I see this ad in Parade for Quietus which is supposed to cure tinnitus (which I have).
I wonder how good/not good it is. I'm not holding my breath...
I see it's for sale at Amazon for $99.95. 1-1/2 stars with 8 customer reviews.
One five-star review.
Benn using this for 3 weeks and have noticed the ringing slowly going away. great product and nice staff.
The other seven reviews were all one-star. For example,
I suffer from Tinnitus. Everyone from the American Medical Association to my Doctor to the Audio Engineering Society all say the same thing. "Tinnitus is permanent nerve damage. there is no cure"..but like a fool I tried it. Doesn't work.
***
I purchase three months worth of Quietus and can state with conviction that this product is very expensive and doesn't work. Subsequently, you may want to start looking at the root causes of your ailment, which means altering your diet and adjusting your attitudes towards your daily environment.
Many things have to be present in your body chemistry for Tinnitus to occur. Most prevalent is a stressful environment and high counts of salicylic acid in the bloodstream. Work on reducing stress the same way you would if you had a bad heart or high blood pressure. Consult your physician and if you do not have a heart condition immediately stop taking aspirin, which is the purest form of acetylsalicylic acid. Cutting out related ibuprofen pain killers is just as helpful.
Still more difficult is cutting down on or altogether avoiding foods with high levels of salicylic acid. Foods that most people love, including olives, tomato, mushrooms, raisins, dates, almonds, peanuts, curry, mustard, and pistachios. I have noticed that drinking even small quantities of red wine increases ringing in my years, so you may want to check that out as well. None of this is easy, but life's all about choices. Avoiding stressful situations will no doubt have the greatest impact.
Good luck and forget about Quietus.
***
A look around Amazon and other places online will quickly show you that unlike headaches and other bothersome ailments that make our lives miserable, as far as tinnitus is concerned there are very few solutions or miracle cures even being offered. Tinnitus sufferers don't even have the "luxury" of trying dozens of different concoctions in hope of some relief, for there are only a mere handful of so called remedies being offered at all. Quietus was the latest, and third in a line of promised relief that I have tried. Unfortunately, it moves to the head of the class as far as being not only totally ineffective, but the premier example of true highway robbery with its price. I am ashamed to admit that this is one product that I actually decided to spring for simply because I believed that no company would charge this much money for something that didn't work. Or at least work well enough to ease up the suffering just a little bit. I will never be so stupid and naive again.
***
What surprised me was the ad had a table listing ginkgo biloba and minerals: zinc/mag as other choice (obviously not as good as quietus) for tinnitus. That's news to me.
Here's a review of Quietus that mentioned that Gingko Biloba sometimes helps lull the ringing.
Here's reference that states that the regular medication with ginkgo biloba is effective in the treatment of tinnitus.
Here's another report that mentions gingko biloba as well as zinc and magnesium (as well as a lot of other information).
Here's another study that found no effect.
But here's one that found results.
But heck, what do I have to lose? I have some gingko biloba in a bottle that nobody is using anyway.
***
Getting better reviews on Amazon is Clear Tinnitus 60 Capsules for only $9.68. 3-1/2 stars, 11 reviews.
CLEAR TINNITUS, contains a unique proprietary blend of thirteen herbs, scientifically formulated to work in combination with active homeopathic ingredients to provide temporary relief of tinnitus.
Out of the eleven reviews, five were five-star and three were one-star.
I have had tinnitus for some time and have been using Clear Tinnitus for about 2 years off and on. My symptoms improve noticeably when taking two caps per day. When I stop, symptoms return within about a week. I've tried this a few times with the same results each time. I just tried to reduce to one cap in the morning and symptoms started returning. So I'm back to 2 caps in the morning. I was very skeptical after trying a bunch of other vitamins etc but this did help me. I don't think anything is going to be a panacea for everyone, but this does indeed help some people and is worth a try. The whistling is unbearable and while this doesn't stop it altogether, it helps significantly where I barely notice it most of the time... Just be aware that it doesn't work immediately. It starts to work after a few weeks or so.
On the other hand,
I took this product for 7 days before experiencing severe dizziness with vomiting. The room was not "spinning", but it did feel like the room was revolving around me. I didn't take the product again until the next day. Within a few hours of taking it, I again experienced the vertigo and vomiting. Once again, I did not take the product until one day later at which time I suffered the same symptoms for the third time. I quit taking the product and have not experienced the symptoms again. I think the product label should be changed from reading "no side effects" to say that there may be side effects of dizziness, vomiting and vertigo.
[but did the ringing stop? 8]
***
Here's another one, advertised in the 5/10/10 Star Bulletin, called Ring No More.
How good does it work? Well here's one comment.
This product is a scam! I ordered it, it took 3 weeks to deliver almost as the 30 day guarantee trial was up (3 weeks to ship), i had to fight with a supervisor to get a refund 1 day after the 30 day trial period was up, and then they say it will take up to 60 days to provide a refund. I think they make money on floating refunds after people figure out this little white tablet doesn't do a thing to help.
I hope others research before they order. Ringing ears are terrible and this company is preying on people's health issues. DO NOT ORDER THIS product.
And here's a report.
However here are some products that might be worth investigating.
*** [8/15/14]
IF YOUR EARS are ringing, hissing, buzzing, roaring, whistling, chirping or clicking, you may have tinnitus; the term is derived from the Latin word tinnire, which means “to ring.” An estimated 42 million to 50 million adult Americans have tinnitus, which is the perception of a sound in one or both ears when no external sound is present.
Tinnitus can be caused by loud noises, medications such as aspirin that can damage the nerves in the ear, impacted earwax, middle-ear problems (such as infections or vascular tumors), Ménière’s disease (a disorder of the balance mechanism in the inner ear), aging or clenching one’s jaw or grinding one’s teeth.
“Many things can trigger tinnitus, but the most common thing by far is hearing loss,” says Dr. David J. Eisenman, associate professor of otorhinolaryngology (head and neck surgery) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “Treatment of a hearing loss will often improve tinnitus.”
Costco Connection article, February 2014
[hearing loss? what? I think I should clean my ear wax first.]
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Gary Coleman
Former child star Gary Coleman, who rose to fame as the wisecracking youngster Arnold Jackson on the TV sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" but grew up to grapple with a troubled adulthood, has died. He was 42.
"We are very sad to have to report Mr. Gary Coleman has passed away," his spokesman, John Alcantar, said in a statement Friday afternoon. "He was removed from life support; soon thereafter, he passed quickly and peacefully. By Gary's bedside were his wife and other close family members."
Coleman died after being stricken with a brain hemorrhage following an accident at his home in Santaquin, Utah, on Wednesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was rushed by ambulance to a Provo hospital, Coleman's spokesman had said earlier Friday.
He was then taken to another hospital -- Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo -- later Wednesday night.
In the late '70s and early '80s, Coleman was one of television's brightest stars, the personality around which NBC's "Strokes" -- the story of two inner-city children who are taken in by a wealthy businessman, his daughter and their housekeeper -- was built.
"There was a touch of magic and a different stroke in Gary Coleman. He was the inspiration behind his show's title," said producer Norman Lear, whose company oversaw the show.
Coleman's natural charm and way with a line -- the frequently uttered "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?", directed at his older brother (played by Todd Bridges), became a catchphrase -- helped make the show a breakout hit, a mainstay of the NBC schedule from 1978 to 1985 (and on ABC for a year afterward).
"We are very sad to have to report Mr. Gary Coleman has passed away," his spokesman, John Alcantar, said in a statement Friday afternoon. "He was removed from life support; soon thereafter, he passed quickly and peacefully. By Gary's bedside were his wife and other close family members."
Coleman died after being stricken with a brain hemorrhage following an accident at his home in Santaquin, Utah, on Wednesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was rushed by ambulance to a Provo hospital, Coleman's spokesman had said earlier Friday.
He was then taken to another hospital -- Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo -- later Wednesday night.
In the late '70s and early '80s, Coleman was one of television's brightest stars, the personality around which NBC's "Strokes" -- the story of two inner-city children who are taken in by a wealthy businessman, his daughter and their housekeeper -- was built.
"There was a touch of magic and a different stroke in Gary Coleman. He was the inspiration behind his show's title," said producer Norman Lear, whose company oversaw the show.
Coleman's natural charm and way with a line -- the frequently uttered "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?", directed at his older brother (played by Todd Bridges), became a catchphrase -- helped make the show a breakout hit, a mainstay of the NBC schedule from 1978 to 1985 (and on ABC for a year afterward).
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Art Linkletter
Art Linkletter, who as the gently mischievous host of TV's "People Are Funny" and "House Party" in the 1950s and '60s delighted viewers with his ability to get kids — and grownups — to say the darndest things on national television, died Wednesday. He was 97.
Linkletter died at his home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles, said his son-in-law, Art Hershey, the husband of Sharon Linkletter. "He lived a long, full, pure life, and the Lord had need for him," Hershey said.
Linkletter had been ill "in the last few weeks time, but bear in mind he was 97 years old. He wasn't eating well, and the aging process took him," Hershey said.
Linkletter was known on TV for his funny interviews with children and ordinary folks. He also collected their comments in a number of best-selling books.
"Because of Art Linkletter, adults found themselves enjoying children," said Bill Cosby, whose style interviewing kids on his own show in the late '90s was often compared to Linkletter's.
"An amazing fellow, a terrific broadcast talent, a brilliant businessman. An all-around good guy," CNN's Larry King added about his longtime friend and frequent guest.
Asked what made Linkletter so appealing to audiences, King said, "He had an unusual voice, a twang to his voice that was immediately recognizable. And he looked like your favorite uncle."
"Art Linkletter's House Party," one of television's longest-running variety shows, debuted on radio in 1944 and was seen on CBS-TV from 1952 to 1969.
Linkletter died at his home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles, said his son-in-law, Art Hershey, the husband of Sharon Linkletter. "He lived a long, full, pure life, and the Lord had need for him," Hershey said.
Linkletter had been ill "in the last few weeks time, but bear in mind he was 97 years old. He wasn't eating well, and the aging process took him," Hershey said.
Linkletter was known on TV for his funny interviews with children and ordinary folks. He also collected their comments in a number of best-selling books.
"Because of Art Linkletter, adults found themselves enjoying children," said Bill Cosby, whose style interviewing kids on his own show in the late '90s was often compared to Linkletter's.
"An amazing fellow, a terrific broadcast talent, a brilliant businessman. An all-around good guy," CNN's Larry King added about his longtime friend and frequent guest.
Asked what made Linkletter so appealing to audiences, King said, "He had an unusual voice, a twang to his voice that was immediately recognizable. And he looked like your favorite uncle."
"Art Linkletter's House Party," one of television's longest-running variety shows, debuted on radio in 1944 and was seen on CBS-TV from 1952 to 1969.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Hitler parodies leaving the room
YouTube has recently begun removing videos that feature content from Constantin Films' 2004 film, "Der Untergang" ("Downfall"), despite the fact that many of these videos are parodies and thus constitute fair use of the material.
The "Downfall," or Hitler-parody, meme has been, arguably, a viral spate of publicity for ConstantinFilms
in the past few years. The meme takes a now-infamous scene from the movie (the scene in which Hitler reacts to the news that Germany is about to lose the war) and puts satirical subtitles over the action (the movie is in German). Hitler parodies have been made for everything from "Hitler finds out Tony Romo dumped Jessica Simpson," to "Hitler is Fired from Whataburger," to, more recently, "Hitler Responds to the iPad."
Of course, the real question is: why? Why has Constantin Films chosen to suddenly claim copyright on these clips after six years — especially when the clips generate interest from parties who are otherwise unlikely to even look at the film (the film, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, was independently produced and is entirely in German). Certainly plenty of wayward YouTubers and Internet-goers have been driven to discover the source of the clips that provide them with so much entertainment. So, yes, you wonder why Constantin Films is suddenly putting the kibosh on this obvious stream of free publicity.
Even the director of "Downfall," Oliver Hirschbiegel, thinks the parodies are funny. He told New York Magazine in January 2010: "Someone sends me the links every time there's a new one. I think I've seen about 145 of them! Of course, I have to put the sound down when I watch. Many times the lines are so funny, I laugh out loud, and I’m laughing about the scene that I staged myself! You couldn't get a better compliment as a director."
***
We'll how long this one lasts.
The "Downfall," or Hitler-parody, meme has been, arguably, a viral spate of publicity for Constantin
Of course, the real question is: why? Why has Constantin Films chosen to suddenly claim copyright on these clips after six years — especially when the clips generate interest from parties who are otherwise unlikely to even look at the film (the film, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, was independently produced and is entirely in German). Certainly plenty of wayward YouTubers and Internet-goers have been driven to discover the source of the clips that provide them with so much entertainment. So, yes, you wonder why Constantin Films is suddenly putting the kibosh on this obvious stream of free publicity.
Even the director of "Downfall," Oliver Hirschbiegel, thinks the parodies are funny. He told New York Magazine in January 2010: "Someone sends me the links every time there's a new one. I think I've seen about 145 of them! Of course, I have to put the sound down when I watch. Many times the lines are so funny, I laugh out loud, and I’m laughing about the scene that I staged myself! You couldn't get a better compliment as a director."
***
We'll how long this one lasts.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
bad habits can age you
Four common bad habits combined — smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet — can age you by 12 years, sobering new research suggests.
The findings are from a study that tracked nearly 5,000 British adults for 20 years, and they highlight yet another reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Overall, 314 people studied had all four unhealthy behaviors. Among them, 91 died during the study, or 29 percent. Among the 387 healthiest people with none of the four habits, only 32 died, or about 8 percent.
The risky behaviors were: smoking tobacco; downing more than three alcoholic drinks per day for men and more than two daily for women; getting less than two hours of physical activity per week; and eating fruits and vegetables fewer than three times daily.
These habits combined substantially increased the risk of death and made people who engaged in them seem 12 years older than people in the healthiest group, said lead researcher Elisabeth Kvaavik of the University of Oslo.
The findings are from a study that tracked nearly 5,000 British adults for 20 years, and they highlight yet another reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Overall, 314 people studied had all four unhealthy behaviors. Among them, 91 died during the study, or 29 percent. Among the 387 healthiest people with none of the four habits, only 32 died, or about 8 percent.
The risky behaviors were: smoking tobacco; downing more than three alcoholic drinks per day for men and more than two daily for women; getting less than two hours of physical activity per week; and eating fruits and vegetables fewer than three times daily.
These habits combined substantially increased the risk of death and made people who engaged in them seem 12 years older than people in the healthiest group, said lead researcher Elisabeth Kvaavik of the University of Oslo.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Nobelity
I happened to see the DVD One Peace at a Time at Blockbuster (featuring the music of Willie Nelson and others). I thought it was in the $3.99 bin, but it turned out to be a rental. So I put it back.
Anyway looking at the comments on Amazon, it's sort of the sequel to Nobelity which is a film which interviews Nobel Laureates about their ideas on solving the world's problems. The project was spearheaded by Turk Pipkin who is an actor turned activist (well, I think he's still an actor).
The Nobelity Project has a website and a series of videos on youtube.
I see they're selling Nobelity for $24.95 and One Peace at a Time for $19.95.
I'm thinking I should begin by solving my own problems first (and I should -- just looking at the piles I stuff around me). But it looks like I can pick up Nobelity for "free" (well for a credit) at swapadvd, so maybe I should pounce on it. Maybe it'll give me a kick in the pants..
...
Do it! (Especially since there's only one copy available.) It'll be my first DVD ordered through swapadvd. (Right now, I have four credits to use. One free one to start. Two from three books I sent. And another from the Star Trek DVD I posted. And hopefully two more to come when the Star Trek gets received -- one for the DVD and one Movie Mogul credit.
Put it this way. If I saw this used on sale at Blockbuster, I would probably pick it up. And if it were to suddenly be gone from dvdswap, I would regret not grabbing it.
Doing a search at swapadvd for Nobelity also turns up Beyond The Call which is a DVD containing three short movies including an interview apparently from Nobelity. Evidently Beyond The Call appeared on PBS.
...
One Peace at a Time. Let's start with the pile on the coffee table..
***
[5/17/10] Cool. Turk Pipkin himself left a comment. Here's a link to his blog.
***
[5/24/10] Got the DVD on Saturday, watched it early this morning (woke up and went back to sleep). A very noble effort. Kind of reminded me of Charles Kuralt show, except Turk traveled around the world, talked to important people, and asked important questions. I can see where it might be slightly controversial, especially regarding comments on global warming. And some comments by Desmond Tutu. But I take everybody's opinions in high regard. Now to see if I can scoop up One Peace At A Time (and perhaps try to do my small part).
***
[3/22/13] Browsing Popcorn Flix on my Roku and notice that both Nobelity and One Peace at a Time are available on it (for free!). I see they're also on hulu. 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama is also on popcorn flix (and hulu too).
[6/9/12] One Peace at a Time on youtube.
Anyway looking at the comments on Amazon, it's sort of the sequel to Nobelity which is a film which interviews Nobel Laureates about their ideas on solving the world's problems. The project was spearheaded by Turk Pipkin who is an actor turned activist (well, I think he's still an actor).
The Nobelity Project has a website and a series of videos on youtube.
I see they're selling Nobelity for $24.95 and One Peace at a Time for $19.95.
I'm thinking I should begin by solving my own problems first (and I should -- just looking at the piles I stuff around me). But it looks like I can pick up Nobelity for "free" (well for a credit) at swapadvd, so maybe I should pounce on it. Maybe it'll give me a kick in the pants..
...
Do it! (Especially since there's only one copy available.) It'll be my first DVD ordered through swapadvd. (Right now, I have four credits to use. One free one to start. Two from three books I sent. And another from the Star Trek DVD I posted. And hopefully two more to come when the Star Trek gets received -- one for the DVD and one Movie Mogul credit.
Put it this way. If I saw this used on sale at Blockbuster, I would probably pick it up. And if it were to suddenly be gone from dvdswap, I would regret not grabbing it.
Doing a search at swapadvd for Nobelity also turns up Beyond The Call which is a DVD containing three short movies including an interview apparently from Nobelity. Evidently Beyond The Call appeared on PBS.
...
One Peace at a Time. Let's start with the pile on the coffee table..
***
[5/17/10] Cool. Turk Pipkin himself left a comment. Here's a link to his blog.
***
[5/24/10] Got the DVD on Saturday, watched it early this morning (woke up and went back to sleep). A very noble effort. Kind of reminded me of Charles Kuralt show, except Turk traveled around the world, talked to important people, and asked important questions. I can see where it might be slightly controversial, especially regarding comments on global warming. And some comments by Desmond Tutu. But I take everybody's opinions in high regard. Now to see if I can scoop up One Peace At A Time (and perhaps try to do my small part).
***
[3/22/13] Browsing Popcorn Flix on my Roku and notice that both Nobelity and One Peace at a Time are available on it (for free!). I see they're also on hulu. 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama is also on popcorn flix (and hulu too).
[6/9/12] One Peace at a Time on youtube.
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Greatest 9200 Films of All Time
IF Brad Bourland were a movie character he might be T. E. Lawrence in “Lawrence of Arabia,” embarking on a small project yet ending up on an epic quest; perhaps he’d be Jake Gittes in “Chinatown,” relentlessly digging, following what he finds even if it takes him someplace disagreeable; or maybe Jefferson Smith in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” an outsider and novice who shows the establishment a thing or two.
Mr. Bourland, of course, is none of these. He’s a produce clerk in an Austin, Tex., grocery. But Mr. Bourland, 58, has spent nearly a decade on a monumental task that he hopes will make his a name to remember in the world of movies.
He has ranked the greatest films of the 20th century. Sure, the American Film Institute and endless others have generated Top 10 or 100 Greatest lists. But Mr. Bourland goes them — well, one better isn’t even close. He has ranked the 20th century’s 9,200 greatest movies, watching more than 7,000 of them in the process. (He plans to reach 10,000 from readers suggesting titles he has overlooked. The list is at themovielistonline.com.)
“I’m a huge movie lover and began to wonder if people were going to forget all the great old movies,” said Mr. Bourland. “I was going to make a list of about 200 old classics, but within six months it evolved into the best of all time.”
***
Hmm. I see the list is a doc file. Here's the top 10.
1. Casablanca (1943) d.- Michael Curtiz (7)
2. Citizen Kane (1941) d.- Orson Welles (7)
3. The Godfather (1972) d.- Francis Ford Coppola (7)
4. The Wizard of Oz (1939) d.- Victor Fleming (7)
5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (BR) d.- David Lean (7)
6. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) d.- Frank Capra (7)
7. Schindler's List (1993) d.- Steven Spielberg (7)
8. Singin' in the Rain (1952) d.- Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly (7)
9. Gone With The Wind (1939) d.- Victor Fleming (7)
10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) d.- Milos Forman (7)
I suppose these are all classics, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see any of them. Well maybe I might sit to down catch a rerun of It's a Wonderful Life one of these years. I don't know what that (7) means.
My favorite film, Oh God!, ranks 1694. My second favorite film, Heaven Can Wait (the Warren Beatty version), is not far behind at 1714. Other favorites. Sneakers is at 2031. Wrath of Khan is at 751 (pretty high). The Voyage Home is at 1780. Fist of Legend is nowhere to be seen (I guess it's only American movies? Perhaps so, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon isn't on there either. Enter the Dragon is on there at 2168.)
[5/30/14] Empire Magazine ranks the 301 Greatest Movies of All Time (as voted by their readers. Let's browse. 295 West Side Story, 294 Back to the Future II, 292 King Kong, 291 Conan The Barbarian, 288 Batman, 286 Man of Steel (gotta finish watching this on HBO Go), 284 Bridge on the River Kwai, 279 Fantasia, 272 The Little Mermaid, 260 Blazing Saddles, 255 Transformers, 253 The Hunger Games, 250 Home Alone, 245 Star Trek Into Darkness, 244 Dumb and Dumber, 242 Iron Man 3, 241 The Crow, 239 Iron Man, 228 Finding Nemo (I'd rank this higher), 224 Star Wars III - Revenge of the Sith (still haven't watched the whole DVD), 223 Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, 221 Goldfinger, 220 The Maltese Falcon, 219 The Sting, 218 The Incredibles, 212 Cool Hand Luke, 207 Life is Beautiful, 206 Planet of the Apes, 200 Ben Hur, 194 The Sound of Music (thought this would be higher), 192 Grease, 191 Field of Dreams, 188 Star Trek (2009), 186 Top Gun, 185 The Fifth Element, 183 Captain America The Winter Soldier, 181 The Great Escape, 179 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 176 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 175 Dr. Strangelove, 174 Braveheart, 167 Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 162 Shaun of the Dead, 160 Casino Royale (2006), 159 Frozen, 157 Beauty and the Beast, 155 Airplane!, 153 Watchmen, 152 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II (haven't watched it yet), 151 When Harry Met Sally, 148 The Social Network (hadn't watched it yet), 141 The Goonies, 139 Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 138 Batman Begins (I guess I should add this to my collection), 134 Wall-E, 132 To Kill a Mockingbird, 129 Life of Brian, 128 Dirty Dancing, 126 Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgandy (hmm), 125 Annie Hall, 124 Robocop, 123 Wizard of Oz (I would have expected higher - it's #4 above), 121 Superman the Movie, 120 Star Wars VI - Return of the Jedi, 117 Good Will Hunting, 115 The Princess Bride, 114 Groundhog Day, 113 The French Connection (another one I never finished watching), 112 Evil Dead II, 111 Up, 110 Avatar (never watched the whole thing), 109 The Green Mile, 108 Predator, 107 The Terminator, 100 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, 99 The Blues Brothers, 96 Singin' in the Rain (no. 8 above), 95 Rocky, 94 Kill Bill vol. 1, 93 Fargo, 90 Serenity (never watched more than a couple of minutes), 89 Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan (one of my favorites), 83 North by Northwest, 82 Spirited Away, 76 Saving Private Ryan, 74 Stand by Me, 73 Lost in Translation (really?), 72 The Dark Knight Rises (working on it), 70 Psycho (I was scared), 69 Raging Bull, 68 Amelie (still have the half-watched DVD), 67 Silence of the Lambs, 66 The Lion King, 65 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 63 Ghostbusters, 62 Titanic, 58 Toy Story, 57 Seven Samurai, 52 Gone with the Wind (#9 above), 47 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, 46 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 45 Skyfall, 40 It's a Wonderful Life (#6 above), 39 Die Hard, 36 Heat, 35 Gravity (I guess I'll have to see this one day), 34 Forrest Gump, 33 Citizen Kane (#2 above), 31 Lawrence of Arabia (#5 above, did I ever watch this?), 28 Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 27 Gladiator, 26 Casablanca (#1 above), 25 Schindler's List (#7 above), 23 The Matrix, 22 2001: A Space Odyssey, 21 Alien, 19 Aliens, 18 Jurassic Park, 17 Back to the Future, 16 Avengers Assemble, 15 The Godfather Part II, 12 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, 11 Blade Runner, 10 Inception (never saw this), 9 Raiders of the Lost Ark, 8 Jaws, 7 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 6 Star Wars IV - A New Hope, 4 The Shawshank Redemption, 3 The Dark Knight (really?), 2 The Godfather, 1 - The Empire Strikes Back (!)
***
More lists via Bing
Mr. Bourland, of course, is none of these. He’s a produce clerk in an Austin, Tex., grocery. But Mr. Bourland, 58, has spent nearly a decade on a monumental task that he hopes will make his a name to remember in the world of movies.
He has ranked the greatest films of the 20th century. Sure, the American Film Institute and endless others have generated Top 10 or 100 Greatest lists. But Mr. Bourland goes them — well, one better isn’t even close. He has ranked the 20th century’s 9,200 greatest movies, watching more than 7,000 of them in the process. (He plans to reach 10,000 from readers suggesting titles he has overlooked. The list is at themovielistonline.com.)
“I’m a huge movie lover and began to wonder if people were going to forget all the great old movies,” said Mr. Bourland. “I was going to make a list of about 200 old classics, but within six months it evolved into the best of all time.”
***
Hmm. I see the list is a doc file. Here's the top 10.
1. Casablanca (1943) d.- Michael Curtiz (7)
2. Citizen Kane (1941) d.- Orson Welles (7)
3. The Godfather (1972) d.- Francis Ford Coppola (7)
4. The Wizard of Oz (1939) d.- Victor Fleming (7)
5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (BR) d.- David Lean (7)
6. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) d.- Frank Capra (7)
7. Schindler's List (1993) d.- Steven Spielberg (7)
8. Singin' in the Rain (1952) d.- Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly (7)
9. Gone With The Wind (1939) d.- Victor Fleming (7)
10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) d.- Milos Forman (7)
I suppose these are all classics, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see any of them. Well maybe I might sit to down catch a rerun of It's a Wonderful Life one of these years. I don't know what that (7) means.
My favorite film, Oh God!, ranks 1694. My second favorite film, Heaven Can Wait (the Warren Beatty version), is not far behind at 1714. Other favorites. Sneakers is at 2031. Wrath of Khan is at 751 (pretty high). The Voyage Home is at 1780. Fist of Legend is nowhere to be seen (I guess it's only American movies? Perhaps so, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon isn't on there either. Enter the Dragon is on there at 2168.)
[5/30/14] Empire Magazine ranks the 301 Greatest Movies of All Time (as voted by their readers. Let's browse. 295 West Side Story, 294 Back to the Future II, 292 King Kong, 291 Conan The Barbarian, 288 Batman, 286 Man of Steel (gotta finish watching this on HBO Go), 284 Bridge on the River Kwai, 279 Fantasia, 272 The Little Mermaid, 260 Blazing Saddles, 255 Transformers, 253 The Hunger Games, 250 Home Alone, 245 Star Trek Into Darkness, 244 Dumb and Dumber, 242 Iron Man 3, 241 The Crow, 239 Iron Man, 228 Finding Nemo (I'd rank this higher), 224 Star Wars III - Revenge of the Sith (still haven't watched the whole DVD), 223 Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, 221 Goldfinger, 220 The Maltese Falcon, 219 The Sting, 218 The Incredibles, 212 Cool Hand Luke, 207 Life is Beautiful, 206 Planet of the Apes, 200 Ben Hur, 194 The Sound of Music (thought this would be higher), 192 Grease, 191 Field of Dreams, 188 Star Trek (2009), 186 Top Gun, 185 The Fifth Element, 183 Captain America The Winter Soldier, 181 The Great Escape, 179 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 176 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 175 Dr. Strangelove, 174 Braveheart, 167 Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 162 Shaun of the Dead, 160 Casino Royale (2006), 159 Frozen, 157 Beauty and the Beast, 155 Airplane!, 153 Watchmen, 152 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II (haven't watched it yet), 151 When Harry Met Sally, 148 The Social Network (hadn't watched it yet), 141 The Goonies, 139 Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 138 Batman Begins (I guess I should add this to my collection), 134 Wall-E, 132 To Kill a Mockingbird, 129 Life of Brian, 128 Dirty Dancing, 126 Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgandy (hmm), 125 Annie Hall, 124 Robocop, 123 Wizard of Oz (I would have expected higher - it's #4 above), 121 Superman the Movie, 120 Star Wars VI - Return of the Jedi, 117 Good Will Hunting, 115 The Princess Bride, 114 Groundhog Day, 113 The French Connection (another one I never finished watching), 112 Evil Dead II, 111 Up, 110 Avatar (never watched the whole thing), 109 The Green Mile, 108 Predator, 107 The Terminator, 100 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, 99 The Blues Brothers, 96 Singin' in the Rain (no. 8 above), 95 Rocky, 94 Kill Bill vol. 1, 93 Fargo, 90 Serenity (never watched more than a couple of minutes), 89 Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan (one of my favorites), 83 North by Northwest, 82 Spirited Away, 76 Saving Private Ryan, 74 Stand by Me, 73 Lost in Translation (really?), 72 The Dark Knight Rises (working on it), 70 Psycho (I was scared), 69 Raging Bull, 68 Amelie (still have the half-watched DVD), 67 Silence of the Lambs, 66 The Lion King, 65 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 63 Ghostbusters, 62 Titanic, 58 Toy Story, 57 Seven Samurai, 52 Gone with the Wind (#9 above), 47 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, 46 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 45 Skyfall, 40 It's a Wonderful Life (#6 above), 39 Die Hard, 36 Heat, 35 Gravity (I guess I'll have to see this one day), 34 Forrest Gump, 33 Citizen Kane (#2 above), 31 Lawrence of Arabia (#5 above, did I ever watch this?), 28 Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 27 Gladiator, 26 Casablanca (#1 above), 25 Schindler's List (#7 above), 23 The Matrix, 22 2001: A Space Odyssey, 21 Alien, 19 Aliens, 18 Jurassic Park, 17 Back to the Future, 16 Avengers Assemble, 15 The Godfather Part II, 12 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, 11 Blade Runner, 10 Inception (never saw this), 9 Raiders of the Lost Ark, 8 Jaws, 7 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 6 Star Wars IV - A New Hope, 4 The Shawshank Redemption, 3 The Dark Knight (really?), 2 The Godfather, 1 - The Empire Strikes Back (!)
***
More lists via Bing
Thursday, May 06, 2010
uncovering spam
Yes, I love Spam, but for a canned meat that's so near and dear to my heart, I didn't know much about Spam's history or what it's made of. Sure, we've all heard the rumor that Spam stands for "Spare Parts And More," but that's just an urban legend, right?
Originally called "Hormel Spiced Ham," Hormel reintroduced the canned meat as "Spam" in 1937. Spam owes its name to Kenneth Daigneau, who suggested it during a New Year's Eve party. There are many speculations and hypotheses as to what Spam stands for, but the official meaning of the name is that it is a portmanteau derived from "spiced ham."
Although Spam was a popular household product in America, it wasn't until World War II that Spam attained the recognition and consumption level it has today. Because Spam was a canned product and required no refrigeration, it was an ideal protein for the military and soon became a staple in K-rations for soldiers. These soldiers introduced the product to communities they went to, including Hawaii, integrating Spam into the local diet.
OK, so we've got the history down, but what is Spam made of? As the name "spiced ham" implies, Spam is a pork product, and don't worry, it's not made up of a pig's "spare parts." To put diners at ease, Spam is made out of a blend of pork shoulder and ham, the meat that comes from the pig's shoulders, rump and hind legs.
***
Who made the first spam musubi?
Sun-Ki Chai, moderator at the food-centric Hawaii eGullet forum, found some history in "Hawaii's 2nd Spam Cookbook" (Bess Press, 2001). The book is also cited in a June 2002 article on musubi in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
According to author Ann Kondo Corum, Mitsuko Kaneshiro first made spam musubi for her children, but then started selling them out of City Pharmacy on Pensacola Street in Mo`ili`ili. By the early 1980s, she was selling 500 a day — all made by hand — from her own shop, Michan's Musubi. She also sold them to the wide network of blind vendors running shops and kiosks in state buildings, perhaps putting them directly before the movers, shakers, and policy makers of Hawaii. (Or maybe not.)
***
Spam is not a healthy thing to eat.
Originally called "Hormel Spiced Ham," Hormel reintroduced the canned meat as "Spam" in 1937. Spam owes its name to Kenneth Daigneau, who suggested it during a New Year's Eve party. There are many speculations and hypotheses as to what Spam stands for, but the official meaning of the name is that it is a portmanteau derived from "spiced ham."
Although Spam was a popular household product in America, it wasn't until World War II that Spam attained the recognition and consumption level it has today. Because Spam was a canned product and required no refrigeration, it was an ideal protein for the military and soon became a staple in K-rations for soldiers. These soldiers introduced the product to communities they went to, including Hawaii, integrating Spam into the local diet.
OK, so we've got the history down, but what is Spam made of? As the name "spiced ham" implies, Spam is a pork product, and don't worry, it's not made up of a pig's "spare parts." To put diners at ease, Spam is made out of a blend of pork shoulder and ham, the meat that comes from the pig's shoulders, rump and hind legs.
***
Who made the first spam musubi?
Sun-Ki Chai, moderator at the food-centric Hawaii eGullet forum, found some history in "Hawaii's 2nd Spam Cookbook" (Bess Press, 2001). The book is also cited in a June 2002 article on musubi in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
According to author Ann Kondo Corum, Mitsuko Kaneshiro first made spam musubi for her children, but then started selling them out of City Pharmacy on Pensacola Street in Mo`ili`ili. By the early 1980s, she was selling 500 a day — all made by hand — from her own shop, Michan's Musubi. She also sold them to the wide network of blind vendors running shops and kiosks in state buildings, perhaps putting them directly before the movers, shakers, and policy makers of Hawaii. (Or maybe not.)
***
Spam is not a healthy thing to eat.
Monday, May 03, 2010
older is wiser?
It turns out grandma was right: Listen to your elders. New research indicates they are indeed wise — in knowing how to deal with conflicts and accepting life's uncertainties and change.
It isn't a question of how many facts someone knows, or being able to operate a TV remote, but rather how to handle disagreements — social wisdom.
And researchers led by Richard E. Nisbett of the University of Michigan found that older people were more likely than younger or middle-aged ones to recognize that values differ, to acknowledge uncertainties, to accept that things change over time and to acknowledge others' points of view.
It isn't a question of how many facts someone knows, or being able to operate a TV remote, but rather how to handle disagreements — social wisdom.
And researchers led by Richard E. Nisbett of the University of Michigan found that older people were more likely than younger or middle-aged ones to recognize that values differ, to acknowledge uncertainties, to accept that things change over time and to acknowledge others' points of view.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
not a democracy
Some Utah County parents are calling on the Alpine School District to stop spreading "false educational ideas." First and foremost, the parents say, the district needs to clamp down on its use of the D-word: "democracy."
This week, a spokeswoman for Utah's Republic, a group that advocates for a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, asked the Alpine Board of Education to scrap its democracy-centered mission statement. The issue has sparked a dust-up over the past month, garnering petition signatures from hundreds of Alpine parents and a rebuke of the school board by the Provo Daily Herald's editorial board.
Alpine's mission statement is "Educating all students to ensure the future of our democracy."
But this nation is a republic, not a democracy, said Oak Norton, a Highland father of five and the founder of Utah's Republic. The Constitution guarantees every state a "republican form of government." "Karl Marx said, 'Democracy is the road to socialism,' " Norton said. A true democracy, he said, relies solely on majority rule and inevitably devolves into anarchy, which then sprouts socialist dictators.
The term "democracy" is commonly used to refer to American society and the power of the people to participate in government, including through votes on ballot measures and representatives, said Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics..
"Technically the United States is a constitutional republic," he said. "However, leaders from both [political] parties have often referred to us as a democracy."
Jowers said he received some of the same criticism about the D-word as chairman of the Governor's Commission on Strengthening Utah's Democracy.
"There seems to be a segment of the population who is worried not just about being technically precise on these words ... but somehow interprets a move to democracy as some type of a progressive movement that needs to be stopped," Jowers said. "For the most part, when people talk about strengthening democracy, they're talking about getting more people in the United States involved in our politics and government and more nations in the world being subject to elections instead of dictators."
***
For the most part I enjoyed the editorial, "The price of freedom is an active citizenry," (Star-Advertiser, July 4), but with one exception. The author called out our "democracy" when in fact our country was founded as and continues constitutionally bound as a "republic." While often considered as one and the same (in both scenarios government is elected by the people), there is a clear distinction. In a democracy the majority rules (potentially, "mob rule"). However, in a republic, government rules according to the law of the land, which in turn is framed by our Constitution.
Von Kenric Kaneshiro
Honolulu
This week, a spokeswoman for Utah's Republic, a group that advocates for a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, asked the Alpine Board of Education to scrap its democracy-centered mission statement. The issue has sparked a dust-up over the past month, garnering petition signatures from hundreds of Alpine parents and a rebuke of the school board by the Provo Daily Herald's editorial board.
Alpine's mission statement is "Educating all students to ensure the future of our democracy."
But this nation is a republic, not a democracy, said Oak Norton, a Highland father of five and the founder of Utah's Republic. The Constitution guarantees every state a "republican form of government." "Karl Marx said, 'Democracy is the road to socialism,' " Norton said. A true democracy, he said, relies solely on majority rule and inevitably devolves into anarchy, which then sprouts socialist dictators.
The term "democracy" is commonly used to refer to American society and the power of the people to participate in government, including through votes on ballot measures and representatives, said Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics..
"Technically the United States is a constitutional republic," he said. "However, leaders from both [political] parties have often referred to us as a democracy."
Jowers said he received some of the same criticism about the D-word as chairman of the Governor's Commission on Strengthening Utah's Democracy.
"There seems to be a segment of the population who is worried not just about being technically precise on these words ... but somehow interprets a move to democracy as some type of a progressive movement that needs to be stopped," Jowers said. "For the most part, when people talk about strengthening democracy, they're talking about getting more people in the United States involved in our politics and government and more nations in the world being subject to elections instead of dictators."
***
For the most part I enjoyed the editorial, "The price of freedom is an active citizenry," (Star-Advertiser, July 4), but with one exception. The author called out our "democracy" when in fact our country was founded as and continues constitutionally bound as a "republic." While often considered as one and the same (in both scenarios government is elected by the people), there is a clear distinction. In a democracy the majority rules (potentially, "mob rule"). However, in a republic, government rules according to the law of the land, which in turn is framed by our Constitution.
Von Kenric Kaneshiro
Honolulu
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Jaime Escalante
Jaime Escalante, the math teacher who transformed a tough East Los Angeles high school and inspired the movie "Stand and Deliver," died Tuesday. He was 79.
Escalante died in Sacramento, where he was undergoing treatment for bladder cancer, family friend Keith Miller said.
An immigrant from Bolivia, he transformed Garfield High School by motivating struggling students to excel at advanced math and science. The school had more advanced placement calculus students than all but three other public high schools in the country.
Edward James Olmos played Escalante in the 1988 film based on his story.
"Jaime exposed one of the most dangerous myths of our time - that inner city students can't be expected to perform at the highest levels," Olmos said. "Because of him, that destructive idea has been shattered forever."
Escalante died in Sacramento, where he was undergoing treatment for bladder cancer, family friend Keith Miller said.
An immigrant from Bolivia, he transformed Garfield High School by motivating struggling students to excel at advanced math and science. The school had more advanced placement calculus students than all but three other public high schools in the country.
Edward James Olmos played Escalante in the 1988 film based on his story.
"Jaime exposed one of the most dangerous myths of our time - that inner city students can't be expected to perform at the highest levels," Olmos said. "Because of him, that destructive idea has been shattered forever."
Thursday, April 22, 2010
841-HELP
The Hawai`i State Department of Transportation is proud to present the Freeway Service Patrol, a proven traffic congestion relief program that saves motorists time and money. And it’s free! Providing emergency roadside service keeps our freeways clear and prevents traffic from backing up and causing longer commute times, especially during peak rush hours. Less time on the road also means savings on fuel costs and reduced emissions. Take advantage of this free service today!
To take advantage of these free services, call 841-HELP (841-4357) to contact the Freeway Service Patrol between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays. Watch for the Freeway Service Patrol name and Hawaii’s Department of Transportation seal on the trucks that will operate on the H-1 and Moanalua freeways.
The Freeway Service Patrol program works closely with the Honolulu Police Department. The HPD will respond to 911 distress calls when the Freeway Service Patrol is off-duty (see operating hours) or in locations outside of the FSP service areas.
The Freeway Service Patrol is available from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, including some holidays. The services we provide include:
* Changing flat tires
* Jump starting your car as a result of a dead battery
* Radiator refills
* Making temporary repairs
* Providing gallon of gasoline (we do not provide diesel)
* Towing service
[relayed by Donna]
To take advantage of these free services, call 841-HELP (841-4357) to contact the Freeway Service Patrol between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays. Watch for the Freeway Service Patrol name and Hawaii’s Department of Transportation seal on the trucks that will operate on the H-1 and Moanalua freeways.
The Freeway Service Patrol program works closely with the Honolulu Police Department. The HPD will respond to 911 distress calls when the Freeway Service Patrol is off-duty (see operating hours) or in locations outside of the FSP service areas.
The Freeway Service Patrol is available from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, including some holidays. The services we provide include:
* Changing flat tires
* Jump starting your car as a result of a dead battery
* Radiator refills
* Making temporary repairs
* Providing gallon of gasoline (we do not provide diesel)
* Towing service
[relayed by Donna]
Sunday, April 18, 2010
don't pass the salt
Half a teaspoon may not sound like much, but a study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that reducing your daily salt consumption by that much—just 3 grams—may have far-reaching benefits.
The authors say such a small adjustment could "reduce the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease by 60,000 to 120,000, stroke by 32,000 to 66,000, myocardial infarction (or heart attack) by 54,000 to 99,000"—and the annual number of deaths from any cause by 44,000 to 92,000.
The total cost savings to the health-care system from that 3-gram reduction: $10 billion to $24 billion annually. The researchers add that cutting even one gram of salt would "be more cost-effective than using medications to lower blood pressure in all persons with hypertension."
These are stunning numbers—though they are projections, determined by a statistical model. Nevertheless, they're based on a well-known fact: Too much salt can be harmful to your health, especially to your heart.
The authors say such a small adjustment could "reduce the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease by 60,000 to 120,000, stroke by 32,000 to 66,000, myocardial infarction (or heart attack) by 54,000 to 99,000"—and the annual number of deaths from any cause by 44,000 to 92,000.
The total cost savings to the health-care system from that 3-gram reduction: $10 billion to $24 billion annually. The researchers add that cutting even one gram of salt would "be more cost-effective than using medications to lower blood pressure in all persons with hypertension."
These are stunning numbers—though they are projections, determined by a statistical model. Nevertheless, they're based on a well-known fact: Too much salt can be harmful to your health, especially to your heart.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Dr. Shintani
I was looking at an ad in the paper for Dr. Terry Shintani's seminar for his 10 day program.
He's featured in the Encyclopedia Britannica quoting
Couldn't find the articles online, but I found a link to his Hawaii Diet.
The HawaiiDiet, developed by Terry Shintani, MD, is more than a diet, it is a prescription for a better health through changes in lifestyle.
Dr. Shintani recognized that to achieve optimal health, one needs to look at not only the diet, but also the "holistic" aspects of one’s being: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Optimum health requires that we achieve a harmony within us. This includes a life without high levels of internal stress. Saying a prayer, meditating and laughing daily, as well as performing acts of selflessness, and finding a love for life can all reduce our stress. Dr. Shintani, in his book HawaiiDiet, looks at the larger picture of health including reduction in cholesterol levels.
In Hawaiian diet, participants are allowed to eat an average of seven ounces of protein per week, in the form of fish or poultry. This reflects the fact that traditional diets, such as those of ancient Asia, included roughly this amount of animal products. In the third week, the diet is strictly vegetarian. This reflects the fact that most pre-modern humans ate no flesh on most days.
*** [12/14/12]
What if you could reduce your need for medication in just 10 days? What if, at the same time, you saw your weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and chronic pain decrease, and your energy increase while eating more food?
This is how I believe medicine should be practiced – with less medication rather than more – and a greater emphasis on a natural whole person approach rather than an artificial pharmaceutical centered one. (Go to HiDiet.org for our free seminars on how this is done.)
The problem is that our current health care system does not work that way. We have disease care, not health care. Health insurance pays enough for doctors to put you on medication, but not enough for the time it takes to teach you how to get off the medication.
Medications do help – by treating symptoms and the damage from disease – but little is done to remedy the underlying disease.
So you wind up taking medication for the rest of your life. The problem with this is that medications are now the fourth leading cause of death, according to JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association).
When I first started to practice medicine, I wanted to help people who needed it most, the Native Hawaiian community.
When our program won a national award from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, I started a nonprofit organization, the Hawaii Health Foundation, in 1996 with Kenneth F. Brown (then chairman of The Queen’s Health System) along with members of the Hawaiian community. Our mission is to promote health through traditional values, diet and lifestyle. Basically, I wanted to spread the message of health and aloha throughout Hawaii and the world, and in doing so help change the way medicine is practiced. Until then, the Hawaii Health Foundation offers a solution for people and doctors to help reduce the need for medication.
Dr. Shintani, a Harvard-trained nutritionist, is licensed to practice medicine and law, and is board-certified in preventive medicine. He is formally designated a “Living Treasure of Hawaii” and is offering a free seminar Aug. 3 and 4.
He's featured in the Encyclopedia Britannica quoting
The clinical results of this program were startling.Then was a quote from Newsweek
Perhaps most astonishing, however, was that many in the program were able to achive control of a number of hitherto intractable health problems. Several people with diabetes no longer needed insulin or oral medication after two weeks."
some of Dr. Shintani's patients sound as though they've been to Lourdes ... On the fifth day of the program, (Dr. Shintani) called me at work and told me to stop taking insulin. My blood sugar was normal.
Couldn't find the articles online, but I found a link to his Hawaii Diet.
The HawaiiDiet, developed by Terry Shintani, MD, is more than a diet, it is a prescription for a better health through changes in lifestyle.
Dr. Shintani recognized that to achieve optimal health, one needs to look at not only the diet, but also the "holistic" aspects of one’s being: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Optimum health requires that we achieve a harmony within us. This includes a life without high levels of internal stress. Saying a prayer, meditating and laughing daily, as well as performing acts of selflessness, and finding a love for life can all reduce our stress. Dr. Shintani, in his book HawaiiDiet, looks at the larger picture of health including reduction in cholesterol levels.
In Hawaiian diet, participants are allowed to eat an average of seven ounces of protein per week, in the form of fish or poultry. This reflects the fact that traditional diets, such as those of ancient Asia, included roughly this amount of animal products. In the third week, the diet is strictly vegetarian. This reflects the fact that most pre-modern humans ate no flesh on most days.
*** [12/14/12]
What if you could reduce your need for medication in just 10 days? What if, at the same time, you saw your weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and chronic pain decrease, and your energy increase while eating more food?
This is how I believe medicine should be practiced – with less medication rather than more – and a greater emphasis on a natural whole person approach rather than an artificial pharmaceutical centered one. (Go to HiDiet.org for our free seminars on how this is done.)
The problem is that our current health care system does not work that way. We have disease care, not health care. Health insurance pays enough for doctors to put you on medication, but not enough for the time it takes to teach you how to get off the medication.
Medications do help – by treating symptoms and the damage from disease – but little is done to remedy the underlying disease.
So you wind up taking medication for the rest of your life. The problem with this is that medications are now the fourth leading cause of death, according to JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association).
When I first started to practice medicine, I wanted to help people who needed it most, the Native Hawaiian community.
When our program won a national award from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, I started a nonprofit organization, the Hawaii Health Foundation, in 1996 with Kenneth F. Brown (then chairman of The Queen’s Health System) along with members of the Hawaiian community. Our mission is to promote health through traditional values, diet and lifestyle. Basically, I wanted to spread the message of health and aloha throughout Hawaii and the world, and in doing so help change the way medicine is practiced. Until then, the Hawaii Health Foundation offers a solution for people and doctors to help reduce the need for medication.
Dr. Shintani, a Harvard-trained nutritionist, is licensed to practice medicine and law, and is board-certified in preventive medicine. He is formally designated a “Living Treasure of Hawaii” and is offering a free seminar Aug. 3 and 4.
Friday, April 09, 2010
The Buddha (and Christian Answers)
An interesting documentary on PBS about Siddartha Gautama and his teaching (i.e. Buddhism).
As one growing up in a so-called Christian nation, I wonder how to reconcile The Buddha and Jesus Christ. Google turned up Christian Answers, a website defending Christianity (not sure exactly what branch - it says nondemominational). Of interest to me were searches on Buddha, Jehovah's Witness, Mormonism, science. More: Deepak Chopra, Catholics, Muslims, Christian Science, Scientology, Taoism, ecumenical (which brought up a page on mysticism). Ah, here's their top ten cults.
They even have movie reviews! I just happened to see Robert Klein as one of the search terms. Which led to Two Weeks Notice. Then off the top of my head. The Matrix. Star Wars. Harry Potter.
Evolution. Global Warming. Barack Obama (which only brought up the movies: Capitalism: A Love Story and W). Which leads to Michael Moore. And Bill Maher's Religulous. A search of Pat Robertson brings up Harry Potter again. And also the movie For The Bible Tells Me So. And on and on. Nothing on my favorite movie Oh God! A search on Heaven Can Wait brings up Just Like Heaven which has a moral rating of offensive (though the reviewer liked it and every comment was positive except for one).
Lots of movie reviews.
More rambling. Nothing much on Family Guy. Or South Park. A search for Team America (possibly the most objectionable movie I have ever seen) curiously brought up Kung Fu Hustle.
More on the website. The executive director is Paul S. Taylor who somehow has a special interest on dinosaurs and the bible. The president is Dr. Lowell Wallen. I can't find much on Dr. Wallen which means he's not controversial.
All in all, I'd have to say the website is a sincere, admirable effort.
Ah, apparently they are evangelicals, because a search on evangelicals brings up AIIA Institute hosted on their site which states The AIIA Statement of Faith is the same as that of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). So I don't know if you can really call them "nondemonational".
[10/29/14] The Life of Buddha (BBC documentary)
As one growing up in a so-called Christian nation, I wonder how to reconcile The Buddha and Jesus Christ. Google turned up Christian Answers, a website defending Christianity (not sure exactly what branch - it says nondemominational). Of interest to me were searches on Buddha, Jehovah's Witness, Mormonism, science. More: Deepak Chopra, Catholics, Muslims, Christian Science, Scientology, Taoism, ecumenical (which brought up a page on mysticism). Ah, here's their top ten cults.
They even have movie reviews! I just happened to see Robert Klein as one of the search terms. Which led to Two Weeks Notice. Then off the top of my head. The Matrix. Star Wars. Harry Potter.
Evolution. Global Warming. Barack Obama (which only brought up the movies: Capitalism: A Love Story and W). Which leads to Michael Moore. And Bill Maher's Religulous. A search of Pat Robertson brings up Harry Potter again. And also the movie For The Bible Tells Me So. And on and on. Nothing on my favorite movie Oh God! A search on Heaven Can Wait brings up Just Like Heaven which has a moral rating of offensive (though the reviewer liked it and every comment was positive except for one).
Lots of movie reviews.
More rambling. Nothing much on Family Guy. Or South Park. A search for Team America (possibly the most objectionable movie I have ever seen) curiously brought up Kung Fu Hustle.
More on the website. The executive director is Paul S. Taylor who somehow has a special interest on dinosaurs and the bible. The president is Dr. Lowell Wallen. I can't find much on Dr. Wallen which means he's not controversial.
All in all, I'd have to say the website is a sincere, admirable effort.
Ah, apparently they are evangelicals, because a search on evangelicals brings up AIIA Institute hosted on their site which states The AIIA Statement of Faith is the same as that of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). So I don't know if you can really call them "nondemonational".
[10/29/14] The Life of Buddha (BBC documentary)
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Fess Parker
Fess Parker, a baby-boomer idol in the 1950s who launched a craze for coonskin caps as television's Davy Crockett, died Thursday of natural causes. He was 85.
Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker, who was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer, died at his Santa Ynez Valley home.
"Fess Parker has been a role model and idol of mine since I first saw him on the big screen — he is a true Hollywood legend," said California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a statement. "As a talented actor and successful businessman, he was an inspirational Californian whose contributions to our state will be remembered forever."
Former first lady Nancy Reagan said Parker was "a longtime friend to Ronnie and me ... He will be greatly missed."
The first installment of "Davy Crockett," with Buddy Ebsen as Crockett's sidekick, debuted in December 1954 as part of the "Disneyland" TV show.
The 6-foot, 6-inch Parker was quickly embraced by youngsters as the man in a coonskin cap who stood for the spirit of the American frontier. Boomers gripped by the Crockett craze scooped up Davy lunch boxes, toy Old Betsy rifles, buckskin shirts and trademark fur caps. "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" ("Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee...") was a No. 1 hit for singer Bill Hayes while Parker's own version reached No. 5.
Parker's career leveled off when the Crockett craze died down, but he made a TV comeback from 1964-1970 in the title role of the TV adventure series "Daniel Boone" — also based on a real-life American frontiersman. Actor-singer Ed Ames, formerly of the Ames Brothers, played Boone's Indian friend, Mingo.
After "Daniel Boone," Parker largely retired from show business, except for guest appearances, and went into real estate.
"I left the business after 22 years," Parker told The Associated Press in 2001. "It was time to leave Hollywood. I came along at a time when I'm starting out with Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Sterling Hayden and Gregory Peck."
"Who needed a guy running around in a coonskin cap?" he said.
Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker, who was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer, died at his Santa Ynez Valley home.
"Fess Parker has been a role model and idol of mine since I first saw him on the big screen — he is a true Hollywood legend," said California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a statement. "As a talented actor and successful businessman, he was an inspirational Californian whose contributions to our state will be remembered forever."
Former first lady Nancy Reagan said Parker was "a longtime friend to Ronnie and me ... He will be greatly missed."
The first installment of "Davy Crockett," with Buddy Ebsen as Crockett's sidekick, debuted in December 1954 as part of the "Disneyland" TV show.
The 6-foot, 6-inch Parker was quickly embraced by youngsters as the man in a coonskin cap who stood for the spirit of the American frontier. Boomers gripped by the Crockett craze scooped up Davy lunch boxes, toy Old Betsy rifles, buckskin shirts and trademark fur caps. "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" ("Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee...") was a No. 1 hit for singer Bill Hayes while Parker's own version reached No. 5.
Parker's career leveled off when the Crockett craze died down, but he made a TV comeback from 1964-1970 in the title role of the TV adventure series "Daniel Boone" — also based on a real-life American frontiersman. Actor-singer Ed Ames, formerly of the Ames Brothers, played Boone's Indian friend, Mingo.
After "Daniel Boone," Parker largely retired from show business, except for guest appearances, and went into real estate.
"I left the business after 22 years," Parker told The Associated Press in 2001. "It was time to leave Hollywood. I came along at a time when I'm starting out with Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Sterling Hayden and Gregory Peck."
"Who needed a guy running around in a coonskin cap?" he said.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thich Nhat Hanh
saw this interview in Oprah Magazine when taking mom to Dr. Wong.
He's been a Buddhist monk for more than 60 years, as well as a teacher, writer, and vocal opponent of war—a stance that left him exiled from his native Vietnam for four decades. Now the man Martin Luther King Jr. called "an apostle of peace and nonviolence" reflects on the beauty of the present moment, being grateful for every breath, and the freedom and happiness to be found in a simple cup of tea.
He's been a Buddhist monk for more than 60 years, as well as a teacher, writer, and vocal opponent of war—a stance that left him exiled from his native Vietnam for four decades. Now the man Martin Luther King Jr. called "an apostle of peace and nonviolence" reflects on the beauty of the present moment, being grateful for every breath, and the freedom and happiness to be found in a simple cup of tea.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
bitter melon could fight cancer
Bitter melon, a tropical fruit known for healing qualities, has potential as a dietary supplement to prevent breast cancer, says a University of Hawaii at Manoa researcher and mainland colleagues.
In laboratory tests, bitter melon juice given to mice in their food killed cancer cells but not healthy cells, Dr. Pratibha Nerurkar, associate professor of molecular biosciences and bioengineering, said in an interview.
However, more studies are needed in animals and humans before recommending bitter melon supplements, said Dr. Ratna Ray, lead researcher for the study at St. Louis University.
In laboratory tests, bitter melon juice given to mice in their food killed cancer cells but not healthy cells, Dr. Pratibha Nerurkar, associate professor of molecular biosciences and bioengineering, said in an interview.
However, more studies are needed in animals and humans before recommending bitter melon supplements, said Dr. Ratna Ray, lead researcher for the study at St. Louis University.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Ebert speaks
Film critic Roger Ebert says computer programmers have captured his voice from movie commentary tracks so he can type what he wants to say and listeners hear a voice that sounds like him.
Ebert lost his ability to speak after surgery for cancer. He wrote in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times that a Scottish company has helped him regain a voice his grandchildren can recognize.
Ebert recorded commentaries for DVD movies before he lost his voice. A Scottish company called CereProc blended digital recordings of Ebert speaking to make his text-to-audio voice.
The voice was heard predicting Oscar winners on a segment of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Tuesday.
***
[9/11/10] Film critic Roger Ebert, who lost his ability to speak and eat after cancer surgeries, said last week that he is returning to television on a movie review show he is producing for public television.
And, Ebert says, the thumbs up and thumbs down reviews made famous with his late partner Gene Siskel will return.
"This is the rebirth of a dream," Ebert said in a statement.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Sun-Times film critic is producing "Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies" with his wife, Chaz Ebert. The weekly, half-hour review program will debut in January and be syndicated nationally on public television stations.
Ebert will have his own segment on the show called "Roger's Office," during which he will use his computer voice to review new movies or talk about the state of film.
Ebert lost his ability to speak after surgery for cancer. He wrote in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times that a Scottish company has helped him regain a voice his grandchildren can recognize.
Ebert recorded commentaries for DVD movies before he lost his voice. A Scottish company called CereProc blended digital recordings of Ebert speaking to make his text-to-audio voice.
The voice was heard predicting Oscar winners on a segment of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Tuesday.
***
[9/11/10] Film critic Roger Ebert, who lost his ability to speak and eat after cancer surgeries, said last week that he is returning to television on a movie review show he is producing for public television.
And, Ebert says, the thumbs up and thumbs down reviews made famous with his late partner Gene Siskel will return.
"This is the rebirth of a dream," Ebert said in a statement.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Sun-Times film critic is producing "Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies" with his wife, Chaz Ebert. The weekly, half-hour review program will debut in January and be syndicated nationally on public television stations.
Ebert will have his own segment on the show called "Roger's Office," during which he will use his computer voice to review new movies or talk about the state of film.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Peter Graves
LOS ANGELES – Peter Graves, the tall, stalwart actor likely best known for his portrayal of Jim Phelps, leader of a gang of special agents who battled evil conspirators in the long-running television series "Mission: Impossible," died Sunday.
Graves died of an apparent heart attack outside his Los Angeles home, publicist Sandy Brokaw said. He would have been 84 this week.
Although Graves never achieved the stardom his older brother, James Arness, enjoyed as Marshal Matt Dillon on TV's "Gunsmoke," he had a number of memorable roles in both films and television.
Normally cast as a hero, he turned in an unforgettable performance early in his career as the treacherous Nazi spy in Billy Wilder's 1953 prisoner-of-war drama "Stalag 17."
He also masterfully lampooned his straight-arrow image when he portrayed bumbling airline pilot Clarence Oveur in the 1980 disaster movie spoof "Airplane!"
Graves appeared in dozens of films and a handful of television shows in a career of nearly 60 years.
Graves died of an apparent heart attack outside his Los Angeles home, publicist Sandy Brokaw said. He would have been 84 this week.
Although Graves never achieved the stardom his older brother, James Arness, enjoyed as Marshal Matt Dillon on TV's "Gunsmoke," he had a number of memorable roles in both films and television.
Normally cast as a hero, he turned in an unforgettable performance early in his career as the treacherous Nazi spy in Billy Wilder's 1953 prisoner-of-war drama "Stalag 17."
He also masterfully lampooned his straight-arrow image when he portrayed bumbling airline pilot Clarence Oveur in the 1980 disaster movie spoof "Airplane!"
Graves appeared in dozens of films and a handful of television shows in a career of nearly 60 years.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Slim Whitman
Another of my favorite singers is Slim Whitman (I just joined SwapACD and I'm browsing).
I remember I used to listen to his LP, All My Best, at home. And his cassettes at work (in the dungeon of the bank).
He is perhaps most well known to movie fans for his Indian Love Call prominently featured in the storyline of the movie Mars Attacks!
I particularly remember the song Please Help Me I'm Falling (that I remember Barbara would sing along these first five words). It was on the cassette Country Classics. Among many others, like Rose Marie.
Unfortunately neither All My Best nor Country Classics are available on CD. Though it sure sounds like a lot of these songs, if not all, are in the box set I'm A Lonely Wanderer. [I'm listening to the amazon music samples as I write this.] The reviewer says it goes along with the Rose Marie box set. So taken together that's 336 songs (173+163) on 13 (7+6) CDs of Slim Whitman. I guess that would probably be enough for most people.
Here's a pretty cool site that I just found via google, MusicMoz. It has a comprehensive discography. Man, that's a lot of albums.
[11/11/12] Youtube to the rescue. Fans have created and uploaded videos of millions songs. It's the new napster (so who knows how long it'll be up). So I made a Slim Whitman playlist with the songs from Country Classics and All My Best. The only song missing is Let Me Call You Sweetheart (they were forced to remove the video). Enjoy it while you can.
[8/13/13] I was updating my Slim Whitman playlist since a lot of videos have been deleted (and some more recently uploaded). Googling, I found that Mr. Whitman passed away in June at the age of 90. RIP. Here's an obituary from Rolling Stone.
Slim Whitman, one of country music's most unusual artists, died today in Orange Park, Florida, of heart failure, Billboard reports. He was 90. Whitman, born Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr., and his high-flying falsetto and yodeling prowess intrigued fans for decades, helping him to sell millions of records in his career.
Whitman was born in Tampa, Florida, but didn't pursue music professionally until he returned from serving in the Navy during World War II. He kicked off his career with the Variety Rhythm Boys, and was heard by future Elvis Presley manager Tom Parker. With the help of Parker, Whitman landed a record deal with RCA Victor and released his first single in 1948. The singer found his first big success in 1952, landing Top 10 hits with songs like "Indian Love Call" and "Keep It a Secret."
Whitman would score a big hit in the U.K. with his recording of "Rose Marie," taking the top spot on the charts for 11 weeks. But it would be six years until he'd have another charting single, with "The Bells That Broke My Heart" peaking at Number 30 in 1961. His career hit a new stride in 1965 with "More than Yesterday," and Whitman would land 22 singles on the charts through 1974. His track "Something to Remember" rose to Number Six on the charts in 1971.
In 1979, Whitman jumped on a then-new concept with the mail-order TV album. His compilation All My Best, his first mail-order TV album, sold more than 1.5 million copies. Whitman charted another hit in 1980 with "When," and made his first appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
His influence continued to resonate decades later, with Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and George Harrison calling him a favorite. Films like 1996's Mars Attacks! and 2007's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story have also included Whitman references.
Whitman released his latest album, Twilight on the Trail, in 2010. He is survived by a son and daughter; Alma, his wife of 67 years, died in 2009.
I remember I used to listen to his LP, All My Best, at home. And his cassettes at work (in the dungeon of the bank).
He is perhaps most well known to movie fans for his Indian Love Call prominently featured in the storyline of the movie Mars Attacks!
I particularly remember the song Please Help Me I'm Falling (that I remember Barbara would sing along these first five words). It was on the cassette Country Classics. Among many others, like Rose Marie.
Unfortunately neither All My Best nor Country Classics are available on CD. Though it sure sounds like a lot of these songs, if not all, are in the box set I'm A Lonely Wanderer. [I'm listening to the amazon music samples as I write this.] The reviewer says it goes along with the Rose Marie box set. So taken together that's 336 songs (173+163) on 13 (7+6) CDs of Slim Whitman. I guess that would probably be enough for most people.
Here's a pretty cool site that I just found via google, MusicMoz. It has a comprehensive discography. Man, that's a lot of albums.
[11/11/12] Youtube to the rescue. Fans have created and uploaded videos of millions songs. It's the new napster (so who knows how long it'll be up). So I made a Slim Whitman playlist with the songs from Country Classics and All My Best. The only song missing is Let Me Call You Sweetheart (they were forced to remove the video). Enjoy it while you can.
[8/13/13] I was updating my Slim Whitman playlist since a lot of videos have been deleted (and some more recently uploaded). Googling, I found that Mr. Whitman passed away in June at the age of 90. RIP. Here's an obituary from Rolling Stone.
Slim Whitman, one of country music's most unusual artists, died today in Orange Park, Florida, of heart failure, Billboard reports. He was 90. Whitman, born Ottis Dewey Whitman, Jr., and his high-flying falsetto and yodeling prowess intrigued fans for decades, helping him to sell millions of records in his career.
Whitman was born in Tampa, Florida, but didn't pursue music professionally until he returned from serving in the Navy during World War II. He kicked off his career with the Variety Rhythm Boys, and was heard by future Elvis Presley manager Tom Parker. With the help of Parker, Whitman landed a record deal with RCA Victor and released his first single in 1948. The singer found his first big success in 1952, landing Top 10 hits with songs like "Indian Love Call" and "Keep It a Secret."
Whitman would score a big hit in the U.K. with his recording of "Rose Marie," taking the top spot on the charts for 11 weeks. But it would be six years until he'd have another charting single, with "The Bells That Broke My Heart" peaking at Number 30 in 1961. His career hit a new stride in 1965 with "More than Yesterday," and Whitman would land 22 singles on the charts through 1974. His track "Something to Remember" rose to Number Six on the charts in 1971.
In 1979, Whitman jumped on a then-new concept with the mail-order TV album. His compilation All My Best, his first mail-order TV album, sold more than 1.5 million copies. Whitman charted another hit in 1980 with "When," and made his first appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
His influence continued to resonate decades later, with Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and George Harrison calling him a favorite. Films like 1996's Mars Attacks! and 2007's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story have also included Whitman references.
Whitman released his latest album, Twilight on the Trail, in 2010. He is survived by a son and daughter; Alma, his wife of 67 years, died in 2009.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Yuen Woo Ping update
[10/1/14] The sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will be released simulataneously on Netflix and Imax. Maybe it'll be more like the sequel to Wing Chun as it will be directed by Yuen Woo Ping (who did the choreography in CTHD) and adds Donnie Yen to the cast. Jason Scott Lee is also in the cast.
[3/8/11] Legend of a Fighter is one of the few YWP movies that I don't have. It's sort of the precursor to Fist of Legend (so one might say Jet Li's Fearless is sort of a remake).
Anyway, my angelfire page links to nowhere, but here is an updated link. As well as the old one via archive.org.
I guess I'll have to put this on my want list. [10/1/14 - I see Legend of a Fighter is on hulu, but no subtitles.]
***
While googling Yuen Woo Ping, I saw that YWP has directed a new movie call True Legend. Well, not that new, considering the review is dated November 2008.
I was wondering whether my list of Favorite Yuen Woo Ping movies is still up at Amazon. And sure enough, it turned up in a google search for Favorite Yuen Woo Ping movies. (And my old YWP page is still up at angelfire.)
[6/22/10 -- theflyingmachine likes some of the same movies]
But I see it's a little outdated.
Updated DVDs of Fist of Legend have since been released by Dragon Dynasty. So has Twin Warriors (as Tai Chi Master). Both have the Chinese soundtrack included as well as special features.
After Kung Fu Hustle, YWP has done work on Unleashed (Jet Li), House of Fury, Fearless (Jet Li), Legend of the Black Scorpion, Forbidden Kingdom. Coincidentally, I bought all of the movies except Unleashed (which I saw in the theatre), but never finished watching Legend of the Black Scorpion nor House of Fury.
I thought he might have been the choreographer on Ip Man too, but that was Sammo.
[3/8/11] Legend of a Fighter is one of the few YWP movies that I don't have. It's sort of the precursor to Fist of Legend (so one might say Jet Li's Fearless is sort of a remake).
Anyway, my angelfire page links to nowhere, but here is an updated link. As well as the old one via archive.org.
I guess I'll have to put this on my want list. [10/1/14 - I see Legend of a Fighter is on hulu, but no subtitles.]
***
While googling Yuen Woo Ping, I saw that YWP has directed a new movie call True Legend. Well, not that new, considering the review is dated November 2008.
I was wondering whether my list of Favorite Yuen Woo Ping movies is still up at Amazon. And sure enough, it turned up in a google search for Favorite Yuen Woo Ping movies. (And my old YWP page is still up at angelfire.)
[6/22/10 -- theflyingmachine likes some of the same movies]
But I see it's a little outdated.
Updated DVDs of Fist of Legend have since been released by Dragon Dynasty. So has Twin Warriors (as Tai Chi Master). Both have the Chinese soundtrack included as well as special features.
After Kung Fu Hustle, YWP has done work on Unleashed (Jet Li), House of Fury, Fearless (Jet Li), Legend of the Black Scorpion, Forbidden Kingdom. Coincidentally, I bought all of the movies except Unleashed (which I saw in the theatre), but never finished watching Legend of the Black Scorpion nor House of Fury.
I thought he might have been the choreographer on Ip Man too, but that was Sammo.
Beatles tribute albums
Since I pretty much have all the Beatles albums, I have also have a numbers of albums of other artists doing Beatles covers, and (sometimes like their version better).
The latest one I see (in the newspaper) is Come Together by Ginai with Pierre Grill. It's a jazzy rendition, sort of reminiscent of Sergio Mendez.
There's another Hawaiian group that did Beatles songs on an album too, but I can't find the article now. [Hmm... (after going through the stack of old newspapers) I think it was this article about the same album!] And I remember Herb Ohta did one a year or two again. Here it is.
My favorite Beatles tribute Albums:
I Got No Kick Against Modern Jazz
Come Together: America Salutes The Beatles
I Am Sam (soundtrack)
Other cover albums that I like:
Not Fade Away: Remembering Buddy Holly
Honeymoon In Vegas (soundtrack)
Bossa 'N Chicago (among other Bossa 'N albums)
Lists of Beatles Tribute Albums
Wikipedia
My collection of Beatles tribute albums ("Pete the music fan")
Specific Tribute Albums
[3/20/10] I'm listening to a few of the Amazon samplers and recommendations ("customers who bought this album also bought").
The Across The Universe soundtrack sounds interesting
One that I never heard of was All This and World War II mentioned in the SwapACD review of Across The Universe.
Here's wikipedia's entry: All This and World War II is a 1976 musical documentary that juxtaposes Beatles songs, performed by a number of musicians, with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films from the 1940s. It lasted a week in movie theaters and was quickly sent into storage, although it did play a midnight show at Landmark's Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles in June 2007.
There are two people selling the soundtrack on Amazon. One for $74.99. The other for $124.99. Here's a deal on ebay: $7 with free shipping! Hey, the guy's also selling Elvis Aloha From Hawaii album too. Wait, I think these are LPs. There's one listing for a CD. $89.99 (plus $3 shipping). Hip-O Select is sold out. Never mind.
Here's another one that came to mind while listening to Beatles Songs for Kids, Alvin and the Chipmunks!
Now at Fried Glass Onions Vol. 3 - Memphis Rocks The Beatles, I see 14 "also bought" pages, not all Beatles related. Albums from Germany, India, Japan, France. Unfortunately no samples. Here's an interesting reggae version of Sgt. Pepper. Baroque. Jazz. Blues. Rock. Alternative Rock (import). R&B (Glass Onion, Stax, Day Trippers). Cuban (interesting). Bossa Nova (Sergio Mendez-like). Another one. (And one to Sinatra) Exotic (international). Guitar. Piano. Cello. Gregorian. What did I miss? A fairly generic one, but not bad. Country (I actually have this one and it's sort of likeable). Lisa Lauren (jazzy). Smithereens (not bad). Headbashing (I'll pass). Garage band (another pass). Cheap Trick (sorry no samples).
I guess that's enough for now. I'm listening to the Blue Grass Album on Pete's list. Catchy. One more. Chet Atkins.
I'm now listening to the Bossa 'N Marley album. Catchy. I think I like almost as much as the Bossa 'N Chicago album.
[11/1/12] Some Bossa music on youtube
Can't Help Falling In Love
The latest one I see (in the newspaper) is Come Together by Ginai with Pierre Grill. It's a jazzy rendition, sort of reminiscent of Sergio Mendez.
There's another Hawaiian group that did Beatles songs on an album too, but I can't find the article now. [Hmm... (after going through the stack of old newspapers) I think it was this article about the same album!] And I remember Herb Ohta did one a year or two again. Here it is.
My favorite Beatles tribute Albums:
I Got No Kick Against Modern Jazz
Come Together: America Salutes The Beatles
I Am Sam (soundtrack)
Other cover albums that I like:
Not Fade Away: Remembering Buddy Holly
Honeymoon In Vegas (soundtrack)
Bossa 'N Chicago (among other Bossa 'N albums)
Lists of Beatles Tribute Albums
Wikipedia
My collection of Beatles tribute albums ("Pete the music fan")
Specific Tribute Albums
[3/20/10] I'm listening to a few of the Amazon samplers and recommendations ("customers who bought this album also bought").
The Across The Universe soundtrack sounds interesting
One that I never heard of was All This and World War II mentioned in the SwapACD review of Across The Universe.
Here's wikipedia's entry: All This and World War II is a 1976 musical documentary that juxtaposes Beatles songs, performed by a number of musicians, with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films from the 1940s. It lasted a week in movie theaters and was quickly sent into storage, although it did play a midnight show at Landmark's Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles in June 2007.
There are two people selling the soundtrack on Amazon. One for $74.99. The other for $124.99. Here's a deal on ebay: $7 with free shipping! Hey, the guy's also selling Elvis Aloha From Hawaii album too. Wait, I think these are LPs. There's one listing for a CD. $89.99 (plus $3 shipping). Hip-O Select is sold out. Never mind.
Here's another one that came to mind while listening to Beatles Songs for Kids, Alvin and the Chipmunks!
Now at Fried Glass Onions Vol. 3 - Memphis Rocks The Beatles, I see 14 "also bought" pages, not all Beatles related. Albums from Germany, India, Japan, France. Unfortunately no samples. Here's an interesting reggae version of Sgt. Pepper. Baroque. Jazz. Blues. Rock. Alternative Rock (import). R&B (Glass Onion, Stax, Day Trippers). Cuban (interesting). Bossa Nova (Sergio Mendez-like). Another one. (And one to Sinatra) Exotic (international). Guitar. Piano. Cello. Gregorian. What did I miss? A fairly generic one, but not bad. Country (I actually have this one and it's sort of likeable). Lisa Lauren (jazzy). Smithereens (not bad). Headbashing (I'll pass). Garage band (another pass). Cheap Trick (sorry no samples).
I guess that's enough for now. I'm listening to the Blue Grass Album on Pete's list. Catchy. One more. Chet Atkins.
I'm now listening to the Bossa 'N Marley album. Catchy. I think I like almost as much as the Bossa 'N Chicago album.
[11/1/12] Some Bossa music on youtube
Can't Help Falling In Love
The Trellis
Three little letters spelled big trouble for Kelly Wilkinson last spring after she had shoulder surgery. Wilkinson developed a dangerous blood clot known as a deep vein thrombosis — DVT — in her lower right leg. Clots like this are potentially life threatening because they can break apart, sending bits and pieces tumbling through the bloodstream where they can become lodged in a vessel, creating a logjam that cuts off blood flow to the heart, lungs or brain.
Standard DVT treatment puts patients on a lifetime regimen of medications commonly known as blood thinners, which prevent more clots from forming. The existing clot remains in the vein and patients always run the risk of a piece breaking off, causing a blood clot in the lungs, or less often, a heart attack or stroke. Other common complications include poor circulation in the legs, swelling and leg pain, and foot wounds that won't heal.
But a new treatment is changing that. A device known as the Trellis allows doctors to isolate the clot, administer clot-dissolving medication only to the blocked area and suction out the clot material — all in a procedure that takes a little more than half an hour.
The Trellis is unique because it uses two balloons, one deployed above and one below the clot, to keep the clot-dissolving medication only where it is needed. Dr. Vasco Marques of the Pepin Heart Center at University Community Hospital in Tampa, which is among those offering Trellis, says the clot-dissolving medication makes the clot soft so it can be vacuumed out.
Other treatments for DVT are available that put clot-dissolving medication directly in the clot, but only the Trellis system keeps that powerful medication confined to a focused area, reducing the risk of bleeding, he said.
Standard DVT treatment puts patients on a lifetime regimen of medications commonly known as blood thinners, which prevent more clots from forming. The existing clot remains in the vein and patients always run the risk of a piece breaking off, causing a blood clot in the lungs, or less often, a heart attack or stroke. Other common complications include poor circulation in the legs, swelling and leg pain, and foot wounds that won't heal.
But a new treatment is changing that. A device known as the Trellis allows doctors to isolate the clot, administer clot-dissolving medication only to the blocked area and suction out the clot material — all in a procedure that takes a little more than half an hour.
The Trellis is unique because it uses two balloons, one deployed above and one below the clot, to keep the clot-dissolving medication only where it is needed. Dr. Vasco Marques of the Pepin Heart Center at University Community Hospital in Tampa, which is among those offering Trellis, says the clot-dissolving medication makes the clot soft so it can be vacuumed out.
Other treatments for DVT are available that put clot-dissolving medication directly in the clot, but only the Trellis system keeps that powerful medication confined to a focused area, reducing the risk of bleeding, he said.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
No more than once a week
A man identified in China's Chongqing Evening News in November as Mr. Zhang, 32, admitted he is competitive with his wife and "never wants to lose an argument," but inevitably his contentiousness leaves him with "bruises and scars all over" because Mrs. Zhang is a kung fu master. After negotiations led by Mrs. Zhang's parents, she agreed by contract to limit any beatings to no more than once a week, with a parent-administered penalty for exceeding that. [Daily Telegraph (London), 12-2-09]
[printed in Midweek, 2/17/10]
[printed in Midweek, 2/17/10]
Friday, March 05, 2010
Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection
I saw this for sale at Wal-Mart and wondered whether it was worth buying. Especially since I already own Bruce Lee - The Master Collection Set.
According to this ign review, the video has been improved and they now include the Cantonese and Mandarin sound tracks. And there are a few new extras.
So it might be worth getting if I were to actually watch the movies. Maybe I could sell my Master Collection and get this, but the Master Collection does contain the Bruce Lee: The Legend documentary.
The other DVD I might consider is the Enter The Dragon (Two-Disc Special Edition). This includes both Enter The Dragon and Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey. As well as the documentaries: Blood and Steel, Bruce Lee: In His Own Words, Bruce Lee: The Curse of the Dragon, and Backyard Workout with Bruce Lee.
And now I see there's a Blu-Ray version of Enter The Dragon which also contains Warrior's Journey and the other documentaries. The four reviews linked above are all quite favorable. One to add to my list.
***
[5/14/11] Saw Enter The Dragon Blu-Ray at Wal-Mart today for only $8. Couldn't resist the price. Unfortunately I see that this is a newer version that doesn't include Warrior's Journey. [I thought it was kind of strange that I didn't see it on the back cover. Didn't know there were two versions of the disk. Oh well..] I guess it doesn't really make that much difference, since it was still in SD on the Blu-Ray disk. So what that means, is I just have to keep my Warrior's Journey. Or if I ever get the earlier version, I can sell or swap the newer version.
Amazon is still selling both versions. The new version (released 6/15/10) for 9.49 and the original version (4/17/07) for $14.99.
According to this ign review, the video has been improved and they now include the Cantonese and Mandarin sound tracks. And there are a few new extras.
So it might be worth getting if I were to actually watch the movies. Maybe I could sell my Master Collection and get this, but the Master Collection does contain the Bruce Lee: The Legend documentary.
The other DVD I might consider is the Enter The Dragon (Two-Disc Special Edition). This includes both Enter The Dragon and Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey. As well as the documentaries: Blood and Steel, Bruce Lee: In His Own Words, Bruce Lee: The Curse of the Dragon, and Backyard Workout with Bruce Lee.
And now I see there's a Blu-Ray version of Enter The Dragon which also contains Warrior's Journey and the other documentaries. The four reviews linked above are all quite favorable. One to add to my list.
***
[5/14/11] Saw Enter The Dragon Blu-Ray at Wal-Mart today for only $8. Couldn't resist the price. Unfortunately I see that this is a newer version that doesn't include Warrior's Journey. [I thought it was kind of strange that I didn't see it on the back cover. Didn't know there were two versions of the disk. Oh well..] I guess it doesn't really make that much difference, since it was still in SD on the Blu-Ray disk. So what that means, is I just have to keep my Warrior's Journey. Or if I ever get the earlier version, I can sell or swap the newer version.
Amazon is still selling both versions. The new version (released 6/15/10) for 9.49 and the original version (4/17/07) for $14.99.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Building Blocks of HMSA’s eat healthy Campaign
Below are the key messages for the eat healthy campaign. These are the building blocks for our campaign, and good advice for anyone wanting to improve their diet. Watch for more information on these and other topics throughout the campaign in Island Scene, in the media, and on the eat healthy web site.
Remember, eat smart, eat healthy, enjoy!
Be wary of nutrition trends and fads
Portion control
The healthy proportion for your plate
Eat only when you’re hungry
Stay hydrated
Eat breakfast
Have smaller, more frequent meals
Choose whole grains
Use your calories wisely – don’t waste them on sugary drinks
Eat fruits and vegetables
Choose filling, nutritious foods
Healthier choices when eating out
Healthy substitutions
Remember, eat smart, eat healthy, enjoy!
Be wary of nutrition trends and fads
Portion control
The healthy proportion for your plate
Eat only when you’re hungry
Stay hydrated
Eat breakfast
Have smaller, more frequent meals
Choose whole grains
Use your calories wisely – don’t waste them on sugary drinks
Eat fruits and vegetables
Choose filling, nutritious foods
Healthier choices when eating out
Healthy substitutions
Saturday, February 27, 2010
SwapADVD
Hey I joined up SwapADVD (see my SwapACD post somewhere below).
As soon as I posted Master Killer (didn't really want to keep it especially since I recently bought 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the Dragon Dynasty release, which is the same movie, but cleaned up and with sub-titles and better audio), I got a request from Arizona to send it (well I guess they were in a queue to get it).
Joined SwapABook too, actually called paperbackswap.
***
There's a couple other swapping sites (from this post) that look intriguing that I may investigate one of these weeks: SwapTree and Goozex.
***
Here's another one from this list of The 100 most useful sites on the Internet: Title Trader.
As soon as I posted Master Killer (didn't really want to keep it especially since I recently bought 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the Dragon Dynasty release, which is the same movie, but cleaned up and with sub-titles and better audio), I got a request from Arizona to send it (well I guess they were in a queue to get it).
Joined SwapABook too, actually called paperbackswap.
***
There's a couple other swapping sites (from this post) that look intriguing that I may investigate one of these weeks: SwapTree and Goozex.
***
Here's another one from this list of The 100 most useful sites on the Internet: Title Trader.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Blu-Ray
I think it's quite likely I'm going to get a new TV this year (any week now). Which should mean Blu-Ray DVDs to quickly follow.
What movies to get? I'm thinking of getting some of my favorite movies that I think would display nicely on Blu-Ray. (Not that I'm going to actually take the time to sit down and watch the whole movie again. It'll probably be like when I bought the DVDs of the movies I already had on VHS.)
Anyway, Blu-ray.com looks like a good place to for reviews of Blu-Ray movies. [So are High-Def Digest and good ole' dvdtalk.] Here's my preliminary list.
1. The Matrix
2. Independence Day
3. Kung Fu Hustle
4. Planet Earth - if nothing else, but to show off the TV and the Blu-Ray player.
[added 3/5/10]
5. Live Free or Die Hard - I recorded this from cable which was the full-screen PG-13 version but wouldn't mind getting the Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray version is also the PG-13 version and not the unrated version out on DVD. Which is fine with me.
[5/27/10 - I saw at WalMart yesterday, Live Free or Die Hard with BOTH the PG-13 and unrated versions on it. Plus it was only $7.50. I was tempted, but I'll think I'll hold out for the Blu-Ray version on dvdswap. There were new editions of this movie that came out last month (4/13/10) and I'm guessing maybe these editions now contain both versions of the movie. Well, here's one reference that says both versions are included though the title still says unrated widescreen version.]
[4/19/11 - Here's a page detailing the differences between the PG-13 and Unrated version. I saw this page before (or one like it), but couldn't find it again until now. (Searched for Live Free or Die Hard PG-13)]
On a related note, I might not mind getting a censored version of Blade Trinity either, another movie I also kind of liked, though most critics didn't like it. The IGN review is one of the few favorable ones. I have the unrated DVD. There are indeed two versions of the Blade Trinity DVD: Unrated and Not Unrated, but the movie, unlike Life Free or Die Hard, is an R-rated movie. So maybe not.
[6/2/10] After wasting away much of the day trying to figure out what else to buy on Amazon (besides the motion light -- so I can get free shipping), I decided to buy a WaterPik for my failing teeth. But I really considered getting The Dark Knight which is selling for less than ten bucks and gets excellent reviews. Then later, I looked at a whole bunch of one-star reviews for Up (because the plain DVD has no extras or subtitles). On the other hand, the Blu-Ray mostly gets rave reviews (except for some having DRM problems).
[5/5/13] I saw the LFODH DVD at BookOff (on 4/10/13). But it was $7 instead of $3 so naturally I didn't get it. But I did write down the UPC code 02454347616020. So maybe I can get it at swapadvd. But I think they might have the same UPC code for both the unrated version DVD and the DVD version with both. That was the case with the Buddy Holly Story where they had the same UPC code for both the full-screen version and the full-screen and wide-screen flipper version.
Nope, didn't come up in the search at swapadvd. But I see there's a lot of bar codes for the movie. If I take out the 20 at the end, I get the Unrated edition, which might be the right one. Clicking on the Amazon link shows the unrated cover, but the information states PG-13.
[11/5/13 more bar codes from a slip of paper from I don't know where]
02454347616080
024543838203 (Blu-Ray)
02454347636880
What movies to get? I'm thinking of getting some of my favorite movies that I think would display nicely on Blu-Ray. (Not that I'm going to actually take the time to sit down and watch the whole movie again. It'll probably be like when I bought the DVDs of the movies I already had on VHS.)
Anyway, Blu-ray.com looks like a good place to for reviews of Blu-Ray movies. [So are High-Def Digest and good ole' dvdtalk.] Here's my preliminary list.
1. The Matrix
2. Independence Day
3. Kung Fu Hustle
4. Planet Earth - if nothing else, but to show off the TV and the Blu-Ray player.
[added 3/5/10]
5. Live Free or Die Hard - I recorded this from cable which was the full-screen PG-13 version but wouldn't mind getting the Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray version is also the PG-13 version and not the unrated version out on DVD. Which is fine with me.
[5/27/10 - I saw at WalMart yesterday, Live Free or Die Hard with BOTH the PG-13 and unrated versions on it. Plus it was only $7.50. I was tempted, but I'll think I'll hold out for the Blu-Ray version on dvdswap. There were new editions of this movie that came out last month (4/13/10) and I'm guessing maybe these editions now contain both versions of the movie. Well, here's one reference that says both versions are included though the title still says unrated widescreen version.]
[4/19/11 - Here's a page detailing the differences between the PG-13 and Unrated version. I saw this page before (or one like it), but couldn't find it again until now. (Searched for Live Free or Die Hard PG-13)]
On a related note, I might not mind getting a censored version of Blade Trinity either, another movie I also kind of liked, though most critics didn't like it. The IGN review is one of the few favorable ones. I have the unrated DVD. There are indeed two versions of the Blade Trinity DVD: Unrated and Not Unrated, but the movie, unlike Life Free or Die Hard, is an R-rated movie. So maybe not.
[6/2/10] After wasting away much of the day trying to figure out what else to buy on Amazon (besides the motion light -- so I can get free shipping), I decided to buy a WaterPik for my failing teeth. But I really considered getting The Dark Knight which is selling for less than ten bucks and gets excellent reviews. Then later, I looked at a whole bunch of one-star reviews for Up (because the plain DVD has no extras or subtitles). On the other hand, the Blu-Ray mostly gets rave reviews (except for some having DRM problems).
[5/5/13] I saw the LFODH DVD at BookOff (on 4/10/13). But it was $7 instead of $3 so naturally I didn't get it. But I did write down the UPC code 02454347616020. So maybe I can get it at swapadvd. But I think they might have the same UPC code for both the unrated version DVD and the DVD version with both. That was the case with the Buddy Holly Story where they had the same UPC code for both the full-screen version and the full-screen and wide-screen flipper version.
Nope, didn't come up in the search at swapadvd. But I see there's a lot of bar codes for the movie. If I take out the 20 at the end, I get the Unrated edition, which might be the right one. Clicking on the Amazon link shows the unrated cover, but the information states PG-13.
[11/5/13 more bar codes from a slip of paper from I don't know where]
02454347616080
024543838203 (Blu-Ray)
02454347636880
Monday, February 22, 2010
We Are The World for Haiti
LOS ANGELES - The charity anthem “We Are the World” has been rerecorded by 80 artists who came together in the same Hollywood studio where the original was cut 25 years ago.
Pink, Natalie Cole, Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion, Brian Wilson and others stood shoulder-to-shoulder on risers at Henson Recording studios Monday night to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.
“This one, the enthusiasm, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Lionel Richie, who wrote the original with Michael Jackson and oversaw the new version with music mogul Quincy Jones, 76.
Jones, who produced the 1985 anthem, announced last week that he planned to redo the song to benefit recovery efforts after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12.
The original “We Are the World” thundered up the charts when it was released in March 1985.
An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of Jan. 28, 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper.
The record raised more than $30 million for USA for Africa, a nonprofit organization the singers founded to fund hunger relief in Africa.
None of the original performers returned Monday because none were asked, said Randy Phillips, chief executive of AEG Live and also Richie’s manager.
***
The video of "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" premiered Friday night (February 12) during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The new incarnation of the 1985 song sticks closely to the arrangement of the original, but the cast is much larger and, of course, much more contemporary.
On television, the song was introduced by a message from original "We Are the World" principals Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones, who urged viewers to contribute via World25.org, iTunes or by texting "World" to 50555.
A tightly edited version of the video was aired on Friday night, but the long version is available now on iTunes.
Pink, Natalie Cole, Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion, Brian Wilson and others stood shoulder-to-shoulder on risers at Henson Recording studios Monday night to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.
“This one, the enthusiasm, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Lionel Richie, who wrote the original with Michael Jackson and oversaw the new version with music mogul Quincy Jones, 76.
Jones, who produced the 1985 anthem, announced last week that he planned to redo the song to benefit recovery efforts after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12.
The original “We Are the World” thundered up the charts when it was released in March 1985.
An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of Jan. 28, 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper.
The record raised more than $30 million for USA for Africa, a nonprofit organization the singers founded to fund hunger relief in Africa.
None of the original performers returned Monday because none were asked, said Randy Phillips, chief executive of AEG Live and also Richie’s manager.
***
The video of "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" premiered Friday night (February 12) during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The new incarnation of the 1985 song sticks closely to the arrangement of the original, but the cast is much larger and, of course, much more contemporary.
On television, the song was introduced by a message from original "We Are the World" principals Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones, who urged viewers to contribute via World25.org, iTunes or by texting "World" to 50555.
A tightly edited version of the video was aired on Friday night, but the long version is available now on iTunes.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Bill Gates on innovation
In India, just like everywhere else we work, the needs of the poor are greater than the resources available to help them solve their problems. It is important to get more money, but that alone will not solve the big problems. This is why Melinda and I are such big believers in innovations that allow you to do a lot more for the same cost.
During the last two centuries, there have been a huge number of innovations that have fundamentally changed the human condition — more than doubling our life span and giving us cheap energy and more food. Society underinvests in innovation in general but particularly in two important areas. One area is innovations that would mostly benefit poor people — there is too little investment here because the poor can’t generate a market demand. The second area is sectors like education or preventative health services, where there isn’t an agreed-upon measure of excellence to tell the market how to pick the best ideas.
If we project what the world will be like 10 years from now without innovation in health, education, energy, or food, the picture is quite bleak. Health costs for the rich will escalate, forcing tough trade-offs and keeping the poor stuck in the bad situation they are in today. In the United States, rising education costs will mean that fewer people will be able to get a great college education and the public K–12 system will still be doing a poor job for the underprivileged. We will have to increase the price of energy to reduce consumption, and the poor will suffer from both this higher cost and the effects of climate change. In food we will have big shortages because we won’t have enough land to feed the world’s growing population and support its richer diet.
However, I am optimistic that innovations will allow us to avoid these bleak outcomes. In the United States, advances in online learning and new ways to help teachers improve will make a great education more accessible than ever. With vaccines, drugs, and other improvements, health in poor countries will continue to get better, and people will choose to have smaller families. With better seeds, training, and access to markets, farmers in poor countries will be able to grow more food. The world will find clean ways to produce electricity at a lower cost, and more people will lift themselves out of poverty.
Although innovation is unpredictable, there is a lot that governments, private companies, and foundations can do to accelerate it. Rich governments need to spend more on research and development, for instance, and we need better measurement systems in health and education to determine what works.
Melinda and I see our foundation’s key role as investing in innovations that would not otherwise be funded. This draws not only on our backgrounds in technology but also on the foundation’s size and ability to take a long-term view and take large risks on new approaches. Warren Buffett put it well in 2006 when he told us, “Don’t just go for safe projects. You can bat a thousand in this game if you want to by doing nothing important. Or you’ll bat something less than that if you take on the really tough problems.” We are backing innovations in education, food, and health as well as some related areas like savings for the poor.
[2010 Annual Letter from Bill Gates via brknews]
During the last two centuries, there have been a huge number of innovations that have fundamentally changed the human condition — more than doubling our life span and giving us cheap energy and more food. Society underinvests in innovation in general but particularly in two important areas. One area is innovations that would mostly benefit poor people — there is too little investment here because the poor can’t generate a market demand. The second area is sectors like education or preventative health services, where there isn’t an agreed-upon measure of excellence to tell the market how to pick the best ideas.
If we project what the world will be like 10 years from now without innovation in health, education, energy, or food, the picture is quite bleak. Health costs for the rich will escalate, forcing tough trade-offs and keeping the poor stuck in the bad situation they are in today. In the United States, rising education costs will mean that fewer people will be able to get a great college education and the public K–12 system will still be doing a poor job for the underprivileged. We will have to increase the price of energy to reduce consumption, and the poor will suffer from both this higher cost and the effects of climate change. In food we will have big shortages because we won’t have enough land to feed the world’s growing population and support its richer diet.
However, I am optimistic that innovations will allow us to avoid these bleak outcomes. In the United States, advances in online learning and new ways to help teachers improve will make a great education more accessible than ever. With vaccines, drugs, and other improvements, health in poor countries will continue to get better, and people will choose to have smaller families. With better seeds, training, and access to markets, farmers in poor countries will be able to grow more food. The world will find clean ways to produce electricity at a lower cost, and more people will lift themselves out of poverty.
Although innovation is unpredictable, there is a lot that governments, private companies, and foundations can do to accelerate it. Rich governments need to spend more on research and development, for instance, and we need better measurement systems in health and education to determine what works.
Melinda and I see our foundation’s key role as investing in innovations that would not otherwise be funded. This draws not only on our backgrounds in technology but also on the foundation’s size and ability to take a long-term view and take large risks on new approaches. Warren Buffett put it well in 2006 when he told us, “Don’t just go for safe projects. You can bat a thousand in this game if you want to by doing nothing important. Or you’ll bat something less than that if you take on the really tough problems.” We are backing innovations in education, food, and health as well as some related areas like savings for the poor.
[2010 Annual Letter from Bill Gates via brknews]
Friday, February 12, 2010
color and health
Let colors help paint a happier, healthier you
Don't give up on New Year's resolutions. It is never too late to start your exercise program or to lose those few extra pounds. Use the concepts behind your local diner's blue plate special for color motivations.
There might be many articles that have diet and exercise tips, but none that suggest how easy and inexpensive it is to use color to help get to the gym or eat the right foods to inspire better health.
Since ancient Egypt, color has been known to have emotional and physiological associations. Traditionally, the mind disassociates blue with eating because there are very few blue-colored foods in nature. The food psychology of the blue plate gives the impression that you are satisfied while consuming less and the festive qualities of eating blueberries disguise their low-calorie and great health benefits.
I've studied the meaning of colors and their influence on the body and emotions for more than 20 years, presenting color workshops worldwide and teaching color classes, and over time have discovered many motivating ideas people can use to improve all aspects of their life. For example:
NUTRITION
All naturally colored foods have specific antioxidants that reduce aging and not only have proven health benefits, the emotional association of their color reflects those benefits.
Orange is the color of optimism and eating an orange if you have a head cold instantly inspires feeling better; it is known to strengthen the immune system.
TRADITIONAL MOTIVATIONS
Red inspires action. Wear red clothes when popping in an exercise tape or taking a walk around the block to fill your body with extra vitality and stamina.
Yellow is the commitment and confidence-building color. Put a yellow dish towel on the fridge handle to dedicated to eating low-calorie, healthy snacks when standing there with the door open.
Orange is the color of body appreciation. Put some orange flowers on your desk and relish their beauty; feel that your are getting more beautiful when looking at them.
Green is the color of love, and taking care of your health starts with loving yourself. In addition to just eating your veggies, it's many applications can easily help motivate your wellness and make it fun.
Blue is the color for improving mental clarity for clearer communications and decisiveness.
Indigo helps awaken intuition and your higher self.
Violet is the color of the divine, helping individuals find their way toward bliss and making deeper connections to the cosmos.
Here’s another easy, healthy organizing tip. Assign one of the seven rainbow colors for each day to stay on task. I even organize my vitamins in colored, clear-plastic boxes that look like jewels to remember to take them! It also saves time by not having to open up the bottles every day.
--- Jami Lin is the author of six books on feng shui and interior design. More of her work can be view on JamiLin.com and ColorAlchemy.com.
***
[this article appeared in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, 1/24/10, but I could only find this edited version in a google cache. I typed the article using the edited version as a source, but actually the edited version is better written, so it's included below. For some reason, the editor omitted the paragraphs on blue, indigo, and violet.]
***
Color-coordinate your diet and exercise!
Written by Administrator
Friday, 22 January 2010 17:24
By Pam Philpott, Staff Writer
Have you given up on your New Year’s resolutions yet? It is never too late to restart your exercise program or to lose those extra pounds, and you can use color to help.
According to Florida color expert Jami Lin, color has been known to have emotional and physiological associations since the time of ancient Egypt. It’s easy and inexpensive to use color at the gym or eat the right foods to inspire better health.
All naturally colored foods have specific antioxidants that reduce aging, and the emotional association of their color reflects their proven health benefits. For example, orange is the color of optimism and eating an orange when you have a head cold instantly makes you feel better, plus it is known to strengthen the immune system.
The mind disassociates blue with eating because there are very few blue-colored foods in nature. A blue plate gives the impression that you are satisfied with consuming less, while the festive qualities of eating blueberries disguises their low-calorie and great health benefits.
Red inspires action, so Jami advises that you wear red clothes to give your body extra vitality and stamina when popping in an exercise tape, taking a walk around the block or going to the gym. Yellow is the commitment and confidence-building color. Put a yellow dishtowel on the fridge handle to remind yourself to eat low-calorie, healthy snacks when you open the fridge door.
Orange is the color of body appreciation. Put some orange flowers on your desk and feel good about how you look. Green is the color of love, and taking care of your health starts with loving yourself. In addition to just eating your veggies, you can let green motivate your wellness and make it fun.
Here’s an easy, healthy organizing tip from Jami: “By assigning one of the seven rainbow colors for each day, I organize my vitamins in colored, clear-plastic boxes that look like jewels to remember to take them! It also saves so much time by not having to open up the bottles every day,” she says.
Jami has studied the meaning of colors and their influence on the body and emotions for more than 20 years. She has presented color workshops worldwide, taught color classes at Miami-Dade Community College and for professional associations, such as AID (American Society of Interior Designers).
In addition to her award-winning ColorAlchemy book, she has six published books on Feng Shui and Interior Design, several of which became Book-of-the-Month Club selections. For more information, visit JamiLin.com, Feng-Shui-Interior-Design.com, and ColorAlchemy.com.
Don't give up on New Year's resolutions. It is never too late to start your exercise program or to lose those few extra pounds. Use the concepts behind your local diner's blue plate special for color motivations.
There might be many articles that have diet and exercise tips, but none that suggest how easy and inexpensive it is to use color to help get to the gym or eat the right foods to inspire better health.
Since ancient Egypt, color has been known to have emotional and physiological associations. Traditionally, the mind disassociates blue with eating because there are very few blue-colored foods in nature. The food psychology of the blue plate gives the impression that you are satisfied while consuming less and the festive qualities of eating blueberries disguise their low-calorie and great health benefits.
I've studied the meaning of colors and their influence on the body and emotions for more than 20 years, presenting color workshops worldwide and teaching color classes, and over time have discovered many motivating ideas people can use to improve all aspects of their life. For example:
NUTRITION
All naturally colored foods have specific antioxidants that reduce aging and not only have proven health benefits, the emotional association of their color reflects those benefits.
Orange is the color of optimism and eating an orange if you have a head cold instantly inspires feeling better; it is known to strengthen the immune system.
TRADITIONAL MOTIVATIONS
Red inspires action. Wear red clothes when popping in an exercise tape or taking a walk around the block to fill your body with extra vitality and stamina.
Yellow is the commitment and confidence-building color. Put a yellow dish towel on the fridge handle to dedicated to eating low-calorie, healthy snacks when standing there with the door open.
Orange is the color of body appreciation. Put some orange flowers on your desk and relish their beauty; feel that your are getting more beautiful when looking at them.
Green is the color of love, and taking care of your health starts with loving yourself. In addition to just eating your veggies, it's many applications can easily help motivate your wellness and make it fun.
Blue is the color for improving mental clarity for clearer communications and decisiveness.
Indigo helps awaken intuition and your higher self.
Violet is the color of the divine, helping individuals find their way toward bliss and making deeper connections to the cosmos.
Here’s another easy, healthy organizing tip. Assign one of the seven rainbow colors for each day to stay on task. I even organize my vitamins in colored, clear-plastic boxes that look like jewels to remember to take them! It also saves time by not having to open up the bottles every day.
--- Jami Lin is the author of six books on feng shui and interior design. More of her work can be view on JamiLin.com and ColorAlchemy.com.
***
[this article appeared in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, 1/24/10, but I could only find this edited version in a google cache. I typed the article using the edited version as a source, but actually the edited version is better written, so it's included below. For some reason, the editor omitted the paragraphs on blue, indigo, and violet.]
***
Color-coordinate your diet and exercise!
Written by Administrator
Friday, 22 January 2010 17:24
By Pam Philpott, Staff Writer
Have you given up on your New Year’s resolutions yet? It is never too late to restart your exercise program or to lose those extra pounds, and you can use color to help.
According to Florida color expert Jami Lin, color has been known to have emotional and physiological associations since the time of ancient Egypt. It’s easy and inexpensive to use color at the gym or eat the right foods to inspire better health.
All naturally colored foods have specific antioxidants that reduce aging, and the emotional association of their color reflects their proven health benefits. For example, orange is the color of optimism and eating an orange when you have a head cold instantly makes you feel better, plus it is known to strengthen the immune system.
The mind disassociates blue with eating because there are very few blue-colored foods in nature. A blue plate gives the impression that you are satisfied with consuming less, while the festive qualities of eating blueberries disguises their low-calorie and great health benefits.
Red inspires action, so Jami advises that you wear red clothes to give your body extra vitality and stamina when popping in an exercise tape, taking a walk around the block or going to the gym. Yellow is the commitment and confidence-building color. Put a yellow dishtowel on the fridge handle to remind yourself to eat low-calorie, healthy snacks when you open the fridge door.
Orange is the color of body appreciation. Put some orange flowers on your desk and feel good about how you look. Green is the color of love, and taking care of your health starts with loving yourself. In addition to just eating your veggies, you can let green motivate your wellness and make it fun.
Here’s an easy, healthy organizing tip from Jami: “By assigning one of the seven rainbow colors for each day, I organize my vitamins in colored, clear-plastic boxes that look like jewels to remember to take them! It also saves so much time by not having to open up the bottles every day,” she says.
Jami has studied the meaning of colors and their influence on the body and emotions for more than 20 years. She has presented color workshops worldwide, taught color classes at Miami-Dade Community College and for professional associations, such as AID (American Society of Interior Designers).
In addition to her award-winning ColorAlchemy book, she has six published books on Feng Shui and Interior Design, several of which became Book-of-the-Month Club selections. For more information, visit JamiLin.com, Feng-Shui-Interior-Design.com, and ColorAlchemy.com.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Conan leaves NBC
Ending one of the ugliest chapters in NBC’s storied history, the Peacock officially announced today that it has reached an agreement with Conan O’Brien, who has agreed to abdicate his role as the host of The Tonight Show by Jan. 22 in exchange for a large cash payout that sources place at more than $40 million — some of which will go toward severance for his staff — and the promise not to seek employment elsewhere until after Sept. 1.
At the same time, Jay Leno, whose failed primetime show was canceled earlier this month, will return to The Tonight Show on March 1, when job one will no doubt be to restore the franchise’s dwindling ratings: O’Brien just ushered in the Tonight Show’s worst November-sweeps performance since 1993 (a staggering 52 percent loss among viewers versus the same month last year). Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will continue at 12:35 a.m.
***
The late-night guessing game is over, with a startling twist: Conan O'Brien is choosing TBS as his future talk-show home.
Expected to debut in November, the as-yet-untitled show will return O'Brien to the air after an absence that began in January when he left NBC, his employer of 17 years.
O'Brien's new program will air Mondays through Thursdays at 11 p.m. Eastern, which will shift "Lopez Tonight," starring George Lopez, to midnight. O'Brien's show will originate from Los Angeles, where he moved from New York for his unsuccessful stint hosting "The Tonight Show." And the second half of his show will face off against Jay Leno, who now hosts "Tonight."
Upon TBS' announcement Monday, O'Brien quickly fired out a celebratory tweet.
"The good news: I will be doing a show on TBS starting in November! The bad news: I'll be playing Rudy on the all new Cosby Show," he posted on Twitter.
At the same time, Jay Leno, whose failed primetime show was canceled earlier this month, will return to The Tonight Show on March 1, when job one will no doubt be to restore the franchise’s dwindling ratings: O’Brien just ushered in the Tonight Show’s worst November-sweeps performance since 1993 (a staggering 52 percent loss among viewers versus the same month last year). Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will continue at 12:35 a.m.
***
The late-night guessing game is over, with a startling twist: Conan O'Brien is choosing TBS as his future talk-show home.
Expected to debut in November, the as-yet-untitled show will return O'Brien to the air after an absence that began in January when he left NBC, his employer of 17 years.
O'Brien's new program will air Mondays through Thursdays at 11 p.m. Eastern, which will shift "Lopez Tonight," starring George Lopez, to midnight. O'Brien's show will originate from Los Angeles, where he moved from New York for his unsuccessful stint hosting "The Tonight Show." And the second half of his show will face off against Jay Leno, who now hosts "Tonight."
Upon TBS' announcement Monday, O'Brien quickly fired out a celebratory tweet.
"The good news: I will be doing a show on TBS starting in November! The bad news: I'll be playing Rudy on the all new Cosby Show," he posted on Twitter.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Classic Kung Fu Movies
This is a blog that links to classic kung fu movies that you can view over the internet.
Like Shaolin Drunkard, Drunken Tai Chi, Five Deadly Venoms, Invincible Pole Fighter, House of Traps to name a few.
Also interviews with Yuen Woo Ping and Sammo Hung.
***
[5/11/10] I was browsing Chop Socky Cinema Hong Kong as a possible add to my DVD collection. I don't think it won't because I already recorded it from cable (IFC I think) and the DVD doesn't add much to it (I read somewhere but now I can't find it) except some short interviews.
From the Amazon page, listed as what customers buy after viewing this item is the Art of Action, which I already own. And Cinema of Vengeance, another documentary which I wasn't familiar with. But I see it's on youtube.
So is Art of Action for that matter.
And Cinema Hong Kong too.
[7/26/12 - a few more documentaries]
Amazing Masters of Martial Arts (hosted by Ken Howard)
Kung Fu Fighting
Needle Through Brick
[11/4/12] And Masters of the Martial Arts (though not really a documentary, kind of an awards show shown on TNT sort of promoting Wesley Snipes when Blade came out)
[6/21/12] While searching for True Legend, I see a bunch kung fu movies uploaded to youtube (for who knows how long?) Here's a few:
Come Drink With Me (1966)
36th Chamber of Shaolin aka Shaolin Master Killer
Return to the 36th Chamber
8 Diagram Pole Fighter aka Invincible Pole Fighter
5 Deadly Venoms
Descendants of Wing Chun
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung (1980)
Heroes of the East (1978) [I have this on my swapadvd wishlist]
My Young Auntie (1981) [also on my wishlist, evidently it keeps getting removed, then re-uploaded?)
No One Can Touch Her (comment)
Shaolin Temple (Jet Li)
Fong Sai Yuk (1993) (aka The Legend) (Jet Li)
The Legend 2 (Jet Li)
Legend of the Red Dragon (Jet Li)
Deadly China Hero (Jet Li)
Last Hero in China (1993) (Jet Li)
Rumble in the Bronx (Jackie Chan)
City Hunter (Jackie Chan)
Crime Story (Jackie Chan)
Mr. Nice Guy (Jackie Chan)
Who Am I? (Jackie Chan)x
Twin Dragons (Jackie Chan)
Drunken Master II (Jackie Chan)
The Accidental Spy (Jackie Chan)
[11/4/12] Tacquee uploaded a few more
The Young Master (Jackie Chan)
Wheels on Meals (Jackie Chan)
Heart of Dragon (Jackie Chan)
The Myth (Jackie Chan)
Tiger Cage 2 (Donnie Yen)
Iron Monkey (Donnie Yen)
Legend of the Fist: Return of Chen Zhen (Donnie Yen)
Reign of Assassins (Michelle Yeoh) [w/ subtitles]
Invincible Armour (featuring baddest fight scenes)
Lots more uploaded by MrMrkungfu1
Legend of a Fighter (directed by Yuen Woo Ping)
Like Shaolin Drunkard, Drunken Tai Chi, Five Deadly Venoms, Invincible Pole Fighter, House of Traps to name a few.
Also interviews with Yuen Woo Ping and Sammo Hung.
***
[5/11/10] I was browsing Chop Socky Cinema Hong Kong as a possible add to my DVD collection. I don't think it won't because I already recorded it from cable (IFC I think) and the DVD doesn't add much to it (I read somewhere but now I can't find it) except some short interviews.
From the Amazon page, listed as what customers buy after viewing this item is the Art of Action, which I already own. And Cinema of Vengeance, another documentary which I wasn't familiar with. But I see it's on youtube.
So is Art of Action for that matter.
And Cinema Hong Kong too.
[7/26/12 - a few more documentaries]
Amazing Masters of Martial Arts (hosted by Ken Howard)
Kung Fu Fighting
Needle Through Brick
[11/4/12] And Masters of the Martial Arts (though not really a documentary, kind of an awards show shown on TNT sort of promoting Wesley Snipes when Blade came out)
[6/21/12] While searching for True Legend, I see a bunch kung fu movies uploaded to youtube (for who knows how long?) Here's a few:
Come Drink With Me (1966)
36th Chamber of Shaolin aka Shaolin Master Killer
Return to the 36th Chamber
8 Diagram Pole Fighter aka Invincible Pole Fighter
5 Deadly Venoms
Descendants of Wing Chun
Ten Tigers of Kwangtung (1980)
Heroes of the East (1978) [I have this on my swapadvd wishlist]
My Young Auntie (1981) [also on my wishlist, evidently it keeps getting removed, then re-uploaded?)
No One Can Touch Her (comment)
Shaolin Temple (Jet Li)
Fong Sai Yuk (1993) (aka The Legend) (Jet Li)
The Legend 2 (Jet Li)
Legend of the Red Dragon (Jet Li)
Deadly China Hero (Jet Li)
Last Hero in China (1993) (Jet Li)
Rumble in the Bronx (Jackie Chan)
City Hunter (Jackie Chan)
Crime Story (Jackie Chan)
Mr. Nice Guy (Jackie Chan)
Who Am I? (Jackie Chan)x
Twin Dragons (Jackie Chan)
Drunken Master II (Jackie Chan)
The Accidental Spy (Jackie Chan)
[11/4/12] Tacquee uploaded a few more
The Young Master (Jackie Chan)
Wheels on Meals (Jackie Chan)
Heart of Dragon (Jackie Chan)
The Myth (Jackie Chan)
Tiger Cage 2 (Donnie Yen)
Iron Monkey (Donnie Yen)
Legend of the Fist: Return of Chen Zhen (Donnie Yen)
Reign of Assassins (Michelle Yeoh) [w/ subtitles]
Invincible Armour (featuring baddest fight scenes)
Lots more uploaded by MrMrkungfu1
Legend of a Fighter (directed by Yuen Woo Ping)
Friday, January 22, 2010
a savings revolution
there’s evidence that one of the most effective tools to fight global poverty may be neither a fishing rod nor a gun, but a savings accounts. What we need is a savings revolution.
One of the ugly secrets of global poverty is that a good deal of suffering is caused not only by low incomes but also by bad spending decisions. Research suggests that the world’s poorest families (typically the men in those families) spend about 20 percent of their incomes on a combination of alcohol, cigarettes, prostitution, soft drinks and extravagant festivals.
In Kenya, two economists conducted an experiment by paying the fees to open bank accounts for small peddlers. They found that the peddlers who took up the accounts, especially women, enjoyed remarkable gains. Within six months, they were investing 40 percent more in their businesses, typically by buying more goods to be resold.
Many aid groups including CARE and Oxfam now offer savings programs in some form, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is studying how best to promote financial services for the poor. A Web site, www.matchsavings.org, lets donors match a poor person’s savings to increase the incentive to build a savings habit.
So it’s time for a global microsavings movement. Poor countries should ease the regulations (such as requirements for banking licenses) that make it hard for nonprofits to operate microsavings programs.
-- NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
One of the ugly secrets of global poverty is that a good deal of suffering is caused not only by low incomes but also by bad spending decisions. Research suggests that the world’s poorest families (typically the men in those families) spend about 20 percent of their incomes on a combination of alcohol, cigarettes, prostitution, soft drinks and extravagant festivals.
In Kenya, two economists conducted an experiment by paying the fees to open bank accounts for small peddlers. They found that the peddlers who took up the accounts, especially women, enjoyed remarkable gains. Within six months, they were investing 40 percent more in their businesses, typically by buying more goods to be resold.
Many aid groups including CARE and Oxfam now offer savings programs in some form, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is studying how best to promote financial services for the poor. A Web site, www.matchsavings.org, lets donors match a poor person’s savings to increase the incentive to build a savings habit.
So it’s time for a global microsavings movement. Poor countries should ease the regulations (such as requirements for banking licenses) that make it hard for nonprofits to operate microsavings programs.
-- NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
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