PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - To Moises Alou, making it back on the field after hernia surgery is not even in question. He's so confident in himself that his goal is to return in April.

That may be a bit too optimistic, something Alou admitted, because he just had the surgery three weeks ago tomorrow.

But there is one thing that Alou is sure of, and on this point he wouldn't bend. Once he returns, he said, opposing pitchers better watch out, because he intends to go on a tear.

"I know I always come back from things like this, and I come back strong," Alou, 41, said. "I don't just come back. I come back and I perform well, and I perform when it counts."

Students Earn High Rating

Several area students recently received a superior rating in the vocal category at the Sacred Music Festival at First Baptist Church, Moores Lane. The students are, front row from left, Lauren Bean, Lauren Overmyer, Claire Brazile, Katy Leeper and Brian Chuang; back row from left, Alex Heo, Wesley Stewart, Harley Brazile, June Hee Heo and Grace Hornok. The churches represented were Buchanan First Baptist, First Baptist, Moores Lane, Heritage Baptist, Korean Baptist and Fellowship Bible Church. .

Carl Zeiss Meditec: First femtosecond laser for treating refractive errors installed in Asia

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Innovative VisuMax® laser system ready for worldwide sales following
clearance in major markets
(Jena, March 6th, 2008) With the sale of the first VisuMax
femtosecond laser system in Japan, Carl Zeiss Meditec has entered a
promising new market for refractive lasers in Asia.
Dr. Tomoaki Nakamura, one of the leading ophthalmologists in Japan
and head of an ophthalmologic laser center in Nagoya, a city of 2
million inhabitants, is the first surgeon in Asia to use the VisuMax
femtosecond laser.

Relaxing your face may be the key to bliss

I know a few people who would run a marathon if it meant they could get rid of their double chin or frown lines.
These face marks are supposed to be signs of wisdom and growth. However, most women would gladly take back a few candles on their birthday cakes if it meant the wrinkles and lines on their faces would leave.
Marie-Veronique Nadeau has discovered a way for women and men - young and old - to either reclaim youth or put their best face forward. The Yoga Facelift combines facial therapy with yoga to firm trouble spots from the neck up without surgery or other cosmetic procedures.
In her book, Nadeau shows the benefits that yoga provides for the body to help revitalize muscles in the face. The exercises are based on the observation of her clients' results through the years.

Smith puts last season behind him, focuses on future

Alex Smith said his surgically repaired throwing shoulder is easing its way toward a full recovery.

As for his standing with coach Mike Nolan, the 49ers quarterback said that fractured relationship has 100 percent healed.

"I think we both understand each other,'' Smith said. "There are definitely things I look back at and wish I could do over again.''

The 49ers, perhaps welcoming a respite from stories about their tampering penalty, put Smith on a conference call with Bay Area reporters Thursday. The quarterback sounded rejuvenated in spirit — and nothing like the player whose sour 2007 included a separated shoulder and public feud with his head coach.

The latter issue came to a boil in December, when Smith told The Mercury News that Nolan had tried to "spin" his teammates against him by indicating Smith's injury wasn't that severe.