Title Under Header

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Avatar ~ Male

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Art ~ Colors ~ Flowers


Blue Eyes


Songs that have Blue Eyes in their lyrics:

• Pretty BLUE EYES
Thought I was in love before
And then you moved in next door
Pretty BLUE EYES, Pretty BLUE EYES,

• Somebody's Knocking
Somebody's knockin'
Should I let him in
Lord it's the devil
Would you look at him
I've heard about him
But I never dreamed
He'd have BLUE EYES and blue jeans

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BLOG of ~ Saint Maria Goretti Choir


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BLOG of ~ Saint Maria Goretti Choir
http://saintmariagorettichoir.blogspot.com/

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Sample Blog Entry
Gregorian Chant ~ Regina Caeli

Gregorian Chant ~ Regina Caeli
 ~ YouTube Video

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Daily Mass Readings & Responsorial Psalms

They have 'Daily Mass Readings', 'Responsorial Psalms'... 
and even the 'Entrance Antiphons' in PDF Format but there's no music.

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St. Mary's Catholic Church

Address:
St. Mary's Catholic Church
P.O. Box 15645 
Al Ain - United Arab Emirates

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Fragrant Pears

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Date: Wed, 2011 Apr 27, 1800hrs
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This is one of my favorite fruits and I don't like fruits much. My mom calls them 'Honey Pears' but I think they're actually called 'Fragrant Pears'. It's always sweet (but not too sweet) and I have yet to taste one that will disappoint me in it's sweetness. I'm trying to find out more about it... and I did find more... more people liking this pear as well.
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Here's what it looks like...
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Peek…a…boo!

Its official name is the Fragrant pear, but I like to call it the Peekaboo pear. Crisp, juicy, and subtly sweet, the Fragrant pear fits easily into the palm of my hand (and is smaller than several varieties of pear commonly found in American supermarkets, like the Bartlett). I find it elegant in appearance, and delicate in smell as well. (If the Fragrant pear's scent was bottled as a perfume, it'd be one you'd want to keep sniffing instead of washing off at the first opportunity.)

I ate a Fragrant pear a few weeks ago (not the one pictured) that was one of the best pieces of fruit I've ever eaten. I'm about to repeat myself, but that pear was crisp and juicy, and delicately sweet in taste and smell, and something more. A lot more.

2 comments:

1
tigerlille says:
January 29, 2009 at 8:39 am
Hi Cindy,
I just clicked on your site from Pioneer Woman. I think I am going to be reading this blog regularly. My money situation is so tight that I am not inclined to experiment with the unknown at the Asian market. After reading your description of the fragrant pear, I am ready to dash out and pick up a few. Thank you! Are you Asian?

2
Asian Aisle says:
January 29, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Tigerlille: Thanks for your comment (don't you just love PW?). Yes, I am Asian and live in the United States. I'm glad to post Asian items on this site that are new to some people—that's my goal, along with showing familiar products. I hope you find some good Fragrant pears. I've eaten one that was super delicious, as I mentioned, and had others that weren't quite as yummy. But they're generally pretty good.
- Cindy

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Fragrant pears originated in far western China in the Xinjiang region and has been prized in Asia for over a thousand years. These small and roughly oval fruits have thin edible skin that are jade green in color with reddish patches.They are as crisp as Asian pears but are incredibly juicy and sweet as well. Because of their unique shape, flavor and fragrance, fragrant pears are regarded as distinguished fruits to present loved ones in China. They will keep sweet for months if refrigerated.

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From Silk Road to Supermarket, China's Fragrant Pears
By DAVID KARP
Published: November 15, 2006

JADE-GREEN Fragrant pears, with exotic provenance and a legendary reputation, have arrived in the United States for the first time after a journey that evokes Marco Polo.

The pears, as crisp as Asian pears but juicy and sweet like more familiar varieties, originated in far western China in the Xinjiang region. The area accounts for only 3 percent of China's pear crop, but the Fragrant variety, which its farmers have cultivated for 1,300 years, is esteemed as the country's finest, and fetches twice the price of other pears there.

The Fragrant pears, which have been exported to the United States since last month, are grown around Korla, a stop on the ancient Silk Road that is now an oil boomtown with more than 420,000 residents. West of the Gobi Desert and north of the Taklimakan Desert, Korla draws water from the Konqi or Peacock River, which flows south from the Tian Shan Mountains.

In recent decades Chinese government policy and market reforms have encouraged farmers to sharply increase pear production, which is expected to reach 12.5 million metric tons this year, more than two-thirds of the world's supply. Virtually all are Asian pears, crunchy and ripe off the tree, not the European kind, such as Bartlett and Bosc, which develop their desired buttery texture and rich flavor after harvest.

Fragrant pears are fairly small and roughly oval, with long stems. The light green or yellow skin, with a reddish blush on some fruits, is thin and readily edible; the flesh is extraordinarily tender, crisp and juicy. The flavor is delicate, and different from that of most Asian pears, with a whiff of the "pear ester," ethyl decadienoate, which gives European varieties their characteristic aroma. Ready to eat after harvest in September, they can keep in commercial storage for up to a year.

Xinjiang lies at the intersection of the ranges of Asian pears — which are mostly grown in China, Korea and Japan — and European pears, which evolved later in the Caucasus Mountains and Asia Minor. The botanical identity of Fragrant pears has long been unclear, and Chinese trade documents describe them as resembling the European species. In a study published in 2001, however, scientists analyzed the variety's molecular markers and determined that it is a complex hybrid of the two main European and Asian species, along with Pyrus armeniacifolia, a little-known Xinjiang species with small fruits and leaves similar to apricot foliage.

Xinjiang's political situation is unsettled, as an influx of Han, China's main ethnic group, has fed separatist agitation and terrorism by the mostly Muslim Uighurs, who are now a minority in their homeland. Korla has long been renowned for its fruit — melons and grapes, as well as pears — and the Chinese government has sought to relieve economic pressures by promoting exports.

Chinese officials asked to export Fragrant pears to the United States in 1993, but American pear growers raised concerns that the imported fruit might introduce exotic plant pests and diseases. Only after repeated visits by Department of Agriculture scientists, pest risk assessments and revisions of inspection procedures did the department grant approval last December.

The only other Chinese pear allowed in the United States is the Yali (Ya) pear, or duck pear, a major commercial variety that is durable but mediocre, with tough flesh and bland flavor.

Jacky Chan, managing partner of YW International, a fruit importer, traveled to Korla twice this year to arrange for shipments of Fragrant pears.

"If I didn't go, they wouldn't have sent us the best quality," he said in an interview in his office in South El Monte, Calif., east of Los Angeles.

The lengthy journey taken by Fragrant pears may not endear them to environmentally conscious shoppers concerned with food miles. Mr. Chan, 29, said that workers at the packing house in Korla use air guns to clean the pears of insects and debris, check them with magnifying glasses, and then cushion them in tissue paper and foam mesh sleeves for the journey ahead: seven days by truck, over small roads as well as highways, to Shenzhen, a port near Hong Kong; two weeks by container ship to Long Beach, Calif.; and another five days by truck to New York.

Several other importers are bringing in the pears, which are available at grocery chains including Hong Kong Supermarkets in New York, 99 Ranch Markets in California and H-E-B stores in Texas; they are also expected to show up soon at fancy New York markets such as Agata & Valentina and Dean & DeLuca.

Knowing that Fragrant pears would soon arrive from China, John M. Wells, co-owner of Viewmont Orchards, in Hood River, Ore., visited China in 2004 and brought back cuttings of the variety, which he intends to propagate and plant next spring.

"I'm trying to figure out whether the tree will grow here," he said.

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Fragrant Pears

Posted by tructi 6/7 (My Page) on
Sun, Apr 22, 07 at 8:20





I just tasted a fragrant pear at the local asian supermarket and it's very good. Crisp and juicy and not too sweet. Similar to asian pear w/o the "butterscocth" taste. I'm wondering if anyone sells trees for planting. I've read that they were just recently allowed to sell the US from China. Thanks!!
Tim

Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Fragrant Pears






Tim, I guess you are talking about a Chinese pear? They are a form of asian pear. Some asian pears have that butterscotch taste and some don't, it depends on the variety. I don't know any of the Chinese types having any butterscotch in their flavor. Two good chinese pears are Tsu Li and Ya Li. Several nurseries sell Chinese pears, I think One Green World and Raintree for example. Plus many other places I can't think of right now.
Scott


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RE: Fragrant Pears






Someone asked about these on another forum, and I found an article that David Karp wrote for the New York Times last November. ("From Silk Road to Supermarket, China's Fragrant Pears.")
A NYT subscription is required to read the full text on-line, but here are a few excerpts:
"The botanical identity of fragrant pears has long been unclear, and Chinese trade documents describe them as resembling the European species. In a study published in 2001, however, scientists analyzed the variety's molecular markers and determined that it is a complex hybrid of the two main European and Asian species, along with Pyrus armeniacifolia, a little-known Xianjing species with small fruits and leaves similar to apricot foliage."
Karp seems to like these pears much better than common Chinese pears like "Ya Li" (which he feels is "mediocre" in quality). Describing the flavor of these newly available fruits, he writes: "The flavor is delicate, and different from that of most Asian pears, with a whiff of the "pear ester", ethyl decadienoate, which gives European varieties their characteristic aroma."
So it sounds like this new type of pear is definitely worthwhile, and also rather unlike any of the cultivars currently grown in the U.S. (A "crunchy when ripe" pear with the European pear aroma.)
Unfortunately, I don't think that trees of this variety can currently be purchased in the U.S. (The Karp article does mention that one commercial grower obtained scionwood of this variety from China's Xinjiang Province a few years ago, and that he plans to start propagating more trees ... but I think that he is interesting in propagating trees for his own orchards, not in selling the plants.)


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RE: Fragrant Pears






They are in all the Chinese fruit markets here in NYC. Cost is about $1.25 a lb. They are crisp, sweet and juicy, but not much in the way of fragrance. I think Housi is better.
All the boxes are from China, writing is in Chinese and English. The provence they come from is listed, I just cant remember how to spell it. I will plant a few seeds in two weeks. I have some in the crisper for a 3 weeks now. I an hoping 5 weeks is enough stratification.


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RE: Fragrant Pears






I've got about 20 seedlings growing and I need to think of where to plant them all. :) How many years would it probably take to bear fruit?


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RE: Fragrant Pears






Sounds interesting - I haven't seen these pears here but will look.
Richard, I have a couple dozen apple seedlings that I grafted to a couple trees, so I am growing many varieties in a small space and will also hopefully get fruit a bit sooner. Burbank was well-known for employing this technique. With pears you could use quince as the stock and that would certainly speed up the time to fruit. Asians are also thankfully much faster to fruit than the Europeans. I'm not sure how compatible they are with quince, though.
The children will perhaps be quite different since the pollinator could well be a normal asian pear.
Scott


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RE: Fragrant Pears






Hey here is a longer article.. maybe this is what you read Ashok.

Here is a link that might be useful: More on fragrant pears

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RE: Fragrant Pears






Scott,
Yes, that's the article. It's quite an interesting read. Karp's pieces are always entertaining and informative.


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RE: Fragrant Pears






I just tried my first fragrant pear, my wife scored a dozen for me at the local asian grocery. Like TWM I would not call them super fragrant, but I am going to let them ripen some more to see if they improve.
BTW, my guess is these seeds are already fully stratified since the pears must have been in cold storage since last summer. I am saving the seeds in case they improve after ripening; they are not yet in my mind worth trying to grow myself.
Scott


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RE: Fragrant Pears






Scott, the ones I get have green crisp stems, giving the impression they were recently picked. If I did not have lots of space, I would not plant them either. I also want try taking material from a seedling grown one season, and grafting it on a mature tree to see how long it will take to fruit.


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RE: Fragrant Pears






TWM, if you go to the blog I linked above you will find that the harvest occurs in September - there are pictures of it. My stems are also green so I can only think that they must stay green for 6 months. I believe that all of these pears are grown in the same part of China.
Scott


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RE: Fragrant Pears






The Fragrant pears, as crisp as Asian pears but juicy and sweet like more familiar varieties, originated in far western China in the Xinjiang region. The area accounts for only 3 percent of China��s pear crop, but the Fragrant variety, which its farmers have cultivated for 1,300 years, is esteemed as the country��s finest, and fetches twice the price of other pears there.
I am from China and export fragrant pears and apples. I hope to find importers. My Email and MSN is benvictory@hotmail.com. Mobile number is +86 133 5696 9157.



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Green Apples

Not one of my favorite fruits but I do like it's color & shape.

 ~ GIF Format (Still)
 ~ PNG Format
 ~ JPG Format

Green Apples

Monday, April 25, 2011

Happy Easter!

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May your Easter be decorated with Love, Peace, 
the Joys Of Spring, and the Season's Blessings... 
Happy Easter!
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Labels:
Happy Easter, Easter, Wishing Cards,
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Sunday, April 24, 2011

On The Street Where You Live (Lyrics & Chords)

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My Chords edited for Classical Guitar arrangement:
Updated: 2014 September 18, 0815 hrs

On The Street Where You Live
Words and Music by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
Chords & arrangement for Classical Guitar by PGA (fONS)

[Verse 1]
D7sus  G6    GM7/F# Em7 D7sus     G6     GM7/F# Em7
I have often walked     down this street before.
D7sus   GM7      GM7/F# Em        Em/D     CM7,9      D
But the pavement always stayed be-neath my feet before.
D      C       CM7 B7        Em           Em7 A7/C#
All at once am I   several stories high,
A7,9    Am7        D7     D7sus     G6 GM7/F# Em7
Knowing I'm on the street where you live.

[Verse 2]
D7sus     G6    GM7/F# Em7 D7sus     G6    GM7/F# Em7
Are there lilac trees      in the heart of town?
D7sus   GM7    GM7/F#  Em  Em/D  CM7,9        D
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?
D       C         CM7 B7       Em        Em7 A7/C#
Does en-chantment pour  out of every door?
A7,9     Am7         D7     D7sus     G6 GM7/F# Em7
No, it's just on the street where you live.

[Chorus]
D7sus       B7            Am       
.....And oh, the towering feeling, 
Am        D7  Am                Em
..just to know  somehow you are near.
Em  C#m7 B7            F#       
The o------verpowering feeling, 
F#         B7             F#       B7    B7,C7,C#7,D7
..that any second you may suddenly appear.

[Verse 3]
D7sus  G6       GM7/F# Em7 D7sus      G6     GM7/F# Em7
People stop and stare,     they don't bother me.
D7sus       GM7     GM7/F#  Em         Em/D    CM7,9    D
For there's nowhere else on earth that I would rather be.
D       C       CM7 B7       Em        Em7 A7/C#
Let the time go by,   I won't care if I,
A,9    Am7         D7     D7sus     G
Can be here on the street where you live.

[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
[End]

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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Indian Palace ~ at Newton Circus Hawker Centre

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Indian Palace
Newton Circus Hawker Center
M Kumar
9-062-5331
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Went there with Pops & Moms somewhere around 2011 Apr or May

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What's nice:
Cheese thing that looks like Tahu in a Spinach Gravy
Dahl
Naan
Mutton Briyani

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What's NOT nice:
Chicken Briayani

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Lay Your Hands Gently Upon Us (Lyrics)

A Choir Mistress gave us this song to sing. 
I have since forgotten the tune but reading the words, 
I'm sure I can easily compose one or easier still, 
use an existing tune in my head.

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Lay Your Hands Gently Upon Us (Lyrics)

Lay your hand s gently upon us
Let their touch render peace
Let them bring your forgiveness and healing
Lay your hands gently lay your hands

You were sent to free the broken hearted
You were sent to give sight to the blind
You desire to heal all our illness
Lay your hands gently lay your hands

Lord we come to you through one another
Lord we come to you in our need
Lord we come to you seeking wholeness
Lay your hands gently lay your hands

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Passion Of The Christ ~ In Word Form

Someone sent me this via email. It is just another chain-email and I don't agree with everything written. I do understand that it is in the Christian's faith to evangelize, but I also believe we should do so respectfully and not swamp the non-believers' email inbox with these messages. Some converts have claimed that these emails were God sent and saved them... while non-converts have been irritated by these inconsiderate behaviors. Who do I side? NO ONE... but I do tend to lean towards the side of the non-believers because if a non-Christian were to do this to a Christian, I am very sure the Christian will be irritated. I will apply one of my rules in life here... that... "Everyone has the right to do want they want as long as it does not interfere with the rights of others. ~ PGA"... and this means that although it is your right to send whatever email you want, you can't send this out because this will interfere with the rights of others.

Anyway... here's an excerpt of the chain-email... go ahead and read if you're interested. It sounds very much like the Movie, 'The Passion Of The Christ' but in word form... and this is the part of the email that I found interesting.

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Just to share this with you for reflection during this Holy Week... 
 
THE SCIENTIFIC DEATH OF JESUS {Verification needed... one day, when I can find the time, I will verify this...}
At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death. Two thousand years ago, crucifixion was the death penalty for law violators. Only the worse criminals were condemned to be crucified. It was even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion at that time, Jesus was nailed instead of being tied to the cross. Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long. The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the Wrist, that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself, so that He could not breathe. Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus, He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs for long because of the pain. He was forced to alternate between arching His back and using His legs just to continue to breath. We can not imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage that He endured. Today's standard, it is unusual punishment. Jesus endured this  for over 3 hours Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water from his wounds. From the common images, we see the wounds in His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side. We remember the many wounds made to his body. A hammer drove large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped and a nail hammered through the arches. A Roman guard was piercing His side with a spear. And while being nailed  and  speared, Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating was so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns, two to three inch thorns embedded, cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not survive such punishment and torture. He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters. (just a little less than a gallon) of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood. He had three nails hammered into His body; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier stabbed a spear into His chest. He suffered humiliation by the very people who received Him with olive branches a week earlier. He carried the cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones. The cross was heavy. Jesus had to endure this horrendous experience to free us from sin. JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR US. 

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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Priority Vs Option

If you waste too much time with someone who treats you like an option, 
you might lose out finding someone who treats you like a priority.
~ unknown

If you spend too much time holding onto someone who treats you like an option, 
you'll miss out on finding the one who will treat you like a priority.
~ unknown

Don't give priority to someone who treats you like an option.
~ unknown

Countertenors ~ Uploaded by EnniThomas

This program explains the Countertenor voice with live samples.

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Countertenors - part 1 of 6
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Countertenors - part 2 of 6
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Countertenors - part 3 of 6
Countertenors - part 4 of 6
Missing?

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Countertenors - part 5 of 6
Countertenors - part 6 of 6
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Friday, April 15, 2011

Qutoes On Living A Meaningful Life

A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. 
~ Jackie Robinson

Be always at war with your vices, 
at peace with your neighbors, 
and let each new year find you a better man. 
~ Benjamin Franklin

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Bible in Book Form on the Internet

http://www.just1word.com/bible
Check out this Bible in book form on the internet. 
It feels like you're reading a real book. Flip, flip...

Joke ~ The End Of The World

Here's an original joke by some friends of mine. It was a collaboration.

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Jill: It looks like the end of the world is near. The signs are described in the bible.
Jack: "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Jill: Amen! But we should remain vigilant! I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the 5 silly virgins.
Jack: But I'm sure some would like to be in the pants of the 5 silly virgins.

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References:
Matthew 24:1-45 ~ The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
Matthew 25:1-13 ~ The Story of the Virgins

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The Story of the Virgins ~ Matthew 25:1-13

[1] “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. [2] Five were silly and five were smart. [3] The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. [4] The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. [5] The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. [6] “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bridegroom’s here! Go out and greet him!’ [7] “The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. [8] The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’ [9] “They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’ [10] “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked. [11] “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’ [12] “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’ [13] “So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.  

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Check out this Bible in book form on the internet.
Click HERE or HERE and only if it's still there.

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This Silly Circle Of Life ~ by PGA

Nobody actually thinks they're silly.
It's only the smart people...
who think the silly people are being silly.
And it's the silly people themselves,
who think that they are smart.
Isn't this silly, this Silly Circle Of Life?
I feel that... people who do silly things...
don't think that they are being silly...
so let's pray for them... because... 
hopefully... they'll be praying for us... 
while we go about doing the non-silly stuff... 
that we think those silly people ought to be doing.

~~~

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Little Boy Blue ~ Giggles.gif

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Updated 2011 Apr 14, 0759hrs


 uploaded at tinypic.com

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Updated 2011 Apr 14, 0737hrs
There's another entry with this same-type of cute picture. Click HERE.

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First entry...
This one sometimes don't work properly, especially in GMAIL. Will try to do another one.


 uploaded at multiply.com


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The End Of The World ~ No One Knows...

... so quit trying to guess... you will never know.

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"But about that day or hour no one knows, 
not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] 
but only the Father."
~ Matthew 24:36, New International Version
[f] Some manuscripts do not have nor the Son.

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The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
Matthew 24 (New International Version, ©2011)

 1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

   9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

   15 "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,'[a] spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

   22 "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

   26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the wilderness,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

   29 "Immediately after the distress of those days

   "'the sun will be darkened, 
   and the moon will not give its light; 
the stars will fall from the sky, 
   and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'[b]

   30 "Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[c] will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.[d] 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

   32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[e] is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Unknown

    36 "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

   42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

   45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Footnotes:
a. Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
b. Matthew 24:29 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
c. Matthew 24:30 Or the tribes of the land
d. Matthew 24:30 See Daniel 7:13-14.
e. Matthew 24:33 Or he
f. Matthew 24:36 Some manuscripts do not have nor the Son.

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Go Green ~ At Home ~ by Singapore Environment Council


Go green... be environmental friendly. I got this from the website of the Singapore Environment Council.

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Wed, 2011 Apr 13, 1403hrs
Go Green ~ At Home ~ by Singapore Environment Council

By reducing the energy usage at home, not only will you help to save the climate, you will also cut down on your electricity bills.

1. Print double sided, or on used paper that has been printed on one side. Make use of recycled paper whenever possible.

2. Recycle your used ink cartridges.

3. Set your air-conditioners at the optimal temperature of 25°C. On cool days, use a fan or open the windows for natural ventilation.

4. Unplug electronic devices, or switch them off at the plug when they are not in use. Leaving them on standby mode will still result in a phantom load of 15%.

5. When you are buying electrical appliances, remember to look out for the energy efficiency level of the device. Although an energy efficient appliance may cost a little bit more, you will recover the extra money spent with savings in your energy bills.

6. Make improvements to your household lighting by using energy-efficient lightbulbs such as the compact flouorescent bulbs, which provide the same energy levels as incandescent bulbs but last 4 to 10 times longer. 

7. Switch off the lights when you leave the room. The common belief that turning on the lights will result in a surge which uses up more electricity is fallacious.

8. Take a shower instead of a bath as the former uses less water. Limit the duration of your shower. In tropical climates such as Singapore, there is no need to perennially heat up the water for showering. Instead, opt for cold shower which can boost blood circulation, plus it is a good way to wake up and start the day.

9.  Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth. Use a rinsing cup instead.

10. Use recycled products wherever possible, such as recycled toilet paper.

11. Sort and recycle your garbage.

12. Use rechargeable batteries instead of the disposable types.

13. Recycle your water from showering to flush your toilet or wash the toilet floor.

14. Donate your unwanted and reusable items to a charity of a thrift shop.

15. Start a composting bin in your backyard to decompose food and/or organic scraps.

16. Use natural cleaning products such as baking soda or vinegar..


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