Pak Choi, otherwise known as Chinese Cabbage. A recent inclusion in British cuisine, and something that is considered a bit above the normal veggie. It is not exactly exotic (as it is fairly easy to cook), but there is definitely an impressive quality about the vegetable whenever it is eaten by someone who is not of Chinese descent. It is a little bit like someone eating Mackerel for the first time. It impresses anyone who does not realise that us Seychellois use it as dog food.

Now, I felt really guilty about buying the Pak Choi. After all, with all the furore about greenhouse gases, I should have bought something that was grown a little closer to home. What I needed was a little less ‘authenticity’ in my noodles and a little more consideration for the amount of miles my food has had to travel. The vegetable would have been grown somewhere in Asia, chucked onto a tractor towards the warehouse, put on a (refrigerated) lorry, taken to an airport, put in (another refrigerated) warehouse, dumped on a plane, flown thousands of miles, ended up at Schiphol, put on another plane, ended up at Heathrow, trucked to a distribution centre off the M25, then trucked to a warehouse for the supermarket before finally being delivered to the supermarket where I purchased it and drove back home in my own car.

Damn, all that to obtain a texture to my vegetable not normally found in cabbage. I should have just bought the cabbage…

Considering that you can get a whole cabbage for a third of that price, something tells me that I have been swindled by the supermarket. Damn, if I am paying that much, I expect my vegetable to have been flown in on a business class seat!

Well, to look on the bright side, at least the UK is self sufficient in Pak Choi. Hey, it may even be the start of a whole new export industry! I see taxes for this new thriving enterprise…

BOOK REVIEW: DR. R. K. SINGH, India

CHOI Lai Sheung. Whisper of the Star. A Collection of Poems(Chinese-English Bilingual). Translated by Zhang Zhizhong. Published by The Earth Culture Press (USA), August 2009, Pages 247, Price US $ 10.00. ISBN 978-0-9637599-6-5/A.080

CHOI Lai Sheung, who writes brief personal lyrical poems, is a contemporary Chinese poet, born in Shishi City in Fujian Province but now settled in Hong Kong. An author of over 70 books and editor-in-chief of the multilingual The World Poets Quarterly, she is also well-versed in calligraphy with an established reputation in gymnastics and swordplay.

Reading her 100 poems in translation, I find Choi a romantic visionary poet, with a matured aesthetic and poetic sense. Unlike many poets whose verses are flat and stale, Choi’s poems have much of enduring value: Her verses are not only brief and deep but also perfect and significant. She melds thoughts, feelings and emotions, with high and low of spirit, and spectacles of inner reality:

“How can I who
Is imperfect
Be tolerated by my love

I am all for beauty
But not beauty itself (p. 227)

Both Choi and Zhang Zhizhong reach a great height of spiritual richness in creating and translating the last two lines of the poem ‘Imperfection’.

When the duo say: “Tenacity is kneaded in wordlessness/Silence is running with tears of heart” (p. 225); “Dreaming to spread my wings of heart/To fly into paradise/With fragrance of the mortal world” (p. 209); “The sea as passion/The rainbow as brush/I dance and soar in the universe” (p. 189); “Just a stretch of rainbow/In a self-less round/Between the sky and the earth” (p. 185); “I am a net in searching and exploring/Cast round the unknown ocean” (p. 183); “The dream is a pure land/Where all hearts are equal” (p. 175); “Rivers and lakes stretch to infinity/Water and the sky share the same color” (p. 165); “The plight of existence shall be/Conquered under the feet” (p. 137); “To grow a pot of smiles/Therefrom/Through winds and rains/Concern and passion retain” (p. 131); and “Lift historical trauma skyward/To wash bright aspiration of the time” (p. 105); I sense an overhead awareness, or the mantric effect a la Sri Aurobindo, the famous Indian poet-philosopher.

Zhang Zhizhong must have found CHOI a difficult poet to translate, particularly for her spiritual consciousness that evades exact expression in English. Yet he has completed the challenging task so well that I feel a sense of satisfaction, reading Choi’s verses in English. Both the poets (the translator too is a noted name in contemporary Chinese poetry with considerable experience in bilingual literature, language and cinema) succeed in drilling through “the fence of time and space/and transcend the boundary of nations” (p. 177), thanks to their labor of love and commitment to human unity, universal peace and happiness.

Reading Choi’s poery is like experiencing an ascent to loftiness of love, life, nature, and simplicity. She reflects an inner culture, the quintessence of the Chinese spirit, which is ever inspiring and ever renewing itself:

“No need to sing fair-sounding songs
No need to compose melodious music
Great passion and emotion
Bring brightness all the way” (p. 159)

She has a sense of purpose and mission: self-discovery and world-discovery. With her heart- wings, she soars between heaven and earth (cf. p. 123) and expresses her unity with nature: “As many wonders of the sea/As many wonders of me” (p. 111). Elsewhere, she says that with a triumphant heart she files and flutters “into heroism and righteousness/Between heaven and earth” (p 149), and scales a new height in her consciousness: “I am going to/Prove my position/With my craggy/Integrity” (p. 155). She sounds like Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri when she asserts: “Straight and erect is the strength of character” and “Climbing and rising is moral integrity” (p. 147). Evolution to her means awakening to the self, or raising the life and existence to a higher level of consciousness. Unity, harmony and love are her key notes.
Like a yogin, with perfect inner discipline, Choi “takes up pen as a hoe/To plough fertile land in silence/For the seeds to break ground and sprout” (p. 145). It is with evolving soul-awareness, “with erect beauty” and “unyielding floral spirit” that she seek to prove her own individual existence.

Choi Lai Sheung’s excellence lies in her freshness in each poem. She is not imitative of the past, nor does she think and feel in any pre-established ways. By her own admission, she is an “industrious tiller” who tries “to reach perfection along with the inclination and seasons/To bring fruits upon fruits” (p. 23). Her poetic genius achieves an excellent balance between what is conventionally available in some of the best Chinese lyrical poetry and what we have been reading in contemporary poetry in English elsewhere. With her fresh insights into the nature of human experiences, the reality of “a colorful life”, she appeals richly to our senses, imagination, emotion, and intellect.

Dr Zhang Zhizhong as translator appears to have really worked hard to prove how well Choi’s diverse materials of the poem are integrated and how successful she has been in proportion to its tight structure. Each word he chooses appears the right word, if not the bet word, for expressing the total meaning of the poet. The diction and images are not trite but fresh. It goes to his credit that in his English rendering there is no clash between the sound of the poem and its sense. Images and ideas are so effectively arranged that any rearrangement would result in harming the poem or its form and content. I whole-heartedly appreciate the positive excellence of both CHOI and Zhang Zhi. They both deserve world recognition.

–Professor (Dr) R.K.Singh, Dept of Humanities & Social Sciences, Indian School of Mines, DHANBAD – 826004, India

By Mark Dohle

Not too long ago headlines declared the climate debate was over, global warming was real and there would be catastrophic consequences if nothing was done to stop the warming.   In fact, global warming has occurred since the beginning of the industrial revolution.  “The SAR [Second Assessment Report] concluded that, on a global average, land-surface air and sea surface temperature rose by between 0.3°C and 0.6°C between the late 19th century and 1994.” (IPCC)  The debate is not about this measured quantity.  Many other important questions remain unanswered.  What are the driving forces behind climate change?  How much and how fast is climate changing?  What will be the consequences?

None of these questions have been adequately answered, yet many people are demanding action and justifying the action with the notion, “better safe than sorry”.  It is commonly stated that the cost of reducing CO₂ emissions will be high, but the cost of no action could be catastrophic—the end of life as we know it.  While this attitude drastically underestimates the social, political, and economic consequences of CO₂ regulations, it also ignores a crucial fact of reality that was eloquently stated by Frances Bacon.  “Nature to be commanded must be obeyed”.

It is impossible for anyone direct the climate without knowing how the climate works.  Before individuals and governments can act in any meaningful way to direct global climate, they must understand the nature of global climate.  Only after figuring out how the climate works can one decide whether or not changing the climate is beneficial or even possible.

Small changes in climate, such as those observed since the start of the industrial revolution posed no new threat to human lives and were within the normal range of historical trends.  It was the authoritative prediction of accelerated warming that caused the alarm.   The following argument attempts to show that current methods of climate prediction, which use models, did not and cannot predict climate change.  This is because the nature of global climate is not yet understood.  Also, any plans to direct the climate towards a constant temperature range cannot work because, again, the nature of global climate is not understood.

One aspect of uncertainty regarding global climate prediction is the magnitude of cumulative climate feedback.  Cumulative climate feedback can be reduced to the rate at which radiation escapes the “blanket” of greenhouse gasses as temperature changes.  A positive feedback means less radiation escapes–accelerating warming— as temperature increases.  A negative feedback means more radiation escapes–decelerating warming— as temperature increases.  An accurate account of all feedbacks is vital to climate prediction because all the models used to predict climate change did so based on climate sensitivity, which was determined from climate feedbacks.

Rahmstrorf, a lead author of the 4th Assessment Report of the IPCC explained climate sensitivity as a “…measure of the strength of CO2 effect on climate…  Without any feedbacks, a doubling of CO2…would result in 1°C global warming…  (D)etailed calculations employing computer models are used in order to account for all the feedbacks…namely, the water vapor feedback, the ice-albedo feedback, the cloud feedback, and the lapse rate feedback.  The water vapor feedback, for example, amplifies climate warming, because in a warmer climate the atmosphere contains more water vapor, which then acts as a greenhouse gas.  While these feedbacks are understood in principle, there is still uncertainty about their exact magnitude…”.(Rahmstrorf  38)

A 2004, University of California investigation titled, “Increase of carbon cycle feedback with climate sensitivity: results from a coupled climate and carbon cycle model”, performed under contract W-7405-Eng-48 of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was used in my argument to show what “the consensus” determined and how that determination was formulated.

The climate sensitivity factor used by the University of California has equilibrium climate sensitivity to increased CO2 (2.1 K per doubling) that is at the lower end of the range of the general model population (IPCC, 2001).”(Govindasamy 159)

The results from the University of California investigation as well as the results from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were based on computer model predictions that meticulously attempted to account for all climate feedbacks.  The IPCC predicted 1.4-5.8K degrees of warming in the next century, (Govindasamy 154) and concluded that “[a]nthropogenic emissions of fossil fuels and change in land use are expected to lead to significant climate change in the future (IPCC, 2001).” (Govindasamy 153)

Our (University of California) results indicate that carbon cycle amplification of climate warming will be greater if there is higher climate sensitivity to increased atmospheric CO2 content; the carbon cycle feedback factor increases from 1.13 to 1.48 when global warming increases from 3.2 to 8 K.  (Govindasamy 153)

In the 2 × sensitivity case there is a decline of nearly 95% of ice volume. We find that the sea ice disappears completely in both hemispheres in their respective summers in that run. (Govindasamy 156-57)

In terms of area occupied by different vegetation types, tropical and temperate forests expand significantly with global warming (Fig. 5; Table 2). The area covered by these forests increases from about 40% in the control case to nearly 60% of the land area in the 2 × sensitivity case. In general there is a migration of tropical, temperate and boreal forests poleward with warming, leading to significant declines in the area occupied by tundra and polar deserts (land ice) in the 2 × sensitivity run. (Govindasamy 159)

It must be noted in the above paragraphs that the warming increased as climate sensitivity increased.  The 2 x sensitivity  illustrates the point that modelers do not know what climate sensitivity actually is.  They just double it or cut it half and report what the computer spits out–garbage in and melting ice caps out.

The models were wrong and had to be wrong, because they were using ungrounded assumptions, namely climate feedbacks, in order to calculate results.    Richard Lindzen, a lead author of the 2001 IPCC report, has addressed this issue for a long time, but it took 16 years for the appropriate data to accumulate before actual observations of outgoing radiation could be used to accurately account for cumulative climate feedbacks.  While lindzen does not claim to be able to predict future climate, hi did illustrate why current climate prediction methods are wrong.  Lindzen and Choi observed and compared the change in outgoing radiation with changes in temperature across the same space and time.  The results indicated that increases in temperature correlated to increased amounts of radiation escaping the “blanket” as lost heat. In other words, climate feedback was observed to be negative. Negative feedback results in relatively low climate sensitivity, (Lindzen 1), much lower than modelers had assumed.

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE)  nonscanner data “appear to demonstrate a climate sensitivity of about 0.5°C.” (Lindzen 9)  That is more than four times less than the assumed value of climate sensitivity used in climate models.   Assuming the observations performed by the ERBE were accurate, the predictions of accelerated warming in the University of California report were meaningless because the models did not simulate the Earth’s climate properly.  The predictions for climate change were meaningless because they were based on meaningless temperature predictions.  Also, all models that developed climate sensitivity factors based on positive feedback were wrong.  That includes the models used by the IPCC.

In order maintain consistency with observation and also show results of significant global warming, all the models that used climate sensitivity factors must make corrections.  Judging from the development of the models used in the University of California report, “corrections” are commonplace in model generation when observations conflict with their results.  Below is an example of a “correction” made during the 2004 study by the University of California.

Initial coupled simulations showed that when IBIS2 was coupled to the PCTM, precipitation biases typical of current climate models caused vegetation errors that, in turn, amplified precipitation biases in regions where surface–atmosphere moisture recycling is known to be important. This erroneous feedback resulted in unacceptable vegetation in some areas, particularly parts of the Amazon. To remedy this, a precipitation correction scheme was implemented. At every surface grid point, and every time step, the simulated precipitation field is multiplied by a constant that is a function of position but otherwise static and identical across all runs. The constant precipitation “correction field” acts to move the model’s simulated present-day annual mean precipitation towards an observed climatology…(Govindasamy 155)

In practice, the precipitation correction employed here is similar to the surface heat “flux corrections” used in early coupled ocean–atmosphere models. It would be better not to have to use it, but until model improvements obviate the need, a correction is required to generate a reasonable coupled control case. (Govindasamy 155)

The “corrections” made to the models in order to obtain desirable results are an indication that the methods of modeling are flawed.  These were not systematic corrections for instrument fabrication errors or light refraction, which are legitimate corrections based on measurement and physics.  The corrections were applied without any reference to known distortions.  They simply realized the results were impossible and therefore a modification was necessary.

It is possible that the analysis performed by Lindzen and Choi was mistaken or that the data was no good.  It is possible that they fudged the numbers or are being deceitful in some way.  The same can be said about the University of California report or even the IPCC report.  It is important to remember however, that these studies were not performed in a vacuum.  There are real consequences for authors and they are held accountable to the institutions and people they serve.  The spotlight is on and their credibility and jobs are on the line.  The work is also easily checked by other scientists.  Neither party is fudging numbers, they simply reached different conclusions based on their respective methods.   Lindzen and Choi used observations, and then reason to form conclusions.  The modelers used a combination of observation and assumed factors to formulate models which mimicked past climate activity.  Based on this, the models were expected to make accurate predictions of future climate activity.

The question remains, which report is true?  Climate feedback cannot be both positive and negative over the same space and time, so they both cannot be true.  The answer to this question lies in the realm of epistemology.  Where does truth come from?  How is knowledge and certainty gained?  Some typical answers are revelations from god, observation and reason, consensus, intuition, authority or a healthy mix.   In this case, a person that answers observation and reason would tend to agree with Lindzen and Choi and a person who holds that consensus or authority have more weight would tend to side with the University of California and IPCC model results.  A person that holds god or intuition as the best means to knowledge could decide in favor of either position.

Observation of reality was the proof for Lindzen and Choi’s arguments.  The assumption of cumulative positive feedback used in the models was contradicted by the observations of negative climate feedback.  The observations can be repeated and the analysis can be checked by any scientist.  Even the modelers agree that observation is the ultimate judge, seeing as how they “corrected” the models to match observations in the past.  So what?  Why does it matter that much anyway?  Wouldn’t it still be a good idea to reduce carbon emissions just in case? No, and here is why.

Copenhagen, December 2009

Many of the factors that affect global temperatures are known, including CO₂ concentrations.  On the other hand, observations, such as those from the ERBE, demonstrate that the influence of any of the factors has not yet been  established.  This means that the nature of global climate is unknown and therefore actions taken to drive climate change in one direction or another cannot accomplish the desired goal.  Yet, the political leaders of the world are meeting and attempting to create a governing body that will force every person on Earth into action.  The global government proposes to collect taxes, redistribute wealth, regulate new and old industry and enforce policy without anyone’s vote.  Below is a glimpse of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as it was drafted on September 15, 2009.

The scheme for the new institutional arrangement under the Convention will be based on three basic pillars: government; facilitative mechanism; and financial mechanism, and the basic organization of which will include the following…(UNFCCC Annex I par. 38)

“The government will be ruled by the (Conference of the Parties) COP.”(UNFCCC Annex 1 par.38)  Whatever the COP actually is, it is not a government by the people and for the people.  A word check was unable to find the words “freedom” or “vote” in the entire document.

The funds will be raised by the financial mechanism. “ The Convention’s financial mechanism will include a multilateral climate change fund including five windows…”(UFCCC Annex I par. 38)   “[Providing financial support shall be additional to developed countries’ ODA targets.] [Mandatory contributions from developed country Parties and other developed Parties included in Annex II should form the core revenue stream for meeting the cost of adaptation in conjunction with additional sources including share of proceeds from flexible mechanisms.]” (UNFCCC Annex II par. 41) What does that mean?

(c) [Levies on CO2 emissions [from Annex-I Parties [in a position to do so]];]

(d) [Taxes on carbon-intensive products and services from Annex I Parties;]

(e) [[Levies on] [Shares of proceeds from measures to limit or reduce emissions from] international [aviation] and maritime transport;]

(f) Shares of proceeds on the clean development mechanism (CDM), [extension of shares of proceeds to] joint implementation and emissions trading;

(g) [Levies on international transactions [among Annex I Parties];]

(h) [Fines for non-compliance [of Annex I Parties and] with commitments of Annex I Parties and Parties with commitments inscribed in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol (Annex B Parties);] (UNFCCC Annex II par. 41)

Regulation and enforcement of the laws created by the COP will be handled by the “…facilitative mechanism which will include… an expert group on adaptation established by the subsidiary body… and an international registry for the monitoring, reporting and verification of compliance of emission reduction commitments, and the transfer of technical and financial resources from developed countries to developing countries.”(UNFCCC Annex I par 38)

People who do not understand the nature of global climate are attempting to direct global temperature.  Even worse, these political leaders, who disregard the idea that “nature to be commanded must be obeyed”, are apparently in a position to regulate global resources, production and wealth distribution.   If they think they can drive global climate without understanding it, how much effort are they expected to put into understanding human nature before they set up a world government to drive men’s actions.  They do not understand that humans require the freedom to act on their rational judgment in order to choose values, create wealth and prosper.  Man is the rational animal, not the obedient animal.  Due to a lack of respect for reality and reason grounded in reality; they are leading us into a pit of despair.

References

GOVINDASAMY, B., S. THOMPSON, A. MIRIN, M. WICKETT, K. CALDEIRA, and C. DELIRE. “Increase of carbon cycle feedback with climate.” TELLUS 57B (2005): 153-63. Blackwell Munksgaard.

LINDZEN, R. and CHOI, Y. “On the determination of climate feedbacks from ERBE data”  GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS (2009) Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate; Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

IPCC, Workgroup I: The Scientific Basis.   http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/wg1/052.htm

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,  FCCC/ANGLCA/2009/INF.2, (September 15, 2009)  http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/awglca7/eng/inf02.pdf

Rahmstorf, Stefan. “Anthropogenic Climate Change: Revisiting the Facts” http://www.pik-potsdam.de/~stefan/Publications/Book_chapters/Rahmstorf_Zedillo_2008.pdf

[Do not give your opponents any possibility to respond to your attacks]

From: Tom Wigley To: Phil Jones Subject: Re: Revised CC text Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:40:57 -0700

Thanks, Phil.

A bunch of us are putting something together on the latest Lindzen and Choi crap (GRL). Not a comment, but a separate paper to avoid giving Lindzen the last word.

Tom.

Central Florida Future – More H1N1 vaccines available.

24,000 vaccines requested last week

By Cassie Turner

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Published: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

John Choi

Danny Demoraes’ brother died of pneumonia, a complication of the H1N1 virus. Demorae, a senior at UCF, received his H1N1 vaccine last Thursday.

John Choi

A month after he watched his 27-year-old brother die of complications caused by the H1N1 virus, UCF senior Danny Demoraes entered the second-floor conference room at Health Services to receive the flu vaccine.

David Demoraes was two weeks away from becoming a firefighter in August when he began complaining of a cough, vomiting and body aches. By the end of the month he had been admitted to a hospital suffering from pneumonia, a complication of H1N1.

On Oct. 3, after a month-long battle, a blood clot blocked one of his arteries, causing his blood pressure to drop to zero, Demoraes said.

“I felt his heart take its last couple beats,” Demoraes said. “My brother and I used to do everything together. Now everything has changed.”

Danny Demoraes received his vaccine Thursday — one of the 1,500 doses available to students, faculty and staff delivered to UCF Health Services, 24,000 had been requested.

“It’s worth getting the vaccine because you just don’t know who it’s going to hospitalize…who it’s going to kill,” Demoraes said. “If the school is offering free vaccines why not prevent it beforehand?”

Chad Binette of UCF News & Information said that there have been 35 cases of H1N1 confirmed at UCF. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

in Atlanta, college-aged people are within a more at-risk category.

“For instance, between ages 5 and 24, the CDC estimates 2,196 cases per 100,000, but only 107 per 100,000 in the 65 and older age group,” Binette said. “UCF is one of the first Florida universities to receive vaccines and getting the vaccine is the best way to stay healthy and protect yourself from the H1N1 virus. The vaccine is safe and effective, and students can get it for free.”

Thomas Sutton, a UCF freshman micro & molecular biology major, agrees. Sutton said he gets his vaccine as a “force of habit” every year, but his grandmother nearly dying of the virus raised his awareness about H1N1.

Claudia Witcher, nursing director for UCF Health Services, began each session with a short presentation explaining to attendees the differences between the two vaccines. The shot is made of dead viral particles, whereas the attenuated nasal vaccine is a live virus that replicates only in the nostril, Witcher said.

“For homework, go out and tell your friends how easy it is, because we need all students to be immunized,” said Pharmacy Manager Sheryl Gamble.  

Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, reported Friday that 129 children have died from H1N1.

According to the CDC, Novel influenza A, H1N1, is a new flu virus of swine origin that first caused illness in Mexico and the United States in March and April 2009. It was determined that the virus was spreading from person to person with the infection causing a wide range of flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In addition, many people also have reported nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to H1N1.

As of Nov. 1, the WHO reported the pandemic has infected 199 countries and overseas territories and caused more than 6,000 deaths.

According to a health alert put out by the CDC on Nov. 6, most people who get H1N1 will have a mild illness and recover in fewer than two weeks. Others, however, are more likely to get flu complications that result in hospitalization and, occasionally, death. Complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections, or worsen chronic health problems such as asthma or congestive heart failure. The CDC urges clinicians to begin antiviral treatment of suspected persons based on direct observation as opposed to relying on rapid influenza tests or laboratory confirmation.

It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become effective in the system, Witcher said.

She recommends maintaining good hand washing practices, not sharing food or drink with others and employing good coughing and sneezing etiquette in the interim.

“My brother was all about helping people,” Demoraes said. “If anything, he would be happy that at least this message can get out there and help other people. That’s what he would have wanted.”

Eddie and Projekt NewSpeak went to the San Diego Asian Film Festival recently. Eddie was invited to speak on a YouTube panel with the likes of KevJumba, David Choi, Paul Dateh, Jennifer Chung and it was moderated by Phil of Angry Asian Man.

I know… why was Eddie there? Well, he killed it anyway. Yay, Eddie. We so proud of you!

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 1 – M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

• Priesthood is the divine power that seals
• How to Talk between Father and Son:
• Most Nurturing
• Who Sons and Fathers Become
• Applies to All Mentors
• 3 Suggestions for the Son:
  • 1. Trust Your Father:
    • Not Perfect, but loves you and is looking out for your best interests.
    • Your Father will feel responsibility and will make him work harder.
  • 2. Take an interest in your father’s life.
    • Interests
    • Goals
    • Job
    • How he met your mother?
    • Watch your father, you’ll understand your father better.
  • 3. Ask for your father’s advice:
    • Ask on Church, Classes, School, Assignments, Missions, Callings.
    • Asking says to him: “I appreciate your knowledge and experience.”
• 3 Suggestions for the Father:
  • 1. Listen to your sons. Ask the right questions and what to know.
    • Connect with your son: Driving, Fishing, Conversations before bed, working in the yard.
    • Have one deep conversation with your son at least once a month.
    • Where and when is not important. Just that it happens.
    • Ask how they “feel”
    • Just listen. You don’t have to fix everything.
  • 2. Pray with and for your sons.
    • Important events: New School Year, Birthday, One and One Prayer, Testimony Sharing.
    • Never give up. Even when you can’t do anything.
  • 3. Talk about and warn about bad things: Drugs, Pornography. Discuss the priesthood and moral cleanliness.
• Trust will flourish. Be open about Sexual Behavior with open and frequent discussions. Be positive about sexual relations in the bounds of marriage.
• Return Missionaries – All this advice applies to them as well.
• Pray to Heavenly Father. Honor your Earthy Father.
• Most important decision is to marry the right girl in the temple.
• Fathers of return missionaries, this applies to them too.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 2 – Walter F. Gonzalez, of the Seventy

• USE the Book of Mormon
• Take the Book of Mormon Test: Is it of man or of God?
• 3 Activities to best read and apply:

1. 1. Feast Upon the Words of Christ. READ IT.
   2. Implement the Teachings
   3. Teach From the Book of Mormon

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 3 – Yoon Hwan Choi, of the Seventy

• Story of 9 Rowdy Boys, Baptized and went on missions.
• They went from 9 Boys to a family of 45 members.
• The boys sang in a group.
• Choi prayed about them and was inspired to teach them to be missionaries.
• “Attend all church meetings” – Taft
• Teach them to change their lives
• Adam did not always have to know why, he just obeyed.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 4 – President Deter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency

• Must remain steadfast in faith.
• Work Hard.
• Trust in God.
• Uchtdorf was teased as a young child. When he looks back, he sees that being teased gave him personal growth.
• Adversity, when faced with faith, can be overcome.
• Prinicples:
  • 1. WORK.
    • If you keep at it, steady and constant, things will improve.
    • In the sweat of thy face, thou shalt eat bread.
    • Lord doesn’t expect us to work harder than we are able. Don’t compare your performance to others, he does not.
    • When your wagon is stuck in the mude, God is more likely to help one who gets out to push, than those who pray.
    • Righteous work in the home is sacred and has eternal results. It cannot be delegated.
    • Spend your days growing.
    • Spiritual Wings – as sons of God, we should grow to the horizons.
    • Retirement is not part of God’s plan. You should always be doing something.
    • Excuses with age: Skateboarding, biking, spicy food at the buffet… should not keep you from working.
    • No retirement from priesthood.
    • Wanting to retire from work is not a thought of a disciple.
  • 2. LEARN.
    • Old saying: “Education is not so much a filling of a bucket as a lighting of a fire.”
    • Learning is a commandment.
    • Joseph Smith said as a mortal part of our journey that knowledge in this life crosses into the resurrection.
    • Knowledge takes away anxiety, doubt and darkness.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 5 – President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor, First Presidency

• Keeps olive oil on him at all times.
• Keeps it in his desk (He has a desk!)
• Keeps it on his nightstand.
• The olive oil has a date on it: The day it has been concecrated.
• Always ready.
• Story: A father called him about his three year old daughter. She had been hit by a car. He plead for a priesthood blessing. He had to fight the doctors to place a drop of oil on her head amidst bandages. Doctors said she was dying. They were wrong. She lived and also learned to walk again.
• Those prepared are ready to answer.
• Preparation begins at home, quorums, etc.
• Steady Obedient Service.
• Need:
  • To have faith, authority to act in the name of God.
  • Nephi – Given the authority to do miracles. He brought drought/rain, god gave him power and trust.
  • D&C 121 – Moves are pure, Gentleness, Love, Not Selfish. D&C 121 contains a promise in there.
  • Prepare for days when heaven needs you. Service & Opportunity.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 6 – President Thomas S. Monson, President and Prophet

• Anger
• Story of a couple fighting and a child who got hurt as a direct result.
• Anger doesn’t solve anything.
• Destroys everything.
• Heber grant story about work.
• “Man is a fool who takes insult that is not intended”
• Anger is Satans tool.
• Story about Brother Marsh, how a result of a quarrel over milk and cream lead to the extermination order.
• Story about two brothers who shared a 1 room cabin in New York. They got into a fight and drew a line down the center of the room. They did not speak or cross the line for 62 years. This story was told at a funeral.
• Reads “School Thy Feelings Poem”

Aujourd’hui, j’ai découvert que le joueur de football favori de Minho n’est pas coréen. Ni brésilien. Ni espagnol. Ni anglais. Non, il est français. Et il s’appelle Thierry Daniel Henry. Je suis vraiment heureuse.

hongki’s ridiculous hat =]
I LOVE MINHWAN’S ADORABLE VOICE!!! <3333

ladies and gentlemen…A3 lol

cuz all 3 are bloodtype A

So I was reading this article on SM members’w/last name Choi, in allkpop by lilchoiboy18 (Coincidently another Choi) and I thought it was really interesting. He reported about the tallest members in each SM group…

Tallest Members in:
Super Junior: Choi Siwon at 183 cm
SNSD / Girl’s Generation: Choi Sooyoung 169-170 cm
SHINee: Choi Minho ~181 cm
TVXQ / DBSK: Choi Kang Chang Min ~186 cm
f(x): Choi Sulli Unknown height, but it has been confirmed that she is taller than Victoria\

Any one see the pattern? If not, I hope the bolded names helped. Could just be coincident… or not? With FIVE groups. I think it just MIGHT be some funny SM gimmick.

On another note, do you think any of these Choi’s are related?

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Pic Credits to: sneeze. @ soshified & 允儿DE天使 @snsdchina

Please, find here a lot of new PC games tests in vietnamese

Tro Choi PC

Cam rar ratez vreun fenomen social. De cele mai multe ori aleg sa il hulesc in public iar in privat, cand nu ma vede si nu ma stie aproape nimeni,  ma infrupt din delicatesa ce mi-o autointerzic. Ultima guilty pleasure, sau, mai precis tentativa de pleasure e vizionarea cumintica din varful patului a serialului ce rupe mai nou in faşii audientele dupa-amiezelor : Giuvaerul Palatului. Zic tentativa pentru ca macar am incercat. N-am reusit sa il aprofundez ca maica-mea, dar si orice incercare ar trebui sa fie trecuta in condica de merite deosebite.

Nu mi-o luati in nume de rau, sunt tanara, daca nu acu sa experimentez, apoi cand ? Asa ca, impunsa de la spate de curiozitatea maica-mii ne-am asternut la o vizionare de studiu, protestele mele timide fiind din start inabusite de autoritatea in materie de seriale de langa mine. Eram la Baneasa intr-un weekend prelungit de linistire sufleteasca si meditatie intru upgradarea sufletului ( adica o ardeam la padure cu singura legatura cu civilizatia fiind cablul teve ).

E greu, ma, sa te sincronizezi cu ochii jos la subtitrare si apoi repede sus la fetele lor sa te prinzi eventual care cum il cheama. Asta daca le si tii minte suceniile de nume. Cu toate astea am ajuns la o concluzie ce s-a desprins mai usor decat altele : astia nu prea le aveau cu mobilele. La ei trantitu in mijlocul odaii e la mare arta. O scoteau ieftin se pare.

3 sferturi de episoade mai tarziu ( nu prea ne prindeam la ce ora incepe ) imi marturiseste maica-mea :

” Stii, am o dilema, eu nu ma prind din ce tara e serialul asta. Nu ca ar semana toti intre ei, nu ca ar fi toti asiatici, dar nu vad un kimono, nu vad o duda, o maslina sa-i localizez. Mai ca mi s-a parut la un moment dat ca ziceau ceva de Seul, dar nu bag mana in foc. Pe vremea mea era clara faza, se vorbea de domnisoarele Ashfu Shi Namchefu si Fetitzo Che Curai si stiai din prima. “

Am intrebat si eu in stanga si in dreapta apoi, pe la alte rude, alti cunoscuti, tot asa cu o urma de rusine pe frunte, daca printr-o intamplare cunosc problema. ” Ce se intampla, ma, in serialul asta ?? Ca eu, stiti, nu prea am rabdare sa ma uit… ” Ma asteptam la cascade de ras isteric, ironii, mistouri prelungite sau, macar la o fata lunga si inexpresiva. Raspunsurile au fost surprinzatoare, variate si cuprinzatoare. Nu degeaba zicea Dana Deac in Catavencu ca le-a iesit pasenta cu serialul asta, chiar toata lumea ( de bine ) stie de el. Am auzit 5 nume de tari si 3 de continente. Am aflat ca e profund, ca nu-i ca alea indiene de nu-s sanatoase pentru epileptici, ca depaseste orice telenovela mai coioasa de la mexicani si ca te prinde, chiar daca protestezi vehement, te prinde.

Si mai bulversata m-am intors la maica-mea cersind iluminare. N-a fost in stare asa ca am chemat pe la noi o vecina semidocta in problema ce ne-a insirat pe masa juma de scenariu.

” Ala, il stii, ala cu cioc asa, generalul ala, Ming, Miu, Mai, dracu sa-l ia, ala ma e cu asta, de e fi-sa lu maica-sa, care maica-sa o omorara doamna Coi cu barbat-su. Si Jejun asta, dracu s-o pieptene ca are un nume urat rau, si nici ea nu-i prea stralucita intre noi fie vorba, vrea sa se intoarca la palat, ca a alungat-o doamna Coi, care e rea, dupa cum o sugereaza si numele. A alungat-o, da nici ea nu s-a lasat ca i s-a sculat ca se duce la scoala sa se faca asistenta, dar si acolo o persecuta unii, da noroc cu genelarul ala dragut, ca ti-am explicat, sunt doi draguti foc acolo, imparatul ala ce-o fi, si generalul asta, dar uneori ii mai incurc intre ei sau cu altii, dar nu conteaza. Ce ziceam ? Ah, da, astia doi sunt pe felie. Cum care ? Ming cu Jejun. Si de aci sa te tii distractie si nabadai… “

Am cascat gura a minunatie si eu si maica-mea, ne-am uitat una la alta si, intr-un final, am dat din cap cum ca am inteles perfect cum stau lucrurile. It all makes sense now. Odata ajunsa in civilizatia conectata la internet m-am pus pe cautari intense. Si am gasit ce cautam :

“Coreea, cu mai bine de 500 de ani în urmă. Într-o lume dominată de bărbaţi şi discriminări sociale, în timpul dinastiei Chosun, o femeie uimeşte printr-un destin ieşit din comun. Jang-geum, o tânără săracă, începe să lucreze în bucătăria palatului regal. Cu timpul ea devine o prezenţă de neînlocuit în palat. Prin ce împrejurări ajunge frumoasa Jang-geum prima femeie medic, intrând astfel în istorie? “

Pff…tot Dr. Quinn e baza.

Chiều hôm nay, tụi tui hoàn thành buổi học thêm Hóa cuối cùng. Sau buổi học, cô Vy ( cô giáo dạy thêm), tổ chức cho bọn tui đi Bãi Dài chơi! Cả đám  mừng quýnh lên. Đứa nào cũng hăm hở, nào là đi chợ mua dưa hấu, chôm chôm , cóc(chậc!),…, còn mang theo cả chục chai nước lọc ướp lạnh(dĩ nhiên là cô “Bao trọn gói” cuộc đi chơi này !), mấy bồ thấy hấp dẫn ko nè!!!

Tụi tui khởi hành từ rất sớm – khi nắng còn chói chang và bầu trời xanh vắt – 14h45’. Đứa nào cũng guồng xe cho thật nhanh vào để sớm đến nơi, bỏ cô đạp xe phía sau cả mấy…centimet! ^.^ Con đường xa dằng dặc, với nhiều khúc cua “ngập tràn” khói bụi và xe tải hạng nặng! Chỉ đến khi tui  đạp xe tới đường cao tốc thì quanh cảnh khác hẳn. Hai bên đường, cỏ lau hồng hồng trắng trắng bay phất phơ theo gió(trông sao mà giống cảnh phim “Bỗng dưng muốn khóc” quá nhỉ?). Những hồ nước mặn do cát trũng tạo thành  lóng lánh dưới ánh nắng. gió biển thổi mát lạnh đến mức muốn bay cả mũ đội đầu luôn! Bồn hoa giữa đường với đủ màu sắc như đang vẫy gọi, chào đón bọn tôi.(ước gì hằng ngày tui được đi học trên con đường này nhi!:D)

Biển kia rồi!!! Chỉ mới thấy màu xanh lam của biển hòa cùng những cơn gió mát mẻ đã cuốn mọi sự mệt mỏi của tụi tui bay hết rùi.

Vèo một cái, tụi tui đã có mặt tại bãi biển. Chà! Gió biển mát thiệt đó. Ngay lập tức, mấy đứa con trai(trừ tui, tui đang ngồi gọt cóc với cô!) nhào xuống nước và… ùm!!! Ái chà, “Đã quá!!!!!!!!!!!” – tụi nó thét lên như muốn thách tui xuống biển tắm hay sao ấy. Chết rùi!  Đôi dép tui mới mua đang ngập trong cát. Tui lỡ quên tui đang mang dép, tội đôi dép ghê! Tui ngố thiệt, xuống biển mà mang dép, mấy đứa còn nói tui “hơi”  bị khác người.

“Gọt lẹ đi rồi mấy đứa kia lên còn ăn nữa” – cô gắt lên làm tui giật mình, đánh tan mấy cái suy nghĩ vớ vẩn đang lanh quanh trong đầu!

Hết phần 1! Mấy bồ chơ bữa nào rảnh tui post phần 2 lên coi cho vui nhá

is it jonghun or junghoon? i’ll find the korean spelling and fill u in, meanwhile, look at this video he’s in…he totally kissed that girl!

he has the cutest closeup at like 3:43

wow,,, minhwan is getting better in terms of his vocal abilities!! yay! so proud of him..XD

credit: colloquie@youtube(vid)+^roro^@hwannie-love+lollipopice@wp

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err.. i haven’t listened to it yet, someone i know did an mp3 rip of his performance at PKR Starry Night radio..

credits: colloquie@youtube+roro<3jongki@jonghunfied+lollipopice@wp

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Paper is truly blessed. One door closes another open. What an interesting evening Paper had today….so many opportunity revealed itself in one swell swoop. Now, lets get it moving Paper.

Now if only Paper can fix one other matter in his life…thing would be perfect.