Life is Healthy

An Indonesian student made mini satellite or nano-satellite to be launched in 2012, because the discussion between students from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Bandung Technological Institute (ITB), University of Indonesia (UI), and Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya (PENS) from Surabaya Technological Institute (ITS) with Indonesian students overseas has already begun.

"Starting this year (2009), we conducted a series of meetings with students from various campuses," said Dedy HB Wicaksono, PhD., researchers from Indonesia in the TU Delft the Netherlands, At Surabaya, Monday.

In between Workshops of INSPIRE (Indonesian Satellite Platform Nano Initiative for Research & Education) in PENS ITS, he said the meeting would continue with an intensive research in the Netherlands or in Indonesia.

"INSPIRE is an inter-student meeting forum with various stakeholders from government and research institutions to encourage the mastery of satellite technology from the students," he said.

Alumnus of Teknik Fisika ITB Bandung (S1) in the year 1934-1998 was declared Indonesia desperately need satellites to map forests, fisheries, natural disasters, islands, sea crime, and so on.

"We already have the Palapa Satellite and its age was 30 years. The technology created outside the country, so that foreign exchange will be sucked out and we finally have no independence," said alumnus of Tokyo University of Technology (S2).

According to this alumnus of TU Delft Netherlands (S3), the big satellite requires an expensive fund hundreds of billions or even trillions rupiah, but the nano-satellite is only Rp 5 billion range and mini satellites would last for three-year period.

"Not only cheap, but nano-satellites that could easily be in our hands, let alone within the existing educational elements, aspects of technology applications, and cross-scientific research such as telecommunications, electronics, solar energy, and so on," he said.

Therefore, the originator of the INSPIRE said, the lecturers can encourage telecommunications students who have been formulate their final assignment (TA) of telecommunications devices such as mobile phone, now can lead their TA in the field of satellites.

"So, the discussion can be carried out in 2009, then in 2010 with intense research, the TU Delft even very happy if the research can be conducted in the Netherlands, then in 2011 made the preparation and in 2012 will be the launch," he said.

Likewise, the Secretary of Communication and Information Minister, Dr. Eng. Son Kuswadi, said the funds to build a nano-satellite is only Rp. 5 billion and when began with the meetings, researchs, until finally launching nano-satellites, it will need funding of about Rp. 10 billion.

"The discussion through workshops which involved dozens of students from various universities that we will do two times during the year 2009, including discussions with LAPAN, BPPT, IPTN, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries," he said.

After that, the lecturer of robotics of PENS ITS Surabaya said, intensive discussions for the application will be conducted at the TU Delft in the Netherlands and in Indonesia until the year 2011.

"In 2012 we'll do the launch, whether the launch will take advantage of similar institutions in Indonesia, such as LAPAN who already have a rocket launch site or may LAPAN is ready in that year," he said.

He added that the use of nano-satellites will be applied for telecommunications function in a natural disasters and prevention of illegal fishing. "In the future, could also for weather sensors," he said.

As I have a lot of freetime lately, I have been looking for resources to improve my photography amongst other things - my Spanish is coming along, though very poorly.
I have yet to hear from work about the dates for 2010, so no idea if I have a job next year or not: very late in the year to make other plans.
Things are tough at home too, not sure if it's pitu being demanding (as babies are) the fact that I'm bored stupid, maybe the fact Sandra dislikes her job, the economy or perhaps I am actually missing the UK!? Eitherway its tough, but we are working through it.
Anyway, I recently managed to get hold of a copy of an excellent DVD called OneLight Workshop by Zack Arias.
What a great find, not only did it help to make sense of a lot of the questions I had but it went above and beyond a basic tutorial DVD - showing you basics, setups and on site photo shoots.
If you haven't seen it and are into photography this is a MUST!
I have revisited some of my early attempts at some shots such as Smoke and Water and I am pleased to say I can see a difference, not only has my photography improved but also my knowledge (phew).

I am still trying to run before I can walk though. I have dreams of owning my own business already and what I could do with it. Like most times the one thing I'm missing more than experience is money, isn't it always the way. I would love to be able to put as much money into a project as I do enthusiasm - but I'm afraid I'm not that well off.I do need more models though - after watching the DVD (onelight workshop) I understand my flash and settings much more and how to do some clever things, but I need to be able to put this learning into practise.

I have been looking at the likes of Zack Arias and Chase Jarvis amongst others (top role models, and well out of my league) but hey, gotta aim high if you want to be the best.
Hope you like the photos so far. It's a long journey, but what a great trip ;)

Arthritis Today magazine is always filled with great articles about the latest arthritis research, drug and supplements information, and arthritis-friendly gadget recommendations (you know how I LOVE gadgets). Also in each issue – like the toy surprise in Cracker Jacks – I find an article not directly related to arthritis but is just so darn interesting. In the latest issue (Nov-Dec ’09), the little gem was an article called “’Recycling’ Recipes.” I thought I’d share a part of it here. (My comments are in red.)

“Americans throw away roughly 96 billion pounds of food each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Yet much of it is completely safe and healthy to eat.

Before you toss those leftovers into the compost pile, trash can or garbage disposal, consider transforming them into dishes on the advice of chef Hinnerk von Bargen, an associate professor of the Culinary Institute of America’s San Antonio campus.

Overripe Fruit
Fruit spread: Peel and dice apples, plums and pears that are past their prime. Cook in a pot over low heat until thickened into an all-natural fruity spread. (I’m wondering if it would need a little water?)
Smoothie cubes: Overripe bananas, cantaloupe and peaches can be pureed in a blender and frozen in ice-cube trays. Toss the cubes into the blender with milk and yogurt and whirl. (Cantaloupe smoothie? Hmmm…not sure. Your thoughts?)

Vegetable Scraps
Soup stock: Simmer 2 to 2 ½ pounds of mushroom stems, wilted cabbage leaves, tomato trimmings, carrot and celery ends – even aged cheese rinds – together in a quart of water for one hour. Strain through cheesecloth and use the stock as a base for soups and stews. (I’d add some spices to it before cooking like cloves, basil, tarragon, rosemary, bay leaf, or thyme.)

Potato Peels
Potato crisps (my personal favorite): Place peels from potatoes that have been washed well in a single layer on a baking sheet. Mix with a little vegetable oil (I’ll use cooking spray instead) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or until crispy. (I can taste them already. Just need a little condiment action and I’m set.)

Pineapple Skin (This one might be even more fun with a little rum, maybe?)
Sweet-tart cooler: Place sliced pineapple skin in a pot with a quart of water, one cinnamon stick and ¼ cup sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain and serve over ice with a splash of lemon or lime juice.”

So there you have it. Recycled food. Let me know if you try any of them.

You know how you go through food cycles? I’ll go months and months eating a certain kind of roasted potato or making the same kind of soup. Then it gets boring and I latch on to another kind of food and eat it for months.

Recently I’ve grown tired of smoothies, but I still love Greek yogurt and have been looking for ways to jazz it up a bit. The other day I was on Weight Watchers online and saw a link to a post on one of the discussion boards about adding “seasonal” spices to yogurt. The person who posted said she adds apple pie spice, vanilla and Splenda to her plain yogurt. Sounded tasty.

I don’t have apple pie spice, so I substituted pumpkin pie spice and oh my, it was fabulous! I mixed it all up with stevia (not a Splenda fan), a banana and 3 T of Grape Nuts and it’s now (with or without the cereal) my new almost favorite breakfast. My favorite (albeit once-in-awhile, as in a few times a month) breakfast is still Arnold’s French Toast. I made some this morning along with a side of leftover steamed cauliflower sprinkled with a little parm. It’s another North Country Trail hiking day – another 63-degree afternoon on tap – and so I loaded up on protein and carbs to keep me going.

Happy Sunday, all!

The scientists and researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) at George Washington University and the University of Toronto has found that Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or adult-onset diabetes), can be treated more effectively with a vegan diet that are low in fat than the standard diabetic diet.

The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, involving 99 people with Type 2 diabetes. Half of the participants followed the standard diabetic diet guidelines based on the American Diabetes Association, and the other half of participants followed a low in fat vegan diet for 22 weeks.

Both of the groups progress measured in all aspects of the standard of diabetes, but the vegan participants showed greater improvement. Associated with vegan diet, Dr. Barnard, PCRM chairman, said, "All the 'side effects' are the good things - weight reduction, lower cholesterol, and better health overall."

Vance Warren, 36-year-old participant and a former Washington DC police, have benefited from the vegan diet: He reduced his weight as much as 74 pounds (37 kilograms), his cholesterol went from 221 to 148 points, and his A1C (a measure of the level of blood sugar) dropped from over 9 percent to 5.3 percent (normal value below 6.0 per cent). Other participants experienced the similar results.

Drastic advances in health condition obtained by the participants in this program to make people think that if these people had undergone a vegan diet before diabetes, then they will never have diabetes.

The results of this study warned that the western diet that contains meat, fat, and grains that have been processed may cause Type 2 diabetes. Maybe it's time for the government to begin to educate their citizens before they are exposed to this disease, to prevent diabetes before the disease strikes.

It is so usual for doctors to advise their patients to change their diet and eat less meat and saturated fat after they suffered a heart attack. Instead of making these recommendations after the disease strikes, why not encourage it before the disease come and save people from suffering that is useless and billions of dollars of money for medical expenses.

Source: Ways To Fight Diabetes

(WARNING: Possible TMI inside for non-female types.)

It was tempting, but I put on my underwear instead. I stayed off the scale this week, just as I promised myself and my Divas last week when I started the HELLmone…excuse me…HORmone.

Fridays are my “official” weigh-in day (even though I typically weigh myself three or four times a week), but today, standing naked in front of the scale, one week into a 10-day progesterone regimen and bloated and crabby as hell, I chose to be good to my head and get dressed instead. My doctor friend Barbara told me I’d gain weight temporarily and so I don’t need to know that number this week.

I don’t need to know it because I know it’s not “real.” But my head won’t see it that way. My head will say, “What the….? What did you do wrong, Lynn? Did you overdo the carbs this week? You just HAD to have that Hershey Kiss yesterday before your massage, didn’t you? Cryin’ out loud, Lynn, have you no self control?” Never mind that I have way more exercise minutes in this week than usual and I had a near perfect food week. Oh no. I see a number I don’t like and the blame game begins. Even now. Even after years of “figuring it all out.”

Maura over at Maura’s Toolbox wrote that one of her goals this week is to not punish herself with food. I decided to take her advice and not punish myself with the scale. Talk about the ultimate Non-Scale Victory!

My doctor put me on Provera for 10 days (3 days left, thank god) to see if we can't get a period going. It's been nearly three years since I've had one and all the blood work shows I'm not in menopause or perimenopause. It's like my female parts are stuck.

Most women, when they hear I haven’t menstruated in almost three years, will say, “Why do you want to start one now? Are you nuts??!”

Two words: endometrial cancer which I don't yet have, so ergo, we’re cranking up the uterus like an old Model T.

I’m pretty sure I have no pads or tampons in the house. My daughters have no doubt used up or taken the last of my stash. It’s been so long since I’ve bought them, I don’t know where they keep them at WalMart anymore or even which ones to buy! I’m a little old to be asking a clerk, “Um, excuse me, but could you recommend a tampon?”

If nothing happens in two weeks, we’ll go to Plan B, which, as of this moment, is unknown to both my doctor and me. She’s hoping Plan A works. It didn’t two years ago when I took Provera, but that was two years ago and she’s hoping things have changed. We’ll see.

Extreme weight loss is listed as a cause of secondary amenorrhea (the irony of the first four letters of that word isn’t lost on me), but there’s little information to be found about what women should do if they stop bleeding.

I know a lot of women who, while obese, spent years avoiding the doctor. After they’ve lost weight, it’s not like all of them suddenly embraced their health and found their voice. They know the medical community isn’t always a warm and accepting entity, so finding the self-esteem necessary to ask questions and investigate one’s health takes more than losing a few pounds.

So today’s question: How many of you who have or are losing weight: A) went to the doctor regularly at your heaviest; and/or B) have become more in tune with your health?

I wish I could have a conversation with my ovaries. Instead, I bug the heck out of my doctor and take the pills. And I stay off the scale. And I try not to bite anyone’s head off. I’ll let you know, sans details, if the female parts start working again.