While it’s great that an institution like UCLA boasts a wide array of recycling centers for paper, plastic and other materials, the big first step in eliminating unnecessary waste and pollution is preventing it.
“I believe we should reduce, reuse, recycle, in that order specifically,” said Robert Gilbert, the sustainability coordinator for UCLA housing and hospitality. “The less stuff you use, the less energy it consumes.”
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
A Liberal Supermajority
If the current polls hold, Barack Obama will win the White House on November 4 and Democrats will consolidate their Congressional majorities, probably with a filibuster-proof Senate or very close to it. Without the ability to filibuster, the Senate would become like the House, able to pass whatever the majority wants.
Though we doubt most Americans realize it, this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven't since 1965, or 1933. In other words, the election would mark the restoration of the activist government that fell out of public favor in the 1970s. If the U.S. really is entering a period of unchecked left-wing ascendancy, Americans at least ought to understand what they will be getting, especially with the media cheering it all on.
Though we doubt most Americans realize it, this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven't since 1965, or 1933. In other words, the election would mark the restoration of the activist government that fell out of public favor in the 1970s. If the U.S. really is entering a period of unchecked left-wing ascendancy, Americans at least ought to understand what they will be getting, especially with the media cheering it all on.
Feldenkrais
During a Feldenkrais Method group class, you won't see much resembling "exercise." There is no repetition of movements, no competition or emphasis on "fitness" at all.
Rarely will anyone break a sweat. "Do it in a lazy way," instructed Eve Strauss during an Awareness Through Movement class last week at the Manoa Dance Studio, "Let it be easy."
While "lazy" and "easy" are rarely heard in other movement classes, they are near and dear to the Feldenkrais Method. "We are investigating options for moving, like a baby does. We are watching the effects of each movement on the whole organism. How do you breathe when you're in this position? Is it the same on the right and left side of your body?"
A concern with symmetry is integral to Feldenkrais. Special attention is paid to the diagonals of the body. Many lessons involve movements that clarify a connection between the right shoulder and left hip, and vice versa. Likewise with the right side of the ribcage and the left ankle.
Improvements are said to come from clarifying these subtle but important correspondences, what Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais called "the elusive obvious."
Rarely will anyone break a sweat. "Do it in a lazy way," instructed Eve Strauss during an Awareness Through Movement class last week at the Manoa Dance Studio, "Let it be easy."
While "lazy" and "easy" are rarely heard in other movement classes, they are near and dear to the Feldenkrais Method. "We are investigating options for moving, like a baby does. We are watching the effects of each movement on the whole organism. How do you breathe when you're in this position? Is it the same on the right and left side of your body?"
A concern with symmetry is integral to Feldenkrais. Special attention is paid to the diagonals of the body. Many lessons involve movements that clarify a connection between the right shoulder and left hip, and vice versa. Likewise with the right side of the ribcage and the left ankle.
Improvements are said to come from clarifying these subtle but important correspondences, what Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais called "the elusive obvious."
Friday, October 17, 2008
Slacker Uprising
[9/22/08] Michael Moore, the political provocateur behind the films “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Sicko,” is releasing a new film Tuesday. But you will not be able to find “Slacker Uprising” at any theater.
Instead he is placing the film on the Internet for free viewing, at SlackerUprising.com. Mr. Moore said the unorthodox rollout is a gift to his fans and a rallying cry for the coming election.
“At times there’s nothing wrong with preaching to the choir,” he said in a telephone interview from his office in Traverse City, Mich.
[5/29/12] You can now watch Fahrenheit 9/11 and Sicko online. Linked above.
Michael Moore documentaries at topdocumentaryfilms.com.
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
Slacker Uprising (2008)
Sicko (2007)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) [see above links for full movie]
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Roger and Me (1989)
Instead he is placing the film on the Internet for free viewing, at SlackerUprising.com. Mr. Moore said the unorthodox rollout is a gift to his fans and a rallying cry for the coming election.
“At times there’s nothing wrong with preaching to the choir,” he said in a telephone interview from his office in Traverse City, Mich.
[5/29/12] You can now watch Fahrenheit 9/11 and Sicko online. Linked above.
Michael Moore documentaries at topdocumentaryfilms.com.
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
Slacker Uprising (2008)
Sicko (2007)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) [see above links for full movie]
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Roger and Me (1989)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Soul masters
Filmmaker Sande Zeig wasn't interested in healing. And she definitely wasn't seeking enlightenment. But somehow she was compelled to direct and produce "Soul Masters," a film to be screened in the islands next week.
"Soul Masters" follows the work of two Chinese healers, Zhi Gang Sha and Zhi Chen Guo.
Guo, as a researcher, developed an herbal formula that helped contain the SARS outbreak in China. He has also contributed to the understanding of diseases including diabetes and cancer. At his clinic in China, some people claim he can cure the incurable.
Sha has integrated ancient healing traditions of the East with scientific principles from the West to establish a healing system known as Power Healing and Soul Mind Body Medicine. A New York Times best-selling author, his most recent book is "Soul Wisdom: Practical Soul Treasures to Transform Your Life" (Heaven's Library, 2007, $16).
For Zeig, it all began when Sha treated her father. "He had gangrene. Five doctors told him that if he didn't amputate his leg, he'd have three months to live. He refused to have the operation," she said.
Zeig's brother, Jeffrey Zeig, a psychologist, met with Sha during a visit to Phoenix, Ariz. "Master Sha came into our lives and did this healing for my dad," she said. "He didn't seem to do anything, but he was doing a spiritual healing for my father. We taught him how to chant and it was like a miracle. He was in hospice care but lived for another year and a half."
Zeig decided she needed to make a film about Sha. "Literally 10 days later, I was in China with him and a group of 60 students. I just knew that this was something that I had to do. ... It was so clear that there was a movie here."
"Soul Masters" follows the work of two Chinese healers, Zhi Gang Sha and Zhi Chen Guo.
Guo, as a researcher, developed an herbal formula that helped contain the SARS outbreak in China. He has also contributed to the understanding of diseases including diabetes and cancer. At his clinic in China, some people claim he can cure the incurable.
Sha has integrated ancient healing traditions of the East with scientific principles from the West to establish a healing system known as Power Healing and Soul Mind Body Medicine. A New York Times best-selling author, his most recent book is "Soul Wisdom: Practical Soul Treasures to Transform Your Life" (Heaven's Library, 2007, $16).
For Zeig, it all began when Sha treated her father. "He had gangrene. Five doctors told him that if he didn't amputate his leg, he'd have three months to live. He refused to have the operation," she said.
Zeig's brother, Jeffrey Zeig, a psychologist, met with Sha during a visit to Phoenix, Ariz. "Master Sha came into our lives and did this healing for my dad," she said. "He didn't seem to do anything, but he was doing a spiritual healing for my father. We taught him how to chant and it was like a miracle. He was in hospice care but lived for another year and a half."
Zeig decided she needed to make a film about Sha. "Literally 10 days later, I was in China with him and a group of 60 students. I just knew that this was something that I had to do. ... It was so clear that there was a movie here."
Friday, October 10, 2008
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Cyril Raffaeli
Kari sent me a video clip of this guy. He's kind of like a young Jackie Chan (or a stuntman for Jackie Chan). Turns out he's a stunt and fight choreographer too and was involved in the Transporter and Transporter 2.
Links also led me to David Belle and Parkour as well as Free Running.
Links also led me to David Belle and Parkour as well as Free Running.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Phiten
Phiten Hawaii Co. has seen a surge in demand for its titanium products in the last few years, due largely to word-of-mouth advertising and celebrity endorsements, including star pitcher Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Paula Radcliffe, the 2007 New York Marathon women's winner.
"Phild Processing," Phiten's patented process for using titanium in items such as fabric and liquids, is a closely guarded secret, which can raise red flags for naysayers. But Paul Vaughn, general manager for Phiten Hawaii, says the proof is in the results.
Vaughn says he invites customers to try a bit of titanium tape on a sore spot. "We'll tell them to shrug their shoulders and say, 'Do you feel that knot?' and they'll say, 'Yes, I've had that for years.'"
After applying a titanium patch, he says, many people can instantly feel the difference.
The "try it" approach and low-pressure sales strategy, combined with the relatively low prices of their best-selling bracelets and necklaces ($6 to $60) make Phiten a low-investment option for those investigating healing alternatives.
"Phild Processing," Phiten's patented process for using titanium in items such as fabric and liquids, is a closely guarded secret, which can raise red flags for naysayers. But Paul Vaughn, general manager for Phiten Hawaii, says the proof is in the results.
Vaughn says he invites customers to try a bit of titanium tape on a sore spot. "We'll tell them to shrug their shoulders and say, 'Do you feel that knot?' and they'll say, 'Yes, I've had that for years.'"
After applying a titanium patch, he says, many people can instantly feel the difference.
The "try it" approach and low-pressure sales strategy, combined with the relatively low prices of their best-selling bracelets and necklaces ($6 to $60) make Phiten a low-investment option for those investigating healing alternatives.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Chinatown Herbal Shops
Ever pass a Chinese herbal medicine shop and wonder what all those bizarre ingredients are? Well, wonder no more. Leon Letoto of Hawaii Healing Garden Festival recently took us on a Chinatown tour to help demystify them.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Paul Newman
Paul Newman has passed away at 83. The 10-time Academy Award nominee, star of such classics as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, won the Oscar in 1987 for his role in The Color of Money. He also was the recipient of two honorary statues.
The actor's career spanned six decades, including roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and Fort Apache: the Bronx (1981). Newman retired from acting in 2007, saying he was no longer able to perform as well as he would like. His most recent work includes his supporting actor Oscar-nominated role in 2002's Road to Perdition, a Tony-winning turn in 2002's Broadway production of Our Town, an Emmy- and Golden Globe-earning performance in the 2005 miniseries Empire Falls, and voicing a character in 2006's Pixar animation feature Cars.
He leaves behind his wife, Oscar-winning actress Joanne Woodward, five children, two grandsons, and his older brother, Arthur.
The actor's career spanned six decades, including roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and Fort Apache: the Bronx (1981). Newman retired from acting in 2007, saying he was no longer able to perform as well as he would like. His most recent work includes his supporting actor Oscar-nominated role in 2002's Road to Perdition, a Tony-winning turn in 2002's Broadway production of Our Town, an Emmy- and Golden Globe-earning performance in the 2005 miniseries Empire Falls, and voicing a character in 2006's Pixar animation feature Cars.
He leaves behind his wife, Oscar-winning actress Joanne Woodward, five children, two grandsons, and his older brother, Arthur.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Pandora
While reading that Paul McCartney is about to perform a concert in Israel, I wondered if there was an internet radio station devoted to Beatles music.
There sure is.
Then searching for other music (like Sinatra), I came across Pandora, the music genome project, that lets you create your own radio station.
Beatles, Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Michael Buble, Buddy Holly. William Hung didn't turn out too well, but John Stevens came up with a Jane Monheit/Michael Buble duet. Pretty Cool.
[9/25/08] So I'm happily listening to Pandora, then I read that rising royalty rates might shut it down.
[6/12/09] After downloading the VLC Media Player, I see shoutcast radio features a station, S K Y FM that plays Beatles tribute music. Playable on the VLC Media Player and via the link.
[2/2/11] I did a search for Bossa N' Chicago and came to last.fm which seems pretty similar to Pandora.
[3/17/13] Here's another cool music site via frwr_news. http://megazip.com/
Another in the increasingly commercial streaming aggregator sites. They're easy to spot, lots of ads, all music is provided by YouTube and Vimeo and TuneIn and the download function always comes with advertising conditions. Nevertheless it's a decent enough interface with lots of luscious music for playlists and streaming.
There sure is.
Then searching for other music (like Sinatra), I came across Pandora, the music genome project, that lets you create your own radio station.
Beatles, Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Michael Buble, Buddy Holly. William Hung didn't turn out too well, but John Stevens came up with a Jane Monheit/Michael Buble duet. Pretty Cool.
[9/25/08] So I'm happily listening to Pandora, then I read that rising royalty rates might shut it down.
[6/12/09] After downloading the VLC Media Player, I see shoutcast radio features a station, S K Y FM that plays Beatles tribute music. Playable on the VLC Media Player and via the link.
[2/2/11] I did a search for Bossa N' Chicago and came to last.fm which seems pretty similar to Pandora.
[3/17/13] Here's another cool music site via frwr_news. http://megazip.com/
Another in the increasingly commercial streaming aggregator sites. They're easy to spot, lots of ads, all music is provided by YouTube and Vimeo and TuneIn and the download function always comes with advertising conditions. Nevertheless it's a decent enough interface with lots of luscious music for playlists and streaming.
You're allowed to search via artist or album (as well as song).
[3/21/13] Now trying spotify since it was mentioned in this article. So far, so good.
[5/2/13] and don't forget grooveshark (mentioned earlier in the blog somewhere -- it's also on my tv page)
[3/21/13] Now trying spotify since it was mentioned in this article. So far, so good.
[5/2/13] and don't forget grooveshark (mentioned earlier in the blog somewhere -- it's also on my tv page)
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Johnny Cash
[split from Michael Buble post]
[Michael Buble is] now on my short list of music to buy (along with the Johnny Cash tribute albums -- while I wait for TNT to one day replay or otherwise make available their All-Star Tribute).
[9/3/08] I see that Johnny Cash's performances on the TNT Special is on youtube (search for Johnny Cash TNT Special, also on scalos.webs.com).
What's on the Show (viewed on my shaky video tape)
Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson Jackson/Orange Blossom Special
Jon Voigt speaks
Chris Isaak singing Guess Things Happen That Way / short history / Get Rhythm
John Carter Cash speaks
Willie Nelson - I Still Miss Someone
June Carter Cash Ring of Fire
Bob Dylan Train of Love
Jon Voigt retrospective
Mavericks Man In Black (end of Chris Isaak video)
Kris Kristofferson - Ballad of Ira Hayes
Trisha Yearwood (with Kris) Sunday Morning Coming Down
Larry Gatlin introduces Brooks & Dunn (Ghost)Riders in the Sky
Lyle Lovett - Tennessee Flat Top Box
Bruce Springstein Give My Love To Rose
Emmylou Harris with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sheryl Crow, and Marty Stuart - Flesh and Blood (comparing to my tape, though it says Kindred Spirits CD, it's actually from the show)
Kevin Bacon retrospective
Wyclef Jean Delia's Gone
Dave Matthews with Emmy Lou Harris - The Long Black Veil
Rosanne Cash - retrospective
Marty Stuart & The Fairfield Four - Belshazzar
U2 Don't Take Your Guns To Town
Tim Robbins introduces Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues (he kind of looked like Bill Dana]
Johnny Cash and friends I Walk The Line
(Hey, the tape isn't as bad as I thought, though really jittery at the beginning.)
[11/4/12] Some of the links above are dead. But here's an updated listing from raulmalo.com (thanks!)
[Michael Buble is] now on my short list of music to buy (along with the Johnny Cash tribute albums -- while I wait for TNT to one day replay or otherwise make available their All-Star Tribute).
[9/3/08] I see that Johnny Cash's performances on the TNT Special is on youtube (search for Johnny Cash TNT Special, also on scalos.webs.com).
What's on the Show (viewed on my shaky video tape)
Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson Jackson/Orange Blossom Special
Jon Voigt speaks
Chris Isaak singing Guess Things Happen That Way / short history / Get Rhythm
John Carter Cash speaks
Willie Nelson - I Still Miss Someone
June Carter Cash Ring of Fire
Bob Dylan Train of Love
Jon Voigt retrospective
Mavericks Man In Black (end of Chris Isaak video)
Kris Kristofferson - Ballad of Ira Hayes
Trisha Yearwood (with Kris) Sunday Morning Coming Down
Larry Gatlin introduces Brooks & Dunn (Ghost)Riders in the Sky
Lyle Lovett - Tennessee Flat Top Box
Bruce Springstein Give My Love To Rose
Emmylou Harris with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sheryl Crow, and Marty Stuart - Flesh and Blood (comparing to my tape, though it says Kindred Spirits CD, it's actually from the show)
Kevin Bacon retrospective
Wyclef Jean Delia's Gone
Dave Matthews with Emmy Lou Harris - The Long Black Veil
Rosanne Cash - retrospective
Marty Stuart & The Fairfield Four - Belshazzar
U2 Don't Take Your Guns To Town
Tim Robbins introduces Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues (he kind of looked like Bill Dana]
Johnny Cash and friends I Walk The Line
(Hey, the tape isn't as bad as I thought, though really jittery at the beginning.)
[11/4/12] Some of the links above are dead. But here's an updated listing from raulmalo.com (thanks!)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Obama Democratic Convention speech
Surrounded by an enormous, adoring crowd, Barack Obama promised a clean break from the "broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush" Thursday night as he embarked on the final lap of his audacious bid to become the nation's first black president.
"America, now is not the time for small plans," the 47-year-old Illinois senator told an estimated 84,000 people packed into Invesco Field, a huge football stadium at the base of the Rocky Mountains.
Obama delivered his 44-minute nominating acceptance speech in an unrivaled convention setting, before a crowd of unrivaled size _ the filled stadium, the camera flashes in the night, the made-for-television backdrop that suggested the White House, and the thousands of convention delegates seated around the podium in an enormous semicircle.
* * *
McCain campaign responds.
"America, now is not the time for small plans," the 47-year-old Illinois senator told an estimated 84,000 people packed into Invesco Field, a huge football stadium at the base of the Rocky Mountains.
Obama delivered his 44-minute nominating acceptance speech in an unrivaled convention setting, before a crowd of unrivaled size _ the filled stadium, the camera flashes in the night, the made-for-television backdrop that suggested the White House, and the thousands of convention delegates seated around the podium in an enormous semicircle.
* * *
McCain campaign responds.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Ashoka the Great
Who's this Asoka the Great mentioned (in the same breath as Jesus, Buddha, Newton, Gandhi, etc.) by FBG?
Born in 265 B.C, the great king Ashoka was the grandson of the famous ruler Chandragupta Maurya. As a young lad, Ashoka excelled in whatever he was taught. Be it the art of warfare or reading the Holy Scriptures, Asoka excelled in whatever he did. Ashoka had many half brothers and he was loved by one and all. Thus, after his father died, he was crowned as the king of Magadha around 268 B.C. After being crowned as the king, he proved himself by smoothly administrating his territory and performing all his duties as an able and courageous king.
After a period of eight years of being a king, Ashoka planned to seize the territory of Kalinga, the present day Orissa. He led a huge army and fought a gruesome battle with the army of Kalinga. The battle of Kalinga made him pledge to never wage a war again. The battle took place on the Dhauli hills that are located on the banks of River Daya. Though Ashoka emerged victorious at the end, the sight of the battlefield made his heart break with shame, guilt and disgust. It is said that the battle was so furious that the waters of River Daya turned red with the blood of the slain soldiers and civilians.
The sight of numerous corpses lying strewn across the battlefield made his heart wrench. He felt sick inside. The battle ground looked like a graveyard with bodies of not just soldiers but men, women and children. He saw young children crying over the bodies of their dead parents, women crying over the bodies of their dead husbands, mothers crying over the loss of a child. This made him heartbroken and he made a pledge to never ever fight a battle again. To seek solace, he converted to Buddhism. He was so inspired by the teachings of the Buddhist monks and Buddhist philosophies that he used his status to impart this knowledge all over the world. He is credited to be the first Emperor to make a serious attempt at developing Buddhist policies.
Born in 265 B.C, the great king Ashoka was the grandson of the famous ruler Chandragupta Maurya. As a young lad, Ashoka excelled in whatever he was taught. Be it the art of warfare or reading the Holy Scriptures, Asoka excelled in whatever he did. Ashoka had many half brothers and he was loved by one and all. Thus, after his father died, he was crowned as the king of Magadha around 268 B.C. After being crowned as the king, he proved himself by smoothly administrating his territory and performing all his duties as an able and courageous king.
After a period of eight years of being a king, Ashoka planned to seize the territory of Kalinga, the present day Orissa. He led a huge army and fought a gruesome battle with the army of Kalinga. The battle of Kalinga made him pledge to never wage a war again. The battle took place on the Dhauli hills that are located on the banks of River Daya. Though Ashoka emerged victorious at the end, the sight of the battlefield made his heart break with shame, guilt and disgust. It is said that the battle was so furious that the waters of River Daya turned red with the blood of the slain soldiers and civilians.
The sight of numerous corpses lying strewn across the battlefield made his heart wrench. He felt sick inside. The battle ground looked like a graveyard with bodies of not just soldiers but men, women and children. He saw young children crying over the bodies of their dead parents, women crying over the bodies of their dead husbands, mothers crying over the loss of a child. This made him heartbroken and he made a pledge to never ever fight a battle again. To seek solace, he converted to Buddhism. He was so inspired by the teachings of the Buddhist monks and Buddhist philosophies that he used his status to impart this knowledge all over the world. He is credited to be the first Emperor to make a serious attempt at developing Buddhist policies.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Word of Mouth Forums
Online forums are nothing new. Social networking sites are nothing new. And Web sites that combine both purposes are nothing new.
There are locally-focused online gathering places, such as hawaiithreads.com and food and restaurant-focused blogs such as onokinegrindz.com, tastyisland.wordpress.com and the Hawaii Restaurant Association-connected myalohavibe.com.
Many popular Web sites get that way because links get e-mailed around by one person to one or more friends, but very few of those sites -- if any -- get the back up of promotion through a television partnership.
The exception in Hawaii is womf.com, which stands for Word of Mouth Forums, for which KGMB-TV has been running commercials.
WOMF has sites focused on Australia, Namibia, New Zealand and South Africa and now, Hawaii, at hawaii.womf.com.
There are locally-focused online gathering places, such as hawaiithreads.com and food and restaurant-focused blogs such as onokinegrindz.com, tastyisland.wordpress.com and the Hawaii Restaurant Association-connected myalohavibe.com.
Many popular Web sites get that way because links get e-mailed around by one person to one or more friends, but very few of those sites -- if any -- get the back up of promotion through a television partnership.
The exception in Hawaii is womf.com, which stands for Word of Mouth Forums, for which KGMB-TV has been running commercials.
WOMF has sites focused on Australia, Namibia, New Zealand and South Africa and now, Hawaii, at hawaii.womf.com.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The balcony is closed
Roger Ebert is gone from "At the Movies," but he's an increasingly influential figure in the new dominant realm of film criticism: the Web.
Ebert last week announced he was leaving the long-televised show he began with Gene Siskel -- by its earliest incarnation -- in 1975. The 66-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning critic hadn't been on the show since 2006, sidelined, if only to a certain extent, by a battle with cancer that has left him unable to speak.
But he's continued to write reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times and this year began blogging on the newspaper's Web site: blogs.sun times.com/ebert. His online musings, labeled a "journal," should be bookmarked by all film buffs.
In an entry last week titled "The Balcony Is Closed," Ebert reminisced about "At the Movies." Most remarkable are his heartfelt memories of working with Siskel, who died of a brain tumor in 1999.
Evidenced by YouTube clips, Ebert explains their both contentious and loving relationship: "Did Gene and I hate each other? Yes. Did we love each other? Yes."
-- Jake Coyle, On The 'Net
Ebert last week announced he was leaving the long-televised show he began with Gene Siskel -- by its earliest incarnation -- in 1975. The 66-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning critic hadn't been on the show since 2006, sidelined, if only to a certain extent, by a battle with cancer that has left him unable to speak.
But he's continued to write reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times and this year began blogging on the newspaper's Web site: blogs.sun times.com/ebert. His online musings, labeled a "journal," should be bookmarked by all film buffs.
In an entry last week titled "The Balcony Is Closed," Ebert reminisced about "At the Movies." Most remarkable are his heartfelt memories of working with Siskel, who died of a brain tumor in 1999.
Evidenced by YouTube clips, Ebert explains their both contentious and loving relationship: "Did Gene and I hate each other? Yes. Did we love each other? Yes."
-- Jake Coyle, On The 'Net
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
mice in the house
we had noticed a mouse occasionally in the house, but tonight (8/6) they were especially conspicous.
I set up the wire trap I retrieved from Donna's garage and also the little mouse cube I had bought earlier from WalMart and had never caught a thing before.
I also tried constructing a little home made mouse catcher after I did a google search.
A few hours later, I heard the wire trap trip and saw a mouse inside. He tried to wriggle free through the wire mesh but I didn't think he would be able to get through. But when I looked later he was gone!
Set it again. A couple hours later I heard it trip again. The mouse tried to get out, but got stuck halfway. I put the trap in a bag and took it outside. And decided to put it in the trash bin.
Later I heard some noise by the mouse cube and it had caught the other mouse. I decided to leave it in there. But later brought the kitchen trash container in and put the cube inside.
The next day I saw the mouse inside the trash bin and left it there.
The garbage truck came Friday and took it away. Meanwhile, after two days, it was time to dispose of the other one. I called the Humane Society if there was a recommended way to get rid of it and they said I could bring it down to dispose of it. I asked if they were going to kill it and how. And they said they would use some drug (sodium pentathol? which is also used as truth serum.)
I figured I dump somewhere instead. I took out the cube and took a closer look and saw two mice in there. One looked dead, but then I thought I saw movement. I drove up Pali Highway and turned onto Nuuanu Pali Road. Finally I saw a spot next to the watershed and dumped the cube. Sure enough, one was dead, but the other scurried away into the forest (ostensibly joining the guinea pigs).
Since I was there, I figured I would visit Pali Lookout before going home.
*** [6/23/12] More mice in the house the last couple of months. Caught a couple in the mouse cube. But one of them seemed to be avoiding the trap. So I bought one of those wire cage traps from Longs Kam Shopping Center (that's the only place I've seen it recently). It caught a mouse, but then I saw it was trying to squeeze through the wire mesh. It went about halfway through and got stuck.
Took him (her?) up Nuuanu and took out the cage and it was still stuck. After a while, it finally wriggled free. The next one stuck in the case I guess was a little bigger and didn't get stuck in the mesh.
I saw it still had the piece of salami on the wire and left the cage open downstairs in the garage. Then I saw a rat in there (about a week ago). It must have been a couple of days since the rat was dead and I tossed in the trash.
Now I've been seeing some droppings in the DVD drawer under the TV in the patio. And I saw the mouse a couple of times. I put the mouse cube in there with a piece of salami stuck to the back of the cube. It's been a few days and so far no mouse.
*** [7/7/12]
Caught a few more mice. About two more in the mouse cube and two more I think in the wire cage. Even caught a rat when I left the cage in the garage. And discovered the cage closed and a dead rat inside. [see above]
Now I'm working on a particularly stubborn one. It's not going into the cube. And when I bait the cage, it's able to take the bait without the door closing.
Then I tried something else. Putting the bait in the cage with the door closed. But somehow the bait disappears that way too. The mouse must be going through the opening in the top.
So I put the bait (I'm currently using Kirkland dog food) toward the end of the cage so the mouse would have to go all the way in the cage before exiting. Nope that didn't work.
Tonight I tried this to see what was happening. I pushed a kibble inside the cage and left one on top of the opening blocking the entrance. If the inside kibble is gone with one on the top still there, then it would be likely that the mouse (or whatever) is getting the inside bait by squeezing through the opening in the cage.
But both were gone, so I think the mouse is going through the top, then inside, then back through the opening.
Try again. I'll push the prongs closer together to make it hard for the mouse to squeeze through. If only the top one is gone, then I'll know the mouse wasn't able to squeeze in from the top. Stay tuned.
... That was fast. The top kibble is gone, but the inside one is still there. Maybe try to bait the lever again..
Let me try this first. Put a kibble under the mouse cube door leaving it ajar. Hopefully (for me) that will bring the mouse to the kibble and then inside the cube.
... Nope took the kibble by the door but didn't go inside.
Meanwhile, I baited the lever with a piece of sandwich meat and put kibble inside the cage. Took all the kibble, left the sandwich meat alone. Smart SOB.
[7/8/12 4:40 PM] OK, lost another piece of kibble (I was going to stay awake and watch the trap, but I fell asleep). Here's my latest idea. How about threading the kibble and tying it to the lever? Step one went well. The needle went through the kibble without it crumbling. Then loop the thread around the lever. That way when the mouse pulls the kibble, it should pull the lever and drop the door.
That is assuming the mouse pulls the lever and not eat it. And pulls it enough to trip the door...
[7/8/12 6:09 PM] The mouse took the bait. The kibble is gone. The thread is gone. The door still open. Damn! 8) I'm losing a battle of wits!
And later, the pastrami on the wire is gone too. With the door still open. Wow, this mouse is good.
[7/9/12 early AM] Success! I took the uneaten bait from the mouse cube (bread with nutella, etc.) and put it in the wire cage with the door closed. I wasn't expecting it but when I checked, the mouse was in the cage. Well, actually it was partly out with its head squeezing out through the mesh. Poor guy.
I tipped the cage on its side so that the mouse would have to go up to go out. And went off to the Pali. When I got to my destination, the mouse was back in the cage. I opened the door and the mouse scampered under a large leaf. The leaf was right in front of my car, so I lifted up the leave and the mouse scampered across the street to the island between the road and the freeway. I was hoping it would have gone the other way, but it's a decent sized area and maybe it might scamper back who knows. The main thing is that it's finally out of the house.
We'll see if there's any more.. This is probably like the sixth or seventh mouse. Plus the dead rat. I kind of lost track already.
[7/13/12] One more. I put the Kirkland kibble in and on the trap. And this time I shoved a kibble right onto the wire inside the trap. And it worked without breaking up kibble into pieces. This afternoon, the trap triggered and I took the mouse to the Pali.
a couple of hours later... damn, there's another one! :(
[7/15/12 Sunday] Dinner time. Christie saw the mouse. It went in the open cage. I went over to trip the lever to bring the door down just as the mouse was running out. The door shut right on the mouse. Ouch. I raised the door and the mouse was wiggling on the carpet. [Poor thing. I wasn't trying to kill it or even injure it.] When over to get a napkin to put the mouse in the cage. And went outside to dump the mouse over the fence (by the entrance of the storm drain). Don't know if the mouse ever recovered, but when I looked the next day (or two), I didn't see the mouse. This was not only a traumatic experience for the mouse, but also for Christie who couldn't eat the lau lau because it now tasted like mouse. I'm writing this five days later (Friday a.m.) and no sign of another mouse (yet).
I set up the wire trap I retrieved from Donna's garage and also the little mouse cube I had bought earlier from WalMart and had never caught a thing before.
I also tried constructing a little home made mouse catcher after I did a google search.
A few hours later, I heard the wire trap trip and saw a mouse inside. He tried to wriggle free through the wire mesh but I didn't think he would be able to get through. But when I looked later he was gone!
Set it again. A couple hours later I heard it trip again. The mouse tried to get out, but got stuck halfway. I put the trap in a bag and took it outside. And decided to put it in the trash bin.
Later I heard some noise by the mouse cube and it had caught the other mouse. I decided to leave it in there. But later brought the kitchen trash container in and put the cube inside.
The next day I saw the mouse inside the trash bin and left it there.
The garbage truck came Friday and took it away. Meanwhile, after two days, it was time to dispose of the other one. I called the Humane Society if there was a recommended way to get rid of it and they said I could bring it down to dispose of it. I asked if they were going to kill it and how. And they said they would use some drug (sodium pentathol? which is also used as truth serum.)
I figured I dump somewhere instead. I took out the cube and took a closer look and saw two mice in there. One looked dead, but then I thought I saw movement. I drove up Pali Highway and turned onto Nuuanu Pali Road. Finally I saw a spot next to the watershed and dumped the cube. Sure enough, one was dead, but the other scurried away into the forest (ostensibly joining the guinea pigs).
Since I was there, I figured I would visit Pali Lookout before going home.
*** [6/23/12] More mice in the house the last couple of months. Caught a couple in the mouse cube. But one of them seemed to be avoiding the trap. So I bought one of those wire cage traps from Longs Kam Shopping Center (that's the only place I've seen it recently). It caught a mouse, but then I saw it was trying to squeeze through the wire mesh. It went about halfway through and got stuck.
Took him (her?) up Nuuanu and took out the cage and it was still stuck. After a while, it finally wriggled free. The next one stuck in the case I guess was a little bigger and didn't get stuck in the mesh.
I saw it still had the piece of salami on the wire and left the cage open downstairs in the garage. Then I saw a rat in there (about a week ago). It must have been a couple of days since the rat was dead and I tossed in the trash.
Now I've been seeing some droppings in the DVD drawer under the TV in the patio. And I saw the mouse a couple of times. I put the mouse cube in there with a piece of salami stuck to the back of the cube. It's been a few days and so far no mouse.
*** [7/7/12]
Caught a few more mice. About two more in the mouse cube and two more I think in the wire cage. Even caught a rat when I left the cage in the garage. And discovered the cage closed and a dead rat inside. [see above]
Now I'm working on a particularly stubborn one. It's not going into the cube. And when I bait the cage, it's able to take the bait without the door closing.
Then I tried something else. Putting the bait in the cage with the door closed. But somehow the bait disappears that way too. The mouse must be going through the opening in the top.
So I put the bait (I'm currently using Kirkland dog food) toward the end of the cage so the mouse would have to go all the way in the cage before exiting. Nope that didn't work.
Tonight I tried this to see what was happening. I pushed a kibble inside the cage and left one on top of the opening blocking the entrance. If the inside kibble is gone with one on the top still there, then it would be likely that the mouse (or whatever) is getting the inside bait by squeezing through the opening in the cage.
But both were gone, so I think the mouse is going through the top, then inside, then back through the opening.
Try again. I'll push the prongs closer together to make it hard for the mouse to squeeze through. If only the top one is gone, then I'll know the mouse wasn't able to squeeze in from the top. Stay tuned.
... That was fast. The top kibble is gone, but the inside one is still there. Maybe try to bait the lever again..
Let me try this first. Put a kibble under the mouse cube door leaving it ajar. Hopefully (for me) that will bring the mouse to the kibble and then inside the cube.
... Nope took the kibble by the door but didn't go inside.
Meanwhile, I baited the lever with a piece of sandwich meat and put kibble inside the cage. Took all the kibble, left the sandwich meat alone. Smart SOB.
[7/8/12 4:40 PM] OK, lost another piece of kibble (I was going to stay awake and watch the trap, but I fell asleep). Here's my latest idea. How about threading the kibble and tying it to the lever? Step one went well. The needle went through the kibble without it crumbling. Then loop the thread around the lever. That way when the mouse pulls the kibble, it should pull the lever and drop the door.
That is assuming the mouse pulls the lever and not eat it. And pulls it enough to trip the door...
[7/8/12 6:09 PM] The mouse took the bait. The kibble is gone. The thread is gone. The door still open. Damn! 8) I'm losing a battle of wits!
And later, the pastrami on the wire is gone too. With the door still open. Wow, this mouse is good.
[7/9/12 early AM] Success! I took the uneaten bait from the mouse cube (bread with nutella, etc.) and put it in the wire cage with the door closed. I wasn't expecting it but when I checked, the mouse was in the cage. Well, actually it was partly out with its head squeezing out through the mesh. Poor guy.
I tipped the cage on its side so that the mouse would have to go up to go out. And went off to the Pali. When I got to my destination, the mouse was back in the cage. I opened the door and the mouse scampered under a large leaf. The leaf was right in front of my car, so I lifted up the leave and the mouse scampered across the street to the island between the road and the freeway. I was hoping it would have gone the other way, but it's a decent sized area and maybe it might scamper back who knows. The main thing is that it's finally out of the house.
We'll see if there's any more.. This is probably like the sixth or seventh mouse. Plus the dead rat. I kind of lost track already.
[7/13/12] One more. I put the Kirkland kibble in and on the trap. And this time I shoved a kibble right onto the wire inside the trap. And it worked without breaking up kibble into pieces. This afternoon, the trap triggered and I took the mouse to the Pali.
a couple of hours later... damn, there's another one! :(
[7/15/12 Sunday] Dinner time. Christie saw the mouse. It went in the open cage. I went over to trip the lever to bring the door down just as the mouse was running out. The door shut right on the mouse. Ouch. I raised the door and the mouse was wiggling on the carpet. [Poor thing. I wasn't trying to kill it or even injure it.] When over to get a napkin to put the mouse in the cage. And went outside to dump the mouse over the fence (by the entrance of the storm drain). Don't know if the mouse ever recovered, but when I looked the next day (or two), I didn't see the mouse. This was not only a traumatic experience for the mouse, but also for Christie who couldn't eat the lau lau because it now tasted like mouse. I'm writing this five days later (Friday a.m.) and no sign of another mouse (yet).
Sunday, August 17, 2008
An Ideal Husband
[The Young View by Katie Young, Midweek, 7/30/08]
... My father recently forwarded me a column by Maureen Dowd titled, “An Ideal Husband.” In this column, Dowd sites Father Pat Connor, a 79-year-old Catholic priest, who has been giving a lecture to high school seniors (mostly girls) for 40 years on “Whom Not to Marry.”
Connor says there are several things to look out for:
* Never marry a man who has no friends because this usually means he will be incapable of the intimacy that marriage demands.
* Does this man use money responsibly or is he stingy? Connor says most marriages that founder do so because of money.
* Look for a man with a backbone. Steer clear of someone whose life you can run. Connor says it’s good to have a doormat, but not if it’s your husband.
* Stay away from the mama’s boy. If he consults his mother on the honeymoon destination instead of consulting you, it’s a bad sign.
* Find a man with a funny bone. Connor says a man with a sense of humor covers a multitude of sins.
* Don’t marry someone you need to fix. Connor says don’t marry a problem character thinking you will change him. People are the same after marriage as before, only more so.
* Communication is key. More marriages are killed by silence than by violence, says Connor. The strong, silent type can be charming but ultimately destructive.
* Look at his family. You’ll learn a lot about him and his attitude toward women by doing this. Connor says to think about if there is a history of divorce in the family, an atmosphere of racism, sexism or prejudice in his home? Are his goals and beliefs worthy and similar to yours?
* Are your religious beliefs similar?
* Connor asks, does he possess those character traits that add up to good human being - the willingness to forgive, praise, be courteous? Or is he inclined to be a fibber, to fits of rage, to be a control freak, to be envious of you, to be secretive?
While this might not be the be-all end-all to finding the perfect husband, it’s a good start.
[OK, I'm in trouble..]
... My father recently forwarded me a column by Maureen Dowd titled, “An Ideal Husband.” In this column, Dowd sites Father Pat Connor, a 79-year-old Catholic priest, who has been giving a lecture to high school seniors (mostly girls) for 40 years on “Whom Not to Marry.”
Connor says there are several things to look out for:
* Never marry a man who has no friends because this usually means he will be incapable of the intimacy that marriage demands.
* Does this man use money responsibly or is he stingy? Connor says most marriages that founder do so because of money.
* Look for a man with a backbone. Steer clear of someone whose life you can run. Connor says it’s good to have a doormat, but not if it’s your husband.
* Stay away from the mama’s boy. If he consults his mother on the honeymoon destination instead of consulting you, it’s a bad sign.
* Find a man with a funny bone. Connor says a man with a sense of humor covers a multitude of sins.
* Don’t marry someone you need to fix. Connor says don’t marry a problem character thinking you will change him. People are the same after marriage as before, only more so.
* Communication is key. More marriages are killed by silence than by violence, says Connor. The strong, silent type can be charming but ultimately destructive.
* Look at his family. You’ll learn a lot about him and his attitude toward women by doing this. Connor says to think about if there is a history of divorce in the family, an atmosphere of racism, sexism or prejudice in his home? Are his goals and beliefs worthy and similar to yours?
* Are your religious beliefs similar?
* Connor asks, does he possess those character traits that add up to good human being - the willingness to forgive, praise, be courteous? Or is he inclined to be a fibber, to fits of rage, to be a control freak, to be envious of you, to be secretive?
While this might not be the be-all end-all to finding the perfect husband, it’s a good start.
[OK, I'm in trouble..]
Chinese Coca Cola?
BEIJING — Coca-Cola, a company first famous for mixing South American coca leaves with African kola nuts, is trying to repeat history.
For months, the Atlanta-based drinks giant has been working quietly to perfect prototype beverages using Chinese herbal cures. Analysts and executives suggest the project could be as important to the company's future as its original formula was to its past.
The effort involves employees throughout the company of 90,500 but is shrouded in secrecy. Executives have rarely mentioned the collaboration beyond a short press release issued when Coke and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences opened a research center in Beijing last October.
While Coke may be reluctant to talk about potential drinks inspired by Chinese medicine, some analysts speculate that whatever executives are brewing could be a major step for the 122-year-old company.
Access Asia, a Shanghai-based market-research firm, said in a January report that Coke's aim may be nothing less than to create "the new product for the new millennium."
With consumers increasingly concerned about their health and wary of sugar-laden beverages, Coke is "looking for exotic herbal ingredients to make a completely new drink and sort of revolutionize the whole soft-drink industry," said Matthew Crabbe, director of Access Asia.
Just-drinks.com, which monitors the beverage industry, reported in May that Coke was planning to launch a Chinese medicine-based drink this year "to exploit the hype surrounding the Beijing Olympics."
Partly, Coke has been pushed toward developing more healthy alternatives to its traditional line of sodas.
For months, the Atlanta-based drinks giant has been working quietly to perfect prototype beverages using Chinese herbal cures. Analysts and executives suggest the project could be as important to the company's future as its original formula was to its past.
The effort involves employees throughout the company of 90,500 but is shrouded in secrecy. Executives have rarely mentioned the collaboration beyond a short press release issued when Coke and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences opened a research center in Beijing last October.
While Coke may be reluctant to talk about potential drinks inspired by Chinese medicine, some analysts speculate that whatever executives are brewing could be a major step for the 122-year-old company.
Access Asia, a Shanghai-based market-research firm, said in a January report that Coke's aim may be nothing less than to create "the new product for the new millennium."
With consumers increasingly concerned about their health and wary of sugar-laden beverages, Coke is "looking for exotic herbal ingredients to make a completely new drink and sort of revolutionize the whole soft-drink industry," said Matthew Crabbe, director of Access Asia.
Just-drinks.com, which monitors the beverage industry, reported in May that Coke was planning to launch a Chinese medicine-based drink this year "to exploit the hype surrounding the Beijing Olympics."
Partly, Coke has been pushed toward developing more healthy alternatives to its traditional line of sodas.
Life is good (the t-shirt)
WHEN the temperature here broke into the 90s at lunchtime on Saturday, it was too hot to smile.
Standing in the green grass of Boston Common, well out of reach of the shade of bordering elms, Travis Piotrowski, the director of information technology for Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, nevertheless wore a big grin, literally painted across his face.
It was not his own smile, mind you, but that of a cartoon stick figure named Jake, the mascot for the contagiously popular line of T-shirts with the motto — somewhat out of step with the times — “Life is good.”
“I think the happiest people alive are the ones who are happy with the simple things,” said Mr. Piotrowski, who, with his wife and their two daughters, were among the thousands in the park for a Life is good festival, one of about 17 such events around the country this summer for the growing legion of Jake fans.
The Piotrowskis discovered the brand while camping in Wisconsin several years ago and have since acquired at least 20 T-shirts, 4 coffee mugs, matching pajamas and a paddleball set that show Jake’s uncynical and ever-smiling face, which never seems to be discomforted by humidity, adversity or even that he looks more like a French mime — with his beret and white face — than a symbol of American optimism.
But Mr. Piotrowski and his family appreciate Jake’s perspective on life. “With this type of economy, people really need to take a step back and look at the big picture,” he said. “Be happy with an ice cream sundae or playing with your kids in the backyard.”
It is hard to say whether Jake is just a fad or, judging by the crowds here, a movement. As many as 30,000 people attended, according to Life is good Inc., which renders its brand name like a complete sentence.
Last year, the company sold 4.2 million of its $25 T-shirts and had sales of roughly $107 million, said Bert Jacobs, who along with his brother, John Jacobs, founded the business in Needham, Mass., in 1994 with only a handful of styles and a van.
They were trying to create “a symbol about what was right in the world,” he said; Jake would be a character “who was happy not because of anything he had or because he was materialistic.” Their most popular style has Jake and his pie-faced grin sitting in an Adirondack chair as if there was nothing more to life than kicking back.
“People relate to the concept because it’s simple,” Mr. Jacobs said, “and because too much of what is happening in the world is complex.”
Like the mass popularization of smiley face buttons in the early 1970s, which coincided with another oil and economic crisis, Life is good T-shirts have caught on among people who feel the products are spreading a positive message in a troubled world.
Standing in the green grass of Boston Common, well out of reach of the shade of bordering elms, Travis Piotrowski, the director of information technology for Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, nevertheless wore a big grin, literally painted across his face.
It was not his own smile, mind you, but that of a cartoon stick figure named Jake, the mascot for the contagiously popular line of T-shirts with the motto — somewhat out of step with the times — “Life is good.”
“I think the happiest people alive are the ones who are happy with the simple things,” said Mr. Piotrowski, who, with his wife and their two daughters, were among the thousands in the park for a Life is good festival, one of about 17 such events around the country this summer for the growing legion of Jake fans.
The Piotrowskis discovered the brand while camping in Wisconsin several years ago and have since acquired at least 20 T-shirts, 4 coffee mugs, matching pajamas and a paddleball set that show Jake’s uncynical and ever-smiling face, which never seems to be discomforted by humidity, adversity or even that he looks more like a French mime — with his beret and white face — than a symbol of American optimism.
But Mr. Piotrowski and his family appreciate Jake’s perspective on life. “With this type of economy, people really need to take a step back and look at the big picture,” he said. “Be happy with an ice cream sundae or playing with your kids in the backyard.”
It is hard to say whether Jake is just a fad or, judging by the crowds here, a movement. As many as 30,000 people attended, according to Life is good Inc., which renders its brand name like a complete sentence.
Last year, the company sold 4.2 million of its $25 T-shirts and had sales of roughly $107 million, said Bert Jacobs, who along with his brother, John Jacobs, founded the business in Needham, Mass., in 1994 with only a handful of styles and a van.
They were trying to create “a symbol about what was right in the world,” he said; Jake would be a character “who was happy not because of anything he had or because he was materialistic.” Their most popular style has Jake and his pie-faced grin sitting in an Adirondack chair as if there was nothing more to life than kicking back.
“People relate to the concept because it’s simple,” Mr. Jacobs said, “and because too much of what is happening in the world is complex.”
Like the mass popularization of smiley face buttons in the early 1970s, which coincided with another oil and economic crisis, Life is good T-shirts have caught on among people who feel the products are spreading a positive message in a troubled world.
Monday, August 11, 2008
The Path to Forgiveness
Brenda Adelman teaches that there are three steps on "The Path to Forgiveness."
"First, acknowledge that you feel hurt, betrayed, angry. Even if you were not actually physically hurt, the hurt is real because you felt it.
"The second stage is to give up your need to be right. Realize that the need to be right, to feel righteous, is for you; it is not for the other person.
"Third, send love and light and prayers to those who hurt you. It is not necessary to have contact with the person who hurt you. Don't do that unless you can set healthy boundaries."
"You can't forgive until you love yourself."
"First, acknowledge that you feel hurt, betrayed, angry. Even if you were not actually physically hurt, the hurt is real because you felt it.
"The second stage is to give up your need to be right. Realize that the need to be right, to feel righteous, is for you; it is not for the other person.
"Third, send love and light and prayers to those who hurt you. It is not necessary to have contact with the person who hurt you. Don't do that unless you can set healthy boundaries."
"You can't forgive until you love yourself."
Vitamins A-E, K
Vitamin A through K, where to find them and why they're important
Posted by Brie Zeltner July 14, 2008 08:30AM
Vitamin A: Key to good eyesight. Also important for bone growth and a healthy immune system. Two types, depending on the source--animal or plant. Plant sources, such as orange fruits and veggies and dark-green leafy vegetables, contain carotenoids, a precursor to active vitamin A that the body has a harder time using, but is also less toxic. Vitamin A from animal sources such as liver and that found in fortified foods and the majority of supplements is pre-formed -- already in a usable form -- and can build up to toxic levels much more easily than carotenoids. Most labels tell what percentage of the vitamin is made of beta carotene, or plant sources. The rest is preformed. Most experts recommend no more than 2,300 IU a day for women and 3,000 IU for men.
B Vitamins: B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid (the synthetic form of folate), biotin, and pantothenic acid are all important in metabolic activity and in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. B vitamins are water-soluble, so whatever the body doesn't use it gets rid of. Found in whole grains, fish and seafood, leafy green vegetables, dairy products and beans and peas. Current recommendations vary, but it's difficult to end up deficient. Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, cautions that some studies suggest that high dosages of synthetic folic acid can speed up cancer growth for some people. For others, though, it may help prevent cancer at lower doses.
Vitamin C: Water soluble. Helps form muscle, bone, collagen, and helps the body absorb iron. No conclusive evidence that vitamin C helps fight the common cold, despite many studies. Excess vitamin C is eliminated in urine.
Vitamin D: Known as the sunshine vitamin because your skin makes it when the sun's UV rays shine on you. Critical to the growth and maintenance of strong bones. RDA is 400 IU for most adults, but many researchers think that level is way too low. Many now recommend between 800 and 1,000 IU per day.
Vitamin E: A fat-soluble anti-oxidant. Protects cells against the damage of free radicals. Plays a role in immune function and DNA repair. Found in wheat germ oil, almonds and sunflower seeds, as well as other nuts and vegetables. Current recommendation is 22.5 IU for adults.
Vitamin K: Found in cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and other green leafies. Critical to blood clotting. May help prevent osteoporosis. Deficiency is very rare and is usually caused by an inability to absorb the vitamin. No RDA, but instead an "adequate intake" level because there is no scientific consensus on how much you should get. This level is now set at 90 to 120 micrograms per day. Some multivitamins don't have any vitamin K.
Posted by Brie Zeltner July 14, 2008 08:30AM
Vitamin A: Key to good eyesight. Also important for bone growth and a healthy immune system. Two types, depending on the source--animal or plant. Plant sources, such as orange fruits and veggies and dark-green leafy vegetables, contain carotenoids, a precursor to active vitamin A that the body has a harder time using, but is also less toxic. Vitamin A from animal sources such as liver and that found in fortified foods and the majority of supplements is pre-formed -- already in a usable form -- and can build up to toxic levels much more easily than carotenoids. Most labels tell what percentage of the vitamin is made of beta carotene, or plant sources. The rest is preformed. Most experts recommend no more than 2,300 IU a day for women and 3,000 IU for men.
B Vitamins: B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid (the synthetic form of folate), biotin, and pantothenic acid are all important in metabolic activity and in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. B vitamins are water-soluble, so whatever the body doesn't use it gets rid of. Found in whole grains, fish and seafood, leafy green vegetables, dairy products and beans and peas. Current recommendations vary, but it's difficult to end up deficient. Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, cautions that some studies suggest that high dosages of synthetic folic acid can speed up cancer growth for some people. For others, though, it may help prevent cancer at lower doses.
Vitamin C: Water soluble. Helps form muscle, bone, collagen, and helps the body absorb iron. No conclusive evidence that vitamin C helps fight the common cold, despite many studies. Excess vitamin C is eliminated in urine.
Vitamin D: Known as the sunshine vitamin because your skin makes it when the sun's UV rays shine on you. Critical to the growth and maintenance of strong bones. RDA is 400 IU for most adults, but many researchers think that level is way too low. Many now recommend between 800 and 1,000 IU per day.
Vitamin E: A fat-soluble anti-oxidant. Protects cells against the damage of free radicals. Plays a role in immune function and DNA repair. Found in wheat germ oil, almonds and sunflower seeds, as well as other nuts and vegetables. Current recommendation is 22.5 IU for adults.
Vitamin K: Found in cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and other green leafies. Critical to blood clotting. May help prevent osteoporosis. Deficiency is very rare and is usually caused by an inability to absorb the vitamin. No RDA, but instead an "adequate intake" level because there is no scientific consensus on how much you should get. This level is now set at 90 to 120 micrograms per day. Some multivitamins don't have any vitamin K.
to supplement or not to supplement?
Ever walk into the drugstore (or worse, a specialty supplement store) in search of a multivitamin only to find yourself wandering up and down aisles crammed with towering stacks of pill bottles, wondering what it was you came for?
You see 10 kinds of daily multivitamins: formulations for women, formulations for men and formulations for seniors, kids and teens; "mega" formulas; energy formulas; and formulas with and without iron.
Which one should you take? And what's the difference?
The answer is that you might be better off skipping the trip altogether and avoiding the expense and the bewilderment, some experts say. With a healthy diet, there's no reason most people need to take a daily multivitamin and little evidence that there's any health benefit to them anyway, they say.
One might think it would be smart to take a vitamin supplement, with that national diet heavy on fast food drenched in oil and washed down with pop.
But there's more danger in your expanding waistline than in the possibility of developing a vitamin deficiency from eating this way, says Kathleen Houck, a clinical dietitian at Akron General Hospital.
"Obesity has its whole constellation of health problems," she says. "It's not that you're going to become deficient."
On the other side of the great supplement debate, though, are plenty of doctors and dietitians who recommend you take a multivitamin to ensure against a diet that probably doesn't always measure up.
Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, suggests half a multivitamin, twice a day as an "insurance policy."
You see 10 kinds of daily multivitamins: formulations for women, formulations for men and formulations for seniors, kids and teens; "mega" formulas; energy formulas; and formulas with and without iron.
Which one should you take? And what's the difference?
The answer is that you might be better off skipping the trip altogether and avoiding the expense and the bewilderment, some experts say. With a healthy diet, there's no reason most people need to take a daily multivitamin and little evidence that there's any health benefit to them anyway, they say.
One might think it would be smart to take a vitamin supplement, with that national diet heavy on fast food drenched in oil and washed down with pop.
But there's more danger in your expanding waistline than in the possibility of developing a vitamin deficiency from eating this way, says Kathleen Houck, a clinical dietitian at Akron General Hospital.
"Obesity has its whole constellation of health problems," she says. "It's not that you're going to become deficient."
On the other side of the great supplement debate, though, are plenty of doctors and dietitians who recommend you take a multivitamin to ensure against a diet that probably doesn't always measure up.
Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, suggests half a multivitamin, twice a day as an "insurance policy."
give your brain a break
Every morning before work, Marlena Reed closes her eyes and meditates as wafting lemon grass embraces her.
For 15 to 30 minutes, she blocks out to-do lists and looming deadlines and lets thoughts float in and out.
You may not believe it, but experts say rituals such as this are key to overall health — and just as important as exercising and eating veggies.
"Keeping that balance between work and life is what keeps us sane," said Tevis Gale, a workplace coach who leads workshops across the country. "Yet, we forget to take the time to check our mental status and give it importance."
And with soaring gas prices and shaky economic times, experts say taking care of your mental health is even more important.
"That feeling of emptiness and exhaustion is a sign we need to tend to things," said Emory University sociologist Corey Keyes.
The brain, experts say, needs breaks — whether it's through meditation, yoga, a massage, a pedicure or simply sitting in a park or taking some deep breaths with your morning brew. "People tend to see it as indulgent, and we have to change that," said Keyes. "Taking care of ourselves is fundamental and, without that, there is no physical health."
* * *
Some tips on keeping the pace and the balance:
• Take a moment before you tackle those dishes: Create pauses between activities. Give closure to one, such as playing with the kids, before doing chores. Ever wonder why you forget why you are going into a room? Maybe your mind is racing with too many thoughts.
• Create a salon culture at work: Get together once a month and discuss a neutral topic, such as organic gardening. The session may build community and stimulate creativity.
• Step outside the chatter in your mind: Do yoga or take a walk and train your mind to take a break. Don’t think about your job or the pile of laundry. As you are walking, turn off your cell phone and stop that mental to-do list. Try a focusing game like listening to the sound of your foot hit the pavement or look for the color red in the environment. Give the brain a rest — and a solution you’ve been seeking may pop into your mind afterward.
• No-rules art and dance: Try to be expressive in either discipline. Move any way you want.
• Get up from the computer: Every 45 minutes to an hour, leave your desk, even if it’s for a quick stretch or glass of water.
• Cultivate meaningful relationships: Loving, supportive relationships are key to your overall health. Quality time with your family is quality time for your brain. Smiles and hugs help, too.
— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For 15 to 30 minutes, she blocks out to-do lists and looming deadlines and lets thoughts float in and out.
You may not believe it, but experts say rituals such as this are key to overall health — and just as important as exercising and eating veggies.
"Keeping that balance between work and life is what keeps us sane," said Tevis Gale, a workplace coach who leads workshops across the country. "Yet, we forget to take the time to check our mental status and give it importance."
And with soaring gas prices and shaky economic times, experts say taking care of your mental health is even more important.
"That feeling of emptiness and exhaustion is a sign we need to tend to things," said Emory University sociologist Corey Keyes.
The brain, experts say, needs breaks — whether it's through meditation, yoga, a massage, a pedicure or simply sitting in a park or taking some deep breaths with your morning brew. "People tend to see it as indulgent, and we have to change that," said Keyes. "Taking care of ourselves is fundamental and, without that, there is no physical health."
* * *
Some tips on keeping the pace and the balance:
• Take a moment before you tackle those dishes: Create pauses between activities. Give closure to one, such as playing with the kids, before doing chores. Ever wonder why you forget why you are going into a room? Maybe your mind is racing with too many thoughts.
• Create a salon culture at work: Get together once a month and discuss a neutral topic, such as organic gardening. The session may build community and stimulate creativity.
• Step outside the chatter in your mind: Do yoga or take a walk and train your mind to take a break. Don’t think about your job or the pile of laundry. As you are walking, turn off your cell phone and stop that mental to-do list. Try a focusing game like listening to the sound of your foot hit the pavement or look for the color red in the environment. Give the brain a rest — and a solution you’ve been seeking may pop into your mind afterward.
• No-rules art and dance: Try to be expressive in either discipline. Move any way you want.
• Get up from the computer: Every 45 minutes to an hour, leave your desk, even if it’s for a quick stretch or glass of water.
• Cultivate meaningful relationships: Loving, supportive relationships are key to your overall health. Quality time with your family is quality time for your brain. Smiles and hugs help, too.
— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gregg Gillis
Conflicts over copyrights are commonplace on the Internet. But can the Web also be a sanctuary from the law?
The laptop DJ Gregg Gillis, who performs under the name Girl Talk, hopes so. He recently released his fourth album, "Feed the Animals," online in the pay-what-you-want style that Radiohead popularized.
The album is almost custom-made for lawsuits. It was made entirely with samples, a mishmash of more than 200 artists, from Roy Orbison to Lil' Wayne.
One song, "Still Here," includes Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Ace of Base, Fergie, Kenny Loggins, Cat Stevens, 50 Cent - and that's not even half of the song's samples. Who knew that Blackstreet's "No Diggity" went so well with both Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" and Radiohead's "15 Step"?
Gillis did not invent the mash-up and he's far from the first to profit on the gimmick of combining music that doesn't normally mesh. But he may have taken things as far as they go, jumping from sample to sample nearly every few seconds.
Enterprising fans have listed the samples to all the songs on "Feed the Animals" on the album's Wikipedia page. Some have also made music videos for the tunes, mixing the relevant video for each sample.
Chris Beckman, 20, has done this for four of the Girl Talk songs: www.youtube.com/user/BunnyGreenhouse. It's an even more head-spinning experience than listening to the album.
On his YouTube page, Beckman writes, "Please don't sue me for copyright infringement. I'm just recycling culture." He adds, "Art is too important to be only used once."
More precarious is Gillis' position. He posted the album online just days after finishing it. (To download it, follow the link on his MySpace page: www.myspace.com/girltalk.)
By releasing the album online and making payment unnecessary, Gillis and Illegal Art are hoping to weaken the enticement of copyright infringement lawsuits. If they obviously made a lot of money, the suits would surely follow. Gillis wants success, but not too much.
The laptop DJ Gregg Gillis, who performs under the name Girl Talk, hopes so. He recently released his fourth album, "Feed the Animals," online in the pay-what-you-want style that Radiohead popularized.
The album is almost custom-made for lawsuits. It was made entirely with samples, a mishmash of more than 200 artists, from Roy Orbison to Lil' Wayne.
One song, "Still Here," includes Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Ace of Base, Fergie, Kenny Loggins, Cat Stevens, 50 Cent - and that's not even half of the song's samples. Who knew that Blackstreet's "No Diggity" went so well with both Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" and Radiohead's "15 Step"?
Gillis did not invent the mash-up and he's far from the first to profit on the gimmick of combining music that doesn't normally mesh. But he may have taken things as far as they go, jumping from sample to sample nearly every few seconds.
Enterprising fans have listed the samples to all the songs on "Feed the Animals" on the album's Wikipedia page. Some have also made music videos for the tunes, mixing the relevant video for each sample.
Chris Beckman, 20, has done this for four of the Girl Talk songs: www.youtube.com/user/BunnyGreenhouse. It's an even more head-spinning experience than listening to the album.
On his YouTube page, Beckman writes, "Please don't sue me for copyright infringement. I'm just recycling culture." He adds, "Art is too important to be only used once."
More precarious is Gillis' position. He posted the album online just days after finishing it. (To download it, follow the link on his MySpace page: www.myspace.com/girltalk.)
By releasing the album online and making payment unnecessary, Gillis and Illegal Art are hoping to weaken the enticement of copyright infringement lawsuits. If they obviously made a lot of money, the suits would surely follow. Gillis wants success, but not too much.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Free Documentaries
From Fundoo Professor's blog (of all places), I see that there's a website hosting free documentaries, including a couple that I have seen and liked, The Fog of War and Super Size Me. (So me and the Professor have at least two things in common!)
Friday, August 01, 2008
6 ways to save on groceries
With minimal-to-no pre-shopping preparation even sloths like me can save money on groceries.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
secret codes on price tags
Secret Codes in Price Tags
Target: Any sale item with a price ending in "4" is considered the final markdown and will not go downfurther in price. Clearance stickers have a small number on the top left corner which represents the percentage off. It starts at 10, then goes to 15, 30, 50, 75 and the lowest it gets is 90, then it goes back to the manufacturer. Items are thrown away it they are perishable, but it gets noted for the distributor. Clearance prices don't always make it to 90 percent though because the store stops getting the product in shortly before it goes clearance, and onceit's gone, it's gone.
Sears: Prices ending in 99 are regular, 98 is no coupons or sales, 88 is closeout, 97is clearance/discontinued, 93 is refurb/open-box. A letter, followed by a number indicated what the original price of the item was. A=10, B=20 and so on. So an item marked A7 would have been 17.99, an item marked C9 would be 39.99.
Circuit City: 98: local price match 97: open box item 96:limited stock item, either oop (out of production) or so new that supplies are not regular yet 95: clearance oop product
Best Buy: Frigidaire items have a code on the tag 0000*****00000. The numbers in between the zeros is the dollar amount they can reduce the item by.
Office Depot: Prices not ending in 0, 9 or 5 are final markdowns.
Gap & Old Navy: prices ending in 7 are the final markdown and will not go down further in price. Usually,unsold items with this code are supposedly sent to closeout stores within a few weeks of the markdown.
Abercrombie & Fitch: anytime an item is $xx.50, it is full price, and anytime it is $xx.ANYTHING ELSE, it is on sale. 99.99%, the item on sale will end in $xx.90, but sometimes we do $xx.89 just to confuse people.
JC Penney: If the price ends in a 7; that's the lowest price the item will be sold at. Gift receipt code: letters correspond to the numbers on a computer keyboard. Q=1, W=2, E=3, R=4 etc. If the gift code ends in the letter U (corresponds to 7) you know the person bought your gift on clearance.
Lowes: there's a number underneath the bar code before a decimal point. That number is the commission amount the sales person makes on the item (called the "spiff").
Ace Hardware: uses letters to tell the employees what the cost of a product was. VICKSBURG: V=1, I=2, C=3, K=4, S=5, B=6, U=7, R=8, G=9. So a toaster with a price of $12.99 might have a code under that listing BCS or $6.35 for a cost.
Home Depot: Prices that are green tagged always end in 6. That way all the employees know for sure that it is a clearance item and if it does not sell within X amount of days, it is thrown in the dumpster!
Sam's Club: prices ending in 91 means that item is clearance. (Ex: $12.91).
If you purchase any lawn and garden product made by John Deere you can take the retail price x75%, that will give you the JD dealers cost.
[via Lori]
Target: Any sale item with a price ending in "4" is considered the final markdown and will not go downfurther in price. Clearance stickers have a small number on the top left corner which represents the percentage off. It starts at 10, then goes to 15, 30, 50, 75 and the lowest it gets is 90, then it goes back to the manufacturer. Items are thrown away it they are perishable, but it gets noted for the distributor. Clearance prices don't always make it to 90 percent though because the store stops getting the product in shortly before it goes clearance, and onceit's gone, it's gone.
Sears: Prices ending in 99 are regular, 98 is no coupons or sales, 88 is closeout, 97is clearance/discontinued, 93 is refurb/open-box. A letter, followed by a number indicated what the original price of the item was. A=10, B=20 and so on. So an item marked A7 would have been 17.99, an item marked C9 would be 39.99.
Circuit City: 98: local price match 97: open box item 96:limited stock item, either oop (out of production) or so new that supplies are not regular yet 95: clearance oop product
Best Buy: Frigidaire items have a code on the tag 0000*****00000. The numbers in between the zeros is the dollar amount they can reduce the item by.
Office Depot: Prices not ending in 0, 9 or 5 are final markdowns.
Gap & Old Navy: prices ending in 7 are the final markdown and will not go down further in price. Usually,unsold items with this code are supposedly sent to closeout stores within a few weeks of the markdown.
Abercrombie & Fitch: anytime an item is $xx.50, it is full price, and anytime it is $xx.ANYTHING ELSE, it is on sale. 99.99%, the item on sale will end in $xx.90, but sometimes we do $xx.89 just to confuse people.
JC Penney: If the price ends in a 7; that's the lowest price the item will be sold at. Gift receipt code: letters correspond to the numbers on a computer keyboard. Q=1, W=2, E=3, R=4 etc. If the gift code ends in the letter U (corresponds to 7) you know the person bought your gift on clearance.
Lowes: there's a number underneath the bar code before a decimal point. That number is the commission amount the sales person makes on the item (called the "spiff").
Ace Hardware: uses letters to tell the employees what the cost of a product was. VICKSBURG: V=1, I=2, C=3, K=4, S=5, B=6, U=7, R=8, G=9. So a toaster with a price of $12.99 might have a code under that listing BCS or $6.35 for a cost.
Home Depot: Prices that are green tagged always end in 6. That way all the employees know for sure that it is a clearance item and if it does not sell within X amount of days, it is thrown in the dumpster!
Sam's Club: prices ending in 91 means that item is clearance. (Ex: $12.91).
If you purchase any lawn and garden product made by John Deere you can take the retail price x75%, that will give you the JD dealers cost.
[via Lori]
Thursday, July 24, 2008
100 Things
Online entrepreneur Dave Bruno has issued the world a challenge. He's daring all of us to reduce our worldly belongings to just 100 items.
That may sound crazy -- until you start digging into your closets and cupboards. How much of the stuff gathering dust in your home have you actually used lately? A less cluttered environment might actually make you feel more peaceful and productive.
That may sound crazy -- until you start digging into your closets and cupboards. How much of the stuff gathering dust in your home have you actually used lately? A less cluttered environment might actually make you feel more peaceful and productive.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
call him Norman
Big Island resident Norman Allen plays a significant role in "Enlighten Up," a feature-length documentary about yoga, providing a strong local tie to a film that's making waves in a grass-roots fashion around the world.
"He's the most unconventional guy," explained filmmaker Kate Churchill, who added that she needed to meet with Allen and work on his farm several times before he permitted any on-camera interviews. "He's very special. His wisdom definitely has its own style. He's someone who's walking his talk."
When asked if he should be referred to as a yogi or guru, Allen, who has studied yoga for 40 years in India and other parts of the world, laughed. "Just call me Norman," he said during a conversation from Kona.
At one point during the film, which premiered last month at the Maui Film Festival, Nick Rosen, the yoga neophyte who became the guinea pig/star of the documentary, asks for help dealing with his daily emotions, which he admits can revolve around food, sex, greed and jealousy. Allen tells him simply, "Go (screw) yourself."
Later, Allen explained what he meant. "(Nick's) got to be complete in himself." The big Self is a unit complete unto itself -- unselfish. The small self is selfish and needy, when you bother people. The goal of yoga is to be the big Self, to be completely liberated, free and un-bonded. This, he continued, can be done at all different levels of sophistication.
"He's the most unconventional guy," explained filmmaker Kate Churchill, who added that she needed to meet with Allen and work on his farm several times before he permitted any on-camera interviews. "He's very special. His wisdom definitely has its own style. He's someone who's walking his talk."
When asked if he should be referred to as a yogi or guru, Allen, who has studied yoga for 40 years in India and other parts of the world, laughed. "Just call me Norman," he said during a conversation from Kona.
At one point during the film, which premiered last month at the Maui Film Festival, Nick Rosen, the yoga neophyte who became the guinea pig/star of the documentary, asks for help dealing with his daily emotions, which he admits can revolve around food, sex, greed and jealousy. Allen tells him simply, "Go (screw) yourself."
Later, Allen explained what he meant. "(Nick's) got to be complete in himself." The big Self is a unit complete unto itself -- unselfish. The small self is selfish and needy, when you bother people. The goal of yoga is to be the big Self, to be completely liberated, free and un-bonded. This, he continued, can be done at all different levels of sophistication.
Monday, July 21, 2008
follow that trash
That plastic water bottle tossed in the recycling bin could become new carpeting. The beer bottle next to it might be ground into gravel for construction. And yesterday's newspaper could see new life as an egg carton.
With the city poised to extend curbside recycling across the island, some residents are wondering what happens to the stuff they put out on the curb -- from yard clippings to empty milk jugs.
"Every material we collect has a different story, and it's a very interesting story," said Suzanne Jones, the recycling coordinator for the city, which will offer curbside recycling to 37 percent of Oahu households by the end of the year.
With the city poised to extend curbside recycling across the island, some residents are wondering what happens to the stuff they put out on the curb -- from yard clippings to empty milk jugs.
"Every material we collect has a different story, and it's a very interesting story," said Suzanne Jones, the recycling coordinator for the city, which will offer curbside recycling to 37 percent of Oahu households by the end of the year.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Guerilla Gardening
More than a dozen people, some wearing orange protective gear, pulled rakes and shovels from a dingy shopping cart and started working on a parched patch of land along a busy off-ramp of Highway 101, the Hollywood Freeway.
It was a Saturday night and drivers whooshed past on their way to the Sunset Strip club scene.
But the crew was undeterred, and by the wee hours, the group had transformed the blight into bloom with green bushes and an array of colorful flowers.
City workers on overtime? Nope, no budget for that. These were "guerilla gardeners," a global movement of the grass-roots variety where people seek to beautify empty or overgrown public space, usually under the cover of darkness and without the permission of municipal officials.
"What we're fighting is neglect," said guerrilla gardening guru Richard Reynolds of London, founder of the Web site guerillagardening.org.
It was a Saturday night and drivers whooshed past on their way to the Sunset Strip club scene.
But the crew was undeterred, and by the wee hours, the group had transformed the blight into bloom with green bushes and an array of colorful flowers.
City workers on overtime? Nope, no budget for that. These were "guerilla gardeners," a global movement of the grass-roots variety where people seek to beautify empty or overgrown public space, usually under the cover of darkness and without the permission of municipal officials.
"What we're fighting is neglect," said guerrilla gardening guru Richard Reynolds of London, founder of the Web site guerillagardening.org.
Going Green requires 1%
According to the Stern Review, compiled by Sir Nicholas Stern, Former Chief Economist of the World Bank, an investment of just 1% of the world’s GDP is required to mitigate the effects of climate change. If not done so we could face a recession of up to 20% of the Global GDP.
Most countries in the world today spend atleast 5-10% of their GDP on arms, military and defense equipment - and yet we excuse ourselves saying that we do not have the funding to invest in environment policies, alternative energy or in advanced technologies for reducing carbon pollution in the air.
All we need is 1% !!!
-- Chirag [via investwise]
Most countries in the world today spend atleast 5-10% of their GDP on arms, military and defense equipment - and yet we excuse ourselves saying that we do not have the funding to invest in environment policies, alternative energy or in advanced technologies for reducing carbon pollution in the air.
All we need is 1% !!!
-- Chirag [via investwise]
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Experience Dividend
With millions of Baby Boomers poised to leave the workforce within the next decade, many of us want to find ways to contribute from our vast wells of experience and knowledge. We want more freedom of expression in our lives instead of continuing what might be a lukewarm commitment to a full-time job.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Willard Wigan
Willard Wigan MBE (born 1957) is a sculptor from Birmingham, England. He was awarded an MBE for services to art in July 2007.[1]
He is the creator of the world's smallest sculptures, often taking months to complete one, working between heartbeats to avoid hand tremors [2] "You have to control the whole nervous system, you have to work between the heartbeat - the pulse of your finger can destroy the work." Wigan uses a tiny surgical blade to carve microscopic figures out of rice, and fragments of grains of sand and sugar, which are then mounted on pinheads. To paint his creations, he uses a hair plucked from a dead fly (the fly has to have died from natural causes, as he refuses to kill them for the sake of his art). His sculptures have included a Santa Claus and a copy of the FIFA World Cup trophy, both about 0.005mm (0.0002in) tall, and a boxing ring with Muhammad Ali figure which fits onto the head of a match.
[via Donna spam]
He is the creator of the world's smallest sculptures, often taking months to complete one, working between heartbeats to avoid hand tremors [2] "You have to control the whole nervous system, you have to work between the heartbeat - the pulse of your finger can destroy the work." Wigan uses a tiny surgical blade to carve microscopic figures out of rice, and fragments of grains of sand and sugar, which are then mounted on pinheads. To paint his creations, he uses a hair plucked from a dead fly (the fly has to have died from natural causes, as he refuses to kill them for the sake of his art). His sculptures have included a Santa Claus and a copy of the FIFA World Cup trophy, both about 0.005mm (0.0002in) tall, and a boxing ring with Muhammad Ali figure which fits onto the head of a match.
[via Donna spam]
cheap weed killer
Betty's caregiver (one of them) told me to use salt water to kill off koa. I figured if it could kill koa, it should be able to kill weeds. I wasn't sure if it was true, but apparently it is.
If there is an area where you don't want *anything* growing back, salt water is a great way to kill off weeds and keep them from coming back. I use 1 part salt to 2 parts water.
(And more)
*** [7/9/13] Just looked up natural weed killers recently and sure enough, I see this post from Roy on facebook. The recipes are similar, but the first one recommends pickling vinegar since it has higher acetic acid. But I didn't see it when I went to Foodland. Maybe I'll try apple cider vinegar since we have an old bottle.
*** [5/7/14] more from facebook
*** [5/9/14] the truth about Natural Weed Killer exposed
[5/14/14] 9 Natural Ways to kill weeds (from Bob Vila.com)
[5/24/14] Weed-Be-Gone (similar to previous)
If there is an area where you don't want *anything* growing back, salt water is a great way to kill off weeds and keep them from coming back. I use 1 part salt to 2 parts water.
(And more)
*** [7/9/13] Just looked up natural weed killers recently and sure enough, I see this post from Roy on facebook. The recipes are similar, but the first one recommends pickling vinegar since it has higher acetic acid. But I didn't see it when I went to Foodland. Maybe I'll try apple cider vinegar since we have an old bottle.
*** [5/7/14] more from facebook
*** [5/9/14] the truth about Natural Weed Killer exposed
[5/14/14] 9 Natural Ways to kill weeds (from Bob Vila.com)
[5/24/14] Weed-Be-Gone (similar to previous)
Sunday, July 06, 2008
recycling shoes
As part of the Nike campaign, athletic shoes also may be dropped off at any fire station on Oahu between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., if the companies are in, except for meal times -- noon to 12:45 p.m. and 5 to 5:45 p.m. -- said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig.
Any brand of athletic shoe is accepted, as long as it does not contain metal, cleats or spikes. Also, make sure the shoes are not muddy or wet, tied together or placed in plastic bags, Seelig said.
The shoes are recycled into material used in sport surfaces, such as basketball and tennis courts and playgrounds.
Any brand of athletic shoe is accepted, as long as it does not contain metal, cleats or spikes. Also, make sure the shoes are not muddy or wet, tied together or placed in plastic bags, Seelig said.
The shoes are recycled into material used in sport surfaces, such as basketball and tennis courts and playgrounds.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
what good is travel?
Travel shows us that Americans are among the haves in a have-not world. In contrast nearly half of this world's people live on $2 a day. And travel teaches you that, if you know what's good for you, you don't want to be filthy rich is a desperately poor world. It's just not a pretty picture.
[so that's how the world views the United States?]
-- Rick Steves, Costco Connection, February 2008
[so that's how the world views the United States?]
-- Rick Steves, Costco Connection, February 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Hawaii's Best 2008
Now it's time for the one that really counts -- the readers' poll from the Star-Bulletin & MidWeek, the publications that combined reach more readers in Hawaii each week than any others.
We asked you to let us know your favorites in four categories: Shopping & Retail, Services, Entertainment, and Restaurants & Food. You let us know in the large numbers that give this poll authority and meaning.
Thanks to all of you who took the time to mark your favorites. It's because of you and your thoughtful participation that our annual poll -- and this is the sixth! -- receives all the attention that it does.
So sit back, relax and see how your favorites compare with those of other readers.
* * *
2009 Edition
2007 Edition
2006 Edition
2004 Edition
* * *
Hawaii's Best Restaurants
Best Restaurants 2006
Best Restaurants 2005
Best Restaurants 2004
We asked you to let us know your favorites in four categories: Shopping & Retail, Services, Entertainment, and Restaurants & Food. You let us know in the large numbers that give this poll authority and meaning.
Thanks to all of you who took the time to mark your favorites. It's because of you and your thoughtful participation that our annual poll -- and this is the sixth! -- receives all the attention that it does.
So sit back, relax and see how your favorites compare with those of other readers.
* * *
2009 Edition
2007 Edition
2006 Edition
2004 Edition
* * *
Hawaii's Best Restaurants
Best Restaurants 2006
Best Restaurants 2005
Best Restaurants 2004
Sunday, June 22, 2008
How Obama Inspires
Over the past several years, I have been interviewing, observing, and writing about business, academic, and political leaders who have the ability to influence their audience—leaders who fire up the rest of us. Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is one of them. For a look at what makes Obama's public speaking skills so effective, I outline four techniques he's mastered and explain ways to use them in your own repertoire. -- Carmine Gallo
* * *
We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics. And they will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks and months to come.
We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
(APPLAUSE)
For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.
It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality.
Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can.
And so, tomorrow, as we take the campaign south and west, as we learn that the struggles of the textile workers in Spartanburg are not so different than the plight of the dishwasher in Las Vegas, that the hopes of the little girl who goes to the crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of L.A., we will remember that there is something happening in America, that we are not as divided as our politics suggest, that we are one people, we are one nation.
And, together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story, with three words that will ring from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea: Yes, we can.
(on the other hand)
* * *
We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics. And they will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks and months to come.
We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
(APPLAUSE)
For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.
It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality.
Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can.
And so, tomorrow, as we take the campaign south and west, as we learn that the struggles of the textile workers in Spartanburg are not so different than the plight of the dishwasher in Las Vegas, that the hopes of the little girl who goes to the crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of L.A., we will remember that there is something happening in America, that we are not as divided as our politics suggest, that we are one people, we are one nation.
And, together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story, with three words that will ring from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea: Yes, we can.
(on the other hand)
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Free books
Only Books World [link via frwr-news] has a few interesting books in pdf format. (Not totally sure how legal this site is though.)
Here's a few titles that caught my eye:
How Would You Move Mount Fuji?
50 Self-Help Classics
Living the 80/20 Way
* * *
Googling came up with this page of the Best Places to Get Free Books - The Ultimate Guide
*** [4/10/10 on a tip from pat@chucks_angels]
Free books you can read on the Kindle (or PC)
Here's a few titles that caught my eye:
How Would You Move Mount Fuji?
50 Self-Help Classics
Living the 80/20 Way
* * *
Googling came up with this page of the Best Places to Get Free Books - The Ultimate Guide
*** [4/10/10 on a tip from pat@chucks_angels]
Free books you can read on the Kindle (or PC)
Jack La Lanne
Seventy-eight years ago La Lanne experienced a dramatic conversion to the simple yet arduous way of life to which he has faithfully devoted himself. Because he feels exercising and eating sensibly literally saved his life, he has little patience with health or fitness shortcuts. He advocates consistent exercise and eating well. He believes all other approaches are false doctrines that will lead to disappointment.
The simplicity of his approach to health and his infectious enthusiasm for fitness have won him millions of devoted followers. His charisma and his muscular body make his message palatable and convincing.
-- Costco Connection, January 2008
The simplicity of his approach to health and his infectious enthusiasm for fitness have won him millions of devoted followers. His charisma and his muscular body make his message palatable and convincing.
-- Costco Connection, January 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
my new camera
After 9 years of using my Sony Mavica FD (which stands for floppy disk) I figured it was time for a new camera, especially with Christie graduating. (And actually I haven't used any camera for a number of months now.) Actually I had a Fuji FinePix too, but that ain't working well if at all now.
I was looking at the Amazon reviews at the cameras on sale at Circuit City, the Canon Powershot A470 in particular, I noticed somebody talking about the Kodak Z712. The feature that grabbed me is the 12x zoom. My Sony has a 10x and I felt that I didn't want to take a step back by getting a 3x which is what most of the budget cameras have these days.
Anyway, I'm still playing with it. But I like it so far. Though I'm somewhat disappointed at its performance at distance shots (or shots without flash) in low light conditions.
Here's the review at DC Resource.
I was looking at the Amazon reviews at the cameras on sale at Circuit City, the Canon Powershot A470 in particular, I noticed somebody talking about the Kodak Z712. The feature that grabbed me is the 12x zoom. My Sony has a 10x and I felt that I didn't want to take a step back by getting a 3x which is what most of the budget cameras have these days.
Anyway, I'm still playing with it. But I like it so far. Though I'm somewhat disappointed at its performance at distance shots (or shots without flash) in low light conditions.
Here's the review at DC Resource.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Harvey Korman
Harvey Korman, an Emmy-winning comedic actor best known for playing the self-described "luminous second banana" for a decade on television's "The Carol Burnett Show" and for starring in such Mel Brooks films as "Blazing Saddles," has died. He was 81.
Korman, who had undergone several major operations, died Thursday at UCLA Medical Center of complications from an abdominal aortic aneurysm that ruptured four months ago, his daughter, Kate Korman, told The Times.
With a knack for physical humor and oddball accents, Korman was a master sketch comic who did his best-known work on Burnett's variety show beginning in 1967 in an ensemble that included Tim Conway.
Korman, who had undergone several major operations, died Thursday at UCLA Medical Center of complications from an abdominal aortic aneurysm that ruptured four months ago, his daughter, Kate Korman, told The Times.
With a knack for physical humor and oddball accents, Korman was a master sketch comic who did his best-known work on Burnett's variety show beginning in 1967 in an ensemble that included Tim Conway.
Monday, June 02, 2008
children burn toy guns
GAUHATI, India -- Hundreds of children from a village in India's insurgency-wracked northeast have burned their toy guns in a symbolic protest against the violence that surrounds them, activists said Thursday.
The children, all younger than 13, held their protest Wednesday, carrying placards reading "We hate toy guns, We love football" as they marched to the local high school playground to light the bonfire.
Villagers said the protest was a reaction to the violence in Manipur, where at least 17 rebel groups have been fighting for independent homelands or autonomy. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the fighting in the past 10 years.
The children, all younger than 13, held their protest Wednesday, carrying placards reading "We hate toy guns, We love football" as they marched to the local high school playground to light the bonfire.
Villagers said the protest was a reaction to the violence in Manipur, where at least 17 rebel groups have been fighting for independent homelands or autonomy. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the fighting in the past 10 years.
free online classifieds
The world's leading retailer is once again taking a stab at a hot online trend -- this time, free Internet classifieds. Taking a potshot at both Craigslist and eBay's Kijiji, Wal-Mart has turned to Oodle to power a platform for the sale of local goods.
Living with Less
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Earth cannot sustain our continuous overindulgence in its resources. We have grown to be a culture that figures out how much we can get away with instead of how little we can get by with. From eating super-sized meals, to driving gas-guzzling cars, to living in big homes and using lots of water and electricity, we tend to overdo it. By and large, we are relatively unaware how much we have and use.
While living in Africa serving in the Peace Corps, I saw how little most people survive on and what ingenious use they made of "trash." For example, they cut up metal cans to collect rain water from their roofs and fashioned sandals from discarded tires.
I greatly appreciate our comforts and abundance but am dismayed at how much we waste. I wish we could load up Matson liners with all the extra stuff we accumulate for garage sales and donate it to needy countries.
If each of us does our part to cut down our consumption, donate to others and share our resources in the spirit of aloha, the whole world would be more sustainable. Let's do more by using less.
Suzanne Hammer
Honolulu
While living in Africa serving in the Peace Corps, I saw how little most people survive on and what ingenious use they made of "trash." For example, they cut up metal cans to collect rain water from their roofs and fashioned sandals from discarded tires.
I greatly appreciate our comforts and abundance but am dismayed at how much we waste. I wish we could load up Matson liners with all the extra stuff we accumulate for garage sales and donate it to needy countries.
If each of us does our part to cut down our consumption, donate to others and share our resources in the spirit of aloha, the whole world would be more sustainable. Let's do more by using less.
Suzanne Hammer
Honolulu
Speed Reading
I don't know how good this Magic Speed Reading software is, but the site has some interesting articles on how to speed read. Or at least, how not to read so slow.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Steve & Barry's (my kind of store)
Steve & Barry’s, for the uninitiated, is to fashion what Tower once was to music. Steve & Barry’s is manna, a store that sells stylish celebrity-branded clothes at prices that are absurdly inexpensive, lower than those at Old Navy, H & M or Forever 21, undercutting even Wal-Mart by as much as half.
At its 264 barnlike stores in malls across the country, including the perpetually mobbed one at the Manhattan Mall in Midtown, Steve & Barry’s offers an assortment of flowery sundresses designed by Sarah Jessica Parker ($8.98), heart-printed hoodies by the Nickelodeon alumna Amanda Bynes ($8.98) and basketball shoes by the New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury ($8.98). Lines at the registers are often 20 deep.
The question on everyone’s lips: How do they make a decent dress or a jacket, with sleeves, or a pair of functioning shoes for $8.98?
At its 264 barnlike stores in malls across the country, including the perpetually mobbed one at the Manhattan Mall in Midtown, Steve & Barry’s offers an assortment of flowery sundresses designed by Sarah Jessica Parker ($8.98), heart-printed hoodies by the Nickelodeon alumna Amanda Bynes ($8.98) and basketball shoes by the New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury ($8.98). Lines at the registers are often 20 deep.
The question on everyone’s lips: How do they make a decent dress or a jacket, with sleeves, or a pair of functioning shoes for $8.98?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Colin Powell on hard power and soft power
There is nothing in American experience or in American political life or in our culture that suggests we want to use hard power. But what we have found over the decades is that unless you do have hard power -- and here I think you're referring to military power -- then sometimes you are faced with situations that you can't deal with.
I mean, it was not soft power that freed Europe. It was hard power. And what followed immediately after hard power? Did the United States ask for dominion over a single nation in Europe? No. Soft power came in the Marshall Plan. Soft power came with American GIs who put their weapons down once the war was over and helped all those nations rebuild. We did the same thing in Japan.
So our record of living our values and letting our values be an inspiration to others I think is clear. And I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of or apologize for with respect to what America has done for the world.
(Applause.)
We have gone forth from our shores repeatedly over the last hundred years and we’ve done this as recently as the last year in Afghanistan and put wonderful young men and women at risk, many of whom have lost their lives, and we have asked for nothing except enough ground to bury them in, and otherwise we have returned home to seek our own, you know, to seek our own lives in peace, to live our own lives in peace. But there comes a time when soft power or talking with evil will not work where, unfortunately, hard power is the only thing that works.
Complete Transcript:
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2003/16869.htm
Colin Powell quote
You've Got Propaganda!
I mean, it was not soft power that freed Europe. It was hard power. And what followed immediately after hard power? Did the United States ask for dominion over a single nation in Europe? No. Soft power came in the Marshall Plan. Soft power came with American GIs who put their weapons down once the war was over and helped all those nations rebuild. We did the same thing in Japan.
So our record of living our values and letting our values be an inspiration to others I think is clear. And I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of or apologize for with respect to what America has done for the world.
(Applause.)
We have gone forth from our shores repeatedly over the last hundred years and we’ve done this as recently as the last year in Afghanistan and put wonderful young men and women at risk, many of whom have lost their lives, and we have asked for nothing except enough ground to bury them in, and otherwise we have returned home to seek our own, you know, to seek our own lives in peace, to live our own lives in peace. But there comes a time when soft power or talking with evil will not work where, unfortunately, hard power is the only thing that works.
Complete Transcript:
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2003/16869.htm
Colin Powell quote
You've Got Propaganda!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Irena Sendler
Fate may have led Irena Sendler to the moment almost 70 years ago when she began to risk her life for the children of strangers. But for this humble Polish Catholic social worker, who was barely 30 when one of history's most nightmarish chapters unfolded before her, the pivotal influence was something her parents had drummed into her.
"I was taught that if you see a person drowning," she said, "you must jump into the water to save them, whether you can swim or not."
When the Nazis occupying Poland began rounding up Jews in 1940 and sending them to the Warsaw ghetto, Sendler plunged in.
With daring and ingenuity, she saved the lives of more than 2,500 Jews, most of them children, a feat that went largely unrecognized until the last years of her life.
Sendler, 98, who died of pneumonia Monday in Warsaw, has been called the female Oskar Schindler, but she saved twice as many lives as the German industrialist, who sheltered 1,200 of his Jewish workers. Unlike Schindler, whose story received international attention in the 1993 movie "Schindler's List," Sendler and her heroic actions were almost lost to history until four Kansas schoolgirls wrote a play about her nine years ago.
The lesson Sendler taught them was that "one person can make a difference," Megan Felt, one of the authors of the play, said Monday.
"Irena wasn't even 5 feet tall, but she walked into the Warsaw ghetto daily and faced certain death if she was caught. Her strength and courage showed us we can stand up for what we believe in, as well," said Felt, who is now 23 and helps raise funds for aging Holocaust rescuers.
Sendler was born Feb. 15, 1910, in Otwock, a small town southeast of Warsaw. She was an only child of parents who devoted much of their energies to helping workers.
She was especially influenced by her father, a doctor who defied anti-Semites by treating sick Jews during outbreaks of typhoid fever. He died of the disease when Sendler was 9.
She studied at Warsaw University and was a social worker in Warsaw when the German occupation of Poland began in 1939. In 1940, after the Nazis herded Jews into the ghetto and built a wall separating it from the rest of the city, disease, especially typhoid, ran rampant. Social workers were not allowed inside the ghetto, but Sendler, imagining "the horror of life behind the walls," obtained fake identification and passed herself off as a nurse, allowed to bring in food, clothes and medicine.
By 1942, when the deadly intentions of the Nazis had become clear, Sendler joined a Polish underground organization, Zegota. She recruited 10 close friends -- a group that would eventually grow to 25, all but one of them women -- and began rescuing Jewish children.
She and her friends smuggled the children out in boxes, suitcases, sacks and coffins, sedating babies to quiet their cries. Some were spirited away through a network of basements and secret passages. Operations were timed to the second. One of Sendler's children told of waiting by a gate in darkness as a German soldier patrolled nearby. When the soldier passed, the boy counted to 30, then made a mad dash to the middle of the street, where a manhole cover opened and he was taken down into the sewers and eventually to safety.
Decades later, Sendler was still haunted by the parents' pleas, particularly of those who ultimately could not bear to be apart from their children.
"The one question every parent asked me was 'Can you guarantee they will live?' We had to admit honestly that we could not, as we did not even know if we would succeed in leaving the ghetto that day. The only guarantee," she said, "was that the children would most likely die if they stayed."
Most of the children who left with Sendler's group were taken into Roman Catholic convents, orphanages and homes and given non-Jewish aliases. Sendler recorded their true names on thin rolls of paper in the hope that she could reunite them with their families later. She preserved the precious scraps in jars and buried them in a friend's garden.
In 1943, she was captured by the Nazis and tortured but refused to tell her captors who her co-conspirators were or where the bottles were buried. She also resisted in other ways. According to Felt, when Sendler worked in the prison laundry, she and her co-workers made holes in the German soldiers' underwear. When the officers discovered what they had done, they lined up all the women and shot every other one. It was just one of many close calls for Sendler.
During one particularly brutal torture session, her captors broke her feet and legs, and she passed out. When she awoke, a Gestapo officer told her he had accepted a bribe from her comrades in the resistance to help her escape. The officer added her name to a list of executed prisoners. Sendler went into hiding but continued her rescue efforts.
Felt said that Sendler had begun her rescue operation before she joined the organized resistance and helped a number of adults escape, including the man she later married. "We think she saved about 500 people before she joined Zegota," Felt said, which would mean that Sendler ultimately helped rescue about 3,000 Polish Jews.
When the war ended, Sendler unearthed the jars and began trying to return the children to their families. For the vast majority, there was no family left. Many of the children were adopted by Polish families; others were sent to Israel.
In 1965, she was recognized by Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust authority, as a Righteous Gentile, an honor given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Nazi reign. In her own country, however, she was unsung, in part because Polish anti-Semitism remained strong after the war and many rescuers were persecuted.
Her status began to change in 2000, when Felt and her classmates learned that the woman who had inspired them was still alive. Through the sponsorship of a local Jewish organization, they traveled to Warsaw in 2001 to meet Sendler, who helped the students improve and expand the play. Called "Life in a Jar," it has been performed more than 250 times in the United States, Canada and Poland and generated media attention that cast a spotlight on the wizened, round-faced nonagenarian.
After each performance, Felt and the other cast members passed a jar for Sendler, raising enough money to move her into a Catholic nursing home with round-the-clock care. They and the teacher who assigned them the play project, Norman Conard, started the Life in a Jar Foundation, which has raised more than $70,000 to help pay for medical and other needs of Holocaust rescuers.
Last year, Sendler was honored by the Polish Senate and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which brought dozens of reporters to her door. She told one of them she was wearying of the attention.
"Every child saved with my help is the justification of my existence on this Earth," she said, "and not a title to glory."
Sendler, who was the last living member of her group of rescuers, is survived by a daughter and a granddaughter.
For more information on Irena Sendler, or to contribute to the Life In a Jar Foundation, go to www.irenasendler.org
elaine.woo@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-sendler13-2008may13,0,4435918.story
"I was taught that if you see a person drowning," she said, "you must jump into the water to save them, whether you can swim or not."
When the Nazis occupying Poland began rounding up Jews in 1940 and sending them to the Warsaw ghetto, Sendler plunged in.
With daring and ingenuity, she saved the lives of more than 2,500 Jews, most of them children, a feat that went largely unrecognized until the last years of her life.
Sendler, 98, who died of pneumonia Monday in Warsaw, has been called the female Oskar Schindler, but she saved twice as many lives as the German industrialist, who sheltered 1,200 of his Jewish workers. Unlike Schindler, whose story received international attention in the 1993 movie "Schindler's List," Sendler and her heroic actions were almost lost to history until four Kansas schoolgirls wrote a play about her nine years ago.
The lesson Sendler taught them was that "one person can make a difference," Megan Felt, one of the authors of the play, said Monday.
"Irena wasn't even 5 feet tall, but she walked into the Warsaw ghetto daily and faced certain death if she was caught. Her strength and courage showed us we can stand up for what we believe in, as well," said Felt, who is now 23 and helps raise funds for aging Holocaust rescuers.
Sendler was born Feb. 15, 1910, in Otwock, a small town southeast of Warsaw. She was an only child of parents who devoted much of their energies to helping workers.
She was especially influenced by her father, a doctor who defied anti-Semites by treating sick Jews during outbreaks of typhoid fever. He died of the disease when Sendler was 9.
She studied at Warsaw University and was a social worker in Warsaw when the German occupation of Poland began in 1939. In 1940, after the Nazis herded Jews into the ghetto and built a wall separating it from the rest of the city, disease, especially typhoid, ran rampant. Social workers were not allowed inside the ghetto, but Sendler, imagining "the horror of life behind the walls," obtained fake identification and passed herself off as a nurse, allowed to bring in food, clothes and medicine.
By 1942, when the deadly intentions of the Nazis had become clear, Sendler joined a Polish underground organization, Zegota. She recruited 10 close friends -- a group that would eventually grow to 25, all but one of them women -- and began rescuing Jewish children.
She and her friends smuggled the children out in boxes, suitcases, sacks and coffins, sedating babies to quiet their cries. Some were spirited away through a network of basements and secret passages. Operations were timed to the second. One of Sendler's children told of waiting by a gate in darkness as a German soldier patrolled nearby. When the soldier passed, the boy counted to 30, then made a mad dash to the middle of the street, where a manhole cover opened and he was taken down into the sewers and eventually to safety.
Decades later, Sendler was still haunted by the parents' pleas, particularly of those who ultimately could not bear to be apart from their children.
"The one question every parent asked me was 'Can you guarantee they will live?' We had to admit honestly that we could not, as we did not even know if we would succeed in leaving the ghetto that day. The only guarantee," she said, "was that the children would most likely die if they stayed."
Most of the children who left with Sendler's group were taken into Roman Catholic convents, orphanages and homes and given non-Jewish aliases. Sendler recorded their true names on thin rolls of paper in the hope that she could reunite them with their families later. She preserved the precious scraps in jars and buried them in a friend's garden.
In 1943, she was captured by the Nazis and tortured but refused to tell her captors who her co-conspirators were or where the bottles were buried. She also resisted in other ways. According to Felt, when Sendler worked in the prison laundry, she and her co-workers made holes in the German soldiers' underwear. When the officers discovered what they had done, they lined up all the women and shot every other one. It was just one of many close calls for Sendler.
During one particularly brutal torture session, her captors broke her feet and legs, and she passed out. When she awoke, a Gestapo officer told her he had accepted a bribe from her comrades in the resistance to help her escape. The officer added her name to a list of executed prisoners. Sendler went into hiding but continued her rescue efforts.
Felt said that Sendler had begun her rescue operation before she joined the organized resistance and helped a number of adults escape, including the man she later married. "We think she saved about 500 people before she joined Zegota," Felt said, which would mean that Sendler ultimately helped rescue about 3,000 Polish Jews.
When the war ended, Sendler unearthed the jars and began trying to return the children to their families. For the vast majority, there was no family left. Many of the children were adopted by Polish families; others were sent to Israel.
In 1965, she was recognized by Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust authority, as a Righteous Gentile, an honor given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Nazi reign. In her own country, however, she was unsung, in part because Polish anti-Semitism remained strong after the war and many rescuers were persecuted.
Her status began to change in 2000, when Felt and her classmates learned that the woman who had inspired them was still alive. Through the sponsorship of a local Jewish organization, they traveled to Warsaw in 2001 to meet Sendler, who helped the students improve and expand the play. Called "Life in a Jar," it has been performed more than 250 times in the United States, Canada and Poland and generated media attention that cast a spotlight on the wizened, round-faced nonagenarian.
After each performance, Felt and the other cast members passed a jar for Sendler, raising enough money to move her into a Catholic nursing home with round-the-clock care. They and the teacher who assigned them the play project, Norman Conard, started the Life in a Jar Foundation, which has raised more than $70,000 to help pay for medical and other needs of Holocaust rescuers.
Last year, Sendler was honored by the Polish Senate and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which brought dozens of reporters to her door. She told one of them she was wearying of the attention.
"Every child saved with my help is the justification of my existence on this Earth," she said, "and not a title to glory."
Sendler, who was the last living member of her group of rescuers, is survived by a daughter and a granddaughter.
For more information on Irena Sendler, or to contribute to the Life In a Jar Foundation, go to www.irenasendler.org
elaine.woo@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-sendler13-2008may13,0,4435918.story
Think Mental Models
How normal people become really smart
Most humans do much of their problem solving not by searching selectively, but through simply recognizing the relevant cues in situations similar to those they have experienced before (solution by recognition).
“The better decision maker has at his/her disposal repertoires of possible actions; checklists of things to think about before he acts; and he has mechanisms in his mind to evoke these, and bring these to his conscious attention when the situations for decision arise.” -- Herbert Simon, Nobel Laureate
This website, inspired by the work of Charles Munger, provides over 100 checklists that can be brought consciously to mind to aid the thinking process.
Each model is described by at least one distinguished user. Examples include Warren Buffett, Richard Feynman, Robert Rubin and Peter Drucker, among others.
[from Dah Hui Lau]
Most humans do much of their problem solving not by searching selectively, but through simply recognizing the relevant cues in situations similar to those they have experienced before (solution by recognition).
“The better decision maker has at his/her disposal repertoires of possible actions; checklists of things to think about before he acts; and he has mechanisms in his mind to evoke these, and bring these to his conscious attention when the situations for decision arise.” -- Herbert Simon, Nobel Laureate
This website, inspired by the work of Charles Munger, provides over 100 checklists that can be brought consciously to mind to aid the thinking process.
Each model is described by at least one distinguished user. Examples include Warren Buffett, Richard Feynman, Robert Rubin and Peter Drucker, among others.
[from Dah Hui Lau]
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Dalai Lama Renaissance
I saw in the Hi Life section of the 5/8/08 Star-Bulletin (evidently this section is not on the web) that the film, Dalai Lama Renaissance, was being shown at the Unity Chuck of Honolulu.
"Narrated by Harrison Ford, the 80-minute documentary tells the story of 40 of the world's most innovative Western thinkers who travel to India in the Himalayan mountains to meet with the Dalai Lama to try and solve many of the world's problems. What happened was surprising and unexpected, as an 18-person, five-camera crew documented much of the weeklong meeting and exploratoin of the future of mankind.
* * *
Actually I see this film opens one day after Indiana Jones 4.
I didn't know much about the Dalai Lama until I bought the movie Seven Years In Tibet at Safeway for 5 bucks. Then I bought 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama used at Blockbuster. Both interesting.
Then I saw recently two DVDs being sold at Costco: A Path to Happiness (I see some of it on youtube) and The Art of Peace. Oddly, Amazon says the latter DVD is due to be released on July 1.
"Narrated by Harrison Ford, the 80-minute documentary tells the story of 40 of the world's most innovative Western thinkers who travel to India in the Himalayan mountains to meet with the Dalai Lama to try and solve many of the world's problems. What happened was surprising and unexpected, as an 18-person, five-camera crew documented much of the weeklong meeting and exploratoin of the future of mankind.
* * *
Actually I see this film opens one day after Indiana Jones 4.
I didn't know much about the Dalai Lama until I bought the movie Seven Years In Tibet at Safeway for 5 bucks. Then I bought 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama used at Blockbuster. Both interesting.
Then I saw recently two DVDs being sold at Costco: A Path to Happiness (I see some of it on youtube) and The Art of Peace. Oddly, Amazon says the latter DVD is due to be released on July 1.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Colin Powell's Rules
I found this old clipping in (one of my) stacks of stuff. I don't know how old it is, but the paper is yellowing.
Colin Powell has 13 rules by which he has collected over the years and written down on a small white card labeled, "Colin Powell's Rules." Many of his admirers in the Pentagon keep a copy at their desks or in their wallets.
1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
A search on the net turned up Maureen Dowd's somewhat cynical revisions.
Colin Powell has 13 rules by which he has collected over the years and written down on a small white card labeled, "Colin Powell's Rules." Many of his admirers in the Pentagon keep a copy at their desks or in their wallets.
1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
A search on the net turned up Maureen Dowd's somewhat cynical revisions.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
feng shui and clutter
The feng shui perspective recognizes clutter as a blockage to the chi -- or energy flow -- in your house or office. Blockages of any kind are seen as inhibiting growth, health and harmony, so de-cluttering is often the first step in implementing feng shui not only in a home, but also within yourself.
* * *
A great book dealing with this topic is Karen Kingston's Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui. I read it and proceeded to clear up some clutter. (Unfortunately, looking around I see I still have a long long way to go. But I think it's better than before. Still working at it. You may have better results. I like to do things the slow way, a little bit by bit.)
* * *
A great book dealing with this topic is Karen Kingston's Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui. I read it and proceeded to clear up some clutter. (Unfortunately, looking around I see I still have a long long way to go. But I think it's better than before. Still working at it. You may have better results. I like to do things the slow way, a little bit by bit.)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Lob Songs
I'm giving away my copy of Lob Songs (I believe I made two, but I don't know where the other one is).
Anyway, in case I want to make another one, here's the list.
1. Book of Lob 2:18
2. Dedicated to the One I Lob 2:03
3. Will You Still Lob Me Tomorrow 2:41
4. All You Need Is Lob 3:47
5. She Lobs You 2:19
6. All My Lobbing 2:05
7. And I Lob Her 2:27
8. You Can't Hurry Lob 2:53
9. When A Man Lobs A Woman 3:45
10. I Just Called To Say I Lob You 4:21
11. How Sweet It Is (To Be Lobbed By You) 3:33
12. Crazy Lob 2:58
13. Could You Be Lobbed 3:55
14. Can You Feel The Lob Tonight 2:56
15. Can You Feel The Lob Tonight / Elton John 3:59
16. I Just Can't Stop Lobbing You 4:13
17. Saving All My Lob For You 3:54
18. Greatest Lob Of All 4:48
19. Greatest Lob of All (Junior Vasquez Mix) 4:49
20. Lob You All The Time 2:37
Actually I tried to get William Hung's version of Can You Feel The Lob Tonight, but I think the CD is a little off and it couldn't be extracted.
Anyway, in case I want to make another one, here's the list.
1. Book of Lob 2:18
2. Dedicated to the One I Lob 2:03
3. Will You Still Lob Me Tomorrow 2:41
4. All You Need Is Lob 3:47
5. She Lobs You 2:19
6. All My Lobbing 2:05
7. And I Lob Her 2:27
8. You Can't Hurry Lob 2:53
9. When A Man Lobs A Woman 3:45
10. I Just Called To Say I Lob You 4:21
11. How Sweet It Is (To Be Lobbed By You) 3:33
12. Crazy Lob 2:58
13. Could You Be Lobbed 3:55
14. Can You Feel The Lob Tonight 2:56
15. Can You Feel The Lob Tonight / Elton John 3:59
16. I Just Can't Stop Lobbing You 4:13
17. Saving All My Lob For You 3:54
18. Greatest Lob Of All 4:48
19. Greatest Lob of All (Junior Vasquez Mix) 4:49
20. Lob You All The Time 2:37
Actually I tried to get William Hung's version of Can You Feel The Lob Tonight, but I think the CD is a little off and it couldn't be extracted.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Ultimate Sinatra Documentary
Financial adviser Guy Steele knows a bit more than most people about legendary singer and actor Frank Sinatra (he wrote a time line of Sinatra's life that amounts to more than 1,000 pages), and he shares his vast knowledge with Hawaii Public Radio listeners Sundays at 5 p.m. on 89.3 KIPO.
This month marks the 10th anniversary of Sinatra's death, and Steele will honor the occasion with an overview of Sinatra's music and movies -- featuring plenty of Sinatra's most popular hits -- on his May 18 show.
Steele began "Sinatra: The Music and the Man" in 1998, just after Sinatra died. "I wanted to produce the ultimate Sinatra documentary," said Steele, whose interviews with musicians and arrangers such as Billy May provide behind-the-scenes anecdotes that supplement the music he selects for the entertaining hour. But Steele's approach is unusual in that every show over the past 10 years (except for a few repeats) reflects Sinatra's life and career in chronological order. The early 1998 shows brought listeners back to 1939. Now, in 2008, Steele has reached 1963. He covers "the good and the bad" from a tiny recording studio in his home.
This month marks the 10th anniversary of Sinatra's death, and Steele will honor the occasion with an overview of Sinatra's music and movies -- featuring plenty of Sinatra's most popular hits -- on his May 18 show.
Steele began "Sinatra: The Music and the Man" in 1998, just after Sinatra died. "I wanted to produce the ultimate Sinatra documentary," said Steele, whose interviews with musicians and arrangers such as Billy May provide behind-the-scenes anecdotes that supplement the music he selects for the entertaining hour. But Steele's approach is unusual in that every show over the past 10 years (except for a few repeats) reflects Sinatra's life and career in chronological order. The early 1998 shows brought listeners back to 1939. Now, in 2008, Steele has reached 1963. He covers "the good and the bad" from a tiny recording studio in his home.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Yawns
They drive hybrid cars, if they drive at all, shop at local stores, if they shop at all and pay off their credit cards every month, if they use them at all.
They may have disposable income, but whatever they make, they live below their means, in a conscious effort to tread lightly on the earth.
They are a new breed of Gen Xers and Ys, Young and Wealthy but Normal, or Yawns.
The acronym comes from The Sunday Telegraph of London, which noted that an increasing number of rich young Britons are socially aware, concerned about the environment and given less to consuming than to giving money to charity.
Yawns sound dull, but they are the new movers and shakers, their dreams big and bold. They are men and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who want nothing less than to change the world and save the planet.
They may have disposable income, but whatever they make, they live below their means, in a conscious effort to tread lightly on the earth.
They are a new breed of Gen Xers and Ys, Young and Wealthy but Normal, or Yawns.
The acronym comes from The Sunday Telegraph of London, which noted that an increasing number of rich young Britons are socially aware, concerned about the environment and given less to consuming than to giving money to charity.
Yawns sound dull, but they are the new movers and shakers, their dreams big and bold. They are men and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who want nothing less than to change the world and save the planet.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Free TV on the internet
While browsing with LocateTV, I noticed there are some free episodes of some old TV series at AOL video.
Among them are The A Team, The Addams Family, Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr., Adventures of Superman, Alias Smith and Jones, The Animatrix, Astro Boy. And that's just the A's!
A few more: Bewitched, The Bob Newhart Show, Charlie's Angels, F Troop, Family Ties, Fantasy Island, The Flintstones, Fractured Fairy Tales, The Fujitive, Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Five-O, Heroes, I Dream of Jeannie, I Spy, Ironside, The Jetsons, Jonny Quest, Kojak, Kung Fu, Late Nite with Conan O'Brien, Lost In Space, MacGyver, Magilla Gorilla, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Mary Tyler Moore Show, McHale's Navy, Miami Vice, Monk, Mr. Bill, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, My Favorite Martian, Numb3rs, The Office, Partridge Family, People's Court, Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Simon and Simon, Speed Racer, Spider-Man, Star Trek, Three Stooges, Thundercats, The Tonight Show, Underdog, V, WKRP in Cincinnati, Welcome Back Kotter, What's Happening!, Wonder Woman. (To name a few.)
[5/14/08] I see that Star Trek is also available directly on CBS.com. I assume these are the new digitally enhanced episodes. [10/10/14] New link. Also available at startrek.com.
[9/5/08] See also hulu.com.
[7/11/12]
King of Queens on youtube. [10/10/14 link no longer active]
Mary Tyler Moore on youtube [first three season on hulu]
Dick Van Dyke Show at hulu
Bob Newhart Show at hulu
Green Acres at hulu [but not on hulu plus]
[4/7/16] It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of LocateTV.
The website will be shut down on April 4th, 2016, with registered users no longer able to access shortlists, My Picks, or receive weekly digest emails.
Born from a desire to find the new and the niche in telly, LocateTV grew from the tombstones of old to the wonderfully rich site it is today, with the unique ability to connect you with the TV you want to watch always at the heart of our mission.
We are heartbroken that after just over seven glorious years it is time for us to hang up our TV guide hat. We are eternally grateful to everyone who had supported the site over the years, from vendors, content editors and developers, to our fantastic users — you made our passion a reality.
Thank you.
Among them are The A Team, The Addams Family, Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr., Adventures of Superman, Alias Smith and Jones, The Animatrix, Astro Boy. And that's just the A's!
A few more: Bewitched, The Bob Newhart Show, Charlie's Angels, F Troop, Family Ties, Fantasy Island, The Flintstones, Fractured Fairy Tales, The Fujitive, Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Five-O, Heroes, I Dream of Jeannie, I Spy, Ironside, The Jetsons, Jonny Quest, Kojak, Kung Fu, Late Nite with Conan O'Brien, Lost In Space, MacGyver, Magilla Gorilla, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Mary Tyler Moore Show, McHale's Navy, Miami Vice, Monk, Mr. Bill, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, My Favorite Martian, Numb3rs, The Office, Partridge Family, People's Court, Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Simon and Simon, Speed Racer, Spider-Man, Star Trek, Three Stooges, Thundercats, The Tonight Show, Underdog, V, WKRP in Cincinnati, Welcome Back Kotter, What's Happening!, Wonder Woman. (To name a few.)
[5/14/08] I see that Star Trek is also available directly on CBS.com. I assume these are the new digitally enhanced episodes. [10/10/14] New link. Also available at startrek.com.
[9/5/08] See also hulu.com.
[7/11/12]
King of Queens on youtube. [10/10/14 link no longer active]
Mary Tyler Moore on youtube [first three season on hulu]
Dick Van Dyke Show at hulu
Bob Newhart Show at hulu
Green Acres at hulu [but not on hulu plus]
[4/7/16] It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of LocateTV.
The website will be shut down on April 4th, 2016, with registered users no longer able to access shortlists, My Picks, or receive weekly digest emails.
Born from a desire to find the new and the niche in telly, LocateTV grew from the tombstones of old to the wonderfully rich site it is today, with the unique ability to connect you with the TV you want to watch always at the heart of our mission.
We are heartbroken that after just over seven glorious years it is time for us to hang up our TV guide hat. We are eternally grateful to everyone who had supported the site over the years, from vendors, content editors and developers, to our fantastic users — you made our passion a reality.
Thank you.
Friday, May 09, 2008
My Philosophy
This Sally Forth comic strip kind of sums up my philosophy of life. "Leave the earth a little better than you found it."
Just try to do what you can to make things a little better step by step. (Others try to do it in big jumps.) But maybe my steps are too small.
Oddly googling the phrase brought little results. However Yahoo had a good answer.
[I remember remember reading something in one of my education books that you want to always have the feeling that you're making progress. Or words to that effect. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly where it was now.]
Just try to do what you can to make things a little better step by step. (Others try to do it in big jumps.) But maybe my steps are too small.
Oddly googling the phrase brought little results. However Yahoo had a good answer.
[I remember remember reading something in one of my education books that you want to always have the feeling that you're making progress. Or words to that effect. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly where it was now.]
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Age and Happiness
It turns out the golden years really are golden.
Eye-opening new research finds the happiest Americans are the oldest, and older adults are more socially active than the stereotype of the lonely senior suggests. The two go hand-in-hand: Being social can help keep away the blues.
"The good news is that with age comes happiness," said study author Yang Yang, a University of Chicago sociologist. "Life gets better in one's perception as one ages."
Eye-opening new research finds the happiest Americans are the oldest, and older adults are more socially active than the stereotype of the lonely senior suggests. The two go hand-in-hand: Being social can help keep away the blues.
"The good news is that with age comes happiness," said study author Yang Yang, a University of Chicago sociologist. "Life gets better in one's perception as one ages."
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Happiness Project
From Gretchen Rubin's blog, The Happiness Project.
I'm working on a book, THE HAPPINESS PROJECT--a memoir about the year I spent test-driving every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study I could find, whether from Aristotle or St. Therese or Martin Seligman or Oprah. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT will gather these rules for living and report on what works and what doesn’t. On this daily blog, I recount some of my adventures and insights as I grapple with the challenge of being happier. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT will hit the shelves in late 2009 (HarperCollins).
I'm working on a book, THE HAPPINESS PROJECT--a memoir about the year I spent test-driving every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study I could find, whether from Aristotle or St. Therese or Martin Seligman or Oprah. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT will gather these rules for living and report on what works and what doesn’t. On this daily blog, I recount some of my adventures and insights as I grapple with the challenge of being happier. THE HAPPINESS PROJECT will hit the shelves in late 2009 (HarperCollins).
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
No One Can Touch Her
While looking at some Longstreet videos with Bruce Lee at youtube, I noticed that komodragon, the guy who uploaded the videos, also uploaded the movie No One Can Touch Her. Also known as 13 Evil Bandits and Against Drunken Cat's Paws. This is a chop-socky flick starring Chia Ling aka Judy Lee. I guess she was never a huge star as I can't find her in Bey Logan's book Hong Kong Action Cinema. But it looked just funky enough to give to Joyce as a present.
Unfortunately, I don't see it on DVD at Amazon.com, but only some highly priced video tapes.
Looking around, I don't see that many Judy Lee movies. One candidate is Shaolin Invincibles which is available at Amazon. She's not the star of this movie, but the review sounds quite promising.
* * * [6/18/08]
Here's another candidate while browsing the Dragon Dynasty website. My Young Auntie. They have a few videos on youtube. Dragon Dynasty has now released the classic female kung fu movie, Come Drink With Me. Heroes of the East also looks interesting. And more.
[7/1/12 one more]
Shaolin Invincibles (featuring kung fu fighting gorillas)
Unfortunately, I don't see it on DVD at Amazon.com, but only some highly priced video tapes.
Looking around, I don't see that many Judy Lee movies. One candidate is Shaolin Invincibles which is available at Amazon. She's not the star of this movie, but the review sounds quite promising.
* * * [6/18/08]
Here's another candidate while browsing the Dragon Dynasty website. My Young Auntie. They have a few videos on youtube. Dragon Dynasty has now released the classic female kung fu movie, Come Drink With Me. Heroes of the East also looks interesting. And more.
[7/1/12 one more]
Shaolin Invincibles (featuring kung fu fighting gorillas)
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