References: http://www.youtube.com

Researchers around the world constantly explore the Earth and Nature.  Most recently a group of scientists reported a new discovery of 24 new plants and animals in a part of the world known as Suriname ( in the past, Dutch Guyana).  I am not surprised, this discovery is made there because the Central Suriname Natural Preserve is a UNESCO cited place for its unspoiled rainforest biodiversity. The Central Suriname Nature Preserve became a World Heritage site in 2000. More than 80 % of Suriname’s land-mass consists of unspoiled rain forest, which is very rare to be found today anywhere in the world.

Suriname shares the southern border with Brasil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast. Population is about 470.000 people. Intersting fact: this country is only Dutch-speaking region in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in South America, where Spanish and Portuguese languages prevail.  And it is even not a part of the Kingdom of Netherlands.

Today it is Suriname with its new discovery, but tomorrow the same can happen in another part of the world. In the regions where the  nature is still unspoiled, and the scientists continue their constant research, there are many possibilities to find new plants and new species. Our Planet Earth is always at our service and ready for us to discover, inspire, enlighten, teach and give us a motivation to create a new, peaceful, green, useful and positive world, free of wars and disagreements between governments and nations.

Now prepare yourself to be amused. Get your kids, your family, your loved ones around for this spectacular presentation about our planet. Watch alone or with your children. Wonder and remember how our earth and our healthy environment are precious and important. Take this unforgettable tour around the world from the comfort of your home. 

Click on the link below, open “Blue Beauty” file, and then click on every page. It’s simply fantastic!

                                                                         pictures_of_earth4

Source: Blue Beauty,Photos by Astronaut Anita Williams, MSW 2007

Can a 91-year-old inspire you? Yes, she can. She did inspire Allee Willis to write a new song, her tribute to Jerrie, who is a perfect  example of someone who healthy aging, strong spirit and happy soul has only empowered. She is an inspiration to women of all ages.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) once said, “There is one thing one has to have: either a soul that is cheerful by nature, or a soul made cheerful by work, love, art and knowledge.” Jerrie has it all, and even if she is on oxygen tank and shows signs of aging physically, she is young spiritually. This lady is more active today than most people half her age. So, what age has in store for her? To do what is most important in a timeless system of balance: continue to live active life, network with family, good friends and colleagues, and play old and new, modern and exciting music for herself and other people.

“Good for the body is the work of the body, good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the other.”–Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), USA

Now watch Jerry’s life and soul journey as “an unfolding of infinite self.”

Jerrie Thill is a different drummer, she is simply classic. And she promised us, “It’s not over yet.”

“If man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him stop to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”–Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Text copyright 2009

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYZkFOZoP-o

Powerful words can motivate people, give a right direction or help to live healthier, happier and more productive life. I was watching the Unauguration Day, the day Barack Obama claimed his place in history, as America’s first black president who proclamed a dispirited nation to unite in hope against “gathering clouds and raging storms.” The nation, having on its shoulders two unfinished wars and economic crisis in full swing, keeps moving forward no matter what. America chose to make a sharp turn toward modernity, renewed thoughts and politics close to reality, and exploring new ways of communicating, connecting and conducting business at home and around the world.

Well, America becomes more embracing, more open-minded and more open to change. Only two days ago the Americans and millions around the world watched with fascination an extraordinary day of the nation’s and the world recognition and reception of Barack Obama as our new president. While watching it, I made my brief notes of the motivational words and constructive thoughts he said during this special day. These words can empower people and help them to live a better life guided by a wise government, hopefully.

Here are some key phrases said by the nation’s 44th president, Barack Obama on January 20th, 2009:

“We gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discard.”

“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility–a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly. This is the price and promise of citizenship.”

“We are ready to lead once more.” (addressed to a world approving his leadership to replace Bush’s)

“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

“To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West–know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”

He articulated eloquently the deeper effect on the American psyche of the problems of war and recession: “a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Not so, but that effort will require all citizens, no matter party, age, skin, color, or status, to get to work.”

“The time has come to set aside childish things. Greatness is never a given. It must be earned.”

About a need to abandon Bush’s practices: “…the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics…”

“…the lack of watchful enough eye on financial markets…”

“…a false choice between safety and ideals…” (a reference to brutal interrogation practices and other actions taken by the Bush administration in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks)

“With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come.” 

“Starting today, we must pick ourselves, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America.”

While Washingtom celebrated, events and signings kept moving. As one of his first official acts,  Obama signed a presidential proclamation declaring Thuesday a “National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation.” His powerful words of renewal and empowerment motivate people to believe that new president will deliver his promises. On the 20th of January the nation answered again his call to join him in an effort to renew the country, to change old, destructive politics that did not work anymore. He offered all of us to meet his and our great expectations with fresh optimism and readiness to overcome all difficulties now, at a time of great national insecurity.

Right words said in a right time can be a strong driving force. As ancients were able to look far forward by saying in Latin, “Dum spiro, spero!” (Until I breathe, I hope.”), we must move swiftly ahead,  and  hope that our life tomorrow will be powerful, productive, natural, healing and inspirational. We have to, there is no any other way.

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

For avid readers: Two Amazon.com bestsellers written by Barack Obama: Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama’s Plan to Renew America’s Promise, paperback, 288 pages, Three Rivers Press (September 9, 2008), $11.16 and Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, paperback, 480 pages, Three Rivers Press (August 10, 2004), $8.97

For book collectors: AbeBooks.com, an online marketplace for new, used, rare, and out-of-print books based in Victoria BC Canada, has been selling millions of books for sale from thousands of booksellers around the world since 1996. 2008 became a special year for AbeBooks.com  The company success is revealed in its recent Press Release about how Obama Fans Paying Up to $5,500 For Books Signed by President-Elect.

Demand for a piece of Barack Obama history is generating huge interest in signed copies of his books. Since his triumph at the polls, AbeBooks.com has sold 20 books authographed by the President-elect priced at $500 or higher with one buyer shelling out $5,500 for a signed copy of Dreams From My Father.

Before the election, the most expensive Obama book sold by AbeBooks.com – the world’s largest marketplace for used, rare and out-of-print books – was a signed copy of Dreams From My Father for $1,798. Twelve of the 20 signed copies sold since Obama’s victory have been priced more than $1,000.

The cheapest book signed by the next occupant of the White House currently available at AbeBooks.com is a signed softcover of Change We Can believe In for $975.

The most desirable Obama books are the signed 1005 first editions of Dreams From My Father. Originally published when he was still working as a lawyer and lecturer, the book went out-of-print and had a small print run. Asking prices for these scarce editions stretch well past $10,000.

Even though Obama has yet to move into the White House, prices for his signed books are already comparable to previous presidents. AbeBooks.com has sold a signed copy of Bill Clinton’s My Life for $3,450 and a signed copy of Ronald Reagan’s An American Life for $6,325.

Any questions? Contact Richard Davies, PR manager, AbeBooks.com Ph:250-412-3238 Email:rdavies@abebooks.com

Wow! Was there recession recently declared? Is automobile industry in big trouble? Pardon moi, but so much money to shell out for one book even with a famous signature? Obviously some inquiring minds and book collectors just cannot resist their temptation to own a piece of history even in time of economic weakness. What do you think? Is it wrong or right? I would love to get your opinions. Thanks.

Source: AbeBooks.com Passion for Books. http://www.abebooks.com/books/Company/Information/PressRoom/signed-obama-prices

www.amazon.com

Copyright 2008.

Warren Buffett is the most successful Wall Street investor. You can learn a lot from his book, The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for  Corporate America  that he wrote with Lawrence A. Cunningham, and other books such as Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Roger Lowenstein; Warren Buffett Speaks: Wit and Wisdom from the World’s Greatest Investor by Janet Lowe. Recently I was searching in a hope to find a book about him as the man and his life outside of work. I did not find any. Most  books about Warren Buffet give a brief picture of his life and concentrate on  discussing and his known investments. A new book, The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Shroeder will be released at the end of September. Possibly this book will give us a full story about his life, dreams and healthy habits, too.

Here are my comments on the best secrets he spelled out. He did not express his opinion on important issues like taking care of your health and wellness, as an integral part of getting rich. In the meantime, our life is not only about business and money. It is also about our well-being, optimal health and joyful living.

1. Reinvest Your Profits.

If you made profits from successful deal, reinvest them. Dont’t spend. With America’s consumerism, obsessive shopping, credit card debts, I have a little doubt how many people will follow this advice.

2. Be Willing to Be Different.

As I observed some people who are different, usually they have hard time to adjust. They are often considered as outsiders and don’t feel very confident in pursuing high goals.

3. Never Suck Your Thumb.

Don’t you remember how you Mama and Papa tried to teach you, as a baby, do not suck your thumb because it’s a bad manner and can effect your teeth too? But you sucked it anyway when they did not watch you or when you were thinking about something serious. The lesson from “Never Suck Your Thumb”: don’t don’t just wish and talk. Act, but before you act, do your research, get all necessary information in advance and be well prepared before you make your decision to start a new project.

4. Spell Out The Deal Before You Start.

Think about the benefits of your future deal and bargaining leverage before you begin your job. You may think that your idea is great, but you must offer what the other party wants. What a puzzle!

5. Watch Small Expenses.

Obviously it means that you can turn a penny into one dollar. How many times our frugal grandparents and parents told us about this truth from their life experience? No arguments about it. However, if you painted only one side of your house that faced the road instead of a whole house in order to save some money, did you really save a bundle? Soon you’ll have to paint the other sides. So, why do you have to fool yourself? Just do it or don’t do it at all. Or another example. Will you want to work for a company where owner counts the sheets in rolls of toilet paper to see if you cheat him? Is it not called a humiliation? Imagine your earnings there!

6. Limit What You Borrow.

To limit what you borrow is a great advice. How many people you met who have never borrowed a significant amount of money to invest in stocks or real estate, to finance impulsive shopping “I Want It!” or to buy a house and paying 100% cash without applying for a mortgage? Today’s statistics are horrendous about banks, finance and insurance companies which failed, and people who thought their borrowing was manageable but were mistaken. Now they are overwhelmed by debt, calls and letters from creditors.

The best bet: don’t borrow at all or borrow a little, or pay in full for your purchase. If you don’t have the money, don’t rush to buy anything.

7. To be persistent, ambitious and competitive is a good suggestion. If we are talking about business “with tenacity and ingenuity,” and with an ability to be a merciless negotiator, we can possibly win against a better established competitor. However, you need a lot more to win over your very successful competitor.

8. Know When to Quit

It is always smart to know when to quit your job if you don’t love it or business that doesn’t perform. It is also good to know when to stop spending money. For example, if you started your bet in a racetrack, it can get you in trouble very fast. Once you lost, don’t bet again in a race. Analyze your gain or loss. Many chances you can loose again. The lesson to learn: never repeat your mistakes.

9. Assess Your Risks. It is some sort of prevention, but how do you know the degree of risk already taken? Will you fly high or fall hard? Is there any calculator to count the risks that can outweigh any potential risks? I didn’t see any, did you? Today the best calculator and computer is our brain. Think hard and estimate your chances before you enter a risky enterprise.

10. Know What Success Really Means.

Some people change with success and big bucks coming their way. They start living a lavish life: big houses, fancy yachts, private jets, and all other luxuries. Other people don’t measure success by dollars. They think about philantropic, humanitarian and spiritual ways to spend their money. They generously give to charities and they don’t fund monuments-buildings with their names. They don’t need it. They measure their successful life by how many real friends they have and how many people sincerely need and love them for who they are, but not for their money. Is it not an indicator and ultimate test of how you can live good life?

11.Change the way you live and think about life’s dilemma–how to improve and maintain your health and happiness for many years to come.

Summary: If you made plenty of money, but don’t live a healthy lifestyle and maintain your health and energy, you don’t have good life. So, take the courage, liberty and responsibility in your life and your actions in all directions. Otherwise, numbers 1-11 won’t matter at all.

Despite the mantra of the 1950’s when Father Knew Best, we all know Mama’s the one holding the apron strings. The wisdom of mothers’ hands has been passed down from one generation to the next, through food, spices, herbs and home-made medicines better than any pharmaceutical solution. If you’ve ever tasted my mother-in-law’s homemade chicken soup with the ickiest cold since time memorial, you’ll know –Mama really does know best.

Mama’s Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Living is a tribute to the old wives’ wisdom that transcends modernity. It will inspire you to reach for your vegetable pantry before you head for the pharmacy. Among other things, the instrinsic magic of beets, potatoes, and wine grape leaves are revealed in these pages. Written by Svetlana Konnikova who grew up in the vineyards of Moldova, this book tells us to return to our roots – literally.

Thanks, Christine!  Read more of the review, and don’t miss the rest of Christine’s charming writing by visiting Mama’s Musings.

By Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN, with a Foreword by Anna Maria Clement, PhD, NMD

Interwoven with centuries-old herbal remedies, time-tested techniques, and women’s wisdom handed down through the ages, this kaleidoscopic whole-health tapestry reveals a myriad of natural methods for achieving and maintaining good health and all-around happiness.

At the heart of the narrative is a compilation of natural recipes for infusions, poultices, teas, and tinctures—garnered by the young Svetlana while listening to her mother and “the girls” (other medical professionals like her mother) as they shared their bond of friendship and their tales of healing success while gathered for tea in the family’s blossom-filled garden—intertwined with her grandmother’s fairy tales, family vignettes, legends, and herbal lore.

Filled with easy-to-make, natural, healing recipes for common ailments and illnesses—such as allergies, asthma, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and respiratory problems—this all-encompassing guide to wellness offers a holistic approach that intermingles alternative treatments with folklore, psychology, philosophy, and spirituality to foster optimal health and joyful living.

Disclaimer

Mama’s Home Remedies blog and its affiliate sites (the “Sites”) are accessible worldwide to anyone with Internet access. The information and recommendations expressed in this blog have been practically tested and proven by many people. However, the information contained herein is to be used as a reference source only. The publisher of this blog is not a physician and the procedures, ideas, and suggestions expressed in the published articles here are not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of a trained health professional. Some herbs and plants are used as remedies or food, internally or externally, can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. These methods should nor be used for long-term problems and serious illness. Consult your doctor or qualified health care practitioneer before adapting the suggestions offered in this blog. Always seek advice of your physician about any condition that may require diagnosis or medical treatment.

The statements made regarding certain products and services represent the views of the authors writing posts/articles for this blog, and do not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any product or service by the publisher. Neither the author of any article presented here nor the publishers can be held responsible for claims arising from the inappropriate use of any remedy, advice in the content of this blog  or from mistaken identity of any herbs or other components of the recipes herein.