Ten Most Beautiful Forests in China !

http://english.cri.cn/6566/2009/08/20/2261s510152_9.htm

Shunan bamboo forest, Yibin, Sichuan

The Shunan Bamboo Sea is located in Yibin of southern Sichuan Province. Covering over 4,000 hectares with a vast plantation of bamboo, the site has been a rare and famous scenic area since ancient times.

Literally a world of different types of bamboo trees covering over 500 hills, the forest stretches as far as the eye can see and fills the air with the fragrance of bamboo. Favorable mild temperatures year-round make it an ideal tourist destination.

Among the ocean of bamboo lies a narrow five-kilometer path. Walking along this "Jade Green Corridor", the fresh air and sound of the green waves rustling in the wind create a heavenly experience.

Latchen forest in the Daxing'an Mountains, Heilongjiang 

The deciduous coniferous forest in the north Daxing'an Mountains of China is the southern extension of the deciduous coniferous forest system of southeastern Siberia.

The elevation of Daxing'an Mountains is about 600 to 1,000 meters, with some peaks reaching as high as 1,400 meters. The average temperature in the region is from 1.2 degrees Celsius below zero to five degrees Celsius, and the annual precipitation is 400 to 600 millimeters. 

The vegetation in the region varies with the rise in altitude, showing distinctly the phenomenon of vertical differentiation.

Maolan karst forest in Libo, Guizhou

The Maolan National Nature Reserve lies in southeast Libo County, Guizhou Province. The reserve covers an area of 21,100 hectares and the forest coverage rate is up to about 88 percent.

According to statistics, the karst forest is a rare original forest to survive with Central Asian tropical karst features. The forest and karst formations create an ecological system of profound scientific value. It provides a natural science museum of karst formations for scientific research as well as particularly fascinating scenery. Unlike most other karst scenic areas, which are usually barren, the Maolan forest integrates hills, waters, underground caves and green trees, presenting a beautiful picture.

Luntai diversiform-leaved poplar forest, Xinjiang

Luntai County is situated at the southern foot of Tianshan Mountain, on the north border of Tarim Basin. Here lies the 26,000-hectare forest of diversiform-leaved poplars, which is the largest in area and density as well as the best-preserved of its kind in the world. The forest vegetation is typical of the Tarim River Basin, distributed in both the upper and lower valleys. Despite its simple structure, the trees bear distinctly the imprint of the characteristics of the region.

The name of this kind of poplar tree means "the most beautiful tree" in the Uygur language. It is also called "the hero in the desert" thanks to its vigor and ability to withstand drought, sand and wind. The poplars, along with many other desert plants, are a revelation about life and death. Bathed in the glow of the rising and setting sun, they produce a sense of mystery and bring hope and vitality to people.

Tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan

With an area of some 2,402 square kilometers, the tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna is located in Yunnan Province. It is the only well-preserved tropical rainforest in the world. There are many forest types in the area, as well as eight vegetation types and 3,500 plants, among which there are 58 kinds of rare vegetation under state protection.

The rainforest is one of genetic gene banks where tropical vegetations are most concentrated, which is very important for science research.

Alpine cuckoo forest of Baima Snow Mountain, Yunnan

With an area of 190,144 hectares, the Baima Snow Mountain is located in Deqin County of Yunnan Province. The Baima Snow Mountain was confirmed as a national nature reserve in 1988 to protect the alpine coniferous forest, the altitudinal belt of mountainous vegetation and the golden monkey.

The reserve is located in the Hengduan Mountains and contains 20 mountains above 5,000 meters. The vegetation is distributed vertically in the mountains and there are up to 16 vegetation belts within no more than 40 kilometers.

Tropical rainforest of Jianfeng Mountain, Hainan

With an area of 447 square kilometers, the tropical rainforest of Jianfeng Mountain is located in the north of Sanya on Hainan Island. It is the largest and best-preserved tropical rainforest in China. The lake on the mountain keeps an average temperature of 19-24.5 degrees Celsius, which makes it a good resort in the summer.

The forest contains 75 percent of Hainan's vegetation, including 78 kinds of rare vegetations under state protection and hundreds of rare commercial tree species. It has also been named a "Paradise of Wild Animals," in which 68 kinds of mammals, 215 kinds of birds, 400 kinds of butterflies, 4,000 kinds of insects, 38 kinds of amphibians and 50 kinds of reptiles live.

Picea schrenkiana forest of Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang

The picea schrenkiana, a kind of coniferous evergreen, is a unique species on Tianshan Mountains. Its needles, or leaves, are slightly bent and its pine cones are shaped like an eclipse. It is said to have been transferred from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau 40 million years ago and have evolved into a unique tree species in the northwest of China.

These trees cover 90 percent of Tianshan Mountains and are most luxuriant on Nalati Mountain along Yili Lake, where they grow up to 60 meters and are commonly more than 300-400 years old. Their roots grow deep into the soil to absorb water, and each mature tree can store 2.5 tons of water.

Mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest of Changbai Mountain, Heilongjiang

Mixed coniferous broad-leaved forests dominated by Korean pines are the most typical forest type in Northeast China. Heilongjiang Province established Fenglin Nature Reserve in the south of the Lesser Khingan Ranges in 1958, where 80 percent of China's Korean pines grow. 

The Korean pine, which reaches a mature height of 30-40 meters, is a unique tree species in the northeast of China. A popular ornamental tree in parks and large gardens where the climate is cold, it is also a good architectural material and its seeds contain 70 percent oil. 

With an area of 18,400 hectares, the Fengtai Nature Reserve contains 568 kinds of plants and has become a nature museum for biologists to research this kind of forest ecosystem.

Linzhi spruce forest of Bomigang Village

With an area of 4,600 hectares, the Linzhi spruce forest of Bomigang Village is located in Zhamu County. The forests cover 61 percent of the area. It was listed as a coniferous nature reserve in 1984.

Bomigang Village is located in the northeast of Brahmaputra, where the special geographical location brings abundant rain and mild temperature. The vegetation changes as the altitude of the mountain rises.

The forests flourish in the area and produce abundant lumber. Each hectare of the forest can produce 2,400 square meters, three times as much as the forests in Northeast China. The trees are 300-400 years old, have trunk diameters between 1.5-2.5 meters and can reach a height of 75-80 meters. The forest is the most productive dark coniferous forest in the world.

See the full gallery on Posterous

"'Anonymous' hackers strike again !

'Anonymous' hackers attack Brazilian bank websites --'Attention sailors: Target hit! Itau is adrift. TANGO DOWN!,' the hackers crowed. 01 Feb 2012 The computer hacker group Anonymous said Wednesday it attacked the websites of three major Brazilian banks over the past few days to protest widespread inequality in Latin America's leading economy. Hackers from Anonymous's Brazilian branch told the economy daily Valor that their attacks on Bradesco, Itau and Banco do Brasil did not aim to defraud clients, but were meant to protest "the countless inequalities in the country." The last to be targeted was the website of Banco do Brasil, the country's largest state-run bank. Monday, Itau, the country's biggest private bank and the biggest in Latin America, was attacked, followed a day later by Bradesco, Brazil's third biggest bank.

Salt Lake City police website hacked; Anonymous takes credit 31 Jan 2012 Salt Lake City police took their website offline Tuesday afternoon, after it was hacked.  At about 2:30 p.m., police started seeing information on the department's website that "weren't in line with our typical postings," prompting closure of the site, said Salt Lake City Police spokesman Shawn Josephson. The group taking the credit for the hack is a collective known as Anonymous. According to a news release from police, the hacker group says the attack is a response to an anti-graffiti paraphernalia bill being sponsored by state Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City. Depending on the extent of the vandalism, the crime could be boosted to a felony.

Pair Detained in Twitter Homeland Threat Mix-Up 30 Jan 2012 A young couple from across the pond was detained at a Los Angeles airport after Homeland Security agents mistook a couple Twitter quips for threats against the U.S., the two told British media today. Friends Irishman Leigh Van Bryan, 26, and British citizen Emily Bunting, 24, were reportedly interrogated and spent 12 hours locked up under armed guardafter going through customs in Los Angeles International Airport last week. According to several British outlets, the couple was taken into custody by U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents because of the slang in Bryan's tweets. "Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America," one of the tweets read. Bryan told The Sun that in this context "destroy" just meant party.

US bars friends over Twitter joke 30 Jan 2012 Two pals were barred from entering the US after innocent tweets joking about "destroying America" were picked up by the country's anti-terror cops. US special agents monitoring Twitter

 spotted Leigh Van Bryan's messages weeks before he left for a holiday in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting. Leigh, who also quipped about "digging up Marilyn Monroe" on Twitter, said they were treated like terrorists on arrival at a Los Angeles International Airport. The pair were held by armed guards and quizzed for five hours before being handcuffed, put in a van with illegal immigrants and locked up overnight.

DHS Announces 'If You See Something, Say Something' Partnership with NFL for Super Bowl XLVI 01 Feb 2012 Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today traveled to Indianapolis to highlight the Department's "If You See Something, Say Something™" public awareness campaign's continued partnership with the National Football League (NFL) to help ensure the safety and security of employees, players and fans during the regular season, and Super Bowl XLVI. The Department launched the "If You See Something, Say Something™" campaign in conjunction with the Department of Justice's Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative-an administration effort to train state and local law enforcement to recognize behaviors and indicators related to terrorism and terrorism-related crime; standardize how those observations are documented and analyzed; and ensure the sharing of those reports with the Federal Bureau of Investigation-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces for further investigation.

US No-Fly list doubles in past year to 21,000 known or suspected terrorists: AP --The government lowered the standard for putting people on the list, and then scoured its files for anyone who qualified. The government will not disclose who is on its list or why someone might have been placed on it. [Anonymous, get in there and edit the No-Fly list, would you please? Remove the pseudo-terrorists and insert the names of actual terrorists, such as Scott Walker, Paul Ryan, the entire Oakland Police Department - you know the drill.] Feb 2012 Even as the Obama administration says it's close to defeating al-Qaida [al-CIAduh], the size of the government’s secret list of suspected terrorists who are banned from flying to or within the United States has more than doubled in the past year, The Associated Press has learned. The no-fly list jumped from about 10,000 known or suspected terrorists one year ago to about 21,000, according to government figures provided to the AP.

Mossad chief holds secret U.S. meetings on Iran nuclear threat, Senate panel reveals 31 Jan 2012 Mossad chief Tamir Pardo held secret talks with top U.S. officials in recent days, cursory comments made during a public Senate hearing indicated on Tuesday. The clandestine Washington visit was exposed during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which was participated by CIA Director David Petraeus, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate panel. During the meeting, Feinstein asked Clapper whether or not Israel intended to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, with the top U.S. intelligence official answering that he would rather discuss the issue behind closed doors.

Panetta Says U.S. to End Afghan Combat Role as Soon as 2013 02 Feb 2012 In a major milestone toward ending a decade of war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Wednesday that American forces would step back from a combat role there as early as mid-2013, more than a year before all American troops are scheduled to come home. Mr. Panetta cast the decision as an orderly step in a withdrawal process long planned by the United States and its allies, but his comments were the first time that the United States had put a date on stepping back from its central role in the war. Mr. Panetta said no decisions had been made about the number of American troops to be withdrawn in 2013, and he made clear that substantial fighting lies ahead.

Yemen minister eludes assassination attempt 02 Feb 2012 Gunmen riddled the car of Yemen's information minister with bullets as he left a cabinet meeting in the capital on Tuesday but he escaped the assassination attempt unhurt, an aide said. In southern Yemen, at least 12 'al Qaeda' militants, including four local leaders, were killed in a US strike in south Yemen. In the capital of Sanaa, unidentified assailants opened fire on Information Minister Ali al-Amrani's car as he prepared to leave after a cabinet meeting. The minister was not hurt, according to his secretary, Abdel-Basset al-Qaedi.

Lawyers use ancient code in Assange's last stand 02 Feb 2012 For more than four hours in the UK Supreme Court yesterday, there were references to complex European law, citations from 14th and 15th-century texts, and a quote from the Codex Iustinianus, dated 376 AD, all of which lawyers used in an effort save Julian Assange from extradition to Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape and sexual assault involving two women. There were utterings in court in German, French and Latin as Assange's barrister, Dinah Rose, presented her case to six Lords and a Lady, all judges of the Court, that the arrest warrant under which Assange faces extradition is flawed.

oppiggybank1 By a guest 31 Jan 2012 'We are the new digital race' @CabinCr3w & @ItsKahuna #Anonymous #OpPiggyBank Dear Salt Lake City Police Department, We took note that Senator Karen Mayne has put forth a bill SB107 - that tries to resolve an inconvenience with a flamethrower. Regardless whether the messages spray painted are disturbing, this bill sets an attitude that will down the line lead to invasions of privacy in people's homes and raids at 6 am over spray paint. We know that law enforcement functions as a mindless machine led by InfraGard, PERF, and other domestic civil intelligence (so marches the security state) networks. We know there's money to be made in the "just doing my job" compartmentalized economy... We are Anonymous We are Legion We do not forgive We do not forget Expect us -Target- http://www.slcpd.com/ Salt Lake City PD Login Page http://www.slcpd.com/login.php.

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Closed After Radiation Leak --Nuclear reactor is in the heart of US earthquake country 01 Feb 2012 A 'small quantity' of radioactive gas leaked inside one of the buildings at San Onofre nuclear power plant north of San Diego, according to a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Officials say the radiation leak likely occurred in the steam generator tubes of San Onofre's reactor #3. The steam system, which is supposed to be shielded from exposure to radiation, was replaced in December 2010. San Onofre is located next to Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base where 38,000 military families live, and another 32,000 people work each day, all of whom would be in immediate danger if there is a meltdown.

Officials: Radiation could have escaped Calif. nuclear reactor 01 Feb 2012 A 'tiny amount' of radiation could have escaped into the atmosphere from a Southern California nuclear power plant after a water leak prompted operators to shut down the reactor as a precaution, officials said Wednesday. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Victor Dricks said radioactive gas "could have" escaped the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station on the northern San Diego coast. The leak occurred in equipment that was installed in the plant in the fall of 2010. The leak occurred in one of thousands of tubes that carry radioactive water from the Unit 3 reactor. However, the company has found damage to other tubes, Dricks said.

Occupy Vermont Yankee: A Judge Rules Vermont Can't Shut Nuclear Plant 19 Jan 2012 A federal judge on Thursday blocked Vermont from forcing the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor to shut down when its license expires in March, saying that the state is trying to regulate nuclear safety, which only the federal government can do. The judge, J. Garvan Murtha of United States District Court in Brattleboro, Vt., also held that the state cannot force the plant's owner, Entergy, to sell electricity from the reactor to in-state utilities at reduced rates as a condition of continued operation, as Entergy asserts it is now doing. The ruling is almost certain to be appealed by the state and an array of private groups that want the plant shut down because of leaks of radioactive tritium and other issues.

Occupy Shell: Oil Firm Shell's Profits Double to £18bn 02 Feb 2012 Royal Dutch Shell has reported a profits of £18.1bn ($28.6bn) for 2011, a jump of 54% on a year ago. The improvement for the Anglo-Dutch company came as high oil prices outweighed poor margins in its refining business and despite a 3% decline in production. The oil firm still made profits of £4.1bn ($6.5bn) in the fourth quarter, which represented a 13% rise on a year ago.

Mitt Romney to Receive Secret Service Protection --According to a federal law enforcement officials Romney's campaign, which has long traveled with private security of its own, did request Secret Service protection. 31 Jan 2012 Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign has been informed that it will start receiving Secret Service protection this week, two campaign sources and a senior Republican tell ABC News. Secret Service protection is being given to the campaign not because of a specific threat but because of the increase in crowd sizes as the primary season has progressed over the past few weeks, according to the sources, who refused to be identified because they don’t have authority to comment on such matters publicly.

Harold Simmons gives Karl Rove's Crossroads groups $7 million 31 Jan 2012 The Karl Rove-linked juggernaut Crossroads groups raised $51 million last year – including a whopping $7 million from Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons – but that's still a far cry from the $300 million the two-pronged outfit intends to spend boosting Republicans and attacking Democrats in the run-up to Election Day. The bulk of Crossroads’ 2011 haul – $33 million – went into a secret money group called Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS) that does not disclose its donors. The other group, a super PAC called American Crossroads, filed a report with the Federal Election Commission showing that it pulled in $18 million last year.

People with Bain Capital ties give $3m to Super Pac that supports Mitt Romney 01 Feb 2012 Over the past year, Mitt Romney's former Bain Capital colleagues gave $3 million to the super PAC that supports the Republican presidential candidate, Restore Our Future. The super PAC raised $18 million from 200 donors in the last six months of 2011, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission released at midnight. Bain-related people provided 10 percent of the $30.1 million collected over all of last year. Domenic Ferrante, a managing director and portfolio manager with Bain's Brookside hedge fund, gave $250,000. Bain Capital managing director John Connaughton gave $250,000, while managing director Steven Barnes and his wife gave $125,000 each.

Mitt Romney: 'I'm not concerned about the very poor' 01 Feb 2012 Mitt Romney said Wednesday he's "not concerned about the very poor." Romney told CNN during a morning interview after his Florida primary win that his focus is on the middle class - and not on the "very poor." Romney addressed his controversial comment later Wednesday, telling reporters on his campaign plane that his statement was taken out of context.

Romney Wins Big in Florida Primary, Regaining Momentum 01 Feb 2012 Mitt Romney rolled to victory in the Florida primary on Tuesday, dispatching an insurgent threat from Newt Gingrich and reclaiming his dominant position as he urged Republicans to rally behind his quest to capture the party's presidential nomination. The triumph by Mr. Romney offered a forceful response to the concerns that were raised about his candidacy only 10 days ago after a stinging loss to Mr. Gingrich in the South Carolina primary. It stripped Mr. Gingrich of his momentum and raised questions about his effort to persuade Republicans of his viability.

Paul campaign: Newt must pay medical bills for broken foot 01 Feb 2012 The Ron Paul campaign is demanding that Newt Gingrich pay the medical bills for Eddie Dillard, a Paul supporter whose foot was broken Tuesday after Gingrich staffers intentionally stomped on it. Campaigning at a Florida polling place Tuesday, Gingrich was greeted by Dillard, who held his Paul sign as Gingrich supporters rallied around their candidate. Gingrich staffers were not pleased with this and, according to a report by Yahoo! News' Chris Moody, encouraged one another to physically impede the flip-flop wearing Dillard.

How To See Who Unfriended You On Facebook

http://fbupdates.com/2012/01/how-to-see-who-unfriended-you-on-facebook/

Facebook has never allowed the users to see who all have removed you from their Friend list. We always see how many friends are their in our friend list and wonder when the number decreases. But now using simple scripts we can easily see the person who have removed you from his friend list.

You can see this script in all your browsers (Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari and Internet Explorer) that notifies you when someone on Facebook unfriends you, alerts you when someone you’re friends with deactivates her profile, and helps keep track of your friend requests.

Please read all the steps carefully to add this functionality to your web browsers:-

1. The Script

The Unfriend Finder can be found on Userscripts.org. If you’re using Chrome, it will install automatically.

2. For Firefox Users

Firefox users will have to first install the Greasemonkey add-on. Then install Unfriend Finder

3. On Facebook

NOW see two new features in Facebook. There will be an “Unfriends” tab on the top-right of your screen and an “Unfriends” option in your “Favorites” list.

When someone unfriends you, a red number notification will appear above the “Unfriends” tab.

Now you can see the people who have unfriended you on Facebook.

We would like to know your suggestions about that would like Facebook to add these Features so that Using Facebook becomes more interesting ??

source:-Mashable

New Native American Books

Beyond conversion and syncretism : indigenous encounters with missionary Christianity, 1800-2000 / / edited by David Lindenfeld and Miles Richardson.

   BV2120 .B49 2012

   Imprint: New York : Berghahn Books, 2012. 

 

 

The globalization of Christianity, its spread and appeal to peoples of non-European origin, is by now a well-known phenomenon. Scholars increasingly realize the importance of natives rather than foreign missionaries in the process of evangelization. This volume contributes to the understanding of this process through case studies of encounters with Christianity from the perspectives of the indigenous peoples who converted. More importantly, by exploring overarching, general terms such as conversion and syncretism and by showing the variety of strategies and processes that actually take place, these studies lead to a more nuanced understanding of cross-cultural religious interactions in general - from acceptance to resistance - thus enriching the vocabulary of religious interaction. The contributors tackle these issues from a variety of disciplinary perspectives - history, anthropology, religious studies.

 

 

  

 

Major problems in the history of North American borderlands : documents and essays / / [edited by] Pekka Hämäläinen, Benjamin H. Johnson.

 

E46 .M35 2012

   Imprint: Australia ; Boston, MA : Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, c2012.   

 

 

Designed to encourage critical thinking about history, the MAJOR PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN HISTORY series introduces readers to both primary sources and analytical essays on important topics in American history. The collection of essays and documents in MAJOR PROBLEMS IN NORTH AMERICAN BORDERLANDS surveys the North American past from the point of view of its borderlands. The essays and documents discuss people and events readers may find familiar, such as the founding of early European colonies, U.S. independence, the War of 1812, the U.S.-Mexican War, and Prohibition, but less widely-known events and actors--expanding native peoples, the Bourbon reforms of the Spanish Empire, fleeing slaves and servants, border surveyors, the Mexican Revolution, and key U.S. immigration legislation--also take center stage.  

A separate country : postcoloniality and American Indian nations / / Elizabeth Cook-Lynn.

E78.W5 C575 2012 

Imprint: Lubbock : Texas Tech University Press, c2012.

Elizabeth Cook-Lynn takes academia to task for its much-touted notion that “postcoloniality” is the current condition of Indian communities in the United States. She finds the argument neither believable nor useful—at best an ivory-tower initiative on the part of influential scholars, at worst a cruel joke. In this fin de career retrospective, Cook-Lynn gathers evidence that American Indians remain among the most colonized people in the modern world, mired in poverty and disenfranchised both socially and politically. Despite Native-initiated efforts toward seeking First Nationhood status in the U. S., Cook-Lynn posits, Indian lands remain in the grip of a centuries-old English colonial system—a renewable source of conflict and discrimination. She argues that proportionately in the last century, government-supported development of casinos and tourism—peddled as an answer to poverty—probably cost Indians more treaty-protected land than they lost in the entire nineteenth century.  

Indians and British outposts in eighteenth-century America / / Daniel Ingram.

   E98.F39 I54 2012

   Imprint: Gainesville : University Press of Florida, c2012. 

 

This fascinating look at the cultural and military importance of British forts in the colonial era explains how these forts served as communities in Indian country more than as bastions of British imperial power. Their security depended on maintaining good relations with the local Native Americans, who incorporated the forts into their economic and social life as well as into their strategies.

Daniel Ingram uses official British records, traveler accounts, archaeological findings, and ethnographic information to reveal native contributions to the forts’ stories. Conducting in-depth research at five different forts, he looked for features that seemed to arise from Native American culture rather than British imperial culture. His fresh perspective reveals that British fort culture was heavily influenced, and in some cases guided, by the very people these outposts of empire were meant to impress and subdue.

'What the Mainstream Media Will Never Tell You About Prayer . . .'

• http://w3.newsmax.com/newsletters/mhr/prayer_video.cfm?promo_code=E143-1
  
• 
  
• Does prayer really work?
• Can prayer prevent and even reverse disease?
• Can prayer strengthen your brain and prevent mental decline?
• Can prayer improve your relationships?
• Can prayer increase your happiness and success?

Yes, these are truly fascinating questions, but don't look to the mainstream media for answers.

In fact, the media routinely avoid this subject, even though statistics show three out of every four Americans pray on a daily or weekly basis.

But with so many people praying regularly, we thought you deserved scientific answers to these and many more questions on prayer.

So today, we're reporting the results of our exhaustive investigation into how praying impacts your brain, and by extension, your overall health and happiness.

Hello, I'm Travis Davis, publisher of the Newsmax's The Mind Health Report, the newsletter for people who want to:

• Improve their memory and mental function . . .
• Enhance their daily problem-solving ability . . .
• Prevent mental decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's . . .
• Live longer, healthier, and happier lives . . .

To this end, we sent our Mind Health Report team out to the scientific medical community, to learn the potential benefits of regular prayer practice.

And let me be clear. We're not promoting any specific religion or spiritual practice.

But rather, we wanted to see what neuroscientists learned from their laboratory tests and controlled double-blind medical studies regarding these questions . . .

1. Does prayer work?
2. What impact does prayer have on your brain?
3. What benefits, if any, does prayer offer to your physical, mental, and
   emotional well-being?
4. And if prayer activity can be scientifically measured, can you improve
   the practice to achieve even better results?

Frankly, We Were Both Surprised and
Excited by What We Found . . .

Because not only can you measure prayer as brain activity, but prayer also has been scientifically proven to help:

• Reduce stress and lower your blood pressure . . .
• Boost your resistance to illness and disease . . .
• Neutralize harmful negative emotions . . .
• Enhance your memory and mental function . . .
• Prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease . . .
• Decrease your suffering from pain . . .
• Give you a healthier, longer, and happier life . . .

In fact, it even does far more than this. And today, I'm going to share with you some of what we discovered.

But since our presentation here is limited, I also want you to know that we've prepared two detailed reports for you . . .

These Reports are So Important,
We Want You to Have Both of Them FREE!

Your first FREE report (a $15 value) focuses on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Andrew Newberg, director of the Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Dr. Newberg is one of the founders of the field of "neurotheology" — the scientific study of the relationship between the brain and spiritual phenomena.

And, your second FREE report (also a $15 value) focuses on the research results of 47 double-blind medical studies on the proven health benefits of prayer.

Some of these benefits include:

• Improved immune function
• Reduced risk of death from heart attack and stroke
• Less stress — and increased peace of mind
• Reduction or elimination of panic attacks, anxiety, and depression
• Reduced impact from chronic pain
• A more positive, happy outlook on life
• A healthier, longer, more fulfilled life

In just a moment, you'll see how to get FREE copies of both reports. But first, let me preview some of the amazing facts you'll discover in them . . .

And let's begin by defining "prayer."

At The Mind Health Report, our goal is to help you achieve better physical, mental, and emotional health through good brain health.

So, for the purposes of our research, we defined "praying" as any mental activity that includes:

1. Traditional prayers practiced by people of religious faith, such as making a petition to God, or expressing gratitude for God's goodness.
2. Meditation, or contemplative reflection on a power greater than oneself, which can be God, the Universe, or all Life.
3. Focused positive thinking, such as speaking affirmations, setting worthwhile goals, and maintaining positive thoughts and speech.
4. Attending a church or synagogue service and praying and singing with the congregation.

Of course, if you're a person who prays regularly, you already know that prayer has brought many positive benefits to your life . . .

Yet what you probably don't know — but will discover today — is . . .

The Brain Science Behind Prayer

Just keep reading, because you'll discover:

• What's going on in your brain while you're praying that actually improves
  your physical and mental health . . .
• What medical researchers have discovered about the act of praying that
  can actually help you get even better results . . .
• How a specific amount of "prayer time" per day can help prevent memory loss,
  mental decline, and even dementia and Alzheimer's . . .
• And, finally, the #1 prayer pitfall that can actually make you sick
  (this is one of the most important bits of wisdom you'll ever gain) . . .

The exciting news is that science has these answers. And now you'll get them in your valuable FREE reports . . .

Now, briefly, before I show you what's in your FREE reports that will benefit you, listen to what our Mind Health Report readers have said about Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer . . .

As You Can See, This Report— That You'll Get FREE — Has Had a Very Enthusiastic Response . . .

And for good reason. Let me show you what's in it for you that can make a real difference in your life.

Let's begin with an illustration of the brain.

You'll see how prayer and spiritual practices impact the different parts of your brain, and how that, in turn, affects your physical and mental health.

Note the four major areas of the brain: the frontal lobe, the anterior cingulate, the parietal lobe, and the limbic system, which is comprised of several smaller parts.

Each of these areas plays an important role, but according to Dr. Newberg, two of the four parts are much more important to your health and happiness, especially as you age.

And the good news is this . . .

Prayer Stimulates the Parts of Your Brain
That Help Keep You Healthy and Happy

First, your frontal lobe, which is located just behind your forehead, is activated when you focus your attention, or when you plan, reason, read, or speak.

Obviously, this area is extremely important, as these are things you do almost every waking hour of every day.

But the danger is that the frontal lobe can shrink with age, and this shrinkage is associated with memory loss, mental decline, and even dementia and Alzheimer's.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to avoid this life-robbing mental decline? Well, now you can. You see, prayer stimulates your frontal lobe, helps keep it healthy, and prevents age-related shrinkage.

This is one of Dr. Andrew Newberg's most exciting findings, and he was able to repeat the result, again and again, as he monitored brain waves in the frontal lobe of his subjects as they prayed.

However, Dr. Newberg discovered that casual praying for just a few minutes per day had no significant impact on the frontal lobe.

To get good results, he observed that his subjects needed to pray for a specific minimum number of minutes per day — or longer.

How long?

In your FREE report — Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer — you'll discover exactly how many minutes per day you'll need to pray to gain this valuable anti-aging benefit.

I'll give you a hint . . . It's more than 5 minutes, but not nearly as long as you'd spend vacuuming the house or washing the car.

Next, let's move on to the anterior cingulate, the area of the brain that's activated when we feel empathy and compassion for others.

This part of our brain is what distinguishes us from animals. Dr. Newberg calls it our "neurological heart."

And the good news is that prayer activates your anterior cingulate, which helps you to feel compassion for others and a loving connection to God, or all Life.

This, as you'll see in a moment, has many positive health benefits. And please remember, because we're limited by space here, you'll get full details on all of this in your two FREE reports.

And you can claim your two FREE reports just for trying The Mind Health Report for a few pennies a day.

Click Here Now to Claim Your Two FREE Reports!

As the Health Publisher for Newsmax Media, I can tell you that The Mind Health Report is one of our most popular newsletters.

And rightfully so, because it shows you how to keep your brain healthy and active, which in turn keeps your body and mind healthy and happy.

But let's continue now and consider two parts of your brain that are sometimes useful, but when unnecessarily activated can actually cause bodily and mental harm.

Plus, why you're better off with less activity in these areas of your brain . . .

First are your parietal lobes, which give you a sense of yourself separate from other people and things in the world.

This area is important for spatial reckoning, physical self-awareness, and ego, but activity here can also give you a feeling of isolation and loneliness. And what's more, brain activity here is not associated with health benefits.

Fortunately, Dr. Newberg says the time you spend praying, attending religious services, and even singing with the congregation deactivates your parietal lobes!

This helps you to forget yourself and your problems, and instead to feel love and compassion for others, as well as a closeness to God, or all Life.

There are many scientifically proven health benefits to this.

I'll give you several just ahead, but here's one now . . .

Studies Show That Prayer Can Significantly
Reduce How You Experience Pain

That's because prayer reduces activity in the parietal lobes, which causes you to have less awareness of yourself and more awareness of others.

Do you think that's worthwhile? Absolutely, and in your FREE report, Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer, you'll discover how to enhance this pain-reducing effect.

And let me also say that each month we go out and talk to recognized brain experts, then report our findings in The Mind Health Report.

As a regular reader, you can count on learning dozens of valuable tips in the coming year that will significantly improve the quality of your life.

After all, nothing is more important than brain health, because your brain affects every part of your body, as well as your feelings, even from one hour to the next. And when you understand how it works, you can control it in ways that dramatically improve your life.

Let's see more . . .

Finally, we must consider the limbic system, which frankly can be a real troublemaker.

You see, the limbic system includes several parts situated just above your spinal cord. This is the primitive area of your brain, sometimes called reptilian, because even reptiles have a limbic system.

The limbic system is where negative emotions are produced, such as anger, fear, and resentment, as well as anxiety, depression, and pessimism.

Some of these emotions were necessary for the "fight or flight" response our ancestors needed to survive. But they have far less value in our modern civilized society, especially when you're mature and living a stable life.

Under such circumstances, negative emotions will unnecessarily cause physical and emotional harm.

How can you reduce these harmful negative emotions?

According to Dr. Newberg, that's easy.

Prayer Turns Off Your Limbic System

In fact, Dr. Newberg says that the more you diminish the activity in your parietal lobes and limbic system, at the same time you increase the activity in your frontal lobe and anterior cingulate — and as a result, you'll be HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER!

This is the wonderful recipe you'll discover in your FREE report . . . Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer.

Click Here Now to Claim Your 2 FREE Reports!

Simply put, prayer and spiritual practices increase activity in the areas of your brain that are most helpful to you, and diminish activity in the areas that are less helpful and even harmful.

Here are just a few of the amazing benefits of daily prayer . . .

• Increases your ability to feel love and compassion . . .
• Improves your memory and mental function . . .
• Prevents your frontal lobe from shrinking, which is the cause of memory loss,
  mental decline, and even Alzheimer's.
• Reduces stress and negative emotions, so you can feel at peace
  with yourself and others.

You can almost say that prayer is a kind of "fountain of youth."

And that's why all of us here at The Mind Health Report want you to have a FREE copy of Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer — just for "auditioning" The Mind Health Report for a few pennies a day.

Here's just some of what you'll discover in your FREE copy of Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer . . .

• The brain-healthy diet — which foods strengthen your mental function,
  and which foods do your brain harm?
• Simple ways to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression . . .
• How to increase optimism, which in turn improves your immune function
  and reduces your risk for heart attack and stroke . . .
• How spiritual practices improve mental function and your ability to
  solve everyday problems . . .
• How many minutes per day (or more) you'll need to pray to stimulate your
  frontal lobe and prevent mental decline . . .
• Simple steps to take care of your brain to make it wiser and more efficient . . .
• Plus, Dr. Newberg's step-by-step guide on how to resolve conflicts in
  relationships without triggering anger or resentment . . .

Does this sound worthwhile? Well, listen to what even more readers of The Mind Health Report have said about it . . .

Mary S. of Merritt Island, Fla., sent this email . . .

Bernadette W. from Culleoka, Tenn., said . . .

Connie B. of Port Matilda, Pa., wrote to tell us . . .

John P. from Ararat, Va., reported . . .

And Oeda B. from Bluefield, W.Va., was thrilled to tell us . . .

I know you're going to be delighted with Strengthen Your Brain Through the Power of Prayer, but don't forget . . .

Your Second FREE Bonus Report

You'll also receive a FREE copy of The 47 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Prayer, plus the #1 Prayer Pitfall That Can Make You Sick.

Let me show you just a few of the amazing benefits of prayer that you'll discover in this report . . . and also warn you about the #1 prayer pitfall . . .

The following benefits have been reported in leading medical journals . . .

Two studies showed that praying for a person increases your capacity for forgiveness. And a third showed that forgiveness was associated with better overall health and satisfaction with life. (Florida State University; Psychological Science)

An analysis of 42 studies involving 125,000 people found that people who participate in spiritual practices are healthier and live longer. (Health Psychology)

Several studies have shown that prayer and other spiritual practices reduce or alleviate depression. (The American Journal of Psychiatry)

A study at Utah State University showed that older people with strong religious beliefs handled stress as well as persons 30 to 40 years younger and did not experience an elevation of blood pressure. (Annals of Behavioral Medicine)

Can You Imagine Getting Benefits Like These —
All Through Daily Prayer?

Let's look at a few more . . .

In a study of 202 people suffering from chronic pain, researchers found that those who prayed or concentrated on positive thoughts were less affected by the pain and had a more positive outlook on life. (Journal of Behavioral Medicine)

In a study of 6,000 Californians between the ages of 21 and 75, those who attended weekly religious services reduced the risk of disease and death to the same extent as "not smoking or abusing alcohol." (International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine)

Researchers at Duke University tracked nearly 4,000 people age 65 and older and found 40% less risk of elevated blood pressure among those who prayed daily and attended religious services weekly. (International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine)

Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine studied more than 2,000 people over age 65 and found that those who attended religious services were less likely to lose their mental faculties or become physically disabled. (Journal of Gerontology)

Researchers at the University of Iowa found that people who make spiritual practices a regular part of their lives boost their resistance to viruses and other infections, which they concluded accounted for their healthier, longer lives. (Health Psychology)

And by contrast . . .

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health tracked 28,000 men between the ages of 42 and 77 for 10 years. They found those who had no close friends or spiritual practice in their lives had significantly increased risk of death from heart disease. (American Journal of Epidemiology)

As you can see, this is extremely valuable information to have. And remember, you'll get full details on all of these, plus another 37 benefits, in your FREE copy of . . .

Note that we've barely scratched the surface of the 47 scientifically proven benefits of prayer, but already you can see that prayer and regular spiritual practices will help you live a healthier, happier, and longer life.

So Claim Your Two FREE Reports, Just for Trying
The Mind Health Report for a Few Pennies Per Day

And regarding the #1 prayer pitfall, let me give you a hint — it involves a kind of lazy thinking, or improperly focused prayer.

Your FREE report explains it, and I can guarantee you'll find it one of the most valuable things you'll ever learn . . . because allowing this lazy thinking — or sloppy type of prayer — can actually make you sick.

But Best of All, These Valuable
Reports Are Yours FREE

Each month in The Mind Health Report, you'll discover:

• How your brain is your most important muscle — that requires
  specific nourishment and exercise to stay healthy . . .
• How you can keep your brain young, so that it performs with more wisdom
  and efficiency than brains of persons 30 years younger . . .
• Simple ways to improve your memory and mental clarity,
  plus how to reverse or prevent mental decline . . .
• Using your brain to train your body to lose fat . . .
• One of the most common causes of brain fog — and how to correct it . . .
• How to get off antidepressants and alleviate depression naturally . . .
• 5 dangerous brain toxins found in common foods that
  you must avoid . . .
• The brain secret to more energy and better sleep . . .
• News and practical tips on brain health from leading neuro
  experts from around the world. You'll see how to improve
  your brain health for enhanced physical, mental, and
  emotional well-being . . .
• And much, much more . . .

So Claim Your Two FREE Reports Worth $30,
Just for 'Auditioning' The Mind Health Report

In your FREE reports, you'll get everything we've discussed today in far greater detail, plus much more.

You'll also start receiving The Mind Health Report each month for just pennies a day. And that's the best way to keep your brain healthy, for better physical, mental, and emotional health.

And no worries. You have a 30-day, 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.

We're sure you'll love The Mind Health Report. However, if after taking a close look at this popular monthly newsletter, you don't believe it can dramatically improve your life, just let us know for a prompt 100% refund. And even after 30 days, you still qualify for a prorated refund on any unused portion of your subscription.

Of course, you can always keep your FREE REPORTS with our thanks, just for giving The Mind Health Report a fair try.

It's decision time — so what are you waiting for?

To your best health,

Travis Davis
Newsmax Health Publisher

P.S. Don't miss out on this opportunity to discover the real truth about how prayer can benefit your brain and overall physical and mental health!

---

Send me my FREE 'Health Benefits of Prayer'
Gift Pack Right Now.

Tashi Delek! Happy Tibetan New Year! བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashi_delek

Tashi delek (also written zhaxi dele, tashi deleg, tashi deley, or trashi delek; Tibetan: བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས, Wylie: bkra shis bde legs, Lhasa dialect IPA: [[ʈáɕiʔ dèleʔ]]) is a Tibetan greeting.

1 Origin and meaning 2 Usage 3 References 3.1 Notes 3.2 Sources 4 External links

Origin and meaning

Tashi means auspicious and Delek (or Deleg, Deleh) means fine or well.^[1] It is difficult and perhaps impossible to translate properly into English.^[2] Different authors render it as "Blessings and good luck" or "May all auspicious signs come to this environment".^[3][4]

Usage

The correct usage of the phrase "Tashi Delek" can be a point of contention between Tibetans in and outside of China. Tibetans outside of China use it in approximately the same way as the English "Good day", whereas Tibetans in China use it only for New Year's greetings. Each claims the other side's use has been corrupted.^[5]. However, Tibetans all over the Tibetan Plateau respond positively to tourists using it year round and also might greet Westerners with 'Tashi Delek'.

The phrase "Tashi delek" is also used in the Chinese language with the Chinese transcription Zhaxi Dele (扎西德勒).^[6] Most Chinese only know the Chinese transcription of the phrase, not its Roman alphabet transcription.^{[citation needed]} There is a song called Zhaxi Dele with lyrics by Rongzhong Erjia (容中尔甲), a Tibetan, and music by Chang Yingzhong (昌英中), a Han Chinese.^[7]

The phrase is also used in Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim. There is a company in Bhutan called TashiDelek.com^[8] and a Hotel Tashi Delek in Gangtok, Sikkim.^[9] The inflight magazine of Bhutanese airline Druk Air is called Tashi Delek.^[10]

References

Notes

1. ^ Language & Literature, Khandro.net, retrieved 2009-05-12
2. ^ Oha 2008, pp. 91–92
3. ^ Dresser 1999, p. 43
4. ^ Jackson 2004, p. 292
5. ^ Frechette 2002, p. 109
6. ^ "西藏百姓互道"扎西德勒"欢度藏历新年", Xinhua News, 2009-02-25, retrieved 2009-05-12
7. ^ http://mp3.baidu.com/singerlist/%C8%DD%D6%D0%B6%FB%BC%D7.html
8. ^ Tashi Delek Net
9. ^ Hotel Tashi Delek
10. ^ Tashi Delek

Sources

• Dresser, Norine (1999), Multicultural celebrations: today's rules of etiquette for life's special occasions, Three Rivers Press, ISBN 9780609802595
• Frechette, Ann (2002), Tibetans in Nepal: the dynamics of international assistance among a community in exile, Berghahn Books, ISBN 9781571811578
• Jackson, David Paul (2004), A saint in Seattle: the life of the Tibetan mystic Dezhung Rinpoche, Wisdom Publications, ISBN 9780861713967
• Oha, Obododimma (2008), "Language, Exile, and the Burden of Undecidable Citizenship: Tenzin Tsundue and the Tibetan Experience", in Allatson, Paul; McCormack, Jo, Exile Cultures, Misplaced Identities, ISBN 9789042024069