Let Dr. Fish nibble your toenails!

From ERIC SHACKLE in Sydney, Australia.<ericshackle*bigpond.com>


How would you like to dangle your legs in a warm spa, and let shoals of small fish nibble your skin and toenails?

These finny dermatologists, Garra Rufa, are called doctor fish or nibble fish. They are particularly helpful to people with psoriasis and dermatitis.

People in Turkey, China and Japan have indulged themselves in this way for many years, and now the practice is spreading to other countries, notably the UK, but also the US, South Africa and Singapore.

While most spa operators promote their pools as health resorts, one in Eilat, Israel,
emphasises the fun aspect. Its website says:

Among the many treatment experiences the city of Eilat offers, ranging from massages to a variety of holistic treatments, there is another unique species of therapy. Doctor Fish brings the newest trend in a series of amenities and cleaning fish gospel of Eilat.


At the Spiral Complex , between the Leonardo Plaza Hotel promenade to the Hilton Promenade, for only 50 dollars, you can get fifteen minutes, in which tiny fish will kiss (kissing fish) your feet.

This is an amusing experience of trying the trend traveling the world for several years.
The Small pool, which is on the second floor at the Spiral center, full with fish, brought in specifically to bite you. Instead of them resting in your plate, you are the first and main courses in their plate. These are not cruel Pyrenees or other predators, but small fish, with no teeth, a breed called Garra Rufa a sort of miniature carp, which has become popular in dermatology and pedicures in particular.

The fish, filling Doctor Fish's small pool, were brought from Japan to the city of Eilat by Amir Rosens, although originally the origin of the fish is in Turkey. The Garra rufa fish live in warm water, where there is no existence of plankton or enough algae to feed the fish, and therefore, in an ecologically adaptive process the fish began to eat dry skin.

The fish have become a global trend, especially for patients who suffer from psoriasis. This is due to the fish nutrition, which consume only the dead or Hard area "of the skin, leaving behind healthy skin. Of course this is not a cure but a temporary treatment that relieves the symptoms of the disease.

Treatment at Dr. Fish is not only painless, but also tickles a lot. The pool's water is very clean, thanks to its everyday recurrent refill, and thanks to meticulous cleanliness and hygiene. The place offers the possibility to buy treatments ticket tab, which for five treatments you will receive an additional gift treatment (250 ₪ for 6 treatments). Also, while soaking your feet in the pool, you can order drinks and lay back to enjoy.

The pool at Dr. Fish is suitable for use by several people simultaneously, and to sum everything up it seems that Spa fishes have been eagerly waiting for a taste of the splendor of your feet.
Dr. Fish is open every weekday from 9:00 to 23:00.

Wikipedia says "In a museum near the River Kwai, recording the privations of prison camps, a sketch drawn by a prisoner showed him up to his waist in water, but with small fish attending to his leg ulcers. There is widespread use of such fish in India, particularly in rural areas."

You can see the fish in action in this video:
http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magic-fish-spa

And take part in a competition in Ireland:

http://insideireland.ie/2011/08/24/competition-win-a-fish-pedicure-with-aqua-foot-spa-2-31789/

A good story goes on, and on, and on forever

From ERIC SHACKLE in Sydney, Australia <ericshackle*bigpond.com>


Many years ago, I wrote a nostalgic story about my life as a teenage cub/cadet reporter on The Press, a daily newspaper in Christchurch, Newe Zealand.
 
I sent it to Don Cooper, editor of a daily newspaper in the small town of Hereford, in Texas. With a nice touch of whimsy, the paper is named The Hereford Brand.

My story duly appeared in The Brand, and since then has been published in several other newspapers around the world.

Last week, I was dismayed to learn that The Press building of fond memory is to be demolished, following a series of severe earthquakes which have devastated Christchurch since February 2011 and are still causing havoc.

Two days ago I was surprised to receive the following email::

Hi Eric  I am the weekend web editor of The Press website (www.stuff.co.nz/the-press) and noticed your comment with the link to the story you wrote in 2001  I was just wondering if you would be ok with me using that for a separate story to put on the website?
Please let me know.
Many thanks
Regards
Kim

Kim Triegaardt
Writer
021-128 3165

Naturally, I readily agreed. ..

So now, at the age of 92, I've staggered on to the front page of The Press, something I could never have achieved as a teenage cadet/cub reporter.
As a matter of fact, the front page of The Press, like that of most broadsheets, was filled with advertisements for picture shows, births, deaths and marriages, and goods for sale.

You can read my original story for The Hereford Brand at :
http://www.openwriting.com/archives/2011/04/copyboys_are_an.php#more
and yesterday's story by Kim at :
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/5332452/Demolition-sparks-fond-memories

Treasure Hunters Set to Sail

From ERIC SHACKLE in Sydney, Australia. <ericshackle*bigpond.com>


Now that gold is worth more than $1800 an ounce -- the most it has ever been -- Australian adventurer Don McIntyre could not have chosen a better time to set out on his Blue Treasure expedition.

He is about to sail from Tarawa in a 15.2 metre 40-tonne steel ice-strengthened motor sailor dive support vessel named ICE. Two crew members have already been selected, and McIntyre is looking for others to join them -- and to share the costs.

Tarawa, an island in the central Pacific, was the scene of a fierce battle in WWII, in which thousands of US and Japanese forces lost their lives.

In his latest blog post, McIntyre reports:  "After crossing the equator Sunday weather was fantastic. We made a call to Macca [ABC radio host Ian MacNamara] on Australia All Over. We listen to Radio Australia every Sunday which was fun as he has many listeners in Australia and around the \Pacific.

"Then we passed another cruising yacht... going the other way..They left England 20 years ago and are still cruising..They were suprised to see us, as they heard us talking to Macca a few hours before on their radio.

"We cruised past great islands and were settling into another moonlit night with light winds when..silience!.. the engine just stopped dead like someone switched it off. It was 1930hrs.".

You can follow the ICE and contact its crew by visiting its website:
http://www.bluetreasure.me/blog/

Don will be donating 20% of any share of the treasure that he finds toa British charity, The Sheffield Institute Foundation for Research into Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's & Other Neurological Disorders.SMA,(SMA is a children's form of MND).

More photos:  http://s1091.photobucket.com/albums/i386/Bluetreasure-Ice/

Skunks make great pets!

 From ERIC SHACKLE in Sydney, Australia.  <ericshackle*bigpond.com>

Skunks (de-odorised, of course), may not be your idea of a pet, but hundreds of skunklovers around the world think they're cute and lovable.


These clever critters are popular pets in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

Citizens of North Ridgeville,  a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, are eagerly preparing to hold the 10th annual Skunkfest there on Saturday, September 10.

Judges will select a King Skunk, a Queen Skunk, and Prince and Princess Skunks.

The official website says it will be "a friendly gathering for skunk lovers and skunk owners from everywhere to share some fun and discussionsabout skunks."

Most skunks are black with a white stripe, but others are white, gray, brown, beige or pale lavender.
 
A skunk's stink comes from a gland under its tail. It can squirt a vile-smelling but harmless oily liquid as far as 10 feet (three metres).

"Skunk spray causes no real damage to its victims, but it sure makes them uncomfortable," says an anonymous writer in National Geographic.

"It can linger for many days and defy attempts to remove it. As a defensive technique, the spray is very effective.

"Predators typically give skunks a wide berth unless little other food is available."


Links

About Skunkfest 2011:
http://www.skunkhaven.net/images/CurrentSkunkfestFlyer.pdf
 
National Geographic:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/skunk/

Videos:
Nature

http://www.videosurf.com/video/nature-is-that-skunk-video-full-episode-58656783

Feeeding orphaned baby skunk

http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com/2011/06/21/cute-baby-animals-feeding-orphaned-baby-skunk/
 
Pepe le Pew cartoon;
http://au.search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&p=video+pepe+le+pew

Does your pet feel lonely?

From ERIC SHACKLE in Sydney, Australia.  <ericshackle*bigpond.com>

You call yourself a petlover, but have you ever thought how lonesome your pet must feel when you are away from home? Don't fret, my pet. Sydney Pet Sitters provides professional pet minding and dog walking services in the lower north shore.

 "We will send a qualified and compassionate sitter to visit your home where your pet is most comfortable", says its website.

"Whether your pet needs regular walking or just a quick visit, Sydney Pet Sitters guarantees friendly, reliable service that will meet your needs. Ask us about our new companionship visits that last 2.5 hours".

A cattery in the Sydney suburb of Arcadia  says "Our Sydney cattery offers the best luxury cat minding service available

"If you're looking for a Sydney cattery that will treat your feline like royalty, you've come to the right place. Aragon Cattery prides itself on providing Sydney's best cat minding service.

"Our cattery stands out from the rest when it comes to cat sitting because we offer luxury five star facilities which boast reverse cycle air conditioning and oversized verandah penthouse suites to house your loved ones while you escape Sydney for a short or long break.

"We also have large apartment condos and soon new villa suites which are set in peaceful rural surroundings even though our cattery is located only 45 minutes from Sydney's CBD."

Melbourne's Happy House Sitters offers a free in home house and pet sitting service to all pet owners anywhere in Australia.

"Save big $$$ on kennels/catteries and dog walkers,"  it says on its website. "We have hundreds of registered pet loving house and pet sitters who would love to look after your house and pet while you are away, and they will do it for free. It doesn't matter if you are away for a week or a year."

What if you are away for only a few hours?  Well, in the UK, there are carers who will happily look after lonely humans, or their pets - dogs, cats, even goldfish (how lonely a solitary goldfish must feel, swimming around and around in his bowl).

First London Pet Sitting and its sister businesses "provide a loving alternative to boarding your pets outside the home. We are a family business and our priority is to provide first class care for your pets. Whether it is a dog, cat, turtle or ferret, we would love to care for them."

...And we used to think that only  another ferret could love a ferret!

In Downey, California, Uncle Denny's Critter Sitters website says, "With Uncle Denny’s help your pets will stay in the secure comfort of their own home amidst the familiar sights, sounds and smells of their own environment."

Phew!

Bicycle Art Display in Sydney

From ERIC SHACKLE in Sydney, Australia. <ericshackle*bigpond.com>

My friend Mike Rubbo, a talented film maker and artist, spends much of his time riding an electric-powered bicycle.

He believes more people ought to ride bikes, both to improve their health and to lessen pollution.

He also thinks most Australian cyclists adopt the wrong posture when they lean forward; he says
they should sit upright, as practised in Europe.

Mike has put togther a large collection of photos, drawings and some of his own sketches and lino
cuts, for an exhibition in Sydney.

It will be held in the TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst, from July 4 (12 to 6pm daily).

You can preview some of the exhibits by visiting Mike's website:
http://www.situp-cycle.com/

World's Oldest Blogger, Bernando la Pallo, is 109

From ERIC SHACKLE, in Sydney, Australia. <ericshackle*bigpond.com>

Brazilian-born Bernando la Pallo, who now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, is almost certainly the world's oldest blogger. He will celebrate his 110th birthday on August 17.

He looks half his age, and is a shining endorsement of his motto: "Age less, live more."

He moved to the U.S.with his family when he was five, and lived in New York for most of his life.


After studying abroad, he became an internationally renowned chef. He said he spent decades cooking for prominent people including Winston Churchill.


LaPallo has four children and four grandchildren. He hopes to live until he's at least 125.


Asked what are his favorite foods. he replied,"Garlic, olive oil, cinnamon, chocolate and honey."

Here's a story by Alexis Vance, a Fox-10 TV reporter who interviewed him on his 109th birthday:

MESA, Ariz. - On August 17, Bernando LaPallo turned 109 years old! This Mesa resident lives on his own, still drives and walks around just fine - it's incredible, so I asked him to share some of his secrets.

Bernando eats primarily raw fruits, veggies and fish. Meat is a treat only once a year.

"This is my lifesaver, it keeps me alive..superfood..plus I take it everyday since 1979 - I never miss." said LaPallo.

He believes his clean lifestyle is why he's still alive.

"Well, I don't think I know that eating it's what you eat, you've heard people say you are what you eat, well you are."

Bernando reads daily, walks a mile and a half as soon as he gets up and his favorite product to use on his skin is olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is an age old secret he's practiced for years.

His faith is his foundation and his father his role model.

At 109, he's a popular man. He consults people who are trying to change their life for the better and makes speeches around the country. He's written one book,  Age Less and Live More and is working on a second. His phone never stops ringing.

"I get calls from all over..Miami, Italy..I'm on TV in South America."

I asked him if he thinks about his final days. "I never gave dying any thought. I still don't. I know I've got to die. Everybody dies." said Bernando.

So what's next for a man who's lived over a century? He wants to open a restaurant here in the valley with raw foods on one side and healthy American food on the other. But on his birthday, he's going to take a break from his busy days and celebrate another year of life.

Four years earlier, Andy Hobbs,  from the East Valley Tribune, interviewed Bernando, and reported:

"Believe him when he says he’s 104 "

Aging skipped Bernando LaPallo’s genes. He marked 104 years of life Wednesday, still defying every truth to getting old.

Barely a gray hair on his head, with saber-sharp social skills and shiny cocoa skin that shuns wrinkles.

I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes, much less my ears, at the fact he’s 104. He tires of the fuss people make over this number, but really, you can’t blame their awe — or envy.

I still looked for clues at his Mesa apartment, not so much because of doubt, but for a personal reality check. On a shelf, one trophy honored 20 years of service for his work as a chef on cruise lines. LaPallo got the trophy in 1957.

The disbelief, as hard as it is to put down, must go. LaPallo has earned every year on this planet through faith, education and taking care of his body.

He doesn’t eat meat, and for that matter, doesn’t indulge beyond satisfying hunger. Vegetables, fruit, fish and an overall organic diet do the trick.

Born Aug. 17, 1901, in Brazil, LaPallo moved to the United States with his family at age 5, where he was raised in New York and Philadelphia. Educated at a prestigious culinary arts school in Paris, his lifelong career path has included stints as a chef, podiatrist, herb specialist and massage therapist. Those topics dominate shelves filled with encyclopedias, textbooks and more.

It’s no surprise that longevity runs in the family. His father lived to be 97. His mother lived to be 105. In fact, photos of her at ages 104 and 68 just made me shake my head in amazement once again.

Georgette, his wife of 46 years, credits him for revitalizing her health. With the help of good nutrition and herbal supplements, her medication intake has been reduced from more than 20 pills to only two daily.

One would think LaPallo could make some serious money by selling his example of healthy living. I even suggested it, but he insists his philosophy would clash with the health care industry’s profit goals.

About a year ago, the couple moved from North Carolina to a modest Mesa apartment, where a good share of the residents run on the younger side.

For a guy who still hits the bowling alley — he recently bowled a 210 — LaPallo, in a way, really isn’t out of place.

"I have a friend who asks, ‘When are you going to age? When are you going to get old?’ ’’ he said.

"I ask myself the same thing.’’   

Yvette Leslie of Mesa is LaPallo's unofficial adopted daughter who considers LaPallo her mentor. The two met 25 years ago and learned how to do theatrical and street makeup together at the Robert Fiance Hair Design Institute in New York.

She was shocked at his age when she first met him, and she still marvels at how well he's aged. "His memory is amazing," said Leslie, 52, a licensed massage therapist. "I've never seen him angry. His skin is so tight and in perfect condition. It just blows me away. "He's an amazing man. I've been blessed to have him in my life."
 

You can visit Bernando la Pallo's blog at http://www.agelesslivemorestore.com/


and see (and hear) him in videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj7knA3-YUs
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UlfJwn9GIU&feature=player_embedded