Dolphins and How They Live

Dolphins and How They Live

Perhaps no other sea creature captivates and delights us as does the dolphin. Humans and dolphins have been intertwined in culture, religion, myth and folklore since nearly the beginning of civilization. Dolphins appear on coins, pottery, statues and even cave walls in many cultures from all over the world and throughout recorded history.

Ancient Greeks worshiped dolphins. In their culture, it was illegal to harm a dolphin in any way. Clearly, we humans believe that there is something special about dolphins. Join us now as we enter the dolphin's world, to meet this fascinating and curious creature of the seas.

In the simplest terms, dolphins are marine mammals, meaning that, like land mammals, they have lungs and breathe air, they give birth to live young, and they feed their young milk. Dolphins are classified in the same taxonomic order as whales, making them basically just small whales.

Evolutionary biologists believe that all of the whales and dolphins actually evolved from a land mammal which took to the seas to hunt for food over 100 million years ago. Nowhere is this more evident than in the skeleton of the dolphin, which still retains the finger bones of its ancestors, even though the fingers have long since been lost in favor of a flipper. The rear legs have been lost altogether. Instead, the dolphin has a powerful tail called a fluke.

Over millions of years, the body of the dolphin has evolved into a sleek, torpedo shape, allowing it to pass through the water with as little resistance as possible. The powerful fluke combined with the hydrodynamic shape allow the dolphin to swim at speeds of over 30 miles per hour through the water.

Because the dolphin has lungs, it must surface to breathe, and hold its breath while underwater. Again, evolution has equipped the dolphin well. Its blowhole is actually the dolphin’s nose, located conveniently on the top of its head, so it can take a breath without sticking its whole head out of the water.

Our filming expedition took place in the Bahamas, where we searched for wild Spotted Dolphins all day long every day for several weeks. There is no certain way to find dolphins, and in fact, the best way is to let them find you! Dolphins are naturally playful, and one of their favorite things is swimming in the bow wave of a boat. Because the boat pushes water out of the way as it churns through the ocean, the dolphins can actually surf in the bow wave, getting an exhilarating free ride. The right combination of boat speed and playful dolphins can result in hours of fun for dolphins and people alike!

But the playfulness doesn't end there. Sometimes the dolphins even enjoy swimming with people. Although we are slow and cumbersome in the water, the dolphins swim around us, seemingly making fun of our limited swimming abilities. It's a good thing that they do stick around, because otherwise it would be impossible to shoot footage like this. Dolphins are too fast to keep up with underwater, even using dive scooters.

Playfulness is rare in the animal world. Most animals in the oceans are more concerned about getting enough food to eat and keeping away from predators than with goofing off. But dolphins, like people, have developed to the point that they are able to acquire their basic survival needs with time to spare everyday, giving them plenty of time for play.

One of the reasons why dolphins have so much spare time is that they can find food easily, and don't have to work too hard at it. Dolphins have a form of sonar called echolocation, which enables them to "see" for great distances underwater. This is accomplished by making clicking sounds which travel through the water and bounce off of distant objects. By listening carefully to the sounds bouncing back at them, the dolphins can detect objects which are too far away to be seen with their eyes, or are buried in the sand. Their favorite food is small fishes which live in the sand. Using their echolocation, the dolphins see right through the sand and hunt these fishes with great precision.

Echolocation is also how dolphins navigate. They see distant underwater terrain using sound as clearly as we see the above water terrain using our eyes. In an attempt to record the sound of the dolphin’s echolocation we set out in a small boat. To get a good recording, we need to get away from the noises made by the generator on the research vessel. Lowering a hydrophone into the water, we can clearly hear the sound of echolocation, even though the dolphins are hundreds of yards away.

But these are not the only sounds made by dolphins. When swimming with them, we frequently hear them make squeaks and whistles. Researchers have discovered that every dolphin has its own distinctive whistles, and that one dolphin may call to another by emulating its sound. It seems as if this system is used to call each other by name. Is this a form of language? Are the dolphins talking to each other? Nobody knows for sure, but many biologists believe that they are. It would make sense that these dolphins might talk to each other.

Sometimes many of the same dolphins are seen together all of the time, suggesting that they may be friends, or relatives.

In fact, dolphins are social animals, meaning that they stick together, in groups. These groups, called pods, vary in size from two to sometimes over 100 dolphins, although it averages around 5 to 10.

We are swimming with Spotted Dolphins, but you may notice that not all of the dolphins are spotted, and some have more spots than others. Spotted Dolphins are actually born with no spots, like this one year old calf swimming with his mother. This calf won't begin to develop spots until he is about four years old. As he matures, he will develop a unique spot pattern. Like fingerprints, this pattern will give researchers a way to keep track of him.

But as Spotted Dolphins age, their spot patterns grow and change, making it necessary to keep a photographic record of the changes every year if the dolphin is to be recognized later. Other markings, like scars, do not change much every year, and make some dolphins very easy to identify. This animal has two notches out of its dorsal fin. These markings are called permanent ID's and will probably remain with the dolphin its entire life, which may be over 30 years.

Because of tedious research by many dedicated individuals, we are beginning to understand more and more about dolphin societies every year. One such individual is Captain Wayne Scott Smith. Captain Scott isn't a biologist, but he has been swimming with wild Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas for many years, and he has grown to know many of the dolphins personally.

Capt. Scott :

"When I first started swimming with these wild Spotted Dolphins up here, it started out as more of a friendship relationship. I didn't look at them as research animals ... I didn't look at them as even to catalog them. I looked at them more as a friendly animal to interact with. And this is what really cemented the relationship together is that I didn't worry about all this research stuff and I worked at playing with them ... simply being there and playing with these wild dolphins. As time has gone on, I've started to assemble the I.D. catalog, and the behavior video and started to work more into cataloging them, keeping track of them and doing informal research.

"In the identification catalog there are 105 [ dolphins ] that are named. Most of the names come from Bahamian islands or Bahamian rocks throughout the Bahamas. Some of them refer to major scars that they might have such as Sharkbait, Scarback, or Notcho. Out of the 105 individuals, there are 25 to 30 of them that I can recognize right off the bat. These are basically what I call the permanently identification marked dolphins. In other words, they have permanent markings such as the top of the dorsal fin missing, notches out of the back, things like this, that I know will stay with them all of their lives. It makes them easily recognizable whether you see them underwater or from topside. They become the ones that I'm going to be able to keep track of as the years go on."

While Captain Scott is learning about dolphins by studying them in the wild, other researchers work with semi-captive Bottle-nosed Dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon Key, Florida. These dolphins seem to thrive on the interaction they get with humans, but most also go out and wander the ocean every once in a while too. Several of the dolphins here have invented a game called "Throw seaweed at the visitors" Although at first it just seems cute, it usually leaves visitors impressed by the dolphin's intelligence ( and a little wet ).

The question of intelligence leads researchers to wonder just how smart dolphins really are. We know that they can be taught tricks, but that doesn't necessarily indicate intelligence. The dolphin's brain is quite large in comparison to its body, and the Bottle-nosed Dolphin's brain is actually larger than a human brain. Many biologists believe that the large brain is needed for the complex processing of their echolocation signals. Others think that they are just plain smart.

One sure way to recognize intelligence is in social behavior. All higher animals, like monkeys, people, and dolphins, have a complex social system, and many are also playful.

Capt. Scott :

"I think the dolphins understand that we are mammals. Mammals are kind of rare in the ocean ... for them anyway. Dolphins don't get to see a whole lot of other mammals. So I think they recognize that we are mammals. They also recognize that we interact back with them, unlike a fish or a shark that would have a tendency to swim away, we give some sort of interaction back, whether its swimming with them, eye contact with them, or things like this. I think that's what initially grabbed their interest, the fact that we interact back with them, compared with the other animals they play with."

Although it may seem that dolphins do little more than play, they have another very important activity which occupies their time: flirting. Dolphins are very tactile and social. They show affection for each other by rubbing each other with their pectoral fins. When actual mating occurs, it is completed very quickly, with the two dolphins swimming belly-to-belly during intercourse. The male's penis is normally protected inside of his body, and can only be seen during copulation, when he has an erection. After 4 to 5 months, the female will begin to show outward signs of her pregnancy.

The gestation period for Spotted dolphins is about 11 months. After the calf is born, it will stay with its mother for over two years, but is only really dependent on her milk for several months. Nonetheless, the playful, hyperactive youngster is probably quite a flipperfull for mom! Soon the calf will learn to catch its own food. But not until age 6 or 7 will the calf become sexually mature. Long before sexual maturity, the calf will engage in mock mating -- basically practicing for the real thing. Female or male, by the time the calf is sexually mature, it will know exactly what to do.

All dolphins and whales in United States waters are protected by the marine mammal protection act of 1972. Other countries have enacted similar laws designed to protect marine mammals, many of which are endangered. Although Spotted Dolphins are not endangered, other equally intelligent and beautiful species are endangered and may need our help to survive.

Learning about dolphins is one of the best ways to help them. Whether it's research at sea, or in captivity, the study of dolphins raises awareness and concern for this curious creature of myth and legend. But research also generates as many questions as it does answers. It is clear that we just don't know very much about these animals.

Certainly, dolphins are intelligent and friendly. They have been respected and admired in many cultures, all over the world. And, they can be taught complex commands by human trainers. But if we learn to listen to dolphins and understand what they may be telling us, dolphins may, in fact, teach us a lot more than we have taught them.

Thanks for Reading

Wingcent Ning
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
WingcentDotDreams.com
Singapore

Cinnamon and Honey

Cinnamon and Honey
Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around.

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon :

It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' ( very effective ) medicine or all kinds of diseases.

Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists :

HEART DISEASES :

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat.

In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged ; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS :

Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water With two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.

In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon honey and half teaspoon cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, Out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not Walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS :

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL :

Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce The level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours;

As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured.

According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDs :

Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses .

UPSET STOMACH :

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS :

According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM :

Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found That honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral Diseases.

INDIGESTION :

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA :

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' Which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY :

Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES :

Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water ... If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS :

Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS :

Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER :

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE :

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible.

Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. When the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH :

People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS :

Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restore hearing. Remember when we were kids ? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it !

You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and love ones ; everyone needs healthy help information ~ what they do with it is up to them ~ share with them now ...

Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

Build Your Self Esteem

Build Your Self Esteem

A Starter Guide To Self Improvement

So how do you stay calm, composed and maintain self esteem in a tough environment ? Here are some tips you may to consider as a starter guide to self improvement.

Imagine yourself as a Dart Board. Everything and everyone else around you may become Dart Pins, at one point or another. These dart pins will destroy your self esteem and pull you down in ways you won’t even remember. Don’t let them destroy you, or get the best of you. So which dart pins should you avoid ?

Dart Pin #1 : Negative Work Environment

Beware of “dog eat dog” theory where everyone else is fighting just to get ahead. This is where non-appreciative people usually thrive. No one will appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch and dinner, and stay up late. Most of the time you get to work too much without getting help from people concerned. Stay out of this, it will ruin your self esteem. Competition is at stake anywhere. Be healthy enough to compete, but in a healthy competition that is.

Dart Pin #2 : Other People’s Behavior

Bulldozers, brown nosers, gossipmongers, whiners, backstabbers, snipers, people walking wounded, controllers, naggers, complainers, exploders, patronizers, sluffers ... all these kinds of people will pose bad vibes for your self esteem, as well as to your self improvement scheme.

Dart Pin #3 : Changing Environment

You can’t be a green bug on a brown field. Changes challenge our paradigms. It tests our flexibility, adaptability and alters the way we think. Changes will make life difficult for awhile, it may cause stress but it will help us find ways to improve our selves. Change will be there forever, we must be susceptible to it.

Dart Pin #4 : Past Experience

It’s okay to cry and say “ouch !” when we experience pain. But don’t let pain transform itself into fear. It might grab you by the tail and swing you around. Treat each failure and mistake as a lesson.

Dart Pin #5 : Negative World View

Look at what you’re looking at. Don’t wrap yourself up with all the negativities of the world. In building self esteem, we must learn how to make the best out of worst situations.

Dart Pin #6 : Determination Theory

The way you are and your behavioral traits is said to be a mixed end product of your inherited traits ( genetics ), your upbringing ( psychic ), and your environmental surroundings such as your spouse, the company, the economy or your circle of friends. You have your own identity. If your father is a failure, it doesn’t mean you have to be a failure too. Learn from other people’s experience, so you’ll never have to encounter the same mistakes.

Sometimes, you may want to wonder if some people are born leaders or positive thinkers. NO. Being positive, and staying positive is a choice. Building self esteem and drawing lines for self improvement is a choice, not a rule or a talent. God wouldn’t come down from heaven and tell you – “George, you may now have the permission to build self esteem and improve your self.”

In life, its hard to stay tough specially when things and people around you keep pulling you down. When we get to the battle field, we should choose the right luggage to bring and armors to use, and pick those that are bullet proof. Life’s options give us arrays of more options. Along the battle, we will get hit and bruised. And wearing a bullet proof armor ideally means ‘self change’.

The kind of change which comes from within. Voluntarily. Armor or Self Change changes 3 things : our attitude, our behavior and our way of thinking.

Building self esteem will eventually lead to self improvement if we start to become responsible for who we are, what we have and what we do. Its like a flame that should gradually spread like a brush fire from inside and out. When we develop self esteem, we take control of our mission, values and discipline.

Self esteem brings about self improvement, true assessment, and determination. So how do you start putting up the building blocks of self esteem ? Be positive. Be contented and happy. Be appreciative. Never miss an opportunity to compliment. A positive way of living will help you build self esteem, your starter guide to self improvement. Learn more here ...

To Your Success,
Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

Impossible is Just a Word

Impossible is Just a Word

Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big.

Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer ? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen ? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships ?

Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our attic.

This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing.

But you know what ? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher.

The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking "I can't do this", "It's too hard", "It's too impossible", "No one can do this" ...

However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment.

Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee.

Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.

On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result ? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.

If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another header, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’

As of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’

As you iterate through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all.

You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic.

Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain” ? That is as true as it can be.

So dream on, friend ! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations.

Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible. Learn more over here ...

To Your Success,
Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

Enjoy Your Life : Change Your Point of View

Enjoy Your Life : Change Your Point of View

"Two men look out through the same bars : One sees the mud, and one sees the stars." - Frederick Langbridge, A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts

If you’ve placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again ?

In life, you are always filled with choices. You may opt to have a pessimist’s view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimist’s route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.

So why nurture an optimist’s point of view ? And why now ?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale ; to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success ; to popularity ; to good health and even to long life and freedom from trauma.

On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewife’s disorder but also a teen-ager’s disorder’ as well.

Here’s how optimists are in action and researches that back up why it really pays to be an optimist :

Optimists expect the best

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events, which will last a long time and undermine everything they do, are their own fault.

The truth is optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs is the way they explain their misfortune -- it’s the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case.

Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the 'problem' at hand. They use 'positive reinterpretation.' In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by bad situation, they perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They won’t say “things will never get better,” “If I failed once, it will happen again” and “If I experience misfortune in one part of my life, then it will happen in my whole life.”

Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.

People respond positively to optimists

Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with.

Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.

In life, these people often win elections ; get voted most congenial and sought for advice.

When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher

Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.

They persevere. They just don’t give up easily, they are also known for their patience. Inching their way a step closer to that goal or elusive dream.

Optimists are healthier and live longer

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the body's ability to fight disease.

Optimists’ health is unusually good. They age well, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

So why not be an optimist today ? And think positively towards a more fulfilled life.

Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors ? Why not be resilient ? Like everybody else you are bound to hit lows sometimes but don’t just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. And why not inspire others to remove their dark-colored glasses and see life in the bright side ? Learn more over here ...

To Your Success,
Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

How to Become an Ideal Leader ?

How to Become an Ideal Leader ?

When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be ? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.

Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.

You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished ?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker ? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too ? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.

Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.

It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes.

You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight.

Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders ? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people ? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today. Learn more over here ...

To Your Success,
Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

The Powers of a Positive Attitude

The Powers of a Positive Attitude

I am going to ask you to something very weird right now. First of all, I want you to listen to your thoughts.

Now tell me, what thoughts fill your head ? Would you label them as positive, or negative ?Now let's say you are walking down the street with these thoughts. Do you think anyone who would meet you would be able to tell you what’s on your mind ?

The answer to number one is up to you. But, the answer number two can be pretty generic.

Although people will not be able to tell you exactly what you think, they will more or less have an idea of how you are feeling.

Here's another question. When you enter a party filled with friends, do they all fall silent as if something terrible had happened ? Or does everybody there perk up as if waiting for something exciting to happen ?

You know what ? The answer to all these depends on your frame of mind.

Thoughts are very powerful. They affect your general attitude. The attitude you carry reflects on your appearance, too – unless, of course, you are a great actor.

And it doesn't end there. Your attitude can also affect people around you.

The type of attitude you carry depends on you. It can be either positive or negative.

Positive thoughts have a filling effect. They are admittedly invigorating. Plus, the people around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by this type of attitude.

Negative thoughts on the other hand have a sapping effect on other people. Aside from making you look gloomy and sad, negative thoughts can turn a festive gathering into a funeral wake.

A positive attitude attracts people, while a negative attitude repels them. People tend to shy away from those who carry a negative attitude.

We can also define attitude as the way of looking at the world. If you choose to focus on the negative things in the world, more or less you have a negative attitude brewing up. However, if you choose to focus on the positive things, you are more likely carry a positive attitude.

You have much to gain from a very positive attitude. For one, studies have shown that a positive attitude promotes better health. Those with this kind of attitude also have more friends. projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress and problems better than those who have a negative attitude.

A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you will love the way you are and are satisfied, confident, and self-assured, you also make others are around feel the same way.

A negative attitude, on the other hand, has, of course, an opposite effect. So, carrying a negative attitude has a twofold drawback. You feel bad about yourself, and you make others feel the same way.

If you want to have a positive attitude, you have to feature healthy thoughts. This is probably very hard to do nowadays since, all around us, the media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts.

A study shows that for every 14 things a parent says to his or her child, only one is positive. This is truly a saddening thought.

If you want a healthier outlook in life, you need to think happy thoughts, and you have to hear positive things as well. So, what can you do ? Well, for starters, you could see a funny movie, you could play with children, spend some time telling jokes with friends. All these activities fill you with positive stimuli, which in turn promotes positive attitude.

Although it is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things around us, you can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good things, the positive things in life.

And this positive attitude you now carry can be of benefit to other people. Sometimes when other people feel down, the thing people mostly do is try to give them advice. But sometimes, all they need is somebody to sit by them, and listen to them.

If you have a positive attitude you may be able to cheer them up without even having to say anything.If positive attitude is really great, why do people choose to adopt a negative attitude instead ?

One who carries a negative attitude may be actually sending a signal for attention. Before you get me wrong, feeling sad, angry, or gloomy is not wrong itself. But dwelling on these thoughts for far too long is not healthy either. There is a time to mourn.

As always, if you are beset by troubles, even in your darkest hour, focus on the good things in life, you will always have hope. Problems become something you can overcome.

You do not have much to lose by adopting a healthy, positive attitude. Studies show that such an attitude actually retards aging, makes you healthier, helps you develop a better stress coping mechanism, and has a very positive effect on all the people you meet every day. So, what's not to like about a positive attitude ? Adopt one today. Learn more over here ...

To Your Success,
Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotCom
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

Power Through the People

Power Through the People

Have you come across a person who is so naturally friendly that when you put him inside a room of strangers, he'll be friends with almost everyone in no time ? We call such a people-person, someone unbelievably nice and charismatic that he can charm anyone into doing anything.

A socially-empowered person achieves so much greatness, basically because of the people that catapult him to success. He earns the trust and all-out support of the people, whom he had helped before. He never runs out of help. He can do anything with the plethora of people behind him. All because he knows he maximizes his social potential !

See, if you know your social skills and you make use of them, you will reach self-empowerment. Self-empowerment is making a general overhaul in your life and turning yourself into a happier and more successful person. If you can be one of those people-persons, then I can't see any reason why you will not succeed. You just have to know how to start.

1. ) Be Genuine

Hypocrisy will just bring you all the way down. Be genuinely nice and interested to people. Once they perceive that you are Mr. Hypocrite with selfish intentions, you might as well say goodbye to self-empowerment.

2. ) Be the Greatest Listener that you can be

To earn the love and trust of the people, listen to their problems and sympathize with them. Do not just hear them out, listen to them with your heart. Make eye contact when the person talks to you. Listen as if every word matters, and it does. Brownie points when they find out that there is a confidante in you.

3. ) Laugh out Loud

I do not mean that you force yourself to laugh for every joke cracked by someone, albeit you do not find it funny at all. This means finding humor in things and not being too darn serious. A person oozing with an awesome sense of humor attracts crowds and eventually, attracts success.

4. ) Don't Forget Yourself

In the process of fluttering around like a social butterfly, you might forget yourself, allowing everyone to push you over. Remember, love and value yourself before anyone else. If you deem yourself respectable and worthy of affection, people will flock to you and not trample on you.

5. ) Do Random Acts of Kindness

You don't have to do a John Rockefeller and blow your savings to charity. Little acts of kindness matters the most, and this can be as simple as giving someone a surprise you-take-care card or helping an elderly cross the street. When we were kindergarten students, kindness was taught to us and greatly practiced. Now is the time to revive the good deeds and this time, let them stay for good.

6. ) Contact your Old Friends

Sad how some friendships are destined to goodbye, but thanks to technology, you can do something about it. Relive the good old days by flipping your yearbook and look for the great people whom you want to communicate with again. Adding these old friends to your roster of support peers will surely make you feel good all over.

7. ) Develop your Personality

Are you grouchy, grumpy and generally morose ? Whoa, you can't go through life with those. Get rid of the bad traits and habits that perpetually hamper your growth. And really, who wants a grouchy friend anyway ?

8. ) Be Confident

Be able to stride to the other corner of the room and introduce yourself to people with that winning smile of yours. Just remember : be confident, not arrogant.

9. ) Practice Control

When angry, don't snap at anyone. Never throw a tantrum. Stay calm and collected. Be adult enough to take control of situation and transform your anger into something more productive and passive. As soon as people think your anger goes to volcanic proportions easily, they will find it hard to come to you.

10. ) Keep Nurturing your Relationships

Your relationship with your family, friends and significant others is too precious that you must not neglect it whatever happens. Go out and have fun with them. Do things together. Happiness will never fly from your side as long as the people who matter the most are close to you.

In the end, using people for self-empowerment means becoming a better and more lovable person. It's a win-win situation : the people know they can turn to you anytime and vice versa. Learn more over here ...

Best Regards,
To Your Success

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads ; smooth and rocky roads ; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take ? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way ? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are : in front of a crossroad ?

There are no guarantees

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent.

There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it ? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost ? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk : Decide

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life.

But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads :

* Get as many information as you can about your situation

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s : what, who, when, where, and why.

- What is the situation ?
- Who are the people involved ?
- When did this happen ?
- Where is this leading ?
- Why are you in this situation ?

These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

* Identify and create options

What options do the situation give you ? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options ? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end.

You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

* Weigh the pros and cons of every option

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

* Trust yourself and make that decision

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose ... decide ... believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences : good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life.

Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future. Learn more over here ...

To Your Success,
Best Regards

Wingcent Ning
WingcentDotDreams
wingcent@singnet.com.sg
Singapore

The Scorpion

Scorpio ! About My Sign ...

Determined and forceful
Emotional and intuitive
Powerful and passionate
Exciting and magnetic

On the dark side ...

Jealous and resentful
Compulsive and obsessive
Secretive and obstinate

Scorpios are the most intense, profound, powerful characters in the zodiac. Even when they appear self-controlled and calm there is a seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior. They are like the volcano not far under the surface of a calm sea, it may burst into eruption at any moment. But those of us who are particularly perceptive will be aware of the harnessed aggression, the immense forcefulness, magnetic intensity, and often strangely hypnotic personality under the tranquil, but watchful composure of Scorpio.

In conventional social gatherings they are pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous ; they sometimes possess penetrating eyes which make their shyer companions feel naked and defenseless before them.

In their everyday behavior they give the appearance of being withdrawn from the center of activity, yet those who know them will recognize the watchfulness that is part of their character. They need great self-discipline, because they are able to recognize the qualities in themselves that make them different from other humans, and to know their utterly conventional natures can be used for great good, or great evil.

Their tenacity and willpower are immense, their depth of character and passionate conviction overwhelming, yet they are deeply sensitive and easily moved by their emotions. Their sensitivity, together with a propensity for extreme likes and dislikes make them easily hurt, quick to detect insult or injury to themselves ( often when none is intended ) and easily aroused to ferocious anger. This may express itself in such destructive speech or action that they make lifelong enemies by their outspokenness, for they find it difficult not to be overly critical of anything or anyone to whom they take a dislike.

They can harness their abundant energy constructively, tempering their self-confidence with shrewdness and their ambition with magnanimity toward others provided they like them. They relate to fellow workers only as leaders and can be blunt to those they dislike to the point of cruelty. In fact they are not above expressing vindictiveness in deliberate cruelty.

* * * * * * * * * *

They are too demanding, too unforgiving of faults in others, perhaps because they are not aware of the shortcomings within themselves, and extravagantly express their self-disgust in unreasonable resentment against their fellows. They do, however, make excellent friends, provided that their companions do nothing to impugn the honor of which Scorpios are very jealous. Part of the negative side of the Scorpio nature is a tendency to discard friends once they cease to be useful, but the decent native is aware of, and fights this tendency.

* * * * * * * * * *

They are fortunate in that their strong reasoning powers are tempered with imagination and intuition, and these gifts, together with critical perception and analytical capacity, can enable the Scorpions to penetrate to profundities beyond the average. They have a better chance of becoming geniuses than the natives of any other sign.

* * * * * * * * * *

But charismatic "twice-born" characters such as they can sink into the extremes of depravity if they take the wrong path, and the intensity of their nature exaggerates their harmful tendencies into vices far greater than the normal.

Rebelliousness against all conventions, political extremism to the point where hatred of the Establishment makes them utterly unscrupulous terrorists. Brooding resentment, aggressive and sadistic brutality, total arrogance, morbid jealousy, extreme volatility of temperament, these are some of their vices. At the other extreme is the procrastinator, the man or woman who is capable of so much that they do nothing and become indolent and self-indulgent, requiring extravagant praise and flattery from those whom they make their cronies.

* * * * * * * * * *

Being so gifted, they can find fulfillment in many employments. Their inner intensity can result in the ice-cold self-control and detachment of the surgeon, the concentration of the research scientist, and the heroism of the soldier. Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research, dealing with practicalities, and the solving of mysteries are relevant, can appeal to them. So police and detective work, espionage and counterespionage, the law, physics or psychology may attract them, and they can become masters of the written and spoken word.

They may be most persuasive orators and find fulfillment as diplomats or preachers and, if they make the Church their profession, their inner intensity can express itself in the spiritual fervor of the mystic or the thaumaturgy.

Scorpio is the symbol of sex and Scorpios are passionate lovers, the most sensually energetic of all the signs. For them, union with the beloved is a sacrament, an "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.". Their overriding urge in loving is to use their power to penetrate beyond themselves and to lose themselves sexually in their partners in an almost mystical ecstasy, thus discovering the meaning of that union which is greater than individuality, and is a marriage of the spirit as well as of flesh.

They are thus capable of the greatest heights of passionate transport, but debauchery and perversion are always dangers, and Scorpios can become sadistic monsters of sensuality and eroticism. Their feelings are so intense that even when their love is of the highest, and most idealistic kind, they are nevertheless frequently protagonists in tragic, even violent romances, "star-crossed lovers".

LIKES

Truth , Hidden Causes , Being involved

Work That is Meaningful , Being Persuasive

DISLIKES

Being Given Only Surface data , Taken Advantage of , Demeaning Jobs

Shallow Relationships , Flattery and Flattering

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Scorpio you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.

Problem :
** Suffering from an inferior complex where you feel self disgust and are disdainful of help from others.
Solution :
** You should try to admit that others, as well as yourself, have weakness and then practice forgiving those weaknesses until you notice them becoming less and less. Unbend and accept that you can be helped in your problems.

Problem :
** After you get everyone to agree with you and you get your own way, you are still not satisfied with the results.
Solution :
** Looking deeply within will show you that : having reached the point where you have nothing more to want for in a given situation you then realize just what you were really after. Look within first.

Problem :
** Disruptive marital relations or a breakup with a loved one.
Solution :
** You should try not to be scornful of what you perceive as a shortcoming in your partners personality and soften up your rigid, unbending attitude.

Problem :
** The peers in your group begin to avoid you, or drift away when you walk up.
Solution :
** If you feel persecuted and put upon you will express it in conversation, this causes people to be 'turned off' of you so try to change your attitude or, guard what you say.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My ruling planet is PLUTO

Mean Distance from the Sun ( AU ) 39.4
Sidereal period of orbit ( years ) 247.68
Equatorial Radius ( km ) 1,140
Body rotation period ( days ) 6.4
Tilt of equator to orbit ( degrees ) 96
Number of observed satellites 1
Mean Radius Distance from Planet ( km )
Satellite : Charon 600 20,000

Some more interesting facts about my sign :

"Bark Scorpion" - Centruroides Sculptaurus [ Straw- pale yellow in color ] is very venomous, it is nocturnal and will be found in areas around moisture or outside lights where food sources are known to gather such as beetles, cockroaches, crickets, moths, or other insects.

The color of choice for Scorpio is DARK RED TO MAROON

Your Starstone is OPAL

Mysterious Opals contain the wonders of the skies - sparkling rainbows, fireworks, and lightning, shifting and moving in their depths. Opal has been treasured throughout history all around the world. Archaeologist Louis Leakey found six-thousand year old Opal artifacts in a cave in Kenya ! It is an old myth that anyone who does not have the opal as a starstone will be the receivers of bad luck should they choose to wear it.

Thanks for reading

Wingcent Ning

wingcent@singnet.com.sg

http://wingcentdotdreams.blogspot.com

Singapore