<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

DO IT NOW WHEN IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND

The Saga Of Pinehill Book II
Money, Marriage And The Way
is now published and available.
Buy direct from:

http://www.publishamerica.com
(enter the name Saga of Pinehill in
the search box)

If you enjoyed the first book, you
won't be able to put
this one down until you've finished
it. Enjoy.

DO IT NOW WHEN IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

TODAY'S TRIVIA - - -
-----------------------

How long do human brains develop?

How much does the average human brain weigh?

--------------

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA - - - -

--------------

Is it true that Walt Disney's body was frozen and stored in
Cinderella's Castle?

According to a very persistent rumor, Walt Disney had
himself frozen after his death in a cryonic chamber of
liquid nitrogen in the hope that eventually science would
find a way to bring him back to life. Some versions of the
story even place the frozen Disney in "Cinderella's Castle,"
one of the attractions at Disneyland, or directly under
Disneyland's "Pirates of the Caribbean" attraction. The
truth, however, is that Walt Disney's body was cremated and
later interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale,
California. How the rumor got started is unclear, but there
is no evidence that Walt Disney arranged for, was interested
in, or had even heard of cryonic suspension prior to his
death. For a very detailed account of this urban legend, go
to: Snopes.com

Is it true that alcohol kills brain cells?

It's no joking matter: new research put out by the American
Medical Association suggests that as little as a few beers
can cause long-term brain damage in adolescents and young
adults. That's bad news because the high school and college
years are also prime drinking years. Scientists used
magnetic resonance imaging to look into the gray matter of
girls with drinking problems. They found that the girls
showed changes in two regions: the hippocampus, responsible
for memory and learning, and the prefrontal cortex, involved
in decision-making and reasoning. Teens and young adults
appear to be especially vulnerable to damage because their
brains are still developing. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

I'LL SEE IT WHEN I BELIEVE IT!

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

There are a lot of ways to become a failure,
but never taking a chance is the most successful.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

thePEBBLE CONTENTS:

1. STRANGE BITS AND PIECES!

------------------
2. COVER STORY
------------------------------------

Around The Net

-------------------
3. MEDICAL COLUMN with Karin Henderson

Anatomy And Physiology (A&P)
The Make Up Of Your Body And
How It Functions
PART 7 of 9

-------------------
4. PERCEPTIONS by Ken Darby

Bugs Get Bigger And Better?

-------------------
5. WHY DO WE SAY IT?

-------------------
6. THINK ABOUT THIS TODAY!
7. HA! HA!HA!
8. CONTACT INFO
9. THE LAST LINE - - - - -


DO IT NOW WHEN IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND

The Saga Of Pinehill Book II
Money, Marriage And The Way
is now published and available. Buy direct from:

http://www.publishamerica.com
(enter the name Saga of Pinehill in the search box)

If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be able to put
this one down until you're finished it. Enjoy.

DO IT NOW WHEN IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

STRANGE BITS AND PIECES!

In 1955, only 330 Volkswagen Beetle's were sold at a price
of $1800 each in the United States.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

COVER STORY
------------------------------------

Around The Net

Norovirus hits cruise ship, may be new strain
Updated Thu. Jan. 25 2007 9:48 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

With yet another report of an outbreak of norovirus, this
time on a cruise ship, there are some disease experts who
are wondering whether the virus affecting so many this
year is a new strain.

The latest outbreak involves the famed Queen Elizabeth 2
cruise ship, where almost one in five of the ship's 1,600
passengers have fallen ill with the highly contagious
stomach bug.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports
that 276 passengers and 28 crew members have come down with
norovirus since Jan. 8.

The ship's operators believe that a passenger who boarded
the ship in New York likely brought the bug aboard.

It's just the latest outbreak of a nasty strain of norovirus
that has been causing severe stomach illness across Canada
and the northeastern U.S., in an outbreak that health
officials are calling one of the worst in years.

It has affected hospitals, nursing homes and other health
facilities, hitting patients with severe diarrhea, vomiting,
nausea and stomach cramps that can last several days.
The virus is suspected to be a new strain of Norwalk, a
virus within the norovirus group.

"There's a debate as to whether it's a more virulent strain
in terms of its ability to infect a greater percentage of
people in a given outbreak," infectious disease expert Neil
Rau told Canada AM.

"Even this Queen Elizabeth 2 outbreak, you have about 17 per
cent of the people affected on that ship -- that's more than
the usual say five to 10 per cent that is sometimes
described."

Rau points out that cruise ships are ideal breeding grounds
for noroviruses because of the close quarters.

"You've got elevator buttons, staircase rails, buffet
spoons, common bathrooms. So if one person is sick, they can
contaminate an entire bathroom," he says.

"Noroviruses are really hard to disinfect from surfaces. You
can get it not just from person-to-person contact but by
touching common surfaces."

"You need great cleaning to get rid of it and there's only
so much that's practical, unless you have amazing staffing
ratios where you can have people cleaning a bathroom every
hour."

CDC officials boarded the QE2 on Friday in Acapulco, Mexico,
to investigate the outbreak. They determined the emergency
sanitation measures put in place by the ship's crew, from
disinfecting casino chips to halting self-service at the
ship's buffet, were containing the outbreak. The ship is now
on its way to Hawaii.

Rau points out that there is little that can be done to
treat a norovirus infection beyond offering comfort.

"We call it supportive care, which is a way of saying, 'Just
hang if there and we'll make you feel better.'"

He says the bigger risk for the elderly -- who are often the
most common patron of cruises -- is dehydration, especially
when temperatures in tropical areas can reach above 30
degrees Celsius.

Beyond the usual advice of thoroughly washing your hands
often, there is no clinical way to prevent norovirus.

"There's no vaccine that's going to be available because
it's not just one virus, it's a group of viruses and they
shift a little bit each year or drift away each year," he
says.

"So an infection this year doesn't mean you're going to be
protected even six months from now. It's a very short-term
immunity."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Determination to reach a goal, to the exclusion of
all else, usually succeeds.
---- Ken Darby

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

MEDICAL COLUMN - - - - with Karin Henderson


Anatomy And Physiology (A&P)
The Make Up Of Your Body And
How It Functions
PART 7 of 9

But there is another important factor to remember. We
often hear that we start to deteriorate when we are born.
True enough. It's called the "aging process". It's normal
and natural. It starts at birth and ends in death. No one
can avoid it. But we can really prevent speeding up the
process! And that process is called disease and it is not
normal. But how can you possibly prevent the disease
from getting a foothold in your body if you don't know
the basic structures, functions, and needs?

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, strokes,
osteoporosis, and arthritis, plus many more can all be part of
the breakdown: of degeneration. Let's look at the normal
aging process. Normal aging is a series of lower activities:
thinner skin, fragile tissue and decreasing production of
body fluids such as lubricants, and slower mobility. It's
finer hair and less sharp eyesight. (But it is not macular
degeneration.) the terms "lesser", "thinner", "slower"
describe the normal aging process. Fewer hormones
are produced and secreted. Bone density
is reduced, but it's not an accelerated reduction as in
osteoporosis. Your heart slows down and it shows up as
fatigue and this results in less blood being circulated. That
brings about less activity, including nutrients, all through
your body. The nutrients that drive the metabolism are
fewer and less available. This is all normal. But it shows
how completely interrelated every part of you is!

Now enters a cultural phenomenon. The body of a 19 or
25 year old can run a long marathon. All the cells are
functioning at top performance. Anatomically they are
healthy and complete. Everything should be pretty perfect.
But we don't expect our 68 year old to be able to do the
same. It's not meant to be that way and for the senior who
does do this, they are to be commended. But it's rare. It's
perfectly possible. I would hazard a guess that only a tiny
fraction of our society is anatomically prepared to do this.
Most people cells are aging normally and are decreasing
their output or production. What came first? Nature or
culture? Personally I would think everything we do is
either based directly or indirectly on our understanding
of nature. Our natural makeup, experience, and
expectations influence us greatly.

-------------------------------------------
Karin Henderson is a registered nurse and is thePEBBLE's
columnist for our MEDICAL COLUMN.
We appreciate her input very much. Thanks Karin.
You can send Karin questions at
mailto:kflh@shaw.ca

Health Information Newsletter.
http://www.prescotts-inc.com

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

PERCEPTIONS . . . by Ken Darby

-----------------------DISCLAIMER

Some around me think I am an opinionated old goat.
Whether that be true or not I will sometimes, in this column,
talk about things people don't like to talk about - or don't want
out in the open. Take it all with a grain of salt.

Do your own thinking, and don't accept the things I say as
gospel. They are only mental meanderings from a simple soul.

-----------------------END DISCLAIMER

Bugs Get Bigger And Better?

Bugs sure seem to be getting healthier and more aggressive
these days. Our Cover Story talks about Norovirus, the bug
that is running rampant across Canada and the eastern U.S.

That is not the only bug that is becoming far too healthy.
If you begin to add them up we find TB is getting out of
hand, Bird Flu is still a problem and E coli in California
lettuce has caused many a problem.

The point here is not that we have bugs, sure we do. The
point is they seem to be getting more aggressive and can
easily fight against anything our medicine can use to
control them.

All this comes at a time when we have more and costlier
wars, climate change, dangerously increasing populations and
a host of other issues facing us daily.

Don’t forget my observation of earthquakes increasing in
both numbers and in strength. Plus you get the wild-card
issues like freak weather patterns. No snow in the Alps but
freezing ice storms through central U.S. and Europe.

All these things appear to be coming to a head, a crescendo.
I know not when it will stop. I only know we have not yet
seen the worst of it.

Each of us must learn to dance through this. We must be
nimble of feet and of mind. We must be prepared to change
our lifestyle and our thinking. Now is the time to start.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

WHY DO WE SAY IT?


Oats: Why do we say that a youth who's acting the gay young
blade is "feeling his oats" or "sowing his wild oats"?

It's because feeding oats to a horse makes him lively. When
a horse begins to prance around he's "feeling his oats". And
when he finds wild oats in the pasture and eats them and
then, feeling these oats, starts gadding about he will
literally as well as figuratively "sow his wild oats".

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

DO IT NOW WHEN IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND

The Saga Of Pinehill Book II
Money, Marriage And The Way
is now published and available. Buy direct from:

http://www.publishamerica.com
(enter the name Saga of Pinehill in the search box)

If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be able to put
this one down until you've finished it. Enjoy.

DO IT NOW WHEN IT'S FRESH IN YOUR MIND

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

THINK ABOUT THIS TODAY!


Take spring when it comes, and rejoice. Take happiness
when it comes, and rejoice. Take love when it comes,
and rejoice. 
Carl Ewald (1856-1908)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

HA! HA! HA!

Cowboy Joe was telling his fellow cowboys back on the ranch
about his first visit to a big-city church.

"When I got there, they had me park my old truck in the
corral," Joe began.

"You mean the parking lot," interrupted Charlie, a worldlier
fellow.

"I walked up the trail to the door," Joe continued.

"The sidewalk to the door," Charlie corrected him.

"Inside the door, I was met by this dude," Joe went on.

"That would be the usher," Charlie explained.

"Well, the usher led me down the chute," Joe said.

"You mean the aisle," Charlie said.

"Then, he led me to a stall and told me to sit there," Joe
continued.

"Pew," Charlie retorted.

"Yeah," recalled Joe. "That's what that pretty lady said
when I sat down beside her."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Complete Contact info on web site
http://www.the-pebble.com

To submit articles to thePEBBLE send a blank email to -
mailto:article.submission@emailsystemscentral.com

To subscribe to thePEBBLE just send any email to
mailto:pebble@rr-email.com

PEBBLE RELATED SITES OF INTEREST AND VALUE:

http://www.the-pebble.com
http://www.spiritual-underground.com
http://www.thenewsshop.com
http://www.thenewsshop.com/oursalespeople.html

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

THE LAST LINE - - - - -

Sincerity consists in a certain tranquil courage by
which we dare to enter existence, as we are.
Louis Lavelle (1883-1951)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

REMEMBER! - IF YOU SEE IT IN thePEBBLE - IT IS SO!

To the exclusion of all else sounds pretty radical
when it comes to seeking ones objective. But consider.
To gain all the power of your Maker, would it be worth it?
---- Ken Darby