“Life, the Universe and everything.” As our friends in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy understood in their own zany way, the mystery of life is what makes us want to get up in the morning. If it were all completely predictable, why would we bother?

Unfortunately it's gone a little too far the other way of late - these days nothing is predictable! So we've tried in this, our birthday issue for the start of our 17th year, to fathom some of the mystery for you and hopefully give you a laugh as well.

We delve into the Celtic world, explore the Universe, search for the secret to happiness, undergo some mind expansion of the yogic kind, dwell with death in that compassionate Buddhist way, even entertain the notion that mermaids really existed! And we ask the greatest poser of all - where does a day go? How often do we ask ourselves just that?

As well, of course, we bring you all our usual natural health features to encourage us all to take responsibility for our own health and not leave it in the hands of an over stretched medical system or, even worse, a "one size fits all" pill. Our medical professionals are invariably caring and well meaning, the purveyors of pills rather less so I think.

Peter Dingle, a passionate supporter of taking that personal responsibility, provides yet another thoroughly researched and thought provoking article to follow on from his recent pieces on cholesterol and Vitamin D. This month, he's looking at multiple sclerosis, another disease that's increasing at a frightening rate in our own country. And, yet again, he suggests woeful Western diets are contributing, together with inadequate Vitamin D.

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by Nova Editor, Margaret Evans

After the failure of Copenhagen, awareness of our global "oneness" has never been more important, says Adrian Glamorgan

If the growing number of reports about rising global temperatures are right, we live in dangerous times, as dark as any threat we felt during the Cold War. But in the darkest moments of the 1950s and 1960s, it seemed to be moments of trust and goodwill, not fear and blame, which helped us out of that thermonuclear mess. So, too, trust and goodwill may take us away from last December's climate-lite Copenhagen debacle to a genuine path of sustainability, giving true accountability and determined action.

But we will need to call a spade a spade. Copenhagen failed, when much more was needed. There were no legally binding targets. At first it looked like Britain and United States had ducked their responsibilities, selfishly exposing developing countries to disaster. But then Mark Lynas, climate author and Maldives delegate in the room, published his eyewitness account, noticed around the world, arguing China masterfully sabotaged the whole process. Lynas cited, for example, how China's representative insisted the promise by industrialised countries to cut emissions 80% by 2050 should be removed from the agreement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was confounded why she couldn't even mention her own country's targets; Australian PM Kevin Rudd banged on his microphone. But China insisted; Merkel relented; and the backroom meetings and the absence of targets and accountability became the glaring flaw in the accord.

Feng Shui predicts turbulent times in the Year of the Golden Tiger, says Juliana Abram

The Chinese have a unique calendar system commonly known as the "Farmers calendar" or the "Hsia calendar". It is an enthralling system that provides us with information about prevailing elemental influences at any given point in time. It makes use of the five elements - water, wood, fire, earth and metal - and their cycles to determine the various aspects affecting the world in any period.

In Chinese astrology, the Tiger being the third animal to hear the call of Buddha has many attributes that make up its character. Those born in the year of the Tiger are generally considered to be magnetic and commanding, strongly valuing courage. They easily manage to whip up a storm, love a challenge and are prepared to assert themselves and take risks.

Yes...2010 is the year of the Metal Tiger and it is influenced by two elements, metal and wood. So, this coming year is represented by the image of Yang Metal sitting atop Yang Wood. In accordance with the cycles of the five elements, Metal attacks and destroys the Wood element, so this wood element is not particularly strong.

Despite serious concerns and strong community protest, GE is taking root in Australia's largest source of non-GE canola, Western Australia. Story by Margaret Evans ...

What is Genetic Engineering?

* Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the process which allows genes to be moved between different species to create lifeforms that don't occur in nature.
* Genetic engineers use viruses, bacteria and a device called a "gene gun" to move genes (small lengths of DNA found in the cells of all living things) from one organism to another. In the genetic engineering of food, these techniques are used to make crop plants grow differently.
* GE is currently used to produce two main types of crops: 1. Herbicide-tolerant crops genetically altered to resist weed killing herbicides and 2. Bt crops where the gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is inserted into the plant DNA as a built-in pesticide to kill certain insect pests.
* In Australia, GE ingredients in food are derived from four main crops: imported corn (or maize) and soy; and local and imported canola and cottonseed products.
* Most GE crops are not used to feed people directly, but are used as animal feed. Fresh meat, milk and eggs may be derived from pigs, cows and chickens fed on GE grains such as canola meal.
* Other GE ingredients may be found in many processed foods such as bread, pastries, baked good, vegetable oils, margarine, flours, starches, sauces, fried foods, soy foods, lecithin, sweets, soft drinks and sausage skins.

Source: Greenpeace

Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA- OCTOBER 1, 2009: Greenpeace campaigners setting up a Biohazard Research Center at a canola field near the city of Geelong, about 100 km South West of Melbourne on October, 1, 2009. Greenpeace has found commercial beehives contaminated with genetically engineered (GE) canola pollen near Geelong and are calling on the Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon to use her powers to properly assess the health and environmental risks of GE crops. Image © Greenpeace/Luis Ascui.

We Aussies are a laid back lot. Certainly, life runs at a faster pace than a decade ago, but to outsiders looking on we're still relaxed and easygoing. It makes us lovable, but maybe we're a little too easygoing for our own good.

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We live in a time of disturbing prophecies of climate change, sea levels rising and world wars and around the world people are suffering in dire situations through food shortages and civil wars. Many people are trapped in tragic circumstances, among them refugees, women, children, families facing terrible poverty and living under the conditions of war and displacement.

Many of the world's problems appear to be increasing, instead of being solved. At the same time, there is more than ever before in history, an enormous number of esteemed spiritual teachers and leaders sprinkled across the globe, providing light for their communities and hope in turbulent times. It's heartening that these leaders can motivate their followers to open their hearts to their fellow humans and create a better world for all.

In a secular world of greed and selfishness, it is spiritual values that must lead the way. And this year Australia is at the centre, providing the backdrop for a global gathering, the Parliament of the World's Religions.

This December, the world's religions and spiritual communities will convene in Melbourne for the largest and most diverse global interfaith gathering in the world. Based on the premise that there cannot be world peace unless the religions of the world are at peace with one another and working together to find solutions to global problems, the gathering aims to foster tolerance and unity.

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Urgent action on climate change is now an imperative that can no longer be ignored. Adrian Glamorgan previews this month's crucial talks in Copenhagen ...

The big environmental news, the only show in town, is the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, from this December 7 to 18. If the Kyoto Protocols helped get the world on the same page, and Bali two years ago focused us towards the rewrite, the Copenhagen United Nations conference is the world's best chance to create an operating manual for future change: meaningful action to do something about rising global temperatures.

Something needs to be done. The alternative ending to this story is climate disaster from warming: more droughts, more flooding, less ice and snow, shrinking glaciers, more extreme weather events, and rising sea levels. Any one of these scenarios is serious: combined, and we're looking at economic losses, famine, damage to infrastructure, drying river flows to major population centres, inundation of coastal cities, relocation of whole countries like Bangladesh and the Maldives, and civil war and wars competing for limited resources like water and oil.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's first official action after being elected was to bring Australia into the Kyoto Protocols, but subsequent decision making, including the 5% "targets", and infrastructure funding supporting the coal industry, has thrown doubt onto our own national commitment. It was a masterstroke, then, for the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen to invite our former diplomat PM to join the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, and the Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, to become one of the three lead negotiators to pressure other world leaders to commit to action. Australia now can make a lasting difference.

The whole point is to arrest rising world temperatures. The key is lowering concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air. At the time of Captain Cook, our atmosphere had 280 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Now it is about 380 parts per million. We can't predict the tipping point, but 450-480 parts per million seems precarious.

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Helen Patrice conjures up the man of her wild and wonderful dreams ...

There were a plethora of possibilities when I decided to make the blend. I had all of the ingredients, bar most of them. Scott Cunningham's Magical Aromatherapy specifies a number of essential oils not readily available in Australia, and certainly not to the amateur. I am no professional aromatherapist with secret passwords to give suppliers so that I might gain such wonders as daffodil oil, chrysanthemum oil, eye of newt, and blindworm's tongue.

I am nothing if not a hedge and kitchen witch. I make do. Before the Burning Times, witches would have had no luxury to have a black-handled knife, a white-handled knife, an athame, a sword, seven coloured candles, a box of essential oils, and off-the-internet magical inks "guaranteed to bring you love".

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Everything seems richer when you put your heart and soul into life, says relationships counsellor Dr Charmaine Saunders.

We all want to connect. Those who don't, or say they don't, are often just afraid of the closeness connection brings. Connection is very important in this age of isolation, uncertainty and insecurity.

While we're communicating more than ever these days over time, space and distance, mainly by electronic means, we're lonelier than ever.

So, how do we really connect?

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