ROSES ROSES ROSES

Dear loving readers and visitors,



In conjunction with the Chinese St. Valentine's Day on August 26, 2009, I present you with several 999 rose bouquet pictures below to express my sincere thanks to your continuing support of this blog.





Two girls prepared a large bouquet of 999 pieces of roses to welcome the Chinese St. Valentine's Day at a flower shop in Ji'nan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2009. The Chinese St. Valentine's Day, which is on July 7 of Chinese lunar calender, falls on August 26 this year.(Xinhua/Zhao Xiaoming)





Two girls prapare a large bouquet of 999 pieces of roses to welcome the Chinese St. Valentine's Day at a flower shop in Ji'nan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2009. The Chinese St. Valentine's Day, which is on July 7 of Chinese lunar calender, falls on August 26 this year.(Xinhua/Zhao Xiaoming)









Two girls prepared a large bouquet of 999 pieces of roses to welcome the Chinese St. Valentine's Day at a flower shop in Ji'nan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2009. The Chinese St. Valentine's Day, which is on July 7 of Chinese lunar calender, falls on August 26 this year.(Xinhua/Zhao Xiaoming)


Two girls prepared a large bouquet of 999 pieces of roses to welcome the Chinese St. Valentine's Day at a flower shop in Ji'nan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 21, 2009. The Chinese St. Valentine's Day, which is on July 7 of Chinese lunar calender, falls on August 26 this year.



Trust the above photos are pleasing to your eyes. Look forward to seeing you again,


James Oh

To view other unique and beautiful flowers, please click the link below:-

http://liftyouup.blogspot.com/2012/07/unique-and-lovely-flowers.html 

BELIEFS - WHAT YOU THINK

Dear my loving readers and visitors,

Trust the passage below, written by Mr. Bob Conklin, will make a huge impact on you.

"I can make you rise or fall. I can work for you or against you. I can make you a success or a failure.

I control the way you feel and the way that you act.

I can make you laugh...work..love. I can make your heart sing with joy...excitement...elation.


Or I can make you wretched...dejected....morbid.

I can make you sick ....listless.

I can be as a shackle... heavy ....attached....burdensome.

Or I can be as the prism's hue......dancing...bright....fleeting...lost forever unless captured by pen or purpose.

I can be nurtured and grown to be great and beautiful ..seen by the eyes of others through action in you.

I can never be removed ...only replaced.

I am a THOUGHT.

Why not know me better?"

Every thought you have shapes your life. What you think about your neighbor is your attitude toward him.


Please think about it with due consideration.

Thanks and regards,

James Oh

A Lesson From Geese

Dear my loving readers and visitors,

I have this story before and believe lots do so.

But have we really ever wondered why migrating geese fly in a V formation?

As with most animal behavior, God had a good reason for including that in their instincts.

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird following.

In a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% more flying range if each bird flew alone.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone..........
..........and quickly gets back into formation.

Like geese .......
.....people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier than those who try to go it alone.

When a goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. If people had as much sense as geese, they would realize that ultimately their success depends on working as a team, taking turns and doing the hard tasks, and sharing leadership.

Geese in the rear of the formation honk to encourage those up front to up their speed. It is important that our honking "from behind" be encouraging. Otherwise, it's just - well - honking.

When a goose gets sick or wounded, two other geese drop out formation and follow it down to help and provide protection.

They stay with the unhealthy member of the flock till it is either able to fly again or dies.

Then they launch out again with another passing flock or try to catch up with their own.

May we be so sacrificial, that we may be worthy of such friends in our time of need.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A SCIENTIST.........

.........To learn from God's marvelous creation, you only need to stop long enough to observe and let God reveal His wonders to you.

"Ask the beasts, and they will teach you ; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" job 12:7-9

Someone "asked" the geese.

Please share this message with others!



James Oh

A glass of Milk

Dear loving readers and visitors,

Trust the story below will inspire you the way it has inspired me. I decided to do so immediately after I finished reading it.




The story begins:-




One day, a poor boy was selling clothing door to door, to pay for his education realized that he only had ten cents left in his pockets. He was hungry and so decided to ask for some food at the next house that he came to.


In the meantime he lost his hungry when a beautiful young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked her for a glass of water.


She saw that he was very hungry so instead brought a huge glass of milk. He drank it very it very slowly and then asked, "how much do I owe you?"


"You do not owe me anything at all." she replied. " My mother taught us never to accept anything for doing someone a kindness."


He replied, " Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart."


When Howard Kelly left the house, as well as feeling stronger physically, he sensed a return of his faith in the Lord which he had nearly abandoned.


Years later, this same young woman fell gravely ill. The local doctors were mystified, so they sent her to the big city where they knew that specialists would be able to diagnose this rare sickness.


Doctor Howard Kelly was called a consultant. When he heard the name of the city where she lived, a memory burned brightly in his eyes.


He got up and went to her room. As he entered her room, he immediately recognized her. He returned to the consultation room, determined to do his beat to save her life.From that day on, her paid special attention to this case. After a long battle, the war was finally won.


Doctor Kelly left instructions that the bill should be sent to him for authorization. He looked it over, wrote something in the margin, and sent it to her room.


She thought that when she opened the envelope she would find the rest of her life to pay in full. But when she finally opened it.


Something caught her attention in the margin of the invoice.


She read these words: "Paid in full with a glass of milk, Doctor Howard Kelly.


Tears of joy filled her eyes and her heart. She prayed: "Thank you, Lord, for your love has crossed the hands and heart of man."


There is a saying that goes like this- Bread thrown over the water returns to you.


An act of goodness that you do today can come back to you or someone that you love, when you are not expecting it. If you do not see this act of goodness returned, at least you will have made a difference in this world. And in the end, isn't that what life is all about?







That's how the story ended...


Small gesture has great impact. So, never underestimate this little gesture throughout our daily lives. You may make a great difference through this little small gesture daily.


You now have a choice now. You may share this story with others or make belief that you were never touched by it.


May I conclude that the hardest lesson in life, is to know which bridges to cross, and which to burn.......


Many people pass through our lives but only real friends leave their imprint in our hearts..


Have a wonderful day,




James Oh

UNIQUE SHOP AT OLD STREET, HANGZHOU

Dear loving readers and visitors,



The name of the shop, in the photo above, literally means "heaven of match". Well described and really eye catching with the red paint. The meaning of the name of the shop is also well match with its nature of business. Perfect match.



Perhaps you may take a guess as to why I write to share with you about this unique shop.

What so special about this shop? What's the value you can learn from it?

The colorful match boxes, printed with all sorts of photos and pictures of movies, actresses and actors are well displayed at the glass cabinet at the shop. Very beautiful and adorable to their fans.

My friend, who has been collecting match boxes since his teenage years was instantly drawn to this shop when we walked along this old street in Hangzhou. He immediately selected some of his choices and bought them without any hesitation.

Below please some of scenery of this street; which has maintained its old traditional village image; where we found this unique match shop.



Hilly slope near to the main entrance of the ancient street.



The main entrance leading to the ancient street.



The shops still maintain its ancient style to offer its visitors of old sensation.




Ancient shop with colorful banners, flags, and all sorts of sign boards. The moment you entered into this street, you were have the real feeling of entering into the old ancient village, like the movies displaying the ancient village.




Contrary to our beliefs that the glory of this match has gone, this shop had successfully attracted many visitors of all ages. Amazing to find such a shop with all sorts of sizes of match boxes, colors, and printed with attractive photos of favorite movies stars, fairly tales and heroes. Unique, creative and innovative ways of revive the old goodies items. This will not only create employment in the labor market, but also create additional hobbies for its collectors.

I find it is very interesting and still applicable in our lives. It has taught me an invaluable lesson which made me share with you. This profound principle suggests that everyone will not obsolete so long as he knows how to capture the opportunity and he shall then been able to transform himself and create a niche market for himself, the same way like this match box. With some cosmetic change, it still can regain its former glory and stay in style.

I dare to say that most people thought that this match box will no longer useful and sale-able in today world. Lighter has replaced this obsolete item. However, if you had visited the shop above, your thought most likely would change, as I did. I found it very inspiring and interesting to share with you such an invaluable lesson.

If you are caught in the similar situation; like the match above, do not give up but seek for an opportunity to turn around your situation.

Just enlarge the relevant photo, see it yourself and you will find it so adorable and attractive than before. No wonder many people buy them for their personal collection, gift or even decorative items.

So, when you are down. Just visit this post and look at the above photos to refresh yourself with some new hopes. Trust that it will refresh and inspire you with some new hopes. Who knows you will shine again, the same way like this match box.

It is very normal and natural for life to go through ups and downs, but what is more important is to take the corrective measure to bound back when you were downs so as to keep you to the positive state of mindset. It is well acknowledge fact that the positive mindset will not stay automatic. We need to take control.


Look forward to seeing you again,

Have a blessed day everyday,

James Oh

MY RECENT TRIP AT JIANSU WATER TOWN ZHOUZHUANG

Dear loving readers and visitors,

In my recent trip to the Jiangsu Water Town, we managed to get a bus ticket, though we arrived there almost 9:00 a.m. at Shanghai Stadium and were back there 3:30 p.m. on the same day.

Trust the photos, together with a short briefing below, will please your eyes and hearts.

Zhouzhuang is a town of Kunshan City - a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The town is situated between Suzhou and Shanghai, 30 km the southeast of Suzhou and 60 km the southwest of Shanghai.

Dubbed 'Venice of the East', this town boasts the best preserved water town in China. The town has a history of over 900 years and most of residence and houses in the town were built in Ming (1368-1644) or Qing Dynasties (1644-1911).The rivers and streams in Zhouzhuang crisscross the town and are spanned by 14 stone-arch bridges constructed in Yuan (1271-1368), Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Many thanks to these waterways, the town avoided the chaos that might be caused by wars in the past dynasties and most of its architectural layouts have eventually remained intact.

There are many fantastic places and views to visit and see, including Twin Bridges, Fuan Bridge, Shen House, Milou Tower, and more. Many bridges in the town show unique bridge traditions different from other designs. The most amazing view displays a house where a boat can enter the property through the front gate and sail through the courtyard.

The public was aware of the beauty of Zhouzhuang in 1985 after the painting, the Remembrance of My Hometown, by Chen Yifei, was presented to Deng Xiaoping, the China’s most respected political veteran, by Mr. Armand Hammer, chairman in the board of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation of the United States.

The town has been listed with the highest rank of 5-AAAAA among the national tourist attractions, and in 2001 Zhouzhuang hosted the Informal Trade Ministerial Conference of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. This year the town has once again been selected as one of the top 50 China’s tourist attractions in a nationwide survey. There are more than 1 million tourists visiting the small water town each year.




The above photo of my friend taken at the compound of the water town.


Below please find some of the beautiful scenery at the water town.


























Look at all the fishes swimming so freely in the water and their lives are so wonderful. It reminds me that to have life, we should not worry unnecessarily. It will hinder us from moving freely like the fishes. In this sense, we may forget how precious our lives are, by being caught in the rat race.

Thanks for your time and please give the above thought a serious consideration.

Have a fruitful day,

James Oh

MY 3RD DAY IN CHINA - PARK

Dearvalued visitors and readers,

Due to summer season there, we woke up early in the morning due to longer daylight hours and sky was bright even in the early morning. On our way to catch a bus to Jiangsu Water Town Zhouzhuang, we saw lots of people were performing their daily morning exercise at the park, so we decided to walk around the park.












People were doing their morning exercise near the Cross.







People were performing their daily exercise at the arch of the park.

What really caught my attention most is the Chinese brush writing.





The master of calligraphy was practicing his writing on the floor.

The big brush he used amazed me because it was filled with water and environmentally friendly as the wording will not stay on the floor. Innovative and creative way.


One of his students sweated profusely while practicing brush writing. On inquired, I was told that he needs to stand properly so as to have the right posture to write with full concentration on the word. He also needed to stand in a way that enable him to move freely, yet firmly when writing. He will then enjoy every brush of his writing and the peace he obtained is marvelous - that's the way to keep him fit and healthy. He even taught me a few steps and I did enjoy it. I found him very humble and cheerful, as it was reflected on his face.







I ponder how wonderful it will be if we can keep the elderly person to stay healthy and happy by teaching them to have such meaningful morning exercises. It will help them stay active and healthy; so as everyone can have a better life.


Thanks for your time and have a fruitful day,


James Oh

LIFE GOES ON

Dear my loving readers and visitors,


The post below I have received last night through email and I find it is so inspiring and need to share with you soonest possible. As such, I have to put aside of other posts on my recent trip to China and resume them tomorrow onwards.








See the enthusiasm, confidence and tenacity on his face? Can we ever be distressed, impatient or complaining for frivolous reasons after witnessing this?


Miracle Man Walks Again Monday, July 9, 2007


He survived against all the odds; now Peng Shu Lin has astounded doctors by learning to walk again. He has become one of the examples of the UNLIMITED power of the human spirit.


If we decide to, you and I can make our lives one of this inspiring examples.







When his body was cut in two by a lorry in 1995, it was little short of a medical miracle that he lived. It took a team of more than 20 doctors to save his life. Skin was grafted from his head to seal his torso? But the legless Mr Peng was left only 78cm ( 2ft 6in ) tall.


Bedridden for years, doctors in China had little hope that he would ever be able to live anything like a normal life again. But recently, he began exercising his arms, building up the strength to carry out everyday chores such as washing his face and brushing his teeth.









Doctors at the China Rehabilitation Research Center in Beijing found out about Mr Peng's plight late last year and devised a plan to get him up walking again. They came up with an ingenious way to allow him to walk on his own, creating a sophisticated egg cup-like casing to hold his body with two bionic legs attached to it.


He has been taking his first steps around the center with the aid of his specially adapted legs and a re-sized walking frame. Mr Peng, who has to learn how to walk again, is said to be delighted with the device. What Self Confidence!


Please share with others of this news so that it will inspire others the same way it did to us. Thank you in advance for your kind action.




Wish you have a day of abundantly of joys, happiness and peace.


James Oh

MY FIRST DAY IN CHINA, HANGZHOU AIRPORT

Dear loving readers and visitors,

Although, we have missed the last bus from the airport of Hangzhou to Shanghai; which left before we cleared our way to the Exit 1 of the airport; it did not affect us at all. At that time, we had a choice either to catch a taxi to the city or put a night there before departing to Shanghai the next day. Alternatively, we find another mean of transport to Shanghai City.

Due to our languages constraints, we understand that it is not convenient to look for a hotel at that hour in the city, which is about 40 minutes drive from the airport. Moreover, it was summer time and school was off then. So, we decided to let the broker, who claimed he can arrange a transport for us to Shanghai, do the job.

It took us about two hours from the airport to Shanghai. The journey turned up to be a pleasure one as we met an Indonesia student, who majored in Mandarin there, and we made new friends and have good laughs on hearing his experience in China.

Here, my purpose of sharing this experience with you is that whatever unpleasant thing you encounter, always remember to look up for something pleasing to you rather than let that unpleasant incidence bother you.

Finally, we reached my friend's younger brother's condo safely. There, we put two nights and really had a very good rest before we began our trip the following day. Thanks to his brother who offered us good hospitality and also acted as our tourist guide for our two days trip in Shanghai city.

Below are the photos taken at his condo.



Outside of the condo




Bathroom




Kitchen



Living room



Thanks for your time and wish you have a day of abundance of everything.


James Oh

ORIENTAL PEARL TOWER ; MY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE

Dear loving readers and visitors,






The two photos were taken at the second upper ball of the TV tower above the ground. You may notice that I was standing on top of the transparent glass floor.


For those who fear heights, perhaps you may try out my little advice. Do not look down on the transparent glass, which make you frighten. But you should look direct at the glass window and walk on top of the glass floor. Look down slowly at the moving vehicle just below the glass floor. Amazingly that the fear which trouble you much earlier has disappeared. This small exercise has proven that you can overcome anything if you could shift your mind set to other things that are pleasing to you. It also well illustrated that the real or perceived danger of what you think of is equally powerful and can be treated as a threat to you if you are not handle it with care. This experience shows how important is the control of your mind and emotion. Do not let others to manipulate you.

This similar principle can apply to life as well. Do not focus on something that is painful to you because it brings hurt to you. It may stir up your emotion and make you blame others for causing such pain to you. If you allow that to happen, then you may be easily manipulated and made use of by others for their selfish agenda. Be aware of such dogs.


As such, just stay focus on something healthy and you will be rest assured that lots of things are not that bad as what you first thought. Just like the above example, the fear is not real, but if you are not careful, you may perceive it as real. F.E.A.R is false expectation appears real.




Cultural show outside the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower.




Me at the museum of old town at the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower.


Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Lujiazui is located in Pudong New Area on Century Avenue One. The construction was began in 1991 and was finished in 1994. The main structure of Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower is 350 meters high; it is the third largest TV tower all round the world besides Toronto's TV Tower of Canada and the Moscow TV tower of the former Soviet Union, and the first one in Asia. Oriental Pearl TV Tower is comprehensively used for sightseeing, meeting, exhibition, meal, shopping, amusement, lodging and TV broadcasting. It has been the symbolic building of Shanghai in 21st century. Currently, the number of passengers and tourism earnings are ranked the second place in the world. It is only inferior to French Eiffel Tower.


The revolving Oriental Pearl Restaurant is located on the upper ball 267 meters of the TV tower above the ground. It is the highest revolving restaurant in Asia. Its business area is 1,500 square meters. It is able to accommodate 350 guests for dining. Restaurant at the same time can offer delicious set meals and Sino-foreign self-help dish. More than 100 kinds of delicacies are supplied without interruption.Simultaneously sharing delicacy and scenery with our best friends or lovers will be a romantic experience.


Shanghai city-history exhibition hall is also located in the Oriental Pearl TV Tower with an area covering over 6,000 square meters. It is for history education, culture, appreciation, tour and amusement. It is an innovative display. At night, seeing Oriental Pearl TV Tower far away presents you a colorfulness and attractiveness structure with neon-light illumination.

Thanks for your time and trust it is of assistance to you,


Look forward to seeing you again,



James Oh

MY 4TH DAY IN CHINA - LEIFENG PAGODA

Dear loving readers,







The above photo is taken at Leifeng Tower, Hangzhou and a very significant and inspiring revelation which I like to share with all of you. I hope it will inspire you, the same way as it inspired me.


Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002. Thereafter, it has been a popular tourist attraction. From the above photo, you may notice that there are elevators to bring its visitors to the foot of the pagoda. Here, i realized that is even more glory than its past glory before it collapsed. The reconstruction with modern features such as autonomous elevator and lift, air conditioners, televisions and speakers, make it better in serving its visitors.


Similarly, this principle may apply to life. When we are disappointed in life, it may be a good beginning for us, the same way as this pagoda, we may bounce back and stand up a higher level than the level you were before the fall.


Therefore, we should treat the ups and downs in our life as part of life processes, which make us even stronger to face new challenges. It is not material how many times you fall, what is more important is that you are able to bounce back and climb up to a higher level than you were before the fall. You should not be distracted by a fall, but rather treat it as an adversary, which is meant for good - to make you even stronger than before. A good new chapter is beginning rather than the ending of the beautiful story.


Trust you too have learned a good lesson from the series of events this tower had gone through.


The information below, extracted from Wikipedia is for your further reading pleasure.


Leifeng Pagoda (traditional Chinese: 雷峰塔; pinyin: Léi Fēng Tǎ) is a five story tall tower with eight sides, located on Sunset Hill south of the West Lake in Hangzhou. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002, since when it has been a popular tourist attraction.


Original


The original pagoda was built in 975 AD, during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, at the order of King Qian Chu (born Qian Hongchu) of Wuyue. It was built to celebrate the birth of Qian Chu's son, born to Huang Fei, one of his favorite concubines. The Leifeng Pagoda was an octagonal, five-story structure built of brick and wood and with a base built out of bricks.


During the Ming dynasty, Japanese pirates attacked Hangzhou. Suspecting the pagoda contained weapons, they burned its wooden elements, leaving only the brick skeleton, as can be seen from Ming paintings of the West Lake.


Leifeng Pagoda was one of the ten sights of the West Lake because of the Legend of the White Snake.


Later, due to a superstition that bricks from the tower could repel illness or prevent miscarriage, many people stole bricks from the tower to grind into powder. On the afternoon of September 25, 1924, the pagoda finally collapsed due to disrepair.


As for whether there was a mausoleum below, this was debated for years until finally radar was used to investigate. On March 11, 2001 the mausoleum was excavated and many treasures were found, most notably a gold and silver coated hair of the Buddha.


Reconstruction


In October 1999, the provincial and municipal governments decided to rebuild Leifeng Pagoda over the ruins of the old one. The new pagoda opened on 25 October 2002. It is composed of a 1400 tonne steel structure with 200 tonnes of copper parts. It contains four sightseeing elevators, and modern features including air conditioners, televisions and speakers. At the entrance of the pagoda there are two autonomous elevators to carry visitors to the pagoda's foot.


The original base of the pagoda is kept in good condition as well as the treasures discovered in an underground chamber.

To read other related article, please click at the title of the post.


I shall download the photos taken around this area later on as I have some difficulties in doing so.


Thanks for your time and look forward to hearing from you,




James Oh

THIRD DAY OF MY TRIP IN CHINA

Dear loving readers and visitors,


This is the place I spent on my third day in China.


Below please find some useful information of my trip for your reading pleasure. This is a wonderful trip with lots of excitements and enjoyment. The beautiful scenery, both of well preserved ancient or modern building are so wonderful waiting for everyone of us to explore and venture. As such, we should wisely spend our time and not waste our time for not delve in those unhealthy activities which can only bring pain and hatred in our hearts.


Life is a gift. So, live with wisely and meaningfully so as to leave behind a legacy which our great heroes had done for us. Now, it is our turn to preserve these ancient buildings for our loved future generations.







Map of Jiangsu Water-town, Zhouzhuang.







A QUICK BRIEFING OF THIS GREAT ANCIENT TOWN, exacted from its website for your easy reading


Zhouzhuang is a township of Kunshan City - a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The town is situated between Suzhou and Shanghai, 30 km the southeast of Suzhou and 60 km the southwest of Shanghai.


Dubbed 'Venice of the East', this town boasts the best water town preserved in China. The town has a history of over 900 years and most of residencies and houses in the town were built in Ming (1368-1644) or Qing Dynasties (1644-1911).The rivers and streams in Zhouzhuang crisscross the town and are spanned by 14 stone-arch bridges constructed in Yuan (1271-1368), Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Many thanks to these waterways, the town avoided the chaos that might be caused by wars in the past dynasties and most of its architectural layouts have eventually remained intact.


There are many fantastic places and views to visit and see, including Twin Bridges, Fuan Bridge, Shen House, Milou Tower, and more. Many bridges in the town show unique bridge traditions different from other designs. The most amazing view displays a house where a boat can enter the property through the front gate and sail through the courtyard.


The public was aware of the beauty of Zhouzhuang in 1985 after the painting, the Remembrance of My Hometown, by Chen Yifei, was presented to Deng Xiaoping, the China’s most respected political veteran, by Mr. Armand Hammer, chairman the board of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation of the United States.


The town has been listed with the highest ranking of 5-AAAAA among the national tourist attractions, and in 2001 Zhouzhuang hosted the Informal Trade Ministerial Conference of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. This year the town has once again been selected as one of the top 50 China’s tourist attractions in a nationwide survey. There are more than 1 million tourists visiting the small water town each year.


Suzhou, the cradle of Wu Culture, is a city with a history of more than 2,500 years, tracing back to the later Shang Dynasty. While talking about Suzhou, the old saying mentions it as a “Paradise on the Earth” or the "East Venice of the World”, referring to its natural beauty, classical gardens, bridges and waters, traditional operas and soft dialect tone.


The city is well-known to its classical gardens, in which two of them have been listed as the great world heritage sites. Situated in the downstream of Yangtze River Drainage Basin and Yangtze River Delta economic zone, Suzhou has been a national tourist center and has attracted visitors around the world.


The passage of "The rivers and streams in Zhouzhuang crisscross the town and are spanned by 14 stone-arch bridges constructed in Yuan (1271-1368), Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Many thanks to these waterways, the town avoided the chaos that might be caused by wars in the past dynasties and most of its architectural layouts have eventually remained intact." attracted my attention the most.


For those of you who have read about the series of the unique and amazing bridges of mine, will know the greatness, these bridges have done for the human beings. Similarly, these 14 stone-arch bridges had done to people at that time.


Now, they still stand proudly serving the people in a different manner. I know that they bridge the differences between the human beings so as to preserve the peace and harmony of the world. Trust that these legacy will continue to remind us of the importance of having peace and harmony.


They are also standing there proudly to remind us be united and continue serving the people as they do. So, let these bridges touch our hearts and souls to transform us to be wise as them.


Hope that everyone of us can hear the loud and strong messages echoing from these bridges and let them put those unhealthy acts into shame. Let us be united and keep on educating people of this wisdom. Remember to share our blessings to these group of people. If those being blessed with God's wisdom don't care for them, then who else will care for them? Let the bridges be the light for our walk.


Wake up and stand up, like the bridge, proudly showing the way to bridge the differences of ideologies, genders, colors, social status and what ever differences either real or not.














James Oh

AWARD GIVEN IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR WORK

Dear loving readers and visitors,





The above bamboo slip, prefaced the four Chinese Characters, which I bought at Jiangsu Water-town Zhouzhuang. The above Chinese calligraphy means "serving the people". The simple yet rich in content was advocated by Mr. Sun Yat-sen. I must admit that I am indebted to him because he had an great and significant impact on my life after I had read about him during my teenage. I also strongly believe that he had inspired lots of people in and outside China. He is also one of key figures who had contributed significantly in bringing back China to its former glory.

I find the above bamboo slip very meaningful and has a close relationship with bloggers. This fit well for bloggers who have been serving the people.

As such, I write, on behalf the readers, to give such an award to the following bloggers in conjunction with their work of serving the people:-

Blogger's / Site Name

1. Ally Lifewithally
2. Ambersun
3. Angelshair
4. Alex Moore
5. Chuah Ho San
6. Danyelle Leafty/ Myth-takes
7. Gilian
8. Hesham /My Life Thinking
9. iNet Global
10. Joo Joo
11. Joyfulsister
12. June / Simple life
13. Just Being Real
14. Karen Amanda Hooper
15. KLo
16. Lady Glamis
17. Lena
18. Linda - Nickers and Ink
19. Linda S. Socha
20. Mama Zen
21. Pearl
22. Phoebe Miriah Kirby/ Encouragement from my heart
23. Prayer girl
24. Purple Clover
25. Rags
26. Rainbow
27. Rightardia
28. Sarah A
29. Sashindoubutsu
30. Serena Lewis
31. Shadow
32. Sheila/ The Penny-Wise Hub
33. Shane at Environmental Health
34. Sliver
35. Teresa / Blueberries, Art and Life
36. Tina
37. Valyie's Life story
38. Wong Daniel
39. Yen Yen
40. Yoon See
41. The Girl from Cherry Blossom
42. Shauna Roberts
43. Jo Anne

Trust this award will inspire you to further serve the people.

Thanks and have a lovely weekend.

James Oh

WATCH OUT ! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 10 (FINAL)

Dear loving readers and visitors,

At last, we finally come to the last post of my 10 series of the poisonous animals, thus completing my mini series. May I present to you some information of this animal, nothing other than:-




10. Puffer Fish


Puffer Fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate on earth (the first one is golden dart Frog). The meat of some species is a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh) but the problem is that the skin and certain organs of many puffer fish are very poisonous to humans.

This puffy fish causes rapid and violent death. Puffers poisoning causes deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, vomiting, rapid heart rate, difficulty in breathing, and muscle paralysis. Victims die from suffocation as diaphragm muscles are paralyzed. Most of the victims die after four to 24 hours. There is no known antidote, Most deaths from fugu happen when untrained people catch and prepare the fish.

Statistics show that there were 20 to 44 incidents of fugu poisoning per year between 1996 and 2006 in all of Japan and up to six incidents per year led to death. Since Fugus poison can cause near instantaneous death, only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it.

Every day and every where we are exposed to all these animals. What we can do is prepare for the worse, but hope for the best. That is life - live without complaining and disputing. Live happily and be contented at all times. In this sense, you will be blessed with more exciting day everyday. No matter what have happened to you at the moment, there is always a better day to come because you have learned from it everyday. You will be stronger as the day go by. Otherwise, the day is considered as a waste because there is no progress in you.

Complaints or disputes will not add value to you. But it causes you more pain. Even a fool knows to blame others, but not himself. This show the lacking of accountability of himself, but it also reflect the limited mental capability of that person. His action speaks for itself.

Similarly, it also shows the lack of courage to admit his own fault. This differs from being a good and wise leader. It is also very pitiful to see these people deny God's wisdom causing them to suffer such a pain in their lives, which make them suffer distraught. 

Thank God that we are able to see all these intangible things because of His grace and blessings.

Thanks for your time and trust it inspires you further.


James Oh

WATCH OUT ! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 9

Dear loving readers and visitors,

I just returned from China early morning today and I have not posted any article during my stay there as I can't access my blog despite numerous attempts.

I would say that this trip of mine is so pleasant meaningful and fruitful and I will going to share these wonderful moments with you of my forthcoming series posts, immediately after i have completed the last two posts of this series of poisonous animals.





9. Poison Dart Frog

If you ever happen to be running through the rain forests somewhere in Central or South America, do not ever pick up beautiful and colorful frogs - it can be the Poison Dart Frog. This frog is probably the most poisonous animal on earth.The 2 inch long (5cm) golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 adult humans or 20,000 mice. Only 2 micrograms of this lethal toxin (the amount that fits on the head of a pin) is capable of killing a human or other large mammal. They are called dart frogs because indigenous Amerindians use their toxic secretions to poison the tips of their blow-darts.. Poison dart frogs keep their poison in their skins and will sicken or kill anybody who touches or eats it.

It reminds me not to underestimate the small sized creatures. Small size can mean many things. In the present case, small can mean beautiful. Small also can mean strong and powerful. It is also proven that small have great huge impact, like like the above insect. As such, it is also can be interpreted as seeing is deceiving. Whatever things except God and His word, can be an asset to you as well as a liability to you.

Coming back to bloggers, every post and every effort you spend on writing, tiny or huge can have a huge impact as well. As such, we bloggers would continue to blog so as to enable us to pass this huge benefit to others as well.

As a reader, you too can do it a big way. You not only empower us to write more, but you also set an example for others to follow, when they realize the benefits you have been receiving.

BIG BIG thanks to each and everyone of you. Look forward to seeing you at the final post of this series tomorrow.


Have a great lovely day,

James Oh

WATCH OUT! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 8

Dear loving readers and visitors,

Please be informed that I will be away, from Jul 18 to 21 (both date are inclusive) and I will try to post series 9 and 10, if it permits. Otherwise, I will do so when I came back on from Jul 22. This post, I am going brief you about:-





8. Inland Taipan

The prize for The Worlds Most Venomous Snake goes to the Inland Taipan of Australia. Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or an army of 250,000 mice. Its venom is at least 200 - 400 times more toxic than a common cobra. The Inland Taipan's extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes. Fortunately this snake is very shy and there has been no documented human fatalities (all known bites were treated with antivenin).

Although, it has never killed anyone, it does not mean that it won't in the future. I am sure you have heard about "prepare for the worst but hope for the best". Please stay with this blog, but to add more knowledge. Hope you will agree with me. Otherwise, please forward your thought and let me give it a due consideration. Thank you in advance.

That's all for this post.

Thanks for your time and seeing you again.

James Oh

WATCH OUT ! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 7

Dear loving readers and visitors,

This post will be my 7th in my series of most venomous animal and I am presenting to you :-

7. The Brazilian wandering spider




The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider and is the spider responsible for most human deaths.

This spider is believed to have the most potent neurotoxic venom of any living spider. Only 0.006mg (0.00000021oz) is sufficient to kill a mouse. They are also so dangerous because of their wandering nature. They often hide during the daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars..

It's venomous bite causes not only intense pain, the venom of the spider can also cause priapism - uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.

Sounds so scary, right? The enemy is everywhere, stay in control of yourself and nothing can move you unless you give consent to it. As such, I encourage you to equip yourself with adequate knowledge and you shall be rest assured to overcome all challenges. You will not only can defend yourself, but also protect your loved ones at ALL times.

Please do your part to spread this blog to others, so that they also receive the benefit like you. I just did. It is the way of showing our cares and concerns through sharing. Do not underestimate this small action. The impact may be very great. Remember THE MIGHTY FLAME FOLLOWS A SPARK OF FIRE. Same principle applied here. Just do it. The effect will take its course. Thank you in advance,

Have a fruitful day and look forward to seeing you again and again,



James Oh

WATCH OUT ! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 6

Dear loving readers and visitors,

We have come to than half of our series of poisonous animals. in this post, I am going to present you another poisonous animal, ie. no other than the :-





6. Stonefish

Stonefish would never win a beauty contest, but it would definitely win the top prize for being The World's Most Venomous Fish. It's venom causes such a severe pain that the victims of its sting want the affected limb to be amputated. It is described as the worst pain known to man. It is accompanied with possible shock, paralysis, and tissue death. If not given medical attention within a couple of hours, it can be fatal to humans.

Stonefish stores its toxins in gruesome-looking spines that are designed to hurt would-be predators.

Stonefish mostly live above the tropic of Capricorn, often found in the shallow tropical marine waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, ranging from the Red Sea to the Queensland Great Barrier Reef.

Scuba drivers, please be more vigilant if you were in these region of this oceans. "It is nice to touch, once broken is considered sold." Sound familiar when you shop in the shopping complex. In ocean, it is even more costly if you touch this small creature and it returns with a kiss.

Thanks and trust you have learn something today. Seeing you again,

James Oh

WATCH OUT! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 5

Dear loving readers and visitors,

Thanks for your time spent on reading this blog and trust it will generate sufficient value for you to remain as its royal readers. Your continuously support is greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to voice out your concerns so that I can improve from my end to serve you better. This is our belief that we are able to deliver our commitment to serve you well.

This post, I am going to introduce to you another poisonous animal, which some of you may know. It is not other than :-

5. Death Stalker Scorpion




Contrarily to the popular belief most of the scorpions are relatively harmless to humans as stings produce only local effects (pain, numbness or swelling).. However, the Death Stalker Scorpion is a highly dangerous species because it's venom is a powerful cocktail of neuro-toxins which causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death. Fortunately, while a sting from this scorpion is extremely painful, it would unlikely to kill a healthy adult. Young children, the old, or infirm (with a heart condition) are at the biggest risk.

Death stalker scorpions are spread in North Africa and the Middle East.

For those residing around these regions, please do take care and spread the news to others. Who knows, you may save life.

You may also be aware that popular beliefs may not be always right. If you recall, lots of theories were made against the popular belief before a new theory is accepted. One of the great theory is that the earth was flat - that was the common belief at one time. Another theory was that flying was impossible by men.

To be able stand out from the crowd, you must set yourself free from these limited thoughts/beliefs You must constantly expand your references so as to have better evaluation on thing you see. Remember life is a gift.

I always believe that through sharing knowledge and experience we can make this world a better place to live. Don't forget that you and I have been benefiting a lot from those who have passed down invaluable knowledge.

Big thanks to all these great heroes, who have taught us in every aspect of our lives. Now, it is our turn to pass these back to the world we have benefited from, no matter how small is our contribution. You make the difference.

Thanks for your time and look forward to hearing from you again.

James Oh

WATCH OUT ! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 4

Dear loving readers,

I will continue to run this series of the program on the 10 most poisonous animals, this post I will talk about:-

4. Blue-Ringed Octopus





The Blue-Ringed Octopus is very small, only the size of a golf ball, but its venom is so powerful that it can kill a human. Actually it carries enough poison to kill 26 adult humans within minutes, and there is no antidote. They are currently recognized as one of the world's most venomous animals.

Its painless bite may seem harmless, but the deadly neuro-toxins begin working immediately resulting in muscular weakness, numbness, followed by a cessation of breathing and ultimately death.

So, do not underestimate its size, which normally may oversight of its impact.

They can be found in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia.

Be vigilant before you deep into the water.

It is always wiser to equip ourselves with appropriate knowledge. Not only we can save our own lives, but also of others.

Trust I have passed back to the world the knowledge I have received.

Thanks for your time and your favor to assist me to achieve my destiny is greatly appreciated.

Before I end this post, make a guess what is the next poisonous animal ? I will give you the answer in my forthcoming post.


Have a fruitful day,

James OH

WATCH OUT ! IT MAY GUN YOU DOWN 3

Dear loving readers,

As promised to you earlier, I like to share with you on the third poisonous animal. That is not other than :-

3. Marbled Cone Snail





This little beautiful looking Marbled Cone snail can be as deadly as any other animals which I have posted much earlier. One drop of its venom is so powerful that it can kill more than 20 humans. If you ever happen to be in warm salt water environment (where these snails are often found) and see it, don't even think of picking it up. Of course, the true purpose of its venom is to catch its prey.

Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. It results in intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes and breathing failure. There is no anti-venom. However, only about 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail.

Equip yourself with this knowledge and you may retrieve and use it when the need arises. Do not be unnecessary worried.

Please do follow up on the next most poisonous animals which you should be aware of? Please tell us more about it if you know of. Thank you in advance.

Thanks for your time and look forward to seeing you again and again.

James Oh