Prince Charles - City Life

another clip from the UK Soul Train shows from the 80's



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vazm5V3L4EQ&hl=en

SOULTRAINFANS: Soul Train Line Dance to New Edition "Crucial"

Soul Train Line Dance to New Edition "Crucial" (Episode # 595, 1989) Please continue to support long running SOULTRAINFANS by commenting on this video, subscribing to the channel (and visiting the fangroup.. SOULTRAINFANS.net.ms) and staying tuned for much more!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtEsoYLLCQ&hl=en

Choo Choo Soul - Polite song - Luna XFactor

Tutti i cartoni (sigle e qualche spezzone) del canale 611 di sky Playhouse Disney



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4-GVKrBIWU&hl=en

Celtic Knot Designs

Celtic artwork is intricate and rarely makes use of straight lines, instead its lines are flowing and intertwining which often emulates weaving.

The best recognized of all Celtic symbols is the knot which has today become and iconic way to define the beauty of Celtic knot art. This motif is used in the design and construction of not only jewelry and tattoo work, but can also be seen adorning metal and stone work, in Christian manuscripts and in architecture. Wherever this nomadic Culture they have left their mark, which was often the nodes.

Endless Webbing
Celtic knot symbols are marked by endless weaving, which has no discernible beginning or end. There are many designs and styles of Celtic knot comes from ancient times and these nodes were so revered that they were adopted by Christians to decorate their manuscripts and Gospels. These nodes are tender and show twisting and beautiful forms of symmetry. In fact, they seem so far the8th century in the Book of Kells. The interweaving of these knots are referred to as plaits.

Religious beliefs
Historians believe that the Celtic knots have religious significance that shows in their detail and form and which are said to reflect the intricacy of all things natural. They are also believed to have symbolic protection and were heralded with being able to ward off evil spirits. Even today they are used as charms and modern day Wicca's believe that they have magical properties. There are however, no written reports that exist to tell us what they were originally created for.

Celtic knots are not only beautiful they are ornate and intricate so it is not surprising that this ancient form of art work has survived, becoming one of the worlds most identifiable art forms that still hold deep historical and religious symbolism.

Father daughter Celtic knots
One Celtic knot that stands out because it is so unusual is the Father Daughter knot. Legend tells the story of a mythical woman called Bridget and her father. Bridget sat close to her father as he was dying; as she mediated she began weaving a Celtic knot out of the rushes near the river. As she was weaving her father noticed that she was making knots and asked her to explain what she was doing. She told him about the significance of the knots and as a result he was moved to accept Christianity before he died.

Meaning of Knots
The meaning of these knots lies in the eyes of those who produce, while their symbolic importance to have the relationship we have and the universe and life. The wires endless unite us as each generation comes and says how they intertwined with those around us as we continue into eternity. They remind us what we are all connected in life and life after. Each node can not be separated from the whole as well as the relationship we have with each other, can not be separated.

Celtic Trinity
TheCeltic Trinity knot represents unending love whether it be between lovers, spouses, family or friends as well as the love that exists between father and daughter or parent and child.

Varieties
The Celtic knot has many varieties which are all symbolized by endless knots and stylized graphical representations. The interlacing patterns first appeared in about the 4th century AD. The spirals, step patterns and key patterns are dominant in the designs found before this time. There are eight elementary knots forming the basis of almost all interlacing patterns.

Triquetra
The original meaning was triangle and this type of knot is used to symbolize things and people that are threefold such Mother, Daughter and Grandmother - Past, Present and Future -or the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are found on many ancient rune stones and on early Germanic coins. Triquetras are also depicted in the Book of Kells, on metal work, stone etchings and in Christian manuscripts.

They are widely recognized as being Celtic symbols and in Neo-paganism are used to depict cosmology and in theology while modern day Wicca's use it to symbolize their connection to the existence of mind, body and soul.

Hey Sister Soul - Train

edited with: sony vegas platinum 9 like it? favorite it,rate it,comment it(: thanks for comments,ratings,and favs! about this video: for 500subscribers.thanks so much! and for mikaaylaa's contest. links: www.youtube.com www.youtube.com twitter.com chelsitay.tumblr.com AIM: ChelsiYoutube no copyright intended. i DO NOT own music. all rights go to artists.i do NOT claim this music.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Owsad9Yxg&hl=en

New York City Breakers (3) Soul Train

NEW YORK CITY BREAKERS SOUL TRAIN



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04RfD5AThNI&hl=en

Don Thomas Come On Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHaUOjMrSss&hl=en

Engergize Your Workplace

I recently had a conversation with a salesperson from a large Canadian organization. This person is held in relatively high regard in the company and has a very likable personality. She is driven to push herself physically through outside interests, trains frequently and is someone I consider to have internal drive.

I was telling her about my chosen career path and mission of helping companies achieve greater productivity by becoming better organizations; by correlating personal goals and aspirations with the companies thereby creating a fertile environment for creating passionate, dynamic and great teams. The response from this person was cautious. She'd been through lots of training courses and few made a lasting impact. Her advice was sound in insisting company managers and leaders take part and "buy-in" to the training or else it's a waste of time. If management doesn't embrace the training principles, follow the "prescription" and commit to change there really is no point to the training.

However what really left a lasting impact with me was when I probed a little deeper into why she wasn't enthusiastic around the topic of company training. The truth, she felt, was that "nobody really cares". She works in a hollow organization that has no "soul", no mission, and no purpose. She finds herself in an environment where initiatives are cast aside practically as soon as they start; where the management team is in a rut which has permeated throughout the organization. No one is exploring the controversial edges of issues when encountered, few people speak up, creative thought is not encouraged and the autocratic structure ensures voices from below are never really heard, let alone encouraged.

In this environment people carry on. They collect pay checks; put in their time and do enough, just enough. Some people are more committed and work 8 hour days while others work 4. Many question the meaning of their work and find very little value in what they do. On the other hand some employees, like the person I was talking to, felt the environment is fine. That her life is balanced, that she's getting to know the business more, hitting sales targets and in general has the job in a good perspective. She knows nothing will change, she knows nobody really cares and is fine with that. She's not there to "boil the ocean" but rather for as long as it suits her current situation; as soon as that stops she'll move on.

This left a real impression with me. Many people are conditioned into thinking "life's not perfect", or "it could be a lot worse" which somehow gets translated into thinking "don't worry - be happy". These same people often experience swings in emotions where at times they feel content while at other times they feel that their lives are missing a deeper meaning and purpose. Time passes and from a personal growth perspective they're no further ahead and meanwhile your company is on a path to mediocrity, or worse.

If your organization is experiencing some of these symptoms your obligation, as leaders, is to address the root cause. If you suspect that there are issues around morale and motivation, or there is a lack of commitment and your teams are not performing at the level that you know they can then it's time to take a step back and address the problems. You need to take a systematic approach to uncover areas that need to be addressed which can vary by group, team and individual. Everyone must contribute along the way; a top-down directional approach not only won't work but more importantly it lets employees of the hook and fails to build their courage required to flush out the tough questions. The questions may be as mundane as the most basic around job description to the more inspirational around meaning and future growth potential.

Initiating this journey requires vision and confidence aided by a road-map outlining the logical progression of steps to get you there. You will confront heated debate and be forced to resolve conflict throughout the process but this is very good thing; it brings out creativity, innovation and passion. Completing the journey requires commitment to change and discipline. The results are huge - you will transform your organization into an energized productive workplace and the best part is everyone on the bus will be wholly committed.

Copyright: Craig Rennick 2010

Don Thomas: Train C'Mon

Classic..Lincolnshire Soul



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rZtOePu6mA&hl=en

Single Ladies - Beyoncé HD

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, composed by Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Kuk Harrell and Knowles for her third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. The song was released as the album's second single after her worldwide hit "If I Were a Boy". It was a critical and commercial success, becoming Knowles' fifth solo single to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and peaking in the top 10 in various countries. The song gained popularity for its catchy hook and theme of female empowerment, and it was ranked #1 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the Best 100 Singles of 2008[3] and number two on MTV's list of the Best Songs of 2008. The choreography-driven video achieved great success, prompting a legion of imitations and parodies, and, according to Rick Sznajder of the Toronto Star became known for starting the first major dance craze of the millennium and of the Internet. The song's music video was nominated in nine categories for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and won three, including Best Choreography and Video of the Year. It also won Video of the Year at the 2009 BET Awards, the 2009 MOBO awards, and the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards. It won the Song of the Year at the 2009 Soul Train Awards, and was nominated in the same category at the 2009 World Music Awards. The song has been nominated for a total of three Grammy's in the categories of Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ku3qrHPgA&hl=en

Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver Double Battle - Lance & Clair (HQ)

After you've beaten your rival in every place you can, he will train at Dragon's Den and there he will join you in a battle against The Champion and Clair. Pretty fun battle. Garchomp kicks ass. :P



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilyMKvXx2HU&hl=en

Stevie Wonder - Superstition

Clip gravado na Soul Train www.vitrolinha.com 24h de flashback



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc2q1I3aXNE&hl=en

3 Rules of the House For Training Young Children

When children are young, it is easy to set up some basic "rules" that will help them to understand their role in the home and their role towards others if you take the time to craft your rules in simple, easy to follow terms. Then as they grow, children will be able to see how these rules expand to fit their growing situations. The challenge is in thinking of the big picture as parents and determining a set of definable standards that will fit most every situation you might encounter. As a Christian, we found it fairly easy to adapt three rules for our children, and each was easy to remember for our kids. We began to train and teach our children these rules when they were very young, and as a result, the tone has been set for years to come.

Our first rule, and I might add that all of them come from the Bible, was taken from Matthew 22:37. It states, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the foundation of how we act and live in our home. This says that we belong to God, and we are to act in love towards Him. When we do that, we will also learn obedience to God's Word. That takes a lifetime of application, so we continually work in this area, both for our children and ourselves, but setting the tone for study of God's Word and His expectations begins the process.

Our next rule of the house is from Deuteronomy 5:16, and we shortened it when our children were young to this part, "Honor your father and mother." That was very simple for young children. We could show it to them in children's Bibles as they got a little older and then even later, they could read it for themselves to see the rest of it, but the idea was clear that mom and dad were to be honored, treated with respect, and trusted to lead in godliness since they could trust that everyone in the family was already obeying the first rule, to love God. Clearly, this rule got some challenging from our children over the years, but it was easy to come back to the rules of the house discussion if they had learned this foundational piece early on. It also covered many, many issues without being too specific allowing this rule to be flexible for many parenting issues, again, assuming that the parents too, are following the first rule and seeking to mentally and spiritually follow God in love.

The final rule, and this one covers a lot of ground so it was a favorite for my husband and me, was from Ephesians 4:32. He says: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." When our children were very young, we had stores only the first part, but we have always said, the entire block. Over time he learned to everything and it was amazing how many questions were the life of this single to cover, and still are! How we treat others is truly at home, he learned both what is said and what was done so that this verse teaches us to bekind and considerate, to be forgiving because we were going to need forgiveness ourselves, and to remember that it all starts at home. We had to model patience, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion to each other and by doing that, we learned to think that way all of the time, even outside of our home.

My children are getting older now, but we still live by these rules. We may not address them specifically as rules now, but we certainly hold them as the standard in our home. Because of that, our home is a refuge and pleasure to be in for all of us. I encourage you to consider the essential rules for your home, and begin to train your children in your rules of the house from an early age.

Isley Brothers -Hello It's Me- 1974

Isley Brothers -Hello It's Me- 1974 SOUL TRAIN



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf1uj7H7cb4&hl=en

Train drops of jupiter

Music Video



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS0CV_GWEMI&hl=en

Pokemon Soul Silver-The Power Plant And Getting The Magnet Train Pass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylGvMytuAHI&hl=en

Wellness Retreats - For Rejuvenating Your Body and Soul

Everybody requires a break from their daily schedule. It is difficult and unnatural for a human being to work like robot. It is important to not reach that saturation level where people can no longer perform daily chores because of exhaustion. A break increases one's efficiency and people can take on regular life with renewed enthusiasm. For breaks, people usually visit a place where they can refresh their mind and body. Places having lots of natural scenic beauty are the best option for these kind of breaks. Among these are the wellness retreats. These places are perfect solutions for problems like depression, hypertension and anxiety. People bored and depressed with their lives must visit these places which have an that makes people believe that life is beautiful and instills in oneself vigour and energy to take life head on.

Life keeps throwing difficulties at regular intervals and it is not necessary that everybody can tackle them. In fact, many succumb to their problems and fall into depression. But there are ways to take on the problems of life bravely and feel the light in all its myriad facets. Wellness retreats show you that path to goodness and confidence. The place has many positive features which calms the mind.

Some of the main features of these places are:

Such places help us in showing the real beauty of life.
Apart from the health factor they are also a place where you can enjoy.
A lot of people come here to instil confidence back in their life.
Health sessions like yoga, meditation and massages are offered here.
They are a good break from the daily chores.
They bring you closer to life and help in bringing a kind of satisfaction to one's soul.
So, we can say that the wellness retreats refresh us to take on the troubles of one's life. It helps one to regain the peace that is lost in our daily life's routine. It rejuvenates one's mind, soul and body and prepares one to get on with one's life with a lot of excitement and energy.

Train - Hey sister body (with lyrics)

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey your lipstick stains on the anterior lobe of the left side of my brain I knew you did not forget, so I went and let Blow My Mind Your moonlight sweet smell you all the dream just a dream I knew that if we touched, You're the one I decided that one of my kind Hey Soul Sister's is not the Mr. Mister on radio, television, since you can not move in a fair, yes! sister soul Hey all, I do not want only one thing you do tonight ... Hey miss, hey, hey, hey, hey Just in time,I'm so glad you have a one track mind I gave it my way of life, a game show Love Connection can not be denied, I'm so obsessed, my heart is held in uncircumcised directly from my heart, I believe in Beat You, as a virgin, you're Madonna, and I'm always gonna want to blow your mind Hey Soul Sister, is not that Mr. Mister on radio, television, the way you move, it is not right, you know ! sister soul Hey, I do not want only one thing you miss to do tonight. The way they can not cut a rug, 's watch you dieonly drug I need You're so gangsta, I bat well, you're the only dream you are, can now finally gives in reality is nothing that I can not I want the world to see Soul Sister are with me Hey, is that Mr. . Mister radio, television, the way you move, it is not right, you know! sister soul Hey, I do not want only one thing you do tonight, Soul Sister Hey, I do not want a single thing you do tonight Miss Miss Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey hey tonight, hey, hey, hey.hey Tonight



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9Z-WK4st-M&hl=en

Wellness Retreats rejuvenate - your body, mind and spirit

"Ways of healing need no passports or borders" - this famous quote by Anthropologist Carroll Dunham, the unquestionable attraction of the resort in Asia, explains the world in the minds of health and fitness enthusiasts. You can control a lot of good things to do from time to time for wellness retreats. If you know someone looking for a break from hectic daily life, then you have a place where you can breathe fresh air and relax in peace to find.

To lead a peaceful andbalanced life is one of the most important synchronization. In any case, the synchronization of body and mind for you, the level of comfort and peace for both physically and psychologically indispensable. To achieve this synchronization, you need to visit spas and retreats.

No matter what the reason is to allow the joy for the journey of his life the ultimate pleasure, you can experience. This joy is even more evident whenTake the journey of self-improvement programs such as health and beauty retreats.

Wellness and Beauty Retreats as a tourist destination is a growing trend among people who have backtracked on their plans to include a long vacation. After all, if you go for a vacation, you want to refresh and relax the mind. Surely, you do not want to go for a vacation and again the feeling exhausted and tired after the enforcement, through visits and. Fun

There are various forms of beauty and wellness retreats, you can select. You can place with regard to India to visit, to be able to opt for experience or spiritual sagas adventurous western United States. So when it comes to focus on improving the mental or spiritual, the possibilities are endless. There is indeed no shortage of travel destinations, whether you're trying to improve your body to soul, mind e.

These places have proposed a different solutionProblems such as anxiety, depression and hypertension. All these people who think that can not joy in life and color go to this spa seats. The experience we believe that life is beautiful. There is no doubt that life is a hard game. Barriers and obstacles are part of our lives. There are several positive aspects of these places. Some of them are:

- Many people visit these places of frustration in their lives to overcome.
- These exercisesaway from the stress in your life and you can relax in the lap of nature.
- You can experience the spiritual joy, and can be easily solved all materialistic.
- You can select different health sessions such as massage, enjoy yoga and meditation.
- The spa and beauty retreats offer a relaxing atmosphere.

So, in short, we can say that not only inspire wellness retreats, but also help to overcome various difficulties in life.

Train - Hey Sister Soul (Translation)

Train - Hey Sister Soul Hey, Hey, Hey, your lipstick marks on the anterior lobe of the left side of my brain I knew you did not forget and so I went and let Blow My Mind Your sweet smell of you in Moon Beam every dream dream I knew that if we touched you're the one, I decided to have a Who's my way Hey Sister Soul is not that Mr Lord of Stereo Radio The Way You Move is not right you know Hey Soul Sister, do not want to lose one thing you do tonight Heeey Heeeeeyheeeey ... Just in time I'm so glad you have a One Track Mind you I gave my life a direction relationship game show love can not deny I'm so obsessed with my heart is linked directly from my breast I beat uncircumcised believe in you your Madonna Like a Virgin and are always going to want your opinion Hey Hey Sister Soul blow on Mister Mister Stereo Radio Way You Move is not right you know Hey Soul Sister, I do not want something that you lack Tonight Now you can cut a carpet watching yousthe only drug I need gangsters are so delinquent is the only dream of you I can finally see now are really nothing that I could not wish to see the world, will be with hey hey my Soul Sister , that Mr. Lord of the stereo radio is not The Way You Move Hey Soul Sister you know I just do not want only one thing you Tonight Hey Hey Soul Sister, that Mr. Lord of the Stereo-Radio The Way You Move right not to be missed know Hey Soul Sister, I will not miss a...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNiEDo5N_4I&hl=en

Rail Transport in China

Rail traveling is the most generally used means of long-distance transport in the Republic of China. Approximately all rail functions are looked after by the Railways ministry, which is a division of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. By the conclusion of 2009, the functioning rail network pass through the length and breadth of the nation, enveloping a total length of 86,010 km, making just the rail networks in the United States bigger in size By 2007, Chinese Railway possessed nearly 578,110 wagons, 44,0200 coaches and 18,310 locomotives and had more than 36,310 trains running everyday, including nearly 3000 commuter trains and 33,311 cargo trains. The system today serves all states, with the exemption of the special directorial area of Macau.

History

The primary railway track to be constructed in China was the Woosung Railway in the year 1876, which was a 15 mile railway track from Shanghai to Woosung. Then in the 1911, there was nearly 9010 km of railway track in China. The initially planned and constructed railway by Chinese is the Jingzhang railway made from 1905 to 1909, a tough job owing to the mountainousland. The main engineer of this railway was Zhan Tianyou, who is also famous as the Father of Chinese Railway.

Throughout the Republic of China age from 1912 till 1949, the evolution of the railway network in China was sluggish one. In 1945, just subsequent to the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese mainland maintained 27,100 km of rail, approximately half of which, 13,000 km, was to be found in Manchuria.

The size of the Chinese railway network expanded since 1949, but there has also been great advancement as far as technology was concerned. Initially till the 1980s, majority of the railways were power driven by steam, owing to less labour costs and inexpensive coal prices. Nevertheless, the foremost diesel locomotive, the Dongfeng, was launched in 1959 and during the 1980s and 90s, diesel and electric locomotives very slowly took the place of the steam engines on chief lines.

From the year 1990 to 2001, on average some 1,192 km of fresh railways, 837 km of multiple-track, and 965 km of electrified railways were released to traffic every year. On a global basis, mainland China's rail transport number is one of the world's biggest, having six percent of the world's operating railways, and transporting nearly 25 percent of the world's total railway workload.

Current network China has about twenty chief domestic railway routes with the complete length of 78,100 km by the end of 2007. The length was augmented to 86,100 km by the end of 2009.

How to Honor Your Mind, Body and Soul

"Nature often holds up a mirror so we can see more clearly the ongoing processes of growth, renewal, and transformation in our lives."
- William Shakespeare

Extreme self-care begins with easing your mind, calming your body, and feeding your soul.

Ease Your Mind
Easing your mind involves being fully present and aware of this very moment. Eliminate the guilt and shame you carry with you from your past and put an end to the unfounded worries about your future. Create more time for gratitude, abundant thinking, a positive attitude and lots of laughter.

Till the soil and plant seeds of healthy intentions by:

* Creating a gratitude journal - Start making a daily list of what you are grateful for.
* Joy Spotting- Notice every little moment that fills you with joy.
* Reading motivational books and blogs - Check out my blog roll for some great inspirational mojo.
* Listening to uplifting music, podcasts and audio books.
* Being aware of your self-talk - Are you gentle and kind to yourself?
* Lightening up - Things do not have to be so frigging serious. Seriously!
* Lots and Lots of Laughter - Who are you sharing your time with? Do they make you laugh?

Calm Your Body
As important as easing your mind is to your mental health, exercise and relaxation also play a key role in your well being. Our bodies are marvelous creations that carry us through life. You deserve extreme self care. Just like a beautiful flowering plant, your healthy body needs rich soil and water to create a full and healthy bloom.

Caring for and calming your body includes:

* Regular massage therapy - Bodywork should be a regular part of your health care.
* Relaxing baths - If you have a tub, get in it!
* Luxurious naps - You deserve an occasional nap.
* Moving your body - Walking, going to the gym, enrolling is a dance class, run, stretch, and play!
* Healthy nutrition - Plenty of water, fresh fruit, vegetables, whole foods.
* Care for your mental body image - I dare you to look in the mirror and greet yourself each morning with "Hello Gorgeous!" Be kind to your self by banishing negative body talk.

Nourish Your Soul
Discovering true balance includes creating time to feed your spirit. Nurturing yourself spiritually allows you to ground yourself in your body keeping you anchored, healthy and alive. Caring for the soul includes eliminating the weeds that show up and choke out your natural soulful beauty.

Nourish your soul by:

* Banishing interruptions and making time to be still.
* Get in touch with your spirituality through peaceful time in prayer or meditation.
* Create a time for your creative pursuits - photography, journaling, art projects and music.
* Get unplugged - Turn off the television, radio, computer, pager and any other electronic device.
* Focus on your breath - Deep cleansing breaths in through you nose, filling your lungs to capacity and then letting it all go with a giant exhalation.
* Share your time with people who make you smile until your face hurts.
* Get out of the house and get close to nature - The miracle of water, woods and wildlife will rejuvenate your spirit.

You deserve real moments of solitude, self-reflection, play and relaxation to balance out how much of yourself you give away.

hey body sister

I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THIS MUSIC. NO FRIGMENT INTENDED. HEY SOUL SISTER BY TRAIN. Sony Music Entertainment made/did this song :) i think this is my best video! Video Facts: - It took me 6 hours to film - I put on more then 10 different pieces of clothing - I think this is my best video



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9EAJVooGEU&hl=en

Ahmir Brings R&B The Gift

Background Info

To anyone who's seen the video for Ahmir's single "The Wedding Song," it's clear that Ahmir is bringing some much needed change into the R&B industry. The group, comprised of Mark "Sing Sing" Robertson, Michael "Big Mike" McDonald, KC Washington, and Leon "Mr. Jones" Jones, is gearing up to release its debut album, The Gift, on April 10th and it is looking to turn some heads.

Despite being an unsigned act, the group as already made some major headway in the industry. The group has opened for many big name R&B artists including John Legend, Jagged Edge, 112 and Jaheim and have already performed around the world. In addition, their debut single, "Welcome To My Party" was #19 on Billboard's Year End R&B/Hip-Hop Sales charts. Still not convinced? The group is eligible for a Soul Train Award for Best R&B/Soul Single and Best R&B/Soul Dance Cut. When it's considered that the group is eligible alongside acts like Beyonce, Anthony Hamilton and Eric Benet, it's clear that this group offers something special.

I recently had a chance to speak with the guys and find out more about who they are and what they've got planned for the R&B scene. If the interview leaves you wanting more, check out their Myspace Page (www.myspace.com/ahmirmusic) or visit their site, http://www.ahmirmusic.com.

Interview With Ahmir

R&B Haven: It sounds like the group is from all over the place, with members from NYC, Philly and Boston. How did each of you come to be in the group Ahmir?

Ahmir: Two of us were friends already from singing together and we met KC through auditions from our management at the time. Then, we actively looked for another singer to complete the group... we saw Sing-Sing at a local show and just knew we had to have him be a part!

R&B Haven: What background in music did you have before joining the group?

Ahmir: Many of us had sung in local church choirs and had a gospel background. Big Mike actually was a member of the prestigious Boys Choir of Harlem. Sing-Sing was trained through several musical institutions including Berklee College of Music.

R&B Haven: Who does most of the actual writing?

Ahmir: Probably Mr. Jones, He's an amazing individual when it comes to songwriting. He's great at wordplay, imagery, and very quick with turning his ideas into a song with an incredible chorus, strong verses, and a standout bridge.

Nevertheless, the entire group has a hand in writing and arrangement. We often have writing sessions where we all bring our ideas to create something incredible!

R&B Haven: From the new album, "Welcome To My Party" sounds like a bumpin' club track, while "The Wedding Song" is a romantic ballad. How would you describe the group's style and the general make-up of the upcoming album, "The Gift?"

Ahmir: "The Gift" is definitely a delicate and deliberate balance of uptempo club tracks and classic-sounding ballads. We pride ourselves on great songwriting and amazing musicianship which has led to an album that is strong in both fast and slow songs.

However, if we had to pick our specialty, it would have to be the ballads. We just love the emotion ballads bring to a listener, as well as to us, the songwriters.

Nevertheless, we like to think we have shown the world that we can do it all on this album and execute our ideas with the best of the industry. The club songs are as good as any 112 track, and our ballads can match up with any Boyz II Men song.

The tracks on "The Gift" are actually uptempo songs first, and then the slow/mid-tempo ballads. This creates a nice vibe where if you're in a mood to dance, you can just let the first half ride out, and then if you want to mellow it out, you can just start half way through and sit back.

Everyone says their album is fire and has something for everybody, but we actually deliver... no question about that.

R&B Haven: What are your favorite tracks on the album?

Ahmir: Well, we put so much into all the songs that it's hard to say. We each have our individual favortes too, but as a group, we'd have to say that "Welcome To My Party," "The Wedding Song," and "True Love" are our favorite songs. However, we gotta mention that "Watch & Learn," "Let's Get This," "Donkey," "Cloud 9," "She's Over Me," and "Sure I'd Like" must get mentioned in this answer. Wait... that's almost the whole album! I guess there you go... "The Gift" is just that good!

R&B Haven: Thanks for your time, I must say, it's a pleasure to hear a fresh new sound in the industry. I wish you guys good luck with your future efforts and hope to hear more of you as time progresses.

Ahmir: It was our pleasure... Ahmir... Sing-Sing, Mr. Jones, Big Mike & KC

Cute Car Cupcakes

Like most little boys, my son loves cars. From his car bed, to the little cars I find in my purse on an occasion, nothing makes him happier than something with wheels. So for his 4th birthday, I decided he would love a car theme for a party at his preschool. However, I am short of time so I needed something quick and simple. Putting on my thinking cap at the grocery store, here's what I came up with.

Here's what you need:

Cake mix


Frosting


candy sprinkles (optional)


Mini Snickers


Hershey's Kissables (colored)

Here's what you do: Make cupcakes according to the directions on the box. Frost and sprinkle candy sprinkles on the cupcake. Take 1 mini snicker and push 4 colored Hershey's kissables into the body of the snicker to act as wheels. The point on the kissables will act similar to a thumb tact and the shell will be hard enough to push into the snicker. That's it!

I was so happy that these cupcakes, as simple as they were, turned out so cute. While I was making these cute creations, I thought of more ways to use these little cars.

Train - make several cars like above, and attach each car with a thin licorice lace. To make the engine, attach a rolo cut in 1/2 on top.

Bus - Use a regular sized snickers bar, attach several wheels under the candy bar similar to a bus. (4 on each end for a total of 8 wheels)

Semi truck - First, create the trailer from a regular sized snickers bar and make the truck out of a mini snickers. You could shape it to look like a truck by stacking a small piece on top of the small snickers so it is in the shape of an "L"Attach trailer to the truck with a small piece of thin licorice lace.

I'm so excited to bring these cupcakes to preschool tomorrow as I'm sure the kids will love them. Of course I know the first thing my son will eat are the wheels!

Choosing a Unique Dog Name

If you are thinking of getting a new puppy or if you have just bought a dog, it's probably getting to the stage where you are trying to think of a unique name for your new pet. Thinking of a unique name for your dog can be quite difficult, especially when you are not feeling very creative.

When you choose a name, it's important to choose a good one as that name will be with your dog for life. You don't want to give a big strong male dog a cutsie name or similarly a male name to a delicate female dog. To help you get those creative juices flowing and think of a name for your dog, we have a few pointers that may help.

The main thing to consider when trying to choose a unique name for your dog, is whether your dog will be able to distinguish his or her name from your normal everyday commands. If you think about it for a moment, calling your dog 'Joe' or 'Boe' may very well confuse your pet when your actually trying to say 'NO'. Other similar sounds are 'Sit', 'Stay', 'Fetch', 'Down' etc.

Try and choose a unique name that is easy for your dog to pick up on. Usually one or two syllable words are easier to distinguish from background noise especially when your dog gets hard of hearing. Another point to consider when choosing a name, is whether you would feel comfortable calling your dog at the top of your voice in the middle of a crowded park. Novelty names may sound appealing at first but can leave you feeling embarrassed or even worse, unwilling to call your dog when out in public.

Sometimes, waiting a few days after getting your new dog before choosing your unique name can make the process much easier. The reason for this, is that you may pick up on little characteristics of your new dog that will give you some inspiration. If your new puppy loves to steal things and hide them in their bed, how about 'Sinbad'? Maybe your new dog is a brave little soul and has the strength and character of a lion, maybe 'Leo' would suit your new dog.

Another great source of unique dog names, is from books and television. Do you have a favourite cartoon character or a favourite childhood hero? There are literally hundreds of possibilities.

Choosing a unique dog name can be a lot of fun and will endow your dog with a new identity within your family. Take a little time and do a bit of research and you will soon find the perfect name for your new pet.

A Dying Cat And A Nylon String Guitar

"Music isn't just learning notes and playing them, you learn notes to play to the music of your soul" - Katie Greenwood.

Why are you learning music anyway? Is it to pick up chicks? Is it to fulfill a void in your mundane life? Is it an indescribable calling?

I always wanted to learn the drums. I don't know why, maybe it's the aggressive nature of the things. You sit there and bash the crap out of them.

As fate would have it I shared a house with Dave, a guitar player, so I decided to learn the guitar as I had my very own teacher living in the next room. Or so I thought.

I went out and bought a nylon string classical guitar for $70. I didn't have a clue what I was doing but that never stopped me before.

So I went back home with my new guitar in its cardboard box. And with anything new, you want to play with it straight away, as soon as you get it home.

I also bought one of those guitar case chord dictionaries. You know the ones, they have a thousand chords in them and they are designed to confuse rather than actually help you.

So I waited for Dave to get home from work and as soon as he was in the door I was at him. "I bought this new guitar and I was wondering if you could show me how to play it" I said.

He just laughed at me but eventually agreed to show me which chords to learn first. He told me to learn the open chords A, D, E, G, and C. So I did. I spent every spare moment learning these chords.

Dave wouldn't show me any songs to play so I was forced to make up my own songs. This forced me to really explore every one of these chords as I thought at the time that I had to include them all in every song I wrote.

The songs I wrote were pretty strange to say the least. We were into punk music at that time so just imagine what a dying cat like vocals set to a nylon string out of tune guitar played as fast as a speeding train sounds like and you get the picture.

It sounded good to me at the time and I was very proud of my new found ability. It took about three months to get the hang of changing between the chords, and being able to write a song. (if you could call it that).

I didn't know it at the time but I had the one thing that was needed that would ensure I would become a good guitar player. That one thing was sheer bloody determination. And the more people told me how bad I sounded the more determined I became to improve.

So it doesn't matter how good or bad you are at the moment just play the music of your soul - even if it sounds like a cat being tortured. You will improve as long as you keep trying. Here's a mental exercise for you. Fast forward your mind to 4 years from now. How good a guitar player will you be? The time will pass regardless of what you do. Are you going to keep at it? or are you going to give up? It's up to you. You will be four years older, but will you be four years wiser?

『Soul Train』J'Ts Takashi's Funk Guitar♪

伝説のソウルバンドjt'sでの中村たかしさんのファンクギターの1シーン♪トロンボーンは大迫明さんです♪ Takashi Nakamura- He is a jazz ukulele player, and his another name is a guitar player of the representative big band of Japan "Arrow Jazz Orchestra ◇中村たかし,大迫明－－－－－－ 白い絵本レギュラーミュージシャン白い絵本プチカフェ音楽教室講師◇A Shiroi-Ehon regular musician / Shiroi-Ehon petit cafe music studio lecturer



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-L3ApX-RHg&hl=en

How to Increase Your Chances of Attracting the Perfect Relationship With Karmic Numerology

What would you say if I told you that you can increase your odds of attracting the "perfect" relationship? How great would it be to know that you are dating someone who is so closely a "right" match and that most of the standard relationship challenges no longer existed? And how do your karma, birth date, and life numbers enhance your chances of finding the perfect relationship? READ ON!

Omnia in numeris sita sunt. These Latin words, when translated, reveal to us that "Everything lies veiled in numbers." These words of ancient wisdom let us begin to realize that there is much information hidden in numbers. In ancient times, symbols were used to represent thoughts and objects; today we still use many symbols to communicate, even though today we call them numbers and letters.

We find that a combination of letters and numbers in a natal chart of the original birth name and birth date express hidden sensitivities and personality traits. The term "Gnotholgoy" was a gift from a woman by the name of Eileen Connelly, she was my teacher and has mastered this particular information. These in turn bring to the front a purpose for our existence, along with karmic intent and soul characteristics.

Additionally, we are also at the mercy of our names which we can translate into numbers to further give us a better picture to bring in the best possible relationships, but we will deal with names in a different article.

The use of karmic numerology is similar to a beautiful tree which bears fruit; we are the result of divine planning and possess both positive and negative qualities in our soul blue prints. By creating a chart of these numbers you will be enabling yourself to understand your own life path and the "why" and "where" you are in your journey. Beyond this you will gain concrete knowledge of the "how" to take the next step and even the "when." Through the process of karmic numerology you can better your chances of creating a relationship that will succeed. This is not a new understanding rather a more concrete opportunity, it is through thousands of my clients that validates yet another path of ancient wisdom.

Through the study of numbers specifically related to birth dates we can bring buried traits and talents to the surface to enable us to better use what we have available to us during our present earthly lives. We can more easily gain a better understanding into the depths of our unknown thought processes, our true self, and gain a deeper knowledge of our inner motivations in daily life and in our search for our soul mate or twin flame.

Let me interrupt myself to give just a brief explanation of what the terms "soul mate" and "twin flame" mean. Soul mates are often referred to as individuals which whom we feel a deep connection, as if we have known them before. They think like us and act like us in many ways and in fact you can have zillions of soul mates. There is not just one that is a misnomer. There are six billion people in the Universe and I always say, "For every Mickey there are lots of Minnies" and vice a versa!
Let me further digress by telling you a story that has stayed with me forever with regards to bringing in the perfect relationship. When I was only 16 years old, just a year and a half before my mother's death I sat on the arm chair in our den looking out our very large picture windows. I sat there staring out and watching the cars and buses and people go by one by one. As I seemingly became mesmerized watching the cars go by one by one my mama came up behind me and placed her hand on my shoulders and said, "Honey, you see those buses going by?" I replied, "Yes." And she continued, "Well, they are just like men, there is always another one coming by." At sixteen I am certain it did not register with me how absolutely "perfect" that information was for me and how it would shape my entire life with relationships. As I grew older and began dating, I believed that I would always have a man and that in fact another one would always be coming by when the current one left. Well, being a professional Hypnotist I had been hypnotized into the belief process by that I would always have a man if I wanted one and hence that has always been true! In fact, even when I weighed over 200 pounds I still had more boyfriends then my skinny girlfriends had and I know clearly it was my positive belief process, my Mom had hypnotized me. What beliefs do you have?

Okay, let's focus here. Now, "twin flames" is a completely different energy. Twin flames tend to be people that are similar to the magnets that are polarized opposites and finally someone flips one and they melt together. Your twin flame is only one person, they usually appear as a soul mate yet there is a much deeper and more potent relationship that will develop. It goes beyond saying the same words at the same time and even calling each other to add to the grocery list the same items! Often twin flames have a spirited relationship and tend to have a higher level of energy and it can become so strong that you lose yourself in each other in a negative way. I knew my husband was a soul mate from the beginning and then we realized we were opposites in so many ways but it was not until one sultry intimate night of love making when "flames" literally came out of our finger tips. This is a positive sign! We have to pay attention and be aware of everything or we will miss the signs.

Now, back to the numbers. All of us are affected by the numerical vibrations around us. There are no mistakes when people come to me to facilitate healing and to work on their relationships that there is an underlying numerical answer for what is going on for them. Truly by using the very basics of karmic numerology I can calculate their "year" number and then know exactly why they feel the way they feel at that time. The energy or vibrations or even feelings they are feeling are being forced by the Universe and the "year" they are living numerically. Energy is like a train, one can feel the train approaching the station by the vibrations on the track. We can accurately predict an individuals experience by the same method. Once you are armed with the information of your "year" you can either flounder or flourish. There are no words to explain to you the importance and great benefits to be obtained when we know ourselves so deeply. Each soul has its own personal vibration based on their numbers. The possibilities of healing and growth and creating relationships are endless when you incorporate numbers into your life.

Numerical divination is a vast study, covering all aspects of life and much too involved to cover completely in this article. These aspects provide us with keys for discovering our original intentions and purpose in this life. Personality and potential talents are all kept in the unique karmic design that is ours prior to each individual life experience.

Note that this is just another tool for us to use to answer the many questions we are always searching for answers. This is a spiritually based belief, not religious and by using numbers in a more karmic manner you can open doors that were never opened prior to receiving this knowledge.

Additionally, understand that the mind controls the body and as you open yourself up to more and more information on yourself you also open up your energy channels to bring in what you really want regarding relationships. By simply reading this article you will change your life experience and begin to open up channels that will bring to you what you desire and deserve.

Here are some basics to help you get started with numerology. Everyone knows that numerology is the study of numbers. These numbers are derived by using your name and /or date of birth. The numbers used are added up and reduced to a single digit from the number 1 through 9 with 3 exceptions that affect the individual as they approach their 20's; 11, 22, and 33. Each number holds a significant meaning and can be used to assist you in attracting and achieving a life long loving positive relationship. I strongly believe that with knowledge comes great opportunity. If we do not have tools and guidance then success can elude us. Are you are currently in a relationship and having difficulties then this knowledge can guide you into making better choices and asking better questions about the relationship for enhancement. For instance, if you are dating a person whose number is a "one" and your number is a "one" too then you could butt heads often and this would be a normal encounter. After all, "ones" have a need to be first, make decisions and be the leaders. They need the focus on themselves. It stands to reason then logically and analytically that these persons would have much conflict in their relating abilities.

The karma of "karmic numerology" deals with the essence of "the totality of one's acts in each state of one's existence." *Note here that there is no belief of negative or positives regarding Karma, rather that it just is! This definition comes from my background in Eastern Philosophy from the beliefs of Buddhism and Hinduism.

When we relate the two disciplines we are able to create a science of sort that studies and reveals much about the individual's personality, behavior and relationship traits. It is this knowledge that will allow you to create more profound relationships. If we know that a person is self centered going into the relationship and we too are in need of center stage then you will either deal differently or make a better choice of not being in that relationship.

I believe that we all have a plan when we come in and it is only when we are faced with the belief of lack of choice do we find ourselves without what we need or want. I find that humans are only upset that they made specific agreements and then they are baffled when they are being asked to live by them! Through the process of karmic numerology we will be able to ask better questions and make better choices. The more information you have the greater level of life you can live.

Having your complete chart done by someone that specializes in this type of numerology can be life enhancing. Most people who work with numbers do not use this methodology and so ask a lot of questions if you are going to pay a couple of hundred dollars for an entire chart. An old friend of mine trained in this methodology charges three hundred dollars for a complete 40 page life reading. Well worth it! These pages take you from your birth to your later years, your birth expectations, challenges and much more. Charts are also great to do for children, especially when they are struggling with life choices. The answer to so many life questions lies in our birth information, our numbers!

TRY THIS

Let's do your 2007 year predictions...

This will tell you what YEAR you are currently living, not your birth year.

STEP 1: We are currently in the year 2007, when reduced we learn we are in a one year. (No number can be greater than 9 or less than 1)

2 + 0 + 0 + 7 = 27

2 + 7 = 9 hence, 2007 is a 9 year.

STEP 2: Now take the month or your birth and the day of your birth and add them to the 9 of 2007.

Example: My husband's birthday is August 8th....

8 + 8 = 16

1 + 6 = 7

7 + 9 = 16

1 + 6 = 7

Hence, he is in a 7 year and 7 years are filled with questions of the self. Am I doing the "right" thing? Am I in the "right" relationship? Do I trust my own choices?

You try it and have fun with it. The chart below is a very simple overview of what the numbers mean for each corresponding year. See what year you are living and see if it is time to be like a butterfly or time to settle down!

1 = A one year indicates your need to take care of yourself. To finally make yourself number "one;" to take care of you. Those around you may feel that you are being selfish. You might start a diet, get a new hairdo or engage in some other "self" behavior.

2 = A two year is great for couple activities and doing for others. Many people find they have an energy desiring a relationship. It is all about giving so volunteer more!

3 = During three years we find ourselves VERY busy, juggling many different projects or people.

4 = Four years are great for planting seeds for the future and a need to PAY attention to the details. Also putting things in their place, organization is a key theme for the year.

5 = FREEDOM is the key word for you! You will feel like going places and doing things. You really do not want to be tied down to anyone or anything, not the best year for getting married.

6 = Great year for family stuff! In fact during a six year it seems that family needs you more then not. As well as creating stability for marriage and home relationships.

7 = This is a year of learning self love and self trust. You may find yourself working on confidence issues because this is what is needed to move forward.

8 = The 8 year is one of fruition, the seeds which you planted in the 4 year will have grown over the past 4 years and come to reality during this year. Often people find themselves selling properties and making money on the sale. All types of investments come to prosperity during an eight year.

9 = Nine years bring with them a desire to complete projects you had started previously along with finishing all types of things. Such as cleaning out old boxes and closets. Closure and completion are the key words during a nine year.

This will give you a good start on finding out what path you might be on and why you are doing certain things at this time in your life. In fact the Universal energy is so clear for us that we are already on the path we are suppose to be on and it is our responsibility to follow our paths, happy travels!

In light,

Dr. Karen Frank aka The Bumble Bee Lady

Sharingan Contact Lenses

If you're a Naruto fan, then you know how the Sharingan red eyes peer deep into the soul of anyone the contact. For those who aren't Naruto fans, Sharingan have deep red eyes, circled by a thin black line with either 3 or 4 black dots arranged in a semi-circular pattern around the cornea.

Since the Sharingan are so popular, there are a few companies that have started making sharingan contact lenses. These contact lenses look exactly like you see on all of the Naruto shows. I have two of these contact lenses in person, and both looked spectactular.

The first sharingan contact lens I saw resembled a radioactive sign with 2 dots at the top and one dot in the middle below the top two dots. These contacts had a thin black line around the outside that faded into the middle. They looked good, but not as good as a the second set of contacts I saw. The second pair looked like exact duplicates.

The second pair of Sharingan contacts I saw were hand painted and looked like they were created by the same artist the drew the Sharingan. The lenses were the standard red and black. The full contact was red with a thin black line bordering the outside. In the middle, the pupil was black and there was another faint black line outside the pupil. Attached to that line were two dots in the north west and south east corners of the eye. An exact replication!

These lenses will instantly connect you with any Naruto fans you come in contact with. They're perfect for conventions and meet ups with other fans.

Next time you're at a Comic Con, make sure and look for other people wearing Naruto contact lenses!

Cosmic Healing, Universal Laws of Attraction - Six Vibratory Stress Relief Techniques You Can Use

Why Cosmic Healing and Vibratory Stress Relief Are Important For Effective Application of the Universal Laws of Attraction

Cosmic healing using vibratory stress relief techniques allows you to open up to the vastness of who you are. You begin to experience yourself as a conscious creator.

You become more in tune with your human energy field system and begin to experience how interconnected you are with all other energy systems and with Life Itself.

This is the basic principle of the cosmic law of attraction that underpins how the universal laws of attraction work.

Learning to connect with yourself at your cosmic Soul level at an ever deepening level helps you to begin to use your innate conscious creative ability in its full glory. And that is when the practical results of using the Universal laws of attraction begin to kick in for you.

Cosmic Healing and Vibratory Stress Relief Techniques You Can Use For Mind Body Spirit Balance

To begin the process of conscious creative mastery so you can manifest what you want now and for the rest of your life, start using inducing consciousness/vibratory stress relief techniques such as:

- daily cosmic meditation

- sound healing such as Angelic and intergalactic toning

- emotional release of denied, pent-up emotions

- calling in and partnering with your Guardian Angels, Ascended Masters and other cosmic friends

- writing morning pages as you wake up and /or writing in your journal

- regular, deepening imaginative building of your picture of reality

As you choose and start to use one or two of the above techniques in a consistent way, you will expand your intuitive knowingness, self trust and conscious creative ability.

This is a wonderful lifelong journey that enables you to explore and fully express who you are. So have fun, embrace it fully and reap the rich rewards of increased personal freedom, inner peace and joyous living.

You can cut your learning time and practice the above vibratory stress relief techniques in a fun one hour monthly group format. Just join the special "Inner Power Hour" teleconferences after requesting the free newsletter from the links below.

Dreaming of an African Safari? Go Now, Before It's Too Late

I don't know about orange suits and white-tailed deer and freezing my tootsies by the lake at dawn. I do know about waiting in a blind for the big cat to be lured by the stench of the dead zebra hanging in the Baobab tree. Back then hunters respected animals more than humans, and they never killed more animals than the law allowed. Fact is they killed more poachers than animals.

Once Upon a Time in East Africa

When you had to have a license for anything you intended to kill. When those licenses were limited and you were monitored. No one dared slaughter animals the way poachers do today. In those days the British ran Kenya and flat out killed the hapless poachers they caught. The Africans had the greatest respect for animals and only killed to eat. The Masai didn't hunt animals because they never ate meat. Their livestock was their only wealth. They lived on the blood from the large vein in the neck of the animal, mixed with milk from the cow. Only the white man had to have his trophies.

Long after Karen Blixen wrote "Out of Africa," long after Hemingway's safaris, and Joy Adamson's Elsa the lion made headlines in "Born Free," civil servants like me came along to work in what was still the clean, Jacaranda flowering town of Nairobi, a very quiet livable place. Today you don't go out alone at night. Today the government has herded the once proud nomadic Masai into shacks where they have lost their dignity and are forced into subsistence farming. Can a leopard change its spots?

The Kenya That Once Knew Me

That time and place have vanished forever like a dream. In my dream my friends are native Kikuyu Africans, and the privileged second and third generation white Kenyans who come from Britain and other European countries. If you're like me, you learn Swahili. A white Kenya boy of fifteen learns from his Kikuyu pals how to spot the triangular tip of a lion's ear deep in the tall blond grass where the big cats lazy around. When the boy grows up he inherits his parent's coffee and tea plantations in the highlands, and the lower drier areas of sisal plantations. He has a stable of horses for racing at the Nairobi track, and he learns how to hunt. Some of my close friends are professional hunters who take wealthy tourists on safari. On vacation days I go along as their guest. This is the beginning of my African safari education, when hunting in the wilds means having your own comfortable tent with a hot bath at the end of the day, brought to you in a large steaming tub of water.

Unlike the obsessed character played by Clint Eastwood in "White Hunter, Black Heart," professional hunters hold to the strictest etiquette and humane approach to big game hunting. That means knowing the species better than he knows himself: his habits, what time of day he hunts, how long he can wait before he eats again, whether a lioness is pregnant or an elephant is a dangerous rogue. By far the most important thing I learn is to love and respect the spirit of these magnificent animals. I don't know of a professional hunter who doesn't mourn the death of every single species. Most tourists come for the excitement of the kill and bravos at the noisy Long Bar of the Norfolk Hotel. But no gratitude for the noble prize that sacrificed its life to hang over a rich man's fireplace.

The Romance of the Professional Hunter

You've seen the movies, read the books-actresses falling in love with the professional hunter. Edgar de Bono, one of the finest professional hunters in Kenya and my friend, was the epitome of that image and he left a trail of broken hearts.

I had my own heartthrob; so big, macho Edgar with the Northern Italian blue eyes was my teacher, not my lover. He taught me the fine line between the sport of a hunting trip, and the sport of an ego-trip. He taught me about different types of ammunition and rifles and scopes used in African game hunting. There's so much to know and I've forgotten most of it because I am not a hunter. In addition to single versus double trigger and double rifles there are different calibers and sizes of rifles like the big 450 magnum whose sheer weight will kill you. It's meant for the so-called big five: elephant, rhino, hippo, buffalo, and lion. Edgar fitted me early on with an old light-weight medium bore 375-not too light, not too heavy and a recoil that didn't leave me needing massage therapy. Acutely aware there's nothing worse than an amateur hunter who wounds an animal, I never shot even a hyena pup, and I don't like hyenas.

The Good Old Shotgun

I did, however, use a 12-gauge shotgun for fowl. One day I pointed my gun at three guinea hens that kept popping their heads up and down in a thicket. Tricky critters and fast, they were so close together I figured I'd hit at least one of them, which I did. The bird was one of many dishes served in the dining tent that night, expertly prepared by our African cooks who knew what to do with the Grand Marnier.

Some of My Favorite Things
Camping at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, before global warming when there was snow on top. Climbing it. Sunrises and sunsets that spoil you for life. Cold nights under African stars big as diamonds. Campfire gabfests about the herds we raced alongside that day aboard Edgar's Land Rover across miles of savanna. Lion in the night as I stumbled to the loo (British for toilet) in the dark. First words I learned in Swahili: Jambo Memsaab/Bwana. Memories of an Africa that once knew me.

You can still go on an African safari, shoot with a camera, be in the bush and have the experience of a lifetime. Go now before all of it is just a dream.

Here's Where

Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana, Southern Africa.
Rattray's Mala Mala Game Reserve, bordering on Kruger National Park in South Africa. The same company owns both. They offer very comfortable camp facilities, or more luxurious main facilities. Remember, prices include accommodations, great meals and seeing the animals up close and personal. Even if you can't afford it, look up these places on the Web and Dream of Africa. I still do.

"Simplicity-Courage-Humor-Soul"®

Self-Improvement - Here Are My Personal Favorite Quotes That I Live By, Learn By and Grow By

I am an average Joe in many ways, but I draw a very quick and distinct line in the sand when it comes to issues of integrity.

When I see someone lying, cheating and stealing, then acting like they are helping me when in fact they are relieving me of my money while lining their pockets, I take umbrage.

There are no excuses for wrongdoing. I could care less whether your friends, corporate fat cats or even your grandmother is doing it. To justify wrongdoing is saying that everyone else is killing people they do not like so it must be OK for me to kill people too.

I have zero interest in becoming a millionaire at the expense of others. I do not want to be sitting in my mansion counting all of my gold coins alone because I am such a despicable person that no one wants to be around me.

I have spent a good portion of my life studying self-improvement so I can become a better person than I already am. It is as Alexander Pope has said, "Know then thyself, presume not God to scan, The proper study of mankind is man." If there is one person I want to be honest with, it is myself.

When I train at the YMCA on the treadmill I take with me my binder filled with personal quotes that are important to me and my growth.

Many people experience professional growth by earning degrees, attending seminars and training, and reading professional journals. I have had some professional growth, but I am more interested in personal growth, the kind of growth that challenges my thought process and belief system to encourage change for the better.

Here are some of my personal favorite quotes that help me to accommodate change. Perhaps they may be of interest to you as well:

On Advice:

Seek advice from those who are competent through their own experience and success to give it.

George Clason

On Belief:

At any given place on any given day at any given time, something magical can happen. It is called "belief".

Unknown

On Change:

If you lack the will for change, there is no one who can show you the way.

Unknown

When you blame others, you give up your power to change.

Unknown

On Character:

Just as we can learn from our mistakes, we can gain character from our disappointments.

Robert Kiyosaki

On Dreaming:

A dream is a gift you give yourself.

Unknown

On Failing:

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

Tomas Edison

On Fatigue:

Fear and fatigue block the mind. Confront both, and courage and confidence will flow into you.

Unknown

On Imagination:

A mind once stretched by a new idea moves beyond its old constraints, never returning to its former, limited dimensions. It is called "imagination".

Unknown

On Integrity:

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.

Unknown

On Kindness:

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Luck:

Luck has a peculiar habit of favoring those who do not depend on it.

George Clason

Good luck waits to come to those who accept opportunity.

George Clason

On Money:

Money is like a sixth sense without which we cannot make a complete use of the other five.

W. Somerset Maugham

One may not condemn a man for succeeding financially because he knows how. Neither may one with justice take away for a man what he has fairly earned, to give to men of less ability.

George Clason

A part of all I earn is mine to keep.

George Clason

Earning money has a way of increasing financial intelligence quickly.

Robert Kiyosaki

Self-discipline is the No. 1 delineating factor between the rich, the middle class and the poor.

Robert Kiyosaki

On Preparedness:

It was apparent that no one could do for the scribe what the scribe had done for himself.

George Clason

Each man has to work out his own understanding of what needs to be done, and then prepare himself to take advantage of the opportunity to succeed in a big way.

George Clason

On Running:

When aerobic running becomes a daily habit, strength and confidence follow.

Arthur Lydiard

On Schooling:

I never let schooling interfere with my education.

Mark Twain

On Self-Control:

Yoga taught me "impulse control", the ability to feel an urge and delay acting on it.

Unknown

On Self-Image:

What you think of me is none of my business. What is most important is what I think of myself.

Robert Kiyosaki

Always remember that no matter what anyone is saying to you from the outside, the most important conversation is the one you are having with yourself on the inside.

Robert Kiyosaki

On Soul:

When the mind is controlled and still, what remains is the soul.

Unknown

On Stability:

When stability becomes a habit, maturity and clarity follow.

Unknown

On Success:

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

Albert Schweitzer

On Thinking:

The hardest thing in the world to do is to think, and that is why people do so little of it.

Henry Ford

Your mind, more than your actions, determines your net worth.

Robert Kiyosaki

Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.

John F. Kennedy

Keep your thoughts positive, because thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive, because behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive, because habits become your values. Keep your values positive, because values become your destiny.

Mahatma Gahdhi

(with editing by Ed Bagley)

(Postscript: remember t-w-b-h-v-d to remember thoughts-words-behavior-habits-values-destiny)

My own thoughts and feelings are the cause of all of my problems, not the world or the people in it. I have struggled by using my own negative thoughts and feelings to negatively influence my productive thoughts and actions. I let go of all negative thoughts and feelings by releasing them from my subconscious mind and into oblivion. I embrace all positive thoughts and feelings. My conscious mind and subconscious mind are now clear and positive. I am happy and free.

Ed Bagley

On Timing:

This time, like all times, is a very good one, when we know what to do with it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Training:

My most frequent admonition to athletes and coaches is: train, do not strain.

Arthur Lydiard

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

O'JAYS - Brandy

70's Soul Train



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvdKCUYuNZw&hl=en

Aretha Franklin -Day Dreaming- 1973

Aretha Franklin -Day Dreaming- 1973 SOUL TRAIN



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMl3ETwT_QI&hl=en

Westbound Train- Check Your Time

off the album Come and Get It. I can't believe this wasn't on youtube yet. Sorry I didn't get the whole album cover on the video. LYRICS: I'm not just drinking to forget you. It's what I do to pass the time. Because I'm proud I say I left you but we both know that isn't right. I found my solace on this glass here. A remedy that's conquered sleep, I read your words they make me sick dear. I just hang my head and weep. Check your time boy,Check your time. You're running to cocaine and cheap wine. You say it's the life boy you say it's your life Check your time boy, check your time I thought I'd be fine on my own here. But with you gone things weren't the same. Women they came women they left dear. When we made love I called your name. Check your time boy, check your time. You're running on cocaine and cheap wine. You say it's the life boy you say it's your life Check your time boy, check your time.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPfGwiVYT2U&hl=en

Yu Yu Hakusho Ep 36 allotment 1/2

Its time to take a groove on the soul train!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO1v_FK4TA8&hl=en

Mr. Welfare Man-1974

This Classic Track From The 1974 Film Claudine



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CACNkGP2nJ0&hl=en