Golden years

What do you think your “golden year” are? Some people think their youth is their golden year due to it is active, full of energy and can memory many things. Others think their working life is the best time of life because they are working hard and building a family and career in that time.

I think my “golden years” were when I studied at college, but I didn’t hold the time to study well. Now I have the opportunity to create another golden years are studying at Lunghwa University. I hope I can improve my languages ability in there. I feel happy and enjoy leaning now. At my age, I think I should spend most of time to study, although I don’t have enough time. If you have good attitude, any time can be a golden year. Everything is up to us.

Play with your children in Children’s Museum

Children Museum is not a typical museum in Taipei where children learn things through play and hands-on activities. You won’t find a “Do Not Touch“ sign in there.

You can build your own tracks with your children in Raceway or observe the ball’s movements. You can develop your creativity in Art Studio where colored pens and paints are provided. Something you couldn’t do at home that paint on the glass wall. You will enjoy with your children at Bubble area. You can make bubbles of different shapes and sizes. It sounds like a fun place to visit. Do not miss it and try to play with your children.

101 Fireworks Show

There will be a fireworks show of this New Year’s Eve in Taipei 101. They will add an extra 100 seconds to celebrate the R.O.C. Centennial celebration. A magnificent fireworks display will take place the second 2011 begins.

The show is composed of 15 different themes or programs such as, Shooting Rocket and Dancing Rainbow. We expect the fireworks show and going to count down in Taipei. Welcome the coming of the New Year.

How can you maximize your job satisfaction?

According to a survey, job dissatisfaction is spread among workers. How can you avoid it? Or, if you are working and dissatisfied, what can you do about it?
Based on research and the experience of professional career specialists, here are seven recommendations for you.
1. Know yourself. Know what is important to you and what is not.Be clear about what you expect from or require of a job. Write your ideas down.
2. Learn about jobs that are most likely to meet your expectations. A helpful step is to take career test.
3. Consider consulting a professional counselor. It can be quite helpful.
4. Do not allow your job dissatisfactions to go unresolved for long. They may lead to something worse -- job loss, accidents, even mental illness.
5. Have realistic expectations for work. Job satisfaction likes many things in your life. If the work you cannot expect your company to look out for you, you have to take the initiative yourself.
6. Look separately at the kind of work you are doing and the conditions of work. If you are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the kind of work you are doing, you should consider a career change. If you are dissatisfied with the conditions of work, you might be able to set matters right by negotiating with your supervisor or your coworkers.
7. Examine your values --what is most important to you. This question can you put your job satisfaction or dissatisfaction in proper perspective.

Visiting Wufenpu

Travel to Taipei, you can spend less money. There are many things for all kinds of travelers in Taipei ‘s store, and there's a budget for everyone. We can visit Wufenpu (五分埔) where clothes are sold at wholesale prices, and Wenlin (文林) Street where you can have your facial hair removed.

You can find Two T-shirts for NT$300, that's less than five US dollars a piece that you'll see here at Taipei's clothing wholesale market, Wufenpu. You can find just about anything here, from evening gowns to jeans to accessories, all at low prices. And if you're feeling adventurous, you can try having facial hair removed on the Wenlin Street sidewalk, the way brides used to, with just powder and a piece of string, for NT$200. If you like, they'll even shape your eyebrows for you.

There's something for everyone in Taipei and it doesn't have to be expensive or run-of-the-mill.

Ground Tea in Hakka areas

In Hsinchu County, with its Hakka population, a common sight on dinner tables is a fragrant and nutritional “tea” made from ground nuts and seeds using a mortar and pestle. You can enjoy one of their longest standing specialties, called “ground tea,” and then take in an old street in Nanjhuang in the heart of Hakka country. Hsinchu and Miaoli counties in the northern half of Taiwan are home to many of the country’s Hakka people and their traditions.

You have to grind until the mixture is really moist. Then after boiling water is added, the “tea,” which actually is more like a soup, is ready to eat. Some people also combine the mixture with rice. So if you’re looking for a diversion and don’t mind that what you’re eating and drinking has been pounded into shape, then the Hakka areas in Hsinchu and Miaoli counties are just for you.

Dangers of used tires

Do you know if vendors sell used tire of recycling that may cause car accidents and threat driver’s safety? According to the number of accidents related to bad tires rose by 50 percent in three years, going from 217 in 2007 to 329 in 2009.

The differences between standard and substandard used tires are obvious. Standard tires are retread by machine, while the poor quality tires are retread by hand. And the treads on the good tires are deeper than on the substandard ones. Any motorist using the cheaper tires is at risk of having an accident.

Tire Technician says they may make it hard to handle the car because their safety coefficient is down to zero. If any small nail or screw on the road pierces the tire, the tire will blow if driving at a high speed. For the safety reason, we need to face this problem and find the way, because it connects with driver’s life.

About Santa Claus

It’s time to Christmas and along with the season that we can see many happy people everywhere. Santa Claus is one of the most popular characters during the holiday season, but who exactly is he? There are many versions of the story, and today I will tell you one of the most common legends of St. Nick. Santa Claus – is he an actual historical figure or merely a myth?

There was a saint, his name was Saint Nicholas. In fact, he was especially generous to three young ladies that were very poor. He was concerned that they had no dowry in order to get married. The only way they could get money was through prostitution. And so he was very generous to help these young ladies, and that started the tradition of generosity.

Decorating a Christmas tree is also one of the most cherished customs during the holiday season, but the trees aren’t purely ornamental. The green of tree reminds us of eternal life. Never die spiritually. There are many different versions of Santa, but in all of them St. Nick reminds us that at this special time of the year, this holiday will continue to be about generosity, love and happiness.

Pavilion of New Fashion in the Taipei International Flora Expo

On last weekend, I took my son and daughter to went the Taipei International Flora Expo again. This time we visited the Pavilion of New Fashion. They built a complete pavilion out of used plastic bottles. Not only is the Pavilion of New Fashion the world’s first building constructed entirely from garbage, it has also turned waste into a raw material for fashion.

The ark is built entirely from “garbage,” literally, because everything you see is collected from the trash. They used 400,000 recycled plastic bottles. The most special thing is that they hide the LED lights in it. You can see a very beautiful light show at night. Both environmentally friendly and fashionable, the pavilion showcases different fashion exhibitions. It now features a collection of extravagant handmade couture dresses, each representing characters from different cultures. With the beautiful displays inside the pavilion, don’t forget that it has a message in its many bottles: with a little creativity, garbage can become beautiful and useful.

Taipei International Flora Expo

Last Saturday, we visited the Taipei International Flora Expo. It’s really beautiful. Highlights that are up and running include the Pavilion of Future, which features some of Taiwan’s rarest plants, and the technology-rich Pavilion of Dreams.

With music, magical lighting and a huge floral centerpiece on the ceiling, the Pavilion of Dreams in Xinsheng Park welcomes guests to its dream-like, forest-like setting. With the help of modern sensor technologies, the pavilion offers visitors a great opportunity to experience the life cycle of flowers and learn about nature in an informative and interactive way.

Compared to the Shanghai World Expo, I think our local expo feels more inviting. These people are clapping, because this grass moves to handclaps. Also on display at this pavilion are new varieties of flowers, showing future trends in the world of gardening.

Tasting lighter Italian cuisine in Taipei

Many people have the impression of Italian food that’s rich in cheese and creamy sauce, but a restaurant in Taipei offers a different kind of home-style Italian tasting. With fresh seasonal ingredients, this restaurant brings me a lighter taste of Italy cuisine and an open kitchen, this restaurant allows its customers to see the entire food-making process. It provides healthy Italian food for you.

Fresh ingredients are of the utmost importance in an Italian kitchen, and that’s why its cuisines changed by the seasons. Take this salad for example: Spinach grows best in cool weather; therefore, this dish makes for an excellent fall salad. Another special dish is called risotto that they use vegetable whipping cream, bacon, and some carrot, celery and red onion before stir them together. And then they put the Barolo red wine, and let them all stew. This restaurant offers a diverse range of cuisine, showing why Italian is a favorite around the world.

Cycling on Green Island

In the other's cycling feature, we're going to Green Island. Green Island is the fourth largest island in Taiwan and has 18 kilometers of paved roads along the spectacular coastline. You can bring your bicycle to Green Island via ferry.

The impression most people go to Green Island is getting on a scooter around the island, but the fun only about half an hour. The newest way is to get to know the island is on bicycle. It's pretty relaxing cycling on Green Island. You can look at the sea and the mountains. The landscape is quite pretty.

On this new cycling tour, you can also go diving or fish feeding. Green Island probably has the greatest biodiversity in the world. On this island you can see many things that you can't find in other countries, including soft coral, tropical fish and butterfly fish. If you like the sun or the sea, you might find Green Island, which is easy to travel to and not far, quite enjoyable.

Cycling in Fulong

I want to introduce the cycling travel and start with Taipei County’s Old Caoling Tunnel. The tunnel was originally made for trains and was the longest in Taiwan. It is about 2 kilometers when it was built nearly a century ago. It was renovated a couple of years back and is now only for cyclists and pedestrians to enjoy. On the weekends, the Tunnel crowded with people on foot and bicycle.

There is Taiwanese folksong called "Diu-diu-dang-a," whose writer got his inspiration from this old train tunnel. In the tunnel, you can see old bomb shelters and train station signs. The railroad tracks have been removed and the ground repaved with track patterns. At just a little over 2 kilometers long, it only takes about 15 minutes to get to the other side.

You can feel good and cool inside in this tunnel. It's next to the ocean over here and connects Taipei with Yilan. The breeze is quite cool, so it's suitable for people to walk or cycle.

On the other side of Fulong Train Station is the Longmen Suspension Bridge. There is a cycling path on the bridge. From here, people can cycle to Yanliao Beach Park. Fulong has many cycling paths to be explored and can be a great place for a day-trip on the bicycle.

Food wrap with PVC plastic

If you wrap the food with PVC plastic and heat in a microwave, it maybe releases toxins that could lead to cancer.Many people use plastic wrap to protect the fresh of food, but some may be unaware that if the wrap is made of PVC, it will release dangerous toxins when put in a microwave. Since PVC contains chlorine-based materials that cause dioxin concerns, we need to reduce the source of PVC materials entering garbage incinerators. When PVC comes into contact with food, it creates toxins that are released. Health is very important so that there are non-toxic alternatives that can be used to protect food in the same way such as PE and PMP, will not be banned in the future because plasticizers have not been added.

Taiwan’s invention

Taiwan is the big winner at major inventions fair in Germany. There were so many Taiwanese companies, schools and technical institutes at the invention show. I think the reason is that Taiwan might need to depend on creativity to create another economic miracle in the future. The inventions including automatic car parking, self-cleaning glass, a foldable energy-saving lamp and a hair dryer that can also act as a vacuum cleaner and lifesaving swimming trunks. It is worth to mention is National United University professor, Chang Kun-Sen took eight years to develop the idea that won a god medal and an environment protection. It is technology for removing heavy metals from the fumes and dust discharged by garbage incinerators. Taiwanese creativity was on show for the world to see.

Housing Subsidy

Our government is expanding its housing subsidy plan for newlyweds. Twenty thousand families can apply for a housing loan with zero interest for two years. But some couples worry that after the two years, they can’t afford the loan. Young couples choose their house, hope to settle down and get married. But many of them are concerned with the financial problem that comes with starting a new family.

Government plans to provide subsidies for low middle-income families to rent or purchase a home. Now it plans on increasing the quota. Originally the quota is 10,000, now it increase to 20,000.The benefits include a NT$3,600 monthly rent subsidy and a preferential mortgage loan. If young couples choose to buy a home, they can enjoy zero interest for the first two years on loans up to NT$2 million. It is good news for newlyweds and a two-year subsidy is pretty decent considering the common rate these days. If qualification is too strict, it’s impossible to get approved.

Disqualified taekwondo athlete

Taekwondo Federation accusing Yang Shu-chun of cheat by adding two extra illegal sensors to her heels and disqualified for the match. Our government’s official already asked the delegation that they have to maintain our country’s dignity and continue to ask the organizers to find out the truth and maintain our athlete’s rights.

No one can accept the result they said Yang Shu-chun was wearing the sensors during the match,and pictures published in Friday’s United Daily News back their claim. Moreover, they want to know why the head of the World Taekwondo Federation has put forward and retracted different reasons for the disqualification. It is extremely unfair to our athletes, so our government will provide full support to the Sports Affairs Council in its efforts to help our athlete. The taekwondo controversy has put to rest any doubts about the strength of Taiwanese nationalism. A local taekwondo association has pledged to sponsor Yang if she wants to continue in the sport, and some people are even calling for a boycott of Korean products.

We definitely need to protect our country’s dignity. We have to ensure that our athletes enjoy their legally protected right to be treated fairly. If the organizers kick someone out unfairly, if they fail to show the same spirit displayed by the athletes, then of course we will argue strongly for what is right.

Natural Remedy- Ginger

Ginger is a long and thick stem. It is considered the original from China, but is now grown in many other countries, which include West Asia, India, the Caribbean and West Africa. The spicy aroma is because it contains 3% essentials oils. It is marketed in health food shops such as tonics, tinctures, powder etc.

In ancient times it was quite popular as a medicine for pains. The Greeks ate ginger wrapped up in bread after a heavy meal to improve digestion. Ginger also can add flavor to your cuisine and has treatment function. It is an ancient spice used in dishes. It has been used to alleviate pains and very popular as a natural remedy.
From several studies proved that ginger may be more effective than placebo in reducing symptoms such as sickness and vomiting. First, I used it during my pregnant period, I have had a seriously nausea and vomiting. I ate 250 mg of ginger 4 times daily for short periods. I found it gave me some relieves from vomiting. After that, I suggested my mother took fresh ginger juice or tea, 2-4 grams daily for relieving her arthritis pain. Topical ginger oil may also be rubbed into a painful joint.

Having these experiences, if my children have cold and flu symptoms, sore throat or I have a headache, I usually use 2 grams of ginger in hot water, 2 or 4 times daily for our symptoms. Giving the safety of ginger, many people find it an alternative to medications for reducing their pains.

However, the used of herbs if it contains components that can trigger effects and interacted with other herbs or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a health care provider. Before taking ginger, you should consult a doctor if you have special disease, like gallstones, bleeding disorder.

How to buy healthy food

Food like your body’s fuel, it provides you with energy that you need to stay on the move. There are three main sources of fuel are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The body changes them into glucose for energy or stores them as fat. Eating a balance of healthy foods that contain carbohydrate, protein, and fat that every day will help your blood glucose stay in balance and keep your weight where you want it.

If you want to keep health, you can try to buy healthy food. Owing to most of fancy packaged foods are just designed to attract our attention so that you must remind yourself to buy healthy food. Remember that even packaged food wrapper looks good, doesn’t mean that what’s inside is also good for you. Try healthy foods that you’ve never tried before and allow yourself to see other options that you’ve been ignoring. Health food definitely can not replace a balanced diet. You should note the validity of preservation methods and conditions when purchasing food. And also look at whether there are clearly marked.

When you have a pet

Do you believe that pets can reduce the pressure in your life? Do you know that pets can be there for you that people sometimes cannot? They can be good listeners, have the funniest action and give you unconditional love and loyalty. You have to consider many things before choosing a pet to add to your life. You have to consider your surroundings, your family members, your activity level and your experience with pets. In short, everything you ever wanted to know about pets.


For example, if you want to pet a dog, you have to observe their behaviors and give them trainings. And know how to keep your dog healthy and find what brands of dog food are healthiest and tasty. Reading some articles from who breed dogs, raise them, adopt them and care for them. You can learn about the traits of each breed and which environment that breed will be happiest. Concerning and pay tribute to your pets that will brighten our lives.

Preparing Healthy Recipes for dish

If you need some healthy recipes for dishes such as appetizers, salads and dishes, you can search website that can offer you a wide variety of information. You can find some discussions and information of recipes if you want to cook new creations for your family. You can also learn about preparing a unique and tasty salad or spice up your salad with ingredients that will satisfy both you and your family's appetites.

Keeping your salad fresh and choose a good container that can make your food look more delicious. Additionally, you can imagine with easy, efficient steps that any cook. If you have a limited budget, you can use common food to make extraordinary recipes or make creative for leftovers. Many TV programs teach or advice you how to explore and learn about the ways how to creating delicious healthy food. We encourage you to explore, learn and create additions to your family dinner.

An important decision I made

As I am the oldest daughter in my family, I am in reality, independent. Concerning personality, I am easy-going, active, initiative, and adaptable. Since I was a little girl, I have been interested in business career, but the influenced by my parents that they want me and my younger brothers as government employees. When I was younger, I depended on them for everything. They told me what to do, and followed their rules.

After I graduated from college, under my parents’ arrangement, I worked in government institution as temporary personnel. I am unhappy about the easy job, I wish to work at trading company where I can take on heavy responsibilities and develop my potentiality. As I got older, I became more independent. I wanted to do and experience things for myself, so I decided to quite the job and entered a private company. This didn’t get along with my parents. I was very rebellious, and we argued about everything. I remembered at that time if I got any problem that could not be solved by myself, my parents always asked me to participate in the state examination. At one point, I wanted to move out on.
Thankfully, my uncle talked me out of it and communicated with my parents. Now that I’m an adult, our relationship is much better than ever before. I listen to their opinions, and they listen to mine. Sometimes, they still give me advice, which I think is always of great help to me.

About my major of college was Banking and Insurance that I was not interested in. In 2009 I entered Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, and took Department of Applied Foreign Languages as my major. I will have finished my studies at Lunghwa University by the year of 2011.
I study English that the fact is if I want to do business with foreigner, the first step is learning English. English become not only a tool of communication but also a way of life.

I want to find a suitable product line to develop my potential and to put my career goal into practice when I graduation. I think if you try to do the effort what you want, there will be better things ahead for you and your family will be proud of you. Just do it and don’t give up.

Facing your stress

How to face stress is many people have to learn in this modern society because of various tensions and competitions. The various conditions of stress include feeling irritable, having emotional outbursts, generally feeling upset, finding it hard to make decisions.

Learning to manage your stress is a skill. When the situation gets tough and the pressure reaches a point, do you get angry or do you know how to do to lower your stress and aggravation levels in an instant?
Here are some tips that should help lower your tension in just a few minutes.
First, when you get stressed, if your heart rate goes up and your breathing becomes more rapid, you should take a deep breath and then slow down your breathing. Hold your breath for a moment then exhale slowly. As you exhale, you will release the tension. If it helps, maybe you can increase your level of relaxation, close your eyes as you slow down your breathing.

Second, sometimes walk away is the way s to remove yourself from the source of your aggravation. For example, if your child is in a screaming and crying, you may need to take a step back until you are able to calm down before dealing with it. If you can’t do that, close your eyes to shut out everyone else, even for a moment.
When you faced with a difficulty that is causing you stress, remember this particular issue or situation is merely a speck in the overall scheme of things. Unless it’s life or death, take a step back and remember that there’s always a solution. Perhaps the problem isn’t as grave as you think.

Finally, you may repeat your positive affirmations to help you calm down. If you’re stressed because you are stumped on how to solve a problem, say to yourself that you are smart and you can handle the situation. Or listen to some calming music. If you have an iPod, plug your earphones and listen to some soothing music.Avoid listening to heavy rock and fast paced music, since the thumping beats may only serve to excite you.

Try to use these ways when you feel you need to clam down immediately.
You’ll feel the effects within seconds or minutes.

Shopping

I am crazy about shopping. In fact, I go shopping at least one times a week. I don’t always buy anything, but I enjoy going out and looking around. When I go to the store, I enjoy seeing all of the people. My favorite day to go shopping is Saturday. A lot of people don’t like shopping on Saturdays because almost all stores are crowded with people.

Window-shopping is my favorite thing to do. It doesn’t cost any money, and it is also good exercise because I’m walking around. I look at all of the clothes and things around me. At the end of my shopping trips, I like to sit down at a coffee shop. No matter what, shopping is always a lot fun in my option.

Turkeys

The turkey is brown with some orange-yellow feathers on the tips of wings and on the tail. The male turkey has colorful feathers and a long wattle at the base of its bill.
Every year, Americans eat countless turkeys on Thanksgiving. The White House pardons a turkey each year. The Turkey would then be free from harm and live out their days in comfort at the zoo. This tradition can be traced back to Abraham Lincoln.
Benjamin Franklin, an American famous scientist, statesman, and philosopher, thought that the turkey was more qualified than the bald eagle to represent America. In his option, the bald eagle is generally poor and often very lousy and has bad moral character, like men who live by robbing. On the other hand, he preferred turkeys because turkeys symbolized the bravery of early American settlers who fought back when being agitated b the British.

Folk Tales of Jack-o’-Lanterns

The word jack-o’-lantern comes from an old Irish story about a man named Jack who tricked Satan. He convinced Satan to climb up a tree for some apples, and then carved crosses all around the trunk so the devil couldn’t down. In order to get down the tree, the devil promised to leave Jack alone forever.

When Jack eventually died, he was not allowed to get into heaven because of his son. On the other hand, the Devil wouldn’t take Jack to keep his promise. Jack was cursed to travel forever as a spirit between heaven and hell. The Irish tale told of Jack carrying a hollowed-out turnip roaming through the darkness on All Hallows’ Eve. Nowadays, pumpkins are carved to make scary jack-o’-lanterns to “scare away” the “ghosts and goblins” that haunt on All Hallows’ Eve.

Gardening at Home

Gardening in an apartment is fun. Gardening in real life already seems as if it will be a lot of work. Sometimes, getting started is the hardest part, if you want to do much gardening in your apartment.

You have some tips to notice when gardening at home, such as how often should you give this plant fertilizer and make sure your plants get enough sunlight. Don’t give your plants too much water and use a lot of fertilize, too. And give them time to grow. Remember: Growing plants takes time. You also have to remember to weed your garden, so you need gardening tools, like a trowel, sprinkler, watering can, shears, drip tray and some gloves.

Finally, learning how to garden is very important, but you also learn how to be patient. After that, you will find all of the plants are so green and healthy.

Talking About Typhoons

What is a typhoon? Let’s take a closer look at typhoons. Simply put, typhoons are tropical cyclones with winds blowing over 74 mph. Typhoons are given names to allow meteorologists to better inform the public about this type of weather. They are often happened in Taiwan and sometimes provide an unexpected day off for students and workers.

Typhoons cause widespread destruction, such as flooding, landslides, and building damage. A typhoon is usually accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds. Generally speaking, three to four typhoons hit Taiwan every year, usually in the summer. Some of them caused terrible flooding, especially in south Taiwan.

It is inevitable that typhoons will hit Taiwan again. Understanding some basic facts about typhoons can make them a little less frightening and a little more interesting.

Tips for visiting the Zoo

My children love animals, so I decided to go to the zoo in summer vacation. They can see lions, tigers and other animals. Due to my daughter doesn’t like snakes and scare of them, so I encouraged her to see it. My son especially loved the lions.

Before I went to the zoo, I looked for more information about the Zoo online. I got some tips for visiting the Zoo as below.
1.We have exhibits both inside and outside. Wear layers so you are ready for different temperatures.
2.Come to the Zoo early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The animals are most active at these times.
3.Many schools plan field trips to the Zoo in April and May. On field trip days, the Zoo is very crowded. If you want to avoid field trips, check the Zoo calendar.
4.All of the Zoo’s animals are wild. Please don’t feed them.
5.The Zoo is open all year, Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Follow the above tips, you can have a good time with your family and see the animals you love.

Go Hiking

Do you ever go hiking? For many people summertime means getting outdoors. I like to look at the view, some of the beautiful and interesting bugs, animals, trees, and flowers.

Before go hiking, I will prepare some water and snacks, my camera, a pair of binoculars, a lighter, my pocket knife, and some other stuff. After go hiking for just a few minutes, I always break a sweat because hiking can take a lot out of me. I stop to catch my breath. And I just need a breather and a sip of water. After I catch my second wind, I hike along the ridge for a while. And I use my binoculars to see many beautiful and interesting things. I like to go hiking due to it can help me stretch my body and make me peaceful.

Online Shopping

For many people today, sitting down at a computer with a credit card is just as exciting as walking into a mall. Selection is the greatest advantage of online shopping. People can buy nearly everything on the internet, including groceries, cars, computers, and even homes.

Internet auction sites have also become popular. People can buy and sell almost anything, especially collectibles and antiques. In Taiwan, eBay’s TV ads has shown how popular online shopping. For many products, people can see pictures and with a click of a mouse, shoppers can change the color of an item. With such a wide selection of products available over the Internet, consumer can compare prices from numerous retailers. They can get reviews of products, and information about the stores and Web sites that sell these goods.

Online shopping is also less stressful. There is a lot of advice, but not a lot of sales pressure. Of course, there are downsides. For instance, shoppers cannot touch or try on products. Shopping at asfe and reliable online stores, shoppers can avoid many of these problems and pitfalls.

Colors can decide your mood!

Do you have a favorite color? Do you know how colors can affect your mood? Cars always come in red, black, and white. Most of the luxury cars in Taiwan are black.
People who drive green cars supposedly have pretty positive attitudes, but the black
as a classy and powerful color, maybe driven by a person who might not carry so much self-confidence. Mostly dark blue, silver, or white, and their moods tend to be consistent which means they’re less likely to get road rage, according to a survey.

Do you know what colors adorn your home? My hose is all neutrals: beige, taupe, grays, and creams. They’re the easiest to match with. My kitchen is baby blue, which is kind of subtle and relaxing. If your kitchen and dining room with orange, it can stimulate your appetite and make you feel more energetic. The light or bright blues and purples can bring about creativity and calmness. Greens in the bedroom are soothing and may even help with fertility. If you could repaint your bedroom, which color would you choose to paint it?

How to use digital camera

Do you have a digital camera? Many people like to take pictures. If you know about your camera and what it can do, you can take a good photo with a digital camera. You are not going to get it from reading the user’s manual. You just need to play around with it.

We should know how to adjust your aperture. It’s the hole in your lens that determines how much light is allowed in the picture. Basically, you need to learn how to adjust your settings and focus your camera for certain shots. I see some people use it even when taking pictures outside during the day. I almost always use my flash when it’s cloudy outside. But even if it’s a perfect day, you still need to learn where of how close you need to stand so your subject is bright enough or within your flash’s range.I also like to use my macro function. I just get down to his level before I shoot the photo.

Follow above rules that the pictures will be taken better than others. And you will become an amateur photographer. It’s all about knowing your camera and what it can do.

TV programs

Most people enjoy watching TV. There are many wonderful shows on TV that can be educational. However, some TV programs with a lot of sex and violence are a big problem for our children.

In my opinion, the amount of sex and violence should be taken cut down. And parents should pay attention to what their children are watching on TV at all times. It is not a good idea parents let their children aren't watching anything on TV. The better way is parents can sit down and watch TV with their kids, they will know what is going on and how much harm such programs can do to their children.

My favorite cat,Garfield.

Who's everyone's favorite dog? Many people would probably choose a comic strip's superstar "Snoopy". Who's everyone's favorite cat? Likewise, a lot of people would respond with one answer above all others: Garfield!

Garfield is the world's famous cat is nearly as old as the longest-lived cats I like the part of the charm of the character Garfield lies in his many failings: his greed, especially for food, lied makes him much too fat; his meanness to his "owner" Jim and Jim's dog; and his largely underserved pride. I still love Garfield. Why?

I can identify with some of his darker emotions and ideas, and then laugh at how silly they are. Garfield says what many of us don't dare to. Therefore, I think the courage to express himself honestly.

Save Energy During Hot Summer Months

Do you know how to save energy during hot summer months? It is essential to maintain an affordable energy bills for many families.First of all, you have to adjust the thermostat to a sufficient cooling temperature. Then, make sure you replace or clean the air filters according to recommendations. Finally, I’ll suggest you buy a programmable thermostat.

Adjusting your air conditioning can greatly reduce your power consumption, and can lower your power bill during hot summer months. A simple way to save money and energy is to adjust your thermostat. You can do that by lowering the thermostat temperature to adjust the air conditioning. Turning the thermostat up or down by one degree can result in a savings of three percent or more on your energy costs. Saving energy is simple and won't cost anything. Can we cut our energy use and green house gas emissions by 50%? Saving energy is a change that we could make immediately and would cost nothing that can cut our energy use by about 6%. You can follow the steps as below to save your energy bill.

• Step 1
Adjust the thermostat to a sufficient cooling temperature. Typically a thermostat can be set between 26 and 28 to maintain a comfortable temperate climate. You can set the thermostat by lowering the control arm on the side of the thermostat, turning the dial counter-clockwise on dial thermostats, or typing in a specific temperature on digital thermostats. Read the temperature gauge as you change the settings. Set your thermostat at 27 degrees in the summer. Lower the thermostat even more in the summer, when you are asleep or away from home. Lowering your thermostat will also help cut down on carbon dioxide emissions.

• Step 2
Make sure you replace or clean the air filters according to recommendations. A clean air filter can help save five percent of the energy used. More energy is burned when air conditioning or furnaces have to work harder. Use ceiling fans in the summer, when you are in the room. Even though the thermostat is set higher, you can still use fans to cool off. A fan will use less energy that lowering the air conditioning. Turn the fan off if you are not in the room.

• Step 3
Buy a programmable thermostat, if possible. You can set the thermostat to kick on and off according to your schedule. This way, you won't have to wait for the house to cool off when you wake up or return home from work. Look for Energy Star certified appliances. These are high-efficiency appliances that will, along with your thermostat control.

Take steps to ensure that your home stays cool without using the air conditioning constantly so that you can lower your energy costs.

Cooperative Reading Strategy Instruction

Reading is not so easy. I want to read for pleasure, and find to read easily, but no one gets it at the first time. I want to know how to read effectively and remember what I read. Before learning reading strategies, I don't understand how to use it and its advantage for me. When I am reading a text or an article, the problem is that there are many words or vocabularyI don't know. Then I fail to understand the topic even unable to continue reading it. It wastes time if I check the words in the dictionary.

Now I try to think about how my learning style interacts with the text while reading, and perhaps change my reading strategies to meet the challenges of the text. I instinctively understand how to use reading strategies. For instance, I try to look at the title of the reading first, the subhead, illustrations or graphs. I need to learn ways to leap into reading, keep going, summarize, and connect the new information to other knowledge I have acquired.

I think I just need any three strategies may be enough to make me a better reader. I experiment with different methods including use context clues, summarize the gist, activate knowledge and see what works for me. I think using context clues is a good way to help me not only reason the meanings out but also can build up my vocabulary.

Through cooperative learning, I have got the benefit from it. If I have any questions, I can discuss with team members to get the answer immediately. After the training courses of English, I found I have a great progress in my grammar, reading and listening. It can be proved from my TOEIC exam this time, I attend the exam and feel it is easier than I did it before. All in all, I want to appreciate my English teachers in Lunghwa University of Science Technology, especially our home leader, Gregory.

The Story of the Twelve Zodiac Years

Once upon a time, Buddha gathered all the creatures in his kingdom to appear before him. Buddha told them that he wanted to choose twelve among them to be the king of the earth, each for one year. They decided to hold a river-crossing race to select the twelve animals.

The mouse and the cat cannot swim so they asked the ox for a favor. They rode on the ox’s head. During the contest, the mouse kicked the cat off the ox’s head. The cat fell into the water and struggled. Since then, cats always chase mice for revenge.

When they got closer to the finish line, the tricky mouse jumped over the ox’s head and won the first prize. The first twelve animals that completed the journey were the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each Chinese year is represented by a repeated cycle of these twelve animals.

Santa Claus Village

There are millions of people all over the world, who are dreaming of a visit to Santa. Many make their dream come true, and take a trip to Santa Village in the Polar Circle. Many children and adults visit Santa’s study with the fireplace in Santa’s main post office. There are letters, pictures and gifts sent by children. You can sit down in Santa’s sturdy rocking chair and listen to lovely Christmas carols.

Children can write Santa Claus and tell him about their dreams. The postcards and letters will receive a genuine Arctic Circle postmark. You can also send Santa an email.

Chinese New Year Festivities

The date of the Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar rather than the western calendar. It falls on a day ranging from late January to mid-February.

In preparation for New Year, families clean out their houses, wash all the household utensils, and throw away unwanted items. Two days before Chinese New Year, the Chinese hold a thanksgiving ceremony in honor of Heaven. Chicken, pork, fish and fruit and so on have been prepared.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, every member of every family returns home to have a reunion dinner. After the dinner, children receive red envelopes containing gifts of lucky money. Sons and daughters stay awake as long as they can during the night because it is believed that the longer the children stay awake, the longer their parents live. On New Year’s Day, after midnight, firecrackers are set off to “scare away” evil spirits.

On the first day of the Chinese New Year, many people don’t cook or eat any meat because they believe that this will ensure a happy and long life. Many people visit neighbors and friends. When people meet, they say “Gong Xi Fa Chai, “ to wish each other a happy new year.

On the second day of Chinese New Year, People pray to their ancestors and all the gods. Also, married daughters have a reunion with their parents and sons-in-law pay respect to their parents-in-law. On the third night of Chinese New Year, people go to bed early. On the fifth day, many stores start business once again after a long break.

During the Chinese New Year, there are many religious ceremonies and celebrations until the fifteenth day, Lantern Festival Day. Then all the New Year festivities are discontinued and everything returns to normal.

Passion for the job

Most people wouldn’t connect passion, enthusiasm, excitement, and energy with a job hunt, but employment experts say those qualities are exactly what are needed for a successful job interview, especially passion.

Passion is important because in any job interview you have to be persuasive and you can show your passion for the job. Showing your passion by talking about your experience, education and skills with a clear love of what you do and what you want to do.

Passion shows how much you love the job you’re in. It is a means of convincing the job interviewer that this is the job you really what to do, and that you can do it.

Generation N

Who is Generation N? They born after 1975 is called "Generation N.” They have been described as self-confident and spoiled. They process information very quickly, but they’re also known to be quite impatient.

Most of Generation N’s chose to marry later in life, or not at all. They think there is no need to marry if they can lead a happy and independent life by themself. They want to their own personal space and freedom. They eagerly buy and use the newest products. Unfortunately, Generation N‘s buy things on credit, but they have less worry about going into debt. We have some worry if Generation N is ready to become tomorrow’s leaders. But they have self- confident to face the future.

Things to know before entering the Hsuehshan Tunnel

There are two long tunnels in Taiwan that have become world-famous. One of them is the Bagua Mountain Tunnel. The other one must be the longest tunnel, Hsuehshan Tunnel. It is quite famous, and not only because it’s so long. The tunnel was extremely difficult to dig.

Drivers who don’t follow traffic regulations are a really big problem, especially when driving through a tunnel! Many countries have very strict rules for traveling through long tunnels. If something bad happens, it could be an unthinkable accident. Before entering a tunnel, drivers must remember to first turn on their headlights. While inside the tunnel, drivers are not allowed to randomly change lanes. The maximum tunnel speed is 70 kph. For safety, drivers should keep a 50m distance from the car ahead. If drivers don’t accept these rules, they will be fined. Following the road rules is very important when going through long tunnels.

Oyster Omelet

Oyster omelet is a popular dish which is sold in Taiwan’s night market. It is made with fresh oyster, eggs, Chinese cabbage stirred with flour. The combine of these ingredients require skills of fire controlling while frying. First, you should combine the flour, water until thoroughly blended and swirl the scrambled egg mixture into the heated pan. Being careful not to break the egg omelet, heat it until it begins to set. Pour the starch batter with oyster on top of the omelet. Cover with a lid, allow it to cook until it begins to turn translucent. The dish should have gluey texture and add spicy or chili sauce on the surface of the scrambled oyster omelet so that can provide an intense taste and become very delicious. Some stores have other choices such as shrimp omelet and seafood omelet. People like its fresh taste.

Shopping habits of men and women

There are many differences between men and women, especially they have different shopping habits. Men look on shopping as a mission that they try to locate the target as hunters want to catch animals. They make payment and exit the location as quickly as possible after mission accomplished. Women look on shopping as a social event. They would spend hours trying to find the right outfit, present or object.

Men seldom compare prices and don’t care if the goods are on sale. They sometimes compare quality if the goods are tools they often use. In contrast, women tend to compare their choices in details: price, quality, feel and if their friends or husbands like it. They may spend all day looking at several goods in different stores and still not buy anything. Women prefer to go shopping with girl friends rather than spouses.

There are many stores that observe the shopping habits of men and women. They analyze the information to give them a better idea. They want to know how to make men and women stay longer in their stores and see more products as well as influence their decision.

In conclusion, it is very apparently from many studies that men and women have different shopping habits. Many stores know and create a shopping environment that men and women enjoy, feel comfortable and welcome.

The fascunated place-Hualien

I had a great time with my children in Hualien County in the middle of April this year. That is a good place where deserve we visit and there are so many scenic spots to see.

It is in the East Coast of Taiwan, fascinated by its beautiful scenery. East Rift Valley Scenic Area and Yushan National Park make Hualien the most beautiful county in Taiwan. The variety of the hot springs areas is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hualien. The famous hot springs are as in East Rift Valley Hualien County is fortunately equipped with such a treasure. It has always been the holiday resort for every visitor. In the Valley, the natural scenery is beautiful, the residents fare gracious and the environment is pure and unpolluted. With a unique natural and cultural scenery, the Valley is abundant in the tourists recreation resources. Along the country road, pastoral outlook is enchanting.

The locals in Hualien County depend on tourism for making their living, such as home stay, shop owner and tourism site employee. However, tourism can also have a negative impact on this area. Actually, the tourist income tax couldn’t give the benefit directly to the locals and maybe it flow into big businesses. They need to find a compromise that will preserve the tourist income tax with them.

In addition, the Coast is rich in the marine ecology. Whale watching is an interesting activity and gives a fantastic impression for many visitors. Whale watching is worried about the impact the life of whale. Some captains change the direction or reduce the speed suddenly when they cross the whale by ship. And if they want to chase the whale, they speed up or cross them tightly. These behaviors possibly affect the whale living environment. I think some captains should observe the stipulation which protect the creature in the ocean.

When you catch a cold

Catching a cold is a painful experience. You may feel dizzy, have a runny nose, or cough all the time. Even worse, you may run a fever and feel sore all over. There isn’t much you can do when catch a cold.

One of my colleagues thinks that she doesn’t want to take a mask due to it made her uncomfortable even she has been coughing for two weeks. In my opinion, if you take a mask that is protect yourself and the others. And my advice is that you should stop what you are doing and go see a doctor immediately. Once you back home, you should lie in bed and get a good rest. To sum up, there isn’t much you can do when you catch a cold until it goes away.

The advantages and disadvantages of working part-time

Working part-time job has its disadvantages and advantages. The advantage is that you can earn extra money and pay for things on your own. In addition, you can get valuable experience by working in real world. Many students have part-time jobs nowadays to earn their pocket money as well as get experience working.

The disadvantages of working part-time is that it might take away the time you would spend with your families or friends and studying. If you work during your spare time, you will reduce the study time after school. In my past experience, I spent much time on part-time job so that my study wasn’t very well and I found I didn’t get enough knowledge at my studies. So if the job get in the way of your families and studies, you should adjust the time or look for one that has a regular time or not too tired to affect your daily schedule.