Did you know that just seeing a flower growing in a crack in the sidewalk can lift your spirits?

 Losing touch with nature has harmed us emotionally and spiritually. We have an automatic positive response to green spaces and growing things. It is part of our makeup.

Your days are spent under artificial lights in an office, while the last of autumn's blooms are hidden beneath piles of decaying leaves.
NDD, or nature deficit disorder, has become a buzzword of late. Although it's not a recognized medical condition, concerns about its effects on wellbeing are attracting widespread attention.
"I guess it's a symptom of current lifestyle," says Dr Ross Cameron of the department of landscape at Sheffield University.

"We're so clued into modern technology and things that we're less observant about the world around us and we're more likely to learn about wildlife ironically from a National Geographic program than from a walk in the woods."


Richard Louv coined the phrase Nature Deficit Disorder in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods.  He argues that all of us, especially children, are spending more time indoors, which makes us feel alienated from nature and perhaps more vulnerable to negative moods or reduced attention span.
Dr Cameron gave his views on the subject in a lecture at the Royal Horticultural Society this month.
"[The phrase NDD] has been used as a bit of a coverall to describe the thing of where we used to have natural processes, natural experiences in our life, and that seems to be becoming less common,"

There's "another throwaway term, which is 'nature knowledge deficit', which means we don't understand as much about the natural environment as we used to, he explains.
And if we don't experience natural places or "tinker around in the garden", this can be bad for our mental health."
 Also, no connection with other living species (animals as well as plant life) makes us feel alienated instead of making us feel one with nature. Even a walk in the park can lighten your mood and give you positive feedback. Looking at flowers or birds can improve your feeling of well being. It is what we were designed to do... interact with  nature.


"As biological beings we are physiologically adapted to be in certain environments - to run, to play, to hunt, to be active basically," says Dr Cameron.
"The reality is we tend to have the lifestyle of a brick these days. We tend to sit for most of the day - we tend to be very sedentary. Just a walk around the block could help break that pattern."
His job is to think about how green spaces can be integrated into the human landscape. So, could this be the solution?
"I'm not sure it's a cure," he laughs. "Landscape is obviously a very open-ended and undefined term."
"But basically any interaction with nature/green space has potential. I would argue that as you increase the scale and quality of  the interaction, the benefits also increase."


But he says even small and simple connections with nature can "give people a buzz", be it a robin at the front door or sitting in the garden watching a butterfly.
"You don't necessarily need to go to the Rockies or go to see blue whales off the Azores or anything like that.
"It's trying to see how much of these everyday things people notice, recognize and get a positive emotional response from."
Growing a few green things in pots on your windowsill, if you live in the city, can help you connect with nature on a small scale.  We need to re-introduce green spaces in cities, in industrial areas, around schools. We are part of nature and need to re-connect with it. It is a matter good all around physical and mental health.

Maxy sez : Why Does Diabetes Make You So Thirsty?

By Sanjay Gupta, MD
Excessive thirst, or polydipsia, can be triggered by different factors such as eating too much salt or taking medications that cause dry mouth. Thirst is also a symptom of diabetes. For people with diabetes, thirst can be a sign of hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar.

The kidneys play a vital role in regulating levels of blood sugar by filtering the blood and absorbing excess glucose. When very high levels of sugar build up in the blood, the kidneys can’t keep up and they produce more urine than normal — a condition known as polyuria. As a result, you can become dehydrated.

“People who have well-controlled diabetes should be at no increased risk for excessive thirst compared with somebody who doesn’t have diabetes,” says Noah Bloomgarden, MD, assistant professor of medicine-endocrinology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and clinical endocrinologist in the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York. “It’s really poor control of one’s blood sugar and an increase in urination and excretion of water that makes people [with diabetes] feel very thirsty and increases their need to maintain water balance.”

As Dr. Bloomgarden points out, even people who are doing a good job of controlling their diabetes can develop very high blood sugar. A cold, infection, or even a very stressful situation can cause blood sugar to rise, and excessive thirst may be the first sign that something is wrong. “If you’re experiencing excessive thirst, you should contact your doctor immediately, because it may indicate severe hyperglycemia,” says Bloomgarden.

If you have diabetes and you’re not sure whether you’re unusually thirsty, Bloomgarden suggests that you check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is normal but you’re thirstier than usual (or you’re going to the bathroom more often), consult your doctor.

If you are experiencing excessive thirst related to hyperglycemia, it’s imperative to get your diabetes under control. Make sure you’re following the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor, including any lifestyle recommendations such as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. If you’re having trouble sticking with your treatment plan, you may benefit from consulting with a certified diabetes educator, who can help you self-manage your blood sugar.

It’s also important to make sure you’re drinking enough water, especially if your blood sugar is elevated. The Joslin Diabetes Center recommends drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water a day.

“There are no complications associated with increased thirst if people are able to drink water freely,” says Bloomgarden. But it can become a major issue if somebody is elderly or isn’t mobile and doesn’t have the ability to access water or other liquids. “Then they can get profoundly dehydrated, and that can be extremely dangerous,” he warns.

Do you have a health-related question for Dr. Gupta? You can submit it here. For more health news and advice, visit Health Matters With Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Goat with anxiety problem found peace of mind wearing her duck suit

A rescue goat who suffers from anxiety and various medical issues only seems to calm down when she’s dressed up in her favourite duck costume.

Baby goat Polly is blind and suffers from neurological problems and anxiety but is being cared for by the staff at Goats of Anarchy in New Jersey.

Group owner Leanne Lauricella was out shopping for Halloween and bought a child’s duck costume that she thought might look cute on her animals.

However, she quickly discovered that the costume became something a whole lot more important than a funny animal selfie.

Polly, who cries desperately and runs round the house when she can’t find Leanne, became instantly attached to it.

Leanne said, ”As soon as I put it on her, she just instantly got calm…

“There’s something about that duck costume that calms her. She goes into a little trance. She just closes her eyes and she’s out.”

As a result, whenever Polly has an anxiety attack, the duck costume comes out and everything is better.

Leanne added: ”She just calms down and goes to sleep. Instantly. It’s become a thing that she’s known for.”

Polly now has a new goat friend named Pocket who lives with her, and also seems to calm her down when they lie together.

Leanne said: “I hope that Pocket becomes her duck suit now.”

I guess we've seen everything now.

When it's time to shine, be the brightest! - Deshun Wang 80 year old hot model

High fashion runways don’t usually feature older models, let alone those with more than half a century in life experience. But this 80-year-old grandfather is proof designers have been making one BIG mistake.

Wang Deshun is an actor and artist from China with one goal: to defy the aging process by staying fit and challenging himself to try new things. This includes his modeling career, which launched when he absolutely knocked it out of the park during a runway show at China Fashion Week last year:

Deshun works out three hours per day, according to a recent feature in The New York Times. He taught modeling and organized fashion shows in his earlier days, but it was only last year that he debuted on a runway and turned into something of a national icon.

He’s commonly referred to as China’s “hottest grandpa” on social media, and fans openly admire him for breaking into modeling at such an advanced age. He’s the subject of a video titled “Be the fiercest” that’s been viewed more than 300,000 times on Youtube since August. 

Deshun says the key to succeeding in fashion ― or anything, for that matter ― is choosing a goal and never giving up. 

“It’s about your state of mind. It’s not about age,” he told The New York Times. “Nature determines age, but you determine your state of mind.”

We couldn’t have said it better.

I bet you didn't know

I bet you didn't know they were still counting votes - did you. The numbers that came out on Election Night were enough to secure Trump the presidency, but they weren’t complete. State officials are still counting millions of provisional and absentee ballots, and within two weeks, Clinton ( who is already a couple of million votes ahead in the popular vote category)  will likely have another few million votes in the bank.


Most were cast in the Clinton-leaning states of California, Washington, and New York—not swing states—so they won’t change the Electoral College. But there’s a sufficient amount to put her within striking distance of Obama’s 2012 turnout, and help put an end to the argument that she simply didn’t work hard enough.
“We probably have about 7 million votes left to count,” said David Wasserman, an editor at Cook Political Report who is tracking turnout. “A majority of them are on the coasts, in New York, California, and Washington. She should be able to win those votes, probably 2-1.” By mid-December, when the Electoral College officially casts its ballots, Wasserman estimates that Clinton could be ahead by 2 percentage points in the popular vote.
What’s with the delay? Several states, notably California and Washington, have liberal absentee and mail-in voting laws. California, for instance, allows residents to submit ballots up to three days late (although they must be postmarked on or before Election Day). These provisions have made alternative voting pretty popular, and the ballots a bit harder to count. California alone has more than 4 million votes pending; Washington is waiting on another 700,000.


This has happened before. David Leip is the one-man band behind The Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, a website cataloging vote totals all the way back to the early days of the Republic. He remembers seeing much of the same vote-counting hysteria after Election Day in 2012, when it appeared Obama would fall far short of his 2008 total. “They did the same thing—‘Oh my goodness, look at all those missing votes,’” he said.
From the numbers he’s seeing, California is due for a record turnout, and possibly other states are as well. It’s too soon to tell, he cautions, if Clinton’s total haul, which sat at 63.6 million as of the morning of November 20, will match or surpass the 66 million votes Obama received in 2012.
But let’s be clear: While these uncounted votes may grow Clinton’s popular lead, they absolutely will not change the course of the election. That math is settled; Trump holds an insurmountable lead in swing states, which turned his popular defeat into a sizable electoral victory. All the votes in liberal-leaning New York and California will not change that. Hard to figure isn't it??

Man Who Dissolved In Acidic Hot Spring Was Trying To ‘Hot Pot'

An Oregon man who died in June after falling into a boiling hot spring at Yellowstone National Park was looking for a place to “hot pot,” or soak in warm water, according to a final accident report.

Colin Nathaniel Scott, 23, was with his sister, Sable Scott, when he slipped and tumbled into the acidic boiling waters of the Norris Geyser basin on June 7, according to the report, released Monday by Yellowstone officials.

Sable Scott, 21, who was filming their excursion and captured cellphone video of her brother’s fatal plunge and her efforts to save him, told investigators her brother reached into the water to check the temperature when he fell into the 10-foot deep thermal pool, according to the report.
“They were specifically moving in that area for a place that they could potentially get into and soak,” Deputy Chief Ranger Lorand Veress told local news station KULR. “I think they call it ‘hot potting.’”

The final accident report was released following a Freedom of Information request filed by KULR. Park officials withheld the video and a description of it.
The brother and sister illegally ventured off the boardwalk near the Pork Chop Geyser when Colin Scott fell in, according to the report.

Later that day, rescuers could see portions of Colin Scott’s head with a cross necklace resting on the face and an upper torso in a V-neck shirt, according to the Park Ranger Phil Strehle’s written account.
Officials judged Scott to be dead by his severe burns and lack of movement. They were unable to recover the body at the time due to lightning storms and approaching darkness. By the time they returned the next day, the body had dissolved in the boiling waters, according to the report. The only traces were Scott’s wallet and melted flip-flops.

The Norris Geyser basin is one of the oldest and hottest thermal areas in Yellowstone, with acidic waters that can top the boiling point, according to the park’s website.

“There’s a closure in place to keep people from doing that for their own safety and also to protect the resources because they are very fragile,” Veress told KULR, adding that the area was a “very unforgiving environment.”

More people have been injured or killed in Yellowstone’s hot springs than any other of the park’s natural features, according to the National Park Service. 

Yellowstone strictly prohibits people from walking off designated boardwalks and trails and swimming in the hot springs.

What can we take away from this incident? First of all, nature can be deadly. And we do not understand all the powerful natural phenomena in our world or how they work.

So it is better to steer clear of and keep our kids away from places we are not knowledgeable about or which look potentially dangerous. And always, always obey danger signs that are placed for your protection. Yellowstone Park is a favorite vacation destination for families from all over the world. It would make good sense to have extra rangers or wardens on duty in the most dangerous areas to reinforce the many signs - because, obviously, some people are unpredictable.

NFL .... Bad Lip Reading



Pet prairie dog snuggles with tame wolf for warmth

These animals, while natural enemies in the wild, formed a bond in captivity that is often seen among animals that have been domesticated and thrust into the same environment. It's a testament to the adaptability of mammals.



Harry's girl subjected to death threats



She is the talk of high society, as commentators speculate feverishly about the girl who's won Prince Harry's heart. Now Prince Harry’s new girlfriend has revealed she has suffered huge amounts of abuse online.

The U.S. actress has been thrown into the spotlight, after it was revealed she has been secretly dating the Prince for months.
After media tried to enter her home and go through her property, Prince Harry released a statement saying he was “worried” about Meghan’s safety.
But it seems Meghan has dealt with a lot worse before, in an interview on Sunday, Meghan revealed viewers threatened to KILL her after her on screen character in Suits cheated on her boyfriend.
“People wanted to kill me! Not Rachel… ME. I never knew there were so many emojis with guns and knives. It was very unpleasant. Fortunately, Rachel got back on her pedestal, and it stopped,” she explained.
Meghan  has reportedly asked for time off from her TV show 'Suits'. The news comes just days after Prince Harry released the statement blasting the media for the “abuse and harassment” of his new love. It has been reported that the American beauty has asked for a break because she has “something important to do”.
Prince Harry and Meghan have quietly been in a relationship for 6 months now, but only confirmed the relationship in a statement through Kensington Palace earlier this week.
according to Page Six, Meghan is taking the time off in order to meet with lawyers to discuss her rise to international fame, and the scrutiny that goes along with it.
The official Kensington Palace statement said:
 “The past week has seen a line crossed. The Prince's girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment.
“Some of this has been very public – the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”
 
Meghan appears to be a beautiful, talented and intelligent girl of good sense. She is taking the logical steps to protect herself now and in the future. It's early days yet but she would make a lovely princess.

Ku Klux Klan plan parade to celebrate friend Donald Trump's win

The Ku Klux Klan wants to hold a victory parade and after party to mark Donald Trump winning the US presidency.

The white supremacist group, which backed Trump in the recent election, wants to the parade to take place on December 3 in the town of Pelham, North Carolina.

They announced their plans on their website and wrote: “Trump’s race united my people.”

The local group has around 200 members and is thought to be one of the most active Klan branches in the US. The KKK have taken credit for Trump getting to the White House.

Former Klan leader – or Imperial Wizard – David Duke said “our people” had played a huge part in getting Trump elected. After the election, Duke said it was “one of the most exciting nights of my life”.

The KKK has been active in the US since the 1860s when slavery was abolished. Currently there is reckoned to be around 6,000 members. The organization  was well known for cross burnings, hangings and terrorizing black communities. It is a lot tamer these day but it holds with the same tenets or beliefs of the original organization, white supremacy.

Maxt sez : 6 Diabetes Medication Mistakes to Avoid

By Beth W. Orenstein Reviewed by Pat F. Bass, III, MD, MPH
Treating type 2 diabetes can be tricky. Here are common mistakes that can prevent you from taking your medication as prescribed and tips for avoiding them.
If taking medication is part of your type 2 diabetes treatment plan, following your doctor's directions is essential.

“It's important you take your medications on schedule because they have a timed-release,” says Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the co-author of Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies, and founder of DiabetesEveryDay.com. Your healthcare provider has calculated the dosage and scheduling to best manage your blood sugar levels and keep them within normal range.

There's no single, exact formula when it comes to treating diabetes. But following your individualized course of diabetes medication makes it more likely to work as desired, says Matthew Corcoran, MD, CDE, ASCM, an endocrinologist in Egg Harbor, New Jersey, and founder of the Diabetes Training Camp at Franklin & Marshall College near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Controlling type 2 diabetes through medication and lifestyle changes can help you avoid serious complications such as heart disease, blindness, and kidney and nerve damage, according to the Independent Diabetes Trust. Yet it can be easy to get off track with your diabetes treatment plan, especially if you're newly diagnosed and think of yourself as healthy, according to a study published in April 2015 in Diabetes Care.

Here are common mistakes that may prevent you from sticking to your prescription routine and how you can avoid making them.

Mistake # 1 :You don't realize the role of your medications. “It is important you understand how the medications you are taking work,” Dr. Corcoran says. You’re more likely to take them properly if you do — and if you don't, ask questions of your healthcare providers. “Don’t be shy about asking your doctor to explain how your medication works,”  he says.

Mistake # 2: You forget or skip doses. Sometimes it happens, and you should know what to do if you miss a dose. Ask your doctor if you should take it as soon as you realize the mistake, or simply take the next dose on schedule. Don’t simply double up. To stay on track, set reminders, such as an alarm on your smartphone or computer. Try to connect each dose with another daily activity done at the same time. “For instance, if you are to take your medication before breakfast, keep the medication bottle by the area you eat or next to your toothbrush as part of your morning routine,” Smithson says. Once you develop a habit of taking your medications at certain times, she says, you'll be less likely to forget or delay.

Mistake # 3 :You stop taking your meds if you experience unpleasant side effects. Some diabetes drugs can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea — any of which could tempt you to go off your care plan. Don't do that, Corcoran says. Instead, talk to your doctor about the side effects. There are many different diabetes medications available, and more on the horizon, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center, so you have options. An alternative drug or a different dosage of your current medication may help alleviate side effects, Smithson says.  

Mistake # 4 : You take the wrong dose or the wrong medication. If you’re on insulin for type 2 diabetes, you may be given long-acting and short-acting insulin to take at different times, and the doses for each are likely to be much different. For example, short-acting insulin is designed to quickly lower blood sugar and is tied to pre- or post-meal blood sugar. "If you are supposed to take 40 units of long-acting at bedtime, but take the short-acting insulin instead, your blood sugar could fall too low. Pay attention each and every time you take insulin and make sure you’re grabbing the right one,” Corcoran says. It may be helpful to color-code your vials or keep the long-acting and short-acting on different shelves of the refrigerator, he suggests.

Mistake # 5 : You confuse the medications for your various health conditions. You may be taking medications not only for diabetes but for other illnesses as well. Consider using a daily pill organizer with various compartments for each day — morning, afternoon, and evening. Sit down every Sunday night and carefully fill your pillbox. It’s also wise to use just one pharmacy so that the pharmacist can cross-check all your prescriptions for possible drug interactions. Also, be sure to tell your doctor about any other prescriptions or over-the-counter medications or supplements you’re taking, Corcoran says.

Mistake # 6 :You ignore signs that your medication isn't as effective as it used to be. Over time, your diabetes medications may need adjustment, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. A drug might stop working. Losing or gaining weight, or exercising more or less, can affect your medications and dosing schedule. If you’re having symptoms of low or high blood sugar, or if your blood sugar numbers are going out of range, talk to your doctor. “You need to work continually with your doctor so that you don’t have unexpected low or high blood sugars,” Corcoran says.

How will Trump's presidency affect Canada ??

The ascendancy of Donald J. Trump to the U.S. presidency sent reverberations throughout the world, but nowhere will his election be felt more, outside of America itself, than here in Canada.
There are perhaps no two countries more intertwined, through trade, regulations, language and culture. The United States is Canada's largest market for goods and services — it's not even close — with more than $450 billion flowing across the border each year.
Trump pitched policies to voters that could be construed as concerning for policymakers north of the border, but some of his proposals could also be a boon for the country's biggest industries, namely oil and gas.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed Wednesday to work with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump 'in a positive way.' (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

He sent a clear message during his victory speech early Wednesday morning that, while he might wall off the country from Mexico, he's not opposed to positive relations with the international community.

"We will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We'll have great relationships, great, great relationships," Trump said.
"I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America's interest first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone, all people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict."


Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for his part, said he was looking "forward to working very closely with president-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead."
Here's a look at some of the impact Trump's proposed policies could have on Canada:

NAFTA

Analysts peg part of Trump's decisive victory to his success in the "rust belt states" of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, states where the Democratic Party has long relied on union members to fall faithfully in line. But the billionaire mogul's departure from his party's traditional pro-trade orthodoxy secured him votes from Americans who have grown increasingly skeptical of the promised benefits of free trade.
Trump took aim at NAFTA, in particular, assailing the deal as bad for manufacturing and American jobs.
He pointed to thousands of factories closed since former president Bill Clinton signed the deal, some because of the push to move jobs offshore, others because of technological innovation. Trump said during the campaign he will accept nothing less than a new deal.
"NAFTA is the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere, but certainly ever signed in this country," he said during the first election debate.
"I'm going tell our NAFTA partners that I intend to immediately renegotiate the terms of that agreement to get a better deal for our workers. And I don't mean just a little bit better. I mean a lot better," he later added on the campaign trail while stumping in Pennsylvania. "It's a disaster."
A spokesperson for Chrystia Freeland, Canada's international trade minister, said roughly 2.5 million Canadian jobs are dependent on trade with the U.S., while 23 per cent (or $449.9 billion) of our GDP is derived from exports of goods and services to the U.S. alone. An astounding 72 per cent of Canada's exports of goods and services go to the U.S.
Ripping up NAFTA is relatively simple, as a member country can withdraw from the agreement six months after it provides written notice of withdrawal.
But some experts, including Scott Sinclair, a director with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, think Trump's anti-trade stance will face serious headwinds.
Most of Canada's free trade with the United States is "locked in through World Trade Organization rules," Sinclair told CBC News this month. "The trade impacts may not be as dire as some people predicted, and actually I would be more worried about Donald Trump's policies around climate change and deregulation."

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, shakes hands with U.S. President Barack Obama, centre, as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on at the conclusion of a joint news conference at the North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa. Trump has vowed to open NAFTA.

Climate plan, oil and gas

Trudeau has pushed hard for a solution to tackle climate change, promising to levy a national price on carbon to help Canada meet greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets set out in the 2015 UN Paris agreement on climate change that came into force last week.
Trudeau has sought to present himself as a climate champion — even while approving major energy infrastructure projects — and has already spent considerable political capital on a climate plan with the provinces so the country can do its part to keep warming at 2 C or less.
Now, the entire UN deal could be in peril, as Trump has vowed to back out of the agreement and reverse President Barack Obama's ambitious environmental agenda.
The climate change deal is "bad for U.S. business," Trump has said, adding the pact allows "foreign bureaucrats control over how much energy we use."
He's a climate change skeptic who at one point branded global warming a "Chinese hoax," and has said the entire Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could be done away with, including its "job-killing" regulations.
One of the first things to go could be an agreement struck by Trudeau and Obama, during the Canadian prime minister's official state visit in March, to lower methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. The EPA was tasked with drawing up regulations to reduce emissions by 40 to 45 per cent below 2012 levels by 2025.
And yet there could be an economic windfall for Canada's oilpatch, which has been hit hard by low oil prices.
TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline to the Gulf Coast, denied approval by Obama for years despite intense lobbying efforts by the former Harper government, could now get the green light.
The project promises Canadian oil companies a better price on their output with more direct access to international markets.
Trump has said TransCanada should certainly pitch its pipeline again — approval would likely sail through the Republican House, which has long pushed for the project — but he also wants the U.S. to benefit from its construction and has said the U.S. should get a share of the "profits."

NATO, defence policy

Trump is not a fan of NATO, the military alliance created at the height of the Cold War to protect North America and its European allies against Russian aggression.
At the core of his criticism is that the United States foots the bill for far too much of the alliance's defence capacity, and other member nations — including Canada — are "freeloaders" for failing to contribute their fair share of domestic military spending.
Trump has said that if NATO allies don't meet its spending targets — two per cent of GDP on defence — they should get out of the alliance and defend themselves against security threats without relying on America.
"The countries we are defending must pay for the cost of this defence, and if not, the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves. We have no choice," he said.
Canada signed on to meeting that target, but that promise looks disingenuous in retrospect. Canada's spending comes in at just one per cent of GDP, or roughly $20 billion a year, a figure many argue is too low to sustain a fine fighting force.
In the short term, Canada is moving no closer to meeting its goal. The 2016 budget deferred some $3.7 billion in spending for capital projects by five years. The Conservative government under Stephen Harper also let billions in planned military spending lapse.
Canadian Forces will also soon deploy to Latvia, for a NATO mission, to stand against Russian encroachment in the Baltic states. That mission could now be up in the air as well.

Men are whoosies

New research shows male birth control works, but men can’t handle it

Many pulled out of the study after experiencing acne, pain and mood swings, forcing researchers to end it early.

In a study published recently in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers found a birth control injection for men had a success rate of 96 per cent — but the experiment was cut short due to the subjects’ unwillingness to deal with the side effects.
Looking at 320 men between the ages of 18 and 45, researchers gave participants regular injections containing progestin and testosterone over the course of 56 weeks. It suppressed their sperm count to less than one million per millilitre of semen. That’s pretty impressive considering normal sperm density ranges from 15 million to 200 million sperm per millilitre.
But the groundbreaking study ended early when 20 men backed out after experiencing side effects — including mood swings, acne, pain or panic at first injection and erectile dysfunction — and a review panel ruled it should stop “for safety reasons.” It’s too bad; continued use of the drug may have produced other side effects, like, say, heightened empathy for women on birth control. Exactly..... perhaps our male partners would appreciate what we have to endure to prevent conception. AND WE DO IT WITHOUT WHINING!!!!

Amazing synchronized dance performance

I am sorry I could not give it more definition. But it is quite remarkable





North Carolina man who donates kidney saves own life in the process

Alexandra Zaslow
Just when Pastor Tim Jones thought he was helping save someone's life, he ended up saving his own.
Squire Rushnell, author of "God Winks," stopped by the TODAY Show to share an incredible story about a God wink — or an everyday situation that turns into a life-changing event — linking Jones with a stranger.

During a craft and bake sale at his church, Mercy Independent Baptist Church in Kannapolis, North Carolina, exactly a year ago from today, Jones sat at the "meet the pastor" table near the front door, where he was blasting his favorite song, "Sow Mercy" by the Gaither Vocal Band.

"A stranger named Don Herbert was drawn to my table," Jones told TODAY. "It turned out that 'Sow Mercy' was his favorite song too."

They bonded over their love for the song and gospel music in general and then said goodbye.

Two weeks later, Herbert got devastating news from his doctors at Duke University Hospital that he would need a kidney transplant.

"After family and friends were unable to meet the rigorous donor requirements, and Don's wife, Belinda, pleaded for a donor on social media, something inside me said I needed to help, and I agreed to take a test," Jones said.

Jones found out he was a perfect match, so they prepped for dual surgeries. Jones went first to remove his kidney and Herbert was planning to follow, but after seven hours, he, his wife and Jones' wife grew worried that something might be wrong.

They had discovered a deadly aneurysm in the renal artery hidden behind his kidney.

"The bulging vein was like a ticking time bomb," Jones said. "When it ruptures, there is near-certain death."

Fortunately, doctors caught his aneurysm early enough to remove it and they were just as blown away by the God wink as he was.

"Tim, you saved Don's life today, but in the process, you saved your own!" Jones' doctors told him.

Witchy sez never give up up folks ,  there are  still some  mighty good and wonderful people out there .



Researchers say you should listen to this song if you need to relax

“Weightless” by Marconi Union has been shown to reduce anxiety in listeners by up to 65%, according to Inc. The song, which was composed with the help of sound therapists, helps insomnia and reduces stress levels — plus, it’s really beautiful. In other words, you need it in your life.

Every note in the eight-minute song is designed to lower your heart rate and blood pressure — ultimately reducing your body’s level of the stress hormone cortisol, according to The Guardian.

There is one caveat — researchers advise against listening to “Weightless” while you’re driving because it’s truly that relaxing.

Although there’s no quick fix for depression or anxiety disorder, listening to music is a powerful coping method that’s easy to incorporate into your daily routine.

Meanwhile in Canada

 Hey!!! I found Uncle Frank.
He didn't leave home

Kayaking in pumpkins. We really have too much time on our hands

No need to throw out those halloween jacko'lanterns

 All it needs is a cooler of beer ....paradise

Yay!!!Hockey season

 Having the jumbo coffee at Timmy's

Better than TV

That's what you get for mocking and offending physically challenged

people, among scores of others... A**hole

Ask for 'ANGELA' ... The new 'safe word' if you need to escape from a bad date

Many women struggle with how to protect themselves when they are faced with situations in which they feel unsafe.

Many women have found themselves on dates in which they’ve felt uncomfortable or even unsafe. Getting out of these situations can be tricky, which is why one organization has designed a clever way to help women in need of assistance.

A poster in the restroom of a bar in Lincolnshire, England, directs women who might be in compromising situations to seek help from the establishment’s staff. The sign reads, “Are you on a date that isn’t working out? Is your Tinder or POF date not who they said they were on their profile? Do you feel like you’re not in a safe situation? Does it all feel a bit weird?”

If the answer to any of those questions is yes, one has the option to go to the bar and “ask for ‘Angela.’” Once a staff member is addressed in this way, he or she will then “call you a taxi or help you out discreetly — without too much fuss.”

The poster is sponsored by Lincolnshire Rape Crisis, a nonprofit that lends free support to women who have experienced sexual violence and assault.

“The ‘Ask for Angela’ posters are part of our wider #NoMore campaign, which aims to promote a culture change in relation to sexual violence and abuse, promote services in Lincolnshire, and empower victims to make a decision on whether to report incidents,” Hayley Child, the strategy coordinator for substance misuse and sexual violence and abuse for Lincolnshire County Council, explained.

The #NoMore campaign, held from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, was designed to raise awareness for ending sexual violence and abuse, support and empower victims, and help spread the word on the various support services the organization provides.

Fortunately, the campaign was a success, and it’s not the last people will see of it. “We have had a really positive response to the campaign, including thanks from victims of abuse for the work that’s being done. The campaign has also been supported by many professional partners in the county, and we will be relaunching #NoMore in February to tie in with National Sexual Violence and Abuse Awareness Week,” Child said.
This is a good idea for restaurants, bars, theaters, in fact any establishment where people might go for a date. I hope we can introduce a similar program in Canada. Even cab drivers, service station attendants, variety store clerks should be aware of the safe word and help any woman who seems to be in distress. Often, women are too frightened or intimidated to speak out directly. In fact people in all service industries might take it a little further and discreetly ask women who seem upset or scared if everything is all right.