Vector Gnosis Blog

I must admit that I don’t usually write articles with such a chilling headline, so I feel that I should give a little background on a relatively innocent experience which prompted me to write this piece.

I would also say quite candidly that there is nothing really new in the main context of it, in fact most probably, everyone is concious of these facts in some way or another.

What I really do wonder though, is just exactly how many of us are actually making any real attempt to seriously look after ourselves, healthwise that is!

I live in Central Scotland in the UK, and according to statistics, we have one of the highest mortality rates from such things as coronary heart disease, strokes, obesity, etc, etc, and I often wonder why this should be the case!

Of course many things are contributory factors to this, and I am no medical expert, but there is one very important factor involved which I have studied extensively, and that is diet!

In Scotland we are renowned for our love of deep-fried foods such as fish and chips, pies, takeaway meals, our alcohol consumption, and so on. Every region of the Western world has its favourite “goodies” I suspect, so I am sure that you get the picture.

I must hand it to our Health Authorities however, because for some considerable time now there has been an extensive and on-going campaign of Health Education, including some excellent TV and Radio ads, outdoor billboards, and similar such things.

It was one of the latter that really caught my eye recently, so much so, that I can’t quite get the image out of my mind. It is a large billboard, which contains a graphic picture of a human heart with two giant grey hands sueezing the life out of it. Very very effective,(at least I thought so),my congratulations go to the person who devised it!

This was the spur that prompted this article, and as I said at the beginning, there is nothing really new in it, but I think it bears repeating nonetheless. Life is a precious gift, and although we are not immortal, there are many many things that we can do to prolong it, and preserve our health.

As far as diet is concerned therefore, here are some of the important ones again:-

Cut down on the fat,and cut down on the carbs.

You’ve heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut thefat! Cut the carbs! Cut the calories! Eat a balanced diet! But how can you cut though all of the confusion, and eat a diet that is balanced and healthy. Not always easy is it! Here is some advice from nutritional science,which might help.

Cut down on the junk fats.

Most people do not need an ultra low fat diet, but most of us could improve our diet by cutting out the junk fats. These are processed fats, hydrogenated fats, polyunsaturated oils that have been heated, and fats that are combined with junk carbohydrates. Processed fats are those fats most likely to put on flab and clog your arteries. We do all know this don’t we!

Cut down on the junk carbohydrates

The majority of people do not need an ultra low carb diet, but unfortunately, many people who do go on a low fat diet continue to eat highly processed foods. They switch from processed high-fat foods to processed low-fat foods, and then when the food manufacturers create low fat foods, they tend to replace the fat with junk carbs.

These can actually pile on the pounds, because basically junk carbs are low-fiber carbs, like sugar, fructose (and all the other *oses), flour, cornstarch, fruit juice, and such. Yes, fruit juice is a junk carb too you know! After all, how much fiber is there in fruit juice. Virtually none, simply because it’s yet another junk carb. You would be better to eat the whole fruit instead, with its fiber intact.

Cut down on the junk calories.

Most people do not need an ultra low calorie diet, but just think what your diet could be like if you dropped the processed fats and the low-fiber carbs. You would then be eating mainly natural proteins, with lots of vegetables plus whole fruits, and the odds would be that you would be eating far fewer calories as well. That’s the kind of calorie cutting most of us should be doing!

Make every attempt to eat a balanced natural foods diet.

By natural foods, we mean those kinds of foods that would have been eaten by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. They would have had lots of whole vegetable foods giving them vitamins and fiber for instance, and also moderate to small portions of meats, fish, seafood, and other animal and protein foods. These they would have grilled, stewed or baked, not deep fried! They would also have eaten small portions of fresh whole fruit in season, which is the diet on which the human race evolved!

So the next time you’re about to order a meal with fries and a sugary soda, stop and think about how it could be improved. Replace the fries with a salad for example, and the soda with a mineral water say. It would probably surprise you, how much significant progress you have already made towards a healthier balanced meal.

Just simple sensible changes can work wonders!

When you are at home, look for recipes that use whole fresh foods, with a minimum of processing. Try and make sure that your meals include natural unprocessed foods, with lots of healthy vegetables, both cooked, and raw when in salads. Avoid processed fats and processed low-fiber foods.

Here is a little simple menu that I often use and enjoy.

Grilled fish with steamed green beans and peppers. Large mixed salad, dressed with small amounts of olive oil and,vinegar or lemon juice. Then a fresh fruit platter to finish off! A healthy balanced diet can actually be that simple you know!

Life is there to be enjoyed, but moderation in all things is the watchword in my opinion. I do hope this article has given you some food for thought however!

Cyprus has been home to many cultures over the ages, but its great all year round sun is what attracts most of us, which has made it a very popular destination for Europeans, with over 2.4 million visiting the republic. Cyprus basks is more than 330 clorious days of sun each year, which has given it the name The Island of the Sun. With plenty of travel agents tailoring Cyprus holidays and low cost airlines such as Easyjet offering routes to Paphos and Larnaca, there has never been a better time to visit.

Cyprus attracts tourists from all over the world, but the majority come from Europe. In recent years Russians and Poles have become poolside regulars alongside the French, Germans and, of course, us Brits.. One of the main reasons why there is such a heavy presence of Brits in Cyprus is because of the positioning of the British Armed forces in the southern Greek part of the island. The UK retains a military base in order to have a gateway for forces to the Middle East. As such the Brits are now almost as local and the locals, and in turn, now cater for the Brits. English is widely spoke and understood among nearly all age groups to driving on the left side of the road. A major attraction for many Brit tourists is that the island offers all of the comforts and familiarities of home, but we also get to bask in the sun.

For many reading this, the prospect of taking a holiday away from England only to be greeted at the airport by a hire car representative hailing from Croydon and being served an authentic Mediterranean dish of steak and chips will not appeal. However, this side of Cyprus, that continues to attract millions of tourists year after year, is only one aspect of the island and is concentrated around the tourist hotspots of Paphos, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. Fortunately as you venture off the beaten track, your are soon reminded of the character that has made this island a popular destination for millennia.

Its worth tearing yourself away from the beach and visiting the Troodod Mountains if you can. In the heart of the mountains you will find the Kykkos monastery, a UNESCO world heritage site since 1998. Housing art and exhibits on ancient Greece, the monastery has the twin function of being a museum for visitors and a practising monastery lived in by worshiping monks. Kykkos even has its own winery where the monks bottle and sell their wine. A daytrip to the Troodos Mountains can be a welcome change from the beach and with overnight accommodation available in many of the authentic villages dotted about; you might want to spend a few days here sampling another side of Cyprus.

Launched in November 2007 the Samsung G800 has proved very popular as an easy to use slider style mobile phone. As a entry level mobile phone the G800 is reasonably well featured compared alongside some of the more well known phones within this price bracket. Like other comparable mobile handsets from Samsung the visual design is really modern and would appeal to a wide range of customers.The G800 from Samsung is a sleek and stylish mobile phone.

Even though getting a great deal on the G800 is pretty easy, it may take you a while. There are numerous of vendors each offering a large selection of of deals from the leading network providers. To quicken your search it many be worth visiting a specialist mobile phone comparison site to get the best deals on the Samsung G800 .

The Samsung G800 has support for 2G GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 and 3G HSDPA 2100 . The G800 has an integrated 5 MP, 2560х1920 pixels, autofocus, video, xenon flash, 3x optical zoom camera. For those that need access to the Internet on the move a WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS reader browser is included.To allow mobile Internet access a WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS reader browser is included. The Samsung G800 is equipped with Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3 ring tones as well as a vibrating tone . The mobile handset is pretty light weighing in at 134 g,. Compared to competing phones the Samsung G800 is one of the most compact handsets on the market. This handset can only be bought in Titan Grey,. The Samsung G800 comes equipped with bluetooth, which means it is compatible with the vast majority of devices. The battery cell that is supplied with the G800 is a Standard battery, Li-Ion. On to battery cell duration the Samsung G800 has 220 hrs standby time and 3:20 talk time. Regarding the the display the phone is equipped with a 2.4 inch screen, which, if you look at other phones you could get for the money is an average display. The display is a TFT, 256K colors. The following additional features are also present on the Samsung G800 , Voice memo, TV out, Bluetooth printing, Face Detection, Java MIDP 2.0, MP3/AAC/AAC+/e-AAC+/WMA player, Built-in handsfree, Stereo FM radio and Document viewer (Word, Excel, Power Point, PDF).

Despite being quite a new model, there is already stiff competition from more recent models. Because of this it is fairly easy to find some great deals on the G800.

I’ve been fascinated by wild birds as long as I can remember.
I started feeding them as a 10 year old boy. That was 41 years
ago. Not until my mid 30’s did I really take time to plan and
plant for wildlife.

I’ve been a gardener all my life so that wasn’t a problem.

Knowing what to plant, where and why was a learning
experience. As a Michigan Certified Nurseryman, I’m still
learning.

If you have a small suburban lot or can plan on a grand
scale, gardening for birds can be accomplished.

Think like a bird!

No, I’m not calling you a bird brain.

Look at your landscape from a vantage point like a balcony
or a deck. Get a bird’s eye view.

Now, what will make your yard attractive to birds?

Do you have mature trees already? Great if you do. What is
under the tree canopy? Do you have other native small trees
and shrubs planted? What about flowers and ground covers.

Next time you are in a park or take a walk in the woods, take
a look at your surroundings. You will notice the different levels
of plant life. You will also notice that different birds live at
different levels.

This is a wildlife habitat, nature’s way. Now you may want to
copy nature or create your own little world. Either way, think
native plants and also think of your own eye appeal. Plant some
flowers and shrubs that you like as well.

Find plants and trees that are native to your region. If you aren’t sure, ask your local nursery or garden center. Because a plant is zone hardy doesn’t make it right for your area.

Find out what birds live in your area and what will attract them
You wont get cardinals or bluebirds no matter how hard you
try if they are not in your region or conditions aren’t to their liking.

Plan and re-plan your task on paper. Draw your plants in as mature plants. All to often we buy several little plants and bunch them together. Three years later we are digging them up and moving them or giving the away.

Plant evergreens as well as deciduous. What bears fruits and
seeds. What time of year will the bear fruit?

Crabapples (Malus) and Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) offer food and color well into winter.

Will there be enough protection from predators? Will the birds
find your yard acceptable for raising a family?

Native grasses offer food, protection and nesting materials.

Flowers and ground covers offer up nectar and seeds. They also
bring bugs and birds love bugs.

Lose the pesticides, It took me a few years to realize I was doing more harm by spraying for bugs.

Birds add color, movement and sound to our yards everyday of
the year.

Few things are more relaxing and make a soul glad then
listening to and watching wild birds.

Add a few feeders and some fresh water.

Your wild bird habitat is now your own little nature preserve to enjoy and share.

To learn more about backyard birding and gardening for birds
http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com/.

Ron Patterson has been caring for birds since he was a 10 year old boy growing up in rural Michigan. Wanting to do more for birds and wildlife, he became a Michigan Certified Nurseryman. This helps give Ron the Knowledge and experience on planting for wildlife. His expertise helps others to plant and design yards for birds. You can learn more about gardening for birds and backyard birding tips by signing up for Ron’s weekly newsletter at: http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com/

When fuel prices were low, it was unnecessary to justify the upfront investment of money required to install solar panels, solar water heaters and similar equipment. The reason was simple to understand – it would simply take too long to recoup the cost of the equipment in the form of lower energy bills.

But prices are now higher than many of us ever expected. As energy prices continue to go up, the amount of time required to recoup the upfront cost goes down. In addition, a number of state and local tax incentives make it even easier for homeowners to go solar and save money right away.

Photovoltaic systems have also come a long way. The costs of installing solar panels is still high, with a typical two kilowatt installation of OVR Solar solar panels costing about £10,000 / ($20, 000) in most cases, but special tax incentives and long term energy savings can help homeowners recoup those upfront costs faster than ever before.

Encouragement for our governments is now forthcoming. This tax savings can help eligible homeowners recoup some of the costs of installing solar panels and solar water heating systems up front, in addition to the energy savings they will enjoy down the road.

Many states also provide special tax incentives for homeowners who install eligible solar panel and solar water heating systems. The specifics of these tax rebates and tax incentives vary from state to state, but many states provide at least some level of tax relief for homeowners who install and use energy efficient systems.

The factors affecting how long it will take to break even will vary from case to case.. However, as the prices for heating oil, gas and other forms of traditional energy continue to soar, so too will the desire for energy freedom.

Within the next two decades the sanctity of marriage will change and eventually marriage will not just be between a man and a woman but may also be between a man and a man or a woman and a woman you see. But not if the Christian Right can help it they say as the put their political foot down.

I believe that the Gay Marriage issues will continue to have opposition until the Gay and Lesbian Community can reign in their fringe group, which often intimidates, threatens, slanders and uses extortion techniques to shut up anyone who does not think the way they do. It is for this reason that gay marriage issue will continue to struggle thru this decade and perhaps even into the next.

Due to the negative comments against my personal character on Internet Forums and nasty emails on this subject; I have joined opposition to gay marriages in the US and will vote, donate monies to candidates against gay marriage and influence as many people as I can to do the same. I urge all Americans to defeat gay marriage initiatives, not because it is morally wrong, but because of the abuse that their fringe, which they refuse to control puts out into the public.

You see, I now believe this fringe group as detrimental as the worst violent fringe of any civil rights groups movement in the history of the United States. That’s how I see it and we must therefore all stand united. Gays and Straight people alike must stand up and vote and make our voices heard against gay marriage. I love controversy! And they started it. Consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Property Index have a range of properties for sale in Portugal, from villas to apartments.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Property Index service is only a recent organisation, starting their business only in March of 2007, they have attained to expert status very quickly. Actually, they are a incredibly down to earth organisation exclusively focused on looking after any person dedicated to sell property across the world. Their agreement: to help you out pinpoint just what you crave quickly plus, obviously, without hassle. Property is at your fingertips in many parts of the world today, one of the choicest areas being real estate for sale in Portugal. It’s an easy job to determine the fabulous estate you can purchase in Portugal, one motive for wanting real estate here being a combination of the houses and apartments for sale and the option of living between this pulsating, optimistic and bouncy population.

It’s one of the truly trendy regions of the world today, and with the scenic beauty and great sunshine surrounding you, how could you ever go wrong! Property in Portugal is steeped in history, art and culture, this realm of the world has been and is still home to a good number of sophisticated cultures. Some twenty years ago you would find only very few of Britishers keen on estate in Portugal. Just ask everyone who has relocated to Portugal and they’ll be sure to substantiate this. Plenty of people would will view it as a momentary rage and others will view it as a more or less a fixation. The people who are interested in repairing over here generally range from yuppie couples who are looking for a challenge in life to senior citizens looking to enjoy being retired.

Bear in mind, though, that you may well encounter a few problems when acquiring estate abroad: as can be expected, there are a million disparate, occasionally conflicting, actions when brainstorming, sightseeing or purchasing. Even if one single minor action is missed that is sure to escalate huge problems plus, even more important, money loss. As can be expected with this favored destination, estate can be fairly pricey in this destination and that’s solely a consequence of the high buyer demand. Notwithstanding buyers are truly spoilt in a location boasting such a happy geography and view. Certainly it can offer everything you could feasibly yearn for and more.

The gate of every year is the begining of that year; the gate of every month is the begining of that month; the gate of every week is the begining of that week; the gate of every day is the wee hours (from 12midnight) of that day. Are you presently STRANDED or STAGNANT in your journey in life? It is perhaps because you’re locked out by a gate-keeper, from entering into fulfilment and you don’t even know. Take this literary tour with me to expose and conquer the forces responsible for your captivity.

“…or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?…” (Matthew 12:29)

This liberating scripture was the key that shattered the gate of my mental captivity and opened unto me the gates of fruitful and productive activities.

When I heard a wiseman once saying that ‘The secrets of men are in their stories’. I quickly took a cue from his wisdom and started to pursue the stories of my heroes and heroines, par chance, I may stumble into the secrets of their greatness.

That study took me on a literary tour from June 2001 to April 2002 (11-months!). By the time of my arrival, I had caught the raging fire of success. I went with full vigour to apply my discoveries for total recovery of my tortured and trampled destiny. I came out with a bold declaration that: ‘Our negligence to nurture the applicable truths of life is the reason for our torture’.

Having fully recovered, now I am poised to deliver that same truth to you through a series of articles on my potent encounter with what I have decided to call the ‘Forces of the Gate’ or ‘Forces of the Midnight Hour’.

Take a look at these names and see if they mean anything to you. Jesus Christ; David Yonggi Cho; Kenneth & Gloria Copeland; Kenneth Hagin; Billy Graham; Enoch Adeboye; David Oyedepo; Daniel Olukoya; Bill Gates; Johanne Kathleen Rowling;…the list is by no means exhaustive, but I will only use them, in the course of this serial, as points of references to ratify the stubborn truth of greatness that many of us have been so negligent of, in the past.

There is a battle at the ‘gate of destiny’ that many are unaware of; many even fought this battle unconsciously and still obtained a good result. As I studied the secrets of greatness, I discovered that almost every great man or woman fought this battle and won, some lucky ones even fought it without knowing it. Those who lost this ‘battle’ ended up as destitutes in life. May you be strengthened with the discovery in these serial to go forward and win your own inescapable battle at the ‘gate’ of your destiny! Afterall, behind every recovery and delivery are the pillar and floodlight of discovery.

I saw in Isaiah 28:6 ‘…and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.’ and I asked : ‘Why the battle to the gate?’
The answer came involuntarily from my spirit that: ‘Only those who win the battle of the gates will conquer the city.’ In acient times every city worth its salt was fenced round with walls and gates. Ancient Babylon, Egypt, Israel, etc. were notable examples and not exceptions of these.

In our modern times today, while it is a fact that the physical walls have crumbled, the customs and immigration walls are vibrant for all of us who travel regularly out of our respective countries to others, to experience.

The stories of the men and women of diverse backgrounds which I listed above showed a sparkling common gold thread of people who kept appointment with the midnight hour mentally and spiritually and were not disappointed.

When you wrestle mentally and spiritually at the ‘entry point’ of any territory or season with the ‘gate-keeper’ in charge of that territory or season, and you win, you are bound to shine and florish like the morning star.

All these men and women of stature, status and stardom are victors of the ‘battle of the gates’. In my next article, I would show you what the midnight-battle of the gate means.

Aderemi Ojikutu (Aderaskeey) is a Motivational Author and Youth Mentor. He is a minister of the Word of God. A political economist and political leader. He is President of the TREASURE WRITERS CLUB in Nigeria (http://ryze.com/go/Aderaskeey). He is also the current President of the National Democratic Forum (N.D.F). He was National Mobilisation Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (N.A.N.S) for several years. A revolutionary of over two decades, he was also the political secretary of the defunct Nigerian Labour Party in 1989-1991.

In today’s capitalist world where security is one of the utmost concerns, the typical problem facing an individual is financial security. Money-related questions typically asked are: “Where can I keep my money? What is the best way to invest it and make it grow? Who can I borrow money from?” And the answer: a bank – a financial institution dealing with financial concerns.

Banks are known to provide financial services, from storing assets (liquid or otherwise) to extending credit. From a bank customer’s point of view, this translates to services ranging from making deposits to asking for a loan. People are now even capable of paying their bills and most of their purchases thru different banking methods.

Historically, banks have been seen as heartless and opportunistic. They were seen as vicious businesses victimizing the innocent and honest. Of course, eventually, through time, this view has drastically changed. Banks today are one of the highly-respected and successful business establishments in the country. Now that people are more educated about the banking operations, they have learned to trust these businesses with not only their savings and assets, but with other transactions as well.

It is said that the word bank came from the Italian word banca, which came from Germany and means bench. Money lenders (now popularly known as “loan sharks”) from Northern Italy used to conduct their business in open areas, each working from his own bench. Similarly, the term bankrupt (which means broke) was derived from the term banca rotta, or a broken bench.

Now, I’m sure you’ve heard of central banks, savings banks, commercial banks, private banks, etc. What differentiates one from the other? There are many types of banks.

In a nutshell, here are some of the more popular ones and what commonly distinguishes each from the others:

Central banks are usually charged with controlling the monetary policies, including the money supply. They are also tasked with the printing of paper money. Savings banks traditionally offer services like savings and mortgages. But at present, they have expanded to offer other forms of financial assistance. Commercial banks usually offer financial services to large corporations or businesses. Private banks manage the assets of the ultra-rich. They are usually located in jurisdictions with low taxation and regulation (Yes, those infamous Swiss banks and Swiss accounts…).

There are also merchant banks, which provide capital to firms in the form of shares rather than loans; investment banks, which deal with selling of stocks and bonds and with advising on mergers; retail banks, where the primary customers are individuals and; universal banks, which offer diversified financial services and engage in several different banking activities.

How does such a business earn its money? Traditionally, a bank’s main sources of income come from transaction fees from its range of financial services and from the interests it charges for its loans. But in the past years, banks have evolved to ensure their continued profitability despite the changing market conditions. Banking, investment and insurance functions were merged to cater to the consumer’s “one-stop shopping” mentality.

Indeed, banks have come a long way from the time they conducted their business on benches. They are changing because people are changing. And it all started on the day when man felt that his valuables were no longer safe in his own home. After all, anyone can sleep more peacefully at night knowing that his assets are tucked away in a secure place.

David Arnold Livingston is a business owner and money manager

with many years of successful financial experience.

Visit: FEN Banks – Financing and Refinancing Programs for lots of great

banking information and ideas.

Hillary Clinton and All the King’s Men couldn’t do it but the State of Massachusetts did it with out too much fuss. I’m talking about the new health insurance plan of course.

Congress sometimes acts like a hapless bunch of morons it seems. That’s a good reason to keep the important things out of their hands. They spend more money and waste more time than any other entity on earth.

Look at the MedicareRx Plan designed by these geniuses. It gave billions back to the drug industry, confused the hell out of me and all other senior citizens, and leaves a big gap in drug coverage.

Nice!

Maybe Congress should be adjourned immediately until this country can get back on its feet again. The adjournment would last until the special interest groups living in Washington-who are out to destroy our country-find themselves out of work and all have moved out of town. Congress is elected and controlled by special interest groups. It’s time to return the government to the people.

Maybe it’s time to return most powers to the states other than national defense and international relations. If congress could concentrate on that only, we would free ourselves of much of the current baloney. Mainland Security is a joke. Make each state responsible for their own interest.

We don’t need the Federal Government to tell us how to run (and screw up) our local affairs. What we need is the money they gobble up and waste continually.

Are nation is broke. The needs of the people are not being taken care of. We are International dupes.

Doesn’t something have to be done?

Well, Massachusetts has taken the lead. We no longer need a Federal health insurance plan. Let the states use the Massachusetts Plan or similar plan.

The federal government should go back to cleaning its closets.

The End

MedicareRx Plan, Hillary, Clinton, congress, Washington, DC, health insurance, Massachusetts, Romney, health care, government, states, rights

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He is Executive Representative of IWS sellers of Tyler Hicks wealth-success books and kits. He also sells TopFlight flagpoles. He calls himself “Taylor Jones, the hack writer.”

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.aaaflagpoles.com