point score or more extreme that that observed (10-point score) given no difference exists between the two treatments is less than 5% by chance alone.

Pope Gregory XVII

You probably never heard of him. He was elected twice, once in 1958 and another in 1963. Each time his papacy never announced and instead another "Pope" was presented by the Catholic Church. Pope Gregory XVII was Cardinal Siri, elected by Pope Pius XII. This begs the question, if the Holly Spirit is the one who chooses the Pope, how come the Holly Spirit was denied His choice twice by the Catholic Church? To whom does the Catholic Church answer? Does it answer to the Holly Trinity or to some other entity? If the Pope is not real, then what else is not real? Meanwhile, the current Pope will deliver next week the Christmas message of peace and love. Pope Gregory XVII passed away in 1989. He had selected his successor who served until his death in 2001. No name is available of a current successor, if there is indeed a one.

Statistical Logic and Herbal Efficacy

Oftentimes researchers seek to find out whether a particular herb is superior in its action over a 'sugar" pill (a placebo). Take for example the herb St. John's Wort. It is used for mild to moderate depression. To show its effectiveness on depression, researchers have to test this herb against a placebo. Thus, a clinical research of this matter would progress as follow: Subjects are divided into two groups (a treatment group and a control group) by a random method. SJW and placebo are then given to subjects and their effect on "mood" is assessed by clinicians. Assume that a scale for "mood" was used from 1 to 10, with 1 being extremely depressed and 10 being free from any clinical depression. Let us assume that the average score for the SJW is 8 and that for the placebo group is 4. How would one determine if the average 8 is different from 4? This is done by statistical testing and usually a "p value" is calculated for the test. If the p value happens to be less than a predetermined value of alpha (also known as the level of significance) then the conclusion would be there is a difference between the groups. Otherwise, SJW acts similar to placebo on "mood". Searching the literature on SJW efficacy on depression, it would become quickly obvious that not all studies agree with their finding concerning SJW efficacy. Some studies had resulted in negative results and others in positive ones. A statistical method known as "meta analysis" is often used to "reconcile" these differences between the studies and to attempt to establish a "common" outcome from all the studies combined. One needs to remember that statistics is done on groups of subjects whereas clinical therapy is done on one patient at a time. An average value from a group of subjects cannot be assumed to be true for a single patient, a common error clinicians often make in their practice.

Floaters

Have you seen them? Have you noticed them? They are almost everywhere with an increasing number. I drive often at nighttime on the highways of North Carolina. I always notice objects in the sky just floating. They have lights, but they are not airplanes as they do not move much; they just float in the air. They are not choppers either as they do not have moving blades. I do not know what they are. If there are "people" in them, perhaps they are watching us. Have you observed them? Next time you are driving at night make it a habit to look for them. They are everywhere!

Town of Holly Springs Official Publication: The Springs (December 2011)

Fire Department "Drills"?

For the past three weeks my way from home to work and back was interrupted twice by a Fire Department type road blockade. Both of them were at night. They both looked very similar with Fire Department personnel directing the traffic and with big Fire tracks with their full lights on blocking the road. The two events occurred each in two adjacent small towns located in two different counties (Harnett and Wake) in North Carolina. The first road block occurred on Monday night and the the second road block occurred on Wednesday night. In both times there was no report of any major fires in the area. By the way, I have been living in North Carolina for the last 22+ years. These were the first two times I have observed this business of road blockage by the Fire Department. The blockade is normally done on a small segment of a road. I wonder if you have observed any similar events like these recently? Anyone?

Happy Sunday

This Sunday was the last day of Thanksgiving Holiday. We look forward to Christmas and the New Year. The temperature in Raleigh, NC was just perfect. People were out shopping with their Summer cloth on. I wonder what happened to Autumn this year?

Encouraging People to Learn Hebrew Language? I Do Not Know. I was Not There!

This is a new one. I have observed in the recent few weeks that some Christian programs are encouraging Christians to learn Hebrew. They are advertising this via something called "Trans-literation". This system is based on reading Hebrew through words written in Latin alphabet. They emphasize that the person does not have to "understand" what he is reading as far he is pronouncing the words in Hebrew. Is Israel trying to make the Hebrew language an international language? May be, but I see they have a long road ahead of them since English is now dominating the world for any commercial transaction taking place between nations. The Christian programs are suggesting that this was the language that God had used to create the Universe. I do not know. I was not there. They claim that Hebrew wording produces a special vibrational energy detected in sand as documented by "cymatic experimentation". The devise used to detect this energy was called a "Tonoscope". It is even stranger. They claimed that no other languages spoken by people produced any type of energetic waves in sand detected by the "Tonoscope". I am not certain what is the real motive behind all of this, but it makes me nervous. In another news today, in Australia someone left a bag in a restaurant containing 1 million Australian dollars. He was nervous and not talking much. Strange things are happening in our world nowadays and they all do not make any sense except if you try to connect them together. I wonder if there is a link between the "Trans-literation" and this bag of money? Once again I do not know. I was not there either.

Foods During Emergency

I have noticed recently that several "food insurance" companies have been targeting their market to conservatives and/or religious people to sell them dried meals in buckets that could last for 20 years on the shelf. They are using scare tactics of biblical origin or of disasters to market their products. All you need to do is just add water to the dried food. I am curious about their premise. During emergency of that magnitude I do not think you will be able to find an opportunity to add water to food. I am always suspecious of companies who take advantage of people to sell their products. I think it is a huge scam. Don't fall for it.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

The good book says to Thank the good Lord for everything, all the time, and to love Him with all your heart and mind. On this blessed Thanksgiving Day I thank the Good Lord for all what he has done to me. In particular I thank Him for the United States of America, for its beauty, for its systems, for its richness, and for its people. I thank Him for the conservatives and liberals, for the Tea Party and OWS, for the Republicans and the Democarts. I thank Him and pray to protect this land of ours from all disasters and ask Him prayfully to shower on us his generous gifts. Happy Thanksgiving America. May God Bless the United States of America.

Resveratrol By Natrol

Natrol (http://www.natrol.com/) has the brand product "Resveratrol" as a dietary supplement to help with weight gain and dieting. Resveratrol is a strong antioxidant obtained mainly from grapes.

Weakness

For every "Superman" there is a "Kryptonite". Always ask what the person's weakness is. Usually it is what he covets the most. There is no one good but God Himself (Jesus said). It is the nature of man to have an evil side to his personality. Man reflects the eternal fight between good and evil. He possesses both, but what he does at any moment of time is the net gain of one of the two: the Spirit or the bodily desires. It comes down to this, the more vocal and criticizing the person is the most likely he has a big gigantic "Kryptonite" hidden in one of his closets. And it looks like a skeleton. What is your "Kryptonite"?

The Age of Accusations

"It (love) doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do." 1 Corinthians 13:5 (CEV)


No one said Christianity is easy. Actually, Christianity is extremely difficult, yet it is simple. Christianity is based on one single persona: Christ Jesus. He said that the road of his teaching is narrow; few would walk it, because it is full of self-sacrifices. Few are Christians. We often boast of being a christian nation. Christ did not create a nation. Christ does not belong to the GOP or to the Democratic party. Christ is neither conservative nor liberal. Christ does not differentiate whether you are rich or poor; black or white; Jew or Muslim; Iranian or American. Chris is for all. Very few understand this concept. The conservative party has hijacked Christ to their advantage. Christ to them belongs to a WASP who is a Conservative (that who plays golf, smoke cigars, carries a conceal weapon, drinks alcoholic beverages, and eat expensive meats) and (boast of being christian). Really! Wrong...Who are you to hold Christ hostage? Go away! Christ is for everyone, for every nation, for every human ever lived on the face of Earth. Christians do not record each other wrong doings. They forgive. If you do not have the spirit of real forgiveness you are not a christian. You might think so, but you are not.




"Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude." 1 Corinthians 13:4 (CEV)




Christ died for all who would genuinely believe in him. Haters of other people because of skin color, religion, national origin, or political affiliation are not true Christians. I listen to a radio station almost daily on my way to work. The hostess is a "Latino" hater. Yet, her defense is that her husband is from a Mexican descendant so how could she be a Latino hater? Well, ask the German before WWII. Those who forget or ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Her hatred is focus on "illegal aliens". Another big lie. You cannot hide a bad apple in dipping it in a molten caramel. The bad apple will stink despite the caramel. Unfortunately, she incites the wrong elements in our society; the idiots. She thinks that her daily hatred to the Latino is funny. Moreover, she hates Muslim people openly. I cannot believe the FCC has not yet shut down her program from the airways. What a disgrace!

kindle fire

I wonder if the next generation of kindle fire will take pictures and call home? That would be neat.

creating my first blog with kindle fire

This is my first blog with kindle fire. The keypad is slightly small for my fat fingers. However I am really enjoying it. The Colors are Marvellous. I bought a book, my first kindle book, for $.99 and seemingly my credit card with amazon needed update. So amazon blocked my access to the web until I updated my credit card. Isn't neat? It even suggests spelling for you and correct your spelling automatically. Wow, I am impressed! By the way, you need to use the html format to enter the blog. The only thing I need to learn now is how to move the cursor around. I will tell you later if I figure it out. So long.

A Thorny Situation

Have you been in a thorny situation? Who hasn't? The important thing is to look behind it. Separate yourself from it and observe it as an outsider. You would see it in a clearer way. When outside seek help. God has created angels to help us through the thorny side of life. Seek their guidance. They will protect you from all evil. Some of these angelic entities live among us. There may be one near you right now. Do not look at their physical appearance or who they are. They hide their angelic features for our protection. Pray to recognize them and they will reveal themselves to you.

Apples

You know the saying "An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away". Indeed apples are full in nutrients. One apple (198 g) contains 4 g of dietary fibers and 20 g of sugar. One apple provides 6% of percent daily values in Vitamin C. There are 110 calories per apple. Less than 1 g of protein is found in an apple.

Are You A Star?

Everyone of us is a star in his or her own right. You are a star to your children, to your parents, to your neighbors, in your work place, in your church, in your community, or to your country. All of us are stars. Shine your light on others so that they praise and see the greatness of the Lord.

America's Coins: $1 (John Adams)

Heart Attacks May Become a Thing from the Past

About 3% of the population possess a mutated gene for PCSK9, a gene variant capable of reducing heart attacks by 88% according to reports from the pharmaceutical industry. As it is predicted several of the big pharma companies are rushing to make drugs in order to tap into this market.

Foods Prices are Up

Compared to last year, foods prices in the United States have risen by an average of about 13%. The Thanksgiving turkey will cost you more than 20% higher than last year's dinner. Happy "expensive" Thanksgiving.

The Laws of Thermodynamics

The Zeroth Law: When two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third system they are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

The First Law: The total energy of the system and its surroundings during any transfer remains constant.

The Second Law: A spontaneous process proceeds in a direction toward a point of equilibrium accompanied by an increase in entropy.

The Third Law: For a perfectly crystalline solid its entropy is zero at absolute zero.

America's Coins

Holly Springs Official Newletter: November 2011 Edition

It is All Relative: Asteroid Passing by Planet Earth on Tuesday, November 2011

An asteroid (2005 YU55) approaching our planet Earth, but will not hit us this time according to experts. At its closest distance to Earth on Tesday, November 2011 it will be away from us of some 202,000 miles. For distances in space measured by light-years, 202,000 miles is an "ant's walk".

Foods Prices are on the Rise

Globally, food prices are on the rise. In China it went up by 280% since last year. In other countries such as India it is 21% higher than last year. Eventually, food prices will rise in the USA beyond expected increases (about 1%). If this happens say goodbye to the economy, and depression will be global. After all, it is not Greece, ST_ _ I D, it is the food. People have to eat and wars will start over the possession of foods. It is not gold or silver, it is the food. See our related Blog on Bill Gates storing seeds away for the "bad" days.

Story Telling: Young Talents from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

My Faith Has Been Restored In Humanity

I blogged yesterday concerning an item I had lost at my workplace on Monday night and how I waited the entire Tuesday for someone to return it to me (my business card was enclosed in the item.) Well, having lost my faith in humanity yesterday, my faith has been restored today. The person who found the item graciously returned to me. Thank goodness.

Today I Lost Hope in Humanity

I worked last night and left work at about 10 PM (I was at work since 7 AM)---a 15-hour workday. I was leaving a hall carrying my bag full of stuff. I dropped a pack containing several of my flash disks and some other minor items, a total of about $30. I did not realize that I dropped this pack until the next morning when I needed it. I asked the cleaning crew, sent an email to various offices asking them if they had seen this pack, and talked personally to various persons about it. Inside this pack I kept my business card with my name and office number and phone number on it. One of my colleagues told me that he saw this pack yesterday on the ground before he left home, but decided not to touch it. So between 10 PM at night and 8:30 AM today the pack disappeared. The reason I am telling this story because where I work people leave their office doors open if they had to go for a few minutes away. I no longer will do that anymore. I will also lock my car doors (most people at work do not). I will be very careful in people who will visit me in my office. I will watch every move they make, friends or no friends, I lost hope in humanity, I do not trust anybody regardless who they are and how long I have known them. Humanity today is dark and not to be trusted. Overall, trust matters and today I cannot find it anywhere.

Pears

Yes, these are delicious. One of the most diverse fruits of the summer. One pear (198 g) provides 120 Calories. It contains 31 g of total carbohydrates, 7 g of dietary fibers, and 19 g of sugars. It is rich in Vitamin C (10% of the Percent Daily Values). It also contains 1g of proteins and supplies 2% of the Percent Daily Values in Calcium.

Honor Roll

The Obama Administration has achieved all its goals and then some. Here are just a few of its major accomplishments in a very short period of time:

1.  Controlling and reversing the spiral downfall of the economy handed over by the Bush's Administration.
2.  Killing Osama Bin Laden, terrorist number 1 in the world.
3.  Killing the new Al-Qaida leader in Yemen.
4.  Ending the War in Iraq and withdrawing all combat troops by the end of 2011.
5.  Passing and implementing the National Health care Initiatives where millions of uninsured Americans will receive health insurance.
6.  Helping the Arab people achieve their liberation from past dictatorships in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.
7.  Working on improving the infrastructure of roads, highways, and byways by introducing legislation to hire new workers for these programs.
8.  Winning the war against terrorism in Afghanistan while liberating the Afghan people.

The above list is by no means complete, but it illustrates the great achievements of President Obama's leadership. He promised and he delivered. And, overall President Obama does that with great grace and respect. Thank you President Obama for these successes.  We love you.

Lyrics: Occupy the Wall Street

Preach capitalism oh good man
Preach it until the dawn set
Preach it to all the nation and some
Yesterday the man preached capitalism to the young
But the young refused to follow
He fed them...clothed them...gave them jobs
Paid them minimum wages...some got sick...and worked for the good man
Some got sick and died...The good man preached more capitalism
Where are you Glen Beck to defend the good man?
Where are you Rush Limbaugh to defend the good man?
Thank God for you good man...Thank God for paying us the minimum wages
You silenced us in the past with your empty promises...no more
You lied to us in the past...but no more
Preach some more oh good man
Preach to the demonstrators at Wall Street oh good man
Where are your millions that you took from the people occupying the Wall Street oh good man?
Preach to them your love to freedom...to Jesus...and the seven dwarfs...oh good man
Good bye oh good man... You are no good anymore!

GADDAFI's Stamps

Can Cain be McCain?

Senator John McCain of Arizona won the GOP bid in 2007. Could Cain become the new McCain? Cain is now hovering in the third place after Governor Romney and Governor Perry. McCain was also third in rank among the GOP candidates in 2007 and a lot of commentators wrote him off the Presidential bid of 2007. Could history repeat itself with a new sounding "Cain"? It could.

Micro-Economy as of September 30, 2011

As predicted, the economy would be down as of September 30, 2011.

BMP predicts that the economy will be up on December 31, 2011; March 31, 2012; June 30, 2012, and September 30, 2012. It will take a nose down as of December 31, 2012.

Are Paper Pads Obsolete?

Are paper pads obsolete? I attended a meeting last year at the Sheraton Hotel, and on tables I found these pads distributed to attendee with pens so that they could take notes during the seminar. Almost no one used them during the meeting, except for yours truly. Everybody else had an iPad or an iPhone or an i---, you got the point. No one writes on paper pads anymore. I wonder if the electronic technology will save trees in the future. I guess electronics are green technologies after all.

How Does Acupuncture Relieve Pain?

How does acupuncture relieve pain? Acupuncture is often used for pain relief. Acupuncture involves the puncture of skin with fine needles at specific points on the body that are located on meridians. The meridians are channels of energy that carry the vital force qi. Acupuncture seems to act via the release of natural opioids substances in the body upon stimulation (the endorphins). The endorphins act by calming down the pain reaction caused by various stimuli. It appears that this pain relief action is associated mainly with three factors that have to be present simultaneously for acupuncture to be effective. These factors are expectations that acupuncture will cause pain by administering the needles (cognitive factor), a sensory factor of the pain itself, and fear and anxiety felt by the patient during the procedure (emotional factor). All these three factors combined act to produce a pain relief following acupuncture treatment. Despite the fact that all of them are important to be present, the cognitive factor turned out to be the most important of all. Patients have to expect and anticipate pain for acupuncture to work. We have mentioned in a previous Blog that acupuncture works by inducing ATP molecules to combine with specific receptors on the surface of the cell, thus initiating a neurological signaling that reaches the brain stem and hypothalamus with a subsequent physiological effects on various organs, including the secretion of endorphins for pain relief.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine qi, the vital force, flows in meridians maintaining life. Any unbalance in qi can cause disease. Acupuncture is believed to balance qi and restore health and well-being. Recent work by Dr. Geoffrey Burnstock (University College Medical School of London) and others has shown that ATP (adenosine 5'-triphosphate) presents in the extracellular fluid acts as a regulatory molecule via interacting with receptors (purinoceptors) present on the surface of cells. Neurological signals are transmitted to the brain stem and the hypothalamus following this ATP-receptor interaction. Brain stem and hypothalamus are brain centers that regulate the function of many organs in the body including the gut, lungs, kidneys, ureter, and cardiovascular system. ATP is a fuel molecule that supplies energy for various cellular functions when it is present inside the cell. Outside the cell, ATP acts as a regulatory molecule. The qi is indeed a life force full of energy, made of ATP molecules.

PSA Test is Useless

A panel made of medical experts has concluded this week that PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) testing is not recommended as a routine test for men. This Blog (BMP) has repeatedly stated the same message in the past. PSA test is useless. You might ask, but tell me why is it useless? This is the answer: the prevalence of prostate cancer in the population is about 2%. The sensitivity and specificity for the PSA test are 34.9% and 63.1%, respectively. A positive test for PSA is defined as a reading greater than 4 ng/mL. The probability that the patient has prostate cancer when the test is positive is 1.9%. This means we are only 1.9% sure that the patient has prostate cancer when the test is positive. A really dismal assurance. If the test came back negative (<4 ng/mL), then the predictive value is 97.94%. This means a negative test is much more assuring than a positive test. It indicates that we are 97.94% sure that the patient does not have prostate cancer when the test is negative. That is the reason the medical panel announced this week that the test cannot be used as a predictive measure for the presence of prostate cancer. However, if your reading is below 4.0 ng/mL, you are almost 98% assured no cancer is present in your prostate.

Moreover, oftentimes the patient is subjected to a Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) by the physician, an unpleasant test to say the least (that is why probably men do not like to go to the doctor). DRE has a sensitivity of 27.1% and a specificity is 49.0%. The predictive value positive and predictive value negative for DRE on its own are even worse than PSA alone.

Physicians usually tell their patients that combining both tests together (PSA & DRE) give them a better picture on the probability of cancer. Well, it turned out that the sensitivity and the specificity values for this combined method are 38.0% and 87.9%, respectively. This combined method does not improve the predictive value negative (in this case it is 98.6%), and the predictive value positive is 6% (a slight improvement from 1.9% when PSA test is used alone, but really not that much.)

In summary, PSA test (or in combination with DRE) does not indicate prostate cancer when it is positive (>4.0 ng/mL), however it is associated with high probability that the patient does not have prostate cancer when the test is negative.

Town of Holly Springs: Official Publication (October 2011)

McDonald's Monopoly is Back (September 27 to October 24, 2011)

Pierce Morgan Show on CNN

Did you watch Pierce Morgan Show on CNN yesterday? I caught-up with the show toward the end of it. The guest (I cannot remember who he was) walked out from the interview after Pierce mentioned "two to three inch" of something I could not catch. Pierce told the "guest" to make sure "the door is shut when he left." I felt embarrassed for Pierce. Anyhow, one would wonder if this was the beginning of the end of Pierce Morgan Show on CNN?

Waiting for Christmas

The world needs Christmas now. Oh come Christmas and come fast. Oh good Savior save us from ourselves. The world needs you more than ever before. Oh come Christmas, all of us children want you now. Don't delay your arrival...Come now...We need you...Now.

Vote on October 11, 2011: Wake County Board of Education, North Carolina

Opposing Ads

Wake County School Board--Vote October 11, 2011

Why do we die?

In biology, it is well known that most cells with nuclei are capable of dividing to some extent. It is also observed that most cells seize from dividing after they undergo numerous divisions, and thereafter they follow a very deadly path toward their death point. This pathway is known in biological sciences as "Apoptosis" or programed cell death. Apoptosis involves enzymes that are capable of destroying the cell from within, thus causing its fatal end. Cancer cells somehow are capable of turning off this mechanism thus they go on living and dividing indefinitely. From the Physical Chemistry point of view, natural systems undergo changes so that their capability for further changes becomes increasingly diminished until they reach a point of equilibrium (or death). Cells, as natural entity, must obey this law (The Second Law of Thermodynamics). They divide in such a way so that their capacity to divide further is diminished after every division. Apoptosis is part of this system. It is a "cleansing" process by which those cells that reach a point of "equilibrium" are destroyed. According to the current knowledge, no one is capable to overcome the Second Law of Thermodynamics. In other words, we cannot protect people from dying "naturally". However, we could slow down the process of dying, perhaps by slowing down the mechanism by which cell divides. Certain components in herbs can do just that. More on this topic later.

Happy Birthday

For those of you who celebrated their birthday on Friday, September 30, a very belated Happy Birthday. By the way, it was mine too.

Monsieur LeDou: The Toy Man

When I was growing up, my Dad worked for the National Tobacco Company in my country. He was their Chief Accountant. Occasionally foreign agents would come to visit the Company, and one of them was a French gentleman with the last name of "LeDou". My Dad introduced him to us as Mr. LeDou. (Mind you, Syria was a French colony until April of 1946, and my Dad was born and lived a good portion of his life under the French occupation. My Dad spoke French fluently.) Mr. LeDou would come to visit Syria often, and my Dad offered him to stay at my grandmother home since she was away most of the time. For his appreciation to my Dad accommodation, he used to bring us kids toys from France. Now Syria during those days was not very advanced. My toys consisted of a collection of marbles and and small collection of used stamps (which I still have.) He once brought to my younger brother a Car Speed Race electric toy. Me and my brother played with that toy so much, we felt "rich". God bless you Mr. LeDou wherever you are, despite the belated thank you (over 48 years), you placed a smile on my brother face and on mine too...Many Many Smiles.

Unemployment for the Highly Educated

Despite a high unemployment rate in the USA climbing to about 9.1% (last figures), it is stated that the real unemployment is hovering around 17% due to those who gave up on looking for a new job. Among African-Americans, the rate of unemployment is in the proximity of 1 in 5. And, this is the catch, if you are highly educated (i.e., doctorate holders, lawyers, physicians, physician assistants, nurses, etc.) the jobless rate for your group is below 2%. The moral of this story is "go and get a college degree and climb as high as you can." It seems that education is the real answer (or one of the answers) to unemployment. Good luck.

Upcoming Natural Disasters?

Several people are monitoring events happening around us. Signs in the sky all over the world (UFOs? May be!), the Arab Spring, the global economical disaster, Europeans are uprising due to the feeble global economy, earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes, just to name a few. These "Monitors" are predicting a major natural disaster of the magnitude of huge earthquake will hit somewhere in the world by the end of September 2011. Specifically, the dates for this natural disaster is between September 25 and 27. It is based on previous natural disasters that occurred recently and the spacing between them. The "Monitors" are also reporting a major Universal event involving a huge planet passing our planet. It will shift Earth from its current axis which may lead to global devastations. I hope that the "Monitors" are totally off in their predictions. Actually, I really hope they are just kidding!

UFO Footage

A Bird View of Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

Peaches

Who doesn't like sweet peaches? A delicious 147-g peach provides 15% of Vitamin C, 6% of Vitamin A, and 2% of iron (based on percent daily values.) Eating one peach also gives you 13 g of sugar and 2 g of dietary fibers. A peach also provides you with 1 g of protein. This fruit is surprisingly low in Calories (only 60 Calories each).

Juicy Nectarines

Nectarines are summer season fruits. They are just delicious: sweet and juicy. One nectarine (140 g) contains 11 g of sugar (no wonder they are sweet) and 2 g of dietary fiber. They also contain 1 g of protein. One nectarine provides 15% of Vitamin C, 8% of Vitamin A, and 2% of iron (based on percent daily values.) They are also surprisingly low in calories; one nectarine provides only 60 Calories.

Where was I on 9/11?

I recall this very vividly. I was at my desk at work. It was Tuesday morning. I arrived to my office at 8:30 AM. A co-worker of mine came to my office and said "an airplane hit one of the towers in New York." "Oh my God", I replied. Minutes later we learned that another plane hit the other tower. I walked to the nearest TV station I could find, and I stared with disbelief, as did several of my colleagues, at the scene as the two towers collapsed to the ground. This is something one would never forget. It is itched in our memory for ever.

Loss of Electrical Power: Holly Springs, North Carolina

A good segment of Holly Springs, NC lost electrical power at around 9 PM (ET) yesterday night. Interestingly, a large segment of California lost electrical power yesterday as well. In Holly Springs, power outage occurred during a nice and calm evening, nothing unusual to report weather wise. Power came back at around 9:45 PM. I did not hear an explanation for this power outage in Holly Springs, and I heard today on the news that they didn't know what caused it either in California. Co-incidence, may be! I wonder if other areas in the country lost power yesterday (September 8, 2011) with no explanation to it? Did you?

Micro-Economy Predictions

These are my predictions for the economy. By the end of ______ the economy is _____ as compared to the previous quarter:

September 2011; Down
December 2011; Up
March 2012; Up
June 2012; Up
September 2012; Up
December 2012; Down
March 2013; Up

Turkey is Taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Bill Gates' Seeds

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23503

Read how Bill Gates is storing plant seeds on a remote island.

The Four Horsemen

I believe the Lamb has already broke the First Seal. The White Horse and its Rider are out. I was given a vision to see the White Horse (see BMP post 'I Saw a White Horse'). The Rider carries a bow and was given a crown. He is on a mission to win souls back to Christ. He's been victorious in that and shall continue doing so for a while. I also believe that the Lamb has already broken the Second Seal. A Fiery Red Horse is out. Its Rider holds a 'big sword'. He shall destroy peace on earth. The Arab Spring, violent demonstrations in Israel, Greece, Spain, and England are just a few examples of peace being destroyed. "Flash Mobs" in the USA are examples of this Rider's mission to destroy peace. When the Third Seal will be opened by the Lamb, food supply will be scarced. It will cost you a lot of money to purchase foods. "A quart of wheat will cost you a whole day's wages...But don't ruin the olive oil or the wine." Despite the shortage in foods, resources shall remain intake and not destroyed. Don't buy gold, invest in foods. Bill Gates has already stored seeds in places in Europe anticipating the Third Horseman arrival. There are companies in the United States where they are selling dried-frozen foods for a time like that. They are selling "Food Insurance". The Third Seal opening will get a Black Horse and its rider to emerge. Its Rider shall carry a balance scale. "Three quarts of barley will cost you a day's wages too." The Fourth Horseman will appear when the Lamb shall break the Fourth Seal. A Pale Green Horse commended by a Rider named Death.  "...one fourth of the earth will be under their control, and they 'could' kill people with "swords, famines, diseases, and wild animals." (Revelation 8:6-12; CEV)

As always, I need to qualify my statements above by declaring that I am not a preacher nor I have credentials in any religious office or degrees. I am no prophet either, and I doubt that the good Lord has given me the image of the white horse in my dream. While I did see a white horse in my dream, this could be totally unrelated and does not conform to what the good Lord has plan for human. What you read above is just my explanation and should not be taken as truth. For that talk to you preacher, your deacon, your priest, or your religious leader concerning salvation. I believe that we all were saved by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross if we believe in him. The Lord DID NOT SPEAK TO ME nor ASKED ME TO TELL THE WORLD THE ABOVE MESSAGE. I AM NO PROPHET OF THE LORD.

An Arabic Dip

This one is called "Moufasak". It is made of yogurt, eggplants, and garlic with salt and pepper are added to the taste. Virgin olive oil is added to the top. Normally this dish is eaten with Syrian bread. Enjoy!

Happy Sunday

Arabic Sweets

Arabic sweets and coffee. Enjoy!

Labor Day 2011

Happy Labor Day, America

Pray

I carry this bracelet in my wallet all the time to remind me that I need to pray. I found it on the ground of a soccer field long time ago when I was waiting for my son to finish his soccer game. I was asking for a message from God at that time about an issue in my life. I think I got that message.  "When in Doubt, Pray."

Wake County Public Library Contact Information

Wake County (Raleigh, NC) Public Library contact information:

Telephone Number to renew your membership: 919.212.7930

Library Catalog Dial Up: 919.250.1255

http://www.co.wake.nc.us/

Mouhamad Abdel Al Wahab

http://youtu.be/4GiYnzIEKKM

http://youtu.be/i3euaqJjufo

http://youtu.be/6bIlq8nrf-g

http://youtu.be/Jr2HxfCpdS0

http://youtu.be/yVaCPJGvvO8

Abdel Halim Hafez

http://youtu.be/pQXYZZ0Q9Ws

http://youtu.be/9_P0mK-dliI

http://youtu.be/6gErJMWZ36A

http://youtu.be/DrT4g-QbNoM

Fayrouz

http://youtu.be/2mTn4XfJ25w

http://youtu.be/zQJqu675Ino

http://youtu.be/PGrk0UserBg

http://youtu.be/dFY75knhrlc

http://youtu.be/_cVRDNcQkKA

http://youtu.be/YSoZySJnJFY

Enjoy!

SAILINI YA SHAAM: Fayrouz

This song by the Lebanese singer Fayrouz is one of the masterpieces. It is a platonic discussion between the Syrian poet Nizar Kabani and his beloved city Damascus.

 http://youtu.be/P3lP-cQsecQ

A Prediction by Pope John XXIII in 1960

"Once more the light of Christianity will come out of Damascus." Pope John XXIII

Damascus is the capital of the Syrian Arab Republic, also known as Syria.

United Arab States (UAS)

The recent "Arab Spring" will eventually results in a unification of the Arab States into one. This dream may become a reality soon. Stay tune to United Arab States (UAS).

http://youtu.be/_ERFXIntNhQ

My Baptism: June 10, 1956 at Maar Elias (St. Elias) Church in Mooarah

A Prayer for those Who Do not Know How to Pray

Two 8-year old boys were playing on the street in their neighborhood. A drive-by shooting car sped by them and killed one of the two boys, Tommy. His friend, Robby, knelt next to Tommy screaming trying to make him well again, but Tommy already gone. Robby looked up to the sky and said "Dear Lord: No one taught me how to pray to you. I know my friend, Tommy, is on his way to meet you. Would you please be as nice to Tommy as he was nice to me."

Amen

A Blessing Prayer

The Lord taught Moses and Aaron how to bless others in prayer:

"I pray that the Lord
   will bless and protect you,
and that he will show you mercy
   and kindness.
May the Lord be good to you
   and give you peace."

(Numbers 6:24-26; CEV)

Amen.

Wisdom: The Sabbath

"The Sabbath is a gift of rest." Senator Joe Lieberman

Gaddafi May Seek Political Refuge Outside Libya

Gaddafi and his family may seek refuge in Italy, Morocco, or Tunisia. Syria may also be an option for Gaddafi's final journey from his country Libya.

Israel and Egypt

Egypt is considering severing its diplomatic relationship with Israel amid an incident occurred at its border with Israel where five Egyptians lost their lives. Even, there are calls to revisit Camp David agreement signed between the two countries back during the Carter Administration.

Herbs for HIV

The following dietary supplements may be beneficial for HIV patients. As always, it is strongly advised and mandatory that first the patient consult his/her physician before initiating taking any of these herbals as every person conditions are different and the only one who really can tell is his/her physician.


Astragalus

Cat's claw

Curcumin

Gentian root

Siberian ginseng

Licorice root (limited only to two weeks)

Maitake mushroom

Oregon grape root

Pau D'Arco

Reishi mushroom

Shepherd's purse



If the patient is taking anti-AIDS medication he needs to stay away from St. John's wort (SJW), otherwise SJW can be added to the above list. The reason being, SJW can accelerates the elimination of AIDS drugs by the liver rendering them sub-therapeutic.

Where is Syria?

Syria, or Syrian Arab Republic, is a country located in the Middle-East. Turkey is north of Syria; Iraq and Jordan are on its east; the Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon are on its west; and Israel is south of Syria. The population of Syria is about 23 million people, half of which live in the two major cities Damascus, the capital, and Aleppo in the north. The average age in Syria is about 25 years. The majority of the population is Sunni Muslim (about 90%) and the remaining minorities are the Alawites (a Muslim Shiite sect), Christians, and Jews. Syria is very modern and for the last 10 years, under the leardership of President Bashar Al-Assad, it became like an European country with the added charm of the old world---free press, free religion, open economy, and pursue of happiness to all. The majority of people are highly educated, and the President of Syria himself is a physician, an eye surgeon, trained in England. The currency of Syria is the Syrian Pound (or the Lira). One US dollar is currently exchanged for about 47 or 48 Syrian Pounds. Syria recently has announced more political reforms, allowing all political parties to run for office. The geographic location of Syria is strategic and its contribution to humanity equals to that of a gold medal on history's vest. Characteristics of the Syrian people: Proude, down-to-earth, welcoming to strangers, generous, peace-loving, and most of all God-fearing people.

The Seven Signs of Jesus' Second Coming

According to some Christian authorities, Jesus' Second Coming is preceded by the following Seven events:

1.   The establishment of the Jewish State (Israel)---Fulfilled
2.   The Rise of Russia as a superpower---Current
3.   The Rise of China as a superpower---In progress
4.   The establishment of one world religion: Christian/Muslim type religion---Currently talked about
5.   The establishment of one world government---Currently discussed
6.   Nations that want to destroy Israel: Iran and some Arab states---Current
7.   Capturing Jerusalem and making it Arab territory

In addition, several signs are also important:

1.   Peace treaty with Israel for 7 years---Yet to come
2.   Worldwide Famine---Current but limited
3.   Major environmental disasters: Earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.---Current
4.   Increase worldwide tension---Current
5.   Uprisings---Current
6.   Economical collapse---Undergoing
7.   Electronic chip technology: Every human will be implanted with an electronic chip---Talked about

Our world is currently undergoing a revival from within...a new birth. People are demanding more equity, a sign of emotional and spiritual growth. There is a sense of instability that is circulating the globe. We are all reacting to it in different ways. Even Planet Earth is due to a change. People are predicting a red planet shall pass our universe and cause major climatic disaster. The old civilizations have predicted some type of climatic disasterous events that would occur by the end of 2012.

Don't let your heart be troubled. Stay the course. Believe in the Lord and you shall be saved. Amen


 

A "Weird" Cloud Over Indonesia

A "Weird" Cloud Over Russia

Elections: Are They Real?

Interesting!

The Image of Guadalupe

The Second Pope

Did you know that the Pope at the Vatican was not the only one?! Indeed, another Pope exists and he is the Supreme Pontiff, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark of  the Holly Coptic Orthodox Church.

Micro-Economy Forecast

Forecast: According to past recent data, the economy will dip until the end of September, 2011. It will recover by the end of December, 2011. It shall remain on the positive side until the end of September, 2012. It will dip again by the end of December, 2012. In the graph above, notice the last 9 bars. We are due to a dip by this September based on the previous pattern of bars. Then, the next 4 periods will be upward, followed by one downward turn. Every bar represents a 3-month period. So next year, we will be up until the end of September. Mark my words.

ncblogs.com is down

If your blog posts appear on ncblogs.com, the site is down. You will get "Fetal Error" message. If anyone can forward this message to the ncblogs folks and tell them there may be a solution in this link. Thank you friend.

Here is the link:

http://www.blog.web6.org/fatal-error-allowed-memory-size-bytes-exhausted-wordpress/

"111"

Okay, this is really weird and I do not know exactly the significant of it. Add your last two digits of the year you were born and your age this year (either last birthday or upcoming birthday). The total should add up to 111. For example, if someone was born on September 30, 1971 he will turn 40 years old this September 30th. If you add 71 + 40 the total is 111. Take another example, say someone was born January 3, 1969, so he turned 42 this year on January 3rd. Add 69 and 42 the total is 111. Try it on your dates and your friends and family members' dates. It works all the time. Those who are between the ages of 0 and 11 years, their total will add up to 11 instead of 111. For example if someone was born on April 4, 2000, he turned 11 on April 4th of this year. Add up (00 + 11) the total is eleven. If someone was born this year, he is not yet one year old, so add up (0 + 11) and the total is 11.  By the way, it only works for this year and this year only. Happy "111".

Christ the Conqueror

Despite all the bad news you probably are hearing coming from different countries, including ours, I am still very optimistic about the future of human kind. I have read the end of the book that tells it all, about all the suffering human beings will go through. At the very end, the Book of Revelation states that Jesus Christ shall be the victor. So, don't let your heart be troubled. Believe into the Lord because He will conquer at the end. Amen.

Cherries

One cup of cherries (about 140 g) provides 100 calories. It also provides 2% of the recommended daily values of Vitamin A, Calcium, and Iron. Eating one cup of cherries gives you 15% of the recommended daily values of Vitamin C. Cherries (140 g) also contain 26 g of total carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, and 16 g of sugars. They also contain 1 g of protein. Enjoy!

Maamoul

My granddaddy Saleem (Abu Nassif) invented Maamoul. Yes, he did. He had a relatively medium size store in old Damascus (Syria) back in early 20th Century (I think he opened his store in early 1900s) where he sold hand-made Syrian cookies. The store was in Bab Touma (Thomas' Gate; one of the Gates surrounding the old city of Damascus). When I was growing up I used to go and "help" him decorate each piece of Maamoul by hand using cookies forceps with jagged edges. He would place them in big trays and then he will send them to the community oven to be baked. The community oven was about 3 minutes walking distance from his house down the old street Abarah (this street is about three blocks from the Straight Street mentioned in the Bible. Those days nobody bothered in trademarking their inventions. Of course my granddaddy never thought about patenting Maamoul. Well, Maamoul is now all over the places. You can even buy a box of them in Raleigh, North Carolina. My granddaddy also used to make marshmallow spread by hand. He had an old big mixer at the corner of his "production room" in his house where he mixed all the ingredients together to make the white fluff. My granddaddy is Saleem Nassif, a decent hard-worker christian man. (His granddady who lived in the same house as my grandaddy was killed by a revolt in Damascus because of his faith in Christ. Men came to his stepdoor and told him unless he denounced Christ they would kill him. He told them "go ahead and kill me, I will not sell my precious jewel to anyone." And they shot him dead.) Granddaddy passed away from lung cancer having smoked 4 packs a day. He lived on coffee and cigarettes and sometimes drinking black tea. He worked until the last day of his life he could stand up before cancer got him in bed that he hated it. Maamoul should have been called Abu Nassif's Cookies or Saleems' cookies, but he called them Maamoul and the name stuck. By the way the word "Maamoul" is specific only for pistachios filling. If dates are used instead, the name is "Ajweh", as my Grandpa Saleem called them. Unfortunately, nowadays Maamoul is a generic name regardless of the type of filling used (see picture above). God bless you grandpa, you made me a cookies monster. I miss you.  

Traffic to Your Website

If you are a small business owner, you probably dream of having a nice website for your business that attracts tons of traffic. So you go and build a nice one either through free services or you pay some monthly premium. Then, you get excited about the possibilities that your website will bring you. You keep changing things in it daily, even hourly. Perhaps you spend hours on the computer to get it perfect. And then...you wait. You wait for visitors to your site. You place a counter. It seems at first that you are the only one visiting your beautiful site. You wait some more. And then some. Finally, you start searching the web for someone to help you get traffic to your site. And believe me, there is no shortage of them. You begin reading their offers, their promises. You talk yourself of trying one of them. After all they are promising you thousands of hits. What are you going to loose? A couple of hundred dollars. It is worth it. It is your business. You go and pay your $200 for their traffic. Probably this promises you some 5000 hits. You go to your site and begin watching your counter. Well, it is moving, but not that fast. May be it is still early. May be in a couple of days. Then you wait...wait...wait. You check your account with the company that promised you the 5000 hits. You are told they were already delivered, Sir, or is it Zir? In fact, you are told, these were delivered the first hour after you had opened your account. But...But...But...Sir, my counter is showing 15 hits...not 5000? Oh...really? Yes...really. Well, you see Sir (Zir), some counters don't work properly. They don't reflect the actual count. You feel you are talking to someone who doesn't want to listen or somebody way way way away from you...perhaps in another country. Not only you lost your $200, but now somone who is calling you Zir is insulting your intelligence. And then what's next? You go back to your website, and of course the counter now is reading 21. Nice number is 21, but you are not playing Blackjack. It is your hard earned money. If you think this won't happen, think again. It happened to me ten years ago. I lost a few hundred of dollars on these crooks. I am writing this so that if you are in this situation just don't waste your money. May be there are some legitimate sites to drive traffic to your business site. I would love that you tell me about them. I am waiting. And, yes, no spam please. Good Day Friend.

Green

The United States Postal Service is introducing this pane of 16 stamps depicting ways to save the planet. Good for the US Postal Service.

Gregory Peck

Gregory Peck was a great American actor. One of the best ever. And, perhaps his role in To Kill A Mockingbird as Atticus Finch, the lawyer, made him a legend. The United States Postal Service is honoring this great actor by a stamp, a FOREVER stamp. Well deserved indeed.

The Eucharist: The Body of Christ

The Eucharist is the full presence of the Lord in flesh during the Catholic Mass.

Does Blood Triglycerides Level Explain LDL/HDL Ratio?

The answer to this question in "No". Based on the data presented above, triglycerides blood level does not correlate with the LDL/HDL ratio (low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein). The data above is from the same person collected over 17 years.

A Positive Linear Relationship Between LDL/HDL Ratio vs. Blood Cholesterol Level from the same Person Over Time (17-year Period)

LDL is low density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol) whereas HDL is the good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein). It is desirable to keep this ratio low (below 3.6). The graph above illustrates the relationship between blood cholesterol concentration (mg/dL) vs. this ratio over 17 years taken from the same person. From this graph, it was determined that about 53% of the variability in the ratio could be explained by knowledge of cholesterol level. In other words, 47% of the variability is explainable by other factors.

Micro-Economy

The graph above is a reflection of the economy during the periods shown on the x-axis. Notice how the economy has improved since April 2009, albeit it is slowing down in its growth recently.

A Friend

I have had the privilege of having a few good friends in my life---so far. When I was growing up I remember having two very close friends. I don't see either one now. Actually I haven't seen them for a long time. My first friend I saw him last time some 40 years ago, the other one I saw him some 33 years ago. One of them is now in Germany, the other one lives in France. The last contact with both of them happened some 25 years ago via letters. And, that was it; puff---all gone. I developed a friendship with one of my coworkers in 1994. It lasted until 2003, when he left to another job. He was my best friend and I do miss him. He does not correspond with me anymore. I don't know why? He kind of suddenly stopped his correspondence, and for the life of me I cannot place any excuse for it. When I befriend someone and I become a friend with them, I mean it. A friend is somebody who accepts you regardless of who you are or how bad you mess up. A friend is someone is willing to give you the benefit of doubt. He/she should be your best advocate, defender, and brother/sister. He should not rush to judgement concerning you. Your attackers should be his/hers. A friend is for ever.

The Mustache

The mustache is a sign of masculinity, a sign of authority. Some like to have it distinguished by making its ends pointed upward. One of my friends used to role his mustache between his fingers while he was thinking deeply about something. The new generation rarely wear mustaches. You normally find it on older gentlemen. My dad never wore one of them. It can be messy if foods get tangled in its web. Well, a mustache is just a mustache. It is kind of an open statement to tell the others that the person who is wearing it cares about his masculinity, or it is a statement to get people notice you. Whatever it is, it is a man thing.

Gloria

Glory to God in the highest
And on earth peace to men of good will
We praise Thee
We bless Thee
We adore Thee
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty
O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son
Lord God, Lamb of God
Son of the Father
Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer
Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us
For Thou alone art holy
Thou alone art Lord
Thou alone, O Jesus Christ, art most high
Together with the Holly Ghost, in the glory of God the Father
Amen

Food Lion, LLC

If you live in the South (of the USA) you probably shop for foods at Food Lion, LLC. Did you know that Food Lion, LLC's distribution center is located in Salisbury, NC? Also, did you know that the "mother" company of Food Lion is from Belgium? Yes, the European Belgium! Just look at its symbol, the "lion". The same symbol is found on many Belgium stamps.

Drinking Coffee

In some people, drinking a hot cup of coffee not only can be diuretic (increases the urge to urinate), but also it can be laxative (increases the urge to defecate). If you are constipated, try to drink a hot cup of coffee (with milk) in the morning on an empty stomach, and watch it do its magic (stay nearby a bathroom).