Author: nlpnowcom

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Travels

Virus versus Bacteria Infections

It is now 4am in the morning, and once again (see preivious blogs), sleep is like Santa Claus, sleep has missed me out.

Is it jet lag, is it that I have mislaid my mobile phone, that I cannot get for two days a piece of equipment to work which will boost my internet signal, is it that my mind is too active, is it those horrid mosquitoes (read about what I think about mosquitoes) or the smell of the mosquito repellent pads, is it the heat and high humidity here in Malaysia, is it that I fell asleep in the evening whilst we had family visiting, or the fact that I have a very bad cold?

I think the major factor is that it is the cold, with its’ runny nose, making me sweat, giving me aching limbs and a stuffed-up head.

I came across some interesting facts, useless information, yes I am full of useless information, but facts which I would like to share with you. Perhaps getting them out of my head by writing them down, will help me find sleep. I hope it does not have the same effect on you.

Set in stone


There are two types of infection, virus and bacterial for colds.

Interesting? Well we all get colds or infections, we might as well know what we have.

Apparently the easiest way to tell the difference, is that if the mucus is clear, it is a virus, if it is yellow or green it is a bacterial infection. The horrible yellow, brown, green stuff is the body getting rid of the bacteria.

“So?” I hear you say. Well it is important to know. You can have money in your pocket, and it is important to know what type of currency it is, whether it is US Dollars or UK Pounds, and which country you are in, that will help you to determine how you can spend it, or get rid of it.

What is a viral infection?

It is caused by the presence of a virus, a microorganism, that needs a cells to grow which it invades, using the cell’s chemicals to stay alive and reproduce itself, sometimes mutating, making it difficult to fight with drugs. Viruses may contain either DNA or RNA as their genetic material.

I am told they cannot be treated by antibiotics, which if taken can make a viral infection worse.The only treatment is to suffer, like me now, and let the immune system fight it, with a little help with a good diet, loads of water for hydration, and rest and sleep, all that I am now missing. There may be anti-viral or other drugs one can take, but the medics will need to know specifically the virus to attack.

Viruses cause many common infections in humans, from the common cold, to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), caused by the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and the dreaded bird flu, the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

What is a bacterial infection?

Bacterium are living cells, much larger in size than a virus cell, and need no other cell to reproduce themselves, they are a one-cell living organism.

Bacteria can be found anywhere, from the soil we stand on, in the water we swim in and drink, in the coldest wastes of the North and South Poles, the boiling waters of hot springs of Iceland (read about my visit to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland).

Bacteria is mostly harmless, in fact they are beneficial to humans. They breakdown orgain waste, they can prevent infections and reproduce estential vitimins for human existance. Bacteria is used to produce cheese, yogurt and other foodstuffs.

Bactirial infections are caused by these microorganisms gaining entrance to the body. When the immune system is compromised, the human can catch an infection. Stress, exposure to or being with someone who is already infected or ill, and poor lifestyle choices can cause infection. All is true here, but I have clear mucus.

The infection can be treated with good nutrition, which is essential for a strong immune system, and drinking lots of water. Good regular exercise, but not too much as it may weaken the immune system. Good adequate amounts of sleep, and if needed an antibiotic treatment from a doctor.

Oh well, I am still awake, I think I will go back to the old wives tales of feeding a cold, I will raid the fridge now for chocolate biscuits, and counting sheep.

Good night world.

SLEEP Counting sheep to sleepSLEEP

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A blast from the past

Many years ago, in the dim and distant past, I worked in Saudi Arabia as software manager for Texas Instruments computers, Saudi Computer Services. It was a place I would return to after nearly twenty years to give courses near my favourite dive site. (click to see pictures).

It was a time of discovery, of myself, my beliefs, different cultures, religions, food and people.

Saudi Arabia at the time, and to a lesser extent today, was a very restricted country. It is a Muslim country, the home of the most religious places in Islam, with Mecca and Al Madina, and the Al Ka’bah, the most holiest place in the Islamic faith, they are places no non Muslims may enter.

al-Kaʿbah الكعبة al-Kaʿbah


Al Ka’bah, or The Sacred House, is a large cubical building, which Muslims face, no matter where they are in the world, five times a day to offer prayers. This building also contains the Black Stone, dating back it is believed to the time of Adam and Eve, and is the stone believed to have been kissed by Muhammad.


All other religions were banned, as were theatres, cinemas, pubs, clubs, alcohol, pork meat, and the television was heavily censored. There was not much to do, and we tended to form groups of like minded people for support and our social life.

My group was based around British nationals and sea sports, especially scuba diving. (click to see pictures.)
The friendships became very deep, as we needed at I believe a deep psychological level, support of each other.

One of these friends was Nick Milonakis, a Greek national, working for the same company.

Like all of us I think, life was hard in Saudi Arabia, and after a number of years of hard frustrating work, Nick went on holiday to Athens to be with his family, never to return.

We kept in touch, and on my finishing my work in the Kingdom, I called in on my journey back to the UK to visit Nick in Athens, spending a number of days with his family.

It was here that my belief that language is no barrier to communicating, as I took a young lady to dinner, she speaking no English and me no Greek, yet we had a great night.

It was on this journey that I reinforced my beliefs that you do not have to conform to what is commonly thought to be the only way, as I spurned my flight ticket back to London, and instead purchased a rail ticket taking me all the way from Athens to my then home Peterborough. An epic journey, with adventures that stretched me and my beliefs in myself.

Today I received an email from Nick, who I have not heard from for twenty years, wishing me a Happy New Year. Obviously Nick must have got my contact details from the internet.

Our world is a small world, and it is getting smaller. No matter how much or little time we spend or have contact with each other, their influence and memories will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Let those memories be good ones, so that when we meet again, it will be with happiness, because I am sure, we will all meet again.

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Travels

Foggy weather seems to go with travel

We left a cold and foggy UK in the morning of the 23rd December 2007, for the warmer climate of Malaysia, and our home in Bukit Mertajam, on the Malaysian Peninsular near the Island of Penang.

In the heavy fog at Heathrow Airport, we were slowly bused out the waiting aircraft. For some reason, MAS (Malaysian Air System) had not allocated enough buses to take the full load of passengers for the Jumbo jet, which delayed our take-off for two hours. At least we took off, unlike my trip to Gaziantep. (click to read).

Despite all my flying, sleep on and aircraft I find is difficult to achieve, I sleep in bouts, but in a sitting position, it does not give a truly refreshing sleep, so I watch about three films on the 11 hour flight.

As we departed London two hours late. so we arrived in Kuala Lumpur’s KLIA airport two hours late. It amazes me that flying all those miles or kilometres, they can predict to the virtual minute the landing time. Why can’t we get this right on public transport, trains and buses, in our major cities? There seems always to be an excuse for the late arrival on every journey of London’s Southwest Trains, wrong sort of snow, leaves on the track, broken rail, person taken ill or under the train.

We had half an hour on landing to cross between KLIA airport’s International Arrivals terminal, get through passport control, to the Domestic Terminal.

With such ease, about twenty people of the London flight were gathered like sheep on disembarking the plane, and herded via the connecting AirTrain, and with five minutes to spare we were sitting on the Penang flight.

My eyes were heavy with sleep, my head was spinning with lack of sleep, but there was no time to get some shut-eye on the 45 minute flight. Just time to eat the complimentary peanuts and Milo drink. I love Milo made by Nestle, a malt chocolate drink I remember my Grandmother giving me as a very young boy. Oh great taste and memories.

We picked-up our rental car from Bob Rent a car, a local company that always gives a good service, with pleasant staff, who were waiting at arrivals to see me through the rental agreements and hand me the keys. Oh, the air conditioning of the car, it was so hot and humid, I needed it, as I find the climate a little too much sometimes, especially having just arrive from London’s freezing zero degrees.

A short drive later, and we arrived at our Malaysian home. All that I needed to do, was to make the bed, put the air con on, and sleep.

My home in Desa Palma, Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia

It was now the 24th December, Christmas Eve, and I had left Santa Claus, presents, decorations, roast turkey and Christmas Pudding far behind me in the UK. This year I will celebrate Malayasian style.

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Travels

Hampton Court

One of the advantages of having visitors, is that you have to show them the local sights.

So it was yesterday.

Moon, Mee Len’s brother, was arriving from Malaysia at London’s’ Heathrow airport, and I had volunteered to pick him up to take him to his other sister’s and bother-in-law’s, Mee Chee and Joe’s house in Leatherhead, so that the family will be celebrating Christmas together.

Moons’ wife and two girls were dropped off at our home, and Mee Len wanted to take them to the home of Henry VIII, Hampton Court, which is only a couple of miles from here, as we had a few hours to waste prior to the flight arriving.

Rear view of Hampton Court
Rear view of Hampton Court


Hampton Court is a place I have been to many times, sometimes we will walk along the river Thames, from Kingston upon Thames town center, sometimes we catch the ferry. (see a video of the river and Kingston, click here).

Every time I go, I see something different, learn something new. It is like taking courses. I do not know how many courses I have attended and assisted on with Richard Bandler, hearing his stories, seeing his work time an ime again, each time I go I learn something new. Perhaps it is George Miller’s 7 +/-2 (click to read), of how much the brain takes in at any one time.

We joined a tour given my actors dressed in the style of Henry VIII’s time, acting as if they were there at the time. They told us history I did not know about, showed us things I had never seen on previous visits.

The attendants, overseeing Hampton Court, took timeout to explain aspects of the building as we walked through our tour, making the experience one not to be forgotten.

As I wondered around, my mind was racing, as some of my work, my stories are based on previous experiences at Hampton Court. The description of a walled garden in Win Wenger’s Image Streaming with the crunching of the pebbles beneath my feet, the edged lawns, trees and fountains. The rooms of my hypnotic CD, The Castle (see above in the side panel), with the rooms and stairs, are in Hampton Court.

crunching of the pebbles, the edged lawns, trees and fountains at Hampton Court
crunching of the pebbles, the edged lawns, trees and fountains

Relatives from Malaysia who had never been in temperatures lower than 20 degrees
Relatives from Malaysia who had never been in temperatures lower than 20 degrees find the UK cold.


It is surprising how much we will realise what is missing from our understanding of the world, when we revisit our experiences.

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Eating Out Travels

Fish n Chips

Good British Food, Fish n Chips
Good British Food, Fish n Chips


Not good for you I am told, deep fat fried food, but Cod and Chips, with mushy peas, and with an idea on health, some salad, plus a cup of tea. All that was missing was a piece of bread and butter.

It has been well over a year since I sat down for a traditional Fish n Chip meal. Yes I am watching my diet, but once in a while it does the soul good to indulge in what we love. I had the excuse to partake in one of my favourite meals. Some of my relatives from Malaysia on their first trip to a cold climate that we have in the UK at the moment, needed in my view to experience the local traditional cuisine, especially as they were eating only Chinese food. (see blog, Culture. Eating Chinese Style) In any case, if I have to suffer in Malaysia only eating their food, it is pay back time. He He.


Real Fish n Chip meals. OK, the girls had a meat pie and a chicken burger.
Real Fish n Chip meals. OK, the girls had a meat pie and a chicken burger.

Wrapped up against the cold in Kingston upon Thames.

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Culture Travels

Culture is changing fast in the UK.

I have been writing a little about culture, especially when I heard a participant say on a recent course,  “this is *?&$£: culture, and it will not change.”

After taking some of my relatives on a small walk after our meal in London’s China Town into Piccadilly Circus, then up Regent Street to Oxford Circus and Oxford Street, I was wondering what is happening to the British traditional Christmas celebrations, our cultural heritage, it is changing.

For a start the traditional street lights put up for Christmas lacked the festive message. They had nothing to do with what Christmas stands for, the tradition, OK the religious meaning, not even a Santa Clause and his reindeer.

In London’s Regent Street, the lights were just clusters of balls hung in the middle of the street changing colour. Perhaps they are one company’s identity or logo. Pathetic.

Xmas London Regent Street lights
Regent Street Xmas lights
In Oxford Street the street lights were not much better. Sorry about the blurred picture, I was shaking with cold.

Xmas London Oxford Street lights
Oxford Street Xmas lightsAt least the traditional Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square was there with some Carol-Singers, singing to the onlookers. The Christmas tree is a tradition, where the people of Oslo, Norway, send a tree to be placed in Trafalgar Square every year as a thank you for the effort of the British people in the Second World War to their country.

Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree

Trafalgar Square Xmas Tree

In Kingston upon Thames (20/12/2007) the lights were more festive, and this town is very multicultural, being a major shopping center for the area. If they can do it, why not Central London?

Christmas lights in Kingston upon Thames
Christmas lights in Kingston upon Thames

Britain is becoming too PC, too politically correct, as the UK is being settled by peoples from many nations of the world, for fear of upsetting these people, with other traditions, other cultures, other religions.

The tradition of holding the nativity play in the UK primary schools, where the young children would act the birth of Christ, has in some schools been dropped, withdrawn, as it may upset some of the minority of other faiths that have settled in the UK.

There was the case of a large worldwide media company having to cancel the traditional Christmas Party, usually held by organisations at this time of year, because two (2) people object to the word “Christmas” being used, even though there were I believe nearly 3,000 other staff who had no objection to the word.

The Christmas cards we send to our friends, some years ago would have said “Happy Christmas”. Now we read “Seasons Greetings”.

The culture and traditions of the British people is changing as is should do as more and more people settle in the UK, bringing their culture and traditions into the melting pot of life.

But I do think that these new people, incomers, should be more tolerant to others beliefs and culture of the countries they settle into, and those people who are trying to be politically correct go and visit certain countries in the Middle East, etc and witness their holidays.

But such is life, we have to just accept change or we will get upset, beat ourselves up, and complain.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
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Eating Out Travels

Culture. Eating Chinese Style

Some of the family from Malaysia is visiting the UK for the first time.

It was the first time they had experienced the pomp of the British culture, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and many more sights and sounds. (see previous entry for pictures, click here).

It was the first time they had experienced real cold when outside walking, “0” degrees Centigrade, as one said, smoke came out of the mouth. The poor things were wrapped-up so much, they could hardly move. Malaysia is permanently hot in the “30”‘s, and is very very humid.

We went for a meal in London’s China Town. Why after traveling all this way were they taken for a Chinese meal, and not for a typical British meal?

typical Chinese family meal

A typical Chinese meal table layout with all the food in the centre.

That got me thinking. What is a typical British meal. Where could I take them for such a meal, and I struggled to find an answer. There are Chinese, Italian, French, Indian, Bangladesh, Japanese, Turkish Kebab, Greek, American style steak houses, hamburger restaurants. But what about British, English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish?

OK we have Fish n Chips, but where are the restaurants? They are far and few between. I could only think of a few, and some of these are perhaps not the standard I would take people to for a special meal.

Where are the roast beef and Yorkshire Pud restaurants?

As I have described in previous blogs, and talked about in my trainings, food in a typical Chinese restaurant is served in the center of the table, and diners will help themselves one mouthfull at a time from the serving tray.

 

Eating Chinese Style
Eating Chinese Style

A typical Chinese meal table layout with all the food in the centre.

In a few days I will be off to Malaysia, swopping places with the family visiting the UK. There I[will be eating only Malaysian food, as there are no British restaurants for me to visit. Oh Poo Poo. I better find one here in Kingston upon Thames for them to try and me to enjoy before I leave.

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Back in the UK

Today I find myself back in Norbiton in Kingston upon Thames in the UK, and it is very cold.

Being in Turkey for such a long time, I have missed the build up for Christmas, and it has come as quite a shock to realise that it is so near and I have done nothing to prepare myself.

Part of Christmas is that we send cards to friends, relatives and people we know, and I do not think I have time now, so if you do not get a card, Happy Christamas and a Happy New Year.

For my Muslim friends, Happy Eid or in Turkey Happy Bayrami.

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NLP

Carpe Diem

I have just watched a video given by Steve Jobs for the Stanford Commencement Speech of 2005 in the USA.

In his speech for the graduation of students, he tells three stories, in my view a little inappropriate for those who had studied hard to get their qualifications, having had spent hours cramming facts and figures into their heads.
 
He tells that he had dropped out of college without gaining qualifications, only doing what subjects he wanted to do, those subjects that he had an interest in, yet he become one of the most successful and richest people in the world by applying what he had learned.

He tells how at the age of twenty he had set-up Apple computers, but at the age of thirty he was sacked (Dismissed) from his company, but then went on to set-up and create two more highly successful companies.

He tells how he discovered he had cancer, and was only given months to live, but within a few hours it was found that this cancer was a rare strain and could be treated and removed.

He had followed his dreams, those things that had inspired, motivated him, gave him great interest, those things that he loved to do in business and relationships, to become successful, but he had faced death, as he said, the one certain thing to happen to us all our lives.

From his message it seems he is saying that we should not follow others, that our life is limited, that death is just around the corner.

I think we should follow others, know their strategies, how they do things, become a success, and I believe we should take what is appropriate for us and apply them to our lives, add on to these discoveries, teaching others along the way, not for those or us to become “Little Phillip” or Steve Jobs.

I believe that we should not look at death in the face, it will happen, but we should live our lives as the FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF OUR LIVES, follow our dreams, with a smile on our face and happiness in our hearts.

Carpe Diem, the only Latin I know, enjoy the present day, live for the day.

Great speech, worth watching.

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Culture

Culture. It can change.

I recently wrote about Culture. It changes (click to read), in which I talked about my views and experiences of visiting many cultures, especially after hearing such comments as “this is *?&$£: culture, and it will not change.”

There have been many instances in our world where culture has changed over night, as against the gradual change we normally experience. Both are changes made to the culture of a group, be it the world population, countries, communities or families, and often it is done with intention.

At the moment the world governments (or most off them) are meeting in the Indonesian island of Bali, attempting to change the habits or culture of the world population in waste and energy consumption, resulting in climate change. Gradually people are becoming aware of the effects of humans, industrial activity and waste is having on our climate. We are seeing extremes of weather, due scientists say on human activity. The culture of the world has to change.

Religion has played a major role in the culture of nations, the way people dress, eat and drink, their behaviours and beliefs. Each of the major religions has sub divisions within them that has developed over time into different cultures and beliefs, Buddhists for example has Taoist Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, Judaism has Reform, Conservative and Orthodox divisions, Christianity has Roman Catholic, Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Islam has Shiites and Sunnis. Even these have sub divisions in the cultures. (I apologise if I have missed any divisions).

Fashion also plays a role in the culture of nations, often as a result of having to live and exist in the environment the people live in.

The Arabic thobe is very cooling for the hot dessert conditions and the headdress keeps the sun off the head. (see Culture. It changes entry).

wooden shoes white

The clogs of the Dutch, makes it easy in days gone bye, to work in the wet muddy fields, as the mud does not stick to the wooden shoes.

sari

It took generations for these styles of dress to be accepted and to enter into the culture of the population, but then it became the standard dress and culture. When populations moved to different countries to live, for example the Indians and Pakistani people moving to the UK, they took their style of dress, the Indian sari with them. It is their culture, along with their cultural eating and living.

It will take a few generations for this culture to change, as the first generation of immigrants stick rigidly to their cultural roots. As each subsequent generation, second and third, is exposed to the new country’s’ beliefs and culture, they are influenced by them, and integrate them into their own, and culture changes.

In some countries, it is the culture for parents, or elder family members, to arrange marriages, the joining of man and woman, to become husband and wife. As families have emigrated to other countries, their offspring, their children have integrated into the new local communities, going to school, playing with and mixing with other cultures, beliefs and religions. The children meet others, create friendships, fall in love and want to marry outside their own culture and community, which would be normal for the indigenous population. This often causes big problems, as it would be against the cultural beliefs.

Generation by generation it is becoming more acceptable to have mixed marriages in countries where cultures are mixing.

The above takes time.

There are instances were culture changes much more rapidly, and it needs a strong leader. They will change the culture of a nation overnight.

Great or infamous leaders such as Alexander the Great, Hitler, Ghandi, Lincoln, Ataturk (click to read about Ataturk), all changed their nation’s culture very quickly. Hitler changed the relatively integrated and peaceful nations of Germany and Austria into a culture of hatred during the Second World War. Whereas Ghandi used peaceful means to change India. Ataturk changed nearly overnight the culture of Turkey from the days of the Ottoman Empire to modern day Turkey.

It only takes one strong determined person, a leader, a business man/woman to change culture.

Consider a business. If the owner, the CEO, the chairman decides a new policy, to introduce new ways of practice, he will first train and change the management structure. In turn the management will train their supervisors and they will likewise train and implement the changes to the staff. Thus, the culture of the company changes. When the company’s culture changes, it changes how its’ customers use the company and its’ products and facilities.

The world population is becoming overweight, obese, as our eating habits, working and leisure activity change. We are moving away from our cultural behaviours. We need strong, determined leaders to change the culture of the world, to be more active, be fit, less wasteful, more peaceful and tolerant.

I wonder who that could be?