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Fashion Week

4/22/2024

The Taipei Fashion Week is on April 25-29, 2024
The season's theme is "Summer Sports Extravaganza." The visual concept seamlessly blends , elements of fashion, sports, and culture, emphasizing the idea of being "Ready to wear, Ready to go."
The main visual features male and female protagonist: taekwondo athlete Chiu-Ye-Jiu and professional modern dancer Zhang Yu. They showcase the Taiwanese Olympic attire, creatively designed by Taiwanese designer, Zhou You-Ying, which incorporates traditional Taiwanese craftsmanship and makes its debut at the Paris Olympics.
Here is a preview.

People Around the World

4/22/2024

Peru is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the South by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pacific Ocean. Peru is megadiverse country with arid plains of the Pacific coastal region in the west to the peaks of the Andes mountain extending from the north to the southeast of the country extending to the Amazon basin rainforest in the east with the Amazon river.
It is the third largest country in South America with an area of 496, 225 square miles. The population of Peru is just over 32 million. And it's capital, Lima is its largest city.
The history of this country points to its occupation of several cultures dating back to the ancient and Medieval periods. And making it the longest recorded history of civilization of any country, tracing its heritage back to the 10 millennium BCE. Some of the cultures that helped shaped Peru are, Caral-Supe(the earliest civilization in the Americas), the Nazca culture, the Wari, and Tiwanaku empire. The Spanish empire conquered the region in the 16th century, naming the conquest, the Kingdom of Peru, that encompassed most of South America.
In 1821 Peru formally proclaimed independence from Spain, following the military campaign of Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar. The country had its share of political instability between the state and guerilla groups and ended with the War of the Pacific which lasted from 1879 to 1884. Conflicts continued in the 20th century.
Today, Peru is a sovereign democratic representative republic divided into 25 regions. Its official language is Spanish. Ethnic groups comprise of 60.2 % Mestizos (mixture of White and Indigenous people), 25.8% Indigenous, 5.9% White, 3.6% Black, 0.2% Nikkei (Japanese or Tusan Chinese), 1.0% Other. and 3.3 % No answer. Christianity is the dominant religion, with 94.5 % of Peruvians identify with this religion, 5.1 % No religion and 0.4 % Other. The Peruvian style of government is classified as a unitary semi-presidential republic.It has a president, vice president, prime minister, and president of congress.
The Peruvian economy is largely driven by mining, manufacturing, agriculture and fishing. Biotechnology and telecommunication also play a pivotal role in running its economic engine. Its current GDP stands at 242.63 billion USD.

Garden Corner

4/21/2024

Rare and Unusual Houseplants
Houseplants enthusiasts are seeking out unique and exotic varieties. Unusual foliage, vibrant colors, and air purifying properties make these plants stand out.
Here are some examples.

Mother of Thousands
This plant carries hundred of plantlets on the rim of each succulent leaf. (Tiny rosettes lining each chalky blue-green leaf is intriguing)
For best results give her good light and don't overdo water.

Small Starfish Flower

It gives you a cardiovascular workout. Starfish flowers prefer confinement in a a super-small container, so everybody has room on their windowsill for this compact performer. If you forget to water it occasionally, that's okay.
Give it bright light to encourage its tidy but tad macabre flower moment
Pufft star-within- star blossoms, the colors of coagulated blood and teeming with wavy hairs -si-fi aficiona.

Climbing Onion

Any plant with a swollen bulb at its base is going to thrill a certain crowd. During summer, this nonconformist sits around looking strange enough, but in late autumn it goes into action mode, sprouting chains of lacy growth climbing all over the place. Then, tiny green and white starlike flowers appear on a vine and athletically add an inch or more daily. What magic!
Don't over-water, and let her sit in a tight container.

Coral Cactus

This Frankenplant looks like it was born in the basement of a mad professor. A result of grafting two euphorbias. This weird presentation doesn't really grow perceptibly but sits around making a statement.
To keep your weird little Coral Cactus really monster happy, give it gritty soil and confine it to a tight container. Anchor the base in a heavy pot of ballast to prevent the top-heavy crown from toppling. Water only when the plant is very dry.

Polka-Dot Begonia

Many begonias have intriguing foliage and flowers, but the Polka Dot Begonia is well endowed with swag. On top of their noteworthy shape, the dark leaves look like someone went crazy, splattering them with luminous white paint. The polka dots are natural. This plant is a native of Brazil. Water only when the soil is dry.

Erect Peperomia

This plant sends up stacks of graphic, funky cuticle-like leaves. Their nickname -radiator plants. They tolerate low humidity, dry conditions, and are a easy-does-it plants.

Twisted Lipstick Plant

If you like plants that are considerably off-kilter, this curly leaf version of the lipstick plant is your twisted sister. It has whorls of rope-like leaves that holds endless fascination. Just steer clear of sunlight or risk scorching the foliage. Give it a shady window and water from below to prevent leaf mottling.
Take your pick/s and happy gardening.

Health News

4/17/2024

Brain Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a weak spot in one of your brain's arteries ( Blood vessels that carry oxygen from your heart to the rest of your body). They tend to happen when arteries fork. Over time, flowing blood puts pressure on a spot and make it give way and balloons out. It's a lot like a worn-out garden hose that bulges where it's gotten thin. Most people who have an aneurysm don't know it. But if it bursts, it can be life threatening and cause brain damage.

There are two types of brain aneurysms based on their shape. Saccular aneurysm also called, berry aneurysm, are by far the most common. A small pouch forms alongside the artery wall, so it looks like a berry with a short stem. Fusiform aneurysms make the artery bulge out in one area. They tend to be more common with people who have hardened arteries( when cholesterol or other fatty substances build up in your arteries and make them narrow).
Mycotic aneurysms are caused by bacterial, fungal, or viral infection that affects arteries in the brain. The infection can cause the artery wall to weaken. This type of aneurysm is rare.

Symptoms of Unruptured Aneurysms
This one hasn't burst. Small one typically don't cause symptoms, but larger one can press on your brains and lead to:
* Balance problems
* Headaches
* Numbness or weakness on one side of your face
* Pain above and behind your eye
* Problems seeing, like double vision or loss of sight.
* Trouble talking
*Widened pupils

Symptoms of Ruptured Aneurysm
When an aneurysm bursts you'll suddenly have a terrible headache. Some people say it's like a thunderclap. The worst pain they have ever known. You also may have:
* Blurred or double vision
* Confusion
* Loss of consciousness
* Seizures
* Sensitivity to light
* Stiffness or pain in your neck
* Upset stomach and throwing up
* Weakness along one side of your body

A burst aneurysm causes bleeding in your brain that leads to what's called a hemorrhagic a stroke. ( A stroke is when part of your brain doesn't get the blood it needs). The blood itself, and the swelling and pressure that come along with it, can cause brain damage. Fluid from your brain and spine also may back up and add more pressure. Once this happens, there's a chance the aneurysm may bleed again, and the arteries in your brain can get narrow, which can cause another stroke.

Doctors aren't exactly sure what causes an aneurysm. But your age and gender might affect your chances. Most people who have them are over 40, and women have them more often than men. This might be because levels of hormones called estrogen, drop after menopause and may make a woman's blood vessel more rigid. Your family history may also play a role. You're more likely to have one idf a parent, brother, or sister had one.

Some health problems may make it more likely to have an aneurysm, including certain conditions you were born with, like polycystic kidney disease, or tissue disorders like, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Your chances are also higher, if you have hardened arteries, high blood pressure or a serious head injury. Some lifestyle choices can raise your risk, too, like heavy drinking, smoking, or using illegal drugs, especially cocaine.

Credit: WebMD

Humor Corner

4/17/2024

1. What did Jonah's family say when he told them what happened before reaching Nineveh?
"Hmm, sounds fishy.
2. Why didn't anyone want to fight Goliath?
It seemed like a giant ordeal
3. What did Daniel tell his real estate friend?
I'd prefer a house with no den.

ART

4/17/2024

"Nancy and Olivia" by American visual artist, Alice Neel. 1967.
This is motherhood as an extended adrenaline rush. Mother looks tired but vigilant as she holds her baby.

Did You Know?

4/17/2024

La Dia de La Madre ( Mother's Day) in Mexico started with an article published by El Hogar magazine in collaboration with the Association of Catholic Ladies and spoke of the ties of motherhood and the traditional Mexican values. This was when Mexican mothers were venturing out into the professional world and having fewer children. Mexico first Mother's Day was on May 10, 1922 and has since been observed on that day.

Urban India celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday of every May. Children shower their moms with presents. Restaurants and retail stores offer discounts.
However, most of rural India still remains unaware of this modern version of Mother's Day. For them, Mother's Day has always been about worshipping the female goddess Durga.

Indonesia Mother's Day is celebrated every year on the 22nd of December.
This was originally an initiative to celebrate the spirit of Indonesian women and honor their achievements. With the passing of time, children give gifts and flowers to their moms and she is allowed to take the day off.

Quotations

4/17/2024

1. " When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." Viktor E. Frankl
2." Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you acted wrongfully the first time." Viktor E. Frankl
3. " Today is your day, don't let another one escape you and take you further from your dreams." Unknown.
4. " To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." Friedrich Nietzsche.

Seasons Magazine 15/24 COPYRIGHY© 2024

4/16/2024

Short Story
The sheets and the pillows lay scattered on the floor from their romping last night. She didn't care to put things in place just yet. The excitement from their engagement still lingered. But there was one regret. It was 9pm. and her lover had to leave to go home to his wife and kids.
It was early Sunday morning. She imagined he was getting ready to attend church with his family. She tried many things to get him to stay, but he couldn't. He had to be in church. His special responsibility did not allow him to be absent at any time at all. He was the lead pastor. The 25 year-old woman got up and switched on the television that was in her room. She changed channels frequently. She was looking for some show that would help relieve her loneliness. A few religious programs promised that if a person changed their lives everything would be fine. But here she was a preacher's lover.
Earlier, the pastor, his wife and two kids prayed earnestly for protection and blessing before they left for church. On their 20 minutes drive to the place of worship, gospel music blared over the car radio. The kids sang along as they were familiar with most of the songs. These kids and their mother were proud of the man who was revered by the church and the society at large.
On the other side of town, the young woman reluctantly stuck to one television program--her lover was preaching. The 1200 capacity sanctuary looked packed. The preacher got up and delivered a fiery message. He identified some of the failings of the world and gave recommendations for their correction. The congregation concurred by the accoustomed "Amen" response. Admonitions were also given especially to those who yielded to temptations. "Amen", ecoched throughout the tabernacle once more. The service ended with the usual prayer. Members made their way home.
When the preacher arrived home he asked his family for some privacy and locked himself in his office. He called his unmarried buddy who was not a devotee and confessed that he felt like a hypocrite. They were both in their early 40s and had been friends from middle school. His friend knew of the affair but made no judgement. His buddy listened as his friend broke down in tears. The preacher wanted to know why as an ardent Bible reader, he still gave in to his temptations. His buddy told him that, that alone was no guarantee for his conflicting decisions. And added that it is usually a much deeper reason. He threw out the option of counseling. The pastor was reluctant as he most likely would have to get help from a secularist --the people he often targeted in his messages. His friend assured him that these professionals are trained to deal with various groups, and are mostly non-judgemental. The pastor promised to give his buddy's advice some serious thought and ended the conversation.
The forlorn woman got up from her bed after watching the preacher. She tried tidying her room but was unmotivated. She switched off the television, hurried to the fridge to find anything for comfort. A bowl of baked chicken stared at her. She grabbed it without heating it. She managed only a tiny piece. She sank herself in the sofa. Anger filled her mind. For the last time she was promising herself to end the relationship with her lover. But, she had said that a thousand times before. © Wallace Paul ( April 2024)

All About the Music

4/16/2024

We continue our feature of singer Peabo Bryson with his brilliant delivery of the songs he has recorded. This week we'll look at "Beauty And The Beast" This is the soundtrack of the Disney animated movie of the same name in 1991. Here Bryson teams up with a classy songstress, Celine Dion to deliver a truly great rendition of this song. Smooth, mellow and calming. Enjoy.
Beauty And The Beast

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly

Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise

Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time
song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast

Off to the cupboard with you now, chip
It's past your bedtime
Goodnight love

Writers: Howard Elliot Rashman/Alan Menken
©Disney 1991