Create your own Cinematic Masterpiece: The New Canon LEGRIA HV40 Camcorder

The New Canon LEGRIA HV40 Camcorder

Canon’s new High-Definition MiniDV LEGRIA gives consumers the power to create cinema-grade movies at home

BLENDING high-definition (HD) cinematic quality video, superb still images, and advanced features, Canon’s new LEGRIA HV40 is the HD camcorder designed with the budding video enthusiast or independent filmmaker in mind. Featuring Canon’s full-HD CMOS sensor and a set of comprehensive controls, the LEGRIA HV40 gives users plenty of room to exercise their creative clout.

LEGRIA HV40 aims to inspire people with its professional video quality and film-like recording,” says Andrew Koh, Director and General Manager, Consumer Imaging and Information Division, Canon Singapore. “With its exceptional HD capability and cinematic effects, consumers can create professional looking movies with a big cinema-like feel. We believe this will inspire more people to make films that are powerful enough to take to the big screen.”

Canon Legria's Key features

• Canon’s True Full HD CMOS Sensor 1920 x 1080( DIGIC DV II)

• 10x Optical Zoom and 200x digital zoom

• DIGIC DV II Imaging Processor

• Super Range Optical Image Stabilizer

• Instant AF

• Advanced Accessory Shoe

• 25P CINE Mode recording

Read more about Canon LEGRIA HV40 Camcorder

Are You A Walking Smell Bomb? (Part 1/2)

Sweat is actually odourless, so what you need to do is check on your hygiene

By Dr Shyneth Galapia | Reprinted with permission from Ezyhealth & Beauty magazine

AT SOME point in our lives, all of us have experienced being next to a person with body odour. It’s never a pleasant experience to sit next to a smelly classmate or be crammed on a train full of sweaty people.

More importantly, people with body odour may suffer from personal and social relationships. Feelings of embarrassment and decreased self-confidence are common.

SWEATING IT OUT
Sweating is the body’s biological way of regulating temperature, that’s why sweating is more profuse when it’s hot. Composed mainly of salt and water, sweat produces a cooling effect on the body as it evaporates from the skin.

Although about two to four million sweat glands are distributed on the skin, some body parts are more likely to sweat because they have more sweat glands.

According to Dr Chan Yuin Chew, a dermatologist at Gleneagles Medical Centre, “The palms, soles and underarms contain a lot of sweat glands.”

Sweat glands occurring over most parts of the body are called eccrine glands and they are responsible for producing the watery component of sweat.

Those found in hairy areas such as the scalp, armpits and groin are called apocrine glands. Bacterial breakdown of sweat produced from these glands is most likely to produce body odour because it contains protein, carbohydrate, ammonia and fats.

As these glands only mature during puberty, young children rarely develop body odour.

Several factors influence the way people sweat. Certain foods (spicy) and beverages (hot and those with alcohol or caffeine) can make you sweat.

Other factors that increase sweating include certain medical conditions (fever, hyperthyroidism, heart attack, tubeculosis, malaria) and medicines (morphine, anti-depressants).

“When one is excited or angry, there is increased sympathetic activity and one will notice that he or she will start sweating more profusely,” says Dr Eileen Tan, a dermatologist at the Eileen Tan Skin, Laser and Hair Transplant Clinic in Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

DECODING BODY ODOUR
Body odour is an unpleasant smell produced by a sweating and unhygienic person. Most of us would point to sweating or perspiration as the culprit, but it is not.

Sweat is actually odourless.

Dr Tan says, “Body odour is caused by a natural process involving sweat that occurs on the skin’s surface. However, if sweat is left on the skin for a long period of time, the bacteria that normally live there feed on it and break it down. This process releases chemicals that cause the unpleasant smell.”

READ NEXT CHAPTER: Your body odour checklist -- and how to fix it

The articles cannot be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the permission of Ezyhealth

Read more about hygiene and body odour.

Are You A Walking Smell Bomb? (Part 2/2)

How to detect and fix body odour

By Dr Shyneth Galapia | Reprinted with permission from Ezyhealth & Beauty magazine

Click here for Part 1

Body odour may also be influenced by poor hygiene, age (more common in adolescents, adults), gender (male) and diet. Dr Chan says, “Food like garlic, curry, strong spices and too much red meat can contribute to body odour.”

There’s a solution to whatever is causing body odour. Hygiene is of utmost importance. A little help from deodorants and antiperspirants are often enough to get rid of the offending odour.

Visit a dermatologist when these tricks fail to solve your odour troubles or if you suspect that a medical problem are is causing your body odour.

NECK
Odour trouble: Neck stench (accumulation of sweat)

How to fix:
- Apply absorbent agent such as baby powder
- Don’t allow sweat to dry; wipe it off right away

UNDERARMS
Odour trouble: Underarm stink (increased number of sweat glands, accumulation of sweat)

How to fix:
- Routinely apply deodorants or antiperspirants
- Get rid of underarm hair

CHEST/BACK
Odour trouble: Smelly torso (accumulation of sweat)

How to fix:
- Apply an absorbent agent such as baby powder
- Trim or get rid of chest hairs
- Wear cotton undergarments or use garment shields to help absorb the sweat. Lightweight clothing is also recommended
- Wipe off sweat right away

FEET
Odour trouble: Smelly feet (increased number of sweat glands, accumulation of sweat, fungal infection)

How to fix:
- Keep your feet clean and dry (don’t forget the spaces between your toes)
- Wear a clean pair of cotton socks everyday
- Use foot deodorants and antiperspirants
- Go barefoot when you can, to allow air to dry your feet
- Consult a dermatologist for fungal infection

GROIN/GENITALIA
Odour trouble: Malodorous groin (increased number of sweat glands; vaginal infections)

How to fix:
- Make sure to wash your private parts thoroughly each time you bathe
- Using a gentle feminine wash may help keep the area fresh
- Wear cotton undergarments to help absorb the sweat
- Consult a doctor for vaginal infections

HEAD
Odour trouble: Smelly hair and scalp (increased number of sweat glands, oil, dandruff, cigarette smoke, dust)

How to fix:
- Wash hair regularly
- Consult a dermatologist for dandruff and scalp disorders

GENERAL HYGIENE PRACTICES
- Bathe daily, even twice or thrice a day if you sweat profusely
- Wear clean, dry clothes. Bacteria strive in moist environment

Special thanks to Dr Chan Yuin Chew, Dermatologist, Dermatology Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre and Dr Eileen Tan, Dermatologist, Eileen Tan Skin, Laser and Hair Transplant Clinic, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

Sources
1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/003218.htm
2. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sweating-and-body-odor/DS00305

The articles cannot be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the permission of Ezyhealth

Find original article for Are You A Walking Smell Bomb? here.

Ocean & Earth’s Great Singapore Sale Promotion

Enjoy trendy Australian surf-wear at attractive discount rates from 29 May – 26 July 2009 when you make your purchases online

21 April 2009 – Ocean & Earth will be launching its much awaited Great Singapore Sale (GSS) Promotion from 29 May – 26 July 2009.

Shoppers can now look forward to purchasing and donning comfortable and stylish T-shirts, boardshorts, singlets, skirts and walkshorts at affordable prices.

Purchase Heaven & Earth items online between 29^th May – 26^th July 2009 and stand a chance to win amazing prizes (worth more than $800) at the Ocean & Earth’s GSS lucky draw.

Please refer to the details below for the Great Singapore Sales (GSS) Promotion:

• GSS Wave @ Ocean & Earth

Up to 20% - 70% off selected Ocean & Earth items purchased on the website – www.thehabitue.com

• Contest Element

All shoppers who purchase Ocean & Earth online between 29^th May – 26^thJuly 2009 stand a chance to win prizes at the Ocean & Earth GSS Lucky Draw.

• Prizes
- Wakeboard lessons worth $800 for 2 (2 winners)

- $50 worth of Ocean & Earth products (5 winners)

Read more about Ocean & Earth's sale promotion.

The Habitue Launches Ocean & Earth’s New Summer Collection

Australian surf-wear brand features its new range of clothing apparel and accessories in vibrant and bold colours

SINGAPORE, 27 March 2009 – Local distributor for surf-wear clothing and accessories, The Habitue, has announced the arrival of Ocean & Earth’s new range of clothing and accessories from its Summer Collection.

The new Summer Collection from Ocean & Earth, one of Australia’s largest surf-wear manufacturers, will feature clothing accessories for both men and women ranging from T-shirts, boardshorts, singlets, skirts and walkshorts in vibrant colours and dazzling designs.

Trendy, comfortable and stylish, Ocean & Earth’s new Summer Collection will appeal to people of all ages in a tropical and sunny climate such as Singapore. Apart from Ocean & Earth, The Habitue is also an importer of another Australian surf-wear brand Balin. Customers interested to check out Ocean & Earth’s new Summer Collection can visit thehabitué website at www.thehabitue.com.


About The Habitue
To combat the dearth of exciting and innovative surf- and beach-wear in the region, The Habitue was formed to bring in alternative and coveted surf- and beach-wear brands from all across the globe. The Habitue embraces the passionately-relaxed lifestyle of surfers and beach-goers, drawing from the passion of supporters and visitors to the site. The Habitue hopes to create a site and culture whereby all visitors will be habitues, and thus make a difference in the surf- and beach-wear fashion scene for the whole of Asia.

About Ocean & Earth
Ocean & Earth (O&E) started off producing a couple of basic surfing products with a staff of 3 in 1978. With the success of those products, O&E grew, establishing a network of retailers in its native Australia to cover the main surfing areas. By the early eighties, O&E started export sales.

During the mid to late eighties, Ocean & Earth's product range has grown to include surfing accessories, backpacks, and a small apparel range. Understanding the intimate connection between surfing and snowboarding, O&E entered the snowboarding market in 1989, becoming the first surfing-based company to make products for snowboarders. Currently O&E is the leading brand in the Australian snowboarding market, with plans for global expansion.

Today, Ocean & Earth is one of Australia's largest surf-wear manufacturers, supplying products that embraces innovation and eschews staid designs. The business which started out in an old four room house and converted shop front is now housed in a custom-built 3,000 sq.m integrated factory-warehouse, exporting to 27 countries across the globe.

Read more about The Habitue's Ocean & Earth's New Summer Collection.

Pregnancy Tips: Sex Before And After Pregnancy

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
By Dr Ann Tan, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist | Women and Fetal Centre, a member of Pacific Healthcare Holdings

Reprinted with permission from "Great Expectations by Today's Parents magazine

Until what stage of pregnancy can I still have sex?
Actually both sex and pregnancy are natural events and you can enjoy them concurrently so long as you do not experience any undue pain or bleeding. If you have any particular pregnancy problems of preterm labour/ incompetent cervix or multiple pregnancy, you should consult your obstetrician on the advisability of intercourse. The use of condoms may help to reduce the uterine reactivity by preventing semen from contact with the cervix.

How soon can I have sex after my baby is born?
There is no hard and fast rule and usually the woman is ready in four to six weeks post normal vaginal delivery and Caesarean section too! The vaginal wound is usually a little firm initially but should stretch out once activity is resumed while in the case of a Caesarean delivery, there should be no difference at all. For the latter, deep penetration may cause stretching of the Caesarean scar and that may initially be uncomfortable.

I am six months pregnant and find myself surprisingly more turned on than usual. Why is that?
The hormones of pregnancy are making you more curvy than before and it’s very natural that you might feel more sexy than ever before! Enjoy!

Source: Pregnancy Tips: Sex Before and After Pregnancy

Wine Lessons: The Beauty and Taste of Pinot Noir (Part 1/2)

LESSON #4: THE BEAUTY AND TASTE OF PINOT NOIR (PART 1/2)

DEEP within Ground Zero of Pinot Noir territory, in a region known as Burgundy, wine producers coined a phrase "heartbreak grape" for the Pinot Noir grape.

Wine makers have tried their luck planting this notoriously fastidious grape in Australia, New Zealand, Oregon, Italy and other regions.

All ended up enjoying the same turmoil and frustration. So why didn't everybody simply throw up their hands in disgust saying "the hell with it" and went on to plant something else instead?

Get yourself a bottle of great Burgundy - a rare find to be sure - and there will be no need for words to answer this question.

It starts with the nose. The aromas of a great Pinot Noir - be it a Volnay or a Bonnes Mares for example - deliver the most complex bouquet second to none with notes of black cherry, strawberry then a myriad of spices starting with cinnamon and mint, followed by food aromas of tomato and mushroom.

But it is really what happens on the palate that gets everyone smitten.

The wine is inundated with "impossible" combinations: rich but not heavy, full-bodied but elegant, vigorous but not acidic or tart, tannic but not astringent and intense but delicate.

The clincher is still to come. It is impossible to forget the velvety texture of a matured Pinot Noir, a mouth-feel that we can't experience with any other varietal, not even the great Cabernet Sauvignon.

Those are the reasons why perfectly sane and rational men put up with the agony of heartbreaks and the frustration of defeats for a whole lifetime.

Remember that an average wine maker gets to make about 35 to 45 vintages in his lifetime. With Pinot Noir, it is conceivable that a wine maker gets no more than one or two winners in his entire wine-making lifetime!

Click here to read Part 2

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Source: The Beauty and Taste of Pinot Noir

Wine Lessons: The Beauty and Taste of Pinot Noir (Part 2/2)

LESSON #4: THE BEAUTY AND TASTE OF PINOT NOIR (PART 2/2)

Click here to read Part 1

So why is Pinot Noir so difficult to deal with?

For starters, the grape's exceptionally thin skin provide little defense against rot and other diseases. Then its unstable genetic qualities often result in offspring bearing fruit that is nothing like the parents'. It loves cold climates but it leafs early in the season exposing itself to the threat of (Spring) frosts.

Pinot also attracts the wrong sorts of company - sharpshooter leafhopper for example which carries the dangerous Pierce's disease that can destroy hectares of a vineyard.

Even when the struggles in the vineyards are over and the harvest brings in some good ripe grapes, treachery still lurks. Packed with 18 amino acids, Pinot Noir tends to ferment in violent fashion, boiling over for no reason at all.

A quick and hot fermentation doesn't provide enough time for color and phenolics to be transferred (extracted) from the thin skins to the juice.

There are many more hazards - prone to acetification for example, which turns wine into vinegar - too many to mention, but I'm sure you get the general idea by now.

A good bottle of Pinot Noir is really a rare combination of good climate, very good luck and mastery in wine making.

All we need now is some lucky bloke who sits on a cheap plot of land on a south-facing slope in the golden strip of Burgundy called Cote d'Or who is either myopic enough or has the insane tenacity to stick to growing Pinots and make great red wines, then we have a prayer of a chance to buy good Pinot Noir for less than US$50 a bottle.

Of course, we have to keep Robert Parker from learning about his existence, and that takes more than luck and tenacity.

And would you believe it - Pinot Noir is the most "healthy" of wine, offering 3 to 10 times more resveratrol than Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and other reds, especially if it comes from harsh climates like Burgundy?

You'll have to excuse me now. My bottle of Chambolle-Musigny is properly aired for me to take a sip out of the decanter. Talk to you later!

Next lesson: Champagne and Sparkling wine

Click here to read previous Wine Lessons

Go back wine lesson index

Source: The Beauty and Taste of Pinot Noir

How did you celebrate your mother's day contest !

Show us how you celebrated Mother's Day and get a chance to win over $700 worth of prizes for your Mom. Just post a photo of you with your mom in "Look Ma, You're Special".

Tell us why she's so special in your life, and win her heart all over again! Among the many prizes in store: a pampering spa package, make-up hamper, magazine subscription, cocktail glasses and private makeup lessons.

Hurry! contest ends May 31, 2009.

Hurry and join 88DB's Mother's Day contest now.

Spa Review: Aramsa Spa (Part 1/2)

Aramsa Spa: A Lush Haven In An Urban Jungle

By Kareena Ally | reprinted from www.streetdirectory.com

Photos Robert J. Steiner

ARAMSA Spa is a spa unlike others. Set in a tranquil park, amidst canopied tress, foliages and acres of greenies, it is 7500 square metres big and boasts of an architecture that mirrors its setting: countless open spaces, various garden themes, as well as see-through floor-to-ceiling glass panels.

From the reception to the therapy rooms, a sense being one with nature permeates as you feast your eyes on the beautiful landscape and gardens, the brainchild of Nature Landscapes.

The spa boasts more than 20,000 plants from over 200 species – a testimony of its objective to create a nurturing and holistic approach to wellness.

Traversing on a cobblestoned path to your assigned therapy room is nothing less than therapeutic. You will be greeted by carefully manicured gardens – bromeliad elliptical garden, fern garden, secret garden (ginger and herbs), scented garden and heliconia garden – each one a feast for the eyes.

Indeed, all your senses will be hyped up for your upcoming therapy.

Aramsa Spa has 14 rooms, and each has its own garden. There are four double suites, three premium suites, five standard suites, and two Vichy shower / hydrotherapy suites.

The Vichy shower, nicknamed the ‘rain dance', combines the therapeutic benefits of massage and water.

Recommended for those with back injuries, this treatment “shoots” water onto you while you lie down on a treatment bed. The cascade of hot water, which is controlled by a computer panel, is pure heaven!

The hydrobath comes equipped with colour therapy, recommended for those who want to remove unsightly cellulite.

Pick from an array of treatments ranging from exfoliation, body wrap, water, face, eye and back therapy.

Otherwise, opt for the Garden Spa Packages. This includes the highly popular tropical Java Lulur, Botanical Energy, Mineral Infusion, Rain Dance and Lavender Drizzle, to name a few.

Click here for Part 2: The Spa Experience at Aramsa Spa

Source: Spa Review: Aramsa Spa