Yiruma - River Flows in You

Yiruma is the stage name of Lee Ru-ma (born February 15, 1978), an internationally-known pianist and composer from South Korea.

Yiruma frequently performs at sold-out concerts in Asia, Europe and North America. His alma mater, King's College London, England helped him gain European popularity and recognition. Among his most popular pieces are "River Flows in You", "Kiss the Rain" and "May Be". Yiruma's most popular album, First Love was released in 2001.

He began playing the piano at the age of five and moved to London when he was eleven, in 1988, to study at The Purcell School of Music. He held dual citizenship, South Korean and British, until 2006, when he gave up his UK citizenship to serve in the South Korean Navy.

Lee Ru-ma was born and raised in South Korea, and educated in England. Yiruma began playing the piano at the age of five, and subsequently moved to London at the age of eleven (1988), for the purpose of studying at The Purcell School of Music. In December 1996 he participated in the album

Tropical Fruits That Can Change Your Life

In many parts of the country, snow and ice still have a deathgrip on the local climate. In my neck of the woods, we still have massive piles of ice and snow on every street corner and at the end of every driveway. So it’s only natural that many of us are looking for a way to bust through the winter blues.

One thing that often works is to enjoy more tropical fruits, such as mangoes, bananas, coconuts, or papayas. These fruits are usually available all winter long, and are like an early preview of summer’s warmth. But beyond these warm feelings, many tropical fruits have far more powerful abilities.

Did you know that one tropical fruit can be used as a substitute for IV fluid in an emergency? Or that another tropical treat has been shown in studies to kill cancer cells? Aside from their health benefits, there are plenty of other reasons to love the following tropical fruits…and some of these benefits will definitely surprise you.

               

1. Coconuts
You might think of coconut as the sweet topping on German chocolate cake, but this fruit has plenty of health benefits as well. Coconut water has a

Ominous Storms

A storm (Proto-Germanic *sturmaz "noise, tumult") is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather. It may be marked by strong wind, hail, thunder and/or lightning (a thunderstorm), heavy precipitation (snowstorm, rainstorm), heavy freezing rain (ice storm), strong winds (tropical cyclone, windstorm) or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere (as in a dust storm, blizzard, sandstorm, etc.). Storms generally lead to negative impacts to lives and property, such as storm surge, heavy rain or snow (causing flooding or road impassibility), lightning, wildfires, and vertical wind shear; however, systems with significant rainfall can alleviate drought in places they move through. Heavy snowfall can allow special recreational activities to take place which would not be possible otherwise, such as skiing and snowmobiling.

 

Storms are created when a center of low pressure develops, with a system of high pressure surrounding it. This combination of opposing forces can create winds and result in the formation of stormclouds, such as the cumulonimbus. Small, localized areas of low pressure can form from hot air rising off hot ground, resulting in smaller disturbances such as dust devils and whirlwinds.

More on Health Benefits of Dates

Health benefits of dates are uncountable, as this fruit is affluent in natural fibres. Dates are even rich in several vitamins and minerals. These natural products contain oil, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous,manganese, copper and magnesium which are advantageous for health. It is said that consumption of one date daily is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet. Dates help in fighting constipation, intestinal disorders, weight gain, heart problems, sexual weakness, diarrhoea and abdominal cancer.

Health benefits of dates have made them the best nourishment for muscles development. People consume dates in several ways, like mixing the paste of the dates with milk, yoghurt or with bread or butter to make the food tasty and healthy. This paste is beneficial for both adults and children, especially during the time of recovery. According to the modern medicine survey, it is known that dates are useful in preventing abdominal cancer. It is also seen that many Muslims break their fast by eating dates and water according to their traditions. Breaking fast with eating dates helps us to avoid overeating of the food after the fast. When the body absorbs the nutritional value of the dates, the feeling of hunger gets pacified.
          

Dates are termed as a crown of sweets and ideal food which easily balances and digests food. It gives extra energy to a tired human body within half an hour after taking it. Dates are considered to be the best diet for confinement of the women.American Cancer Society

Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven

The Beethoven biography starts with his baptism. He was baptized on December 17^th 1770 at Bonn. His family originated from Brabant, in Belgium. His father was a musician at the court of Bonn, with a definite weakness for alcohol. His mother was always described as a gentle, retiring woman, with a warm heart. Beethoven referred to her as his “best friend.” The Beethoven family consisted of seven children, but only the three boys survived, of whom Ludwig was the eldest.

Beethoven's childhood
At an early age, van Beethoven, took an interest in music and his father taught him day and night, on returning to the house from music practice or the tavern. Without a doubt, the child was gifted and his father Johann envisioned creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy.

On March 26^th 1778, at the age of 7 ½, Ludwig Van Beethoven gave his first public performance at Cologne. His father announced that he was 6 years-old. Because of this Beethoven always thought that he was younger than he actually was. Even much later, when he received a copy of his baptism certificate, he thought it belonged to his brother Ludwig Maria, who was born two years before him and died as a child.
The musical and teaching talents of Johann were limited. Soon Ludwig learned music, notably the organ and composition by renowned musicians such as Gottlob Neefe. Neefe recognized how extraordinarily talented Beethoven was and not only did Neefe teach him music, but he made the works of philosophers, ancient and modern, known to Beethoven as well.


In 1782, before the age of 12, Beethoven published his first work,

Dates nutrition facts

What nutrients are there in dates? A lot indeed! Here are sweet, delicious fruits from the tropical oasis, brimming with much-needed minerals and energy to help you stay fit and healthy. 

Botanically; they are the fruits grow on the palm tree belonging to the family of Arecaceae in the genus:Phoenix and scientifically named as Phoenix dactylifera. The tree is believed to originate in the lands on the banks of Nile and Euphrates Rivers of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Date palm is now grown extensively for its edible fruits under warmer climates across all the continents.

The date fruit is a "drupe" in which outer fleshy part (exocarp and mesocarp) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. The fruit is oval to cylindrical in shape, 3–7 cms long, and 2–3 cms diameter, and when ripe, range from bright red to depending on the variety.
There are many varieties of date palm cultivated. ‘Amir Hajj’, ‘Saidy’, 'Khadrawy' and 'Medjool' is some of the important varieties that are popular for their superior quality.

      

Health benefits of dates

• Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most

What Do Berries Have?

Berries contain many beneficial micronutrients including vitamin C and calcium. In addition, berries are an excellent source of dietary fiber (mostly a soluble fiber called pectin). Scientists have found that berries have some of the highest antioxidant levels of anyfruits. Kale and spinach are the only vegetables with oxygen radical absorptive capacity (ORAC) values as high as fresh delicious berries. These tiny mouth-watering fruits contain numerous health-promoting compounds. They are some of the most powerful (and yummy) “good-for-you”  foods available.

If you have ever had the pleasure of picking berries right from a garden or gathering wild berries in the woods, you already know how wonderful fresh berries are. Most berries are naturally sweet and require little effort to prepare. Just rinse them under water and serve for a nutritious snack or dessert.

One cup of strawberries contains over 100 mg of vitamin C, almost as much as a cup of orange juice. We need vitamin C for immune system function and for strong connective tissue. Strawberries also add a bit of calcium, magnesium, folate and potassium and only 53 calories. 
One cup of blueberries offers a smaller amount of vitamin C, minerals and phytochemicalsfor only 83 calories. The same amount of cranberries is similar, but with only 44 calories, 1 cup of raspberries offers vitamin C and potassium for 64 calories. 
You can choose other berries with similar

Korean Ginseng - Weight Loss Herbs

Korean Ginseng and Some Advice About Weight Loss Herbs
Robert Newman, L.Ac.

In order to discuss and understand Korean Ginseng, I think it’s important that I present some information about Ginseng, generally and specifically. There are several types of Ginsengs, derived from either different species of plants or from the same species being processed and prepared in different ways. There is American Ginseng (from Panax quinquefolius), and White Chinese, Red Chinese, Korean and Japanese Ginseng (all of these last four come from one species, Panax ginseng). There has also been a species of Panax discovered to be a potentially excellent tonic herb in Vietnam. And there is also the well-known Siberian Ginseng, but that is not really a true Ginseng(Panax species) -- it is in the same family (Araliaceae), but of a different genus: Eleutherococcus senticosus. So as I just stated, the Korean Ginseng is a type of Panax ginseng, known in Chinese as "Ren Shen" ("wren shen," meaning "person/man root": a good root was said to look somewhat like the shape of a person’s body; this follows the belief that form and function are linked, so it is felt that a root that looks like a person’s body is more likely to improve the health of the body). 

 

Generally speaking, Panax ginseng is said to have the following properties, functions and indications: 

-- it is said to be sweet, sl. bitter, sl. warming; it affects the Lungs and Spleen "Qi" (this is not the western physiological "Spleen," but rather it is the Chinese concept of this organ -- it’s fairly similar to the the idea of the western pancreas: strongly responsible for the digestive and assimilative functions; but additionally, it is said to help hold up the organs and tissues to prevent prolapse, hold the blood in the blood vessels to prevent bleeding from weakness, and to be important for distributing nutrients throughout the body to maintain one’s energy and weight); 

A Tragic Accident

Think of others when you're driving.

World's most iconic skyscrapers

"The higher the buildings, the lower the morals," said Noël Coward.

We don't entirely agree.

In fact, we feel far too much is made of a skyscraper's height, when there's so much more to reflect on.

Buildings that are great, not because they're tall, but because of what they represent

1. Empire State Building,

Places to visit in Korea

Some 25 million South Koreans -- about half the population -- travel abroad at least once a year, but it’s safe to assume that most haven't seen all the beautiful sights within the country. 

Seoul only takes up a mere 0.6 percent of South Korea's territory: here are 50 stunning photographs from the other 99.4 percent of the country that are all worth a visit. 

Here are the flowery spring landscapes, sandy beaches,

Best Classical Melodies

If you think Classical music is boring, or that you don’t know enough about it to ever get your foot in the door, think again. Here are a few most well known melodies in Classical music history, and we guarantee that you have heard every single one of them already. You just may not have known their names or origins.

Specifically, the opening two measures, of only four notes. The rhythm is precisely that of the letter V in Morse Code, and for that reason, it was a signal used by the Allies in WWII (what’s the German word for irony?). Everyone in the civilized world has heard it, probably more than once. The story of how Beethoven

Kimchi

Kimchi (Korean: 김치), also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It is Korea'snational dish, and there are hundreds of varieties made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber. Kimchi is also a main ingredient for many Korean dishes such as kimchi stew (김치찌개; kimchi jjigae), kimchi soup (김칫국; kimchiguk), and kimchi fried rice (김치볶음밥; kimchi bokkeumbap).

A simple way on how to make Kimchi

My Blessed Mom - Korean Drama

This Korean drama is very sad, it touches your heart. It's about love, conflict, forgiveness and reconciliation between a mother and child. 

Adapted from the novel titled Stupid Mother Choi Mun Jung's work.

Kim Hyun Joo plays Kim Young Joo.

This drama is about a woman named Kim Young Joo, a successful

Japchae

Japchae (jabchae, chapchae) is a Korean dish made from sweet potato noodles (called dangmyeon, 당면), stir fried in sesame oil with various vegetables (typically thinly sliced carrots, onion, spinach, and mushrooms), sometimes served with beef, and flavoured with soy sauce, and sweetened with sugar. It is usually served garnished with sesame seeds and slivers of chili. It may be served either hot or cold.

This dish is served at Korean parties and special occasions, with seasonal vegetables added.

Japchae is most commonly served as a side dish, though it may be a main dish. It is often served on a bed of rice; together with rice it is known as japchae-bap (잡채밥), bap (밥) meaning "rice."

Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles) Vegetarian

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

This classic Korean noodle dish combines

Asian Wave ( 声动亚洲 ) 2012 Winner is - Malaysian singer * Shila Amzah*

Congratulations to you ...... Shila. !!

Shila made it. Our fellow singer from Malaysia is the WINNER of the singing competition Asian Wave 声动亚洲 that is running in China! Just last night, the finale of Asian Wave 声动亚洲 which has just ended in Shanghai, China was broadcasted live from Dragon TV 东方卫视.







These are the songs which Shila chose to sing in the final competition that made her the winner for the Asian Wave 2012. !!

Popular Korean Foods

Korean cuisine originated from prehistoric traditions in the Korean peninsula evolving through a complex interaction of environmental, political, and cultural trends.

Korean cuisine is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice.Kimchi is served often, sometimes at every meal. Commonly used ingredients include sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and gochujang(fermented red chili paste).

Ingredients and dishes vary by province. Many regional dishes have become national, and dishes that were once regional have proliferated in different variations across the country. The Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of the unique regional specialties together for the royal family. Meals are regulated by Korean cultural etiquette.

                                        

                             Hanjeongsik, a full-course Korean meal with a varied array of banchan (side dishes)

Korean food has become so popular that people from every culture increasingly enjoy these savory, spicy and almost soul-healing dishes. So what are some of these dishes that are so popular universally? Every culture has their own uniquely weird food but also some of the mainstream hits that almost represent as they identify of those cuisines. Following list is a great list of Korean foods appreciated by Koreans, Americans, Europeans, other Asians and everyone else. So what are they?

Knee Pain

Pineapple Express Eases Knee Pain

Anti-inflammatory effects

Aside from high levels of vitamin C, pineapples are a good source of calcium, potassium and fibre, as well as being low in fat and cholesterol. But what makes this tropical fruit truly unique? It contains an enzyme knownas bromelain, which aids digestion and causes the body to produce substances that fight pain, swelling and inflammation.

Preliminary studies suggest bromelain extract may be especially effective in treating pain associated with knee osteoarthritis, and may