Em lễ chùa này

Đầu Mùa Xuân cùng em đi lễ

Lễ chùa này - vườn nắng tung bay
Và ngàn lau - vàng màu khép nép
Bãi sông bay - một con bướm đẹp

Mùa Hạ qua cùng em đi lễ
Trái mơ ngon - đồi gió mơn man
Từ lò hương - làn trầm nghi ngút
Khói hương thơm - bờ tóc em rờn

Rồi Mùa Thu cùng em đi lễ
Có con chim đậu dưới gác chuông
Hòa lời ca - vào làn sương sớm
Gió heo may - rụng hết lá vàng

Vào mùa Đông - cùng em đi lễ
Lễ chùa này- một thoáng mưa bay
Và ngoài sân - vài cành khô gẫy
Gió lung lay một cánh lan gầy

Tàn Mùa Đông vào chùa bỡ ngỡ
Tiễn đưa em trong áo quan này
Từng cội hoa - Trầm lặng thương nhớ
Tóc em xưa - tơ óng như mây

Vườn chùa đây - vào nằm trong đất
Nép bên hoa - ôi những hoa vàng
Vườn đào tơ chập chờn cánh bướm
Bướm khua râu - ngơ ngác bay ngang

Mộ của em - mộ vừa mới lấp
Có con chim - nào hót trên cây
Lời của chim - chìm vào tiếng suối
Suối xanh lơ - buồn khóc ai hoài

Rồi từ đây - vườn chùa thanh vắng
Đến thăm em - ngày tháng qua mau
Một nụ mai - vừa nở trong nắng
Hỡi em ơi - mây đã qua cầu (láy) à

Phạm Thiên Thư

9 Million Mattel Toys Recalled

Trong mấy ngày qua, tin tức dồn dâp về Ủy Ban An Toàn về các đồ tiêu dùng tại Hoa Kỳ đã kêu gọi thâu hồi một số đồ chơi cuả hãng Mattel, chuyên sản xuât đồ chơi. Có lẽ đây cũng là một vấn đề nghiêm trọng nên ông chủ hãng sản xuất đồ chơi Trung Quốc đã phải treo cổ tử tữ. Xin các bác đang đóng vai trò ông bà Nội hay Ngoại và đang đảm trách trông coi cháu nội và cháu ngoại hay quan tâm và đọc bản tin này.
By Miranda Hitti WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Aug. 14, 2007 -- More than 9 million Mattel toys are being recalled because of lead-based paint and magnets that may dislodge.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Mattel announced the Mattel toy recall today, citing an abundance of caution with no injuries reported.
The recall includes more than 18 million toys worldwide, including 9.5 million toys in the U.S.
Recalled toys include 7.3 million Polly Pocket play sets, about 253,000 "Sarge" die-cast toy cars, about 683,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets, about 340,000 Batman and One Piece magnetic action figure sets, and about a million Doggie Day Care play sets.
Reason for Mattel Toy Recall
Most of those toys are being recalled because small, powerful magnets in the toys may come loose. Magnets found by young kids can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be fatal.
The one exception is the "Sarge" die-cast car, which is being recalled because surface paints on the toy could contain excess levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health problems.
In a news conference, CPSC acting chairwoman Nancy Nord said that no injuries are associated with the new Mattel recall, which was issued out of an "abundance of caution."
The recall isn't the largest ever and only represents a "fraction of the hundreds of millions of toys" available in the U.S., says Nord.
Today's Mattel Toy Recall
Here is an overview of products included in today's Mattel's toy recall.
1- "Sarge" die-cast toy cars: Recalled toys have the markings "7EA" and "China" on the bottom. Cars marked "Thailand" aren't included in the recall.
2- Barbie and Tanner play sets. Recalled toys have the model numbers J9472 and J9560. Products made after Jan. 31, 2007, aren't included in the recall.
3- Various Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets. Recall is an expansion of the Polly Pocket recall issued in November 2006 due to magnets that may come loose from the toys.
4- Various Batman and One Piece magnetic action figure sets. Recall is due to magnets that may fall out of the toys, which were sold nationwide from June 2006 through June 2007 for about $11.
5- Various Doggie Day Care play sets. Recall is due to magnets that may fall out of the toys, which were sold nationwide from July 2004 to August 2007 for between $4 and $20.
All of the recalled toys were made in China.
Mattel and the CPSC urge consumers to take the toys away from kids immediately and contact Mattel to receive a replacement toy.
For details on the Mattel toy recall -- including pictures and model numbers for the recalled toys - visit Mattel's consumer relations web site at http://service.mattel.com/us/recall.asp.
More information is also available by phone. Call the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall hotline at (800) 638-2772 or Mattel's recall hotline at (800) 916-4997.
Mattel Apologizes
"The safety of children is our primary concern, and we are deeply apologetic to everyone affected," says Mattel Chairman and CEO Robert Eckert in a Mattel news release.
Mattel is beefing up its magnet-retention systems and product testing. The company has also strengthened its efforts to prevent lead-based paints from being used on its products. Read more on what parents should know here.
Today's recall follows Mattel's Aug. 2 recall of nearly a million Fisher-Price toys that were painted with lead-based paint by a Chinese manufacturer and sold in the U.S. from May 1 until the recall began.
At the time, Mattel announced that it was reviewing the procedures used by all of its Chinese manufacturers and would take prompt action if any similar problems were discovered.
As you sort through your child's toy box, are you thinking of asking your pediatrician for a lead poisoning test? Some folks on our Parenting: 9-12 Months message board is doing just that. Read their comments and share yours.

SOURCES: News release, Consumer Product Safety Commission. News release, Mattel. WebMD Medical News: "Fisher-Price Toy Recall: What to Do." WebMD Medical News: "Product Recall: Polly Pocket Dolls."

Metabolic Syndrome: What Is It?

Metabolic syndrome: Suddenly, it's a health condition that everyone's talking about. While it was only identified less than 20 years ago, metabolic syndrome is as widespread as pimples and the common cold. According to the American Heart Association, 50 million Americans have it. That's a staggering one out of every six people.
Indeed, metabolic syndrome seems to be a condition that many people have, but no one knows very much about. It's also debated by the experts -- not all doctors agree that metabolic syndrome should be viewed as a distinct condition.
So what is this mysterious syndrome -- which also goes by the scary-sounding name Syndrome X -- and should you be worried about it?
Understanding Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is not a disease in itself. Instead, it's a group of risk factors -- high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and abdominal fat.
Obviously, having any one of these risk factors isn't good. But when they're combined, they set the stage for grave problems. These risk factors double your risk of blood vessel and heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. They increase your risk of diabetes by five times.
Metabolic syndrome is also becoming more common. But the good news is that it can be controlled, largely with changes to your lifestyle.
Metabolic Syndrome: The Risk Factors
According to the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, there are five risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome.
1- Large Waist Size:
For men: 40 inches or larger

For women: 35 inches or larger
2- Cholesterol: High Triglycerides
Either 150 mg/dL or higher or Using a cholesterol medicine
3- Cholesterol: Low Good Cholesterol (HDL) Either
For men: Less than 40 mg/dL

For women: Less than 50 mg/dL or Using a cholesterol medicine
4- High Blood Pressure
Either Having blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or greater or
Using a high blood pressure medicine
5- Blood Sugar: High Fasting Glucose Level 100 mg/dL or higher
To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you would have at least three of these risk factors.
What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?
Experts aren't sure why metabolic syndrome develops. It's a collection of risk factors, not a single disease. So it probably has many different causes. Some risk factors are:
Insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use glucose -- a simple sugar made from the food you eat -- as energy. In people with insulin resistance, the insulin doesn't work as well so your body keeps making more and more of it to cope with the rising level of glucose. Eventually, this can lead to diabetes. Insulin resistance is closely connected to having excess weight in the belly.
Obesity - especially abdominal obesity. Experts say that metabolic syndrome is becoming more common because of rising obesity rates. In addition, having extra fat in the belly -- as opposed to elsewhere in the body - seems to increase your risk.
Unhealthy lifestyle. Eating a diet high in fats and not getting enough physical activity can play a role. Hormonal imbalance. Hormones may play a role. For instance, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition that affects fertility - is related to hormonal imbalance and metabolic syndrome.
If you've just been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you might be anxious. But think of it as a wake-up call.

It's time to get serious about improving your health. Making simple changes to your habits now can prevent serious illness in the future.

WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCES: American Heart Association web site, "Metabolic Syndrome." Deen D, American Family Physician, June 15, 2004; vol 69: pp 2875-2882. Grundy SM et al, Circulation, 2005: vol 112: pp e285-290. Grundy SM et al, Circulation, 2005: vol 112: pp 2735-52.