Now comes HCR100, a resolution declaring Sept. 24 as “Islam Day” introduced by state Rep. Lyla Berg and co-sponsored by Rep. Faye Hanohano. It passed, of course, and was voted for by every woman present that day in both legislative chambers (and all but three of the men). Never mind the obvious: There is no declared “Christian Day,” no “Judaism Day,” no “Buddhism Day,” no other “Day” generically honoring another religion.
But the greater irony is this unanimous female celebration of Islam, a system as much political as religious, which is based upon a Quran embodying several specific and significant rules concerning women that have apparently gone unnoticed.
James Arlandson, Ph.D, college professor of religion and philosophy, author, expert on Christianity vis-àvis Islam, says, “Islam, in its purest form, honors and elevates women, we are told; but does it?” He then goes on to list the top 10 rules of the Quran that “oppress and insult women”:
* * *
In his column “Just What We Need, Islam Day” (May 20), Jerry Coffee argues against having a state-sponsored Islam Day based on his (mis)understanding of Islam’s position on women.
To support his argument, Mr. Coffee quotes James Arlandson, whose hatred for Islam is well-documented. His writing, like state Sens. Hemmings and Slom, and others before them, is no more than a string of superficial indictments and factual inaccuracies based on bigotry, intolerance or failure to understand the basic principles of interpretations of the Quran. Relying on such sources for Islamic knowledge is no different than asking the KKK for their opinions of African Americans.
* * *
Jerry Coffee’s column condemning “Islam Day” is on thin ice when he quotes passages from the Quran to prove that Islam oppresses and insults women. To be “fair and balanced,” he also should have listed similarly outrageous quotes from the Bible. There are lots of them. One of my personal favorites goes: “You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:22-24) Presumably this includes marital rape, even domestic abuse.
* * *
I’ve noticed Jerry Coffee has been getting big hits (below the belt) in MidWeek letters recently. Well, I want to thank Mr. Coffee for speaking out for us in the silent majority. Why do we need an Islam day except to appease the PC crowd?
Where do Republicans get their “marching orders”? How about the Constitution, that includes a couple things like free speech and warnings against things like treason.
My opinion, Mr. Coffee’s opinion, is not hateful speech. This is America, and not an Islamic-dominated country that prohibits free speech, rigs elections, denies your mother, wife, sister or daughter basic rights, or stones any one of them if they get raped.
My opinion, his opinion, is not hateful rhetoric. People are freely allowed to disagree with you without you labeling them hateful.
* * *
Jerry Coffee’s anti-Islam rant, the guest column from a local Muslim leader that followed, and recent letters on the topic remind me that the root of so many of the world’s problems today is religion and the narrow, small-minded world view it inevitably breeds.
* * *
Pretty arrogant, don’t you think, referring to yourself (as John L. Busekrus did in his June 24 letter) as part of a “silent majority.” I have no idea how many people agreed with my earlier letter on Jerry Coffee’s Muslim Day column. Judging from letters to MidWeek, I gather more than just a few. But I won’t be so foolish as to claim majority status.
Mr. Coffee’s column went beyond civil discussion and disagreement. It attempted to paint a large group of people as evil based on quotations from ancient religious text. As I and several other letter-writers have pointed out, the same kinds of outrageous quotations exist in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles.
Our Constitution protects our right to say just about any stupid thing we want. But if we are going to rise above the self-destructive behavior of the last eight years, people of conscience need to speak out against those who abuse that right to society’s detriment. They can start with Coffee and move on up to Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, Malkin and others who incite hatred for a living. I am not talking censorship here, I am talking vociferous feedback. Maybe an “outspoken majority” can keep these folks from flying too far off the handle.
* * *
after publishing my column, “Just What We Need, Islam Day” (May 20), MidWeek invited Mr. Hakim Ouansafi, president of Hawaii Muslim Association, to write a rebuttal. This is great for lively pro-and-con dialogue occurring in professional journals where the other side is presented in the same issue. But with MidWeek‘s weekly format, many readers who may not have read my original column are left only with the impressions of the rebuttal - all negative. For that reason, on this singular occasion, I feel justified in rebutting Mr. Ouansafi’s rebuttal.
* * *
Defying some of his fellow conservative Christian critics, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country told several thousand American Muslims on Saturday that "the two largest faiths on the planet" must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.
"Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them," evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren addressed the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America.
Warren said Muslims and Christians should be partners in working to end what he calls "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy.
A Southern Baptist, Warren has a record of upsetting fellow Christian conservatives by calling old-guard evangelical activists too partisan and narrowly focused. Ahead of his speech Saturday, bloggers who follow Warren had already denounced his appearance at the convention as cozying up to extremists.
* * *
Jerry Coffee states in his rebuttal that the point of his original column “Just What We Need, Islam Day,” was to point out the irony of our female legislators initiating and leading the passage of Islam Day because of his interpretations of Islamic theology.
As expected, his best defense was to take the offense by citing incendiary quotes and questionable conclusions. It’s simply a waste of time to pursue this. But I truly believe that we are not going to make it through the 21st century unless we drop the witch hunt and look at the bigger picture of what unites us as humans, not what divides us. We might begin by looking at ways that we can honor and respect our Muslim brothers and sisters. For example, most Muslims pray five times each day, including before dawn. How many of us can say that prayer is better than sleep?
A fundamental tenet of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and many other religions is to love one another. This is the spirit of aloha and this is why our all our legislators acted as they did. No political correctness is one thing, but how about a little aloha?
* * *
J. B. Young says that “people of conscience need to speak out against those who abuse that right to society’s detriment” (It’s Hate Speech). He goes on to name those whose beliefs he deems hateful - all conservatives. Young makes no mention of those on the left who do the same: Randi Rhodes, Bill Maher, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann - as if only conservatives are capable of inciting hate.
Anyone who does not believe as liberals do are instantly branded racist, haters, yokels, boors, oafs, uneducated and not worthy of free speech and the right to assemble.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time 100
While googling Margaret Thatcher (hero of VE), I came across the Time 100.
Time has profiled those individuals who - for better or worse - most influenced the last 100 years. They are considered in five fields of endeavor.
Glancing at the Artists & Entertainers category. I note no Michael Jackson. No Elvis. Who's there? The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra.
Glancing over the list, I'm familiar (or at least recognize) only about half of them. Which might tell you something about me.
Time has profiled those individuals who - for better or worse - most influenced the last 100 years. They are considered in five fields of endeavor.
Glancing at the Artists & Entertainers category. I note no Michael Jackson. No Elvis. Who's there? The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra.
Glancing over the list, I'm familiar (or at least recognize) only about half of them. Which might tell you something about me.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Times to buy Star Markets
Times Super Market, founded 60 years ago by the sons of Okinawan immigrants, is buying 82-year-old Star Markets in a deal that brings together two longtime fixtures in the Hawaii food service industry.
Honolulu-based QSI Inc., the parent of Times, and Star Markets jointly announced yesterday that they have signed a definitive agreement for QSI to buy Star's seven supermarkets, which will be re-branded with the Times name.
Honolulu-based QSI Inc., the parent of Times, and Star Markets jointly announced yesterday that they have signed a definitive agreement for QSI to buy Star's seven supermarkets, which will be re-branded with the Times name.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Carroll Cox
Carroll Cox is a tireless watchdog, putting in countless hours combing through government documents, attending public meetings and following up on tips from whistleblowers to expose wrongdoing.
Last week he was busy in Leeward Oahu, shooting photographs and video of tons of construction concrete dumped in Mailiili Stream, home to the endangered Hawaiian stilt and other rare birds. Cox was alerted to the dumping by city workers who he said were told to dump the debris and keep quiet. His video ended up on the local news, exposure that caused the city to stop the practice and prompted city, state and federal investigations.
The approach is vintage Cox, who through his nonprofit Envirowatch Inc. is plugged into a community network that alerts him to potential misconduct, environmental and otherwise.
Accessibility aids his work — he's reachable through his Web sites www.carrollcox.com and envirowatch.org and a Sunday morning radio show on KWAI — but what really drives him is the personal knowledge that a government without oversight is capable of terrible things.
Q: What strategy works best, in terms of lobbying for change?
A: Going to the legislators has proven fruitless over the 15 years I've been doing this, so I try to take it to the public. There's an informal network of agencies, businesses, people who are willing to talk, willing to blow the whistle, without becoming too involved. They want to solve a problem, but they don't want to be an activist.
Last week he was busy in Leeward Oahu, shooting photographs and video of tons of construction concrete dumped in Mailiili Stream, home to the endangered Hawaiian stilt and other rare birds. Cox was alerted to the dumping by city workers who he said were told to dump the debris and keep quiet. His video ended up on the local news, exposure that caused the city to stop the practice and prompted city, state and federal investigations.
The approach is vintage Cox, who through his nonprofit Envirowatch Inc. is plugged into a community network that alerts him to potential misconduct, environmental and otherwise.
Accessibility aids his work — he's reachable through his Web sites www.carrollcox.com and envirowatch.org and a Sunday morning radio show on KWAI — but what really drives him is the personal knowledge that a government without oversight is capable of terrible things.
Q: What strategy works best, in terms of lobbying for change?
A: Going to the legislators has proven fruitless over the 15 years I've been doing this, so I try to take it to the public. There's an informal network of agencies, businesses, people who are willing to talk, willing to blow the whistle, without becoming too involved. They want to solve a problem, but they don't want to be an activist.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Restaurant Row Theatres shutting down
The lights will go out soon for the dollar movie theater at Waterfront Plaza after more than 15 years in business at the location.
The last discount movie -- which can be seen for $1.25 admission per person during the weekdays -- will be shown on Aug. 9.
Scott Wallace, president of Hollywood Theaters, which operates the nine-screen discount theater, said he agreed to a deal with Pacific Office Properties Trust Inc., run by the Shidler Group, to exit his lease early.
"The landlord made us an offer we couldn't refuse," said Wallace, echoing a line from "The Godfather."
Wallace declined to disclose the amount of the deal, saying only that it was in the multimillion-dollar range. About 40 theater employees, mostly part time, were informed of the shutdown yesterday.
* * *
[8/3/09] Restaurant Row theatres have shown their final shows. Shucks, I thought I had another week.
The last discount movie -- which can be seen for $1.25 admission per person during the weekdays -- will be shown on Aug. 9.
Scott Wallace, president of Hollywood Theaters, which operates the nine-screen discount theater, said he agreed to a deal with Pacific Office Properties Trust Inc., run by the Shidler Group, to exit his lease early.
"The landlord made us an offer we couldn't refuse," said Wallace, echoing a line from "The Godfather."
Wallace declined to disclose the amount of the deal, saying only that it was in the multimillion-dollar range. About 40 theater employees, mostly part time, were informed of the shutdown yesterday.
* * *
[8/3/09] Restaurant Row theatres have shown their final shows. Shucks, I thought I had another week.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Billy Mays
Billy Mays, the loud, fast-talking pitchman who epitomized the infomercial spokesman, died Saturday at his home in Tampa. Mays, who would have turned 51 on July 20, was found by his wife. Police do not suspect foul play.
However, Mays was aboard Saturday's U.S. Airways Flight 1241 flying from Philadelphia, which suffered a rough landing when its front tire blew out. He told a Tampa TV station that he was struck in the head during the incident. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
Dressed in a trademark blue shirt and khaki pants, the husky, bearded Mays had been among the best-known infomercial hucksters on TV for more than two decades, pitching cleaning products, wonder tools and other "as seen on TV" items that eventually made their way into retail stores.
However, Mays was aboard Saturday's U.S. Airways Flight 1241 flying from Philadelphia, which suffered a rough landing when its front tire blew out. He told a Tampa TV station that he was struck in the head during the incident. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
Dressed in a trademark blue shirt and khaki pants, the husky, bearded Mays had been among the best-known infomercial hucksters on TV for more than two decades, pitching cleaning products, wonder tools and other "as seen on TV" items that eventually made their way into retail stores.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Michael Jackson
We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.
Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.
A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.
Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.
We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.
La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.
Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
* * *
When you think of Michael Jackson, the first thing that comes to mind might be his unique dancing ability — particularly his moonwalk dance, where he would spin then glide in reverse, giving an effortless impression that he was impervious to the laws of gravity. But those skills sometimes overshadowed his undeniable musical talents and innovations, which spanned several decades, beginning in the '70s and lasting into the new millennium.
It all began for MJ as a member of the Jackson 5, a sibling outfit comprised of him and his brothers.
* * *
Listening to and watching Michael Jackson tributes all day. On IMEEM, CNN, MTV, K59, and of all places Fox Business News. I'm kind of numb.
Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.
A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.
Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.
We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.
La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.
Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
* * *
When you think of Michael Jackson, the first thing that comes to mind might be his unique dancing ability — particularly his moonwalk dance, where he would spin then glide in reverse, giving an effortless impression that he was impervious to the laws of gravity. But those skills sometimes overshadowed his undeniable musical talents and innovations, which spanned several decades, beginning in the '70s and lasting into the new millennium.
It all began for MJ as a member of the Jackson 5, a sibling outfit comprised of him and his brothers.
* * *
Listening to and watching Michael Jackson tributes all day. On IMEEM, CNN, MTV, K59, and of all places Fox Business News. I'm kind of numb.
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett, the 1970s "It Girl" who was known for her cascading golden hair and bombshell body, died in a Santa Monica hospital today, ABC News has learned. She was 62-years-old.
Farrah Fawcett dies after a long battle with cancer. The 1970's icon was 62.
"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," Fawcett's longtime romantic partner Ryan O'Neal said in a statement released by Fawcett's publicist, Paul Bloch. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."
Fawcett first stepped into the spotlight playing Jill Munroe in the TV series "Charlie's Angels" in the 1970s. The series became a smash hit and Fawcett quickly became an iconic pin-up model for millions of men. She pioneered a feathered hairstyle dubbed the "Farrah Do" or "Farrah Hair" that remained in vogue throughout the decade.
Farrah Fawcett dies after a long battle with cancer. The 1970's icon was 62.
"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," Fawcett's longtime romantic partner Ryan O'Neal said in a statement released by Fawcett's publicist, Paul Bloch. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."
Fawcett first stepped into the spotlight playing Jill Munroe in the TV series "Charlie's Angels" in the 1970s. The series became a smash hit and Fawcett quickly became an iconic pin-up model for millions of men. She pioneered a feathered hairstyle dubbed the "Farrah Do" or "Farrah Hair" that remained in vogue throughout the decade.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
icarly.com
I'm starting to watch this kid's show on Nickolodean and am finding it enjoyable.
It's sort of a junior version of LaVerne and Shirley with a little flavor of Pee Wee's Playhouse (on their show in a show anyway), also starring Jerry Trainer as a young Jim Carrey.
This Jerry Trainer somehow seems familiar, but I guess I don't really know him from anything.
It's sort of a junior version of LaVerne and Shirley with a little flavor of Pee Wee's Playhouse (on their show in a show anyway), also starring Jerry Trainer as a young Jim Carrey.
This Jerry Trainer somehow seems familiar, but I guess I don't really know him from anything.
Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon, who died Tuesday morning in a Los Angeles hospital, was a carnival barker, game-show host and TV pitchman for Budweiser beer and American Family Publishers' Sweepstakes, but he will always be best remembered as Johnny Carson's sidekick for 30 years on NBC.
Mr. McMahon died at age 86 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with his wife, Pam, and other family members at his side, according to his longtime publicist, Howard Bragman.
Although Mr. McMahon left "The Tonight Show" with Carson in 1992, the fact that he managed to remain in the public eye owed to the savvy career moves and versatility that took him from selling vegetable slicers on the Atlantic City, N.J., boardwalk to his first job with Carson as the announcer on the game show "Who Do You Trust?" in 1957. Five years later, when Carson was tapped to take over the "Tonight" show from Jack Paar, Mr. McMahon took his seat on the couch next to Carson's desk.
Even today, four years after Carson's death and 17 since the duo left "The Tonight Show," few Americans would fail to identify the phrase "Heeeeeeeere's Johnny!" with Mr. McMahon, whose post-monologue chats with Carson made him one of TV's greatest second bananas.
Mr. McMahon died at age 86 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with his wife, Pam, and other family members at his side, according to his longtime publicist, Howard Bragman.
Although Mr. McMahon left "The Tonight Show" with Carson in 1992, the fact that he managed to remain in the public eye owed to the savvy career moves and versatility that took him from selling vegetable slicers on the Atlantic City, N.J., boardwalk to his first job with Carson as the announcer on the game show "Who Do You Trust?" in 1957. Five years later, when Carson was tapped to take over the "Tonight" show from Jack Paar, Mr. McMahon took his seat on the couch next to Carson's desk.
Even today, four years after Carson's death and 17 since the duo left "The Tonight Show," few Americans would fail to identify the phrase "Heeeeeeeere's Johnny!" with Mr. McMahon, whose post-monologue chats with Carson made him one of TV's greatest second bananas.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
IMEEM
I happened to turn to PBS which was running the David Foster tribute, Hitman.
Michael Buble was on and starting to sing Home with a twang alluding to the country version. It turned out the guy who did the country cover (which reached no. 1 on the charts) was there too. It was a guy named Shelton. The only Shelton I knew was Ricky Shelton, but the artist is Blake Shelton (which tells you how much I know music). I remember hearing this version on the radio (K59?) and liked it.
Anyway, I found his video on CMT.
Later on, Boys 2 Men showed up and was doing I Swear and a google search hit on a site called IMEEM. It's sort of like Pandora where it plays the song then plays a related song after that. You have to register to listen to all of the music, but it's free.
I switched to Michael Buble. Then to Sinatra. Then after a while it started playing Chicago music done in a jazzy style. It's kind of catchy. The album is named Bossa N' Chicago. And evidently out of print. Not even listed on Amazon. But you can hear it on IMEEM. (Here's a link to Hard Habit to Break.) They also have a Bossa 'N Beatles. But for some reason I'm more hooked on the Chicago one.
Hey, here's the playlist on IMEEM! (via a Google search of Bossa N' Chicago). Cool.
It seems the singer is Rita Lee who is from Brazil. But the wikipedia entry has no mention of the Bossa albums.
Hey, I see there's a bunch of Bossa albums (of questionable legality on rapidshare).
* * *
[7/1/09] I did a search on IMEEM for Fly Me To The Moon and came across a singer named Olivia Ong. She a jazz singer sort of like Diana Krall or Jane Monheit. But then I see from one of her albums she sings Bossa Nova. And now it sounds like she's singing in Japanese. Anyway, pleasant.
Michael Buble was on and starting to sing Home with a twang alluding to the country version. It turned out the guy who did the country cover (which reached no. 1 on the charts) was there too. It was a guy named Shelton. The only Shelton I knew was Ricky Shelton, but the artist is Blake Shelton (which tells you how much I know music). I remember hearing this version on the radio (K59?) and liked it.
Anyway, I found his video on CMT.
Later on, Boys 2 Men showed up and was doing I Swear and a google search hit on a site called IMEEM. It's sort of like Pandora where it plays the song then plays a related song after that. You have to register to listen to all of the music, but it's free.
I switched to Michael Buble. Then to Sinatra. Then after a while it started playing Chicago music done in a jazzy style. It's kind of catchy. The album is named Bossa N' Chicago. And evidently out of print. Not even listed on Amazon. But you can hear it on IMEEM. (Here's a link to Hard Habit to Break.) They also have a Bossa 'N Beatles. But for some reason I'm more hooked on the Chicago one.
Hey, here's the playlist on IMEEM! (via a Google search of Bossa N' Chicago). Cool.
It seems the singer is Rita Lee who is from Brazil. But the wikipedia entry has no mention of the Bossa albums.
Hey, I see there's a bunch of Bossa albums (of questionable legality on rapidshare).
* * *
[7/1/09] I did a search on IMEEM for Fly Me To The Moon and came across a singer named Olivia Ong. She a jazz singer sort of like Diana Krall or Jane Monheit. But then I see from one of her albums she sings Bossa Nova. And now it sounds like she's singing in Japanese. Anyway, pleasant.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Understanding
Please, tell me the secret formula on how to get rich, be the best thinker, lose weight, have a happy marriage and solve all my problems quickly. There are no secret formulas or shortcuts and beware of the articulate incompetents and false prophets – they sound impressive and clever but lack substance. I can only refer to what Buffett said in the foreword to Poor Charlie’s Almanack: “From 1733 to 1758, Ben Franklin dispensed useful and timeless advice through Poor Richard's Almanack. Among the virtues extolled were thrift, duty, hard work, and simplicity.” Of course, Munger’s views on how to get worldly wisdom help.
Personally, I read a lot. I have to work things out for myself to understand them. I try to use the “see one, do one, teach one” approach used in medical education (but change it to “do many” and in multiple situations and over time). I often go from reality (something I have seen) to find answers among ideas. I don’t try to fit reality to an idea. And then I try to find more examples on an idea from reality. Finally, I try to explain it to someone else. Writing Seeking Wisdom was such an exercise – I forced myself to learn by teaching someone else. And reading Feynman at an early point helped me where I clearly learnt the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing what goes on since knowledge is only valuable if it’s useful and something is only useful if I understand what it means. What I in my book called meaning and asking, “what happens?”
I try to concentrate on learning practical and consequential things that can help me reduce the chance of sorrow.
-- Interview with Peter Bevelin, author of Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger
Personally, I read a lot. I have to work things out for myself to understand them. I try to use the “see one, do one, teach one” approach used in medical education (but change it to “do many” and in multiple situations and over time). I often go from reality (something I have seen) to find answers among ideas. I don’t try to fit reality to an idea. And then I try to find more examples on an idea from reality. Finally, I try to explain it to someone else. Writing Seeking Wisdom was such an exercise – I forced myself to learn by teaching someone else. And reading Feynman at an early point helped me where I clearly learnt the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing what goes on since knowledge is only valuable if it’s useful and something is only useful if I understand what it means. What I in my book called meaning and asking, “what happens?”
I try to concentrate on learning practical and consequential things that can help me reduce the chance of sorrow.
-- Interview with Peter Bevelin, author of Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
health insurance
From a post on chucks_angels (arbofvalue) I looked at ehealthinsurance.
The cheapest is the Silver Plan at Kaiser Permanente for only $107 per month.
What does it cover? Well what does it not cover?
drugs: not covered
annual out of pocket: $5000
primary care physician: required
emergency room: $250/visit (Honolulu area)
hospitalization: $500 per day
So by my interpretation, the benefit is that it pays $500 per day hospitalization (which might be a fraction of what it actually costs). But since out of pocket is $5000. It pays for stays in the hospital for over 10 days. Since premium is about $100 per month ($1200 per year). It pays off only if you stay in the hospital for more than 12 days a year. For 12 days, you get $1000 (for two days over 10), but you're paying $1200. For 13 days, you get $1500.
Or it could be that you pay $500 per day for hospitalization and Kaiser pays the balance?
The cheapest is the Silver Plan at Kaiser Permanente for only $107 per month.
What does it cover? Well what does it not cover?
drugs: not covered
annual out of pocket: $5000
primary care physician: required
emergency room: $250/visit (Honolulu area)
hospitalization: $500 per day
So by my interpretation, the benefit is that it pays $500 per day hospitalization (which might be a fraction of what it actually costs). But since out of pocket is $5000. It pays for stays in the hospital for over 10 days. Since premium is about $100 per month ($1200 per year). It pays off only if you stay in the hospital for more than 12 days a year. For 12 days, you get $1000 (for two days over 10), but you're paying $1200. For 13 days, you get $1500.
Or it could be that you pay $500 per day for hospitalization and Kaiser pays the balance?
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Jukebox
Upchucky.com features a jukebox that plays music from 1940's, and from 1955 thru 1999, plus from genres such as Motown, Beatles, Eagles, Beach Boys, Elvis.
[via Paula]
[via Paula]
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Kenny Rankin
One of my favorite singers passed away at 69.
Kenny Rankin, an acclaimed New York-based singer-songwriter who contributed guitar to Bob Dylan’s 1965 classic Bringing It All Back Home, passed away June 7th following complications related to lung cancer, Billboard reports. He was 69. Rankin also penned songs like “Peaceful,” a hit for Helen Reddy and “Haven’t We Met,” which was recorded by Carmen McRae and Mel Torme.
Signed in his teens to a contract with Decca Records, Rankin soon moved over to Columbia Records, where he was recruited to join in on the recording sessions for his labelmate Dylan. Rankin went on to have a notable solo career in his own right, beginning with his 1968 album Mind Dusters and peaking with 1976’s The Kenny Rankin Album, which was recorded live with a 60-piece orchestra.
According to Rankin’s official site, he appeared on the The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson more than 20 times, with Carson himself such a big fan that he wrote the liner notes for Rankin’s Mind Dusters. Rankin also recorded a version of the Beatles’ White Album ballad “Blackbird” for his own 1975 album Silver Morning. The cover was so revered, Paul McCartney asked Rankin to perform his version at the ceremony where McCartney and John Lennon were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Kenny Rankin, an acclaimed New York-based singer-songwriter who contributed guitar to Bob Dylan’s 1965 classic Bringing It All Back Home, passed away June 7th following complications related to lung cancer, Billboard reports. He was 69. Rankin also penned songs like “Peaceful,” a hit for Helen Reddy and “Haven’t We Met,” which was recorded by Carmen McRae and Mel Torme.
Signed in his teens to a contract with Decca Records, Rankin soon moved over to Columbia Records, where he was recruited to join in on the recording sessions for his labelmate Dylan. Rankin went on to have a notable solo career in his own right, beginning with his 1968 album Mind Dusters and peaking with 1976’s The Kenny Rankin Album, which was recorded live with a 60-piece orchestra.
According to Rankin’s official site, he appeared on the The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson more than 20 times, with Carson himself such a big fan that he wrote the liner notes for Rankin’s Mind Dusters. Rankin also recorded a version of the Beatles’ White Album ballad “Blackbird” for his own 1975 album Silver Morning. The cover was so revered, Paul McCartney asked Rankin to perform his version at the ceremony where McCartney and John Lennon were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Kung Fu (the TV series)
[6/5/09] Kung Fu and Kill Bill actor David Carradine was found dead Thursday in a Bangkok hotel room. According to police, the 72-year-old actor appeared to have hanged himself. Carradine's manager said the actor was staying in the Thai capital while shooting a movie called Stretch. Carradine's rep said the death was accidental, telling celebrity new site TMZ, "We can confirm 100 percent that he never would have committed suicide. It was an accidental death. Everybody is in shock."
*** [11/4/12]
Wise Sayings
Favorite Quotes
Quotes of Wisdom
Quotes
Wikiquote
The Kung Fu Book of Wisdom
***
Wikipedia
Kung Fu Episode Guide
Reviews of the DVD set
Kung Fu: the Complete First Season
Kung Fu: the Complete Second Season
Kung Fu: The Complete Third Season
*** [11/4/12]
Wise Sayings
Favorite Quotes
Quotes of Wisdom
Quotes
Wikiquote
The Kung Fu Book of Wisdom
***
Wikipedia
Kung Fu Episode Guide
Reviews of the DVD set
Kung Fu: the Complete First Season
Kung Fu: the Complete Second Season
Kung Fu: The Complete Third Season
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
exercise helps brains beat back Alzheimer's
Exercise results in a healthier brain, prevents cognitive decline and in some studies has cut the incidence of Alzheimer's disease in half, says an eminent Harvard University professor of psychiatry.
A big study in the early 1990s showed exercise was one of three major factors - with low caloric content and continuous learning - that prevented the onset of the progressive brain disease, said Dr. John J. Ratey.
"It threw a little wrench into thinking because no one could explain it," he said in an interview. "It was by far the most powerful of preventive factors."
A clinical researcher and prolific author of papers and books, Ratey gave a series of talks in Honolulu last week about the huge benefits of exercise for health and fitness, especially for children and seniors.
He said "God's gift to us" is BDNF (brain-derived neutrophic factor), a protein that affects areas essential for memory and thinking.
He calls it "Miracle Gro" for the brain: "It acts like fertilizer. Things that challenge our brain like exercise, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, even low caloric intake, cause our brain cells to get stronger and more resilient and actually make things work better."
Author of "Spark - The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain," Ratey said the revolution is that "exercise causes our brain to get healthier and stay healthier."
A big study in the early 1990s showed exercise was one of three major factors - with low caloric content and continuous learning - that prevented the onset of the progressive brain disease, said Dr. John J. Ratey.
"It threw a little wrench into thinking because no one could explain it," he said in an interview. "It was by far the most powerful of preventive factors."
A clinical researcher and prolific author of papers and books, Ratey gave a series of talks in Honolulu last week about the huge benefits of exercise for health and fitness, especially for children and seniors.
He said "God's gift to us" is BDNF (brain-derived neutrophic factor), a protein that affects areas essential for memory and thinking.
He calls it "Miracle Gro" for the brain: "It acts like fertilizer. Things that challenge our brain like exercise, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, even low caloric intake, cause our brain cells to get stronger and more resilient and actually make things work better."
Author of "Spark - The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain," Ratey said the revolution is that "exercise causes our brain to get healthier and stay healthier."
Sunday, May 24, 2009
defensive driving
DON’T SPEED
According to the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (IIHS), speeding is a
factor in about one-third of all fatal
crashes, which kill more than 1,000
Americans every month. In 2006, more
than 13,500 people died in fatal
crashes.
The faster you drive, the more likely
you are to die if you’re involved in a
crash. “Your vehicle’s safety features
and devices, such as air bags and safety
belts, are designed to protect you in the
event of a collision at speeds under 50
mph,” Solomon says. “But at higher
speeds, the force of the collision is
more dangerous to your body.”
Between 50 and 60 mph, your risk of
death from a collision is double what it
is at less than 50 mph. At 70 mph, the
risk of death doubles again. At 80
mph, it doubles again, and at 90 mph,
it doubles yet again.
OBEY THE THREE-SECOND RULE
Always leave plenty of room between
you and the vehicle in front of you. The
NSC recommends that you follow the
three-second rule, which provides a
cushion of space between your car and
the one in front of you. When that
vehicle’s rear bumper passes a stationary
object, such as a road sign, tree or
telephone pole, begin counting “onethousand-
and-one, one-thousand-andtwo,
one-thousand-and-three.” You
should be able to finish counting before
your front bumper crosses that same
point. “Add another second for each
deteriorating road condition, like snow,
rain, ice or fog,” Solomon says.
BEWARE OF TAILGATERS
When someone tailgates you, they’re
putting you at risk. The worst thing you
can do is contribute to the situation.
“Tailgating is aggressive driving,”
Solomon says. Don’t tap the brakes or
flash your lights. Doing so might make
the tailgater angry, and he or she might
pass you and cut you off, or worse.
Instead, let the car pass you, increase
your following distance and steer clear.
The tailgater is likely to tailgate the
vehicle in front of you. If that driver
reacts by braking quickly, you’ll need
extra stopping distance.
DRIVE IN THE PROPER LANE
When driving on the freeway, the left
lane is for passing. If you’re in the left
lane traveling the speed limit and cars
behind you want to pass, move to the
right and let them. If you don’t, they’ll
pass you on the right and possibly cut
back in front of you, increasing the
chances of an accident.
“Remember, on the freeway it’s
about survival, it’s not a contest; let
them go,” Solomon advises. “Your job
is not to be the police or to teach others
how to drive.”
Also try to avoid stopping on the left
shoulder in emergency situations.
“You’re only inches away from the left
lane and the fastest-moving cars on the
road,” Solomon warns. Instead, try to
move to the right, pulling off to the
right shoulder as far away from traffic
as possible.
DON’T GET DISTRACTED
A distraction is anything that diverts
your attention from the road, which
can include eating, reaching for something,
smoking, adjusting an iPod or
putting in a CD. According to the AAA
Foundation for Traffic Safety, inatten-
tive driving is a factor in more than 1
million crashes in North America
every year, and drivers are doing something
potentially distracting more than
15 percent of the time.
Cell phone use is one of the biggest
driving distractions. If you need to
make or take a call or text a message,
pull off the road. Better yet, turn off
your cell phone while you drive so you
won’t be tempted to answer calls.
“Using a cell phone while driving is
the equivalent, in terms of mental
impairment, of a blood-alcohol level
of .08,” Solomon says. “And if you’re
texting while driving, you’re as mentally
impaired as if you were on
cocaine.”
- GEICO DIRECT, Spring 2009
According to the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (IIHS), speeding is a
factor in about one-third of all fatal
crashes, which kill more than 1,000
Americans every month. In 2006, more
than 13,500 people died in fatal
crashes.
The faster you drive, the more likely
you are to die if you’re involved in a
crash. “Your vehicle’s safety features
and devices, such as air bags and safety
belts, are designed to protect you in the
event of a collision at speeds under 50
mph,” Solomon says. “But at higher
speeds, the force of the collision is
more dangerous to your body.”
Between 50 and 60 mph, your risk of
death from a collision is double what it
is at less than 50 mph. At 70 mph, the
risk of death doubles again. At 80
mph, it doubles again, and at 90 mph,
it doubles yet again.
OBEY THE THREE-SECOND RULE
Always leave plenty of room between
you and the vehicle in front of you. The
NSC recommends that you follow the
three-second rule, which provides a
cushion of space between your car and
the one in front of you. When that
vehicle’s rear bumper passes a stationary
object, such as a road sign, tree or
telephone pole, begin counting “onethousand-
and-one, one-thousand-andtwo,
one-thousand-and-three.” You
should be able to finish counting before
your front bumper crosses that same
point. “Add another second for each
deteriorating road condition, like snow,
rain, ice or fog,” Solomon says.
BEWARE OF TAILGATERS
When someone tailgates you, they’re
putting you at risk. The worst thing you
can do is contribute to the situation.
“Tailgating is aggressive driving,”
Solomon says. Don’t tap the brakes or
flash your lights. Doing so might make
the tailgater angry, and he or she might
pass you and cut you off, or worse.
Instead, let the car pass you, increase
your following distance and steer clear.
The tailgater is likely to tailgate the
vehicle in front of you. If that driver
reacts by braking quickly, you’ll need
extra stopping distance.
DRIVE IN THE PROPER LANE
When driving on the freeway, the left
lane is for passing. If you’re in the left
lane traveling the speed limit and cars
behind you want to pass, move to the
right and let them. If you don’t, they’ll
pass you on the right and possibly cut
back in front of you, increasing the
chances of an accident.
“Remember, on the freeway it’s
about survival, it’s not a contest; let
them go,” Solomon advises. “Your job
is not to be the police or to teach others
how to drive.”
Also try to avoid stopping on the left
shoulder in emergency situations.
“You’re only inches away from the left
lane and the fastest-moving cars on the
road,” Solomon warns. Instead, try to
move to the right, pulling off to the
right shoulder as far away from traffic
as possible.
DON’T GET DISTRACTED
A distraction is anything that diverts
your attention from the road, which
can include eating, reaching for something,
smoking, adjusting an iPod or
putting in a CD. According to the AAA
Foundation for Traffic Safety, inatten-
tive driving is a factor in more than 1
million crashes in North America
every year, and drivers are doing something
potentially distracting more than
15 percent of the time.
Cell phone use is one of the biggest
driving distractions. If you need to
make or take a call or text a message,
pull off the road. Better yet, turn off
your cell phone while you drive so you
won’t be tempted to answer calls.
“Using a cell phone while driving is
the equivalent, in terms of mental
impairment, of a blood-alcohol level
of .08,” Solomon says. “And if you’re
texting while driving, you’re as mentally
impaired as if you were on
cocaine.”
- GEICO DIRECT, Spring 2009
how did that clutter accumulate?
Ruth Wong mentions four common reasons why clutter accumulates (Julie Morgenstern lists 10 psychological obstacles in the second chapter of her book).
Difficulty Deciding
Perfectionism
Not being wasteful
Creativity
I think my main problem is that I don't like to waste or let things go to waste. Which is a good thing. But taking it to an extreme, I wind up wasting time and space.
Ruth Wong writes, "Savers can be very conscientious, well-meaning people. Seeing that things are still useful, we hold on to them, to the detriment of our space. If the items are so useful, why aren't we using them? Is it time to pass them on so they can be useful to someone else?"
I think the closest of the 10 obstacles would be "sentimental attachment". If you have stuff piled all over the exterior surfaces of your home or office, see if what's filling your drawers and closets may stem for an earlier, no longer active part of your life -- papers from college, a former career, clothing in different sizes from different stages of your life.
Remember your identity comes from inside, not outside. Objects can remind us who we are, or who we want to be, but the real truth is inside us and doesn't go away.
* * *
More reasons clutter accumulates: unbridled buying, emotional attachment, inherited items, forgetting your goal, no time to un-clutter.
Difficulty Deciding
Perfectionism
Not being wasteful
Creativity
I think my main problem is that I don't like to waste or let things go to waste. Which is a good thing. But taking it to an extreme, I wind up wasting time and space.
Ruth Wong writes, "Savers can be very conscientious, well-meaning people. Seeing that things are still useful, we hold on to them, to the detriment of our space. If the items are so useful, why aren't we using them? Is it time to pass them on so they can be useful to someone else?"
I think the closest of the 10 obstacles would be "sentimental attachment". If you have stuff piled all over the exterior surfaces of your home or office, see if what's filling your drawers and closets may stem for an earlier, no longer active part of your life -- papers from college, a former career, clothing in different sizes from different stages of your life.
Remember your identity comes from inside, not outside. Objects can remind us who we are, or who we want to be, but the real truth is inside us and doesn't go away.
* * *
More reasons clutter accumulates: unbridled buying, emotional attachment, inherited items, forgetting your goal, no time to un-clutter.
Jack Kirby documentary
I saw the X-Men Trilogy at WalMart for $10 and I couldn't resist, though I resisted when I had seen it for like $12 a month earlier. Actually, I might have taken the $12 set but I had to go back and research what was in the pack. And I never saw it for $12 again, though I was like $14 at Costco.
Anyway, I started going through the DVDs. X-Men was a little odd. They have this special feature where you can play the deleted scenes in the context of the movie. But when you play the movie this way, for some reason the subtitles don't work. I looked and couldn't find any reference to this on the internet.
Then I made my way to X2 (watched about 40 minutes and it was pretty good). Then to X3: The Last Stand. I was going to the special features and saw the Fantastic Four Trailer. That inspired me to finally open up the Fantastic Four: Extended Edition that I had bought months ago from Best Buy.
They had a feature on the Silver Surfer as presented in the comics, which looked interesting. But as I watched, I remembered there was supposed to be a feature on Jack Kirby (which was one of the reasons I bought this edition), titled Jack Kirby: Storyteller.
It was on the second disk. And I loved it. It features the reminiscences and comments from many of the current artists, like Neal Adams. Kirby assistants Mark Evanier and Steve Sherman. I especially liked the remembrances of Len Wein and Marv Wolfman who became big names who went over to the Kirby household when they were aspiring artists.
This brings back a lot of memories because I was a big Kirby fan when I was growing up and collected a lot of his comics. I regret not getting Fantastic Four 1 because I was around when it came out. I did get some of the early Avengers and X-Men, but missed out on buying the number 1 issues. (Back then, I was subscribing to Justice League. Maybe World's Finest too. I think I started buying Fantastic Four around when the Silver Surfer debuted or maybe an issue or two before when the Inhumans came out?
Anyway, I enjoyed this feature far more than I enjoyed the actual movie (or in fact any of the Marvel movies). Highly recommended for fellow Kirby fans.
There's another documentary called Heroes are Born: The Making of Fantastic 4, which also seems to be getting good press. So probably any Fantastic Four fan or Marvel fan might enjoy this. So on the strength of these features, I'd definitely recommend this DVD even if you already own the first DVD (which I did). Especially if you can find it on sale (which I did too).
More googling. I see another review. Based on this, perhaps it could be called The World's Greatest Comic Magazine documentary.
* * *
Some random links (more added as they come)
Jack Kirby - the real comic book hero
The Fantastic Four at The Big Comic Book Database
Jack Kirby on Wikipedia
Jack Kirby covers
Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure
I remember seeing a DVD (around when ROSS came out) I think at Best Buy which contained that unfinished comic plus some extras, but can't find any reference to it on the net.
[5/28/09] Jim Cramer mentioned Kirby's Fourth World twice in a row on his show.
[9/26/14] Saw the story of Marvel settling with the family of Jack Kirby and came to this entry. I see there are more mentions of Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure on google, but no mention of a DVD. Maybe there was none. Here's one of the reviews of the Lost Adventures which was a graphic novel including The Lost Adventure issue.
Here's an interesting site commenting on the history of the Fantastic Four comics. Kind of more interesting than the actual comics.
[9/26/14] I thought I wrote about this somewhere before but I don't see it now [well it's sort of mentioned here]. So I'll put in in here. The other recommended Marvel documentary would be Marvel: Building A Cinematic Universe blu-ray bonus disc that came with The Avengers Blu-Ray set that was sold exclusively at Target. It was sold out when I went to Target too late, so I bought mine on ebay.
And I guess the documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story now playing on Netflix is good too.
I see Jack Kirby Storyteller on youtube [5/21/16 - link now broken, but search gets more]. And here's a shorter one called Jack Kirby: King of Comics. I wonder if this is related to the book of the same name. I'm guessing the speakers in the video are Mark Evanier and Jack Kirby's daughter. [5/26/24 - here's the the link from Kirby Continuum.]
[5/21/16] Besides the above, I noticed three more Marvel features on vudu last night. While they're in the movie section, they were all one-hour television specials on ABC.Anyway, you can find them by searching for Marvel on Vudu. Oddly, I only see one of them on Amazon. And only two of them on wikipedia (that I can see).
The specials are
Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe
Marvel: 75 Years, From Pulp to Pop (I see it on vimeo now, after I bought it on vudu)
Marvel's Captain America: 75 Heroic Years (youtube with Spanish subtitles, hey it's on hulu)
Anyway, I started going through the DVDs. X-Men was a little odd. They have this special feature where you can play the deleted scenes in the context of the movie. But when you play the movie this way, for some reason the subtitles don't work. I looked and couldn't find any reference to this on the internet.
Then I made my way to X2 (watched about 40 minutes and it was pretty good). Then to X3: The Last Stand. I was going to the special features and saw the Fantastic Four Trailer. That inspired me to finally open up the Fantastic Four: Extended Edition that I had bought months ago from Best Buy.
They had a feature on the Silver Surfer as presented in the comics, which looked interesting. But as I watched, I remembered there was supposed to be a feature on Jack Kirby (which was one of the reasons I bought this edition), titled Jack Kirby: Storyteller.
It was on the second disk. And I loved it. It features the reminiscences and comments from many of the current artists, like Neal Adams. Kirby assistants Mark Evanier and Steve Sherman. I especially liked the remembrances of Len Wein and Marv Wolfman who became big names who went over to the Kirby household when they were aspiring artists.
This brings back a lot of memories because I was a big Kirby fan when I was growing up and collected a lot of his comics. I regret not getting Fantastic Four 1 because I was around when it came out. I did get some of the early Avengers and X-Men, but missed out on buying the number 1 issues. (Back then, I was subscribing to Justice League. Maybe World's Finest too. I think I started buying Fantastic Four around when the Silver Surfer debuted or maybe an issue or two before when the Inhumans came out?
Anyway, I enjoyed this feature far more than I enjoyed the actual movie (or in fact any of the Marvel movies). Highly recommended for fellow Kirby fans.
There's another documentary called Heroes are Born: The Making of Fantastic 4, which also seems to be getting good press. So probably any Fantastic Four fan or Marvel fan might enjoy this. So on the strength of these features, I'd definitely recommend this DVD even if you already own the first DVD (which I did). Especially if you can find it on sale (which I did too).
More googling. I see another review. Based on this, perhaps it could be called The World's Greatest Comic Magazine documentary.
* * *
Some random links (more added as they come)
Jack Kirby - the real comic book hero
The Fantastic Four at The Big Comic Book Database
Jack Kirby on Wikipedia
Jack Kirby covers
Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure
I remember seeing a DVD (around when ROSS came out) I think at Best Buy which contained that unfinished comic plus some extras, but can't find any reference to it on the net.
[5/28/09] Jim Cramer mentioned Kirby's Fourth World twice in a row on his show.
[9/26/14] Saw the story of Marvel settling with the family of Jack Kirby and came to this entry. I see there are more mentions of Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure on google, but no mention of a DVD. Maybe there was none. Here's one of the reviews of the Lost Adventures which was a graphic novel including The Lost Adventure issue.
Here's an interesting site commenting on the history of the Fantastic Four comics. Kind of more interesting than the actual comics.
[9/26/14] I thought I wrote about this somewhere before but I don't see it now [well it's sort of mentioned here]. So I'll put in in here. The other recommended Marvel documentary would be Marvel: Building A Cinematic Universe blu-ray bonus disc that came with The Avengers Blu-Ray set that was sold exclusively at Target. It was sold out when I went to Target too late, so I bought mine on ebay.
And I guess the documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story now playing on Netflix is good too.
I see Jack Kirby Storyteller on youtube [5/21/16 - link now broken, but search gets more]. And here's a shorter one called Jack Kirby: King of Comics. I wonder if this is related to the book of the same name. I'm guessing the speakers in the video are Mark Evanier and Jack Kirby's daughter. [5/26/24 - here's the the link from Kirby Continuum.]
[5/21/16] Besides the above, I noticed three more Marvel features on vudu last night. While they're in the movie section, they were all one-hour television specials on ABC.Anyway, you can find them by searching for Marvel on Vudu. Oddly, I only see one of them on Amazon. And only two of them on wikipedia (that I can see).
The specials are
Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe
Marvel: 75 Years, From Pulp to Pop (I see it on vimeo now, after I bought it on vudu)
Marvel's Captain America: 75 Heroic Years (youtube with Spanish subtitles, hey it's on hulu)
***
[7/16/26] Marvel Method: Reconciling the Accounts of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee by Rosco M (a long article, practically a book)
Friday, May 22, 2009
The School of Practical Philosophy
Seeking a deeper meaning in life, [Hugh] Jackman began to immerse himself 17 years ago in study at the School of Practical Philosophy, an international organization that provides courses and activities based on both Eastern and Western philosophical principles. He began meditating twice a day. Jackman says the school is about “taking duality and finding the underlying unity of things. Yin and yang, sacred and profane. And, yes, animal and human.” That dynamic of duality in himself, and his graceful way of unifying it, is at the core of his appeal.
Jackman was raised by his father, who is a devout, born-again Christian. His mother deserted the family when he was 8 and moved back to her native England. Hoping his son would also have a born-again experience, his father took Hugh to Billy Graham crusades every time the famed evangelist came to Australia.
“He takes his religion very seriously and would prefer I go to church,” Jackman says of his father. “We’ve had discussions about our separate beliefs. I just find the evangelical church too, well, restrictive. But the School of Practical Philosophy is nonconfrontational. We believe there are many forms of Scripture. What is true is true and will never change, whether it’s in the Bible or in Shakespeare. It’s about oneness. Its basic philosophy is that if the Buddha and Krishna and Jesus were all at a dinner table together, they wouldn’t be arguing. There is an essential truth. And we are limitless.”
-- Parade, April 26, 2008
Also in the same issue, I was surprised to learn that Serena Williams is a Jehovah's Witness (who wears sexy clothes).
Jackman was raised by his father, who is a devout, born-again Christian. His mother deserted the family when he was 8 and moved back to her native England. Hoping his son would also have a born-again experience, his father took Hugh to Billy Graham crusades every time the famed evangelist came to Australia.
“He takes his religion very seriously and would prefer I go to church,” Jackman says of his father. “We’ve had discussions about our separate beliefs. I just find the evangelical church too, well, restrictive. But the School of Practical Philosophy is nonconfrontational. We believe there are many forms of Scripture. What is true is true and will never change, whether it’s in the Bible or in Shakespeare. It’s about oneness. Its basic philosophy is that if the Buddha and Krishna and Jesus were all at a dinner table together, they wouldn’t be arguing. There is an essential truth. And we are limitless.”
-- Parade, April 26, 2008
Also in the same issue, I was surprised to learn that Serena Williams is a Jehovah's Witness (who wears sexy clothes).
Sunday, May 17, 2009
snagfilms
Entertain yourself for hours with free full-length documentaries at snagfilms.com, which has more than 600 movies to choose from. Catch Super Size Me, by temporary fast-food junkie Morgan Spurlock, or Run Granny Run, about a 94-year-old woman’s race for the U.S. Senate. Ever wonder what’s inside the President’s plane? Air Force One will give you a tour. Films are organized by title and topic, and the site allows you to “snag” them and place them on your blog or Facebook page to share with friends.
-- Parade, 4/5/09
-- Parade, 4/5/09
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Diet Myths?
I was looking on Channel 8 this morning (Today Show) and there was a lady talking about Apple juice whether it was healthy. I missed it, but she mentioned that red wine is healthier than white wine which has little nutritional value (or something like that).
I went on the next and found this page diet myths (fact or fiction). Here's a couple.
Vitamin C prevents a cold: Yes.
Studies have gone back and forth for years, and just when we thought the case was closed (a comprehensive review in 2004 of 55 comparative studies — carried out over a period of 65 years — determined that daily doses of 200mg (or more) failed to reduce the incidence, duration or severity of the common cold in the normal, healthy population)... a new study surfaced!
The latest Japanese study, published 2006 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed the risk of contracting three or more colds in the five-year period was decreased by 66 percent by the daily intake of the 500-mg vitamin C supplement. This study deserves special mention because it was much longer (five years) than the trials reported in previous studies and covered many cold seasons in which subjects were probably exposed repeatedly to many cold viruses.
Chicken soup helps when you're sick: Yes.
Grandma was right after all. Sipping on hot, tasty chicken soup (prepared with a variety of vegetables) may help you feel better.
First, hot fluids in general help keep nasal passages moist, increase mucus velocity, prevent dehydration and sooth a sore throat. And the psychological comfort that soup provides may also have a placebo effect for those who are feeling ill. But most interesting is the supportive evidence that was shown in a scientific study, led by Dr. Stephan Rennard out of University of Nebraska a few years back. Researchers concluded that chicken soup with a variety of veggies, may contain substances that function as an anti-inflammatory mechanism and potentially ease the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including congestion, stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat.
In other words, a healthy dose of chicken soup with veggies is good for a cold.
It turns out the lady in the article (Joy Bauer) is different from the lady on TV today. The lady today was Nancy L. Snyderman plugging her book. Ah, here's the video.
And the answer for apple (and other fruit) juice. Not good for dieting. Contains lots of sugar and not a lot of nutritional value. And same for white wine which is sugar water.
I went on the next and found this page diet myths (fact or fiction). Here's a couple.
Vitamin C prevents a cold: Yes.
Studies have gone back and forth for years, and just when we thought the case was closed (a comprehensive review in 2004 of 55 comparative studies — carried out over a period of 65 years — determined that daily doses of 200mg (or more) failed to reduce the incidence, duration or severity of the common cold in the normal, healthy population)... a new study surfaced!
The latest Japanese study, published 2006 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed the risk of contracting three or more colds in the five-year period was decreased by 66 percent by the daily intake of the 500-mg vitamin C supplement. This study deserves special mention because it was much longer (five years) than the trials reported in previous studies and covered many cold seasons in which subjects were probably exposed repeatedly to many cold viruses.
Chicken soup helps when you're sick: Yes.
Grandma was right after all. Sipping on hot, tasty chicken soup (prepared with a variety of vegetables) may help you feel better.
First, hot fluids in general help keep nasal passages moist, increase mucus velocity, prevent dehydration and sooth a sore throat. And the psychological comfort that soup provides may also have a placebo effect for those who are feeling ill. But most interesting is the supportive evidence that was shown in a scientific study, led by Dr. Stephan Rennard out of University of Nebraska a few years back. Researchers concluded that chicken soup with a variety of veggies, may contain substances that function as an anti-inflammatory mechanism and potentially ease the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including congestion, stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat.
In other words, a healthy dose of chicken soup with veggies is good for a cold.
It turns out the lady in the article (Joy Bauer) is different from the lady on TV today. The lady today was Nancy L. Snyderman plugging her book. Ah, here's the video.
And the answer for apple (and other fruit) juice. Not good for dieting. Contains lots of sugar and not a lot of nutritional value. And same for white wine which is sugar water.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
a filet o' fish analysis
Give me back that filet o’ fish,
Give me that fish.
Give me back that filet o’ fish,
Give me that fish.
What if it were you
hanging up on this wall?
If it were you in that sandwich,
you wouldn’t be laughing at alllllll!
* * *
Why does the talking wall fish want the filet o’ fish sandwich “back”? Did the bearded dude steal it from him? Something smells fishy here…
What if it was the guy eating the sandwich hanging up on the wall? I’d agree that that wouldn’t be a very pleasant predicament to be in, but if he were on the wall, he wouldn’t be in the sandwich, thereby rendering the last line meaningless.
Plus, if the guy was in the sandwich (being eaten), he likely wouldn’t be laughing because he’d be dead and processed in a McDonald’s fish-like sandwich. I’ve never heard any sandwich laugh in my life.
Not to mention that the bearded guy isn’t even laughing at the singing fish, nor is he laughing at the sandwich he’s eating. So why does the fish even say “you wouldn’t be laughing at all”? He’s NOT laughing! If anything, he’s trying to hold back from busting a serious move due to the wall fish’s amazing synthesizer beat.
The only part of this commercial that makes any sense is the reaction of Bearded Dude #2 when he walks in the garage and witnesses what is happening. Although, if I were him, I might take that drill in his hand to the fish’s skull, thus ensuring a safe world for everyone.
Yes, these are the things I think about. I probably wouldn’t think about it so much if they didn’t play this commercial every waking hour of every day.
-- by jamie
Give me that fish.
Give me back that filet o’ fish,
Give me that fish.
What if it were you
hanging up on this wall?
If it were you in that sandwich,
you wouldn’t be laughing at alllllll!
* * *
Why does the talking wall fish want the filet o’ fish sandwich “back”? Did the bearded dude steal it from him? Something smells fishy here…
What if it was the guy eating the sandwich hanging up on the wall? I’d agree that that wouldn’t be a very pleasant predicament to be in, but if he were on the wall, he wouldn’t be in the sandwich, thereby rendering the last line meaningless.
Plus, if the guy was in the sandwich (being eaten), he likely wouldn’t be laughing because he’d be dead and processed in a McDonald’s fish-like sandwich. I’ve never heard any sandwich laugh in my life.
Not to mention that the bearded guy isn’t even laughing at the singing fish, nor is he laughing at the sandwich he’s eating. So why does the fish even say “you wouldn’t be laughing at all”? He’s NOT laughing! If anything, he’s trying to hold back from busting a serious move due to the wall fish’s amazing synthesizer beat.
The only part of this commercial that makes any sense is the reaction of Bearded Dude #2 when he walks in the garage and witnesses what is happening. Although, if I were him, I might take that drill in his hand to the fish’s skull, thus ensuring a safe world for everyone.
Yes, these are the things I think about. I probably wouldn’t think about it so much if they didn’t play this commercial every waking hour of every day.
-- by jamie
Afghanistan's pig
KABUL (AFP) – Afghanistan's only known pig has been taken off display at Kabul Zoo and locked away to avoid panic among visitors who may be worried about swine flu, the zoo's director said Wednesday.
"We put the pig temporarily in his winter house under quarantine because of swine influenza," director Aziz Gul Saqib told AFP.
"Most people don't have much knowledge about swine influenza and seeing a pig, they panic that they will be infected.
"Just to address our visitors' concerns, we have put the pig away from public view for the past two days," he said.
The interned animal -- known simply as "Pig" -- was one of two given to Afghanistan by China in 2002, months after the ouster of the hardline Taliban regime, to help reestablish the zoo after it was destroyed during civil war.
However, the other pig -- and their offspring -- were killed in an attack by a bear.
Despite being the only pig, it was not too lonely, Saqib said.
"The pig made friends with a goat and was happy sticking to the goat in the enclosure, where some other goats and deer were on show for visitors," Saqib said.
"We put the pig temporarily in his winter house under quarantine because of swine influenza," director Aziz Gul Saqib told AFP.
"Most people don't have much knowledge about swine influenza and seeing a pig, they panic that they will be infected.
"Just to address our visitors' concerns, we have put the pig away from public view for the past two days," he said.
The interned animal -- known simply as "Pig" -- was one of two given to Afghanistan by China in 2002, months after the ouster of the hardline Taliban regime, to help reestablish the zoo after it was destroyed during civil war.
However, the other pig -- and their offspring -- were killed in an attack by a bear.
Despite being the only pig, it was not too lonely, Saqib said.
"The pig made friends with a goat and was happy sticking to the goat in the enclosure, where some other goats and deer were on show for visitors," Saqib said.
BeatlesTube
beatlestube.net tries to organize all The Beatles videos that you can find on the web. There are plenty of Beatles music footages on Youtube™ and Google Video™ but it's difficult to have them in a logical sequence. Beatlestube.net will help you to do that.
[forward via Donna]
[forward via Donna]
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
7 Habits For Longer Life
In the United States, life expectancy was about 48 years for women and 46 years for men born in 1900. Just 50 years later, it climbed to 71 for women and 66 for men. And recent numbers put life expectancy at roughly 80 for women and 75 for men.
There’s still considerable debate about the achievable upper limit of human lifespan, but France’s Jeanne Calment lived to be 122. American Gertrude Baines, believed to be the world’s oldest living person, is 114.
Most experts agree that increases in lifespan are due to better nutrition, health care, and disease prevention and treatment. But research is also identifying various traits and habits that aid healthy aging.
-- Parade 3/15/09
There’s still considerable debate about the achievable upper limit of human lifespan, but France’s Jeanne Calment lived to be 122. American Gertrude Baines, believed to be the world’s oldest living person, is 114.
Most experts agree that increases in lifespan are due to better nutrition, health care, and disease prevention and treatment. But research is also identifying various traits and habits that aid healthy aging.
-- Parade 3/15/09
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tip Jar
Google is harnessing the collective wisdom of its users to find tips on how to save money. Yesterday, the Internet search giant set up a site dubbed “Tip Jar” (www.google.com/tipjar), which allows users to submit money-saving tips across a variety of categories, ranging from finance and travel to food and shopping. Users can vote on the tips they like; over time, the most popular and useful ones float to the top of the list.
Looking to cut your food bills? One user recommends drinking water instead of sodas, coffee and alcohol to save money and calories. One of the top tips in the finance categories: Pay your bills online to save on postage. If you’re looking for a specific topic, the search engine will scour all the categories and bring back any tips related to your topic.
Other online personal-finance Web sites, such as Wesabe and Geezeo, also leverage their social networks by allowing users to share tips and goals with other users. By applying a “wisdom of the crowds” theory, Google is essentially betting that the collective wisdom of its users will yield better results than could have been made by any single person.
-- from Star Bulletin, 3/15/09
Looking to cut your food bills? One user recommends drinking water instead of sodas, coffee and alcohol to save money and calories. One of the top tips in the finance categories: Pay your bills online to save on postage. If you’re looking for a specific topic, the search engine will scour all the categories and bring back any tips related to your topic.
Other online personal-finance Web sites, such as Wesabe and Geezeo, also leverage their social networks by allowing users to share tips and goals with other users. By applying a “wisdom of the crowds” theory, Google is essentially betting that the collective wisdom of its users will yield better results than could have been made by any single person.
-- from Star Bulletin, 3/15/09
Thursday, April 09, 2009
My Favorite Restaurants
(and places I eat at)
Bangkok Chef. We usually order the yellow chicken curry and/or cashew nut chicken
Mr. Eggroll. We used go here all the time when we had the clubhouse on Ward. Fried rice, orange chicken, and eggplant.
Bob's Big Boy. I used to go there after Tuesday volleyball. Not so much now. Fried Noodles or Chicken Cutlet. [4/29/09 - unfortunately they had a fire]
Liliha Bakery. Fumio takes me here. I like the mahi and the county style omellette is pretty tasty (though it really doesn't fill me up).
And don't forget Costco Food Court. $1.50 for hotdog and drink. $10 for a whole pizza. Hard to beat.
Mama's BBQ. I probably wouldn't go here if it wasn't so close by. The food is OK, but I don't like the fact that their BBQ chicken has bones in it. Last time, I got around the problem by ordering chicken katsu instead. [4/29/09]
Chinese Kitchen (Nuuanu Plaza). Since Mr. Eggroll is kind of out the way now for me, we usually go to Chinese Kitchen. The food is OK, but nothing to go out of the way for. Other options are Hoy Tin and New Mui Kwai. New Mui Kwai has the advantage of having a little handier parking. [4/29/09]
One Plus One. This is a place we sometimes to go to get food when we go to volleyball games. I think we just saw it and decided to try something other than L&L. I liked it anyway. The shoyu pork roast (or whatever it's called) is tender. The spaghetti is tasty. They make it chinese style. [5/23/09]
Royal Kitchen - my favorite place for manapua. I like their char siu bao in particular. But their gok jai and siu mai is pretty good too.
Nice Day - got dim sum from here a few times. More variety than the Royal Kitchen half moon, okole, char siu bao offerings. The reviews aren't so good, but I thought the food was pretty good. Last time was the first time I ordered myself. They have a table from where you can choose your dim sum for take out. They come in these little covered baskets. Didn't know you have to take the whole basket. Can't break up the food inside. Well maybe for the big char siu bao you can but not the small baskets. So wound up buying more than intended.
Bangkok Chef. We usually order the yellow chicken curry and/or cashew nut chicken
Mr. Eggroll. We used go here all the time when we had the clubhouse on Ward. Fried rice, orange chicken, and eggplant.
Bob's Big Boy. I used to go there after Tuesday volleyball. Not so much now. Fried Noodles or Chicken Cutlet. [4/29/09 - unfortunately they had a fire]
Liliha Bakery. Fumio takes me here. I like the mahi and the county style omellette is pretty tasty (though it really doesn't fill me up).
And don't forget Costco Food Court. $1.50 for hotdog and drink. $10 for a whole pizza. Hard to beat.
Mama's BBQ. I probably wouldn't go here if it wasn't so close by. The food is OK, but I don't like the fact that their BBQ chicken has bones in it. Last time, I got around the problem by ordering chicken katsu instead. [4/29/09]
Chinese Kitchen (Nuuanu Plaza). Since Mr. Eggroll is kind of out the way now for me, we usually go to Chinese Kitchen. The food is OK, but nothing to go out of the way for. Other options are Hoy Tin and New Mui Kwai. New Mui Kwai has the advantage of having a little handier parking. [4/29/09]
One Plus One. This is a place we sometimes to go to get food when we go to volleyball games. I think we just saw it and decided to try something other than L&L. I liked it anyway. The shoyu pork roast (or whatever it's called) is tender. The spaghetti is tasty. They make it chinese style. [5/23/09]
Royal Kitchen - my favorite place for manapua. I like their char siu bao in particular. But their gok jai and siu mai is pretty good too.
Nice Day - got dim sum from here a few times. More variety than the Royal Kitchen half moon, okole, char siu bao offerings. The reviews aren't so good, but I thought the food was pretty good. Last time was the first time I ordered myself. They have a table from where you can choose your dim sum for take out. They come in these little covered baskets. Didn't know you have to take the whole basket. Can't break up the food inside. Well maybe for the big char siu bao you can but not the small baskets. So wound up buying more than intended.
Monday, March 30, 2009
responding to meanness
We live in a culture of mean. We love television shows and movies in which people attack one another over stupid things like tacky clothes or bad hair or being a Republican. We yell at waiters who mess up our orders. We laugh at the girl whose tummy spills over the waist of her jeans.
We scream obscenities at the jerk who cut us off on the freeway. And we happily hurl insults from behind screen names online.
Where does this meanness come from?
People who are mean have probably been hurt in some way. By a cheating girlfriend. By a bad review from the boss. They see themselves as victims and respond by building walls to shield themselves from more harm.
So how should we respond?
It's tempting to hurl back our own version of clever cruelty. I know someone pumped with clever verbal attacks against those who steal parking stalls, for instance. But is that the best solution?
I subscribe to the theory -- however naive it might be -- that we can improve the world by stopping cycles of mean and dishing out kindness.
I'm not saying we should be sunshine and smiles 24/7. That's just scary.
And I get that people have bigger troubles than flat tires and coffee spilled on a new white shirt.
But to me, good will is like recycling: A little bit can make a difference.
So even if you've been wronged, save a stranger's day by passing on kindness instead of anger.
We scream obscenities at the jerk who cut us off on the freeway. And we happily hurl insults from behind screen names online.
Where does this meanness come from?
People who are mean have probably been hurt in some way. By a cheating girlfriend. By a bad review from the boss. They see themselves as victims and respond by building walls to shield themselves from more harm.
So how should we respond?
It's tempting to hurl back our own version of clever cruelty. I know someone pumped with clever verbal attacks against those who steal parking stalls, for instance. But is that the best solution?
I subscribe to the theory -- however naive it might be -- that we can improve the world by stopping cycles of mean and dishing out kindness.
I'm not saying we should be sunshine and smiles 24/7. That's just scary.
And I get that people have bigger troubles than flat tires and coffee spilled on a new white shirt.
But to me, good will is like recycling: A little bit can make a difference.
So even if you've been wronged, save a stranger's day by passing on kindness instead of anger.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Apocalypse 2012
More than 1 million Web pages cite a panoply of "evidence" that the apocalypse is coming in 2012.
The basis for this growing phenomenon originates from the ancient Mayan calendar that ends in December of that year, the last cycle that they calculated with their sophisticated astronomical mathematics.
Some Mayan scholars contend that the Mayan calendar ends on the solstice that occurs on Dec. 21, 2012, at 11:11 a.m., which will supposedly coincide with an alignment of the sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy, causing any number of imagined effects that defy reason.
Speculative doomsayers incorporate the prophecies of Nostradamus, the Revelations of John, and anything else that might vaguely support the notion.
The apocalypse of 2012 is also linked to a mythical planet called Nibiru, which is said to have an odd orbit. It supposedly enters the solar system only every 3,600 years and will interact with Earth to add to the other astronomical effects, which include bombardment by meteors.
There is no astronomical evidence for the existence of such a planet, although believers insist that the government and the scientific community are aware of it and are hiding it from the public.
David Morrison of NASA's Web site concluded that anger concerning alleged conspiracies about Nibiru came "from people who seem to want the world to end in 2012, who are upset to be told that this catastrophe will not happen."
The human psyche is a unique feature in that it allows us to conceptualize the future and cogitate the certainty of our own demise.
There is no guarantee that the world will not end tomorrow, the day after, or in 2012, and there is nothing we could do to prevent it or prepare for it anyway.
The future is a Rorschach and we project our hopes and our fears onto it.
Ignorance of how science works and distrust of authority fuel these apocalyptic visions with a collective consciousness of fear.
I would rather not know when the end will come and just continue unabated enjoying the Earth as if it and civilization will outlive me.
* * *
[10/15/09] With humanity coming up fast on 2012, publishers are helping readers gear up and count down to this mysterious — some even call it apocalyptic — date that ancient Mayan societies were anticipating thousands of years ago.
Since November, at least three new books on 2012 have arrived in mainstream bookstores. A fourth is due this fall. Each arrives in the wake of the 2006 success of 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which has been selling thousands of copies a month since its release in May and counts more than 40,000 in print. The books also build on popular interest in the Maya, fueled in part by Mel Gibson's December 2006 film about Mayan civilization, Apocalpyto.
Authors disagree about what humankind should expect on Dec. 21, 2012, when the Maya's "Long Count" calendar marks the end of a 5,126-year era.
Journalist Lawrence Joseph forecasts widespread catastrophe in Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation Into Civilization's End. Spiritual healer Andrew Smith predicts a restoration of a "true balance between Divine Feminine and Masculine" in The Revolution of 2012: Vol. 1, The Preparation. In 2012, Daniel Pinchbeck anticipates a "change in the nature of consciousness," assisted by indigenous insights and psychedelic drug use.
[via berknovice4now@chucks_angels]
***
[8/6/12] Despite the cries of doomsayers, the Mayans themselves don't expect that the world will end. In fact, they believe it's a time of great celebration and luck when the planet lasts through a full Great Cycle. Think of it this way: To the Mayans, a Great Cycle is just a really long year. For them, worrying about Dec, 21, 2012, would be like us worrying every Dec. 31.
***
More on my other blog.
The basis for this growing phenomenon originates from the ancient Mayan calendar that ends in December of that year, the last cycle that they calculated with their sophisticated astronomical mathematics.
Some Mayan scholars contend that the Mayan calendar ends on the solstice that occurs on Dec. 21, 2012, at 11:11 a.m., which will supposedly coincide with an alignment of the sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy, causing any number of imagined effects that defy reason.
Speculative doomsayers incorporate the prophecies of Nostradamus, the Revelations of John, and anything else that might vaguely support the notion.
The apocalypse of 2012 is also linked to a mythical planet called Nibiru, which is said to have an odd orbit. It supposedly enters the solar system only every 3,600 years and will interact with Earth to add to the other astronomical effects, which include bombardment by meteors.
There is no astronomical evidence for the existence of such a planet, although believers insist that the government and the scientific community are aware of it and are hiding it from the public.
David Morrison of NASA's Web site concluded that anger concerning alleged conspiracies about Nibiru came "from people who seem to want the world to end in 2012, who are upset to be told that this catastrophe will not happen."
The human psyche is a unique feature in that it allows us to conceptualize the future and cogitate the certainty of our own demise.
There is no guarantee that the world will not end tomorrow, the day after, or in 2012, and there is nothing we could do to prevent it or prepare for it anyway.
The future is a Rorschach and we project our hopes and our fears onto it.
Ignorance of how science works and distrust of authority fuel these apocalyptic visions with a collective consciousness of fear.
I would rather not know when the end will come and just continue unabated enjoying the Earth as if it and civilization will outlive me.
* * *
[10/15/09] With humanity coming up fast on 2012, publishers are helping readers gear up and count down to this mysterious — some even call it apocalyptic — date that ancient Mayan societies were anticipating thousands of years ago.
Since November, at least three new books on 2012 have arrived in mainstream bookstores. A fourth is due this fall. Each arrives in the wake of the 2006 success of 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which has been selling thousands of copies a month since its release in May and counts more than 40,000 in print. The books also build on popular interest in the Maya, fueled in part by Mel Gibson's December 2006 film about Mayan civilization, Apocalpyto.
Authors disagree about what humankind should expect on Dec. 21, 2012, when the Maya's "Long Count" calendar marks the end of a 5,126-year era.
Journalist Lawrence Joseph forecasts widespread catastrophe in Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation Into Civilization's End. Spiritual healer Andrew Smith predicts a restoration of a "true balance between Divine Feminine and Masculine" in The Revolution of 2012: Vol. 1, The Preparation. In 2012, Daniel Pinchbeck anticipates a "change in the nature of consciousness," assisted by indigenous insights and psychedelic drug use.
[via berknovice4now@chucks_angels]
***
[8/6/12] Despite the cries of doomsayers, the Mayans themselves don't expect that the world will end. In fact, they believe it's a time of great celebration and luck when the planet lasts through a full Great Cycle. Think of it this way: To the Mayans, a Great Cycle is just a really long year. For them, worrying about Dec, 21, 2012, would be like us worrying every Dec. 31.
***
More on my other blog.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Ted Turner on making a difference
OI: You contribute a great deal to charity, but few people can contribute on your scale. What can they do to make a difference?
Ted: They can do plenty. Wherever I am, in a city or on the ranch, when I see a can or bottle or piece of paper, I pick it up and place it in the closest receptacle. You don't have to have money to clean up your neighborhood. If you can't give money, give your time. Be a Big Brother or Sister and provide mentoring to help kids. Some people have lots of money but little time; others have time but not money. The important thing is to work to make the world a kind, better, more just place.
-- Schwab OnInvesting Magazine, Winter 2008
Ted: They can do plenty. Wherever I am, in a city or on the ranch, when I see a can or bottle or piece of paper, I pick it up and place it in the closest receptacle. You don't have to have money to clean up your neighborhood. If you can't give money, give your time. Be a Big Brother or Sister and provide mentoring to help kids. Some people have lots of money but little time; others have time but not money. The important thing is to work to make the world a kind, better, more just place.
-- Schwab OnInvesting Magazine, Winter 2008
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Swap A CD
I was listening to the music on Loraine's computer (that I was redoing) and liked some of the music from Sean Na'auao. I narrowed in on the album Still Pounding which is actually a compilation of music from a few different artists.
The album seems to be out of print, but I came across the Swap A CD website in which you can swap CDs with other CD owners. And can swap DVDs and books too. I may be investigating this further.
[4/26/09] I saw Olomana and Still Pounding at Wal-Mart. Maybe they're starting to reissue them? Anyway, it's a sale.
The album seems to be out of print, but I came across the Swap A CD website in which you can swap CDs with other CD owners. And can swap DVDs and books too. I may be investigating this further.
[4/26/09] I saw Olomana and Still Pounding at Wal-Mart. Maybe they're starting to reissue them? Anyway, it's a sale.
Monday, March 16, 2009
cheaper eyeglasses
FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN wondering why eyeglasses cost so much. Even at LensCrafters, which is to eyewear what Gap is to clothes, you can easily pay $500 for a few pieces of plastic and screws. The last time I went in, I tried on a $250 pair of retro-librarian frames that made me look real smart. So smart that I asked the sales guy why they cost so much. He gave me a funny look. "They're designer," he huffed.
That did it. With a little digging, I found someone offering a much cheaper alternative. Seven years ago optician Randy Appelbaum sold his three Manhattan retail locations to start EyeglassDirect.com, one of the growing number of discount-eyewear Web sites. By typing in your prescription and measurements, you can buy a decent set of specs off his site for as little as $28. His secret: He built a lab in his brick townhouse in the suburban outskirts of Brooklyn. His two Ukrainian assistants, Vladimir and Alex, grind 20 to 50 pairs of eyeglasses a day under the fluorescent lights, using the same equipment you'd find in the back of an optician's store. Alex is moonlighting from his job making lenses for — you guessed it — LensCrafters.
-- SmartMoney, April 2007
That did it. With a little digging, I found someone offering a much cheaper alternative. Seven years ago optician Randy Appelbaum sold his three Manhattan retail locations to start EyeglassDirect.com, one of the growing number of discount-eyewear Web sites. By typing in your prescription and measurements, you can buy a decent set of specs off his site for as little as $28. His secret: He built a lab in his brick townhouse in the suburban outskirts of Brooklyn. His two Ukrainian assistants, Vladimir and Alex, grind 20 to 50 pairs of eyeglasses a day under the fluorescent lights, using the same equipment you'd find in the back of an optician's store. Alex is moonlighting from his job making lenses for — you guessed it — LensCrafters.
-- SmartMoney, April 2007
a dime is such a deal
It costs 1.67 cents to produce a penny. It costs almost a nickel to make a dime and nearly a dime to make a nickel!
-- Ask Marilyn, Parade February 8, 2009
-- Ask Marilyn, Parade February 8, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
is Ayn Rand relevant?
Ayn Rand died more than a quarter of a century ago, yet her name appears regularly in discussions of our current economic turmoil. Pundits including Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santelli urge listeners to read her books, and her magnum opus, "Atlas Shrugged," is selling at a faster rate today than at any time during its 51-year history.
There's a reason. In "Atlas," Rand tells the story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?
The novel's eerily prophetic nature is no coincidence. "If you understand the dominant philosophy of a society," Rand wrote elsewhere in "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," "you can predict its course." Economic crises and runaway government power grabs don't just happen by themselves; they are the product of the philosophical ideas prevalent in a society -- particularly its dominant moral ideas.
Why do we accept the budget-busting costs of a welfare state? Because it implements the moral ideal of self-sacrifice to the needy. Why do so few protest the endless regulatory burdens placed on businessmen? Because businessmen are pursuing their self-interest, which we have been taught is dangerous and immoral. Why did the government go on a crusade to promote "affordable housing," which meant forcing banks to make loans to unqualified home buyers? Because we believe people need to be homeowners, whether or not they can afford to pay for houses.
The message is always the same: "Selfishness is evil; sacrifice for the needs of others is good." But Rand said this message is wrong -- selfishness, rather than being evil, is a virtue. By this she did not mean exploiting others à la Bernie Madoff. Selfishness -- that is, concern with one's genuine, long-range interest -- she wrote, required a man to think, to produce, and to prosper by trading with others voluntarily to mutual benefit.
There's a reason. In "Atlas," Rand tells the story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?
The novel's eerily prophetic nature is no coincidence. "If you understand the dominant philosophy of a society," Rand wrote elsewhere in "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," "you can predict its course." Economic crises and runaway government power grabs don't just happen by themselves; they are the product of the philosophical ideas prevalent in a society -- particularly its dominant moral ideas.
Why do we accept the budget-busting costs of a welfare state? Because it implements the moral ideal of self-sacrifice to the needy. Why do so few protest the endless regulatory burdens placed on businessmen? Because businessmen are pursuing their self-interest, which we have been taught is dangerous and immoral. Why did the government go on a crusade to promote "affordable housing," which meant forcing banks to make loans to unqualified home buyers? Because we believe people need to be homeowners, whether or not they can afford to pay for houses.
The message is always the same: "Selfishness is evil; sacrifice for the needs of others is good." But Rand said this message is wrong -- selfishness, rather than being evil, is a virtue. By this she did not mean exploiting others à la Bernie Madoff. Selfishness -- that is, concern with one's genuine, long-range interest -- she wrote, required a man to think, to produce, and to prosper by trading with others voluntarily to mutual benefit.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
dirt is good for you
In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with “dirt” spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.
These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have risen significantly in the United States and other developed countries.
“What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment,” Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, “Why Dirt Is Good” (Kaplan). “Not only does this allow for ‘practice’ of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.”
One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said in an interview that the immune system at birth “is like an unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.”
He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they “also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good for us.”
These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have risen significantly in the United States and other developed countries.
“What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment,” Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, “Why Dirt Is Good” (Kaplan). “Not only does this allow for ‘practice’ of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.”
One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said in an interview that the immune system at birth “is like an unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.”
He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they “also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good for us.”
The Jones' clean house
Step 1 in making order out of chaos is often the most painful: getting rid of all the junk. Especially when folks have emotional attachments to most of the stuff.
The Style Network's "Clean House" makes the culling process part of its home makeovers with a garage sale that's a staple of every episode.
The sale at the home of Aina Jones on Saturday drew throngs of the show's fans, many bearing leis, pineapples and other tokens for show host Niecy Nash.
The night prior to the sale, the family had to decide what to give up, with the "Clean House" crew encouraging them to be brutal.
"I know that we don't need four sets of dishes, but the sentimental stuff is going to be the hardest," said Aina.
Parting with her books was so difficult that the cast offered her new living room flooring to sell them. "Clean House" designer Mark Brunetz explained that Aina reads her books over and over as a means to escape her problems. "It's easy to read a book and not have to live in the reality of life," he said.
"They really need to deal with this clutter issue and learn to let things go. They also need to make organizing fun," added Trish Suhr, the show's yard sale diva. "Otherwise, they are raising a 9-year-old clutterbug."
Once they started plowing through the mess, things got a bit easier.
"It was just time-consuming. ... Once we started sorting through stuff, it was easier to let things go. The hardest part was giving up control," Aina said.
Her sons had no problem handing over their junk.
"It was completely simple to put the clutter in a box and send it somewhere else," said Ben. "It took us years to collect all this junk. We brought two full Matson containers when we moved back from the mainland (nine years ago)."
"The process was long, tiring and dusty. We were sorting and moving things out until 3:30 a.m.," explained Thomas.
Yard sale tables were filled with the usual items like books, DVDs, toys and clothing with a few pieces of furniture on the side. Among the more unusual items were a furry spider that Nash sold to a woman who planned to hang it in her bedroom and a "to pee or not to pee ... that is the question" framed poster that Brunetz sold to another woman.
After a couple of days in a hotel, the family returned to their home and were blindfolded as they were led into the house for the big reveal. The entire family was ecstatic with the results of the makeover.
"This was a good experience. ... The rooms were incredible," said Aina.
"The boys' room is the size of a postage stamp. And, they are two adult boys. I needed to figure out how to accommodate both of them sleeping in there with some desks," Brunetz explained. They got a new divided closet organizer with shelving in the center with boxes for personal affects.
"Organization is key. And, the design needs to incorporate multifunctional furniture. Everything needs to serve more than one purpose," Brunetz said.
"I'm glad to have a bed. We had bunk beds, but they were being used like a closet," said Thomas.
The living room was transformed into a sanctuary for Dorothy. Her antique Chinese day bed had become a storage area and was lacking proper padding. Brunetz refurbished most of the old furniture in this room, providing a face lift that brought everything back to life. He also added gold foils on the cinder block wall.
The family room had a Polynesian/Asian vibe. The toys that were once scattered on the floor were given new homes in rattan baskets lined up on shelves.
"I love the family room. It gives us a great space to hang out," Aina said, noting that was her favorite part of the remodel.
The experience has taught Aina the value of ending clutter. "We need to throw things away that deserve to be thrown away," she said.
"Clutter doesn't allow people to live in the present," Brunetz said. "Space allows people to live comfortably in their own skin and environment."
* * *
Clean House, the Style Network’s No. 1 show in its seventh season, has hit the road in search of the messiest home in the country as part of a seven-episode event that started last Wednesday and continues at 7 tonight (May 27) Hawaii time. The Hawaii episode featuring the Jones family from Niu Valley airs June 3.
During their week on Oahu the Clean House team consisting of Nash, interior design guru Mark Brunetz, yard sale diva Trish Suhr and new addition, go-to guy Eugene Long dug their way through cluttered rooms and organized a giant public yard sale with proceeds matched by the show going toward that much-needed home makeover.
Through this experience, the Jones ohana - Aina Jones, her children Janie Jones, Thomas Purkiss and Ben Purkiss, and mother Dorothy Kangas - discover some of the root causes of their clutter and share with the public what most people would never want exposed: a messy house.
***
The Style Network's "Clean House" makes the culling process part of its home makeovers with a garage sale that's a staple of every episode.
The sale at the home of Aina Jones on Saturday drew throngs of the show's fans, many bearing leis, pineapples and other tokens for show host Niecy Nash.
The night prior to the sale, the family had to decide what to give up, with the "Clean House" crew encouraging them to be brutal.
"I know that we don't need four sets of dishes, but the sentimental stuff is going to be the hardest," said Aina.
Parting with her books was so difficult that the cast offered her new living room flooring to sell them. "Clean House" designer Mark Brunetz explained that Aina reads her books over and over as a means to escape her problems. "It's easy to read a book and not have to live in the reality of life," he said.
"They really need to deal with this clutter issue and learn to let things go. They also need to make organizing fun," added Trish Suhr, the show's yard sale diva. "Otherwise, they are raising a 9-year-old clutterbug."
Once they started plowing through the mess, things got a bit easier.
"It was just time-consuming. ... Once we started sorting through stuff, it was easier to let things go. The hardest part was giving up control," Aina said.
Her sons had no problem handing over their junk.
"It was completely simple to put the clutter in a box and send it somewhere else," said Ben. "It took us years to collect all this junk. We brought two full Matson containers when we moved back from the mainland (nine years ago)."
"The process was long, tiring and dusty. We were sorting and moving things out until 3:30 a.m.," explained Thomas.
Yard sale tables were filled with the usual items like books, DVDs, toys and clothing with a few pieces of furniture on the side. Among the more unusual items were a furry spider that Nash sold to a woman who planned to hang it in her bedroom and a "to pee or not to pee ... that is the question" framed poster that Brunetz sold to another woman.
After a couple of days in a hotel, the family returned to their home and were blindfolded as they were led into the house for the big reveal. The entire family was ecstatic with the results of the makeover.
"This was a good experience. ... The rooms were incredible," said Aina.
"The boys' room is the size of a postage stamp. And, they are two adult boys. I needed to figure out how to accommodate both of them sleeping in there with some desks," Brunetz explained. They got a new divided closet organizer with shelving in the center with boxes for personal affects.
"Organization is key. And, the design needs to incorporate multifunctional furniture. Everything needs to serve more than one purpose," Brunetz said.
"I'm glad to have a bed. We had bunk beds, but they were being used like a closet," said Thomas.
The living room was transformed into a sanctuary for Dorothy. Her antique Chinese day bed had become a storage area and was lacking proper padding. Brunetz refurbished most of the old furniture in this room, providing a face lift that brought everything back to life. He also added gold foils on the cinder block wall.
The family room had a Polynesian/Asian vibe. The toys that were once scattered on the floor were given new homes in rattan baskets lined up on shelves.
"I love the family room. It gives us a great space to hang out," Aina said, noting that was her favorite part of the remodel.
The experience has taught Aina the value of ending clutter. "We need to throw things away that deserve to be thrown away," she said.
"Clutter doesn't allow people to live in the present," Brunetz said. "Space allows people to live comfortably in their own skin and environment."
* * *
Clean House, the Style Network’s No. 1 show in its seventh season, has hit the road in search of the messiest home in the country as part of a seven-episode event that started last Wednesday and continues at 7 tonight (May 27) Hawaii time. The Hawaii episode featuring the Jones family from Niu Valley airs June 3.
During their week on Oahu the Clean House team consisting of Nash, interior design guru Mark Brunetz, yard sale diva Trish Suhr and new addition, go-to guy Eugene Long dug their way through cluttered rooms and organized a giant public yard sale with proceeds matched by the show going toward that much-needed home makeover.
Through this experience, the Jones ohana - Aina Jones, her children Janie Jones, Thomas Purkiss and Ben Purkiss, and mother Dorothy Kangas - discover some of the root causes of their clutter and share with the public what most people would never want exposed: a messy house.
***
After moving to Hawaii from
California 14 years ago, Gracie and her husband found there were far
more fun things to do than unpack.
"We planned to go through a box a
day, then decided on a box a week or month. We found hula and surfing
and never cared enough to unpack the boxes. If we needed a can
opener, we'd just go buy one," said the North Shore resident, who did
not want to be identified to protect her privacy.
Then when her husband died in February, it became difficult to let go of anything that reminded her of him.
While not quite a candidate for the reality show "Hoarders" yet,
Gracie's plea for help won the "Honolulu's Messiest Room" contest
sponsored by Aloha Organizers, which came to her house for a room
makeover last week.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey, a familiar radio voice for six decades who used long pauses to punctuate his delivery of news and observations, died yesterday in Phoenix. He was 90.
Harvey's death was announced in a statement by ABC Radio Networks where his "News and Comment" was a fixture aired from coast to coast since 1951. He had impressed network executives with high ratings in Chicago, where he'd been a newscaster at ABC affiliate WENR-AM since 1944.
Harvey died in a Phoenix area hospital with his family by his side, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks. The broadcaster lived in Chicago during the summer and moved his production to Arizona in the winter months.
"My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," son Paul Harvey Jr. said in a statement on his father's Web site. "So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend."
Harvey's wife, Lynne, who produced his shows, died in May.
Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks.
He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. "Stand by for news!" he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as "skyjacker," "Reaganomics" and "guesstimate."
Harvey's death was announced in a statement by ABC Radio Networks where his "News and Comment" was a fixture aired from coast to coast since 1951. He had impressed network executives with high ratings in Chicago, where he'd been a newscaster at ABC affiliate WENR-AM since 1944.
Harvey died in a Phoenix area hospital with his family by his side, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks. The broadcaster lived in Chicago during the summer and moved his production to Arizona in the winter months.
"My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," son Paul Harvey Jr. said in a statement on his father's Web site. "So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend."
Harvey's wife, Lynne, who produced his shows, died in May.
Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks.
He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. "Stand by for news!" he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as "skyjacker," "Reaganomics" and "guesstimate."
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
buying happiness
Countless studies have shown that most humans fail to realize what makes them happy. Typically, we spend on short-term glitz instead of long-term satisfaction. And that often leads to misery -- not to mention loads of debt.
Right now, we all need to make a giant U-turn. When money's tight, it's vital to spend in a way that yields the biggest payoff, emotionally as well as financially. Buying more stuff just won't do it.
What follows are seven ways you can use your wallet to turn around your life and your finances. (That's a big promise, but I wouldn't say it if I hadn't experienced it myself.)
1. Relationships
Friends, Romans, countrymen, kids and spousal units: Studies indicate we're happiest when we feel connected to others. People with strong relationships tend to be happier and healthier, and live longer on average, according to psychologist Martin Seligman and many other researchers.
How can you invest more in these bonds of family and friendship? Splurge on a plane ticket to see your best friend. Get your buddies together and buy season tickets to your favorite team -- or the opera. Treat a friend to dinner.
After all, what would really make your month -- another pair of shoes from Piperlime or spending time with someone you love?
2. Time
Would you trade some of the money you make to have more time? A survey by Fortune magazine indicated most people would. Time is one asset that always seems to be in short supply; a free hour or two (or an unexpected day off) can feel like a windfall.
To buy yourself some time:
As part of a raise or promotion, ask for additional time off.
Explore flex-time options. A surprising number of companies support flexible work programs.
Consider paying others to do the chores you loathe because they eat up your time, from hiring a teen to do yardwork to paying a pro to do your taxes, paint the kitchen or organize the garage.
For a little bit of money, you can regain a chunk of your life.
3. Health
Some good health can be chalked up to genetics, but a lot of the rest is lifestyle. And buying good health is a lot like investing in the stock market: Steady investments at regular intervals are the best way to see big gains.
A few suggestions: Pay a bit more to join the gym that's closer to where you work, so you'll actually use it. Shell out for biweekly acupuncture visits. Buy the pricier healthful meal instead the Happy Meal. And take your vitamins.
4. Learning
Humans are born to grow. Research by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced "CHIK-sent-mee-high"), who created the concept of "flow" -- the state of wholly contented absorption in a task -- suggests we are often happiest when engaged in activities that challenge us and hold our focus.
You've been there: when you played in that garage band, when you went scuba diving on vacation, when you determinedly embarked on "War and Peace" and then couldn't put it down. Put your money there.
Buy the damn compact disc set so you can brush up on your Mandarin. Join the local archaeology club and do local digs. Try rock climbing. Or put away your air guitar and restart that garage band. You don't need to spend much to notice the uptick in sheer joie de vivre.
5. Debt relief
Owing money downgrades your quality of life, creating so much stress that it may even make you sick or depressed, according to some studies.
Stop viewing your credit card bills as bad news; instead, treat them like updates on an underperforming asset class. By doubling or tripling your monthly payments, cutting back spending and doing everything in your power to bring your debts down to zero, you won't just be paying a bill -- you'll be increasing your own net worth.
6. Giveaways
A surprise benefit of giving to others, or to a cause you believe in, is how good it makes you feel.
Studies show that altruism not only tickles the feel-good centers in the brain, but it also creates a sense of social bonding and mutual support that enhances your personal well-being.
You don't have to give millions to get that payoff. The most important thing isn't whether you spend money or volunteer time or contribute goods, but that whatever you share -- and however you share it -- means a lot to you.
Read to kids after school; bring canned food to a shelter; contact Kiva and help a South African woman build her business. There are countless ways to give. Just pick one that makes you happy.
7. Security
In an economic crisis like this one, it's tempting to stop putting money aside for the long term, but taking the reins of your future will make you feel more in control now and will beef up that cushion you might need someday.
A first step is to sign up for your company retirement plan (many Americans don't) or open an individual retirement account. At some companies, such as Fidelity, you can open an account with very little money as long as you set up automatic contributions.
Retirement is a huge topic, you can read more here at MSN Money. Making small, steady investments now can create double happiness: peace of mind now and greater wealth down the road.
Here's the real magic: When you start putting more money toward life (and less toward stuff), that shift quickly turns your financial picture from upside down to right side up. You spend less, but get more -- and in feeling more satisfied, reduce your desire to spend.
The net effect is more money saved, less debt and a sense of financial control and well-being -- oh, and more happiness. Now that's what I call getting your money's worth.
Right now, we all need to make a giant U-turn. When money's tight, it's vital to spend in a way that yields the biggest payoff, emotionally as well as financially. Buying more stuff just won't do it.
What follows are seven ways you can use your wallet to turn around your life and your finances. (That's a big promise, but I wouldn't say it if I hadn't experienced it myself.)
1. Relationships
Friends, Romans, countrymen, kids and spousal units: Studies indicate we're happiest when we feel connected to others. People with strong relationships tend to be happier and healthier, and live longer on average, according to psychologist Martin Seligman and many other researchers.
How can you invest more in these bonds of family and friendship? Splurge on a plane ticket to see your best friend. Get your buddies together and buy season tickets to your favorite team -- or the opera. Treat a friend to dinner.
After all, what would really make your month -- another pair of shoes from Piperlime or spending time with someone you love?
2. Time
Would you trade some of the money you make to have more time? A survey by Fortune magazine indicated most people would. Time is one asset that always seems to be in short supply; a free hour or two (or an unexpected day off) can feel like a windfall.
To buy yourself some time:
As part of a raise or promotion, ask for additional time off.
Explore flex-time options. A surprising number of companies support flexible work programs.
Consider paying others to do the chores you loathe because they eat up your time, from hiring a teen to do yardwork to paying a pro to do your taxes, paint the kitchen or organize the garage.
For a little bit of money, you can regain a chunk of your life.
3. Health
Some good health can be chalked up to genetics, but a lot of the rest is lifestyle. And buying good health is a lot like investing in the stock market: Steady investments at regular intervals are the best way to see big gains.
A few suggestions: Pay a bit more to join the gym that's closer to where you work, so you'll actually use it. Shell out for biweekly acupuncture visits. Buy the pricier healthful meal instead the Happy Meal. And take your vitamins.
4. Learning
Humans are born to grow. Research by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced "CHIK-sent-mee-high"), who created the concept of "flow" -- the state of wholly contented absorption in a task -- suggests we are often happiest when engaged in activities that challenge us and hold our focus.
You've been there: when you played in that garage band, when you went scuba diving on vacation, when you determinedly embarked on "War and Peace" and then couldn't put it down. Put your money there.
Buy the damn compact disc set so you can brush up on your Mandarin. Join the local archaeology club and do local digs. Try rock climbing. Or put away your air guitar and restart that garage band. You don't need to spend much to notice the uptick in sheer joie de vivre.
5. Debt relief
Owing money downgrades your quality of life, creating so much stress that it may even make you sick or depressed, according to some studies.
Stop viewing your credit card bills as bad news; instead, treat them like updates on an underperforming asset class. By doubling or tripling your monthly payments, cutting back spending and doing everything in your power to bring your debts down to zero, you won't just be paying a bill -- you'll be increasing your own net worth.
6. Giveaways
A surprise benefit of giving to others, or to a cause you believe in, is how good it makes you feel.
Studies show that altruism not only tickles the feel-good centers in the brain, but it also creates a sense of social bonding and mutual support that enhances your personal well-being.
You don't have to give millions to get that payoff. The most important thing isn't whether you spend money or volunteer time or contribute goods, but that whatever you share -- and however you share it -- means a lot to you.
Read to kids after school; bring canned food to a shelter; contact Kiva and help a South African woman build her business. There are countless ways to give. Just pick one that makes you happy.
7. Security
In an economic crisis like this one, it's tempting to stop putting money aside for the long term, but taking the reins of your future will make you feel more in control now and will beef up that cushion you might need someday.
A first step is to sign up for your company retirement plan (many Americans don't) or open an individual retirement account. At some companies, such as Fidelity, you can open an account with very little money as long as you set up automatic contributions.
Retirement is a huge topic, you can read more here at MSN Money. Making small, steady investments now can create double happiness: peace of mind now and greater wealth down the road.
Here's the real magic: When you start putting more money toward life (and less toward stuff), that shift quickly turns your financial picture from upside down to right side up. You spend less, but get more -- and in feeling more satisfied, reduce your desire to spend.
The net effect is more money saved, less debt and a sense of financial control and well-being -- oh, and more happiness. Now that's what I call getting your money's worth.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Corky Trinidad
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin’s “Corky” Trinidad, whose editorial cartoons for 40 years recorded life and lampooned politics in Hawaii and the world, died at 2 a.m. today of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 69.
In a 2001 interview, Trinidad predicted he’d die at his drawing table, spilling ink one last time.
“Corky was a Star-Bulletin treasure,” said Frank Bridgewater, editor. “Many people, everywhere, started their day by checking out Corky. Even people without Hawaii connections who didn’t understand some of his cartoons looked forward to them. When Corky went on leave, readers immediately began calling and e-mailing me from everywhere wanting to know, ‘Where’s Corky?’”
* * *
Trinidad funeral attracts hundreds
In a 2001 interview, Trinidad predicted he’d die at his drawing table, spilling ink one last time.
“Corky was a Star-Bulletin treasure,” said Frank Bridgewater, editor. “Many people, everywhere, started their day by checking out Corky. Even people without Hawaii connections who didn’t understand some of his cartoons looked forward to them. When Corky went on leave, readers immediately began calling and e-mailing me from everywhere wanting to know, ‘Where’s Corky?’”
* * *
Trinidad funeral attracts hundreds
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Peacemakers Club
A fight has broken out on upper campus. There is chaos, as some students are attracted to the big event and others shuffle along the corridor as if it were just another day.
“We had six policemen here yesterday,” Matayoshi says. “There were disruptions all day. It’s starting up again.”
Anxious, authoritative voices - supposedly that of other teachers or adult supervisors - boom through the crowd. They mean business.
Students rush past us and out the gates toward the fight outside.
Suddenly, the gates close and Matayoshi turns the lock. He sternly instructs students inside the gate to proceed to their fourth-period class.
Those outside the gates are not permitted back in the classroom. They are locked out.
That is how decorum is maintained. Some students proceed obediently to the next class. Several others have already found safe haven in a room known as the Peacemakers Club.
The reconfigured classroom space is the brainchild of Matayoshi. It is filled with video games, recreational equipment and a living room setting where kids can relax during recess and find peace.
It’s a different world inside. The bullies might call this the losers’ den. But members of the Peacemakers Club consider it a hall of honor for those who walk away from senseless conflict and violence. They have been told by people like Matayoshi that irresponsible behavior is a blight on the Nanakuli community, and if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
“The club will not stop the fighting. There will always be fights on any campus. My hope is that it will curb the fighting and make students aware that their actions affect the way the rest of the island views and treats their community.”
Disruptions of this sort make Nanakuli one of the most challenging teaching and learning environments on Oahu. It makes teaching a day-by-day, moment-to-moment scenario. One moment you’re breaking up ignorance, the next moment you’re breaking up fights.
But Matayoshi knew exactly what he was getting into when he asked for the Nanakuli assignment from the Teach for America program. TFA is a national teacher corps of recent college graduates who commit to two years to teach and effect change in under-resourced urban and rural public schools.
The 24-year-old Punahou and Claremont McKenna College graduate says, “I wanted to be sent to the worst school possible. I wanted a local school with the lowest test scores, poorest parent participation and the most challenging classroom situation.”
“I wish people could see the potential my students have,” he says. “When I mention that I work in Nanakuli, the looks I get are ones of sympathy, even dread. It is a stigma that I know my students will have to live with the rest of their lives, and that makes me sad and angry.
“I have never felt a stronger sense of community than I have at Nanakuli. My students are genuinely curious about science. Of course, there are difficult days and challenges, but the potential for success is there.”
He concludes, quoting Gandhi: “We must be the change we wish to see.”
“We had six policemen here yesterday,” Matayoshi says. “There were disruptions all day. It’s starting up again.”
Anxious, authoritative voices - supposedly that of other teachers or adult supervisors - boom through the crowd. They mean business.
Students rush past us and out the gates toward the fight outside.
Suddenly, the gates close and Matayoshi turns the lock. He sternly instructs students inside the gate to proceed to their fourth-period class.
Those outside the gates are not permitted back in the classroom. They are locked out.
That is how decorum is maintained. Some students proceed obediently to the next class. Several others have already found safe haven in a room known as the Peacemakers Club.
The reconfigured classroom space is the brainchild of Matayoshi. It is filled with video games, recreational equipment and a living room setting where kids can relax during recess and find peace.
It’s a different world inside. The bullies might call this the losers’ den. But members of the Peacemakers Club consider it a hall of honor for those who walk away from senseless conflict and violence. They have been told by people like Matayoshi that irresponsible behavior is a blight on the Nanakuli community, and if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
“The club will not stop the fighting. There will always be fights on any campus. My hope is that it will curb the fighting and make students aware that their actions affect the way the rest of the island views and treats their community.”
Disruptions of this sort make Nanakuli one of the most challenging teaching and learning environments on Oahu. It makes teaching a day-by-day, moment-to-moment scenario. One moment you’re breaking up ignorance, the next moment you’re breaking up fights.
But Matayoshi knew exactly what he was getting into when he asked for the Nanakuli assignment from the Teach for America program. TFA is a national teacher corps of recent college graduates who commit to two years to teach and effect change in under-resourced urban and rural public schools.
The 24-year-old Punahou and Claremont McKenna College graduate says, “I wanted to be sent to the worst school possible. I wanted a local school with the lowest test scores, poorest parent participation and the most challenging classroom situation.”
“I wish people could see the potential my students have,” he says. “When I mention that I work in Nanakuli, the looks I get are ones of sympathy, even dread. It is a stigma that I know my students will have to live with the rest of their lives, and that makes me sad and angry.
“I have never felt a stronger sense of community than I have at Nanakuli. My students are genuinely curious about science. Of course, there are difficult days and challenges, but the potential for success is there.”
He concludes, quoting Gandhi: “We must be the change we wish to see.”
Sunday, February 08, 2009
first annual letter from the Gates Foundation
This is the first annual letter I plan to write about my work at the Gates Foundation. In this letter I want to share in a frank way what our goals are and where progress is being made and where it is not. Soon after Warren Buffett made his incredible gift, which doubled the resources of the foundation, he encouraged me to follow his lead by writing an annual letter. I won’t be quoting Mae West or trying to match his humor, but I will try to be equally candid.
... I love the work at the foundation. Although there are many differences, it also has the three magical elements. First there are opportunities for big breakthroughs—from discovering new vaccines that can save millions of lives to developing new seeds that will let a farming family have better productivity, improve their children’s nutrition, and sell some of the extra output. Second, I feel like my experience in building teams of smart people with different skill sets focused on tough long-term problems can be a real contribution. The common sense of the business world, with its urgency and focus, has strong application in the philanthropic world. I am sure I will make mistakes in over-applying some elements from my previous experience and will need to adjust. For instance, the countries where Microsoft does business are far more stable and have a lot more infrastructure than most of the places where the foundation does its work, so I’ll need to better appreciate how difficult it will be to execute our strategies. However, I am equally confident that our maniacal focus on drawing in the best talent and measuring results will make a difference. Finally, I find the intelligence and dedication of the people involved in these issues to be just as impressive as what I have seen before. Whether they are scientists at a university or people who have worked in the field in Africa most of their lives, they have critical knowledge and want to help make the breakthroughs. The opportunity to gather smart, creative people into teams and give them resources and guidance as they tackle the challenges is very fulfilling.
... Over the past 50 years childhood deaths have dropped dramatically. Take a look at Chart 1, which is one of my favorites. (I hope you didn’t think you were going to get through this letter without some figures being thrown at you.) What you see is that in 1960, when there were nearly 110 million children born, almost 20 million children under 5 died. In 2005, when more than 135 million children were born, fewer than 10 million children under 5 died. I think this is one of the most amazing statistics ever. The number of children born went up, while the number who died was cut in half. Two things caused this huge reduction in the death rate. First, incomes went up, and with that increase, nutrition, medical care, and living conditions improved. The second factor is that even where incomes did not go up, the availability of life-saving vaccines reduced the number of deaths. For example, measles accounted for 4 million children’s deaths in 1990, but fewer than 250,000 in 2006.
Despite this progress, 10 million children dying is still 10 million too many. Each death is a tragedy. In the United States we don’t think much about young people dying because it is so rare. It would be a huge breakthrough to cut that 10 million in half again, which I believe can be done in the next 20 years. Chart 2 shows a breakdown of what kills children under 5. As you can see, there are a few diseases, like diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia, that cause over half of the deaths. The key to eliminating these conditions is the invention of a handful of new vaccines and getting them into widespread usage.
[via iluvbabyb, 1/26/09]
... I love the work at the foundation. Although there are many differences, it also has the three magical elements. First there are opportunities for big breakthroughs—from discovering new vaccines that can save millions of lives to developing new seeds that will let a farming family have better productivity, improve their children’s nutrition, and sell some of the extra output. Second, I feel like my experience in building teams of smart people with different skill sets focused on tough long-term problems can be a real contribution. The common sense of the business world, with its urgency and focus, has strong application in the philanthropic world. I am sure I will make mistakes in over-applying some elements from my previous experience and will need to adjust. For instance, the countries where Microsoft does business are far more stable and have a lot more infrastructure than most of the places where the foundation does its work, so I’ll need to better appreciate how difficult it will be to execute our strategies. However, I am equally confident that our maniacal focus on drawing in the best talent and measuring results will make a difference. Finally, I find the intelligence and dedication of the people involved in these issues to be just as impressive as what I have seen before. Whether they are scientists at a university or people who have worked in the field in Africa most of their lives, they have critical knowledge and want to help make the breakthroughs. The opportunity to gather smart, creative people into teams and give them resources and guidance as they tackle the challenges is very fulfilling.
... Over the past 50 years childhood deaths have dropped dramatically. Take a look at Chart 1, which is one of my favorites. (I hope you didn’t think you were going to get through this letter without some figures being thrown at you.) What you see is that in 1960, when there were nearly 110 million children born, almost 20 million children under 5 died. In 2005, when more than 135 million children were born, fewer than 10 million children under 5 died. I think this is one of the most amazing statistics ever. The number of children born went up, while the number who died was cut in half. Two things caused this huge reduction in the death rate. First, incomes went up, and with that increase, nutrition, medical care, and living conditions improved. The second factor is that even where incomes did not go up, the availability of life-saving vaccines reduced the number of deaths. For example, measles accounted for 4 million children’s deaths in 1990, but fewer than 250,000 in 2006.
Despite this progress, 10 million children dying is still 10 million too many. Each death is a tragedy. In the United States we don’t think much about young people dying because it is so rare. It would be a huge breakthrough to cut that 10 million in half again, which I believe can be done in the next 20 years. Chart 2 shows a breakdown of what kills children under 5. As you can see, there are a few diseases, like diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia, that cause over half of the deaths. The key to eliminating these conditions is the invention of a handful of new vaccines and getting them into widespread usage.
[via iluvbabyb, 1/26/09]
Friday, February 06, 2009
Cholesterol Lowering Foods
Dear Savvy Senior
Are there certain kinds of foods a person can eat to help lower their cholesterol?
- Cholesterol Concerned
Dear Concerned
What you eat can actually play a huge role in lowering your cholesterol, and for many, it may even eliminate the need for cholesterol-lowering medication.
Know Your Numbers
As you may already know, your cholesterol level is the amount of fat in your blood. If it's too high, you're at a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Ideally, you want your total cholesterol reading (that includes your LDL and HDL cholesterol) to be below 200, and your "bad" LDL cholesterol below 129 - less if you're at risk for heart disease. If your total level hits between 200 and 239, or your LDL reaches 130 - 159 you're considered borderline high. And if your total is above 240, or your LDL is over 160 you have high cholesterol.
On the other hand, a higher number is better when it comes to the "good" HDL cholesterol. Most men range between 40 and 50 HDL, and women range between 50 and 60. Anything below 40 (for men) and 50 (for women) is too low, and anything above 50 (for men) and 60 (for women) is great, because it provides extra protection against heart disease.
Cholesterol-Lowering Foods
Lots of research over the past few years has shown that certain foods can help lower your LDL cholesterol and/or boost your HDL, including:
Oatmeal and oat bran: Loaded with soluble fiber, oatmeal or oat bran is a great way to start the day and shave five percent off your LDL. Five to 10 grams per day are recommended. Other good sources for soluble fiber are apples, pears, prunes, citrus fruits, kidney and lima beans, barley, psyllium, carrots, broccoli and brussels sprouts.
Nuts: Studies have also shown that a daily dose of walnuts and almonds can lower your LDL by 10 percent, and raise your HDL by as much as 20 percent. Peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, some pine nuts, and pistachios have also been shown to lower cholesterol. But be careful. Nuts are high in calories, so a handful (no more than 2 ounces) will do. The best way to add nuts to your diet is to substitute them for foods that are high in saturated fats like cheese and meat. That way you're gaining the benefits of nuts without adding more calories.
Sterols and stanols: These are substances found in plants that help prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream. A recommended dose of two grams per day can help knock 10 percent off your bad cholesterol level. The best way to get these substances is to consume store-bought foods that are fortified with sterols or stanols including certain orange juices, yogurts, breads, cereals, granola bars, cooking oils, salad dressings, margarine spreads and more. Check the labels to find products that contain sterols or stanols and watch out for high calories.
Fish: Rich with omega-3 fatty acids, eating fatty fish (mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, salmon and albacore tuna) a few times a week can help boost your good HDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent, not to mention lower your triglycerides and blood pressure, and reduce inflammation. If you don't like fish, other food sources that provide omega-3s are walnuts, soybeans, flaxseed and canola oil, or take a fish oil supplement.
Olive oil: Contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your LDL without affecting your HDL. A good way to work olive oil into your diet is to substitute it with butter or other cooking oils, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. About two tablespoons a day are recommended.
Other Tips
Additional lifestyle tips that can help lower LDL and raise HDL include: reducing the saturated fats (fatty meats, butter and whole dairy products) and trans fats (found in store-bought cookies, cakes, crackers and many fried foods like french fries) you eat; lose excess weight (even 5 to 10 pounds can make a difference); exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes, five days per week); quit smoking; and drink some alcohol (no more than one drink per day for women and two for men).
Are there certain kinds of foods a person can eat to help lower their cholesterol?
- Cholesterol Concerned
Dear Concerned
What you eat can actually play a huge role in lowering your cholesterol, and for many, it may even eliminate the need for cholesterol-lowering medication.
Know Your Numbers
As you may already know, your cholesterol level is the amount of fat in your blood. If it's too high, you're at a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Ideally, you want your total cholesterol reading (that includes your LDL and HDL cholesterol) to be below 200, and your "bad" LDL cholesterol below 129 - less if you're at risk for heart disease. If your total level hits between 200 and 239, or your LDL reaches 130 - 159 you're considered borderline high. And if your total is above 240, or your LDL is over 160 you have high cholesterol.
On the other hand, a higher number is better when it comes to the "good" HDL cholesterol. Most men range between 40 and 50 HDL, and women range between 50 and 60. Anything below 40 (for men) and 50 (for women) is too low, and anything above 50 (for men) and 60 (for women) is great, because it provides extra protection against heart disease.
Cholesterol-Lowering Foods
Lots of research over the past few years has shown that certain foods can help lower your LDL cholesterol and/or boost your HDL, including:
Oatmeal and oat bran: Loaded with soluble fiber, oatmeal or oat bran is a great way to start the day and shave five percent off your LDL. Five to 10 grams per day are recommended. Other good sources for soluble fiber are apples, pears, prunes, citrus fruits, kidney and lima beans, barley, psyllium, carrots, broccoli and brussels sprouts.
Nuts: Studies have also shown that a daily dose of walnuts and almonds can lower your LDL by 10 percent, and raise your HDL by as much as 20 percent. Peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, some pine nuts, and pistachios have also been shown to lower cholesterol. But be careful. Nuts are high in calories, so a handful (no more than 2 ounces) will do. The best way to add nuts to your diet is to substitute them for foods that are high in saturated fats like cheese and meat. That way you're gaining the benefits of nuts without adding more calories.
Sterols and stanols: These are substances found in plants that help prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream. A recommended dose of two grams per day can help knock 10 percent off your bad cholesterol level. The best way to get these substances is to consume store-bought foods that are fortified with sterols or stanols including certain orange juices, yogurts, breads, cereals, granola bars, cooking oils, salad dressings, margarine spreads and more. Check the labels to find products that contain sterols or stanols and watch out for high calories.
Fish: Rich with omega-3 fatty acids, eating fatty fish (mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, salmon and albacore tuna) a few times a week can help boost your good HDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent, not to mention lower your triglycerides and blood pressure, and reduce inflammation. If you don't like fish, other food sources that provide omega-3s are walnuts, soybeans, flaxseed and canola oil, or take a fish oil supplement.
Olive oil: Contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your LDL without affecting your HDL. A good way to work olive oil into your diet is to substitute it with butter or other cooking oils, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. About two tablespoons a day are recommended.
Other Tips
Additional lifestyle tips that can help lower LDL and raise HDL include: reducing the saturated fats (fatty meats, butter and whole dairy products) and trans fats (found in store-bought cookies, cakes, crackers and many fried foods like french fries) you eat; lose excess weight (even 5 to 10 pounds can make a difference); exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes, five days per week); quit smoking; and drink some alcohol (no more than one drink per day for women and two for men).
Zoroastrianism
On the Central Asian steppes between the years 1000 B.C. and A.D. 600, there flourished a faith ascribed to the teachings of Zarathustra, or Zoroaster as the Greeks called him. For 1,000 years it was the court religion of three Persian empires: the Achaemenians, the Parthinians and the Sassanians. The followers of this faith stretched from Greece in the west to the Hindukush in the east, across Central Asia, and were numbered in the millions.
Zarathustra preached the monotheistic religion of the One Supreme God, Ahura Mazda, and it was declared the state religion by Cyrus the Great in 558 B.C.
Zarathustra's message was positive, life-affirming, based on both faith and reason. Its principles were simple, namely of Humata, Hukta and Huverishta, which means good thought, good word and good deed. It was not a prescriptive ethic based on fear or obedience, but rather on love and personal responsibility.
A Zoroastrian is taught to lead an industrious, honest and charitable life, and there is no place for asceticism. It is based on the loftiest ideals of Asha, the divine law of truth, and Vohu Mana, or the good mind. Zarathustra declared that every person must think for oneself and that each has the freedom to choose between good and evil.
The faith is spread to achieve a harmonious, morally perfect social order. It promotes respect for the environment and teaches that there is mutually beneficial existence of the sun, fire, earth and water.
Zoroastrianism has been a peace-loving religion that resisted the onslaught of Alexander the Great and his destruction of the capital of the Persian Empire, Persepolis. Its philosophy has influenced many cultures and faiths, including Judaism and Christianity. It is of interest to note that the Magi who heralded the Infant Christ were Zoroastrians, and to this day, frankincense and myrrh are offered at the altars of their temples.
In the year A.D. 652, shiploads of followers of this religion fled Persia under the Muslim invasion and sought refuge on the shores of India. Despite having lived in India for 12 centuries, the Parsees, as they are known, have kept their religious distinctiveness. They contributed to the industrialization of India, and their influence is felt even today in the economic development of the country. Their philanthropy resulted in the establishment of schools, colleges and hospitals in India.
Now they have spread to North America and are integrated with all communities there. With the persecution by Ayatollah Khomeini in the late 1970s and 1980s, Zarthushtis fled from Iran to North America. Now they, jointly with the Parsees from India, preserve their belief without proselytizing.
The most important doctrine of this faith is the belief in one Supreme God with truth and right action to spread love for all human beings without discrimination. Like other doctrines, they believe that there is only one presence and one power in the universe and in our lives, God the Good Omnipresent.
Zarathustra preached the monotheistic religion of the One Supreme God, Ahura Mazda, and it was declared the state religion by Cyrus the Great in 558 B.C.
Zarathustra's message was positive, life-affirming, based on both faith and reason. Its principles were simple, namely of Humata, Hukta and Huverishta, which means good thought, good word and good deed. It was not a prescriptive ethic based on fear or obedience, but rather on love and personal responsibility.
A Zoroastrian is taught to lead an industrious, honest and charitable life, and there is no place for asceticism. It is based on the loftiest ideals of Asha, the divine law of truth, and Vohu Mana, or the good mind. Zarathustra declared that every person must think for oneself and that each has the freedom to choose between good and evil.
The faith is spread to achieve a harmonious, morally perfect social order. It promotes respect for the environment and teaches that there is mutually beneficial existence of the sun, fire, earth and water.
Zoroastrianism has been a peace-loving religion that resisted the onslaught of Alexander the Great and his destruction of the capital of the Persian Empire, Persepolis. Its philosophy has influenced many cultures and faiths, including Judaism and Christianity. It is of interest to note that the Magi who heralded the Infant Christ were Zoroastrians, and to this day, frankincense and myrrh are offered at the altars of their temples.
In the year A.D. 652, shiploads of followers of this religion fled Persia under the Muslim invasion and sought refuge on the shores of India. Despite having lived in India for 12 centuries, the Parsees, as they are known, have kept their religious distinctiveness. They contributed to the industrialization of India, and their influence is felt even today in the economic development of the country. Their philanthropy resulted in the establishment of schools, colleges and hospitals in India.
Now they have spread to North America and are integrated with all communities there. With the persecution by Ayatollah Khomeini in the late 1970s and 1980s, Zarthushtis fled from Iran to North America. Now they, jointly with the Parsees from India, preserve their belief without proselytizing.
The most important doctrine of this faith is the belief in one Supreme God with truth and right action to spread love for all human beings without discrimination. Like other doctrines, they believe that there is only one presence and one power in the universe and in our lives, God the Good Omnipresent.
walking is good for the brain
Earlier this year, researchers at Stanford University reported the results of a 21-year study that tracked more than 500 runners who were in their 50s or 60s, and are now in their 70s and 80s.
The joggers, who put in an average of 4 hours a week on the trail, were matched for comparison with an otherwise similar group of people who did not run.
Nineteen years into the study, 34 percent of the non-runners had died, versus 15 percent of the runners.
Of course, time still caught up with the runners -- with many of them reporting disability such as difficulty dressing or grooming or getting out of a chair. But on average, runners' initial report of a disability came 16 years later than that reported by the non-runners on annual questionnaires.
But for the brain, walking may actually be better than running, since there's more oxygen left in the blood to reach the brain than from most vigorous exercise. Studies in the elderly have found that stroke risk can be cut by as much as 57 percent in those who walked as little as 20 minutes a day.
Another study of older women found that those who walked 17 miles or more a week were about 40 percent less likely to experience mental decline than those who walked a half mile or less a week.
.. another study just published in December in the journal Psychological Science, suggests that where we walk may be as important as how much when it comes to brain benefits.
Researchers at the University of Michigan ran two experiments with a group of volunteers, testing them for memory and attention, then sending them out on a walk either in a park or through downtown Ann Arbor, then back for a re-test.
Performance on the memory and attention test improved greatly for the group that took a walk in the park, but did not improve for the group that walked downtown. A similar result was seen when the two groups sat for a while and viewed photos of nature or urban scenes.
The scientists suspect that walking around an urban setting presents the brain with a relatively complex, even confusing pattern of stimulation, while a walk down a tree-lined path takes less mental effort and has a more restorative effect for the brain's attention centers.
The joggers, who put in an average of 4 hours a week on the trail, were matched for comparison with an otherwise similar group of people who did not run.
Nineteen years into the study, 34 percent of the non-runners had died, versus 15 percent of the runners.
Of course, time still caught up with the runners -- with many of them reporting disability such as difficulty dressing or grooming or getting out of a chair. But on average, runners' initial report of a disability came 16 years later than that reported by the non-runners on annual questionnaires.
But for the brain, walking may actually be better than running, since there's more oxygen left in the blood to reach the brain than from most vigorous exercise. Studies in the elderly have found that stroke risk can be cut by as much as 57 percent in those who walked as little as 20 minutes a day.
Another study of older women found that those who walked 17 miles or more a week were about 40 percent less likely to experience mental decline than those who walked a half mile or less a week.
.. another study just published in December in the journal Psychological Science, suggests that where we walk may be as important as how much when it comes to brain benefits.
Researchers at the University of Michigan ran two experiments with a group of volunteers, testing them for memory and attention, then sending them out on a walk either in a park or through downtown Ann Arbor, then back for a re-test.
Performance on the memory and attention test improved greatly for the group that took a walk in the park, but did not improve for the group that walked downtown. A similar result was seen when the two groups sat for a while and viewed photos of nature or urban scenes.
The scientists suspect that walking around an urban setting presents the brain with a relatively complex, even confusing pattern of stimulation, while a walk down a tree-lined path takes less mental effort and has a more restorative effect for the brain's attention centers.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
smoking and heart attacks
A smoking ban in one Colorado city led to a dramatic drop in heart attack hospitalizations within three years, a sign of just how serious a health threat secondhand smoke is, government researchers said Wednesday.
The study, the longest-running of its kind, showed the rate of hospitalized cases dropped 41 percent in the three years after the ban of workplace smoking in Pueblo, Colo., took effect. There was no such drop in two neighboring areas, and researchers believe it’s a clear sign the ban was responsible.
The study suggests that secondhand smoke may be a terrible and under-recognized cause of heart attack deaths in this country, said one of its authors, Terry Pechacek of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study, the longest-running of its kind, showed the rate of hospitalized cases dropped 41 percent in the three years after the ban of workplace smoking in Pueblo, Colo., took effect. There was no such drop in two neighboring areas, and researchers believe it’s a clear sign the ban was responsible.
The study suggests that secondhand smoke may be a terrible and under-recognized cause of heart attack deaths in this country, said one of its authors, Terry Pechacek of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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