Moraira the sun is shining:  Webcam

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Image via Wikipedia

Killer Waves Rock Mediterranean Cruise

ATHENS, Greece (March 3) — A 26-foot wave smashed into a cruise ship carrying nearly 2,000 people in the Mediterranean on Wednesday, smashing glass windshields and killing two passengers, according to officials and news reports.

Another six people suffered light injuries, the Greek coast guard said in a statement. The victims were identified as a German and an Italian man.

Read article

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Got a minute?

That’s all I need to share my first of many video-based 1-minute fatloss tips.

Go here for the first of many….

click—–>  How To Eat Your Favorite Foods And Drop Bodyfat

My new design is something to see too.

I have my weekly live 1-minute video, tons of new features… even a “diet quiz” if you care to test your fatloss knowledge.

Plus my main presentation: “1 Tip To A Flat Belly!”

Just don’t laugh at my ballcap/unshaven look in the video… I wanted this to be super-casual, but I may have taken it a bit too far… ; )

Oh… speaking of a flat belly… I’d like to give you yet another reason to eat and workout the way I suggest in “Every Other Day Diet” and “7 Minute Body”…

I had to go to the hospital last week. No worries… I’m fine… just a bit of a scare. Definitely enough to wake you up from walking through life like it will never end! But fortunately for me, only a scare.

Anyway, the doctors in the hospital were amazed when they looked at my heart and lungs (they had to make sure I did not have any infection… and I didn’t.)

“Most 46-year-olds do not have these around their heart,” the doctor said as he showed me the pictures they took. You could see all these vessels around the heart and branching off the main arteries.

“Peripheral vessels… they were formed by your exercise program. Well-done! These help keep your heart strong and healthy.”

Every doc that listened to my heart said, “Wow… strong heart!”

Indeed… resistance training makes it so.

Before I left, after the scare went away, I asked the doctor his opinion on my dietary plan. “Well, obviously you are very lean and in fantastic shape for a man of any age.”

Thanks doc, but I wasn’t fishing for a compliment!  Since this was a heart doctor I was curious as to his thoughts.

“If you had heart disease, or if you want to prevent it, this is the exact dietary plan I would recommend.”

While I expected to hear this, it was still music to my ears.

So, my higher-than-normal dietary fat and protein, lower-carb, and relatively frequent “fun food” dietplan is “ideal” to combat heart disease according to the good doc. And according to my family doctor.

Nice to know.

Read more about my plan here…

click—–>  How To Eat Your Favorite Foods And Drop Bodyfat

Remember:  A good dietplan and exercise is not always sufficient to keep you disease-freee… but I love what the doctor told me.  “People who exercise and eat like you LIVE through it and recover much faster.”

Fortunately I didn’t have a nasty virus to recover from… but if I did, I know my condition would have helped me do just that.

Image by linkalicante via Flickr

Elda and Petrer – Lesser known jewels, views and shoes in such
a lovely area

We are starting today’s Costa Blanca newsletter with a real
insider tip. The cities of Elda and Petrer are two charming jewels
hiding in the Costa Blanca interior (south west of Alicante).

Being two different cities, Elda and Petrer lie close together.
I covered both cities on one webpage and one video, without
knowing what I was getting into. Within days of first uploading
the video people from both cities emailed me and went on and on
about how Elda is NOT Petrer and Petrer is NOT Elda. I guess
I did not realize the passion and rivalry that goes on between
the two cities. It even goes so far one town considers itself
more “Spanish speaking” (Elda) while the other (Petrer)
is more “Valencian speaking”.

Okay, so we got that… and I love visiting both cities a lot. Tops
on my “must see” list is the castle of Petrer sitting atop a hill
providing a spectacular view of the entire area.
In Elda you will find a truly amazing shoe-museum (Museo del Calzado)
that is definitely worth a visit.

So if you have a chance (and a car available) put Elda and Petrer
on your tour map while you in the Costa Blanca area.

A video with a map and details about Elda and Petrer is here:

Elda and Petrer Video

February 24, 2010

God’s Cleats

Rachel Olsen

“Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.”  Ecclesiastes 7:12 (NLT)

Devotion:

The Vancouver Olympics have me glued to my TV. Figure skating, downhill skiing, snowboarding, even curling – I’ll watch most any Olympic sport. I relish the competition, the teamwork, the medal ceremonies, and especially the stories of athletes overcoming odds to perform well.

In fact, it reminds me a little of my husband Rick.

My husband grew up with a single mother, and very little money.  In high school, Rick wanted to try out for track and field – he dreamed of running fast and long, and throwing a javelin.  The problem was he didn’t have the right shoes, and couldn’t afford them.  Thank God for good friends and a kind coach.

One of Rick’s close friends invited Rick over to his house one day and said, “Try these running shoes on. They just don’t fit my feet right and I’ll never wear them.”  Rick wasn’t sure if J.T. was telling the truth, but the shoes fit Rick fine.  Those shoes helped him qualify for the state meet in the 800 meter race.

Running shoes allowed Rick to run much faster than his old sneakers would, but he would slip and slide in them while trying to throw the javelin. One day after practice, Rick’s coach called him over and held up a big box of cleats.  “Here’s some unclaimed shoes students left in their lockers at the end of the school year. Find your size if you can.” Rick found some that fit and the cleats made all the difference.  Even the “crunching” sound they made on the track sent shivers of confidence and purpose up Rick’s spine.  Rick discovered it’s much easier to strive for the goal when your footing is secure.

Many athletes dream of standing atop a podium during an awards ceremony with gold medals around their necks.  For most, it takes talent, hard work, plus money to get there.  But there is an ornament even more valuable than a gold medal. Proverbs 3:21-23 reveals:

“My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.  Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.”

Sound judgment and discernment are medals that become ours when we walk in wisdom.  Money can take us places, for sure, but it can only take us so far. It provides but a measure of security. Wisdom is the footwear each of us needs to run the race God has set before us.  Wisdom will help us make the important trek from this world into eternity.

When we walk in His wisdom – in God’s cleats – He promises us solid footing.  He does not promise a road that is always flat, or a route that is easy to run, but He promises us solid footing no matter the terrain.  Wisdom – proper respect for the Lord and His ways – affords us ultimate security. Eternal security.  Money can’t do that.

Rick went on to compete successfully in high school, and on his college cross-country team. He also went on to gain godly wisdom. I’m so thankful for the friends and coaches that ensured Rick had what he needed to run his best.

God ensures – through the Bible, His followers, and His Spirit within us – that we each have what we need to run our best as well.  He equips us to follow hard after Him. No money is necessary to be well-heeled in God’s kingdom. Whether we’re wearing nursing shoes, work boots, high heels, hand-me-downs, or flip-flops, we can walk securely by walking wisely.

Dear Lord, grant me wisdom and sure footing as I follow after You. I trust You to equip me with all I need. Whatever my path, I believe Your principals can keep me from slipping. You lead, I’ll follow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Rachel at her blog today to chat about how God equips us with what we need.

All I Need is Jesus & a Good Pair of Jeans by Susanna Foth Aughtmon

Walk with Me Today, Lord: Inspiring Devotions for Women by Emilie Barnes

Application Steps:

Consider what you usually walk in – fear? anger? depression? doubt? discontentment? a big hurry?

Reflections:

Who in your life can coach you in the ways of wisdom?

Who can help you “find your size” and follow after Him?

Power Verses:

Proverbs 4:7, “Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.” (NLT)

Proverbs 2:6, “For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (NLT)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org

A photoshow of Flowers blooming in the garden – February 2010

Didier Défago Olympiasieger in der Abfahrt

Abfahrtsgold für Didier! An Stelle von Topfavorit Didier Cuche, der nur Sechster wurde, sprang dessen Westschweizer Namensvetter Didier Défago in die Bresche.

Cologna läuft entfesselt zu Olympia-Gold

Dario Cologna hat sein grosses Ziel bereits im ersten Anlauf erfüllt und lief über 15 km in freier Technik zum Olympiasieg.

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Status:

Description:
May be a shrub with long canes which will climb, or if a suitable support is available, it becomes a conventional climber, twining around its supports. Its leaves are glossy, thick and fleshy, and bluntly lobed. Flowers are daisy-like with yellow petals. Seed is dandelion-like.

Preferred habitat and impacts:
Found around towns or old farms. Tolerates drought, and salinity.
It can be very invasive in the understorey of open forest, as a shrub, or climb into trees and shrubs. Likely to smother shrubs or smaller trees.

Dispersal
It can reproduce vegetatively, from stem segments dumped or transported by floods, as well as rooting from the branch tips around the edges of the infestation. Also from wind-blown seed.

Look-alikes
Many native Senecio species have similar yellow flowers, but all are herbs or small shrubs, not climbers. Cape ivy (Delairea odorata) and another climbing groundsel (Senecio tamoides) are similar, but both are weak-stemmed climbers, not shrubs, and have thinner textured leaves, which are sharply, not bluntly, angular.

Creeping or climbing groundsel