VivaLife

January - March, 2011

Volume 3 - Issue 1

Living Life to the Fullest

Flashback on 2010
A look at some of the best and worst

The Empty Chair

Incarceration of Liu Xiaobo

Nobel Prizes 2010

Who won and for What

Ultimate Social Experience

Traveling with Friends

Turning on the Heat

Energy crunch in Kuwait

In Praise of the lowly Vinegar

A housewife’s best friend

Warm Winter Recipes

Beat the Cold

The World according to the

World Bank
 CONTENTS
5 Editorial

6 Toyota launches Avalon 2011

6
10 Business Bytes

12 Flashback on 2010
10
14 The Empty Chair 12

16 How to Make the Most of 2011

19 A Thought to Begin 2011 On

14
20 Nobel Prizes 2010

24 Turning on the Heat

26 In Praise of the lowly Vinegar

16
29 The World according to the World Bank
24
32 Ultimate Social Experience

34 Warm Winter Recipes

20
36 Your Cosmic Calendar

26
34
32

Managing Editor Sunil P’vee Senior Editor Yacoub Omar Editorial Assistant Marcel Assousi
Content Contributors Jon Butcher - Ken Rubin - Leena Ayyad - Martin Tobola - Rick Schefren
Art Director Reyas Ensign Design & Layout TMC Kaur Web Designer Mohammed Abbas
Photography Ashraf Hassan Marketing Analyst Namaya Jayamanae
Sales Co-Ordinator Michelle Paule
For Content ed@vivalife1.com For Advertisement ads@vivalife1.com For more info info@vivalife1.com
Website www.vivalife1.com
© TIMES Group Publication - All rights reserved
An Editorial Note ...

Most people would love to buy the latest electronic products; the
the problem is not in the desire, it is in the fact that many people
often make their purchases without fully understanding what they
really want and whether the product they are buying will meet their
needs. Many of the products and services that are purchased by the
millions, are usually bought with incomplete knowledge of the prod-
uct’s capabilities and whether it will meet the needs of the buyer.

For instance, do you need to replace the new LCD television with the
even newer LED modelts; how about High Definition (HD) and what
exactly is the difference between optical zoom and digital zoom in a
digital camera. And, how can we possibly expect any regular person
to have even the faintest idea of what a wireless router might be?
Sure, it’s on sale at a very nifty price, but what is it?

Is it wenough to explain that it is an ‘All-in-one Internet-sharing

router, 4-port switch, and 54Mbps Wireless-G access point is almost
5 times faster than 802.11b, but can also interoperate with any
802.11b device (at 11Mbps)’?

Consumer electroncis are no doubt very popular, but also increas-

ingly sophisticated and complex. Simple editorial content, written
clearly for regular people becomes a necessity, especially when the
Mr and Mrs Regular-Person, is trying to buy into a complex technol-
ogy that they do not understand.

And that is what we aim to do from the next issue onwards. To pro-
vide, simple, objective editorial content on complex technologies
that will help buyers make right choices. While clearly written edito-
rial content is good, the key word here should be objective.

In some publications, it is the publisher who also writes the editorial

content, so the same person who is supposed to be writing ‘objec-
tively’ about a product is also being paid to run an ad for it, or han-
dling giveaways of the product to readers. In other instances, the
publisher is constantly watching over the shoulders of editors and
contributors; with the Damocles’ Sword of their livelihood hanging
in the balance, most editors would be reluctant to step on advertis-
ers’ toes, and the publisher’s income.

Editorial content is not supposed to regurgitate advertising content.

Offering views different from what is published by the advertiser,
is what differentitates a publication from a catalog. The world does
not need more catalogs.

But, if you the reader do not stand up for more objecitve editorial,
you can expect to see more of this editorial-in-an-advertising cloak
appear — luckily, not in Vivalife.

P ’ v e e
Sunil
www.vivalife1.com 5 Jan - Mar 2011
 Toyota launches Avalon 2011
T
oyota recently in-
troduced the boldly
redesigned 2011
Avalon. Evoking a time
when travel was sophisti-
cated, elegant and com-
fortable, the new Avalon
possesses a distinctive
new exterior style while
offering a restyled interior
rich with premium touch
points and practical new
technologies.
Dynamic New Exterior
Re-styled Avalon proj-
ects an elegant, outgoing
presence; a wider, more
substantial grille ties into
state-of-the-art projector
headlamps, working with
a broad, undisturbed front
hood to suggest a lowered
VIVALIFE 6 Jan - Mar 2011
center of gravity that em-
phasizes the Avalon’s wide
stance.
The new headlamps, which
combine multi-reflector
halogen high beams with
halogen or HID low beams,
utilize light pipes to cre-
ate a signature, night-time
appearance. The front fog
lamps, now integrated into
a trapezoidal front bumper,
provide a wider angle of
illumination.
Viewed from the side, New
Avalon is enhanced by
additional use of chrome
trim, redesigned rocker
panels, and glare-resistant
outer mirrors with inte-
grated turn signals.
At the rear of the car, iden-
tification is clearly defined
by a single Avalon logo
located above the license
plate. Dual-exhaust pipes
are integrated into the
cutaway trapezoid shape
of the lower bumper for a
modern image. Taillights
have been reshaped to
reduce turbulence at the
rear, and integrate stop,
turn and side marker light-
ing functions in one com-
bined lamp.
Spacious Interior Built For
Comfort
A new interior has been
designed with a contempo-
rary style. The new interior
remains generously spa-
cious and elegant, fitted
with comfortable seating
and thoughtfully integrated
amenities. The rear seat-
ing area is configured to
seat three passengers
comfortably, with ample
legroom and reclining rear
seats, unique in the seg-
ment. The rear headrests
have also been reshaped
and enlarged for better
support, and a convenient
flip-down center armrest
provides storage when the
middle seat is not in use.
The steering wheel in-
cludes controls for Blu-
etooth hands-free phones,
the audio system, climate
system, and the informa-
tion center.
A dual-zone climate control
system has nine air-flow
modes for more precise
www.vivalife1.com
Avalon will also have a re- with front-wheel-drive and
designed accelerator ped- optimized steering gear for
a natural handling feel.
al assembly and a brake
override system. Safety is Standard
control of interior cli- The new Avalon’s occu-
mate, and a clean-air filter pant-safety strategy in-
removes dust and pol- cludes use of extensively
len. The front-console box tested energy absorbing
has a sliding armrest that structures, protective side
moves 4.7 inches front to impact beams and over-
rear, able to accommodate head structure, advanced
a wide range of driver po- belt systems and active
sitions. front headrests as stan-
dard equipment. Avalon
Performance and Efficiency will also have a redesigned
Combined accelerator pedal assembly
Avalon’s exceptional com- and a brake override sys-
bination of ample horse- tem.
power and excellent fuel
economy offers one of Seven airbags, including
the best overall dynamic a front knee bag for the
performances in the large driver, and front side cur-
sedan segment. tain airbags for both rows,
are also standard. Toyota’s
New Avalon is powered by standard Star Safety Sys-
a 24-valve, dual-overhead tem includes Vehicle Sta-
cam 3.5-liter V6 engine bility Control (VSC), anti-
that produces 268 horse- lock braking system (ABS)
power at 6,200 rpm. with Electronic Brake force
The engine is equipped Distribution (EBD), Brake
with the latest dual VVT-i Assist, and TRAC traction
electronic valve-control control system.
mechanism that provides Each wheel has its own
a broader power-band, pressure sensor to warn if
while requiring less fuel tire pressure drops, pro-
and generating fewer viding the driver with an
emissions. It is mated to a early warning to change a
multi-mode six-speed au- tire safely.
tomatic transmission.
Avalon 2011
A roadworthy mix of fine Even with numerous re-
ride quality and accurate finements inside and out,
driving control is delivered the Avalon remains true
by the Avalon’s MacPher- to the idea that comfort is
son strut suspension, honest and uncomplicat-
which uses coil springs at ed, and “Traveling Avalon
all four corners. Rack-and- Class” is rich in simple,
pinion steering combines familiar pleasures.
7 Jan - Mar 2011
 Business Bytes
The Toyota Hybrids
Toyota Motor Corporation
(TMC) recently announced
that cumulative sales in
Japan of its hybrid ve-
hicles have topped the 1
million mark, while more
than 2.68 million units
have been sold globally as
of July 31, 2010.
TMC launched its first
hybrid vehicle, the Toyota
“Coaster Hybrid EV” mini-
bus in Japan in August of
1997. In December of the
same year, TMC launched
the Toyota “Prius” —the
world’s first mass-pro-
duced hybrid vehicle. The
use of the Toyota hybrid
system was subsequently
expanded to such vehicles
as minivans, SUVs and
rear-wheel-drive sedans.
In 2009, TMC broadened
its range of hybrid vehicles
further with the launch of
the third-generation Prius,
as well as two other dedi-
cated hybrid vehicles, the
VIVALIFE
Lexus “HS250h” and the a year as early as possible
Toyota “Sai”. in the 2010s, and intro-
ducing hybrid models in all
Outside of Japan, eight vehicle series in its lineup
hybrid passenger vehicle as early as possible in the
models are sold in ap- 2020s.
proximately 80 countries
and regions, with cumula- New CEO at the helm
tive overseas sales having for Amadeus
topped 1.68 million units.
TMC is committed to aug- Amadeus, the leading trav-
menting this lineup even el technology partner and
further and increasing the transaction processor for
number of countries and the global travel and tour-
regions in which it sells
hybrid vehicles.
As of July 31, 2010, TMC
calculates that since 1997,
the use of TMC hybrid
vehicles in Japan have led
to approximately 4 million
fewer tons of CO2 emis-
sions — considered to be
a cause of global warm-
ing, and approximately 15
million fewer tons globally,
than would have been
emitted by gasoline-pow-
ered vehicles of similar ism industry, announced
size and driving perfor- that as of 1 January 2011,
mance. Luis Maroto, former Dep-
uty CEO of Amadeus, will
TMC’s stance replace David V. Jones as
is to further President & CEO of the
promote the company.
use of hy-
brid vehicles, The succession plan for
through such Luis to become President
measures as & CEO was originally an-
aiming to sell nounced in January 2010.
1 million hy- Since then Luis has been
brid vehicles
8 Jan - Mar 2011
working closely with Da- Talking about his
vid and the Amadeus new role, Luis Maro-
executive team, to ensure to, President & CEO
a smooth transition and of Amadeus, said:
succession. “It is an honor for
me to take on the
Luis Maroto has worked position of President
for Amadeus for 11 years & CEO of Amadeus
in a number of positions and I take up this
including CFO. For the last challenge with huge
two years as Deputy CEO, enthusiasm and
he has been instrumen- look forward to working believe that serving the
tal in Amadeus’ return to with our customers, em- communities in which we
the stock market with the ployees and investors in live and work is an exten-
company’s successful IPO this exciting and growing sion of the service ethic
in April 2010 and the sub- industry. that lies at the heart of
sequent inclusion in Span- our business. We actively
ish blue-chip index IBEX- I am confident that, along- encourage charitable and
35, where the company is side the company’s out- voluntary activities with
debuting today. standing team of profes- partner organizations to
sionals, we will ensure that bring about lasting, posi-
Luis joined Amadeus in Amadeus continues to be a tive change in our com-
1999 as Director, Mar- great company to do busi- munities.”
keting Finance. In that ness with and continues
role, he was instrumental to lead innovation in the In Kuwait, American Ex-
in supporting Amadeus’ travel and tourism indus- press MENA donated a
commercial organisation try”. massage therapy machine
throughout its internation- to Khalifa School, for use
al expansion and consoli- by children with special
American Express needs. The school, which
dation. He was promoted ends 2010 in a spirit of has 190 students ranging
in 2003 to Chief Financial
giving in age from 3 to 21 years,
Officer (CFO), taking re-
sponsibility for the global is recognized as the first
Amadeus Finance organi- American Express Middle private educational insti-
sation. East announced today that tution for special needs
Prior to joining Amadeus, it has ended the year with students in Kuwait.
Luis held several manage- a campaign of charitable
rial positions at the Ber- activities across the com- The donation from Ameri-
telsmann Group. munities in which it oper- can Express enabled the
ates. American Express school to buy a “squeeze
A Spanish citizen, Luis Middle East has given both machine,” which brings
holds a degree in Law time and money to a range comfort to children with
from the Complutense of good causes, with a par- special needs, particularly
University, Madrid, an MBA ticular focus on disadvan- autism, by applying relax-
from the IESE Business taged children. ing, deep pressure to their
School and further post- bodies. Over 30 American
graduate qualifications William Keliehor, Chief Express MENA staff also
from Harvard Business Executive Officer, American spent time at the school,
School and Stanford. Express Middle East, said: and met with the children.
“At American Express we

www.vivalife1.com 9 Jan - Mar 2011

 Flashback on 2010

J
anuary is
named after
Janus, the
Roman God
of the Doors,
Gateways, Be-
ginnings and
Endings (from
the Latin word
‘ianua meaning
door). Janus is
usually featured
with two faces,
one looking for-
ward to the fu-
ture and other
looking back on the past. 12: A 7.0-magnitude
So as the world celebrates earthquake occurs in Haiti,
the birth of another New devastating the nation’s
Year and televisions relay capital, Port-au-Prince.
the wave of fireworks that With a confirmed death toll
light up night skies over over 230,000 it is one of
nations and through time the deadliest on record.
zones, and we step for-
ward to face the New Year, 25:  Ethiopian Air-
perhaps we too should like lines Flight 409 crashes
Janus spare a moment to into the Mediterranean
look back on the year that Sea shortly after take-off
was 2010. from Beirut Rafic Hariri In-
ternational Airport, killing
January all 90 people on-board.

1: Suicide bombing oc- February

curs at a volleyball game
in northwestern Pakistan, 3: The sculpture L’Homme
killing at least 95, and in-qui marche I by Alberto
juring over 100 Giacometti sells in Lon-
don for £65 million
4: The tallest man-made (US$103.7 million), setting
structure to date, the Burj a new world record for a
Khalifa in Dubai, United work of art sold at auction
Arab Emirates, is opened.

VIVALIFE 10 Jan - Mar 2011

 Russia. United States coastline,
and prompting internation-
13: A 6.9-mag- al debate and doubt about
nitude earth- the practice and proce-
quake occurs in dures of offshore drilling
Qinghai, China,
killing at least 27: Standard & Poor’s 
2,000 and injur- downgrades Greece’s sov-
ing more than ereign credit rating
10,000. to junk four days after
the activation of a €45-
14: Volca- billion EU–IMF bailout, trig-
nic ash from gering the decline of stock
one of several markets worldwide and of
12-28: The 2010 Winter eruptions be- the Euro’s value and fur-
Olympics are held in Van- neath Eyjafjallajökull, thering a European sover-
couver and Whistler, Can- an ice cap in Iceland, eign debt crisis
ada begins to disrupt air traf-
fic across northern and May
27: An 8.8- western Europe
magnitude earth- 2: The Eurozone and
quake occurs the International Monetary
in Chile, trig- Fund agree to a €110
gering a tsuna- billion bailout package
mi over the Pa- for Greece. The package
cific and killing involves sharp Greek aus-
497. The earth- terity measures
quake is one of
the largest in 4:  Nude, Green Leaves
recorded history and Bust by Pablo Pi-
casso sells in New
March York for US$106.5 million,
setting another new world
23: The ROKS record for a work of art
Cheonan, a South Ko- sold at auction
rean Navy ship carrying 20: The Deep-
104 personnel, sinks off water Hori-
the country’s west coast, zon oil plat-
killing 46. In May, an in- form explodes in
dependent investigation the Gulf of
blames North Korea, which Mexico, killing
denies the allegations eleven workers.
The resulting oil
April spill, one of the
largest in his-
10: The President of Po- tory, spreads for
land, Lech Kaczyński, is several months,
among 96 killed when their damaging the
airplane crashes in western waters and the

www.vivalife1.com 11 Jan - Mar 2011

7: Scientists
conducting
the Neanderthal
genome project
announce that
they have se-
quenced enough
of the Neander-
thal genome to
suggest that
Neanderthals
and humans
may have interbred.
12: Afriqiyah Airways
Flight 771 crashes at run-
way at Tripoli International
Airport in Libya, killing 103
of the 104 people on board
20: Scientists announce
that they have created a
functional synthetic ge-
nome
22:  Air India Express
Flight 812 overshoots the
runway at Mangalore In-
ternational Airport in India,
killing 158 and leaving 8
survivors
31: Nine activists are killed United States-led in-
in a clash with soldiers
when Israeli Navy forces
raid and capture a flo-
tilla of ships attempting to
break the Gaza blockade
VIVALIFE
one million are displaced
by the floods
October
13: Thirty-three min-
ers near Copiapó, Chile,
trapped 700 metres un-
derground in a mining
accident in San José Mine,
are brought back to the
June
11: The month-long 2010
FIFA World Cup begins
in South Africa, and is
won by Spain on July 11.
July
8: The first 24-hour
flight by a solar powered
plane is completed by
surface after surviving for
the Solar Impulse
a record 69 days
25: Wikileaks, an online
22: The International
publisher of anonymous,
Space Station surpasses
covert, and classified ma-
the record for the longest
terial, leaks to the pub-
lic over 90,000 inter-
nal reports about the
volvement in the War
in Afghanistan from
2004 to 2010
29: Heavy
monsoon
rains be-
gin to
cause wide-
spread
flooding in
continuous human occupa-
the Khyber-Pakh-
tion of space, having been
tunkhwa province
continuously inhabited
of Pakistan. Over
since November 2, 2000
1,600 are killed,
(3641 days)
and more than
12 Jan - Mar 2011
25: An earthquake and
consequent tsunami off the
coast of Sumatra, Indone-
sia, kills over 400 people
and leave hundreds miss-
ing.
26: Repeated erup-
tions of Mount Merapi
in Central Java, Indonesia,
killed at least 240 people
and forced hundreds of
thousands of residents to
evacuate
November
4: Aero Caribbean Flight
883 crashes in cen-
tral Cuba, killing all 68
people on board
13: Burmese opposi-
tion politician Aung San
Suu Kyi is released from
her house arrest.
17: Researchers
at CERN trap 38 anti-hy-
drogen atoms for a sixth
of a second, marking the
first time in history that
humans have trapped anti-
matter
21:  Eurozone countries
www.vivalife1.com
agree to a rescue pack-
age for the Republic of
Ireland from the Euro-
pean Financial Stability
Facility in response to
the country’s financial
crisis
22: A stampede
during Bon Om
Thook (Khmer Water
Festival) celebrations
December
in Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
2: NASA announces the
discovery of a new arsenic-
based life form in Califor-
nia
10: A ceremony is held in
Norway to award the Nobel
Peace Prize to Chinese dis-
sident Liu Xiaobo in absen-
tia
11: Delegates at the Unit-
ed Nations Climate Change
Conference in Can-
cún, Mexico, agree to a
kills 347 compromise on slowing cli-
mate change, though over-
28:  WikiLeaks releases all failing to reach a “deal
a collection of more than that many activists and
250,000 American dip- governments want.”
lomatic cables, including
100,000 marked “secret”
or “confidential”. Sweden
later files case against
Wikileaks founder Julian
Assange.
29: The European
Union agrees to an €85
billion rescue deal for Ire-
land from the European
Financial Stability Facility,
the International Monetary
Fund and bilateral loans
from the United King-
dom, Denmark and Swe-
den
13 Jan - Mar 2011
 The Empty Chair

C
hinese leaders prob- The empty chair reserved arguing that China was not
ably failed to an- for Mr Liu at Oslo’s town suited to host the Olympic
ticipate the battering hall, and the absence of Games because “the world
that China’s image abroad any of his family members has no cause to honor a
would suffer as a result of to receive the award on his government that governs
the awarding of the Nobel behalf, made this the first in this way with a sporting
peace prize to an impris- such ceremony since 1936 event intended to promote
oned Chinese dissident, Liu when Carl von Ossietzky, a human dignity”. The Econ-
Xiaobo. jailed German pacifist, was omist reminded readers
a similar no-show. Adolf of the similar position it
They would have expected Hitler refused to let him took on the Nazis’ hosting
that their boycott of the go to the ceremony. Mr of the Olympic Games in
award ceremony in Oslo Sakharov was not allowed 1936.
on December 10th would to pick up his prize either,
invite comparisons in the but his wife, Elena Bonner, Chinese officials are less
West between China and happened to be abroad at touchy about Soviet analo-
the Soviet Union, which the time and was able to gies. Indeed, they play
responded with similar go in his place. them up. The state-con-
fury to the award of the trolled Chinese media have
prize to Andrei Sakharov China is extremely prickly not been bashful about
in 1975. It is unlikely they about being compared with casting Mr Sakharov and
fully realized that their Nazi Germany. This news- Mr Liu in the same light:
behavior would be equated paper got an earful from both tools of a Western
even more prominently Chinese officials in 2001 conspiracy to undermine
with that of Nazi Germany. for publishing a leader communism. Never mind

VIVALIFE 14 Jan - Mar 2011

that Western governments,
anxious to secure Chinese
help with everything from
global economic rebal-
ancing to curbing climate
change, have little interest
in annoying China by talk-
ing about Mr Liu. China’s
propaganda machinery
prefers to portray the West
as duplicitous.
But the propagandists
probably had not fully
thought through the head-
lines that would be created
by the sweeping crack-
down on dissidents since
the prize was announced
in October. By putting Mr
Liu’s wife and numerous
others under house arrest,
and stopping activists from
leaving the country in or-
der to prevent them from
www.vivalife1.com
going to Oslo, the head-
lines were re-calibrated to
reflect a comparison with
1936, not 1975 (or 1983,
when Lech Walesa’s wife
accepted the award on
his behalf, or 1991, when
Aung San Suu Kyi’s son
took home his mother’s
prize).  Beijing this week, suggests
China knows that memo-
ries of Nazi Germany
evoke a more visceral
repugnance in the West
than do those of the So-
viet Union. Comparisons
with Germany early in the
last century are also un-
welcome for Chinese lead-
ers given their efforts to
convince the world that
China’s rise will have none
of the same consequences
that Germany’s did.
15
The battering suffered by
the West during the global
economic crisis appears to
have made Chinese lead-
ers thicker skinned. But
the state-controlled me-
dia’s handling of the first
“Confucius Peace Prize”,
which was awarded in
that officials remain sensi-
tive.
The Chinese press played
the event down. Officials
said the government did
not have a hand in it.
Perhaps they might have
worried that Hitler too
organized a home-grown
version of the Nobel prize,
the German National Prize
for Art and Science, in re-
sponse to von Ossietzky’s
award.
Jan - Mar 2011
 How to Make the Most of 2011
By Rich Schefren

T
he very best this question even
way to make easier. 
2011 the best it
can be is to leverage After you have listed
your past experience.  all your accomplish-
In other words, you ments, go back to
simply must take a them. This time
long, hard look at through, identify
what happened in several takeaways for
2010.  each one — what you
   learned from or were
I figured out years reminded of by it. 
ago that doing an
honest analysis of my Question 2: What
previous mistakes were your biggest
and accomplishments disappointments in
is the best way to 2010? 
continually improve
my company and my own Practically every company
performance.  I am going to share with and individual resists ana-
you how I leverage all lyzing their mistakes. 
Let’s all face a simple, hard my experiences into
fact of life: no matter how greater levels of success. That’s a shame, because
good or bad your results, Follow my lead, and you this is where the best
you can always do better.  can make 2011 your very learning comes from. 
best year (so far). 
Yet the single biggest key All you need to do is an- No matter how well every-
to improving both per- swer five questions. If you thing is going, we all make
formance and results is are serious about your mistakes. The trick here is
ignored by almost every- success, you should do this to examine what preceded
body. If you want to be at today! them, what you could have
the top of your game, you done differently, and how
absolutely must learn from Question 1: What were you can prevent making
what has already hap- your greatest accomplish- the same mistakes in the
pened. Unfortunately, most ments in 2010?  future.
people either cannot or do
not want to use their mis- Even if 2010 was the worst As you did with your ac-
steps and achievements year of your life, odds are, complishments in 2010,
as learning experiences. if you look hard enough, list your biggest disap-
And they end up becoming there is something some- pointments — and then
stagnant... or repeating where to be proud of. If identify several takeaways
the same mistakes over 2010 was a great year for for each one. 
and over again.  you, that makes answering

VIVALIFE 16 Jan - Mar 2011

Question 3: How did you This is where it gets in- the rubber meets the road.
limit yourself last year, and teresting. Remember, the It’s these takeaways that
how can you remove those purpose of this exercise is will practically guarantee
limits in 2011?  not simply to know your- that 2011 will be the best
self and your business bet- year of your life. 
Were there certain actions ter ... but actually to use
you took or did not take what you learn to make Of course, it’s not enough
that came back to haunt certain that 2011 trumps to just make your list (al-
you? You need to bring 2010.  though that, by itself, will
these self-defeating ac- get you part way there).
tions to the surface, shine What are your main take- You still need to take this
light on them, and, most aways from the first three information and USE IT! 
important, determine what questions? What do you
you must do differently to now know about yourself And that is where our final
make sure you do not limit or your business that you question comes in... 
yourself the same way all did not realize or were not
over again. Here are just a thinking about before? Question 5: How can you
few of mine...  Here are two random nug- use this information to
Not reviewing my goals gets from my complete make 2011 your best year
daily  list... yet? 
Not sticking to a daily Creating products, pro-
sleep schedule  grams, and free mate- The idea is to take every-
Hoping things would work rial to help entrepreneurs thing that surfaced in your
out in situations where my and their businesses grow answer to Question 4 and
gut told me not to. consistently gives me my build it in to your sched-
greatest feeling of accom- ule, your interactions, your
Once again, make a list plishment. Therefore, I management style, and so
and identify the take- need to spend time daily on.
aways. For example, one on creating these materials
of the self-defeating ac- and not let the fast growth For example, I have al-
tions on my list was not of our business pull me too ready scheduled on my
reviewing my goals on a far away from what I do calendar two hours a day
daily basis (even though best.  of content creation and 10
I know better). When I For my company, Strategic minutes every morning to
don’t review my goals Profits, to positively impact review my goals. Plus, I
daily, I get sucked into even more small-business have slotted a weekly 20-
what is currently happen- owners, we have to reli- minute appointment with
ing and distracted from giously stick to our sched- myself to surface and then
what is most important. ule of introducing new analyze whatever concerns
That caused me to miss front-end products. We I have. 
the mark on a few goals I cannot allow ourselves to
had set for myself in 2010. deviate from the schedule, There are lots more on my
The takeaway: I am de- no matter how well things list - but you get the point.
termined not to make the are going, because client And besides, what’s impor-
same mistake in 2011.  acquisition is the lifeblood tant here is not what I am
of any business. going to do to make 2011
Question 4: What did you You should shoot for as great for me... it’s what
learn from your answers to many takeaways as possi- YOU are going to do to
the first three questions?  ble, because it’s here that make 2011 great for YOU.

www.vivalife1.com 17 Jan - Mar 2011

VIVALIFE 18 Jan - Mar 2011
 A Thought to Begin 2011 on

I
t is January and the outside cold is
matched only by the empty coldness
of a house from which all holiday dec-
orations have been removed. December’s There may be nothing wrong with you,
crowded celebration calendar has given
way to January’s social slump.
However, there is a hearty side to Janu-
ary. A fresh new year extends in front of
you. Hopefully, the mound of gift wrap-
pings and other holiday clutter have been
cleared and the tinsels put away. You can
once again see your furniture, which used
to be draped with packing and presents.
January brings with it a fresh slate that
has just been wiped clean. You are brim-
ming with energy and rearing to go, so
where do you start.
Decide that if there is one resolution
you are going to keep this year it will be
to get organized. And act on your deci-
sion. Get on the computer or wherever
it is that you store the list of family and
friends, their information and addresses.
Start working on updating and classify-
ing the list — any new names to be hap-
pily added to the list; any to be sadly
removed. Any new addresses to be trans-
ferred from your mobile or your paper
address book to the computer. Do it now
and work on getting organized, diligently
In the months ahead we will look more in
depth on the art of getting organized.
Meanwhile, here is poem we came across
that was first published in the early
1900’s, proving that way back then, as it
is now, getting organized was a hurdle ...
The way you live, the work you do,
But I can very plainly see
Exactly what is wrong with me.
It isn’t that I’m indolent
Or dodging duty by intent;
I work as hard as anyone
And yet I get so little done.
The morning goes, the noon is here
Before I know the night is near
And all around me I regret
Are things I haven’t finished yet.
If I could just get organized
I often times have realized
Not all that matters is the man
The man must also have a plan.
 
With you there may be nothing wrong
But here’s my trouble right along
I do the things that don’t amount
To very much of no account
That really seem important though
And let a lot of matters go.
I nibble this I nibble that
But never finish what I’m at
I work as hard as anyone
And yet I get so little done.
I’d do so much you’d be surprised
If I could just get organized!
Author Unknown 

www.vivalife1.com 19 Jan - Mar 2011

 Nobel Prizes 2010

Alfred Nobel Physics – Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov

Chemistry – Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki

Economics – Peter A. Diamond, Dale T. Mortensen and  Christopher A. Pissarides

Literature – Mario Vargas Llosa Physiology – Robert G. Edwards Peace – Liu Xiaobo

VIVALIFE 20 Jan - Mar 2011

Nobel Prize in common fruit fly could lead mans indicates a predispo-
Chemsitry to a greater understanding sition to schizophrenia.
of how the human brain
Richard Fred Heck was learns and retains memo- By taking the studies of fly
jointly awarded the Nobel ries. genomes a few steps fur-
Prize in Chemistry along So now you have a valid ther researchers now hope
with the Japanese chem- excuse for the forgotten to find answers to dis-
ists Ei-ichi Negishi and Aki- birthdays, anniversaries eases of the brain includ-
ra Suzuki, for their work and mother-in-law’s ap- ing learning and cognitive
in palladium-catalyzed pointment at the dentist. disorders.
coupling reactions in or- Blame it on the fly.
ganic synthesis. Scientists are still in the
Biotech scientists have early stages of connecting
For their work in what? identified a new gene in the fly memory genes and
Suffice to know that the the fly that may function the human disease, but
greatest societal impact similarly in humans and much of the information
of their work has been the lead to treatments for neu- already obtained provides
concoction of a reaction rological disorders such as valuable insights into hu-
that was used Alzheimer’s. man brain disorders.
to couple fluo-
rescent dyes Although this
to DNA bases, is fundamen-
allowing the tal research
automation of and cures are
DNA sequenc- not likely in
ing and the the very near
examination future, studies
of the human continue to un-
genome. derstand brain
And, that was functions such
supposed to as learning
help? and memory in
human and in the fruit fly.
Well, the examination of This breakthrough is excit- So, the next time you
the human genome helped ing researchers worldwide take a swatter to smack
scientists to emphatically because it marks the first a fly flat, remember that
prove that humans carry time that a memory and the part of your brain that
many of the same genes learning gene has been helps you remember … to
found in the common fruit discovered outside of the remember ... owes its ori-
fly with the very uncom- normally studied and typi- gins to this tiny insect.
mon name of drosophila cal learning pathways.
melanogaster (Greek for, Nobel Prize in
black-bellied dew lover). Fruit fly genes have al- Economics
ready been closely linked
It now appears that a huge to those of humans. Previ- Peter Arthur Diamond an
medical breakthrough may ously, scientists pinpointed American economist known
be in the offing as a result a shared gene between the for his analysis of U.S.
of this very tiny insect. A flies and humans called the Social Security policy and
revolutionary finding in the dunce gene, which in hu- his work as an advisor to

www.vivalife1.com 21 Jan - Mar 2011

the Advisory Council on He was awarded the The carbon-carbon bond
Social Security in the late 2010 Nobel Prize in Litera- length in graphene is
1980s and 1990s, was ture “for his cartography about 0.142 nanometers.
awarded the Nobel Prize in of structures of power and Graphene sheets stack
Economic Sciences, along his trenchant images of to form graphite with an
with Dale T. Mortensen  the individual’s resistance, interplanar spacing of
and Christopher A. Pis- revolt, and defeat”. 0.335 nm, which means
sarides “for their analysis What was that award for that a stack of 3 million
of markets with search again? sheets would be only one
frictions”.Now that is quite millimeter thick.
self explanatory. Nobel Prize in Physics
Graphene is the basic
It offers a way of model- Andre Konstantinovich structural element of some
ing markets in which fric- Geim, FRS (born 1 October carbon allotropes including
tions prevent instanta- 1958) is a Dutch physi- graphite, charcoal, carbon
neous adjustment of the cist. Geim was awarded nanotubes and fullerenes.
level of economic activity. the 2010 Nobel Prize in It can also be considered
This theory has been es- Physics jointly with Kon- as an indefinitely large ar-
pecially influential in labor stantin Novoselov for their omatic molecule, the limit-
economics, where it has work on graphene. Geim ing case of the family of
been used to describe the is the Langworthy Profes- flat polycyclic aromatic
formation of new jobs, as sor and director of the hydrocarbons.
well as to describe other Manchester Centre for Me-
human relationships like soscience and Nanotech- The Nobel Prize was
marriage. nology at the University of awarded to the pair for
Manchester. their “groundbreaking
Nobel Prize in Graphene is a one-atom- experiments regarding
Literature thick planar sheet of bond- the two-dimensional mate-
ed carbon atoms that are rial graphene”. It is now
Jorge Mario Pedro Var- densely packed in a hon- well known that tiny frag-
gas Llosa (born March 28, eycomb crystal lattice. ments of graphene sheets
1936) is a Peruvian writer, are produced (along with
politician, journalist, es- The term graphene was quantities of other de-
sayist, and Nobel Prize lau- coined as a combination bris) whenever graphite
reate, currently serving of graphite and the suf- is abraded, such as when
as a visiting professor fix -ene by Hanns-Peter drawing line with a pencil.
at Princeton University. Boehm, who described
single-layer carbon foils in There was little inter-
Vargas Llosa is one of Latin 1962.  est in this graphitic resi-
America’s most significant due before 2004/05 and,
novelists and essayists, Graphene is most easily therefore, the discovery of
and one of the leading visualized as an atomic- graphene is often attrib-
authors of his generation. scale chicken wire made uted to Andre Geim and
Some critics consider him of carbon atoms and their colleagues who introduced
to have had a larger inter- bonds. The crystalline or graphene in its modern
national impact and world- “flake” form of graphite incarnation.
wide audience than any consists of many graphene
other writer of the Latin sheets stacked together. In 2008 graphene pro-
American Boom. duced by exfoliation was

VIVALIFE 22 Jan - Mar 2011

one of the most expen- wards was awarded the Democracy. On 8 Decem-
sive materials on Earth, 2010 Nobel Prize in Physi- ber 2008, Liu was detained
with a sample that can ology or Medicine “for the in response to his par-
be placed at the cross development of in vitro ticipation with the Charter
section of a human hair fertilization”. 08 manifesto.
costing more than $1,000
as of April 2008 (about Recently the Vatican’s He was formally arrested
$100,000,000/cm2).   powerful doctrinal office on 23 June 2009, on suspi-
issued a statement that cion of “inciting subversion
Since then, exfoliation reports of Pope Benedict of state power.” He was
procedures have been XVI condoning the use of tried on the same charges
scaled up, and now com- condoms was pure heresy on 23 December 2009, and
panies sell graphene by (that should read hear sentenced to eleven years
the ton.  say) and that the Pontiff in imprisonment and two
On the other hand, the no way justified the use of years deprivation of politi-
price of epitaxial graphene condoms to prevent preg- cal rights on 25 December
on SiC is dominated by nancy (makes you wonder 2009.
the substrate price, which what are condoms justi-
is approximately $100/ fied for). Deprivation of what? And
cm2 as of 2009. The doctrinal office further here we thought he was
clarified that the Pope’s being imprisoned for de-
Even cheaper graphene purported remarks did manding political rights.
has been produced by not signify any change in
transfer from nickel by Catholic moral teachings. During his 4th prison term,
Korean researchers, with he was awarded the 2010
wafer sizes up to 30” re- And that, is quite a relief Nobel Peace Prize, for “his
ported. to know. long and non-violent strug-
gle for fundamental human
Nobel Prize in Physi- Nobel Prize in Peace rights in China.” 
ology or Medicine Liu is the first Chinese
Liu Xiaobo (born 28 citizen to be awarded a
Robert Geoffrey Ed- December 1955) is a Nobel Prize of any kind
wards, CBE FRS (born 27 Chinese literary critic, while residing in Chi-
September 1925, Man- writer, professor, and hu- na.  He is the fourth per-
chester) is a British bi- man rights activist who son to be awarded the
ologist and pioneer in re- called for political reforms Nobel Peace Prize while in
productive biology and and the end of commu- prison or detention, af-
medicine, and in-vitro nist one-party rule in Chi- ter Nazi Germany’s Carl
fertilization (IVF) in par- na. He is currently in- von Ossietzky (1935),
ticular. carcerated as a political the Soviet Union’s Andrei
prisoner in the People’s Sakharov (1975), and
Along with surgeon Pat- Republic of China. Myanmar’s Aung San Suu
rick Steptoe (1913 – Kyi (1991).
1988), Edwards success- Liu has served from 2003
fully pioneered conception to 2007 as President of Liu is also the first person
through IVF, which led to the Independent Chi- since Ossietzky to be de-
the birth of the first test- nese PEN Center, an orga- nied the right to have a
tube baby, Louise Brown, nization funded by the Na- representative collect the
on 25 July 1978. Ed- tional Endowment for Nobel Prize for him.

www.vivalife1.com 23 Jan - Mar 2011

 Turning on the Heat

F
or a country summer at the
that holds earliest.
around 8% of
global oil reserves, In September 2009
it may be difficult the government
for many of us to signed a $2.7bn
believe that Ku- deal with Gen-
wait faces serious eral Electric and
power concerns. Hyundai Heavy
For the last couple Industries of South
of years, Kuwait Korea to build a
has been expe- 2000-MW gas-fired
riencing record plant at Subbiya
temperatures in in the north of the
summer, leading to tricity. Yet, with soaring country. The plant
power consumption that temperatures in the low is expected to be opera-
has tottered on the brink 50s, consumption reached tional in June 2011 and
of the red line and with a record 10,823 MW produce 1320 MW, with an
many areas experiencing (98.5% of grid capacity). additional 680 MW to be
power outages. Legislators In 2009 the peak summer produced by 2012.
and the public have de- demand was 9961 MW.
rided and taken the gov- In the meantime, it is
ernment to task for its lack Considering that most believed that deteriorating
of foresight in building the countries strive to operate
cabling has caused up to
necessary power genera- with a spare capacity of80% of the recent outages
tion capacity to meet the around 15%, authorities in
experienced, prompting
country’s increased power Kuwait have been settingcalls for immediate efforts
needs. up emergency meetings on maintenance and re-
and working out strategies
pairs. Experts believe that
The nation has one of to ensure summer outageswhile the government’s
the world’s highest per do not become a regular spending billions on new
capita consumption rates occurrence. power plants is a definite
of electricity, and dur- requirement for the future,
ing the summer months, Kuwait has not built new they could spend farl less
when temperatures hover power plants since 1998, money and ensure im-
around 50°C, it is esti- and over that period has mediate results by refur-
mated that around 70% of seenn power demand grow bishing and improving the
energy is consumed by air at an annual average of efficiency and output of
conditioning units. 8%. While new power existing ones.
plants are in the planning
At present output levels, and construction stages, Existing power and de-
Kuwait is capable of pro- no new plants are set to salination plants are
ducing 11,200 MW of elec- come on-line until next owned and operated by

VIVALIFE 24 Jan - Mar 2011

the Ministry of Electric- sector will result in ad- high fuel bill and large cap-
ity and Water, and many ditional supply down the ital investments. Accord-
believe improvements in road, equally important ing to the Kuwait Institute
quality and delivery could from many observers’ view for Scientific Research, if
be made through priva- is the need to better man- current demand trends
tisation. Analysts point age electricity demand and persist, Kuwait will need
out that when a sector is discourage excessive con- to add another 14,000 MW
opened to market competi- sumption. The residential in generating capacity by
tion, customer service and sector accounts for around 2025, bringing overall ca-
product delivery improve 60% of the total current pacity to 25,000 MW at a
dramatically. However, load, with the govern- cost of KD7bn ($24.1bn).
unlike other economies ment heavily subsidising The accompanying fuel bill
where the primary role of electricity and charging to meet this extra capacity
privatisation is to bring households a mere $0.07 would reach approximately
investment funding, what per kilowatt hour, about KD3.8bn ($13.1bn), at
Kuwait requires is private half the average price in current prices.
sector expertise. the US. In addition, many
households do not pay As a stop-gap measure,
To this end, in May parlia- their bills and are rarely the government has signed
ment passed a bill to allow penalised for not doing so. deals with Shell and Vitol
private sector involvement in 2009 and April 2010
in the operation of the According to Dr Saad respectively for the import
country’s power plants. Akashah, an advisor the of approximately 500,000
The legislation allows Arab Fund for Economic cu ft per day of liquefied
for the establishment of and Social Development, natural gas to help fuel its
shareholding companies to “There is huge wastage power stations. In addi-
build new power and wa- and overuse of electric- tion to the environmental
ter desalination plants in ity in this country, and it benefits of being a clean-
the country, the first time is harming future genera- er-burning alternative,
private entities will have tions. So long as electricity importing gas is consid-
a stake in the local power is essentially free, people ered less costly than using
sector. Under the terms will not concern them- export-revenue-earning
of the law, up to 50% of selves with how much they oil-derived fuels to gener-
shares in the company will use. We do not need to get ate electricity.
be sold to nationals in an rid of subsidies entirely,
initial public offering, while but should introduce some In the longer term, Kuwait
the government and state tiered pricing that charges is hoping to boost its natu-
institutions will hold up people an affordable rate ral gas production and has
to 24% of newly formed while at the same time targeted levels of 5bn cu
companies. The remaining making them think before ft per year, up from cur-
26% will be sold to public- they consume.” rent level of 1.2bn cu ft of
ly listed Kuwaiti companies non-associated gas from
or foreign companies ap- The financial implications its northern gas fields. To
proved by the government. of such high energy usage achieve this, the govern-
are also significant, not ment has enrolled the
While it is believed that only for industries con- help of Royal Dutch Shell,
investments in new power cerned over a steady sup- signing a deal estimated
facilities and an engage- ply of energy, but also for at $700m to help tap the
ment with the private the government due to the complex reservoirs.

www.vivalife1.com 25 Jan - Mar 2011

 In Praise of the lowly Vinegar
V
inegar has been around
for a long time; traces
of it have been found in
excavated Egyptian urns that
date back to 3000 BC. Vinegar
is made from the fermenta-
tion of ethanol — derived
from different sources includ-
ing wine, beer or fermented
fruit juices — by acetic acid
bacteria.
Copenhagen 7 - 18 December, 2009 It is also made syn-
thetically from natural gas and
petroleum derivatives. The two
popular forms of vinegar in the
region are balsamic vinegar,
made from the concentrated
white grape juice and distilled
or white vinegar produced by
distilling any type of vinegar to
produce a colorless solution
of 5 to 8 percent acetic acid in
water. True balsamic vinegar,
very expensive and at one
time available only to the Ital-
ian upper classes, is aged, in a
successive number of special
casks made of different woods,
for anywhere from 12 to a hun-
dred years. The commercial
supermarket balsamic is made
from concentrated grape juice
mixed with strong vinegar and
laced with caramel and sugar
to give it a distinctive color and
flavor.
Vinegar is generally used in
food preparations, salad dress-
ings and pickling processes.
It is an ingredient in mustard
sauce, ketchup and mayon-
naise and marinades often use
vinegar.
VIVALIFE 26
Many cultures ascribe re-
medial properties to vinegar
and it has been used in treat-
ments of various afflictions.
For instance, Posca, made by
mixing sour wine or vinegar
with water and flavoring herbs,
was a popular drink in ancient
Rome and Greece. It was an
everyday drink for the Ro-
man army, as it was not only a
source of liquid and of calories,
but it also prevented scurvy by
providing vitamin C. In France,
according to legend, during the
Black Plague four thieves were
able to rob houses of plague
victims without being infected
themselves. When finally
caught, the Judge offered to
grant the men their freedom,
on the condition that they
revealed how they managed to
stay healthy. They claimed that
a medicine woman sold them a
potion, made of garlic soaked
in soured red wine (vinegar).
Variants of the recipe, called
Four Thieves Vinegar, have
been passed down for hun-
dreds of years. Though many
of the medicinal properties of
vinegar have not been scien-
tifically proven, let us look at
some of beneficial uses of this
versatile liquid.
White vinegar applied as a
spray to tissue draped over a
sunburn helps restore the lost
acidic level to the skin, and
gives a cooling effect
A 2006 study concluded that a
Jan - Mar 2011
test group of rats fed with ace-
tic acid, the main component
of vinegar, had significantly
lower values for serum total
cholesterol and triacylglycerol,
among other health benefits.
These rats were found to have
lower blood pressure than
control rats, although it must
be mentioned that the effects
have not been tested on hu-
mans. However, in a different
trial conducted on humans,
reduced risk of fatal ischemic
heart disease was observed
among participants who ate
vinegar and oil salad dress-
ings frequently. Also, prior to
the discovery of hypoglycemic
agents, diabetic patients were
known to use vinegar teas to
control their symptoms. Tests
have shown that about 20ml of
white vinegar added to food,
or taken along with a meal,
reduced the glycemic index of
carbohydrate food for people
with and without diabetes. Vin-
egar has also been proven to
increase satiety, or the feeling
of fullness, thereby lowering
the amount of food consumed.
White vinegar is often used as
a household cleaning agent.
Because it is acidic, it can dis-
solve mineral deposits from
glass, coffee makers and other
smooth surfaces. For most
uses dilution with water is rec-
ommended for safety and to
avoid damaging the surfaces
being cleaned.
Vinegar is an excellent solvent
for cleaning epoxy resin and
hardener, even after the epoxy
has begun to harden. Vinegar
sprinkled onto crumpled news-
paper is a traditional, and still-
www.vivalife1.com
popular, method of cleaning
grease-smeared windows and
mirrors and in many places it
is used for polishing brass or
bronze
Recently, vinegar has been
marketed as a green solution
for many household cleaning
problems. For example, vine-
gar has been cited recently as
an eco-friendly urine cleaner
for pets and as weed killer,
since it is not absorbed into
root systems, the vinegar will
kill top growth, but perennial
plants will reshoot.
Commercial vinegar, available
to consumers for household
use, does not exceed 5%, and
solutions above 10% need
careful handling since they
are corrosive and damaging to
skin.
It is said that when we are
good to our environment, we
are good to ourselves. For
instance, we could do without
many of the cleaning chem-
cials we commonly use in our
homes, and the environment
would be better off from our
not using those products.
Because of its acidity, white
distilled vinegar is super-
effective at killing most mold,
bacteria and germs, and it is
eco-friendly.  Here are some
suggestions on how to use
vinegar to clean your home:
-Shine chrome and remove
lime buildup by making a paste
of 2 Tablespoons salt and 1
teaspoon of white distilled
vinegar.
-For a natural scouring cleans-
er, mix ¼ cup baking soda with
1 Tablespoon liquid detergent
and just enough white vinegar
to give it a thick and creamy
27
texture.
-Make your own window clean-
er with ½ cup ammonia, 2 cup
white vinegar and 2 Table-
spoons cornstarch in a gallon
of water.
-Deodorize a garbage disposal
by pouring in ½ cup baking
soda and ½ cup hot white
vinegar.  Let sit for 5 minutes,
then run hot water down the
disposal.
-Mix ½ cup white vinegar with
½ cup water in a microwave
safe bowl, put in the micro-
wave and let it boil to clean
baked-on foods and remove
odors.  Wipe clean. 
-Mix equal parts water and
white vinegar into a solution
to clean the refrigerator inside
and out.
-Mix equal parts of salt or bak-
ing soda with white vinegar to
scrub away stains from coffee
and teacups, then rinse clean.
-Polish brass and copper with
a mix of 2 Tablespoons ketch-
up and 1 Tablespoon white
vinegar.  Rub it on with a clean
cloth until dry and shiny.
-Soak a sponge in white vin-
egar to wipe grease off of
exhaust fans.
-Clean grout with full strength
white vinegar and a tooth-
brush.
-Kill germs by spraying full-
strength white vinegar on door-
knobs and then wipe dry.
-Clean your BBQ grill by spray-
ing white vinegar on it and
then scrubbing with wadded up
aluminum foil. 
-Clean off stickers, decals, or
sticky stuff with a cloth dipped
in white vinegar.
Be good to the environment ,
be good to yourself.
Jan - Mar 2011
VIVALIFE 28 Jan - Mar 2011
The World according to the
World Bank

T
he World Bank’s re- emerging market countries
port on the outlook account for only around
for the global econ- 25 percent of global GDP,
omy in 2011, brings two in 2011 they will account
things to the forefront. for almost half of global
The first is that economic growth.
activity in most develop-
ing countries has gener- Experts are of the opin-
ally recovered from the ion that while this single
deep crisis of 2008-09. year growth rate on its
The second, and probably own would hardly make a
more important message, dent in the huge economic
is that over the next 20 to disparity between rich and
30 years, economic power poor nations, compounded
will move from West to the over three or four decades,
East. it could change the whole
ball game. The economic
This point is highlighted clout could return to the
by agreement among era before the Industrial
economists and finan- Revolution when China
cial analysts at the World and India by virtue of their
Bank, that growth in 2011 large populations were the
is likely to remain slug- biggest economies in the
gish at around 2.4 percent world.
in most of the developed
world, while it would aver- Work by John Hawks-
age 6 percent in the devel- worth, chief economist at
oping world. Although the PricewaterhouseCoopers

www.vivalife1.com 29 Jan - Mar 2011

 (PwC) has shown that the ing countries and finally
In one sense, the pros- current G7 (US, UK, Ger- protectionist pressures
pect of rising incomes many, France, Japan, Italy could bring about the risk
and Canada) will be chal- of hunger and malnutrition
in large chunks of the lenged by an E (Emerging) from rising food prices.
developing world is 7 of China, India, Russia,
good news, especially Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and All are real and present
since the solid growth Indonesia. These countries dangers. The crisis in the
in emerging markets will benefit from economic Eurozone has not gone
includes the poorest catch-up, low labor costs, away and is likely to be
technology transfer and one of the big stories of
countries of all in sub- population growth. 2011. Brazil’s decision to
Saharan Africa. impose capital controls to
In one sense, the prospect cap the rise in the value of
of rising incomes in large its currency is an indication
chunks of the develop- of protectionist sentiment.
ing world is good news, The last time commodity
especially since the solid pressures were rising rap-
growth in emerging mar- idly, in 2008, there were
kets includes the poorest food riots.
countries of all in sub-
But there are also colossal
The bank says the devel- longer-term risks. Growth
oping world is likely to be rates of the sort envis-
responsible for almost half aged for developing coun-
tries by the World Bank
of the 3.3 percent global and PwC will put massive
expansion in 2011 pressures on commodity
prices and the environ-
Saharan Africa. Stronger ment. After two centuries
growth will help reduce of economic and political
poverty and, of course, hegemony, rich countries
provide markets for West- may not take kindly to be-
ern goods. ing challenged by China
and India.
But there are dangers too.
Three short-term risks are And if, as looks highly
identified by the World probable, clashes over
Bank in its recently pub- resources and currencies
lished Global Economic are a proxy for a deeper
Prospects 2011. First is the political struggle between
systemic crisis in the Eu- the emerging East and the
rozone that sees more and declining West, the world
more members of the sin- will need a robust and ef-
gle currency under specu- fective system of global
lative attack. The second is governance to manage the
the potential for high and tensions. And, as the fail-
volatile capital flows that ures to conclude a trade
could destabilize develop- deal or make progress on

VIVALIFE 30 Jan - Mar 2011

a climate change accord high-income countries. It
have shown quite clearly, adds that global growth
there is currently no such will pick up slightly in
governance. 2012 to 3.6 percent. But
the study expresses con-
Heavy and volatile flows cern that ultra-low inter-
of speculative capital into est rates in the West are
developing countries are leading to large capital
highlighted by the World flows into developing
Bank as a significant risk countries, causing big
to global economic re- swings in exchange rates
covery. Stressing the im- and asset prices. Hans Timmer - World Bank’s
portance of the emerging Director of Development Prospects
world as a force behind Net international equity currency values rise sud-
growth, the bank says and bond flows to develop- denly or if asset bubbles
there is a sharp contrast ing countries rose sharply emerge.”
between the robust per- in 2010 by 42 percent
formances of Asia, Latin and 30 percent respec- The report notes: “Capital
America and Africa and the tively, according to the inflows into some middle-
sluggish recovery in the bank, which notes that income countries have
richer nations of the West. placed undue and poten-
After two centuries of tially damaging upward
The bank says the devel- economic and political pressure on currencies.
oping world is likely to be hegemony, rich coun- Many of these flows are
responsible for almost half
tries may not take kind- short-lived, volatile and
of the 3.3 percent global sometimes speculative in
expansion in 2011, when it ly to being challenged
nature. Left unchecked,
expects a slowdown from by China and India. such flows can lead to
the 3.9 percent of growth abrupt real appreciation
notched up in 2010. nine countries received the and depreciation … and
Justin Yifu Lin, the World bulk of the capital. Brazil, can do lasting damage to
Bank’s chief economist, one of the nine, has al- economies.”
says: “On the upside, ready announced curbs on
strong developing-country capital, which have fanned East Asia topped the re-
domestic demand growth fears of currency wars and gional growth table in
is leading the world econo- protectionism. 2010, the World Bank
my, yet persistent financial says, showing expansion of
sector problems in some “The pick-up in interna- 9.3 percent. Latin America
high-income countries are tional capital flows re- bounced back from a 2.2
still a threat to growth and inforced the recovery in percent fall in output in
require urgent policy ac- most developing coun- 2009 to grow by 5.7 per-
tions.” tries”, says Hans Timmer, cent. But while noting that
the World Bank’s director sub-Saharan Africa, ex-
In its Global Economic of development prospects. cluding South Africa, had
Prospects 2011, the World “However, heavy inflows to grown by 5.8 percent in
Bank says growth of 6 certain big middle-income 2010, it warns that ris-
percent in developing economies may carry risks ing food prices threaten a
countries will be more than and threaten medium- return to the hunger and
double the 2.4 percent in term recovery, especially if malnutrition of 2008.

www.vivalife1.com 31 Jan - Mar 2011

Ultimate Social Experience
-Traveling with Friends
By Jon Butcher

J
on Butcher, founder of I’m looking at the ash- ferent quality. I have never
Lifebook, reminiscenc- black outline of the active had a feeling quite like this
es here about a recent volcano, ominously smok- before, simply because
trip to Greece. And, as he ing in the middle of the I’ve never been here be-
notes, travel is all about Caldera. It blew half this fore.
sharing good company and island apart 500 years ago
treasuring great memories and destroyed an entire And I think to myself, this
... civilization. Only a few is why I travel: To cre-
ruins remain, which Missy ate moments exactly like
I’m enjoying a tasty and I are planning to visitthis. To remove myself
Espresso, while watch- later in the day. from my everyday life and
ing the morning sun warm experience a new way of
the crystal clear waters of An old man with a wind- seeing things. To develop
the Caldera in Santorini, burned face greets me an appreciation for other
Greece. The sleepy town casually from the street cultures as well as my
of Fira is starting to come below. He speaks in Greek, own. To learn, grow and
to life now; shopkeep- so I can’t understand the educate myself. To chal-
ers and café owners greet words, but I think I know lenge myself and stretch
each other, farmers driv- exactly what he’s saying. my limits. And to create a
ing horse-drawn carts haul “It’s a beautiful morning.” I lifetime of memories with
vegetables into town, dogs reply by nodding my head the people I love.
bark, motorbikes hum in and raising my coffee cup.
the streets above the vil- “Yes, it certainly is.” Travel is not just about
lage… The air smells different the pleasure, the um-
here. The light has a dif- brella drinks, the unspoiled

VIVALIFE 32 Jan - Mar 2011

beaches and the relaxing
(all wonderful things, by
the way!)
Travel is about stimulating
your mind in ways that en-
hance all 12 categories of
your life. It doesn’t matter
where you go or what you
do - it’s the physical act
of traveling and the “new-
ness” you experience that
generates new thoughts
and new perspectives.
Sharing these experiences,
thoughts and perspectives
with people you care about
in REAL TIME is absolutely
priceless.
The most memorable ex-
periences Missy and I
have had with our dearest
friends have been while
traveling. We discovered a
long time ago that the best
way to get to know some-
one quickly is to take a trip
with them. And when it
comes to deepening exist-
ing friendships and creat-
ing lifelong memories with
the people you care most
about, we’ve found that
travel is in a class by itself.
Traveling creates a kind of
heightened experience that
deepens your social inter-
actions. The dinner con-
It doesn’t matter where
you go or what you do
- it’s the physical act of
traveling and the “new-
ness” you experience that
generates new thoughts
and new perspectives.
www.vivalife1.com
versations you’ll have with
friends while watching the
sun set over the Serengeti
Plain of Tanzania will differ
substantially from those
you’ll have at your local
diner. Wandering with close
friends through the narrow
alleys of Beijing or Shang-
hai will be infinitely more
memorable than walking
down your own block. Hag-
gling with friends in the
crowded markets of Cairo
will be a more interesting
topic for future conver-
sation than visiting your
local supermarket. Travel
gives you something fun
and interesting to talk
about for years and years
to come. It forges a bond
that can’t be duplicated in
any other way.
We’re so passionate
about “travel as the ulti-
mate social experience,”
that we started organiz-
ing Lifebook trips, so our
Members could travel the
world together! Lifebook
Members have traveled to
Peru, Bali, China, Tanza-
33
nia, Hawaii, Vietnam and
Morocco together. Each
and every one of them
has been a wonderful so-
cial experience, creating
friendships and memories
that will last a lifetime.
Over the next year we’ll
be organizing Lifebook
trips to Egypt, Bali, and
the remote Hawaiian is-
land of Molokai. We would
love for you to join us! Our
first trips are to Bali, Indo-
nesia, and you can learn
more by reading the travel
announcement in our Life-
book e-magazine.
In the immortal words
of Mark Twain, “Twenty
years from now you will be
more disappointed by the
things you didn’t do than
by the ones you did do. So
throw off the bowlines, sail
away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in
your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover.”
And let’s do it all TOGETH-
ER.
Jan - Mar 2011
 Warm Winter Recipes
When the weather turns 3 tablespoons olive oil of old-fashioned goodness
chilly, try out our warm 1 tablespoon lemon juice with tender chicken, pota-
wintery recipes 3/4 teaspoon ground cum- toes, carrots and celery.
in
Grapefruit Avocado Salad 1 garlic clove, minced Ingredients (Yield: 8 serv-
Dash hot pepper sauce ings)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup chopped onion
toasted 1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
Preparation 2 teaspoons olive oil
Divide lettuce among eight 1 garlic clove, minced
salad plates. Arrange the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
grapefruit, avocado and 1/2 teaspoon dried orega-
onion over lettuce. In a no
small bowl, whisk the 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
orange juice, oil, lemon 1/4 teaspoon poultry sea-
juice, cumin, garlic and soning
pepper sauce; drizzle over 6 cups reduced-sodium
salads. Sprinkle with pe- chicken broth
cans. 4 cups cubed peeled pota-
Even in the dead of winter, toes
brighten up lettuce greens Roasted Chicken Noodle 1 teaspoon salt
with the fresh fruity tart- Soup 2 cups cubed cooked
ness of pink grapefruit chicken breast
and orange juice. This 2 cups uncooked yolk-free
sunny and elegant cit- wide noodles
rus salad pairs well with 1 cup fat-free evaporated
most entrees. For extra milk
elegance and color, add
sliced Kalamata or green Preparation;
olives to the Grapefruit In a stockpot, saute the
Avocado Salad. onion, carrots and celery
in oil for 5 minutes or until
Ingredients ( Yield: 8 tender. Add garlic; cook 1
servings) minute longer. Stir in the
6 cups torn leaf lettuce flour, oregano, thyme and
3 large pink grapefruit, poultry seasoning until
peeled and sectioned blended.
1 medium ripe avocado, Bring out your soup pot Gradually add the broth,
peeled and sliced and try out this warm potatoes and salt; bring to
1 small red onion, thinly broth. Every spoonful of a boil. Reduce heat; cover
sliced this creamy, nicely sea- and simmer for 15-20 min-
1/4 cup orange juice soned soup is chock-full utes or until potatoes are

VIVALIFE 34 Jan - Mar 2011

tender. 1/2 teaspoon chili powder Ingredients ( Yield: 6 doz-
Stir in chicken and noo- 1/4 teaspoon dried orega- en)
dles; simmer for 10 min- no 3/4 cup butter, softened
utes or until noodles are 1/8 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup packed brown
tender. Reduce heat. Stir 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder sugar
in milk; heat through (do 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme 1 egg
not boil).  1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup milk
60 g sliced turkey pep- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Italian Pasta Casserole peroni 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded part-skim 1/2 cup Cocoa
mozzarella cheese 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Cook pasta according to
package directions. Mean-
while, crumble beef and
sausage into a large skil-
let; add onion and garlic.
Cook and stir over me-
dium heat until meat is
no longer pink; drain. Stir
in the tomatoes, tomato
paste and seasonings.
Bring to a boil. Reduce
heat; simmer, uncovered,
All the traditional flavors for 5 minutes.
abound in this dish remi- Drain pasta; stir in meat
niscent of lasagna. This is mixture and pepperoni. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
a zippy and hearty recipe Transfer half of pasta Confectioners’ sugar
that family and guests will mixture to a 2-qt. baking
equally like. dish coated with cooking Preparation
spray. Sprinkle with half of
In a large bowl, cream
Ingredients (Yield: 6 serv- cheese; repeat layers. butter and brown sugar
ings) Cover and bake at 175°C until light and fluffy. Add
2 cups uncooked spiral for 20-25 minutes or untilthe egg, milk and vanilla;
pasta bubbly.  mix well. Combine the
250g pound lean ground flour, cocoa, baking pow-
beef Chocolate Snowballs der, salt and baking soda;
250g Italian turkey sau- gradually add to creamed
sage links, casings re- These dainty cookies just mixture. Cover and refrig-
moved melt in your mouth. En- erate overnight.
1 small onion, finely joy making them for fam- Shape into 1-in. balls;
chopped ily and friends, especially place 2 in. apart on un-
1 garlic clove, minced when there are lots of greased baking sheets.
2 cans (450ml each) kids around to really enjoy Bake at 175°C for 7-8
Diced Tomatoes, undrained them. And, the recipe gen- minutes or until tops are
1/3 cup tomato paste erously ensures that there crackled. Remove to wire
3/4 teaspoon Italian sea- are enough to go around racks to cool completely.
soning Roll in confectioners’ sugar.

www.vivalife1.com 35 Jan - Mar 2011

 Your Cosmic Calendar
ARIES
You reach out
to people in a
rare show of
warmth, con-
nubial bliss and
friendship. This
is a rather hap-
py, goal-oriented
period. Forming pleasant, affec-
tionate social friendships, pos-
sibly related to activities within
an organization/society, can
figure. You may meet someone
through such group activities;
consequently, your interests will
be shared. This is a time when
your best course of action is to
recognize that you need, or rely
on, others for support. Coopera-
tive efforts revolve around mak-
ing the most of all the resources
belonging to other people, orga-
nizations or groupings
TAURUS
You may feel
that you’re in
the grip of a
force beyond
your control,
since it is a time
for great, per-
haps even radi-
cal or drastic, changes in your
material as well as emotional
world. This is an especially in-
trospective month during which
you have the chance to truly
uncover your personal strengths
and talents. This is a very ex-
pansive time when you have lots
of liveliness, but not necessar-
ily self-discipline to match. Now
such a careless attitude may
lead to undesired troubles. You
take much more interest in play
and pleasure!
VIVALIFE
GEMINI
The preced-
ing time span
had lots of
highs and lows
for you to
reckon with.
The upcoming
period reorients
you to your lasting values, and
greater idealism is the result.
You are confused about what
future directions to take. You
want both absence of worry,
and at least some, if not all, the
good things of life. Imagination
and desires may fog your deci-
sion making capabilities and
create confusion. Relationship
ups and downs characterize this
phase. Disputes with co-workers
are possible. If you are feeling
particularly annoyed, it would
be wise to find little projects and
things to do on your own
CANCER
Financial mat-
ters become
important or at
least the main
focus, but good
moves have
to be thought
out. Back your own judgment,
but do so with caution and re-
straint. The ability to relate well
with others might enhance your
own personal finances during
this period. This is a stable posi-
tion for love matters and close
relationships. Group activities
and joint efforts are the best
way to accomplish your goals
right now. In fact, you have all
sorts of ideas about what you
want to do. You would want to
organize projects and put things
in shape
36
LEO
Your vision is
practical right
now, and you
want to see
tangible results
for your efforts.
More contact
with authority figures is likely
during this period. Recogni-
tion is likely to come your way
whether you ask for it or not.
You are most charismatic and
well-received on the job. You
are socially go-getting right
now, and success may come
though your good managerial
qualities or some form of artistic
talent. Try to work cooperatively
on relationship problems, and
when differences arise show tol-
erance for minor issues as that’s
the need of the hour.
VIRGO
You are likely
to throw cau-
tion to the
wind, especially
where bound-
aries between
fantasy and
reality can be
blurred, so tread carefully. You
will have a sense of aware-
ness of your own limitations
this month, leading up to mid-
month phase, be they physical,
emotional or even financial. You
want more than what mundane
reality offers, but perhaps too
much. Avoid secret dealings,
especially the ones that are
not clearly legitimate and jus-
tifiable. It can be better to be
motionless and still, and feel the
wind change, than to row in the
wrong direction
Jan - Mar 2011
 Our in-house astrologer gazes at planetary positions in the skies
to find out what the stars foretell about your health, wealth,
family, work and social life in the New Year and beyond ...
LIBRA
The truly
intimate and
personal you,
needs to be
examined
minutely and
where there
is room for improvement, posi-
tive action be taken. There is a
certain determination building
up within you to alter not just
your life or circumstances, but
practically cast yourself in a new life, while also discovering
image. People could literally
approach you and appreciate
you for who you are. A mood
of elation sustains you even as
people question your values and cally, and you could come across
your ability. The entire range
from new contacts and ac-
quaintances, to lifetime ties and lems and to work on improving
bonds like marriage, are all very your skills.
important, indeed.
SCORPIO
One-to-one
linking appeals
to you more
than group ac-
tivities or more
casual associa-
tions. If single, you are more
eager than usual to enter into a
devoted relationship. In general,
you are flexible when it comes
to your affections - very willing
to negotiate and make harmony.
You may have a greater than
before wish to rule the roost.
Family-related conflicts and dis-
putes may arise; you may have
arguments with them, about
them, or on their behalf. It could
also happen that you’re so busy
working for others that you have
no time for yourself, missing out
on the good things of life
www.vivalife1.com
SAGITTARIUS AQUARIUS
You may be You are able
making changes to stand your
in your job/pro- ground and
fession, in your assert your-
relationships self more than
with colleagues, usual. You want
health and diet. working condi-
There may be tions that satisfy
some mental strain, or perhaps you in every way, physically,
financial difficulties. This phase technically and in the prevail-
presents an opportunity to get ing atmosphere and will take
rid of what doesn’t work in your pains to achieve just that. There
what is a marvelous closeness built
does. You could seek distinction up with parents, older people,
and strive towards perfection in in-laws, who might not always
your work. You have a tendency approve of your eccentric and
to act and reflect automati- strongly different opinions. You
will do your best to make an im-
as an “open book” now. It’s a pression and these attempts are
favorable time for solving prob- either assisted or challenged by
the circumstances in which you
find yourself and by others
CAPRICORN PISCES
All your mental
After a pe-
activity will be
riod of self-
intensely per-
protectiveness,
sonal, subjec-
you are now
tive and even
more spon-
egocentric. No
taneous and
carelessness
more willing to
of any kind to
take risks. A rich, fruitful and
be made if you want to achieve
happy phase comes to you and
your goals. You are more curi-
you’re enjoying it. Rashness
ous and alert than usual, and
in an affair of the heart might
you could be quite busy with er-
leave you hurt and scattered, if
rands, paperwork, phone calls,
not shattered. At this time, you
and light socializing. As a result,
intuitively know how to position
fresh acquaintances and friend-
yourself in the best light in order
ships come to you, giving plea-
to make a good impression on
sure, inspiration and ideas. You
others. Financial conditions and
are especially good at mediating
related areas may see advances,
conflicts. Try smoothing over
with a boost in both resources
differences using your diploma-
and possessions. You have more
cy skills. Being clear-cut in your
oomph at your disposal to make
ideas and this is a good time to
money, but also to support your
schedule interviews, meetings
ideals in self confidence. and one to many discussions..
37 Jan - Mar 2011
.

VIVALIFE 38 Jan - Mar 2011