Bob Jones writes about the sodium borate spray method versus tenting.
*** [3/26/14]
xt2000 Orange Oil is another alternative treatment (instead of fumigation)
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Authentic Wisdom
Every single thought you have can be assessed in terms of whether it strengthens or weakens you, in fact, there's a simple muscle test you can do to try out any thought that you're having in the present moment. It works like this: Hold your arm out to your side, and have someone else attempt to push your arm down while you resist. Think of telling a lie, and notice how much weaker you are than if you think of a truth. This can be done for any thought that elicits an emotional reaction in a book titled Power vs. Force, David Hawkins, M.D., elaborates on this method and provides a map of consciousness to show you how every thought computes to either weaken or strengthen you.
-- Dr. Wayne Dyer (via sk444@TheGreatSecret)
-- Dr. Wayne Dyer (via sk444@TheGreatSecret)
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Nine Tips for Investing in Happiness
If you want to be happier, forget spending dollars -- and focus on how you spend your time. Sure, a bigger house and a fancier car might briefly put a smile on your face. Yet academic studies suggest that simply amassing more stuff won't bring a permanent increase in your happiness.
So what will? I dug through some of the work done by economists and psychologists, and came up with these nine tips.
-- Jonathan Clements
* * *
This chapter [from the Rules of Life] provides eight simple rules that you can follow to enrich yourself and your personal satisfaction. These rules focus on things you can do to improve yourself.
* * *
10 Steps Toward Feeling Happier by Linda Laffey.
So what will? I dug through some of the work done by economists and psychologists, and came up with these nine tips.
-- Jonathan Clements
* * *
This chapter [from the Rules of Life] provides eight simple rules that you can follow to enrich yourself and your personal satisfaction. These rules focus on things you can do to improve yourself.
* * *
10 Steps Toward Feeling Happier by Linda Laffey.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Reduce Stress
Just Relax!
By Frederic Luskin Ph.D.
Published: September 24, 2006
Stress is your body’s normal response to a threat of any kind, and the “danger” does not have to be huge: It can be running late for a meeting or having an argument with a friend or colleague. Even if the danger is small, our bodies release chemicals that have a galvanizing effect on every cell. Many Americans today—facing long hours at work, financial pressures and problems with spouses and children— constantly are under stress. Even childhood is not as simple as it once was, and adolescents have a full vocabulary of stress.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn simple techniques to keep a clear head, reduce your stress and put less strain on your body.
1. Take a deep breath or two
The most direct way to de-stress is to take two or three slow, deep breaths whenever you notice that you are anxious or under strain. That is not as easy as it sounds, because when you experience a threat, the center of your breathing moves from your belly to your chest, and your breathing becomes quicker and shallower. Your body then sets in motion the sympathetic branch of your nervous system, which releases the stress hormones and suppresses the parasympathetic branch, which triggers the flow of chemicals that have a calming effect.
The good news is that, by paying attention to your breathing, you can switch off the stressed part of your nervous system and return to a state of calm. As you inhale, imagine that your belly is a balloon and you are slowly filling it with air. As you exhale, make sure your belly stays relaxed as it lets the air out.
2. Think of the good stuff
Since stress is the body’s way of dealing with threats, a simple way to de-stress is to use your body’s response to good things to your advantage. A few moments spent thinking how lucky you are to be alive or how grateful you are to be loved or how in awe you are of nature’s beauty all send a chemical message that life is good throughout your body. Though we react to threat in a 10th of a second, it takes longer for the “all-clear” to sound. We have to spend six to 10 seconds appreciating our good fortune for our body to relax. But if you can produce a genuine smile, then your body cannot feel stressed at all.
3. Slow down
When you “multi-task”—by talking on the phone while driving, for example—your body and mind require more energy. When you slow down, you relax your body and reduce the demands on your mind. So, when feeling stressed, do a common activity slowly, carefully and with focused attention. Even getting up from your desk slowly gives your nervous system a break.
4. Change the tape
Sometimes, all we need to do to de-stress is change the tape that runs in our heads. Most of us have a habit of making problems worse by saying things to ourselves like, “This is terrible,” or, “ I have really screwed up.” Instead, say supportive and positive things to yourself, such as, “I can deal with this” or, “I deserve success and good fortune.”
5. Let it go
There are occasions in life when you need to recognize that you cannot change the situation. In those cases, you can make a conscious decision not to stress yourself out over something that you can’t make different or better.
-- Frederic Luskin, Ph.D., is the author of “Stress Free for Good: 10 Scientifically Proven Life Skills for Health and Happiness” and “Forgive for Good.”
By Frederic Luskin Ph.D.
Published: September 24, 2006
Stress is your body’s normal response to a threat of any kind, and the “danger” does not have to be huge: It can be running late for a meeting or having an argument with a friend or colleague. Even if the danger is small, our bodies release chemicals that have a galvanizing effect on every cell. Many Americans today—facing long hours at work, financial pressures and problems with spouses and children— constantly are under stress. Even childhood is not as simple as it once was, and adolescents have a full vocabulary of stress.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn simple techniques to keep a clear head, reduce your stress and put less strain on your body.
1. Take a deep breath or two
The most direct way to de-stress is to take two or three slow, deep breaths whenever you notice that you are anxious or under strain. That is not as easy as it sounds, because when you experience a threat, the center of your breathing moves from your belly to your chest, and your breathing becomes quicker and shallower. Your body then sets in motion the sympathetic branch of your nervous system, which releases the stress hormones and suppresses the parasympathetic branch, which triggers the flow of chemicals that have a calming effect.
The good news is that, by paying attention to your breathing, you can switch off the stressed part of your nervous system and return to a state of calm. As you inhale, imagine that your belly is a balloon and you are slowly filling it with air. As you exhale, make sure your belly stays relaxed as it lets the air out.
2. Think of the good stuff
Since stress is the body’s way of dealing with threats, a simple way to de-stress is to use your body’s response to good things to your advantage. A few moments spent thinking how lucky you are to be alive or how grateful you are to be loved or how in awe you are of nature’s beauty all send a chemical message that life is good throughout your body. Though we react to threat in a 10th of a second, it takes longer for the “all-clear” to sound. We have to spend six to 10 seconds appreciating our good fortune for our body to relax. But if you can produce a genuine smile, then your body cannot feel stressed at all.
3. Slow down
When you “multi-task”—by talking on the phone while driving, for example—your body and mind require more energy. When you slow down, you relax your body and reduce the demands on your mind. So, when feeling stressed, do a common activity slowly, carefully and with focused attention. Even getting up from your desk slowly gives your nervous system a break.
4. Change the tape
Sometimes, all we need to do to de-stress is change the tape that runs in our heads. Most of us have a habit of making problems worse by saying things to ourselves like, “This is terrible,” or, “ I have really screwed up.” Instead, say supportive and positive things to yourself, such as, “I can deal with this” or, “I deserve success and good fortune.”
5. Let it go
There are occasions in life when you need to recognize that you cannot change the situation. In those cases, you can make a conscious decision not to stress yourself out over something that you can’t make different or better.
-- Frederic Luskin, Ph.D., is the author of “Stress Free for Good: 10 Scientifically Proven Life Skills for Health and Happiness” and “Forgive for Good.”
Friday, September 22, 2006
color therapy
Scientists, who have have studied color and light extensively, recognize that colors bring about emotional reactions to individuals. Our reactions and attitudes to colors differ from person to person, which makes an interesting study in itself. Our attraction to certain colors may very well signal areas where we are imbalanced. Understanding why certain colors effect us favorably while others bring about negative feelings helps us along our healing journeys.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
If you live long enough
[9/19/06] Aubrey De Grey achieves major breakthrough.
[10/29/05] Ellen Heber-Katz, professor of immunology at Wistar, announced that she and her team had accidentally created a “miracle mouse” that “can regenerate amputated limbs or badly damaged organs, making it able to recover from injuries that would kill or permanently disable normal animals,” reported the British Sunday Times.
[11/24/05] Ray Kurzweil and the Singularity / Part 2
[9/15/05] Aubrey de Grey is still going strong.
[6/3/05] Aubrey de Grey thinks so too
[2/9/05] If you live long enough, you might live forever. So says Ray Kurzweil anyway.
[10/29/05] Ellen Heber-Katz, professor of immunology at Wistar, announced that she and her team had accidentally created a “miracle mouse” that “can regenerate amputated limbs or badly damaged organs, making it able to recover from injuries that would kill or permanently disable normal animals,” reported the British Sunday Times.
[11/24/05] Ray Kurzweil and the Singularity / Part 2
[9/15/05] Aubrey de Grey is still going strong.
[6/3/05] Aubrey de Grey thinks so too
[2/9/05] If you live long enough, you might live forever. So says Ray Kurzweil anyway.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
All Believers Network
The Hawaii-based All Believers Network (Belnet) encourages individuals to examine their own faiths objectively and explore how scriptural passages that build barriers against other faiths might be reinterpreted to become more inclusive. Rather than focus on ritualistic differences among religions, Belnet tries to examine the underlying areas in common.
[9/6/06] Saleem Ahmed, founder of the All Believers Network (Belnet), just may have the recipe for world peace. Ahmed, a Muslim, has created a monthly forum for people of all faiths to gather and discuss the common threads between their respective religions. His gatherings attract anywhere from eight to 50 people of various faiths including Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Subud, Zoroastrian, Baha’i, Buddhist, Jain, Sufi, Sikh and Hawaiian Spiritualist. And he would love the list to grow.
[9/6/06] Saleem Ahmed, founder of the All Believers Network (Belnet), just may have the recipe for world peace. Ahmed, a Muslim, has created a monthly forum for people of all faiths to gather and discuss the common threads between their respective religions. His gatherings attract anywhere from eight to 50 people of various faiths including Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Subud, Zoroastrian, Baha’i, Buddhist, Jain, Sufi, Sikh and Hawaiian Spiritualist. And he would love the list to grow.
junk mail
If you decide that you don’t want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently. Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com for details. The telephone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies. When you call or visit the website, you’ll be asked to provide certain personal information, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out.
-- courtesy of Todd Haverkos
-- courtesy of Todd Haverkos
Thursday, September 07, 2006
gas saving devices
Over the years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has tested myriad gas-saving devices that burst onto the consumer scene: devices that bleed air into the carburetor or bubble air through a container of water and antifreeze mixture, fuel-line gadgets that heat the gas before it enters the carburetor, magnets that clamp to the inside or outside of the fuel line to change the gasoline's molecular structure and metallic fuel-line additives with dissimilar metals that claim to ionize the fuel.
Experts say they all have one thing in common. "They don't work," says John Millett, spokesman for the EPA. "Believe me, if it were that easy, cars would be built that way, especially the magnets and whirligig devices. It's smart to be skeptical about any claims like that."
The EPA to date has tested in the neighborhood of 100 gas-saving devices, the most recent at the request of the Federal Trade Commission, and only six "indicated a very small improvement in fuel economy without an increase in exhaust emissions."
Popular Mechanics magazine's experts tested seven fuel-saving products for its September 2005 issue and found no significant change in miles-per-gallon ratings. Two actually increased fuel consumption by 20%, according to the writer, and a third one melted before they could complete the test.
Experts say they all have one thing in common. "They don't work," says John Millett, spokesman for the EPA. "Believe me, if it were that easy, cars would be built that way, especially the magnets and whirligig devices. It's smart to be skeptical about any claims like that."
The EPA to date has tested in the neighborhood of 100 gas-saving devices, the most recent at the request of the Federal Trade Commission, and only six "indicated a very small improvement in fuel economy without an increase in exhaust emissions."
Popular Mechanics magazine's experts tested seven fuel-saving products for its September 2005 issue and found no significant change in miles-per-gallon ratings. Two actually increased fuel consumption by 20%, according to the writer, and a third one melted before they could complete the test.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Snakes on a Plane
Whether it's a good movie or a dreadful movie is, to everybody except the bean counters at New Line Cinema, beside the point. Even they may be in on the joke, though: There have been no advance screenings of the $30 million high-flying action film, for critics or anyone else, not (the studio claims) because the movie stinks from the neck down but because what's most fun about ``Snakes" has been the Internet-driven hype that surrounds it. That hype comes down to one thing: the boneheaded comic purity of the movie's title.
In the year since a Hollywood writer named Josh Friedman posted on his Web diary that he'd been script-doctoring a movie of that title, the ``SoaP" meme has grown like Topsy. It's the latest iteration of viral marketing, an Internet kudzu that initially took on a life of its own against the wishes of the film's corporate keepers. And it's almost certainly the most visible example of a sensibility that didn't exist before the digital revolution: Mass Camp.
When word got out that the film's studio, New Line, had changed the title to the supremely bland ``Pacific Air 121," the blogosphere erupted in rage. The suits didn't get it: What was exciting people was the notion of B-movie junk that for once declared itself as B-movie junk. The original title pulled away the velvet Hollywood curtain of hypocrisy and called the thing for what it was: product. Such honesty was delightful, crass, and cheering, as if ``Jurassic Park" had been retitled ``Steven Spielberg Presents Very Realistic Dinosaurs Eating People."
The studio backed down. ``Snakes on a Plane" it was. Then things started getting strange.
In the year since a Hollywood writer named Josh Friedman posted on his Web diary that he'd been script-doctoring a movie of that title, the ``SoaP" meme has grown like Topsy. It's the latest iteration of viral marketing, an Internet kudzu that initially took on a life of its own against the wishes of the film's corporate keepers. And it's almost certainly the most visible example of a sensibility that didn't exist before the digital revolution: Mass Camp.
When word got out that the film's studio, New Line, had changed the title to the supremely bland ``Pacific Air 121," the blogosphere erupted in rage. The suits didn't get it: What was exciting people was the notion of B-movie junk that for once declared itself as B-movie junk. The original title pulled away the velvet Hollywood curtain of hypocrisy and called the thing for what it was: product. Such honesty was delightful, crass, and cheering, as if ``Jurassic Park" had been retitled ``Steven Spielberg Presents Very Realistic Dinosaurs Eating People."
The studio backed down. ``Snakes on a Plane" it was. Then things started getting strange.
Your Social IQ
Research shows “people smarts” are as much of a key to success as anything else. What exactly are they? Do you have them? Can they be nurtured?
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Active First Aid
This online manual has been designed to help a first aider in most emergency situations by providing simple to follow treatment sections. Emergency situations require prompt action, and an untrained first aider can often find themselves at a loss to know what to do. We hope this manual will assist first aider’s to provide first aid efficiently and effectively.
Whilst this online manual is a valuable resource, we encourage every person to attend an accredited first aid course at the earliest convenience. Should you be faced with the situation where you are required to administer first aid, then your training, and the information provided in this book, will enable you to cope effectively. [via frwr-news]
Whilst this online manual is a valuable resource, we encourage every person to attend an accredited first aid course at the earliest convenience. Should you be faced with the situation where you are required to administer first aid, then your training, and the information provided in this book, will enable you to cope effectively. [via frwr-news]
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Qi Qong
[1/25/09] As we enter this new Year of the Tiger, give your immunity system a boost with the help of Grand Master Hong Liu at his free Winter Immunity Humanitarian Event Jan. 9 sponsored by the Natural Healing Research Foundation.
“We will be employing natural healing techniques that can effectively improve the human body’s immunity function, which is especially important nowadays with the H1N1 virus, and also we’re in the midst of the flu season,” explains Liu through a Chinese-English speaking translator. “In a nutshell, this workshop is for anybody who has either a compromised or weakened immunity that is prone to catching colds, the flu, or for people with respiratory ailments such as asthma or sinus problems.
“All the anti-inflammatory or antiviral and antibacterial medications and vaccines have a very good purpose. However, if we can naturally improve or strengthen one’s immunity, then this person will not catch a flu as easily and then it will be better for oneself as well as for society.”
Liu, who received his formal medical training as a doctor from the Shanghai Military College and specializes in the treatment of cancer, immigrated to the United States in 1990. His resume lists him as a distinguished professor of Qi Gong at the Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica and at Samra University in Los Angeles.
He also serves as an adjunct professor with the University of Hawaii, and resides in both Los Angeles, where he has a healing center in Arcadia, and in Honolulu where he has a home in Windward Oahu.
His Web site (www.qimaster.com) includes pictures of some of his many celebrity clients, including Elton John, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, Cameron Diaz, Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn and Courtney Love.
According to Liu, the I Ching is one of the most fundamental tools of Chinese culture and philosophies. It’s often used as an oracle to do divination and predictions.
“Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, feng shui, Chinese astrology, it’s all derived from the I Ching,” he explains. “It’s the origin of all this knowledge and wisdom, as well as all the theories from the five-element theory to yin and yang balance.
s resourceful, important and widely available as the I Ching is, Liu says very few people read it or even understand it. Having studied qi gong for more than
30 years, Liu, 64, says the key difference between a grand master and master is that he or she has to be well -versed and understand all seven areas of qi gong - martial arts, self-healing, longevity, intelligence, helping others to emit external energy, spirituality and discovering extraordinary human powers. You also have to know Chinese herbs, acupuncture, moxibustion, the I Ching and Chinese astronomy.
***
[4/30/07] In the April 18, 2007 MidWeek is this notice about Qi Gong classes.
Qi Center of Honolulu, 1110 University Ave., first floor, Tuesdays and Fridays 9:30-10:30 a.m. $40 per month, free for seniors age 65 plus. Join the ongoing "Qi Gong for Health" classes, focusing on the 12 setting exercises to enhance your body. Register online at www.qimaster.com or by phone (947-1333).
=*=*=*=
There's also an ad on page 14: Meet Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha. New York Times Best-Selling Author of Soul Mind Body Medicine returns to Honolulu April 19-21.
Mind over matter does not go far enough. The soul can heal, rejuvenate and transform your life and your relationships," says Master Sha, "and you can access the power of your soul using practical, easy-to-learn techniques."
An MD in China and a traditional Chinese medicine doctor in China and Canada, Dr. Sha has trained in the most advanced cellular healing science now occurring in China, and is involved in the West in breakthrough research on the effect of sprituality on the human system.
A direct lineage holder of 5,000 year-old Buddhist and Taoist secrets for self-healing and rejuvenation, he is also a grandmaster of Tai Chi, Qigong, Kung Fu, I Ching and Feng Shui. PBS has featured him in two documentaries: Power Healing with Master Sha and Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century.
www.DrSha.com | Institute of Soul Mind Body Medicine | 1-888-3396815
* * *
[8/15/06] Hong Liu vs. asthma
[11/15/04] Hong Liu starts natural healing treatment center in the Koolau Mountains
“We will be employing natural healing techniques that can effectively improve the human body’s immunity function, which is especially important nowadays with the H1N1 virus, and also we’re in the midst of the flu season,” explains Liu through a Chinese-English speaking translator. “In a nutshell, this workshop is for anybody who has either a compromised or weakened immunity that is prone to catching colds, the flu, or for people with respiratory ailments such as asthma or sinus problems.
“All the anti-inflammatory or antiviral and antibacterial medications and vaccines have a very good purpose. However, if we can naturally improve or strengthen one’s immunity, then this person will not catch a flu as easily and then it will be better for oneself as well as for society.”
Liu, who received his formal medical training as a doctor from the Shanghai Military College and specializes in the treatment of cancer, immigrated to the United States in 1990. His resume lists him as a distinguished professor of Qi Gong at the Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica and at Samra University in Los Angeles.
He also serves as an adjunct professor with the University of Hawaii, and resides in both Los Angeles, where he has a healing center in Arcadia, and in Honolulu where he has a home in Windward Oahu.
His Web site (www.qimaster.com) includes pictures of some of his many celebrity clients, including Elton John, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, Cameron Diaz, Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn and Courtney Love.
According to Liu, the I Ching is one of the most fundamental tools of Chinese culture and philosophies. It’s often used as an oracle to do divination and predictions.
“Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, feng shui, Chinese astrology, it’s all derived from the I Ching,” he explains. “It’s the origin of all this knowledge and wisdom, as well as all the theories from the five-element theory to yin and yang balance.
s resourceful, important and widely available as the I Ching is, Liu says very few people read it or even understand it. Having studied qi gong for more than
30 years, Liu, 64, says the key difference between a grand master and master is that he or she has to be well -versed and understand all seven areas of qi gong - martial arts, self-healing, longevity, intelligence, helping others to emit external energy, spirituality and discovering extraordinary human powers. You also have to know Chinese herbs, acupuncture, moxibustion, the I Ching and Chinese astronomy.
***
[4/30/07] In the April 18, 2007 MidWeek is this notice about Qi Gong classes.
Qi Center of Honolulu, 1110 University Ave., first floor, Tuesdays and Fridays 9:30-10:30 a.m. $40 per month, free for seniors age 65 plus. Join the ongoing "Qi Gong for Health" classes, focusing on the 12 setting exercises to enhance your body. Register online at www.qimaster.com or by phone (947-1333).
=*=*=*=
There's also an ad on page 14: Meet Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha. New York Times Best-Selling Author of Soul Mind Body Medicine returns to Honolulu April 19-21.
Mind over matter does not go far enough. The soul can heal, rejuvenate and transform your life and your relationships," says Master Sha, "and you can access the power of your soul using practical, easy-to-learn techniques."
An MD in China and a traditional Chinese medicine doctor in China and Canada, Dr. Sha has trained in the most advanced cellular healing science now occurring in China, and is involved in the West in breakthrough research on the effect of sprituality on the human system.
A direct lineage holder of 5,000 year-old Buddhist and Taoist secrets for self-healing and rejuvenation, he is also a grandmaster of Tai Chi, Qigong, Kung Fu, I Ching and Feng Shui. PBS has featured him in two documentaries: Power Healing with Master Sha and Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century.
www.DrSha.com | Institute of Soul Mind Body Medicine | 1-888-3396815
* * *
[8/15/06] Hong Liu vs. asthma
[11/15/04] Hong Liu starts natural healing treatment center in the Koolau Mountains
Sunday, August 13, 2006
a scientist converts
He opened the session by improvising on hymns at the piano and concluded it by accompanying a singalong on the guitar. In between, he delivered a compelling account of his unlikely conversion from atheism to evangelical Christianity.
The lanky, amiable personality wasn't a traveling revivalist but one of the world's leading biologists.
Francis S. Collins led the international Human Genome Project that mapped the 3.1 billion chemical base pairs in humanity's DNA. He now directs the U.S. government program on applying that information to medical treatments.
He has also emerged as an advocate for faith and its compatibility with science.
The lanky, amiable personality wasn't a traveling revivalist but one of the world's leading biologists.
Francis S. Collins led the international Human Genome Project that mapped the 3.1 billion chemical base pairs in humanity's DNA. He now directs the U.S. government program on applying that information to medical treatments.
He has also emerged as an advocate for faith and its compatibility with science.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Six Super Foods
[8/10/06] Foods for long life.
[9/7/05] Two years ago British scientists proposed the "Polypill," a cocktail of six known drugs that, they claimed, would slash the risk of heart attack and stroke by 80 percent if taken daily.
Now meet the "Polymeal," six foods that, eaten regularly, could cut heart disease risk by 76 percent—without drugs. Dutch scientists proposed the diet in fun to show that healthy nutrition can protect your heart as well as drugs can. But they designed the meal by studying scads of research, so it really could add years to your life.
[9/7/05] Two years ago British scientists proposed the "Polypill," a cocktail of six known drugs that, they claimed, would slash the risk of heart attack and stroke by 80 percent if taken daily.
Now meet the "Polymeal," six foods that, eaten regularly, could cut heart disease risk by 76 percent—without drugs. Dutch scientists proposed the diet in fun to show that healthy nutrition can protect your heart as well as drugs can. But they designed the meal by studying scads of research, so it really could add years to your life.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Dogs: Wolf, Myth, Hero, Friend
[8/9/06] Today, dogs enhance the lives of millions in countless ways, but they are also some of humans' oldest friends. Ancient clues like cave paintings and burials reveal that dogs and people have lived together for thousands of years. But why have humans formed such close relationships with dogs, and not cows or chickens? This site examines the facts on dogs and explores what makes the human/dog relationship so unique. [robin988@frwr-news]
[4/8/07] PetEducation.com looks like a really good site on caring for your pet
[4/8/07] PetEducation.com looks like a really good site on caring for your pet
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Bio-Mat
The Richway Bio-Mat is a device claimed to have the capability of improving your health.
It's a mat that you can place on your bed or floor and you lie down on it. Supposedly it emits far (or long) infrared rays that enter your body. The rays are supposed to raise your body temperature "inducing an artificial 'fever'. As it works to combat the fever, your body's immunce system is strengthened. Combined with the elimination of toxins and waste produced by the intense sweating, your overall health and resistance to disease is increased."
In addition it emits negative ions. "When the amount of Negative Ions in the blood increases, the function of the cell is activated. Thus increasing nutrient absorption, waste elimination, metabolism and cell function.) The reverse holds true if there is a lack of negative Ions, and too many positive Ions within a cell. Thus, absorption of nutrition and elimination of waste material cannot be done effectively. As a result diseases happens.
I tried it for about 45 minutes and it seemed pretty comfortable as the the mat felt warm after a while. I was looking for two effects. To see if it halted my tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and improve my nasal congestion. The tinnitus did subside and the nasal congestion seemed to slightly improve after a while. Of course, this could have been just coincidence as both conditions occasionally do improve on their own. Then again, maybe it wasn't.
I'm looking for this product on one of those quack reports.
It's a mat that you can place on your bed or floor and you lie down on it. Supposedly it emits far (or long) infrared rays that enter your body. The rays are supposed to raise your body temperature "inducing an artificial 'fever'. As it works to combat the fever, your body's immunce system is strengthened. Combined with the elimination of toxins and waste produced by the intense sweating, your overall health and resistance to disease is increased."
In addition it emits negative ions. "When the amount of Negative Ions in the blood increases, the function of the cell is activated. Thus increasing nutrient absorption, waste elimination, metabolism and cell function.) The reverse holds true if there is a lack of negative Ions, and too many positive Ions within a cell. Thus, absorption of nutrition and elimination of waste material cannot be done effectively. As a result diseases happens.
I tried it for about 45 minutes and it seemed pretty comfortable as the the mat felt warm after a while. I was looking for two effects. To see if it halted my tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and improve my nasal congestion. The tinnitus did subside and the nasal congestion seemed to slightly improve after a while. Of course, this could have been just coincidence as both conditions occasionally do improve on their own. Then again, maybe it wasn't.
I'm looking for this product on one of those quack reports.
Monday, July 03, 2006
blueberries
Dr. Steven Pratt, bestselling author of SuperFoods RX and SuperFoods HealthStyle is a big fan of blueberries. The good doctor (he's an ophthalmologist) first noticed a link between nutrition and health when some of his patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease, improved with a diet of nutrient-dense "super foods."
These include apples, avocado, beans, blueberries, broccoli, dark chocolate, kiwi, garlic, honey, oats, extra virgin olive oil, onions, oranges, pomegranate, pumpkin, wild salmon, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt. All are high in macronutrients and sources of healthy fats, carbs and proteins, and are part of the federal government's food pyramid for healthy eating -- if they're eaten in appropriate amounts.
Blueberries contain more powerful disease-fighting antioxidants than any other single fruit. Just one serving provides as many antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli or squash. Blueberries also have the potential to help protect against inflammation, urinary tract infections, heart disease, dementia, Type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Dr. Pratt explains, "If you want to look, think and move like a youngster as you get older, there is probably no better food. Blueberries are the best calorie-suppressed and nutrient-dense fruit of its class."
-- from Costco Connection, June 2006, page 56.
These include apples, avocado, beans, blueberries, broccoli, dark chocolate, kiwi, garlic, honey, oats, extra virgin olive oil, onions, oranges, pomegranate, pumpkin, wild salmon, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt. All are high in macronutrients and sources of healthy fats, carbs and proteins, and are part of the federal government's food pyramid for healthy eating -- if they're eaten in appropriate amounts.
Blueberries contain more powerful disease-fighting antioxidants than any other single fruit. Just one serving provides as many antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli or squash. Blueberries also have the potential to help protect against inflammation, urinary tract infections, heart disease, dementia, Type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Dr. Pratt explains, "If you want to look, think and move like a youngster as you get older, there is probably no better food. Blueberries are the best calorie-suppressed and nutrient-dense fruit of its class."
-- from Costco Connection, June 2006, page 56.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Servant of Humanity
n our fast-paced society, the quick fix is often desired as a solution to illness. But elevated health-care costs and the harmful side effects of medications have many people considering alternative treatments.
A quick fix can make symptoms go away, but true healing integrates physical, spiritual, mental and emotional well-being, according to Sha, author of "Power Healing: The Four Keys to Energizing Your Body, Mind & Spirit" (HarperSanFrancisco, 2003, $32).
Sha has been featured in the PBS documentary "Power Healing with Master Sha" and last month released another book, "Soul Mind Body Medicine" (New World Library, paperback, $15.95). He resides in Canada with his wife and children.
A quick fix can make symptoms go away, but true healing integrates physical, spiritual, mental and emotional well-being, according to Sha, author of "Power Healing: The Four Keys to Energizing Your Body, Mind & Spirit" (HarperSanFrancisco, 2003, $32).
Sha has been featured in the PBS documentary "Power Healing with Master Sha" and last month released another book, "Soul Mind Body Medicine" (New World Library, paperback, $15.95). He resides in Canada with his wife and children.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
replacing your vital documents
Collection of links for help in replacing documents lost or damaged as a result of a natural disaster, such as bank records, driver's licenses and vehicle registration, immigration documents, passports, medical records, savings bonds, damaged currency, Social Security cards, tax returns, and birth, marriage, and death certificates. [frwr-news]
HouseKeepingChannel
HousekeepingChannel.com (HC) is a comprehensive resource for "Better, Faster, Healthier" cleaning and housekeeping. HC exists to help you clean, protect and enhance your home environment using proven processes and practices from cleaning experts, professional cleaning services, environmental service professionals, and organizational and time-management consultants. [frwr-news]
Medline Plus
The tutorials listed on this U. S. National Library of Medicine site are interactive health education resources from the Patient Education Institute. Using animated graphics each tutorial explains a procedure or condition in easy-to-read language. [frwr-news]
state sponsored child abuse
Of course you have heard of the Nazi Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele, who became infamous for conducting grueling medical experiments on concentration camp inmates during WWII. Some of his victims were children. He tested unsafe drugs on them, injected them with lethal germs, removed their organs and limbs and performed sex change operations on them. His primary interest were identical twins.
Thank goodness something like that could never happen here. Or could it?
While the U.S. mainstream media eagerly report on every new case of child molestation, abuse, kidnapping, or murder, they're strangely silent about the many historical and not-so-historical cases of child abuse for scientific purposes, condoned and/or sponsored by modern, "civilized" governments.
* * *
Reader feedback
Thank goodness something like that could never happen here. Or could it?
While the U.S. mainstream media eagerly report on every new case of child molestation, abuse, kidnapping, or murder, they're strangely silent about the many historical and not-so-historical cases of child abuse for scientific purposes, condoned and/or sponsored by modern, "civilized" governments.
* * *
Reader feedback
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Extend Your Life
There's evidence life spans in America may actually shrink if we keep our couch-potato ways. But some surprisingly simple steps (more sleep, anyone?) may put us on the right path. Our guide to extending your golden years.
KEITH HAYES was willing to try almost anything to lower his blood pressure. He sat quietly, breathing deeply, in his car. In empty conference rooms. Even in his own cubicle, with his eyes closed. But the best oasis he found for destressing during the day was a tiny 4-by-8-foot room — otherwise known as the office utility closet.
KEITH HAYES was willing to try almost anything to lower his blood pressure. He sat quietly, breathing deeply, in his car. In empty conference rooms. Even in his own cubicle, with his eyes closed. But the best oasis he found for destressing during the day was a tiny 4-by-8-foot room — otherwise known as the office utility closet.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Everyday Mysteries
Did you ever wonder why a camel has a hump? If you can really tell the weather by listening to the chirp of a cricket? Or why our joints make popping sounds? These questions deal with everyday phenomena that we often take for granted, but each can be explained scientifically.
Everyday Mysteries will help you get the answers to these and many other of life's most interesting questions through scientific inquiry. In addition, we will introduce you to the Library of Congress' rich collections in science and technology.
All of the questions presented on this Web site were asked by researchers and answered by librarians from the Library's Science Reference Services.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #403
Everyday Mysteries will help you get the answers to these and many other of life's most interesting questions through scientific inquiry. In addition, we will introduce you to the Library of Congress' rich collections in science and technology.
All of the questions presented on this Web site were asked by researchers and answered by librarians from the Library's Science Reference Services.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #403
The Happiness Formula
The Creation of American Idol
Network television programmers face a challenging job, though not a complicated one: they need to find hits. That's why they spend millions to find and hire talented writers, actors and producers. In many cases they would be wiser to invest in a catcher's mitt, because really big hits, ones that can transform the fates of networks — and of network executives — tend to fall from the sky. Here is the story of how "American Idol," the biggest hit on television, hovered over every network in 2001, waiting for one of them to grab it. This article is adapted from "Desperate Networks" by Bill Carter, a reporter for The New York Times. Doubleday will publish the book on Tuesday.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Religious Tolerance
[5/26/06] Religioustolerance.org promotes religious tolerance. That is, we encourage people to respect the freedom of other individuals to follow freely their own religious and spiritual paths, without discrimination and oppression. This is a human right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.. Ultimately, it leads to peace in a land of religious diversity, and to religious freedom for all.
Unfortunately (in my view) not all are tolerant with this site's views.
-- found from a link from the BBC site on religion which was featured in Cool Tricks and Trinkets #404
Unfortunately (in my view) not all are tolerant with this site's views.
-- found from a link from the BBC site on religion which was featured in Cool Tricks and Trinkets #404
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
daily health
5/16/06 - Stress Busters
The idea behind living a stress-free life is to remove the obstructions in your life that are causing you to be stressed. Of course this is easier said than done, but it is truly the only way to not have stress. Here I list some things that can be done on a daily basis, or as needed, to reduce the symptoms of stress.
• Walk outside for at least 20 continuous minutes every day
• Take the stairs whenever possible
• Take 10 deep belly breaths every hour, if possible
• Drink plenty of pure water — at least 10 glasses a day
• Avoid sugar and caffeine in all forms
• Regulate sleep and wake cycle to a consistent daily routine
• Engage in Mindfulness Meditation for at least 15 minutes per day
• Prioritize your life, work, family and personal time and activities
• Do six shoulder shrugs whenever you are tense
• Realize that when people criticize and judge, they are labeling an "image" of you and not you personally
• Realize that you are worth so much more than the sum of your titles, money and belongings
5/11/06 - Excercise Your Breath
There are innumerable ways in which one can benefit from the practice of the deep breathing exercises of qigong. The practice of qigong improves blood circulation and enriches the blood with more red blood cells. This increases the supply of oxygen to the tissues and promotes healthier tissues and organs. The greater supply of oxygen enables the heart to pump slower, while still providing enough oxygen to the body.
The idea behind living a stress-free life is to remove the obstructions in your life that are causing you to be stressed. Of course this is easier said than done, but it is truly the only way to not have stress. Here I list some things that can be done on a daily basis, or as needed, to reduce the symptoms of stress.
• Walk outside for at least 20 continuous minutes every day
• Take the stairs whenever possible
• Take 10 deep belly breaths every hour, if possible
• Drink plenty of pure water — at least 10 glasses a day
• Avoid sugar and caffeine in all forms
• Regulate sleep and wake cycle to a consistent daily routine
• Engage in Mindfulness Meditation for at least 15 minutes per day
• Prioritize your life, work, family and personal time and activities
• Do six shoulder shrugs whenever you are tense
• Realize that when people criticize and judge, they are labeling an "image" of you and not you personally
• Realize that you are worth so much more than the sum of your titles, money and belongings
5/11/06 - Excercise Your Breath
There are innumerable ways in which one can benefit from the practice of the deep breathing exercises of qigong. The practice of qigong improves blood circulation and enriches the blood with more red blood cells. This increases the supply of oxygen to the tissues and promotes healthier tissues and organs. The greater supply of oxygen enables the heart to pump slower, while still providing enough oxygen to the body.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
gas saving tips
With the statewide average price of regular gasoline passing $3.40 last week, drivers are looking for ways to cut their gas consumption. "There's lots of things you can do," said George Nitta, host of a local radio show about cars. If you really want to save gasoline, get a bicycle, Nitta said.
[6/15/08] Here's Edmunds' article on what really saves gas (article dated 11/22/05, from frwr-news of 6/3/06)
[6/15/08] Here's Edmunds' article on what really saves gas (article dated 11/22/05, from frwr-news of 6/3/06)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
David Blaine
Performance Artist, Illusionist, Magician and newbie diver David Blaine has ended his 177-hour stay in a water-filled acrylic sphere, failing in his attempt to free himself from chains and shackles while holding his breath beyond the 9-minute mark.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Taylor Hicks? GoFish
Taylor Hicks videos on gofish. I don't know how long they'll last but enjoy them while you can. Also some Elliott Yamin. But not much of the others.
Audition (Taylor)
Taking It To The Streets (Taylor)
Levon (Taylor)
Knocks Me Off My Feet (Elliott)
Teach Me Tonight (Elliott)
Audition (Taylor)
Taking It To The Streets (Taylor)
Levon (Taylor)
Knocks Me Off My Feet (Elliott)
Teach Me Tonight (Elliott)
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Happiness grows on trees
American cities are short on trees, and the overload of concrete and asphalt landscapes has become a drain on people's well-being, experts say.
Aside from taking in carbon dioxide and generating life-giving oxygen, trees and greenery also clean the air and water, help sick people get well, encourage children to pay attention and give hope to those living in despair, researchers say.
Aside from taking in carbon dioxide and generating life-giving oxygen, trees and greenery also clean the air and water, help sick people get well, encourage children to pay attention and give hope to those living in despair, researchers say.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Health Daily
Dr. Mark Wiley writes, "In the Spring of 2004, a group of wellness and lifestyle conscience writers, editors and researchers approached me about building an on-line community where like-minded seekers of optimal health could feel at home, read the latest and share ideas and stories about their health and wellness trials and successes."
The result of that effort is Health Daily.
The result of that effort is Health Daily.
Damn Interesting
Created by a group of writers, this cool site lives up to its name by
providing a daily dose of interesting facts and ideas to the Internet
public. A wonderful website to bookmark, there is always something
fascinating to read that will no doubt have you saying to yourself,
"Wow, that is Damn Interesting!!"
Scroll the various sections of the site, which include interesting
facts from the subjects of "History", "Space Exploration", "Gray
Matter", "The World of Tomorrow", "Medical Science", "Wonders of
Nature" and much more.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets
providing a daily dose of interesting facts and ideas to the Internet
public. A wonderful website to bookmark, there is always something
fascinating to read that will no doubt have you saying to yourself,
"Wow, that is Damn Interesting!!"
Scroll the various sections of the site, which include interesting
facts from the subjects of "History", "Space Exploration", "Gray
Matter", "The World of Tomorrow", "Medical Science", "Wonders of
Nature" and much more.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets
10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America
10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America is a television series presented by the History Channel. The series is comprised of 10 films, each created by a different award-winning documentary filmmaker or filmmaking team, spotlighting 10 historic events that triggered seismic shifts in America's political, cultural or social landscape. Using a range of storytelling techniques including re-creations, animation, interviews, archival footage, and historical articles, the series offers viewers a fresh perspective on well-known historical incidents while also shining a light on the tremendous impact of less frequently cited events.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets
garlic the wonder drug
There's an invincible weapon against disease and infection--a cure-it-all remedy that kills any virus it comes in contact with. That includes the most feared biological agents like anthrax, ebola, and H5N1 (the infamous bird flu virus). No known germ has ever managed to develop a resistance to it. It is proven to wipe out cancer cells without harming healthy cells, and it clears plaque-clogged arteries like a charm.
Why haven't you heard about this wonder drug?
Because it's not a drug. It's a food, and its name is garlic.
* * *
Maybe. Maybe not.
Why haven't you heard about this wonder drug?
Because it's not a drug. It's a food, and its name is garlic.
* * *
Maybe. Maybe not.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
there's good fat and bad fat
There's good fat, there's bad fat and there's truly horrible, heinous, reprehensible fat -- the Voldemort of the fat world, a fat so hideous and evil that it's despised by nutritionists and cardiologists the world over.
Trans fat -- shudder! -- is beyond bad. It's so bad, in fact, that it earned the label "metabolic poison" from Harvard School of Public Health professor Walter Willett.
Not satisfied with merely increasing your bad cholesterol, trans fat (short for "trans fatty acids") manages to lower your good cholesterol, too. It occurs naturally in low levels in milk and beef, but most of the trans fat in the American diet comes from 45,000 food products, everything from cookies to fries to Twinkies.
-- Star Bulletin, 4/2/06
Trans fat -- shudder! -- is beyond bad. It's so bad, in fact, that it earned the label "metabolic poison" from Harvard School of Public Health professor Walter Willett.
Not satisfied with merely increasing your bad cholesterol, trans fat (short for "trans fatty acids") manages to lower your good cholesterol, too. It occurs naturally in low levels in milk and beef, but most of the trans fat in the American diet comes from 45,000 food products, everything from cookies to fries to Twinkies.
-- Star Bulletin, 4/2/06
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The New Medicine
The New Medicine – a two-hour documentary that premiered March 29 on PBS (check local listings for future broadcasts) – explores a burgeoning movement taking place in hospitals and clinics across the country: integrating the best of high-tech medicine with a new attitude that recognizes it is essential to the healing process to treat the patient as a whole person, and not a cog in an assembly line.
The New Medicine suggests that medical practice in America may be on the brink of a transformation. As scientific findings reveal that the mind plays a critical role in the body’s capacity to heal, the medical community has begun to integrate this new understanding into effective treatment strategies that take Western medicine to the next level.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #397
The New Medicine suggests that medical practice in America may be on the brink of a transformation. As scientific findings reveal that the mind plays a critical role in the body’s capacity to heal, the medical community has begun to integrate this new understanding into effective treatment strategies that take Western medicine to the next level.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #397
why eat breakfast?
Heed this mantra because your breakfast is THE most important meal of the day. It literally breaks your overnight fast, which can last from 12 to 16 hours depending on what time you had dinner the previous night.
It helps you recharge your energy levels in the morning, which if not boosted will make you feel tired and hungry; you could end up snacking on high calorie snacks or overeat at lunch. Eating breakfast also stimulates the metabolism, which may slow down overnight.
Why breakfast is a MUST
Having trouble concentrating at work or studies? Feeling grouchy or lethargic? Here's why.
~ Memory is the worst affected by hunger as the brain requires a minute-to-minute supply of glucose for its normal functioning. Breakfast helps replenish the blood glucose levels, which in turn is the brain's fuel.
~ Research conducted across the world has shown that children who eat breakfast think faster and clearly, solve problems more easily and are less likely to be fidgety and irritable early in the day.
While those who go hungry to school are poor learners as skipping breakfast has a direct effect on a child's scholastic performance. They are not as adept at selecting the information they need to solve problems. Their ability to recall and use new information, verbal fluency and attentiveness are all affected by hunger.
~ People who skip breakfast have less energy and slower reactions. They are unable to concentrate and think fast and may suffer stomach aches, headaches and feel grouchy.
~ Skipping breakfast makes you so hungry by lunch time that you become a victim of the 'gobble syndrome,' which is bad for the stomach as the secretion of the digestive juices does not match with the rapid food intake. Also by eating fast, one tends to overeat.
~ Research studies have also shown that the human body tends to accumulate more fat when a person eats fewer, larger meals than when the same number of calories was consumed in smaller, more frequent meals.
It helps you recharge your energy levels in the morning, which if not boosted will make you feel tired and hungry; you could end up snacking on high calorie snacks or overeat at lunch. Eating breakfast also stimulates the metabolism, which may slow down overnight.
Why breakfast is a MUST
Having trouble concentrating at work or studies? Feeling grouchy or lethargic? Here's why.
~ Memory is the worst affected by hunger as the brain requires a minute-to-minute supply of glucose for its normal functioning. Breakfast helps replenish the blood glucose levels, which in turn is the brain's fuel.
~ Research conducted across the world has shown that children who eat breakfast think faster and clearly, solve problems more easily and are less likely to be fidgety and irritable early in the day.
While those who go hungry to school are poor learners as skipping breakfast has a direct effect on a child's scholastic performance. They are not as adept at selecting the information they need to solve problems. Their ability to recall and use new information, verbal fluency and attentiveness are all affected by hunger.
~ People who skip breakfast have less energy and slower reactions. They are unable to concentrate and think fast and may suffer stomach aches, headaches and feel grouchy.
~ Skipping breakfast makes you so hungry by lunch time that you become a victim of the 'gobble syndrome,' which is bad for the stomach as the secretion of the digestive juices does not match with the rapid food intake. Also by eating fast, one tends to overeat.
~ Research studies have also shown that the human body tends to accumulate more fat when a person eats fewer, larger meals than when the same number of calories was consumed in smaller, more frequent meals.
Monday, April 10, 2006
kung fu healing
In China, birthplace of martial arts, if you announce yourself as a kung-fu fighter, sick people will approach you as if "wushu" were a Mandarin word for "healer."
In other words, it is assumed in the East that a master of fighting is also a wellness expert.
In other words, it is assumed in the East that a master of fighting is also a wellness expert.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
a good nazi
NANJING, China — From the outside it does not look like much: the shell of a two-story brick building with scaffolding running up its sides and, on a drizzly winter day, a pair of construction workers kicking around in a courtyard littered with building materials.
But 69 years ago the courtyard was filled with hundreds of Chinese seeking refuge from Japanese troops who were rampaging through the city, then China’s capital. The invaders subjected Nanjing to a six-week reign of terror, killing large numbers of Chinese soldiers who had thrown down their weapons and murdering and raping thousands of civilians.
The property was the home of John Rabe, a Nazi Party member and employee of Siemens. In addition to sheltering people in his own compound, Mr. Rabe led a score of other foreigners in the city to form an international safety zone that shielded more than 200,000 Chinese from the Japanese.
But 69 years ago the courtyard was filled with hundreds of Chinese seeking refuge from Japanese troops who were rampaging through the city, then China’s capital. The invaders subjected Nanjing to a six-week reign of terror, killing large numbers of Chinese soldiers who had thrown down their weapons and murdering and raping thousands of civilians.
The property was the home of John Rabe, a Nazi Party member and employee of Siemens. In addition to sheltering people in his own compound, Mr. Rabe led a score of other foreigners in the city to form an international safety zone that shielded more than 200,000 Chinese from the Japanese.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
April 5th
On Wednesday, April 5th, 2006: at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.
This will not ever happen again in your lifetime.
Cool, huh!
This will not ever happen again in your lifetime.
Cool, huh!
Sunday, April 02, 2006
The 8 Virtues
President Hu Jintao has a message for Chinese who are greedy, lazy or unpatriotic: Be ashamed, be very ashamed. Mr Hu's list of eight do's and don'ts was unveiled during the meeting of parliament that ended this week.
"Love, do not harm the motherland.
"Uphold science; don't be ignorant and unenlightened.
"Serve, don't disserve the people.
"Work hard; don't be lazy and hate work.
"Be united and help each other; don't gain benefits at the expense of others.
"Be honest and trustworthy, not profit-mongering at the expense of your values.
"Be disciplined and law-abiding instead of chaotic and lawless.
"Know plain living and hard struggle, do not wallow in luxuries and pleasures."
-- starbulletin, 3/16/06 --
"Love, do not harm the motherland.
"Uphold science; don't be ignorant and unenlightened.
"Serve, don't disserve the people.
"Work hard; don't be lazy and hate work.
"Be united and help each other; don't gain benefits at the expense of others.
"Be honest and trustworthy, not profit-mongering at the expense of your values.
"Be disciplined and law-abiding instead of chaotic and lawless.
"Know plain living and hard struggle, do not wallow in luxuries and pleasures."
-- starbulletin, 3/16/06 --
Saturday, March 25, 2006
household solutions
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak
and more (and some of them may even be true)
and more (and some of them may even be true)
Friday, March 24, 2006
The Official Ramen Homepage
The Official Ramen Homepage is dedicated entirely to the art of cooking this inexpensive, instant dish. You'll find a range of recipes including Sinful Breakfast Ramen, Hamburger Ramen Stroganoff, and other creative versions of this fast food.
- from Cool Trinks and Trinkets #395
- from Cool Trinks and Trinkets #395
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Tom Cruise vs. South Park
Actor Tom Cruise threatened to boycott promotion of his upcoming Paramount Pictures film unless a sister cable TV network pulled a "South Park" rerun lampooning the Church of Scientology, industry sources said on Friday.
Representatives for Paramount and Cruise, a prominent Scientologist, denied he made any such threats or had anything to do with the Comedy Central network canceling plans to air a repeat of the "South Park" episode titled "Trapped in the Closet," on Wednesday.
The controversy caused Isaac Hayes (the voice of Chef) to quit the show. And Comedy Central caved in by cancelling the planned repeat.
But Stone and Parker threw together a new show featuring The Return of Chef (with edited snippets of Chef's voice from past show) featuring the Super Adventurer Club. (And, true to form, even more slanderous than the original.)
Representatives for Paramount and Cruise, a prominent Scientologist, denied he made any such threats or had anything to do with the Comedy Central network canceling plans to air a repeat of the "South Park" episode titled "Trapped in the Closet," on Wednesday.
The controversy caused Isaac Hayes (the voice of Chef) to quit the show. And Comedy Central caved in by cancelling the planned repeat.
But Stone and Parker threw together a new show featuring The Return of Chef (with edited snippets of Chef's voice from past show) featuring the Super Adventurer Club. (And, true to form, even more slanderous than the original.)
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Manakai O Malama
A Honolulu clinic that offers different forms of health care sets up a fund to help needy patients
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Don Knotts
Don Knotts, the saucer-eyed, scarecrow-thin comic actor best known for his roles as the high-strung small-town deputy Barney Fife on the 1960s CBS series "The Andy Griffith Show" and the leisure-suit-clad landlord Ralph Furley on ABC's '70s sitcom "Three's Company," has died. He was 81.
* * *
Who could forget Barney and Gomer in the haunted house, in search of Opie's baseball.
In the cobwebbed darkness, the pair hears a ghostly moan.
The exchange is short, but unforgettable.
Barney (with jumpy excitement): "What was that?
Gomer: "I don't know, but it don't sound like no baseball."
* * *
Who could forget Barney and Gomer in the haunted house, in search of Opie's baseball.
In the cobwebbed darkness, the pair hears a ghostly moan.
The exchange is short, but unforgettable.
Barney (with jumpy excitement): "What was that?
Gomer: "I don't know, but it don't sound like no baseball."
Sunday, March 05, 2006
ethanol a scam?
[3/5/06] A recent careful study by Cornell University's David Pimentel and the University of California at Berkeley's Tad Patzek added up all the energy consumption that goes into ethanol production. They took account of the energy it takes to build and run tractors. They added in the energy embodied in the other inputs and irrigation. They parsed out how much is used at the ethanol plant.
Putting it all together, they found that it takes 29 percent more energy to make ethanol from corn than is contained in the ethanol itself.
[4/19/06] Making 4 gallons of ethanol requires the energy in 3 gallons of ethanol (4/3 = 1.33). So you must make 4 gallons of ethanol to save 1 gallon of gas. But ethanol has less energy per gallon, so to save 1 gallon of gas, you must make 6 gallons (4 x 1.5) of ethanol.
To become energy independent, we would have to grow corn on every square inch of the U.S., including Alaska, and then half that much again. To meet President Bush's goal of ethanol providing 30 percent of energy, corn would cover 50 percent of the United States.
[6/20/06] DuPont and BP, riding the global wave of enthusiasm for bio-based fuels, announced today that the two companies have developed a new biofuel called biobutanol that they say has 30% more energy density than ethanol.
DuPont and BP (nyse: BP - news - people ) have been working on the new fuel since 2003. The two companies plan to introduce the first generation of biobutanol in the U.K. by the end of 2007. And they hope to roll out an improved second-generation biobutanol by 2010. DuPont and BP aim to make the fuel competitive with gasoline, even when oil is priced as low as $30 to $40 a barrel. In the U.K., the partnership will produce the new fuel by extracting fermentable sugar from sugar beets and converting that into a fuel, similar to the way ethanol is produced.
Putting it all together, they found that it takes 29 percent more energy to make ethanol from corn than is contained in the ethanol itself.
[4/19/06] Making 4 gallons of ethanol requires the energy in 3 gallons of ethanol (4/3 = 1.33). So you must make 4 gallons of ethanol to save 1 gallon of gas. But ethanol has less energy per gallon, so to save 1 gallon of gas, you must make 6 gallons (4 x 1.5) of ethanol.
To become energy independent, we would have to grow corn on every square inch of the U.S., including Alaska, and then half that much again. To meet President Bush's goal of ethanol providing 30 percent of energy, corn would cover 50 percent of the United States.
[6/20/06] DuPont and BP, riding the global wave of enthusiasm for bio-based fuels, announced today that the two companies have developed a new biofuel called biobutanol that they say has 30% more energy density than ethanol.
DuPont and BP (nyse: BP - news - people ) have been working on the new fuel since 2003. The two companies plan to introduce the first generation of biobutanol in the U.K. by the end of 2007. And they hope to roll out an improved second-generation biobutanol by 2010. DuPont and BP aim to make the fuel competitive with gasoline, even when oil is priced as low as $30 to $40 a barrel. In the U.K., the partnership will produce the new fuel by extracting fermentable sugar from sugar beets and converting that into a fuel, similar to the way ethanol is produced.
Save The World
The wizened sage sits alone upstairs in his secluded wooden house, massaging his temples in fatigue as he speaks to the camera. Sleeping only two or three hours a day, he is grappling with weightier problems - translating the theory of meditative power into a blueprint for feeding the hungry and bringing peace to the world.
A few hundred meditators on either side of a conflict is all that's needed to create an aura of peace. "We create world consciousness and coherence. Therefore, fighting will stop all over," he says.
"Don't fight darkness. Bring the light, and darkness will disappear."
* * *
A bad movie on the SciFi Channel? Actually that's what Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is doing these days.
A few hundred meditators on either side of a conflict is all that's needed to create an aura of peace. "We create world consciousness and coherence. Therefore, fighting will stop all over," he says.
"Don't fight darkness. Bring the light, and darkness will disappear."
* * *
A bad movie on the SciFi Channel? Actually that's what Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is doing these days.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
70%?
Your junk food joint could be junkier than you've ever thought: Aside from record amounts of trans fats and sugar in your burger, fries, and soda, even the ice in your drinks may be a health hazard. This is the finding of a 12-year-old student's science project, which has by now received international media attention.
Jasmine Roberts from Benito Middle School in New Tampa, FL, randomly selected five fast food restaurants near the University of South Florida, where she collected ice samples from soda fountains and at drive-thru windows, as well as toilet water from the restrooms of the same restaurants. Roberts tested the samples in a lab at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center where she volunteers, mentored by a USF professor.
In 70% of the cases, the toilet water was cleaner than the ice.
Jasmine Roberts from Benito Middle School in New Tampa, FL, randomly selected five fast food restaurants near the University of South Florida, where she collected ice samples from soda fountains and at drive-thru windows, as well as toilet water from the restrooms of the same restaurants. Roberts tested the samples in a lab at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center where she volunteers, mentored by a USF professor.
In 70% of the cases, the toilet water was cleaner than the ice.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
how many bullets?
In September of 2005, Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under President Reagan, produced a set of calculations trying to establish how many American bullets it takes to kill one insurgent.
The official estimated number of insurgents in Iraq has been 20,000. According to reports of the Government Accounting Office (GAO), by September the U.S. military had used up 1.8 billion rounds of small caliber ammunition in Iraq.
That means “U.S. troops have fired 90,000 rounds at each insurgent,” states Roberts matter-of-factly. “Very few have been hit. . . If 2,000 insurgents have been killed, each death required 900,000 rounds of ammunition.”
In this Wild West-style shootout, U.S. government-owned and domestic commercial ammunition plants combined haven’t been able to keep up with production. A shortage of ammunition forced the Bush administration last year to buy ammo from foreign producers, such as Israeli Military Industries, no doubt for premium prices.
The official estimated number of insurgents in Iraq has been 20,000. According to reports of the Government Accounting Office (GAO), by September the U.S. military had used up 1.8 billion rounds of small caliber ammunition in Iraq.
That means “U.S. troops have fired 90,000 rounds at each insurgent,” states Roberts matter-of-factly. “Very few have been hit. . . If 2,000 insurgents have been killed, each death required 900,000 rounds of ammunition.”
In this Wild West-style shootout, U.S. government-owned and domestic commercial ammunition plants combined haven’t been able to keep up with production. A shortage of ammunition forced the Bush administration last year to buy ammo from foreign producers, such as Israeli Military Industries, no doubt for premium prices.
cancer detecting dogs
In the small world of people who train dogs to sniff cancer, a littleknown northern California clinic has made a big claim: that it has trained five dogs — three Labrador retrievers and two Portuguese water dogs — to detect lung cancer in the breath of cancer sufferers with 99 percent accuracy.
-- starbulletin, January 22, 2006, F3
-- starbulletin, January 22, 2006, F3
graduation rates
I was surprised to see how low graduation rates are. Out of 100 ninth graders, only 65% graduated from high school and 12% graduated from college on time.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
End of the Spear
Far from home, five American missionaries died in brutal fashion: speared and hacked to death by tribesman in the dense jungles of Ecuador. That nightmare moment 50 years ago this month evolved into a remarkable example of reconciliation, and one of the most influential incidents in 20th century Protestant mission lore.
The saga is even being retold in "End of the Spear," a moving independent feature film about redemption in the jungle with a bigger budget ($17 million) and broader release (in 1,200 commercial cinemas in the United States this weekend) than many films of this genre.
The saga is even being retold in "End of the Spear," a moving independent feature film about redemption in the jungle with a bigger budget ($17 million) and broader release (in 1,200 commercial cinemas in the United States this weekend) than many films of this genre.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Dog Parks
Oahu has more than 40 dog-friendly parks and 121 beaches where dogs on leashes are allowed. For a guide, visit www.hawaiianhumane.org and touch the link Dog Parks & Beaches.
Off-leash fun can be found at four dog parks:
» McInerny Dog Park: Next to the Hawaiian Humane Society in Moiliili; open during shelter hours, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends and holidays.
» Bark Park: At Diamond Head Road and 18th Avenue, open during daylight hours daily. Visit www.barkpark-honolulu.org.
» Moanalua Dog Park: At Moanalua Community Park off Puuloa Road; open during daylight hours daily (except Tuesday mornings when it is closed for maintenance). Visit www.moanaluadogpark.org.
» Mililani Dog Park: at Mililani Mauka District Park at the Park & Ride, 95-1069 Ukuwai St.; open during daylight hours daily (except Wednesday mornings when it is closed for maintenance).
Off-leash fun can be found at four dog parks:
» McInerny Dog Park: Next to the Hawaiian Humane Society in Moiliili; open during shelter hours, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends and holidays.
» Bark Park: At Diamond Head Road and 18th Avenue, open during daylight hours daily. Visit www.barkpark-honolulu.org.
» Moanalua Dog Park: At Moanalua Community Park off Puuloa Road; open during daylight hours daily (except Tuesday mornings when it is closed for maintenance). Visit www.moanaluadogpark.org.
» Mililani Dog Park: at Mililani Mauka District Park at the Park & Ride, 95-1069 Ukuwai St.; open during daylight hours daily (except Wednesday mornings when it is closed for maintenance).
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Ethiopian Idols
"Ethiopian Idols" has its own answer to Simon Cowell, the acerbic judge on the American and British versions. Feleke Hailu disses contestants by telling them they "sing like donkeys." The show has fast won the highest ratings on otherwise dull state-run TV.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Shinran
Until Shinran's time in medieval Japan, Buddhism had been the preserve of monastic adepts who sought enlightenment through rigorous and demanding mental and physical practices that were available to only the most capable individuals. Ordinary people could only look forward to numerous future rebirths in transmigration until they acquired sufficient spiritual potential to break through the bondage of infinitude and attain final nirvana or Buddhahood.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
WB + UPN = CW
The two networks were launched in 1995 with great fanfare. Both aimed at the youthful viewers who were lucrative and yet increasingly elusive for their bigger broadcast rivals. Each has since lost its owners close to $1 billion.
Now, in a surprise move that's a sign of the struggles in network television, Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS are shutting down their also-ran networks, WB and UPN, this September. Instead, they are jointly forming a new network, dubbed CW, to replace both. CW will inherit the assets — and most of the top shows — from WB and UPN.
Now, in a surprise move that's a sign of the struggles in network television, Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS are shutting down their also-ran networks, WB and UPN, this September. Instead, they are jointly forming a new network, dubbed CW, to replace both. CW will inherit the assets — and most of the top shows — from WB and UPN.
Monday, January 23, 2006
What Women Should Do, Too
As promised, it's the women's turn. Last week's Young View detailed five things men should do, but don't.
If you missed it, they included getting regular checkups, watching less TV, learning how to listen without interrupting, stepping up the intimacy and throwing away old belongings.
Now, let's turn the tables on the ladies.
Five things women should do, but don't:
1) Do minor repairs on your own car. The other day I got an e-mail from a friend. It joked about a woman who went into a repair shop and was asking for a replacement "710."
The repair guys had no idea what she was talking about so they asked her to show them if another car in their garage had a "710." When they opened the hood of the car, the woman pointed to the "710," which was in clear view.
"That's not a '710,'" said the guy. "It's the OIL cap."
Most women - not all, but most - have never changed a flat tire. They may be better than the above-mentioned woman and know where the oil cap is, but whether or not they've ever attempted to change the oil is another matter.
When I was in college, my dad sent me a book for women on fixing cars. It had big pictures and easy diagrams. I don't think I ever used it.
Instead, I called on boyfriends, neighbors or friends anytime a stray nail found its way into my tire. Now, I call on the mechanical services of Sebastian anytime my oil needs changing.
Why should we learn to do what men have been taking care of for the better part of a century? Because we argue for equality and independence. And just because a car has mechanical parts and requires lifting and getting dirty, it doesn't mean it should be a job for guys only.
At the very minimum, we should know how to fix a flat, change the oil and pay attention for any strange sounds emanating from the hood area.
(This item also applies to learning to do your own taxes and, according to Sebastian, learning how to "spackle," a.k.a. do some house repairs.)
2) Less talking. Or, as my friend Alan put it, "Don't take a gosh darn hour to tell me about your day!"
You know how you ask your boyfriend or husband to tell you about his day and he answers, "It was OK."
Men would love it if women could respond the same way. Instead, we women wait anxiously to be asked the question (it makes us feel like the man is interested) and then proceed with an hour-long monologue/diatribe about everything that happened from the time we walked into the office to when we made dinner at night.
Men just can't understand why we need to talk so much. They aren't going to remember all those details so they'd rather we just get to the point and let them get back to watching SportsCenter.
When the gab goes overboard, men tune us out. It's not that they don't care, it's just that they don't need as much verbal contact as we do to feel connected.
No matter how hard we argue it, the bottom line is men by genetics have a listening limit. There's no way to change that and we shouldn't force them.
So let his ears have a break every once in a while. Tell your man about your day in a more selective way. Think Cliff Notes.
3) Be more easygoing. One of the primary complaints I hear from men about their women as that we over-analyze everything. Take Lani, for instance. She and Jay were celebrating their one-year anniversary by having dinner. Lani expressed enthusiasm during the meal by saying, "Can you believe it has been a year already?"
Jay was silent. He nodded and then dug into his plate of chicken saltimboca.
Immediately, Lani began to analyze. "Why didn't he respond? Did he feed his face to cover the fact that he really doesn't care? I guess I don't mean anything to him."
What Jay was really thinking was "Hmm ... one year. That's March, August, November... hey, that's when I got my new truck! Cool."
Women think out loud, men don't. This is why we women freak out when our man doesn't respond to our commentary. Most men don't have hidden agendas like we think they do; they take everything at face value.
So instead of analyzing everything that he says and doesn't say, ladies, take a breath and stop the maddening "what ifs" from taking over.
4) Say what you mean, mean what you say.
This one is easy. Stop making your man guess what you're feeling. It drives them nuts. They are no more capable of reading your subtle signs than they are able to buy you a pretty dress in the right size.
If you're angry at him, just tell him why. If you want him to help more around the house, you have to say so.
Leaving a man to guess at what it is you want or feel is as risky a game as playing roulette in Las Vegas. More often than not, you'll end up feeling angry and dissatisfied.
5) Stop asking his opinion on everything. Even though we women would love to be included on every decision our man makes, from his daily lunch choice to what shirt he wears to dinner, men don't want the same from us. Unless you want his help on something major like buying a new car, your man doesn't feel he needs to have a hand in everything you do. Unless he's a control freak, he probably doesn't care what you're making for dinner, as long as he gets to eat. He also won't be able to give you an opinion on which decanter you should buy for your Aunt Flo who lives in Rhode Island. Though women like that extra assurance in all of life's matters, men would rather we make those little decisions on our own.
Comments?
-- KATIE YOUNG, The Young View, MidWeek March 16, 2005
If you missed it, they included getting regular checkups, watching less TV, learning how to listen without interrupting, stepping up the intimacy and throwing away old belongings.
Now, let's turn the tables on the ladies.
Five things women should do, but don't:
1) Do minor repairs on your own car. The other day I got an e-mail from a friend. It joked about a woman who went into a repair shop and was asking for a replacement "710."
The repair guys had no idea what she was talking about so they asked her to show them if another car in their garage had a "710." When they opened the hood of the car, the woman pointed to the "710," which was in clear view.
"That's not a '710,'" said the guy. "It's the OIL cap."
Most women - not all, but most - have never changed a flat tire. They may be better than the above-mentioned woman and know where the oil cap is, but whether or not they've ever attempted to change the oil is another matter.
When I was in college, my dad sent me a book for women on fixing cars. It had big pictures and easy diagrams. I don't think I ever used it.
Instead, I called on boyfriends, neighbors or friends anytime a stray nail found its way into my tire. Now, I call on the mechanical services of Sebastian anytime my oil needs changing.
Why should we learn to do what men have been taking care of for the better part of a century? Because we argue for equality and independence. And just because a car has mechanical parts and requires lifting and getting dirty, it doesn't mean it should be a job for guys only.
At the very minimum, we should know how to fix a flat, change the oil and pay attention for any strange sounds emanating from the hood area.
(This item also applies to learning to do your own taxes and, according to Sebastian, learning how to "spackle," a.k.a. do some house repairs.)
2) Less talking. Or, as my friend Alan put it, "Don't take a gosh darn hour to tell me about your day!"
You know how you ask your boyfriend or husband to tell you about his day and he answers, "It was OK."
Men would love it if women could respond the same way. Instead, we women wait anxiously to be asked the question (it makes us feel like the man is interested) and then proceed with an hour-long monologue/diatribe about everything that happened from the time we walked into the office to when we made dinner at night.
Men just can't understand why we need to talk so much. They aren't going to remember all those details so they'd rather we just get to the point and let them get back to watching SportsCenter.
When the gab goes overboard, men tune us out. It's not that they don't care, it's just that they don't need as much verbal contact as we do to feel connected.
No matter how hard we argue it, the bottom line is men by genetics have a listening limit. There's no way to change that and we shouldn't force them.
So let his ears have a break every once in a while. Tell your man about your day in a more selective way. Think Cliff Notes.
3) Be more easygoing. One of the primary complaints I hear from men about their women as that we over-analyze everything. Take Lani, for instance. She and Jay were celebrating their one-year anniversary by having dinner. Lani expressed enthusiasm during the meal by saying, "Can you believe it has been a year already?"
Jay was silent. He nodded and then dug into his plate of chicken saltimboca.
Immediately, Lani began to analyze. "Why didn't he respond? Did he feed his face to cover the fact that he really doesn't care? I guess I don't mean anything to him."
What Jay was really thinking was "Hmm ... one year. That's March, August, November... hey, that's when I got my new truck! Cool."
Women think out loud, men don't. This is why we women freak out when our man doesn't respond to our commentary. Most men don't have hidden agendas like we think they do; they take everything at face value.
So instead of analyzing everything that he says and doesn't say, ladies, take a breath and stop the maddening "what ifs" from taking over.
4) Say what you mean, mean what you say.
This one is easy. Stop making your man guess what you're feeling. It drives them nuts. They are no more capable of reading your subtle signs than they are able to buy you a pretty dress in the right size.
If you're angry at him, just tell him why. If you want him to help more around the house, you have to say so.
Leaving a man to guess at what it is you want or feel is as risky a game as playing roulette in Las Vegas. More often than not, you'll end up feeling angry and dissatisfied.
5) Stop asking his opinion on everything. Even though we women would love to be included on every decision our man makes, from his daily lunch choice to what shirt he wears to dinner, men don't want the same from us. Unless you want his help on something major like buying a new car, your man doesn't feel he needs to have a hand in everything you do. Unless he's a control freak, he probably doesn't care what you're making for dinner, as long as he gets to eat. He also won't be able to give you an opinion on which decanter you should buy for your Aunt Flo who lives in Rhode Island. Though women like that extra assurance in all of life's matters, men would rather we make those little decisions on our own.
Comments?
-- KATIE YOUNG, The Young View, MidWeek March 16, 2005
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Dahn Hak
Mixing elements from martial arts and yoga, the Korean practice of Dahn Hak is finding new students in Hawaii because, they say, it is both relaxing and energizing.
Some sources say the organization is not so innocent.
Some sources say the organization is not so innocent.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Best and Worst from Ebert & Roeper (& Siskel)
Ebert & Roeper's Best Movies of 2005
But more fun is their list of Worst Movies of 2005
Ebert & Roeper Special Shows
Past Best and Worst Lists from Ebert & Roeper (& Siskel) from 1986-2000
Siskel & Ebert & Roeper's Ten Best from 1967-2004
* * *
[1/16/06] Much more importantly, what are my favorite movies of the year? Looking at my DVD collection at dvdspot, here they are.
2005 - Kung Fu Hustle (2004 movie, but 2005 release in U.S.)
2004 - Something The Lord Made / National Treasure / Blade: Trinity
2003 - Finding Nemo / School of Rock
2002 - My Big Fat Greek Wedding / Two Week's Notice / Hero
2001 - Rush Hour 2
2000 - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon / Shanghai Noon / Space Cowboys
1999 - The Matrix
1998 - Rush Hour
1997 - Batman and Robin
1996 - Eraser / Independence Day
1995 - Mortal Kombat
1994 - Fist of Legend / Wing Chun
1993 - Demolition Man / Jurassic Park / Army of Darkness / Iron Monkey
1992 - Sneakers / Aladdin / Honeymoon In Vegas
1991 - Once Upon A Time In China
1990 - none
1989 - When Harry Met Sally
1988 - Midnight Run / Rain Man (don't have Midnight Run yet)
1987 - The Princess Bride
1986 - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1985 - Yes Madam!
1984 - Beverly Hills Cop
1983 - WarGames / Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
1982 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan / Rocky III
1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
1980 - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
1979 - The Magnificent Butcher
1978 - Heaven Can Wait / Drunken Master
1977 - Oh God! / Star Wars
1976 - The Bad News Bears
1975 - none
1974 - none
1973 - Enter The Dragon
1967 - The Dirty Dozen
1966 - Batman the Movie
1964 - Goldfinger
But more fun is their list of Worst Movies of 2005
Ebert & Roeper Special Shows
Past Best and Worst Lists from Ebert & Roeper (& Siskel) from 1986-2000
Siskel & Ebert & Roeper's Ten Best from 1967-2004
* * *
[1/16/06] Much more importantly, what are my favorite movies of the year? Looking at my DVD collection at dvdspot, here they are.
2005 - Kung Fu Hustle (2004 movie, but 2005 release in U.S.)
2004 - Something The Lord Made / National Treasure / Blade: Trinity
2003 - Finding Nemo / School of Rock
2002 - My Big Fat Greek Wedding / Two Week's Notice / Hero
2001 - Rush Hour 2
2000 - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon / Shanghai Noon / Space Cowboys
1999 - The Matrix
1998 - Rush Hour
1997 - Batman and Robin
1996 - Eraser / Independence Day
1995 - Mortal Kombat
1994 - Fist of Legend / Wing Chun
1993 - Demolition Man / Jurassic Park / Army of Darkness / Iron Monkey
1992 - Sneakers / Aladdin / Honeymoon In Vegas
1991 - Once Upon A Time In China
1990 - none
1989 - When Harry Met Sally
1988 - Midnight Run / Rain Man (don't have Midnight Run yet)
1987 - The Princess Bride
1986 - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1985 - Yes Madam!
1984 - Beverly Hills Cop
1983 - WarGames / Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
1982 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan / Rocky III
1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
1980 - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
1979 - The Magnificent Butcher
1978 - Heaven Can Wait / Drunken Master
1977 - Oh God! / Star Wars
1976 - The Bad News Bears
1975 - none
1974 - none
1973 - Enter The Dragon
1967 - The Dirty Dozen
1966 - Batman the Movie
1964 - Goldfinger
The 48 Laws of Power
Law 1 - Never Outshine the Master
Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.
And 47 more. (This site is actually more or less the table of contents from the book.)
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #383
Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.
And 47 more. (This site is actually more or less the table of contents from the book.)
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #383
New Year's Traditions
Why do the Spanish stuff twelve grapes in their mouths at the stroke of midnight? Why won't Scots allow a short, blonde physician to cross the threshold first? And why do Norwegians hide one almond in their rice pudding?
Friday, January 13, 2006
Useless Information
The site is called Useless Information, but it reads sort of like Ripley's Believe or Not.
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #385
-- from Cool Tricks and Trinkets #385
The Devil's Candy
High-fructose corn syrup is making America fat. How? By shutting off the switches that control appetite. It's more easily turned into fat than any other carbohydrate. And it's everywhere, from the obvious places like Coke and Mountain Dew to barbecue sauce and canned soup. [from chucks_angels]
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Brain Calisthenics
[1/11/07] Is there hope for your hippocampus, a new lease for your temporal lobe? Science is not sure yet, but across the country, brain health programs are springing up, offering the possibility of a cognitive fountain of youth.
[7/6/05] Steps you can take to avoid losing your brain
[7/6/05] Steps you can take to avoid losing your brain
Monday, January 09, 2006
Yoga For You
01/08/06 - Warrior Pose 3
01/01/06 - Uttanasana (intense stretch pose)
12/25/05 - Bridge Pose
12/17/05 - Standing Eagle Pose
12/11/05 - Half Moon Pose
12/4/05 - Chair Hamstring Stretch
11/27/05 - Virabhadrasana (warrior pose)
11/20/05 - Utkatasana (fierce pose)
11/13/05 - L-shaped pose
11/6/05 - Eagle Pose
10/30/05 - Chair Shoulder Stretch
10/23/05 - Sitting Chair Twist
10/16/05 - Downward-Facing Dog Pose
10/9/05 - Tree Pose
10/2/05 - Cow Faced Pose
9/25/05 - Bound finger pose
* * *
For Ray Madigan, an Iyengar yoga practitioner for 13 years, "The great thing is yoga has become popular, and the bad thing is yoga has become popular."
01/01/06 - Uttanasana (intense stretch pose)
12/25/05 - Bridge Pose
12/17/05 - Standing Eagle Pose
12/11/05 - Half Moon Pose
12/4/05 - Chair Hamstring Stretch
11/27/05 - Virabhadrasana (warrior pose)
11/20/05 - Utkatasana (fierce pose)
11/13/05 - L-shaped pose
11/6/05 - Eagle Pose
10/30/05 - Chair Shoulder Stretch
10/23/05 - Sitting Chair Twist
10/16/05 - Downward-Facing Dog Pose
10/9/05 - Tree Pose
10/2/05 - Cow Faced Pose
9/25/05 - Bound finger pose
* * *
For Ray Madigan, an Iyengar yoga practitioner for 13 years, "The great thing is yoga has become popular, and the bad thing is yoga has become popular."
The Five Things Men Should Do
Some things are easier said than done. For instance, it's easier to say you're going to eat better, but then opt for the drive-through burger when the day gets too hectic.
We all do it, men and women alike. We know we should do certain things, we even say it out loud, "I really should do this or that," but then we never get around to making a life change.
Sometimes there is a logical explanation for our behavior, other times there is not.
But in the name of making the world a better place, there's never a limit on self-improvement.
Five things men should do, but don't:
1) Get regular check-ups. I have a friend who hasn't been to see a dentist in six years. The only way he'll go to any doctor - be it dentist, optometrist or physician - is if his girlfriend makes the appointment for him.
Most men I know avoid regular checkups like they avoid shopping with their wives. Both experiences leave them sitting in uncomfortable chairs waiting for someone to come tell them it's time to go, and the former sometimes also requires turning your head and coughing. Not fun.
The average man firmly believes he can cure himself of whatever ails him by walking it off. If there's nothing ailing him, well, then, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
My co-working attributes this phenomenon to a little bit of "male machismo."
He says that while he sends his wife to the doctor anytime she has the sniffles, he could have an arrow sticking out of his forehead and rationalize, "It's not that bad, I'm sure it will fall out tomorrow."
While logic might point said male in the direction of the doctor's office, when it comes down to it, I think men are scared to go get checked because they're afraid of what the doctor might find.
But maybe the answer to this is less profound than that. After all, male machismo is a strong and baffling force.
2) Watch less TV. Yes, that's right. Watch less TV! Or at least don't be so consumed by what you see on-screen. It's very irritating to us women when we feel like the TV runs your life. We could parade naked in front of you, but if CSI is on (which now runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday) we can forget about getting any kind of attention. There's more to life than the tube, boys, so turn it off every once in a while to see what else is out there.
3) Learn to listen without interrupting. There's nothing worse than when we ladies wait all day to talk to you and in the middle of our in-depth story about something that went wrong at work, you interrupt us mid-sentence to yell, "Whoa, did you see that gecko hiss at the cockroach on the floor? Cool." We feel your lack of ability to just listen to the end of the story means you're not interested in what we have to say. Plus, you're always interrupting us with some insignificant factoid.
Talking is the way we women make a connection to you, the man. Is it that hard to just let us finish?
"But if I didn't tell you about the gecko right then and there I'd forget, or you'd miss it," the man maintains.
That's fine with us, let the gecko go about his business. If you love us, then pay attention to what matters the most in our world: that we get to share our day with someone who really cares to hear what we're feeling.
4) Intimacy before and after. I have lots of girlfriends who complain that the intimacy in their long-term relationships is close to non-existent.
Gone are the early honeymoon-stage days of staring deep into each other's eyes, of shoulder rubs, making out and cuddling.
As time goes on, men seem more obsessed with just getting the job done and getting on with life than with slowing down to enjoy the view.
Women are left feeling a bit neglected and unsatisfied. For us the cuddling and kissing is part of an all-inclusive experience.
We know you're tired, but we'd appreciate a little extra effort every once in a while. Trust me, the more work you put in at the start, the sweeter your lady's experience will be.
5) Throw away old belongings. You know that old shirt with the hole in the armpit? Or that pair of underwear you have from high school that resembles Swiss cheese? How about that pair of used-to-be white socks that are so smelly they've scared away all the other dirty laundry in the basket?
Men should learn to throw their old things out! Sure, save the items that have true sentimental value, but don't tell me that the Swiss cheese underwear "still has some life left in it."
Unless it's a baseball card you've saved from childhood and plan to sell to buy a new house, if it's falling apart, time to let it go. You can buy new socks at Wal-Mart.
Next week: Five things women should do, but don't. Stay tuned.
-- Katie Young, MidWeek, March 9, 2005
We all do it, men and women alike. We know we should do certain things, we even say it out loud, "I really should do this or that," but then we never get around to making a life change.
Sometimes there is a logical explanation for our behavior, other times there is not.
But in the name of making the world a better place, there's never a limit on self-improvement.
Five things men should do, but don't:
1) Get regular check-ups. I have a friend who hasn't been to see a dentist in six years. The only way he'll go to any doctor - be it dentist, optometrist or physician - is if his girlfriend makes the appointment for him.
Most men I know avoid regular checkups like they avoid shopping with their wives. Both experiences leave them sitting in uncomfortable chairs waiting for someone to come tell them it's time to go, and the former sometimes also requires turning your head and coughing. Not fun.
The average man firmly believes he can cure himself of whatever ails him by walking it off. If there's nothing ailing him, well, then, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
My co-working attributes this phenomenon to a little bit of "male machismo."
He says that while he sends his wife to the doctor anytime she has the sniffles, he could have an arrow sticking out of his forehead and rationalize, "It's not that bad, I'm sure it will fall out tomorrow."
While logic might point said male in the direction of the doctor's office, when it comes down to it, I think men are scared to go get checked because they're afraid of what the doctor might find.
But maybe the answer to this is less profound than that. After all, male machismo is a strong and baffling force.
2) Watch less TV. Yes, that's right. Watch less TV! Or at least don't be so consumed by what you see on-screen. It's very irritating to us women when we feel like the TV runs your life. We could parade naked in front of you, but if CSI is on (which now runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday) we can forget about getting any kind of attention. There's more to life than the tube, boys, so turn it off every once in a while to see what else is out there.
3) Learn to listen without interrupting. There's nothing worse than when we ladies wait all day to talk to you and in the middle of our in-depth story about something that went wrong at work, you interrupt us mid-sentence to yell, "Whoa, did you see that gecko hiss at the cockroach on the floor? Cool." We feel your lack of ability to just listen to the end of the story means you're not interested in what we have to say. Plus, you're always interrupting us with some insignificant factoid.
Talking is the way we women make a connection to you, the man. Is it that hard to just let us finish?
"But if I didn't tell you about the gecko right then and there I'd forget, or you'd miss it," the man maintains.
That's fine with us, let the gecko go about his business. If you love us, then pay attention to what matters the most in our world: that we get to share our day with someone who really cares to hear what we're feeling.
4) Intimacy before and after. I have lots of girlfriends who complain that the intimacy in their long-term relationships is close to non-existent.
Gone are the early honeymoon-stage days of staring deep into each other's eyes, of shoulder rubs, making out and cuddling.
As time goes on, men seem more obsessed with just getting the job done and getting on with life than with slowing down to enjoy the view.
Women are left feeling a bit neglected and unsatisfied. For us the cuddling and kissing is part of an all-inclusive experience.
We know you're tired, but we'd appreciate a little extra effort every once in a while. Trust me, the more work you put in at the start, the sweeter your lady's experience will be.
5) Throw away old belongings. You know that old shirt with the hole in the armpit? Or that pair of underwear you have from high school that resembles Swiss cheese? How about that pair of used-to-be white socks that are so smelly they've scared away all the other dirty laundry in the basket?
Men should learn to throw their old things out! Sure, save the items that have true sentimental value, but don't tell me that the Swiss cheese underwear "still has some life left in it."
Unless it's a baseball card you've saved from childhood and plan to sell to buy a new house, if it's falling apart, time to let it go. You can buy new socks at Wal-Mart.
Next week: Five things women should do, but don't. Stay tuned.
-- Katie Young, MidWeek, March 9, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
The Tokusatsu Cycle
Tokusatsu, can fall into a predictable cycle. Joe Schmoe, usually a character with a tragic past, encounters lackeys of an evil organization with aims to take over the world; hero goes through an elaborate sequence of poses to transform into the mega-powerful costumed Superhero X; giant rubber-suited monster gets pummeled into oblivion; catchy closing theme plays as footage of the hero riding off to meet his next challenge rolls under the credits.
* * *
What can I say? That never stopped me as a kid as from watching.
* * *
What can I say? That never stopped me as a kid as from watching.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
It's About Time (by Ruth Wong)
recent articles
7/26/10 - 7 Ruinous Habits
6/28/10 - One Month to Live, Part 3
6/14/10 - One Month to Live, Part 2. The book "One Month to Live," by Kerry and Chris Shook, founders of the Fellowship of the Woodlands church near Houston, is a 30-day challenge to do just that - to live as if we were dying. They said that countless people in every stage of life say things such as: "Someday I'm going to go for all that life has to offer." "When I retire, then I'm going to enjoy life." "When I make enough money, then I'm really going to spend more time with my kids."
We all have things we want to do and experience, things that we'll do when we have the time, when conditions are better or when we get caught up. But in reality, how often does that "someday" come?
All too often, I've noticed that "someday" is "ne'er-to-come" day. "Someday. One day. When. If. Then it's over. When are we going to wake up and realize this is your life, right here, right now? Someday is right now."
5/24/10 - If you knew you had only one month to live, how would you live it? Would you continue on as always, or would you make changes to make the most of the time you have left?
This is just one of the questions authors Kerry and Chris Shook, founders of a megachurch outside Houston, present in their New York Times best-seller book "One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life."
1/25/10 - Don't delay in doing things you've put off
10/26/09 - Puttering around yields better mental health
8/24/09 - Successful Don'ts
5/11/09 - More reasons clutter accumulates
4/27/09 - Just how did that clutter accumulate?
2/27/09 - Purging the dross of triviality [added 12/26/15]
2/13/09 - The 5S Clean Desk Cop
Bring order to your home office
11/14/08 - How much stuff does a man need?
6/27/08 - Organization is not about looking good
11/9/07 - Contentment helps simplify life
09/28/07 - Living nobly and freely
05/25/07 - Make your life count while you can
05/14/07 - Pare down possessions and gain peace
02/10/06 - Use routines to stay on top of daily chores
02/10/06 - Downsizing frees up space for meaningful possessions
12/23/05 - Organizing Express gets final check
12/09/05 - List guages improvement
11/25/05 - Reality check on progress
11/11/05 - Shovel out from under all your stuff
10/28/05 - Mini-tasks more likely to get done
10/14/05 - Don't put off today's tasks
09/23/05 - More on the 80/20 Rule
09/09/05 - The 80/20 Rule
08/26/05 - What does your home say about you?
08/12/05 - Appreciate life while still living it
07/22/05 - Simplifying life brings freedom
07/08/05 - Overcome roadblocks one at a time
06/24/05 - Neglecting problems now can hurt later
06/10/05 - Arise and face the day, beautifully
05/27/05 - How to slow down
05/15/05 - Why rush through life?
04/22/05 - Is your home constipated?
04/08/05 - Discard clutter, not the memories
03/25/05 - Small acts are better than big ideas
03/11/05 - The problem of procrastination
02/25/05 - Organize your bill paying
02/11/05 - Avoid mail pile-up
01/28/05 - Getting organized
01/14/05 - What will you pay to get organized?
12/24/04 - Final recap of this year's columns
12/10/04 - More action steps from this year's columns
11/26/04 - Recapping the first quarter
11/12/04 - Be thankful for small joys
10/22/04 - What do you wish you were doing (and why aren't you?)
10/08/04 - What does organization mean to you?
09/24/04 - Hurricane Preparedness
09/10/04 - Being Ready for a Hurricane
08/27/04 - Delay work, delay enjoyment
08/13/04 - Thoughts on simplicity and elegance
07/23/04 - Make today and every day the best day of your life
07/09/04 - Works smarter not harder with checklists
05/28/04 - It's never to early to right-size
03/26/04 - Spring clean your closet
01/09/04 - Theme for the Year
11/28/03 - Happiness doesn't depend on things
05/23/03 - Unload your brain
10/25/02 - To grow is to outgrow and let go
03/24/01 - Ruth Wong delves into people's brains
12/27/96 - Make most out of space
7/26/10 - 7 Ruinous Habits
6/28/10 - One Month to Live, Part 3
6/14/10 - One Month to Live, Part 2. The book "One Month to Live," by Kerry and Chris Shook, founders of the Fellowship of the Woodlands church near Houston, is a 30-day challenge to do just that - to live as if we were dying. They said that countless people in every stage of life say things such as: "Someday I'm going to go for all that life has to offer." "When I retire, then I'm going to enjoy life." "When I make enough money, then I'm really going to spend more time with my kids."
We all have things we want to do and experience, things that we'll do when we have the time, when conditions are better or when we get caught up. But in reality, how often does that "someday" come?
All too often, I've noticed that "someday" is "ne'er-to-come" day. "Someday. One day. When. If. Then it's over. When are we going to wake up and realize this is your life, right here, right now? Someday is right now."
5/24/10 - If you knew you had only one month to live, how would you live it? Would you continue on as always, or would you make changes to make the most of the time you have left?
This is just one of the questions authors Kerry and Chris Shook, founders of a megachurch outside Houston, present in their New York Times best-seller book "One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life."
1/25/10 - Don't delay in doing things you've put off
10/26/09 - Puttering around yields better mental health
8/24/09 - Successful Don'ts
5/11/09 - More reasons clutter accumulates
4/27/09 - Just how did that clutter accumulate?
2/27/09 - Purging the dross of triviality [added 12/26/15]
2/13/09 - The 5S Clean Desk Cop
Bring order to your home office
11/14/08 - How much stuff does a man need?
6/27/08 - Organization is not about looking good
11/9/07 - Contentment helps simplify life
09/28/07 - Living nobly and freely
05/25/07 - Make your life count while you can
05/14/07 - Pare down possessions and gain peace
02/10/06 - Use routines to stay on top of daily chores
02/10/06 - Downsizing frees up space for meaningful possessions
12/23/05 - Organizing Express gets final check
12/09/05 - List guages improvement
11/25/05 - Reality check on progress
11/11/05 - Shovel out from under all your stuff
10/28/05 - Mini-tasks more likely to get done
10/14/05 - Don't put off today's tasks
09/23/05 - More on the 80/20 Rule
09/09/05 - The 80/20 Rule
08/26/05 - What does your home say about you?
08/12/05 - Appreciate life while still living it
07/22/05 - Simplifying life brings freedom
07/08/05 - Overcome roadblocks one at a time
06/24/05 - Neglecting problems now can hurt later
06/10/05 - Arise and face the day, beautifully
05/27/05 - How to slow down
05/15/05 - Why rush through life?
04/22/05 - Is your home constipated?
04/08/05 - Discard clutter, not the memories
03/25/05 - Small acts are better than big ideas
03/11/05 - The problem of procrastination
02/25/05 - Organize your bill paying
02/11/05 - Avoid mail pile-up
01/28/05 - Getting organized
01/14/05 - What will you pay to get organized?
12/24/04 - Final recap of this year's columns
12/10/04 - More action steps from this year's columns
11/26/04 - Recapping the first quarter
11/12/04 - Be thankful for small joys
10/22/04 - What do you wish you were doing (and why aren't you?)
10/08/04 - What does organization mean to you?
09/24/04 - Hurricane Preparedness
09/10/04 - Being Ready for a Hurricane
08/27/04 - Delay work, delay enjoyment
08/13/04 - Thoughts on simplicity and elegance
07/23/04 - Make today and every day the best day of your life
07/09/04 - Works smarter not harder with checklists
05/28/04 - It's never to early to right-size
03/26/04 - Spring clean your closet
01/09/04 - Theme for the Year
11/28/03 - Happiness doesn't depend on things
05/23/03 - Unload your brain
10/25/02 - To grow is to outgrow and let go
03/24/01 - Ruth Wong delves into people's brains
12/27/96 - Make most out of space
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Hawaiian-Style Ring Tones
Hawaiian Telcom, in partnership with Mountain Apple music company, is offering Hawaiian music ring tones.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Watering Your Nose
Yogis have known about its beneficial effects for centuries, and contemporary Western medicine is slowly catching on: Nasal irrigation with an isotonic solution (meaning, a saline solution similar in salt content to the body’s fluids) is becoming increasingly popular.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor, the groundbreaking comedian whose profanely personal insights into race relations and modern life made him one of Hollywood's biggest stars, died of a heart attack Saturday. He was 65.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Don Ho undergoes experimental heart surgery
Don Ho, Hawai'i's most famous entertainer, has undergone an experimental heart procedure in a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand — a last-resort effort to maintain a regular heartbeat and extend his life.
Ho, 75, had the surgery Monday night. The procedure, called VesCell Adult Stem Cell therapy, involves an injection of the patient's stem cells from his blood directly into his heart muscle to treat heart disease.
Ho, 75, had the surgery Monday night. The procedure, called VesCell Adult Stem Cell therapy, involves an injection of the patient's stem cells from his blood directly into his heart muscle to treat heart disease.
Jet Li gives up kung fu movies?
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Bruce Lee in Bosnia
A bronze statue of martial arts legend Bruce Lee has been erected in the Bosnian city of Mostar - a day before a second statue of him is unveiled in Hong Kong.
"We will always be Muslims, Serbs or Croats," said Veselin Gatalo of the youth group Urban Movement Mostar. "But one thing we all have in common is Bruce Lee."
"We will always be Muslims, Serbs or Croats," said Veselin Gatalo of the youth group Urban Movement Mostar. "But one thing we all have in common is Bruce Lee."
Mr. Miyagi
Thursday, November 24, 2005
13 Uses for Bounce
What Granny knew... just like baking soda and lemon juice, dryer sheets seem to have more possible applications than you'd think. Although we haven't tried all of them, the few we tested did indeed work. (For the record: even though we mention Bounce, you don't have to use a brand name product--any dryer sheet will do.)
Repel mosquitoes. Tie a dryer sheet through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a used dryer sheet.
Freshen the air in your home. Place a dryer sheet in a drawer or hang one in the closet.
Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a used dryer sheet to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.
Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual dryer sheet inside empty luggage before storing.
Keep the shock away. Place a sheet in your coat pocket to avoid the shock you get getting in and out of the car in the winter.
Clean baked-on food from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan, while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.
Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a used dryer sheet to prevent dust from resettling.
Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they smell great in the morning.
Keep flies away. Hang some sheets outside your doors to keep the flies from congregating and getting in your house every time the kids open the door. Place them in a work shed that has no air-conditioning and is wide open and you will never have a fly.
- WWNK 11/22/05
Here's snope's results (which were mixed)
Repel mosquitoes. Tie a dryer sheet through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a used dryer sheet.
Freshen the air in your home. Place a dryer sheet in a drawer or hang one in the closet.
Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a used dryer sheet to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.
Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual dryer sheet inside empty luggage before storing.
Keep the shock away. Place a sheet in your coat pocket to avoid the shock you get getting in and out of the car in the winter.
Clean baked-on food from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan, while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.
Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a used dryer sheet to prevent dust from resettling.
Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they smell great in the morning.
Keep flies away. Hang some sheets outside your doors to keep the flies from congregating and getting in your house every time the kids open the door. Place them in a work shed that has no air-conditioning and is wide open and you will never have a fly.
- WWNK 11/22/05
Here's snope's results (which were mixed)
Monday, November 21, 2005
Dragon Gate (the kung fu movie store)
Emily Ng, manager of Dragon Gate Bookstore, started noticing a drop-off in Chinese-language book sales about eight years ago. Rather than wait for obsolescence, she started bringing in videos and DVDs, starting with kung fu films not carried by rental operations such as Blockbuster. Since then she's managed to create a niche for fans of Chinese and Asian cinema in her small, unassuming storefront at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza.
Dragon Gate Top 20
"Initial D the Movie"
"House of Fury"
"Tai Chi Master"
"Hero"
"House of Flying Daggers"
"Shaolin Soccer"
"Sword in the Moon"
"Shaolin vs. Evil Dead"
"Kung Fu Mahjong"
"Stairway to Heaven"
"Butterfly Sword"
"Dragon Inn"
Top Shaw Brothers DVDs
"Avenging Eagle"
"36th Chamber"
"Shaolin Temple"
"Five Shaolin Master"
"The Brave Archer (1, 2, 3, 4)"
Hmm. Kung Fu Mahjong? Sounds interesting.
Dragon Gate Top 20
"Initial D the Movie"
"House of Fury"
"Tai Chi Master"
"Hero"
"House of Flying Daggers"
"Shaolin Soccer"
"Sword in the Moon"
"Shaolin vs. Evil Dead"
"Kung Fu Mahjong"
"Stairway to Heaven"
"Butterfly Sword"
"Dragon Inn"
Top Shaw Brothers DVDs
"Avenging Eagle"
"36th Chamber"
"Shaolin Temple"
"Five Shaolin Master"
"The Brave Archer (1, 2, 3, 4)"
Hmm. Kung Fu Mahjong? Sounds interesting.
Friday, November 18, 2005
why you sleep so late?
A new study suggests that, as children mature, the chemically driven pressure to sleep builds up more slowly. As a result, teens just don't get sleepy until later in the evening.
- starbulletin, 11/6/05
- starbulletin, 11/6/05
Thursday, November 17, 2005
A Complete Handbook of Natural Cures
John Kapili added A Complete Handbook of Natural Cures for your reading enjoyment in PDF format for free. I added this after reading Kevin Trudeau Natural Cures Book. John Kapili also was given a book on cd: Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days . In my opinion I wouldn't buy either. Read the Complete Handbook of Natural Cures you will get just as much if not more for free. A great deal of Kevin Trudeau cures he wants you to pay for at his website by becoming a member at $ 9.95 a month or $ 499.00 for a lifetime membership. John Kapili will be asking for his money back guarantee, as soon as he digs out the garbage a gets the packing slip that is needed for returns.
-- from frwr-news 11/16/05
Apparently (from the url embedded in the file) this file originated from Health Library.com, though I wasn't able to find it there now.
-- from frwr-news 11/16/05
Apparently (from the url embedded in the file) this file originated from Health Library.com, though I wasn't able to find it there now.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Squashed Philosophers
While the writings of great philosophers such as Aristotle, Machiavelli, Locke, Nietzsche, Pascal and Kant are ingenious and insightful, they are also often long-winded, verbose, and difficult to interpret. Thanks to Squashed Philosophers, the average guy can quickly read a nicely condensed and easily digestible bit of Western Philosophy.
-- Cool Tricks and Trinkets #340
-- Cool Tricks and Trinkets #340
Friday, November 11, 2005
getting rid of stuff
[9/20/07] Getting Good Stuff Cheap (or Free)!
[11/11/05] freecycle was featured in the starbulletin a couple of weeks ago. It had 1416 members back then. It's now up to 1498. That's a fairly disappointing increase.
[12/25/05] Here's an earlier article that appeared last year. (In the print edition, that article was accompanied by this story.)
[1/14/05] WinXPNews has some suggestions on how to get rid of your unwanted computer (and other) stuff. Two in particular look intriguing: freecycle and craigslist.
[11/11/05] freecycle was featured in the starbulletin a couple of weeks ago. It had 1416 members back then. It's now up to 1498. That's a fairly disappointing increase.
[12/25/05] Here's an earlier article that appeared last year. (In the print edition, that article was accompanied by this story.)
[1/14/05] WinXPNews has some suggestions on how to get rid of your unwanted computer (and other) stuff. Two in particular look intriguing: freecycle and craigslist.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Success.org
At this website, not only can you learn how to invest in real estate, you can learn self-defense too!
- from Roy
- from Roy
The Yogis of Tibet
I see that this film was playing at Spaulding Auditorium a couple of weeks ago.
I don't see it on imdb, but I see they have a website, a favorable review, and some interesting background information.
I don't see it on imdb, but I see they have a website, a favorable review, and some interesting background information.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Can You See Clearly Now?
[10/28/05] I received a spam for the product called The See Clearly Method which claims to be able to improve your eyesight.
Does it work? It is unclear, but the fact that it was spam may be a clue.
***
Q. I am 51 and have recently noticed that newspaper print is getting harder to read. To forestall the need for reading glasses, should I give my eyes a daily workout by reading the paper without glasses, or will reading small print make the problem worse?
A. Neither course of action will make a difference in the long run, and in the short run, “an unnecessary workout by reading the paper without glasses will only lead to blurriness, headaches and frustration,” said Dr. Christopher E. Starr, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Your difficulty is almost certainly presbyopia, a condition that appears at middle age and is caused by a progressive loss of flexibility in the lens, making it harder and harder for the lens to change shape to focus clearly on objects at different distances.
The difficulty is most noticeable when trying to view small targets like printed text.
“Presbyopia is purely related to increasing age and there are no exercises that can prevent it or slow it down,” Dr. Starr said in an e-mail message.
“Wearing the correct eyeglass prescription will allow you to read comfortably at a normal distance and will not weaken the eye or cause the presbyopia to progress further.”
keywords: vision, eyesight, eyeglasses
***
[11/1/10] Kind of reminds me of the Bates method and the book Better Eyesight Without Glasses (which I bought years and years ago) which gets four stars at Amazon.
Even more interesting is the book Relearning to See. What makes it interesting is the author's name: Thomas Quackenbush.
***
[11/1/10] And now, Eye Yoga.
*** [7/22/12 via frwr_news]
Eyes Relaxing and Focusing – is designed to protect computer users' eyesight, especially that of those who spend in front of the monitor more than one hour a day. While occupied with various programs, games, designing or programming, users often lose the sense of time, especially if the process is absorbing. After some period, you must make a pause to let your eyes rest. This product will allow you to train your eyesight during the break by means of particularly designed images that will appear on the screen. All you have to do is watch these images..
[I tried it and it doesn't seem to make my eyes relax. But maybe that's not the point..]
[9/6/16] According to this, "thousands of people have improved their vision using this unique method." I'm skeptical, but you never know.. Interesting eye exercises anyway.
Does it work? It is unclear, but the fact that it was spam may be a clue.
***
Q. I am 51 and have recently noticed that newspaper print is getting harder to read. To forestall the need for reading glasses, should I give my eyes a daily workout by reading the paper without glasses, or will reading small print make the problem worse?
A. Neither course of action will make a difference in the long run, and in the short run, “an unnecessary workout by reading the paper without glasses will only lead to blurriness, headaches and frustration,” said Dr. Christopher E. Starr, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Your difficulty is almost certainly presbyopia, a condition that appears at middle age and is caused by a progressive loss of flexibility in the lens, making it harder and harder for the lens to change shape to focus clearly on objects at different distances.
The difficulty is most noticeable when trying to view small targets like printed text.
“Presbyopia is purely related to increasing age and there are no exercises that can prevent it or slow it down,” Dr. Starr said in an e-mail message.
“Wearing the correct eyeglass prescription will allow you to read comfortably at a normal distance and will not weaken the eye or cause the presbyopia to progress further.”
keywords: vision, eyesight, eyeglasses
***
[11/1/10] Kind of reminds me of the Bates method and the book Better Eyesight Without Glasses (which I bought years and years ago) which gets four stars at Amazon.
Even more interesting is the book Relearning to See. What makes it interesting is the author's name: Thomas Quackenbush.
***
[11/1/10] And now, Eye Yoga.
*** [7/22/12 via frwr_news]
Eyes Relaxing and Focusing – is designed to protect computer users' eyesight, especially that of those who spend in front of the monitor more than one hour a day. While occupied with various programs, games, designing or programming, users often lose the sense of time, especially if the process is absorbing. After some period, you must make a pause to let your eyes rest. This product will allow you to train your eyesight during the break by means of particularly designed images that will appear on the screen. All you have to do is watch these images..
[I tried it and it doesn't seem to make my eyes relax. But maybe that's not the point..]
[9/6/16] According to this, "thousands of people have improved their vision using this unique method." I'm skeptical, but you never know.. Interesting eye exercises anyway.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Come Drink With Me
I'm still waiting for this classic kung fu movie to come out on DVD. This movie is commonly called the predecessor to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
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