…and btw, repugs raiil on anything they want to, I listened to an old Bill Maher commmentary on youtibe the other night, he reeled off dozens of rethug ‘predictions’ that would occur if we didn’t do things their way, all were total made up nonsense, and yet, the general American public buys it all, hook, line and sinker.

I hate to say it, but I’m ready to live elsewhere.

Caio, Zen Lill

They allow the Tea party representatives to get away with those insults were a “ridiculous side issue.” Once again we are being made aware of the white boy philosophy which is the only sensitivity that is import is the angst of the white man.

Robert

Bradley Connor, MD
International Society of Travel Medicine

When traveling from one time zone to another, eat pasta the night before your flight — carbohydrates boost your brain’s supply of the sleep-inducing neurotransmitter serotonin.

Skip in-flight meals. Eating is one of the ways your body sets its internal clock, and airlines generally serve meals according to the time zone from which you took off, not the one where you will land.

After you land, order steak or eggs — foods that are rich in protein prompt your brain to produce neurochemicals that increase alertness.

interviewed Bradley Connor, MD, past president, International Society of Travel Medicine, New York City.

I love diving. I have the best job. It allows me to travel between Hawaii and Guam 2 to 3 times a month. Therefore i get to enjoy my love of dividing in both place. I was born in Guam so I am a little prejudiced toward Guam.

Guam has the most beautiful water. It is so clear and there are so many places to go.
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Diving in Guam
Heading to Guam because you’ve heard it has some great diving? Then you’ve heard correctly.

Guam is widely known for its superb diving and shipwrecks.

Cindy Hanson, representative of the Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, says “The SMS Cormoran from WWI and the Tokai Maru from WWII lie side by side creating the only place in the world where divers can touch shipwrecks from two world wars at the same time. Guam is home to the rarest kind of shipwreck dive.”

Not surprisingly, with all that’s going on, the coral reef and its inhabitants (including sea turtles) have been protected from pollution and over-fishing.

The water is crystal clear and has 200ft of visibility so you can see into the coral gardens teeming with fish life. There are several wrecks to be explored too.

Aquarium

For those who want to stay dry while still admiring the sea life, a visit to the aquarium at Underwater World is highly recommended. Walk through a winding plexi-glass tunnel and be in awe of the huge sharks, rays, coral and countless sea-life on view. No diving required. It’s also a learning experience while you’re there (what fish makes its own bed, for instance?

The answer is there and no, I am not telling you – you will have to visit for yourself). Time it right and you can see divers in the water doing all sorts of antics. Note that Underwater World on Guam is the world’s largest tunnel aquarium. (Tel: 1-671-649-9191)

For more information, visit the Guam Visitors Bureau website
Guam is one place you will just want to dive into, in all senses of the word.

Re travel: San Francisco residents can fly to Guam using Continental Airlines. Their website is: http://www.continental.com. Deals can be checked online at http://www.kayak.com. Prices vary according to the date you wish to travel. San Francisco residents will fly through Honolulu in Hawaii.

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So my advice is that if you have a choice and you love diving, good food and a people who are just the most cordial ever. Try Guam.

Hafa adai

Lelan

Redford Williams, MD
Duke University Medical Center

When someone is angry, our instinctive reaction typically is to get defensive (if the person is angry at us) or to give advice (if he/she is angry at someone else). These responses are not useful — they do not resolve the situation and even may inflame him further. More effective…

WHEN YOU ARE NOT THE TARGET

The best way to calm someone who is angry at someone else is to let him vent. Don’t interrupt or tell him why he shouldn’t be angry or that he should let it go. Don’t talk about the time you got mad about the same thing — this implies that your reaction is more important than his.

When he has talked himself out, acknowledge his feelings — whether or not you agree with his views.

Example: “Wow, you’re really angry with your boss. I can see how upset you are.”
After listening and acknowledging, ask if there is any way you can help. In many cases, the other person will say that you have helped just by listening. You also might be able to assist with brainstorming and problem solving. But if you try to solve the problem before hearing the person out or without his approval, he most likely will feel angrier.

WHEN THE ANGER IS DIRECTED AT YOU

When someone lashes out at you, the primitive part of your brain is activated. This creates the impulse to defend yourself from attack by telling the other person he is wrong or irrational or by getting angry yourself.

Instead, before responding, pause for a few moments and silently ask yourself four questions…

1. Is this situation important?

2. Is my reaction appropriate?

3. Is the situation modifiable?

4. If so, is taking action worth it?

To remember the four questions when you are under stress, use the partial acronym I AM WORTH IT.

I stands for Important… AM stands for Appropriate and Modifiable… WORTH IT, of course, stands for the last question.

If the answer to all four questions is “yes,” then assert yourself by telling the person…

1. Exactly what he is doing.

2. How it makes you feel.

3. What, specifically, you would like him to do differently.

Keep your voice fairly quiet and your tone neutral.

Describe behavior, not motives or personal characteristics.

Example: My wife used this technique when I came home in a bad mood at the end of a tough day.

Virginia was preparing dinner. On the kitchen counter was a big stack of mail-order catalogs that she had promised to look through a few days earlier.

I snapped, “What are these damn catalogs doing here?”

Virginia didn’t say a word for about 20 seconds. Then she replied calmly, “Redford, you just walked into the kitchen and said,

‘What are these damn catalogs doing here?’’ (She told me what I had done.)

I came home early to make dinner, and now, I am feeling hurt, unappreciated and, frankly, angry at you. (She told me how it made her feel.)

Would it be possible for you to come home at the end of the day and not have the first words out of your mouth be something critical?” (What she would like me to do.)

I turned around, walked out of the kitchen, came back in and said, “Mmm, smells good. What’s for supper?”

When I first arrived home, Virginia could have fueled an argument by snapping back, “What’s the matter with you, coming home and criticizing me?” Instead, during those 20 seconds of silence, she asked herself the four questions. Then she made a specific observation and a request for change.

If you need to respond to an angry outburst in a setting where expressing personal feelings is not appropriate — for example, at work — use a results-oriented word, such as “helpful.”

Example: “Bill, you just told me that my marketing idea for the new product is the stupidest thing you ever heard. I need to let you know that calling my suggestion stupid isn’t helpful. If you could give me some of the reasons you think it won’t work, I’d appreciate it.”

If your answer to any of the four I AM WORTH IT questions gets a “no” — focus on controlling your reaction.

Don’t say anything to the person.

Instead, if the situation isn’t important or can’t be changed, say to yourself, “Hey, it’s not that important,” or “There’s nothing I can do to change this guy.”

If requesting change isn’t appropriate or worth it, you can distract yourself by thinking about something pleasant or doing something else… or by taking a few deep breaths and thinking the word “calm” as you inhale and “down” as you exhale.

This is not the same as passively giving in. You are evaluating the situation and making a rational decision.

interviewed Redford Williams, MD, director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He is author of numerous books, including In Control (Rodale), and coauthor of the video-learning program Williams Lifeskills — Managing Stress & Anger System, available at http://www.williamslifeskills.com.