Two IELTS Writing Topics

Write 250 words about one of the following topics:

1. Children today spend more time reading comic books than they did in the past. Describe some of the advantages and disadvantages of reading comic books.

2. Children today spend more time watching TV than they did in the past. Describe some of the advantages and disadvantages of watching TV.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your experience and knowledge.

You should spend no more than 20 minutes on this task and write at least 250 words by following the sample writing that summarize the trend line in red color. Write a similar description to recount on the trend chart of 2000 ELI enrolments in blue.

The chart below shows the numbers of ELI enrollments of Sydney International Language Centre in 2001. Now write another description, summarize the trend line in blue which shows the ELI enrollments of the language Centre in 2000.


The chart shows the fluctuations in the numbers of international students attending the Sydney International Language Centre in 2001.

At the start of the year numbers were quite high at 170, this was because there were a large number of students referred to take the course as part of the University Preparation Programme. The student population remained the same until the end of February. In both April and May, 15 extra students enrolled into ELI courses. There was a sharp increase in June when 20 new students entered UP courses.

In July there was only an increase of five students as the Winter course intake was at the end of July and this was too late for students who were entering university in the second semester. In comparison to the first semester, there was a sharp drop in numbers as 50 students left, leaving only 135 students in ELI for August. From here until the end of the year there was a steady rise in student numbers to a peak of 180 in December.

Overall it shows a steady growth when compared to the 2000 enrolments of the Sydney International Language Centre in 2001 .

Tips for IELTS Writing Test

1. Task 1 of the Academic Writing Module gives candidates some visual input (a diagram or table) and asks them to present the information in their own words.
2. Task 1 of the General Training module involves reading a short prompt about a particular problem and using the information it contains to write an appropriate letter of response.
3. Task 2 for both modules presents a point of view, argument or problem which candidates must read and respond to in their writing.
4. You must aware of the fact that all tasks contain some indication of audience and purpose for writing.
5. Organise your time to: plan, write, and revise. Use a mind map to begin your writing.
6. The four marking criteria include: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy.
7. Write 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2. You will lose points if you write less than the requirement.
8. Don't directly copy words from the question, paraphrase your ideas. Use synonyms and antonyms to add variety to your writing.
9. Fully cover the requirements of the task.
10. Skilfully manage and organise your paragraphing.
11. Use a wide range of vocabulary and sentence patterns.
12. Express yourself clearly and accurately; e.g. for Task 1 - present clearly and accurately the overview of main trends, differences or stages; for Task 2 present a fully developed message in response to the issue with relevant, fully extended and well support ideas.

IELTS Reading Comprehension Task

Read the text below and answer Questions 1-6

Advice for Employees -Safe computer use


Most people suffer no ill-effects from using VDUs (Visual Display Units) as they don’t give out harmful levels of radiation and rarely cause any kind of skin complaint. If you do suffer ill-effects, it may be because of the way you’re using the computer and this can be avoided by well-designed workstations. When working at a VDU, make sure you keep a good posture and that your eyes are level with the screen.

Under health and safety regulations your employer should look at VDU workstations, and reduce any risks by supplying any equipment considered necessary (e.g. a wrist rest). They should also provide health and safety training. This also applies if you’re working at home as an employee and using a VDU for a long period of time. There is no legal limit to how long you should work at a VDU, but under health and safety regulations you have the right to breaks from work using a VDU. This doesn’t have to be a rest break, just a different type of work. Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggests it’s better to take frequent short breaks but if your job means pending long periods at a VDU, for example as in the case of data input, then longer breaks from your workstation should be introduced.

If you’re disabled, your employer's duty to make reasonable adjustments for you may mean that they will provide you with special computer equipment. You can also get advice and maybe help with paying for equipment from the local job centre.

Studies haven’t shown a link between VDU use and damage to eyesight, but if you feel that using a VDU screen is making your eyes tired, tell your employee safety representative. You have the right to a free eyesight test if you use a VDU a lot during work hours. If you’re prescribed glasses your company must pay for them, provided they’re required in your job.

If you have any health problems you think may be caused by your VDU, contact your line manager. He/she has a duty to consult you on health and safety issues that affect you, and should welcome early reporting of any issue.

Questions 1- 6

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers by typing in the missing words into the dotted space in red colour.

1. It is unusual to get a ………… as a result of using computers.

2. Employers may be required to provide you with items such as a ………… to use while at work.

3. If your job involves tasks such as ………… , the advice from the HSE may not apply.

4. Financial assistance in the case of special requirements may be available from the ………….

5. The company is obliged to cover the cost of ………… if you need them while working.

6. Any concerns about the effect of using a VDU on your general well-being should be reported to ………… .

Tips for IELTS Reading Test

1. Read the title and headings. Make prediction about the topic.
2. Look over the questions quickly. Always read twice the section that is relevant to the question.
3. Tasks in the Reading test can involve note taking, labeling, classification,and table/ flowchart completion.
4. In relation to Reading, the Academic and General Training modules are different in terms of: the choice of texts: topic, text type, length, number, etc.
5. Scribble or underline the important parts as you read.
6. Follow the rubric and instruction carefully. If the instructions ask you to use no more than three words, follow it or else you will lose points.
7. Be careful not to mix up True/False with Yes/No. These are considered by many to be the most difficult questions.

The Climb

A very beautiful song, I love it!

Yeaaaah!

It's the action - The process of your hard work will be remembered and counted!

Enjooooy!

The Climb lyrics
Songwriters: Alexander, J; Mabe, J;

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I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic and 80 mm Hg diastolic. High Blood Pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which blood pressure levels are above the normal range. Blood pressures of 120-139 mm Hg and/or 80-89 mm Hg are considered prehypertension. Blood pressure is considered high if it is 140 mm Hg and/or 90 mm Hg or higher.

High blood pressure increases the risk for heart attack, angina, stroke, kidney failure and peripheral artery disease (PAD). High blood pressure may also increase the risk of developing fatty deposit in arteries (atherosclerosis). The risk of heart failure also increases due to the increased workload that high blood pressure places on the heart.

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Some ways to control high blood pressure without medication

• Lose extra wieght
• Exercise regularly
• Eat a healthy diet
• Reduce salt, sugar, and oil
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke
• Drink less coffee
• Reduce stress
• Get regular health care
• Check up regularly
  
  

How many stars are there in the Universe?

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Have you ever looked up into the night sky and wondered just how many stars there are in space? This question has fascinated scientists as well as philosophers, musicians and dreamers throughout the ages.

Look into the sky on a clear night, out of the glare of streetlights, and you will see a few thousand individual stars with your naked eyes. With even a modest amateur telescope, millions more will come into view.

So how many stars are there in the Universe? It is easy to ask this question, but difficult for scientists to give a fair answer!

Stars are not scattered randomly through space, they are gathered together into vast groups known as galaxies. The Sun belongs to a galaxy called the Milky Way. Astronomers estimate there are about 100 thousand million stars in the Milky Way alone. Outside that, there are millions upon millions of other galaxies also!


Hipparcos mapped millions of stars in our galaxy, but how many more are there?
It has been said that counting the stars in the Universe is like trying to count the number of sand grains on a beach on Earth. We might do that by measuring the surface area of the beach, and determining the average depth of the sand layer.

If we count the number of grains in a small representative volume of sand, by multiplication we can estimate the number of grains on the whole beach.

For the Universe, the galaxies are our small representative volumes, and there are something like 1011 to 1012 stars in our galaxy, and there are perhaps something like 1011 or 1012 galaxies.

With this simple calculation you get something like 1022 to 1024 stars in the Universe. This is only a rough number, as obviously not all galaxies are the same, just like on a beach the depth of sand will not be the same in different places.

Extracted from ESA - Space Science

IELTS Listening Strategy - 15 Tips

Read the description below regarding some strategies I extracted and adapted from various sources for doing the listening test.

When you read, regroup the 15 tip items into three categories: before the test, during the test, and after the test. List them chronologically.

1. There are a total of 40 questions presented in four sections, 10 in each section.
2. Understand different types of questions presented in the test. Be prepared for what the question might ask you to do, such as complete a sentence in three words, tick a box, or choose a letter.
3. Concentrate. The key skill to master here is ATTENTIVENESS. You cannot allow your concentration to falter for even a second. Do not let your mind wander.
4. While listening silently, take notes in your question booklet. You can circle possible answers and change your mind later when you transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
5. Use the time before each listening section to underline key words in the question such as who, where, what, etc…
6. Mark your answers carefully. Write according to the instruction.
7. Listen more attentively to the second statement of the speakers who correct themselves. This is usually the asked answer for the question.
8. Be careful not to make simple spelling mistakes. These will be penalized.
9. Incomplete or shortened answers (i.e. times and dates) will be marked as incorrect.
10. A variety of accents are used including British, Australian, and American, Practice listening to different English speakers.
11. Remember that answers that exceed word limits (even use of a or the) will be marked as incorrect.
12. Questions are read out in order of answers, so be calm and you do not need to search up and down.
13. Be highly alert. Watch out for questions that involve intentional deviations from the most obvious answer. Remember an inattentive mind may attract you to the obvious but incorrect answer.
14. Don't get stuck on a single question. If you didn't hear the answer, go on.
15. You will be given time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
    

50 Ways to Get Your Life in Order

It grasps my attention when I read the article post by Mark Foo at Litminds.org

I was wondering how Mark got such a long list of ideas to share.

Read and get the tips that will help you!

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There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of chaos in your life. As Albert Einstein once stated, “Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

Unexpected challenges are what make us stronger, so don’t avoid them. Keep in mind the following 50 tips and you’ll be able to streamline your life and get back on track in the New Year.

1. Recycle old papers that are filling drawers in your house. If you’re anything like me, you have drawers overflowing with old receipts, junk mail, records, and notes to myself.
2. Get rid of all of this. Invest in a paper shredder to reduce clutter and maintain privacy.
3. Mentally prepare yourself for change by visualizing your ideal self. Who do you admire the most? How do you envision yourself in the future? Who do you want to be? Visualize yourself to be that person.
4. Realize that unexpected events can be a good thing.
5. Ask people you admire how they got where they are today. I’ve always admired my grandfather. Learning more about how he started up his business, dealt with difficulty throughout his life, and maintained grace throughout it all has helped me in my personal endeavors.
6. Cut back on alcohol, cigarettes and other vices. These can be crutches that cloud judgment. The money saved by not purchasing or cutting back on this type of material can then be put into something rewarding such as a vacation.
7. Remove elements of negativity from your life, be they people or a job you don’t want to do. If you have friends who are bringing you down, there’s no need to keep hanging out with them out of obligation. Cut your ties and cut your losses.
8. Start each day with a clear to-do list along with your cup of morning coffee. Knowing what you need to do in the day ahead helps keep you on track.
9. Clean your house from top to bottom and throw away anything outdated. Not only receipts, as mentioned above, but any old junk that should be donated to charity or sold in a garage sale.
10. Institute a clear filing system for your personal records. Investing in a simple filing cabinet and folders with labels is something you don’t need a personal secretary for and makes your life much easier when you are looking for a specific item.
11. Do your grocery shopping for the week on the day it’s most convenient. Make a list, budget, and get only what you need to save time and money.
12. Take a career test that will help you identify your strengths. If you are unhappy with your career but don’t even know where to begin in the process of moving on, this can be a good way to identify strengths and new possibilities.
13. Meet with a professional counselor if there are issues you need to discuss. Many people are struggling with dead weight from the past or emotional baggage that is holding them back. Deal with them and move on with professional assistance.
14. Go through cabinets and throw out expired medications or food items. The last time I did this, I found everything from 3-year-old curry powder to 5-year-old aspirin. Throw them out.
15. Make a clear diet plan with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet plan has a tremendous effect on your overall energy levels.
16. Add vitamin pills to your daily diet. Vitamin supplements can help reduce the possibility of cancer and osteoporosis, among other disorders.
17. Work out a clear exercise plan with an activity that you enjoy such as dancing or biking.
18. Set appointments you’ve been putting off. It’s easy to put off going to the doctor or dentist until we are sick, but preventive care is extremely important in overall health levels.
19. Take up a mental exercise. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or other word games along these lines are more than just a good way to pass time. They have been shown in studies to help improve overall mental capabilities.
20. Publish your own book. This is easier than ever before with Internet publishing. You can get your ideas out there and start making money from them. I’ve published my own eBook, The 77 Traits of Highly Successful People, check it out.
21. Make a reading list and join a book club. Most people state that they want to read more, but without an actual plan you may not make the time to do this. Joining a book club not only serves as a social activity but also keeps you up to date with your own reading list.
22. Spend time with yourself each day. Susan Taylor states that “spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.”
23. Practice breathing exercises or meditation. Stress can have an overarching effect on our overall productivity levels. When stressed, I personally forget to breathe at times. Take the time to take deep breaths and improve oxygen flow to the brain.
24. Speak and act with honesty. Are you able to stand by what you do and say? If not, it may be time to reexamine your own words and learn to articulate your thoughts in an open, honest way. This helps eliminate mistakes down the road.
25. Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Usually, we make a lot of them during our lifetime. As long as they aren’t repeated too many times, and are looked at as a learning experience, they can in fact be a good thing in the long run.
26. Volunteer to help others in your community. Helping others is a rewarding way to get your own life together.
27. Take up a new language or hobby.
28. Read inspirational biographies. For new ideas, find out how others got their lives in order.
29. Talk to a stranger. Unplanned conversations can be surprisingly inspiring.
30. Reconnect with friends and relatives who live far away. Call those people you miss but keep putting off calling. With the Internet and Skype at your disposal, even an online chat can help you reconnect.
31. Change your toothbrush. It can be a hotbed of bacteria.
    Take more naps. Sleep is often sadly underrated in its ability to boost energy, mood, and
32. keep reaction times sharp.
33. Drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Staying hydrated helps keep energy levels up.
34. Organize your photo collection. Get both digital files and physical printouts in albums. If you’re anything like my family, your photographs could be sadly sitting tucked away in shoeboxes in the closet, taking up space.
35. Take an interest in art in your community. Visiting galleries can help introduce you to the artists in your community and help stimulate thinking.
36. Join a hobbyist club. My friend decided to learn more about building model airplanes and was so deeply into it that he recently obtained his commercial pilot’s license. You never know where a simple hobby can lead you in life.
37. Keep a calendar with commitments. Having a visual reminder in front of you can be extremely helpful. We are all different types of learners.
38. Don’t put off difficult conversations. Deal with problems directly and immediately. This will result in a much lower level of anxiety for all involved.
39. Make a list of priorities and do what makes you happy. If you have lost touch with your own priorities lately, it can be beneficial to take the time to sit and think about what actually makes you happy. Work toward achieving this as much as possible.
40. Spend more time outdoors. Nature has an ability to help soothe a troubled mind and clear your thoughts. Taking a walk in the woods or climbing a mountain, at any level of difficulty, gives a sense of pride and accomplishment.
41. Attend lectures. These could be science lectures or other types, but it’s helpful to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the world and plan accordingly. Keeping the mind active helps you in all aspects of your daily life.
42. Take the time to stretch muscles. Get a massage to improve muscle tone and circulation, then use this new energy and apply it to your work routine.
43. Make laughter a priority. Hang out with some of your most entertaining friends for a good laugh, or simply sit back with some favorite old comedies. Laughter counts as exercise and has been shown to expand your life span.
44. Clear some time each day to do nothing. As a child, I remember that we had “free time” scheduled into our school activities every day. This could be used for reading, drawing, or simply staring into space if that’s what we felt like doing. What a novel idea, and one that keeps the brain at ease.
45. Schedule a much-needed vacation.
46. Learn new tips for entertaining. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to throw a great dinner party, and learning how to be a host or hostess with minimal effort can give a big boost to your confidence levels.
47. Throw out old clothing that doesn’t fit. Too many of us are squeezing into outdated clothes that are doing us no favors. Look and feel your best with clothes that are tailored to fit.
48. Live in the present, not the past. The past is over. Move on and enjoy every moment as it occurs. Take stock of what needs to be accomplished and move forward with this information.
49. Learn from past mistakes and move forward with your life. Get your life in order by looking forward, not back.
50. Budget for possible home repairs. Set aside some money in the proverbial cookie jar to keep home maintenance within the realm of possibility in this coming year.
    
    http://www.77SuccessTraits.com.

A Comprehension Task

Read the article and answer the question that follows.

Write about 50 words to discuss the question below:

Do you think the Hong Kong government should stop the H1N1 vaccination as soon as possible? Give at least two reasons to support your answer.

Fewer swine flu jabs as doc falls ill

Mary Ann Benitez and Patsy Moy

Friday, January 08, 2010

A 58-year-old cardiologist who received a human swine flu (H1N1) vaccination is in serious condition with Guillain- Barre syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system.



But an expert group said it could not be determined if the doctor's disorder was directly caused by the vaccine.



A doctors' group said the case led to a decline in the number of people receiving vaccinations yesterday.



Controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Thomas Tsang Ho-fai, said it is impossible to say whether the man's illness was caused by the flu jab.



"The [expert] group thinks it is not possible to differentiate with reasonable certainty whether the relationship between the vaccine and patient's symptoms is causal or coincidental, meaning that we are unable to conclude one way or the other based on a single case," Tsang said.



"We have vaccinated over 100,000 people in Hong Kong and if we look at overseas experience, the vaccine has not been associated with an increased rate of Guillain-Barre syndrome."



He added: "So we are of the view that for high-risk groups the benefit of receiving the vaccine definitely outweighs the risk and we recommend members of such groups to receive the vaccine."



The cardiologist, Kwok Hong-tai, who has an underlying medical condition, received the vaccine on December 24 and began feeling weakness in his lower limbs on December 28, Patrick Li Chung-ki of Queen Elizabeth Hospital said.



Kwok was admitted to Queen Mary Hospital on January 2 where he remained in serious but stable condition yesterday.



A nurse at the cardiologist's clinic in North Point declined to confirm whether the doctor is the one suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome.



Li said the patient has shown weakness in all four limbs and his symptoms were "compatible with Guillain-Barre syndrome."



The rare disease occurs after receiving vaccines, while other patients develop it after viral or bacterial infections.



For some patients, there is no underlying cause but is "incidental," Li said. Hong Kong Doctors Union president Henry Yeung Chiu-fat said there were significantly fewer people who came forward to be vaccinated at private clinics.



But government figures showed at least 8,872 were vaccinated in the 24 hours ending 1pm yesterday. Of those, 1,717 went to private doctors, compared with 2,171 the day before.



Infectious disease specialist Lo Wing-lok said the case is more likely related to the vaccine "because of the time sequence and because of various clinical observations and tests done."



He said the case is a "very strong deterrent" for people not to be vaccinated.



Extracted and adapted from http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=92850&sid=26627549&con_type=1&d_str=20100108&fc=8

Self Motivation

If you want to succeed in life, I believe that a person needs to be able to learn continuous self motivation. This is what drives us internally and externally to succeed in our endeavors. Self motivation is not only about work and business, it can be about anything that we want to attain in life – you need self motivation to lose weight, break a bad habit and to learn a new skill.

So what is the secret to continuous self motivation? Here are some of the things I’ve learned:

Set goals that are simple, easy and achievable

If you want to lose 30 pounds, break it down and instead make it your goal to simply lose a pound every week. If you want to start a business but you don’t have the capital to start, I suggest that you stop thinking too much about it and concentrate on how you can get and save a portion of the capital that you need every month.

Write down your goals and put it in a place where you can often see it
Whenever you see and read your note, take a moment to imagine yourself achieving that goal. You will feel refreshed and inspired by the emotional reward. This is one of the basic principles of the law of attraction.

Don’t procrastinate
Once you have set your goals, start immediately. Don’t make excuses. Procrastination if often a coping mechanism against the anxiety we experience when faced with a difficult or unwanted task. To help you stop procrastinating, I suggest that you reset your goals and break it down further to make it more achievable.

Share your goals
Tell your family and friends about your goals. These are the people who want to see you succeed and will definitely help you stay inspired and dedicated. Sharing to them your dreams and aspirations will help you stay motivated to work towards your goals because you don’t want to let these people down.

Stay positive
Even if you’re experiencing a hard time, always remain optimistic that you can reach the finish line. During these rough times, it helps to keep good company. Spend time with your family and friends who are positive and motivated. Share your doubts and fears with them and ask for words of encouragement.

Take a break when times are tough
If you are familiar with the Don’t Quit poem, always remember the first stanza which goes:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will.
When the road your trudging seems all uphill.
When the funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Reward yourself for achieving your goals
There is no greater motivation to continue towards the finish line than by giving yourself a pat on the back for conquering the small battles. One reason why you need to break down your goals into smaller tasks is because it gives you a chance to congratulate yourself and harness the desire to achieve more. When you reward yourself for moving closer to your ultimate goal, your self-esteem goes high and self motivation becomes easier.

Adapted from the link:
http://fitzvillafuerte.com/the-secret-to-continuous-self-motivation.html

Lambert the Sheepish Lion

Lambert the Sheepish Lion is a Disney animated short film that was released in 1951.

The 8-minute film focuses on Lambert, a lion that is mistakenly left with a flock of sheep by a stork. Lambert lives his life thinking he is a sheep until he is forced to defend the flock from an attack by a hungry wolf. Lambert the Sheepish Lion was directed by Jack Hannah, and the voice of the narrator and the stork was provided by actor and Disney legend, Sterling Holloway. Holloway also was the voice for the stork in Dumbo, in which the stork plays a similar role in the plot.

The original print of the film was given as a gift to Emperor Hirohito of Japan because it was his favourite Disney cartoon.[1] In 1952, the film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category "Best Short Subject, Cartoons," but lost to The Two Mouseketeers, a Tom and Jerry cartoon.

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For more video clips visit http://howdyhumor.blogspot.com/2009/07/lambert.html

Classical Music: Vivaldi - Four Seasons - Spring

Studies show that we can accelerate our learning process by getting into the 'Alpha' state during learning. Nice music helps improve concentration and absorption of the materials.

One way to get into the Alpha state before learning is to listen to classical music.
Baroque music for example, are around 40 to 60 beats per minute and it helps enhance concentration. Play it at the background for a more effective learning experience.


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Church Succeeds With 'Pay What You Can' Restaurant

Extracted from Ministry Today


A church-sponsored restaurant is attempting to change its community by using an unusual pay system many are calling a "Robin Hood model." At A Better World Café, housed in the Reformed Church of Highland Park, N.J., visitors can eat as much as they want and pay whatever they can. So far, the unique business model isn't just successfully impacting the church's neighborhood, it's furthering an innovative movement among restaurants.

The café's premise is to allow those who can afford more to subsidize those who can't, while also remaining environmentally friendly. The nonprofit, which attracts between 50 to 125 customers each day, uses mostly locally grown produce, composts leftover food and stays away from plastics or Styrofoam.

"It's about how we're going to need to change our systems if we're going to survive as a planet," said Tina Weishaus, a board member of the Who is My Neighbor? group at the Reformed Church, which co-owns the café with Elijah's Promise, a New Brunswick soup kitchen and culinary school.

According to Denise Cerreta, who founded a similar eating establishment in downtown Salt Lake City in 2003, the idea behind A Better World Café is catching on around the country. Besides the five existing "Robin Hood" restaurants, she says more than 50 groups on the East Coast have approached her about launching similar ventures, and she currently travels full-time teaching people how to start their own socially conscious eateries.

At the Highland Park location, customers find a new menu each day with a dozen items and only suggested prices. In addition, one "complimentary community entrée" is always offered for free. Those who want to eat more than the free offering but are unable to pay can volunteer at the café for an hour to receive a bigger meal.

"It's an idea whose time has come," said one director. [nj.com, 11/18/09]

Hypocrisy 偽善

I read the article with quite a heavy heart. I don't mean to load you with unnecessarily burden but to share with you the wisdom revealed in God's words!

We're not perfect. As children of God, let's join together and work to guard our heart with all diligence to become more Jesus-like Christians in our pilgrimage天國之旅 journey!

I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.14 我 在 聖 會 裡 ， 幾 乎 落 在 諸 般 惡 中 。 Proverbs 5:14

Hypocrisy 偽善! Holding sins while pretending to worship God. Hypocrisy! Privately loving sin while publicly pretending religion. Hypocrisy! Singing and praying to God with the lips, while playing with lusts慾念 in the heart. Hypocrisy! Approaching the holy presence of God with sin staining沾污 your soul. Hypocrisy! Being tormented折磨 with the knowledge of God and the pleasure of sin that He hates. The soul pain of the religious fornicator信仰的不忠 is horrible!

Solomon in this chapter warned his son and children of the horror of adultery (5:1-2,7). From the desirable, and seemingly innocent, enticement of a strange woman (5:3), a foolish man is brought down to destruction and misery (5:4-10 When the sin has worked its course, he cannot believe his folly at rejecting so many warnings (5:11-13). In the words before us, he described maybe the greatest agony of all – religious hypocrisy!

In the place that should have been for his comfort and peace – the house of God, he was tortured with fear, guilt, and shame. With the knowledge of the Most Holy and His hatred for sin pounding his stricken conscience, he tried to worship, while bound by the cords of his enslaving sin (5:22惡 人 必 被 自 己 的 罪 孽 捉 住 ； 他 必 被 自 己 的 罪 惡 如 繩 索 纏 繞 。). ). The internal conflict was too great to bear – his new man crying against the old man – the Holy Spirit convicting against the lustful thoughts of the devil! O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Reader, keep your heart with all diligence (4:2323 你 要 保 守 你 心 ， 勝 過 保 守 一 切 ， 因 為 一 生 的 果 效 是 由 心 發 出 。)! God hates hypocrisy! He wants your heart, all of it! He does not care about your lips, if your heart is not all His first. He does not care about your attendance出現, if you are thinking approvingly about sin. Men who pray in public with eyes full of adultery are marked for the darker regions of hell (II Pet 2:13-19). God seeks the sacrifice of a broken and contrite悔罪的 heart (Ps 51:17). Forsake拋棄 your sins!

Self- righteous自義 woman! Have you read this warning with disdain蔑視 for such foolish men and with joy at the tormenting令人痛苦的 consequences of their(men's) sin? Your wickedness is worse, for you have no conscience, nor is there much hope of your recovery. You have already drowned in the self-flattering deceit騙局 and pride of your wicked heart and simple mind. If you can find even a twinge of conscience, confess your arrogant presumption推定 before it is gone.

Monogamous 專一 man and virtuous道德的 woman! Do not think this warning has no value for you. Hypocrisy can occur with any sin – and there is no difference in the sight of God. Neglecting or defrauding詐騙 your spouse is at least as bad as adultery! Backbiting背後中傷 and whispering are just variations on murder! Negative murmuring負面的抱怨 and lack of thankfulness are sins that God hates! James warned his readers that offending in one sin is to be guilty of all before God (Jas 2:10). Any form of hypocrisy is a horrible sin. Be warned!

This proverb has warning words for young men. You will face this horrible agony and misery of conscience, if you play at all with other women, whether by pictures, words, activities, or thoughts. Get away from her! There is no greater temptation than the strange woman, and she will take you all the way down to death and hell (2:18; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18).

THAI STICKY RICE WITH MANGO DESSERT

Today I learnt to prepare the Thai Sticky Rice with Mango Dessert following the steps introduced in the video below. It tastes really great. Enjoy it!

• 2 cups glutinous (sticky) rice, soaked in cold water for at least one hour and drained 1 1/4 cups coconut milk, canned or freshly prepared pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
• In a saucepan bring to a boil: rice, coconut milk, salt, sugar and 1 1/4 cup water. Stir.
• Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, about 8-10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
• Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
• Transfer rice to a steamer or double saucepan and steam 15-20 minutes over boiling water, until rice is cooked through.

Mold the cooked rice into individual ramekins or small cups lined with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature. At serving time unmold onto a plate and top with mango or even strawberries.


Here comes another video clip.


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Photos Taken in Tokyo

Day 1 - Breakfast in Omori




Day 2 MeiJi Jingu (Meiji Shrine)

New Year Resolution 新年願望/志願

Happy New Year! The year 2010 has just arrived. I am now posting my blog message in Tokyo. I am exicited about the new year and hopefully we will all enjoy more peace, happiness, and freedom this new year!

What is a new year's resoluation?

A New Year's resolution according to the online Wiki is a commitment (not just a wishful thinking) that one makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day.

In early 20th-century, the New Year's resolutions in the United States, or the popular goals include resolutions to:

• Improve health: lose weight, exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol, quit smoking;
• Improve finances: get out of debt, save money;
• Improve career: get a better job
• Improve education: improve grades, get a better education, learn something new (such as a foreign language or music);
• Improve self: become more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy, manage time better, be more independent;
• Start or Maintain a diary;
• Take a trip; or
• Volunteer to help others

What is my new year resolution?

I'd like to commit myself to learn and know the truth better. So, I have more wisdom and freedom to do what is right to my children, students, and people I encounter in a daily basis.

In fact, my resolution comes from the verse in the Bible. John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.你 們 必 曉 得 真 理 ， 真 理 必 叫 你 們 得 以 自 由 。"

God will also lead us to the truth through conscience, careful consideration, God's commandments, and through Jesus Christ.

How about you?