Tuesday, July 05, 2011
The Art of Manliness
Going through my deleted email (before really deleting it!) and came across the website called The Art of Manliness. (It was the site that hosted an article on Resiliency that wreck_of_m_deare shared with chucks_angels on 3/5/10.)
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Your Skin is a Wall
Residents of ancient cities built defensive walls to ward off invaders. The city wall acted both as a bulwark to stop the enemy and as a rampart from which defenders could protect the city. Your body is likewise endowed with a protective "wall"—your skin. How does your skin protect you from intruders?
The surface of your skin teems with bacteria and other microorganisms, some of which can cause infection and disease. Your skin apparently does more than act as a passive barrier. It also seems to ward off invaders by producing antimicrobial proteins, or peptides, that act as defenders. Some of these are on duty constantly. Others line up when the skin is damaged.
The first two groups of antimicrobial peptides discovered, called defensins and cathelicidins, proved to be defenders on call. Both groups are secreted by cells in the upper skin in response to injuries or inflammation. They kill invaders by punching holes in their cell membranes.
In 2001 a team of researchers at the University of Tübingen, Germany, found another type of germ-fighting protein, called dermicidin, which is active all the time. Unlike the other two groups, dermicidin is produced by healthy skin, in the sweat glands. How this protein works is yet unknown. But the fact that perspiration helps ward off disease might explain why people who wash excessively are more prone to skin infections and eczema.
-- Awake! January 8, 2004
The surface of your skin teems with bacteria and other microorganisms, some of which can cause infection and disease. Your skin apparently does more than act as a passive barrier. It also seems to ward off invaders by producing antimicrobial proteins, or peptides, that act as defenders. Some of these are on duty constantly. Others line up when the skin is damaged.
The first two groups of antimicrobial peptides discovered, called defensins and cathelicidins, proved to be defenders on call. Both groups are secreted by cells in the upper skin in response to injuries or inflammation. They kill invaders by punching holes in their cell membranes.
In 2001 a team of researchers at the University of Tübingen, Germany, found another type of germ-fighting protein, called dermicidin, which is active all the time. Unlike the other two groups, dermicidin is produced by healthy skin, in the sweat glands. How this protein works is yet unknown. But the fact that perspiration helps ward off disease might explain why people who wash excessively are more prone to skin infections and eczema.
-- Awake! January 8, 2004
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Nobuo Shioya
Future generations will not be remembering Nobuo Shioya because he was an excellent golf player, but instead because he taught people how to heal themselves, both physically as well as spiritually.
"The power of natural healing, which is instilled in every human being from the time of birth, is much stronger than people realize," said the Japanese physician in his book, Dr. Shioya's Fountain of Youth (available only in the Japanese original and German translation). "It has the power to vanquish any disease that exists. Still, in order to access this natural healing power, and to illicit an adequate result, you have to believe in it deep in your heart of hearts. Through the power of visualization, a person has the power to create a "miracle" from within.
-- via roy
"The power of natural healing, which is instilled in every human being from the time of birth, is much stronger than people realize," said the Japanese physician in his book, Dr. Shioya's Fountain of Youth (available only in the Japanese original and German translation). "It has the power to vanquish any disease that exists. Still, in order to access this natural healing power, and to illicit an adequate result, you have to believe in it deep in your heart of hearts. Through the power of visualization, a person has the power to create a "miracle" from within.
-- via roy
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Cool Corona Concerts
After So You Think You Can Dance on KHON, was some nice Hawaiian music (or music played by Hawaii musicians) on a series called Cool Corona Concerts. Evidently it's been on for months, but this is the first I paid attention.
Tonight's artists: John Cruz and Ben and Maila
Tonight's artists: John Cruz and Ben and Maila
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Hari Kojima
Hari Kojima, the longtime host of "Let's Go Fishing" and "Hari's Kitchen" died today at his Kaneohe home surrounded by family. He had been diagnosed with cancer a month ago.
Kojima was a staple of Hawaii television with a style that was uniquely Hari. He was the local boy generations of Hawaii residents grew up with.
As co-host of "Let's Go Fishing," Hari Kojima found his stride as locally produced television took a foothold in the islands.
"We were the right team at the right place at the right time," said Stan Wright, "Let's Go Fishing" co-host.
Kojima and Stan Wright were the odd couple that clicked.
"There were people who criticized us, they said they couldn't understand my southern accent and said Hari was talking too much pidgin," said Wright. The critical reviews did not stick. Hari became a local legend. "Boy he got in front of that TV camera and it was just magic,"
Kojima was a fish cutter at Tamashiro Market when original host Bruce Carter invited him on "Let's Go Fishing" to showcase his abilities. His skill with a knife and power of gab soon made him a fixture on the Sunday show.
"And he became very popular and being Hari he enjoyed that," said Paul Kojima, Hari Kojima's brother. The laughs and good times would continue for 29 years - along the way Kojima shared thousands of recipes. "It evolved into Bruce Carter asking Hari, 'well what can we do with this fish? How do you prepare it? How do you cook it?'"
"And the best recipes were the ones he got from his mom," said Wright.
All those recipes eventually led to "Hari's Kitchen," another locally produced show with a ten year run.
"Hari's position in the history of TV, local TV are really unique; the things that make singularly Hawaii, recreation, culinary highlights, Hari was there to bring all that to our homes on a Sunday," said Ben Wong, "Let's Go Fishing" host.
A slice of local TV history that will not be forgotten.
Hari Kojima was 65. He leaves behind a wife, four daughters, and seven grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Kojima was a staple of Hawaii television with a style that was uniquely Hari. He was the local boy generations of Hawaii residents grew up with.
As co-host of "Let's Go Fishing," Hari Kojima found his stride as locally produced television took a foothold in the islands.
"We were the right team at the right place at the right time," said Stan Wright, "Let's Go Fishing" co-host.
Kojima and Stan Wright were the odd couple that clicked.
"There were people who criticized us, they said they couldn't understand my southern accent and said Hari was talking too much pidgin," said Wright. The critical reviews did not stick. Hari became a local legend. "Boy he got in front of that TV camera and it was just magic,"
Kojima was a fish cutter at Tamashiro Market when original host Bruce Carter invited him on "Let's Go Fishing" to showcase his abilities. His skill with a knife and power of gab soon made him a fixture on the Sunday show.
"And he became very popular and being Hari he enjoyed that," said Paul Kojima, Hari Kojima's brother. The laughs and good times would continue for 29 years - along the way Kojima shared thousands of recipes. "It evolved into Bruce Carter asking Hari, 'well what can we do with this fish? How do you prepare it? How do you cook it?'"
"And the best recipes were the ones he got from his mom," said Wright.
All those recipes eventually led to "Hari's Kitchen," another locally produced show with a ten year run.
"Hari's position in the history of TV, local TV are really unique; the things that make singularly Hawaii, recreation, culinary highlights, Hari was there to bring all that to our homes on a Sunday," said Ben Wong, "Let's Go Fishing" host.
A slice of local TV history that will not be forgotten.
Hari Kojima was 65. He leaves behind a wife, four daughters, and seven grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Freakonomics
Finally finished the book Freakonomics (obtained from paperbackswap), largely read in small chunks while I'm waiting for Kimo to finish eating.
Pretty interesting. The main takeaway is that "experts" are not always right.
At the end are a few Freakonomics articles taken from the New York Times. I wonder if these (and others) are accessible over the internet? Sure 'nuff. However the last one appeared in 2008.
They also have a blog, which I guess kind of continues the New York Times columns.
And a movie too, which gets mediocre reviews at amazon.com
Maybe I'll get Super Freakonomics too. But I guess I should finish Malcolm Gladwell's Blink first.
[6/27/14] And now I saw at Costco, they have a new book out, Think Like A Freak. But I think I should get Super Freakonomics first.
Pretty interesting. The main takeaway is that "experts" are not always right.
At the end are a few Freakonomics articles taken from the New York Times. I wonder if these (and others) are accessible over the internet? Sure 'nuff. However the last one appeared in 2008.
They also have a blog, which I guess kind of continues the New York Times columns.
And a movie too, which gets mediocre reviews at amazon.com
Maybe I'll get Super Freakonomics too. But I guess I should finish Malcolm Gladwell's Blink first.
[6/27/14] And now I saw at Costco, they have a new book out, Think Like A Freak. But I think I should get Super Freakonomics first.
Friday, May 20, 2011
one more day (until the end of the world)
Inside the sprawling, threadbare Oakland headquarters of Family Radio Worldwide the staff has prepared for the end of the world this weekend — and it appears they mean it.
“There’s so little time left,” a smiling elderly woman said, hugging a colleague.
On Monday, the last day outsiders were welcome inside the gated compound, recording studios sat empty. Current programming for the independent Christian broadcast ministry was produced weeks ago. No more shows are needed.
This Saturday, May 21, is the apocalypse, according to the ministry’s charismatic leader, “brother” Harold Camping.
“I’m so glad that God’s in charge,” Mr. Camping, 89, said, looking gleeful.
***
[5/21/11] News flash: world still here.
***
[10/21/11, posted 12/31/11] If at first you don't succeed...
A California ministry has again predicted the end of the world is at hand.
The Oakland-based Family Radio International that stirred a global frenzy when it predicted the Rapture would take 200 million Christians to heaven on May 21, now says the cataclysmic event will destroy the globe on Friday.
Camping, who suffered a mild stroke three weeks after his prediction failed to materialize in May, still spreads the word through his Family Radio International website. God's judgment and salvation were completed on May 21, Camping says in a message explaining the mix-up in his biblical math.
"Thus we can be sure that the whole world, with the exception of those who are presently saved (the elect), are under the judgment of God, and will be annihilated together with the whole physical world on Oct. 21," he says on the website.
Followers were crestfallen in May when the Rapture did not occur, particularly those who had quit their jobs or donated some of their retirement savings or college funds for the more than 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs plastered with the Judgment Day message.
Camping, a retired civil engineer, also prophesied the Apocalypse would come in 1994, but said later that didn't happen because of a mathematical error.
*** [11/1/11, posted 12/31/11]
Three proposed Rapture dates have come and gone, and the world has not ended.
Controversial Christian broadcaster Harold Camping has acknowledged his faulty projections, and issued an apology to his followers. The Christian Post reports that the longtime radio evangelist has retired.
“There’s so little time left,” a smiling elderly woman said, hugging a colleague.
On Monday, the last day outsiders were welcome inside the gated compound, recording studios sat empty. Current programming for the independent Christian broadcast ministry was produced weeks ago. No more shows are needed.
This Saturday, May 21, is the apocalypse, according to the ministry’s charismatic leader, “brother” Harold Camping.
“I’m so glad that God’s in charge,” Mr. Camping, 89, said, looking gleeful.
***
[5/21/11] News flash: world still here.
***
[10/21/11, posted 12/31/11] If at first you don't succeed...
A California ministry has again predicted the end of the world is at hand.
The Oakland-based Family Radio International that stirred a global frenzy when it predicted the Rapture would take 200 million Christians to heaven on May 21, now says the cataclysmic event will destroy the globe on Friday.
Camping, who suffered a mild stroke three weeks after his prediction failed to materialize in May, still spreads the word through his Family Radio International website. God's judgment and salvation were completed on May 21, Camping says in a message explaining the mix-up in his biblical math.
"Thus we can be sure that the whole world, with the exception of those who are presently saved (the elect), are under the judgment of God, and will be annihilated together with the whole physical world on Oct. 21," he says on the website.
Followers were crestfallen in May when the Rapture did not occur, particularly those who had quit their jobs or donated some of their retirement savings or college funds for the more than 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs plastered with the Judgment Day message.
Camping, a retired civil engineer, also prophesied the Apocalypse would come in 1994, but said later that didn't happen because of a mathematical error.
*** [11/1/11, posted 12/31/11]
Three proposed Rapture dates have come and gone, and the world has not ended.
Controversial Christian broadcaster Harold Camping has acknowledged his faulty projections, and issued an apology to his followers. The Christian Post reports that the longtime radio evangelist has retired.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Your Man
I was wondering what song Scotty McCreery sings that goes "Baby lock the door and turn the lights down low". It was his audition song. Just heard again when Scotty went back to his hometown and the original singer (I assume) showed up.
The song is called Your Man by Josh Turner.
***
Now watching Lauren Alaina's audition when she sang with Steven Tyler the song Sweet Surrender. The song is actually titled I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing and was the theme song for the movie Armageddon (funny I don't remember that because Armageddon is one of my favorite movies).
The song is called Your Man by Josh Turner.
***
Now watching Lauren Alaina's audition when she sang with Steven Tyler the song Sweet Surrender. The song is actually titled I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing and was the theme song for the movie Armageddon (funny I don't remember that because Armageddon is one of my favorite movies).
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Mahiku Farmer's Market
That's the one I go to on Sunday morning. It's been at Kapalama Elementary (across Kam Shopping Center), but sometimes (like today) is at Gulick.
They have a website, but it's not very informative. But I see there's a bunch of other open/farmer's markets on the island throughout the week.
They have a website, but it's not very informative. But I see there's a bunch of other open/farmer's markets on the island throughout the week.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Obama strikes back at Trump
WASHINGTON >> President Barack Obama exacted his revenge Saturday after weeks of attacks from his would-be Republican challenger Donald Trump, joking that the billionaire businessman could bring change to the White House, transforming it from a stately mansion into a tacky casino with a whirlpool in the garden.
With Trump in attendance, Obama used the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner to mock the reality TV star's presidential ambitions. The president said Trump has shown the acumen of a future president, from firing Gary Busey on a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" to focusing so much time on conspiracy theories about Obama's birthplace.
After a week when Obama released his long-form Hawaii birth certificate, he said Trump could now focus on the serious issues, from whether the moon landing actually happened to "where are Biggie and Tupac?"
"No one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than 'the Donald,'" Obama said, referring to Trump's claims the same day that he was responsible for solving the issue.
For Trump's decision to fire actor Busey instead of rock singer Meat Loaf from his TV show earlier this month, Obama quipped: "These are the types of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir."
And then, as a coup de grace, Obama showed a screen with his vision of how Trump could bring change to the White House. "Trump" was prominently displayed in glittery letters and girls could be seen with cocktails on a Jacuzzi-augmented front lawn.
Trump chuckled at some of the earlier jokes, but was clearly less amused as comedian Seth Meyers picked up where Obama left off.
"Donald Trump often talks about running as a Republican, which is surprising," said the Saturday Night Live actor, entrusted with providing some of the comedy for the evening. "I just assumed he was running as a joke."
Trump stared icily at Meyers as he continued to criticize the real estate tycoon.
Obama and Trump found themselves in the same room after an intense week of attacks from Trump, who has piggybacked on the birther conspiracies and even Obama's refusal to release his university grades to raise the profile of his possible presidential bid.
And the birth certificate was clearly the key punchline for the evening, which typically offers the president a chance to show off his humorous side and a town consumed by politics and partisanship to enjoy a light-hearted affair.
Obama's presentation started after the wrestler Hulk Hogan's patriotic anthem, "Real American," played. Images of Americana from Mount Rushmore to Uncle Sam were shown on the screen, alongside his birth certificate. And then he offered to show his live birth video, which turned out to be a clip from the Disney film, "The Lion King."
With Trump in attendance, Obama used the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner to mock the reality TV star's presidential ambitions. The president said Trump has shown the acumen of a future president, from firing Gary Busey on a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" to focusing so much time on conspiracy theories about Obama's birthplace.
After a week when Obama released his long-form Hawaii birth certificate, he said Trump could now focus on the serious issues, from whether the moon landing actually happened to "where are Biggie and Tupac?"
"No one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than 'the Donald,'" Obama said, referring to Trump's claims the same day that he was responsible for solving the issue.
For Trump's decision to fire actor Busey instead of rock singer Meat Loaf from his TV show earlier this month, Obama quipped: "These are the types of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir."
And then, as a coup de grace, Obama showed a screen with his vision of how Trump could bring change to the White House. "Trump" was prominently displayed in glittery letters and girls could be seen with cocktails on a Jacuzzi-augmented front lawn.
Trump chuckled at some of the earlier jokes, but was clearly less amused as comedian Seth Meyers picked up where Obama left off.
"Donald Trump often talks about running as a Republican, which is surprising," said the Saturday Night Live actor, entrusted with providing some of the comedy for the evening. "I just assumed he was running as a joke."
Trump stared icily at Meyers as he continued to criticize the real estate tycoon.
Obama and Trump found themselves in the same room after an intense week of attacks from Trump, who has piggybacked on the birther conspiracies and even Obama's refusal to release his university grades to raise the profile of his possible presidential bid.
And the birth certificate was clearly the key punchline for the evening, which typically offers the president a chance to show off his humorous side and a town consumed by politics and partisanship to enjoy a light-hearted affair.
Obama's presentation started after the wrestler Hulk Hogan's patriotic anthem, "Real American," played. Images of Americana from Mount Rushmore to Uncle Sam were shown on the screen, alongside his birth certificate. And then he offered to show his live birth video, which turned out to be a clip from the Disney film, "The Lion King."
Friday, April 29, 2011
how to overcome evil
Heard these words spoken at the Royal Wedding and they caught my ear. Didn't know where they came from, but looked it up and they came from Romans 12. [Here's the New International version.]
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
[I think that's where the excerpt from the wedding ended, here's some more]
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
[I think that's where the excerpt from the wedding ended, here's some more]
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Trump vs. Obama (cont.)
Trump vs. Obama continued. (Can you say negative campaigning?)
NEW YORK >> Real estate mogul Donald Trump suggested in an interview Monday that President Barack Obama had been a poor student who did not deserve to be admitted to the Ivy League universities he attended. Trump, who is mulling a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, offered no proof for his claim but said he would continue to press the matter as he has the legitimacy of the president's birth certificate.
"I heard he was a terrible student, terrible. How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard?" Trump said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm thinking about it, I'm certainly looking into it. Let him show his records."
Obama graduated from Columbia University in New York in 1983 with a degree in political science after transferring from Occidental College in California. He went on to Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude 1991 and was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.
Obama's 2008 campaign did not release his college transcripts, and in his best-selling memoir, "Dreams From My Father," Obama indicated he hadn't always been an academic star. Trump told the AP that Obama's refusal to release his college grades were part of a pattern of concealing information about himself.
"I have friends who have smart sons with great marks, great boards, great everything and they can't get into Harvard," Trump said. "We don't know a thing about this guy. There are a lot of questions that are unanswered about our president."
NEW YORK >> Real estate mogul Donald Trump suggested in an interview Monday that President Barack Obama had been a poor student who did not deserve to be admitted to the Ivy League universities he attended. Trump, who is mulling a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, offered no proof for his claim but said he would continue to press the matter as he has the legitimacy of the president's birth certificate.
"I heard he was a terrible student, terrible. How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard?" Trump said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm thinking about it, I'm certainly looking into it. Let him show his records."
Obama graduated from Columbia University in New York in 1983 with a degree in political science after transferring from Occidental College in California. He went on to Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude 1991 and was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.
Obama's 2008 campaign did not release his college transcripts, and in his best-selling memoir, "Dreams From My Father," Obama indicated he hadn't always been an academic star. Trump told the AP that Obama's refusal to release his college grades were part of a pattern of concealing information about himself.
"I have friends who have smart sons with great marks, great boards, great everything and they can't get into Harvard," Trump said. "We don't know a thing about this guy. There are a lot of questions that are unanswered about our president."
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Where was Obama born?
Here's the AP story that appeared in today's Star Advertiser.
Lost in the renewed scrutiny into President Barack Obama's birth records is the fact that anyone can walk into a Hawaii vital records office, wait in line behind couples getting marriage licenses and open a baby-blue government binder containing basic information about his birth.
Highlighted in yellow on page 1,218 of the thick binder is the computer-generated listing for a boy named Barack Hussein Obama II born in Hawaii, surrounded by the alphabetized last names of all other children born in-state between 1960 and 1964. This is the only government birth information, called "index data," available to the public.
So far this month, only The Associated Press and one other person had looked at the binder, according to a sign-in sheet viewed Wednesday in the state Department of Health building. The sheet showed about 25 names of people who have seen the document since March 2010, when the sign-in sheet begins.
Those documents complement newspaper birth announcements published soon after Obama's Aug. 4, 1961, birth and a "certification of live birth" released by the Obama campaign three years ago, the only type of birth certificate the state issues.
So-called "birthers" claim there's no proof Obama was born in the United States, and he is therefore ineligible to be president. Many of the skeptics suggest he was actually born in Kenya, his father's home country, or Indonesia, where he spent a few years of his childhood.
What the would-be sleuths won't find is Obama's "long-form birth certificate," a confidential one-page document containing his original birth records kept on file in the first floor of the Department of Health.
Those original birth records typically include additional birth details, such as the hospital and delivering doctor, said Dr. Chiyome Fukino, the state's former health director who twice looked at and publicly confirmed Obama's original long-form birth records.
But those documents are state government property that can't be released to anyone, even the president himself, said Joshua Wisch, special assistant to the state attorney general. Obama would be able to inspect his birth records if he visited the Health Department in person, but original records of live birth are never released, he said.
Fukino, who served as the state's health director until late last year under former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, said in an interview with The Associated Press she's convinced the long-form document is authentic. She issued public statements in 2008 and 2009 saying she had seen the original records.
"It is absolutely clear to me that he was born here in Hawaii," Fukino told the AP. "It should not be an issue, and I think people need to focus on the other bad things going on in our country and in our state and figure out what we're going to do about those things."
***
Donald Trump vs. Gail Collins
***
Tim Adams
***
A quarter of all Americans incorrectly think President Obama was not born in the United States, according to a new CBS News/ New York Times poll.
Among all Republicans, 45 percent believe he was born in another country, as do 45 percent of Tea Party supporters, the poll shows.
***
Here’s an exchange between Juan Williams and conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly on his program of Feb. 14:
Williams: “Why are there nine congressmen, Republican congressmen I think, who have introduce some kind of legislation to question whether Obama is an American citizen?”
O’Reilly: “You want me to answer that question? Because they are pinheads and they are playing to the crowd. It has nothing to do with the business of the nation.”
***
truthorfiction.com
Snopes
Politifact
Factcheck.org
Wikipedia
Lost in the renewed scrutiny into President Barack Obama's birth records is the fact that anyone can walk into a Hawaii vital records office, wait in line behind couples getting marriage licenses and open a baby-blue government binder containing basic information about his birth.
Highlighted in yellow on page 1,218 of the thick binder is the computer-generated listing for a boy named Barack Hussein Obama II born in Hawaii, surrounded by the alphabetized last names of all other children born in-state between 1960 and 1964. This is the only government birth information, called "index data," available to the public.
So far this month, only The Associated Press and one other person had looked at the binder, according to a sign-in sheet viewed Wednesday in the state Department of Health building. The sheet showed about 25 names of people who have seen the document since March 2010, when the sign-in sheet begins.
Those documents complement newspaper birth announcements published soon after Obama's Aug. 4, 1961, birth and a "certification of live birth" released by the Obama campaign three years ago, the only type of birth certificate the state issues.
So-called "birthers" claim there's no proof Obama was born in the United States, and he is therefore ineligible to be president. Many of the skeptics suggest he was actually born in Kenya, his father's home country, or Indonesia, where he spent a few years of his childhood.
What the would-be sleuths won't find is Obama's "long-form birth certificate," a confidential one-page document containing his original birth records kept on file in the first floor of the Department of Health.
Those original birth records typically include additional birth details, such as the hospital and delivering doctor, said Dr. Chiyome Fukino, the state's former health director who twice looked at and publicly confirmed Obama's original long-form birth records.
But those documents are state government property that can't be released to anyone, even the president himself, said Joshua Wisch, special assistant to the state attorney general. Obama would be able to inspect his birth records if he visited the Health Department in person, but original records of live birth are never released, he said.
Fukino, who served as the state's health director until late last year under former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, said in an interview with The Associated Press she's convinced the long-form document is authentic. She issued public statements in 2008 and 2009 saying she had seen the original records.
"It is absolutely clear to me that he was born here in Hawaii," Fukino told the AP. "It should not be an issue, and I think people need to focus on the other bad things going on in our country and in our state and figure out what we're going to do about those things."
***
Donald Trump vs. Gail Collins
***
Tim Adams
***
A quarter of all Americans incorrectly think President Obama was not born in the United States, according to a new CBS News/ New York Times poll.
Among all Republicans, 45 percent believe he was born in another country, as do 45 percent of Tea Party supporters, the poll shows.
***
Here’s an exchange between Juan Williams and conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly on his program of Feb. 14:
Williams: “Why are there nine congressmen, Republican congressmen I think, who have introduce some kind of legislation to question whether Obama is an American citizen?”
O’Reilly: “You want me to answer that question? Because they are pinheads and they are playing to the crowd. It has nothing to do with the business of the nation.”
***
truthorfiction.com
Snopes
Politifact
Factcheck.org
Wikipedia
Friday, April 22, 2011
Giving memory a boost
MEMORY LOSS IS usually considered a side effect of aging—but it doesn’t have to be.
Keep the following memory boosters in mind, so you won’t forget to remember.
• Be social. Engaging and stimulating interactions with others lowers the risk of dementia, so join a club, schedule a regular get-together with close friends and really talk with your family regularly.
• Improve your diet. People who lack enough vitamin B12 and folate have a greater risk of developing dementia. Fortify your body against this destructive disease by eating spinach, romaine lettuce, lentils, black beans, broccoli and/or beets. Studies show that if you stick to a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables and fish, you’ll have the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment. Green tea, too, can protect memory.
• Focus on self-care before you need crisis care. Learn your family history, take care of your body and be proactive with doctor visits in order to detect and treat potential problems early on.
• Don’t retire—yet. Find a job you love, and stick with it. Working exercises your mental capacity more than retired life and thus helps to keep your memory intact. If you’re tired of your same old job, learn something new; this stimulates the brain.
• Hit snooze. From getting eight hours of solid zzzz’s, including quality REM sleep, to taking a six- to 90-minute nap, sleep helps your brain sort, consolidate and store memories.
• Avoid toxins. What you put into your body affects what it is capable of accomplishing, including the brain functions that preserve your memory. Alcohol is especially toxic in terms of memory.
-- Health and wellness expert Eric Plasker, D.C., is the author of The 100 Year Lifestyle (Adams Media, 2007), The Costco Connection, October 2010
***
Similarly, tips from Robin Palama
As we age, we tend to have more “senior moments,” however, we can all help prevent memory loss, or at least slow it down, by incorporating these simple tasks in our everyday lives:
No. 1: Exercise 30 minutes a day, five times a week. Studies have shown brisk walking for 30 minutes a day or taking part in physically active hobbies such as gardening help lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
No. 2: Eat healthy. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
No. 3: Get a good night’s sleep. Aim for six to eight hours of good quality sleep a night.
No. 4: Socialize. Healthy socialization with loved ones helps you ward off depression and stress.
No. 5: Stay mentally active and keep learning – this is what we do with our patients. We have them participate in “thinking” activities and encourage them to continue when they go home.
Remember … use it or lose it!
Keep the following memory boosters in mind, so you won’t forget to remember.
• Be social. Engaging and stimulating interactions with others lowers the risk of dementia, so join a club, schedule a regular get-together with close friends and really talk with your family regularly.
• Improve your diet. People who lack enough vitamin B12 and folate have a greater risk of developing dementia. Fortify your body against this destructive disease by eating spinach, romaine lettuce, lentils, black beans, broccoli and/or beets. Studies show that if you stick to a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables and fish, you’ll have the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment. Green tea, too, can protect memory.
• Focus on self-care before you need crisis care. Learn your family history, take care of your body and be proactive with doctor visits in order to detect and treat potential problems early on.
• Don’t retire—yet. Find a job you love, and stick with it. Working exercises your mental capacity more than retired life and thus helps to keep your memory intact. If you’re tired of your same old job, learn something new; this stimulates the brain.
• Hit snooze. From getting eight hours of solid zzzz’s, including quality REM sleep, to taking a six- to 90-minute nap, sleep helps your brain sort, consolidate and store memories.
• Avoid toxins. What you put into your body affects what it is capable of accomplishing, including the brain functions that preserve your memory. Alcohol is especially toxic in terms of memory.
-- Health and wellness expert Eric Plasker, D.C., is the author of The 100 Year Lifestyle (Adams Media, 2007), The Costco Connection, October 2010
***
Similarly, tips from Robin Palama
As we age, we tend to have more “senior moments,” however, we can all help prevent memory loss, or at least slow it down, by incorporating these simple tasks in our everyday lives:
No. 1: Exercise 30 minutes a day, five times a week. Studies have shown brisk walking for 30 minutes a day or taking part in physically active hobbies such as gardening help lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
No. 2: Eat healthy. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
No. 3: Get a good night’s sleep. Aim for six to eight hours of good quality sleep a night.
No. 4: Socialize. Healthy socialization with loved ones helps you ward off depression and stress.
No. 5: Stay mentally active and keep learning – this is what we do with our patients. We have them participate in “thinking” activities and encourage them to continue when they go home.
Remember … use it or lose it!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Natural Health Perspectives
Blog on Natural Health by Lindsey Jesswein and Kekoa Smith (who is my cousin's son).
Monday, April 18, 2011
tax rate already cut
Still scrambling to file your taxes? You'll probably take little consolation in hearing that the super rich pay a lot less taxes than they did a couple of decades ago. And nearly half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all.
The Internal Revenue Service tracks the tax returns with the 400 highest adjusted gross incomes each year. The average income on those returns in 2007, the latest year for IRS data, was nearly $345 million. Their average federal income tax rate was 17 percent, down from 26 percent in 1992.
Over the same period, the average federal income tax rate for all taxpayers declined to 9.3 percent from 9.9 percent.
The top income tax rate is 35 percent, so how can people who make so much pay so little in taxes? The nation's tax laws are packed with breaks for people at every income level. There are breaks for having children, paying a mortgage, going to college, and even for paying other taxes. Plus, the top rate on capital gains is only 15 percent.
There are so many breaks that 45 percent of U.S. households will pay no federal income tax for 2010, according to estimates by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington think tank.
"It's the fact that we are using the tax code both to collect revenue, which is its primary purpose, and to deliver these spending benefits that we run into the situation where so many people are paying no taxes," said Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the center, which generated the estimate of people who pay no income taxes.
The sheer volume of credits, deductions and exemptions has both Democrats and Republicans calling for tax laws to be overhauled. House Republicans want to eliminate breaks to pay for lower overall rates, reducing the top tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. Republicans oppose raising taxes, but they argue that a more efficient tax code would increase economic activity, generating additional tax revenue.
President Barack Obama said last week he wants to do away with tax breaks to lower the rates and to reduce government borrowing. Obama's proposal would result in $1 trillion in tax increases over the next 12 years. Neither proposal included many details, putting off hard choices about which tax breaks to eliminate.
In all, the tax code is filled with a total of $1.1 trillion in credits, deductions and exemptions, an average of about $8,000 per taxpayer, according to an analysis by the National Taxpayer Advocate, an independent watchdog within the IRS.
More than half of the nation's tax revenue came from the top 10 percent of earners in 2007. More than 44 percent came from the top 5 percent. Still, the wealthy have access to much more lucrative tax breaks than people with lower incomes.
Obama wants the wealthy to pay so "the amount of taxes you pay isn't determined by what kind of accountant you can afford."
Eric Schoenberg says to sign him up for paying higher taxes. Schoenberg, who inherited money and has a healthy portfolio from his days as an investment banker, has joined a group of other wealthy Americans called United for a Fair Economy. Their goal: Raise taxes on rich people like themselves.
Schoenberg, who now teaches a business class at Columbia University, said his income is usually "north of half a million a year." But 2009 was a bad year for investments, so his income dropped to a little over $200,000. His federal income tax bill was a little more than $2,000.
"I simply point out to people, 'Do you think this is reasonable, that somebody in my circumstances should only be paying 1 percent of their income in tax?'" Schoenberg said.
The Internal Revenue Service tracks the tax returns with the 400 highest adjusted gross incomes each year. The average income on those returns in 2007, the latest year for IRS data, was nearly $345 million. Their average federal income tax rate was 17 percent, down from 26 percent in 1992.
Over the same period, the average federal income tax rate for all taxpayers declined to 9.3 percent from 9.9 percent.
The top income tax rate is 35 percent, so how can people who make so much pay so little in taxes? The nation's tax laws are packed with breaks for people at every income level. There are breaks for having children, paying a mortgage, going to college, and even for paying other taxes. Plus, the top rate on capital gains is only 15 percent.
There are so many breaks that 45 percent of U.S. households will pay no federal income tax for 2010, according to estimates by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington think tank.
"It's the fact that we are using the tax code both to collect revenue, which is its primary purpose, and to deliver these spending benefits that we run into the situation where so many people are paying no taxes," said Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the center, which generated the estimate of people who pay no income taxes.
The sheer volume of credits, deductions and exemptions has both Democrats and Republicans calling for tax laws to be overhauled. House Republicans want to eliminate breaks to pay for lower overall rates, reducing the top tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. Republicans oppose raising taxes, but they argue that a more efficient tax code would increase economic activity, generating additional tax revenue.
President Barack Obama said last week he wants to do away with tax breaks to lower the rates and to reduce government borrowing. Obama's proposal would result in $1 trillion in tax increases over the next 12 years. Neither proposal included many details, putting off hard choices about which tax breaks to eliminate.
In all, the tax code is filled with a total of $1.1 trillion in credits, deductions and exemptions, an average of about $8,000 per taxpayer, according to an analysis by the National Taxpayer Advocate, an independent watchdog within the IRS.
More than half of the nation's tax revenue came from the top 10 percent of earners in 2007. More than 44 percent came from the top 5 percent. Still, the wealthy have access to much more lucrative tax breaks than people with lower incomes.
Obama wants the wealthy to pay so "the amount of taxes you pay isn't determined by what kind of accountant you can afford."
Eric Schoenberg says to sign him up for paying higher taxes. Schoenberg, who inherited money and has a healthy portfolio from his days as an investment banker, has joined a group of other wealthy Americans called United for a Fair Economy. Their goal: Raise taxes on rich people like themselves.
Schoenberg, who now teaches a business class at Columbia University, said his income is usually "north of half a million a year." But 2009 was a bad year for investments, so his income dropped to a little over $200,000. His federal income tax bill was a little more than $2,000.
"I simply point out to people, 'Do you think this is reasonable, that somebody in my circumstances should only be paying 1 percent of their income in tax?'" Schoenberg said.
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Cityville running slow
Cityville runs really slow on my main computer. Mainly because it runs out of memory and goes to the hard drive.
But now I notice it's even running slow or just hangs up on my "good" computer (which has 2GB of memory).
If this is the case with your computer, you can try clearing the cache from both your browser and Adobe Flash. Seemed to help some.
But now I notice it's even running slow or just hangs up on my "good" computer (which has 2GB of memory).
If this is the case with your computer, you can try clearing the cache from both your browser and Adobe Flash. Seemed to help some.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
tweet surfing
Saw Norm McDonald tweeting Steve Martin on Letterman last night.
Interesting to see who they are following. Both follow Conan. Neither follow Leno. Dave of course doesn't twitter. And Conan is still following only that one person.
Norm follows 22, among them: David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Howard Stern, Kevin Nealon, Dennis Miller, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan.
Steve Martin follows 36, among them: Kevin Nealon, Tom Hanks, John Cleese, Kevin Pollak, Andrea Martin, Teller, Sarah Silverman, Jim Carrey, Ron Howard, Ben Stiller, Brian Grazer, Gladwell, Goldie Hawn, Howard Stern, Bill Cosby, Michael Caine, Joy Behar, Gayle King, Dennis Miller, Albert Brooks.
Let's see who Leno follows: Howie Mandel is the only comedian.
Looking at Albert Brooks. He mentions Mort Sahl has joined twitter. Others among the 12 he follows: Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman (again), Conan (again), Kevin Pollak, Howard Stern (again), James L. Brooks (are they related? -- no, but he casted him in Broadcast News), Steve Martin.
Interesting to see who they are following. Both follow Conan. Neither follow Leno. Dave of course doesn't twitter. And Conan is still following only that one person.
Norm follows 22, among them: David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Howard Stern, Kevin Nealon, Dennis Miller, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan.
Steve Martin follows 36, among them: Kevin Nealon, Tom Hanks, John Cleese, Kevin Pollak, Andrea Martin, Teller, Sarah Silverman, Jim Carrey, Ron Howard, Ben Stiller, Brian Grazer, Gladwell, Goldie Hawn, Howard Stern, Bill Cosby, Michael Caine, Joy Behar, Gayle King, Dennis Miller, Albert Brooks.
Let's see who Leno follows: Howie Mandel is the only comedian.
Looking at Albert Brooks. He mentions Mort Sahl has joined twitter. Others among the 12 he follows: Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman (again), Conan (again), Kevin Pollak, Howard Stern (again), James L. Brooks (are they related? -- no, but he casted him in Broadcast News), Steve Martin.
Arnold will be back
With his years as governor behind him, Arnold Schwarzenegger will soon return to his acting career with a new animated TV series.
The planned action-comedy cartoon is called "The Governator," according to A Squared Entertainment, a partner in the venture. It will focus on a superhero living a double life as an ordinary family man. Schwarzenegger will provide the voice of the title character.
Comic-book legend Stan Lee is another partner in the project, which will be officially announced Monday at the MIPTV trade show in Cannes, France.
The planned action-comedy cartoon is called "The Governator," according to A Squared Entertainment, a partner in the venture. It will focus on a superhero living a double life as an ordinary family man. Schwarzenegger will provide the voice of the title character.
Comic-book legend Stan Lee is another partner in the project, which will be officially announced Monday at the MIPTV trade show in Cannes, France.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Body of Proof
After the first cut of Dancing with the Stars last night was a show called Body of Proof. I think I left it on because the description said that Jeri Ryan was on it.
Anyway, Jeri Ryan is not the star of the show. It's Dana Delany. And the show turned out to be pretty entertaining. Delany plays a doctor who's sort of a cross between House and Monk. A doctor/detective. So it wouldn't be out of place on the USA network.
I might just tuned in next week too. Actually there's a special showing Sunday.
[4/19/11 - looked at a couple more episodes and they weren't as interesting as the first to me.]
Anyway, Jeri Ryan is not the star of the show. It's Dana Delany. And the show turned out to be pretty entertaining. Delany plays a doctor who's sort of a cross between House and Monk. A doctor/detective. So it wouldn't be out of place on the USA network.
I might just tuned in next week too. Actually there's a special showing Sunday.
[4/19/11 - looked at a couple more episodes and they weren't as interesting as the first to me.]
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Elizabeth Taylor
LOS ANGELES >> Elizabeth Taylor, the violet-eyed film goddess whose sultry screen persona, stormy personal life and enduring fame and glamour made her one of the last of the old-fashioned movie stars and a template for the modern celebrity, died Wednesday at age 79.
She died of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized for about six weeks, said publicist Sally Morrison.
Taylor was the most blessed and cursed of actresses, the toughest and the most vulnerable. She had extraordinary grace, wealth and voluptuous beauty, and won three Academy Awards, including a special one for her humanitarian work. She was the most loyal of friends and a defender of gays in Hollywood when AIDS was still a stigma in the industry and beyond. But she was afflicted by ill health, failed romances (eight marriages, seven husbands) and personal tragedy.
"I think I'm becoming fatalistic," she said in 1989. "Too much has happened in my life for me not to be fatalistic."
Her more than 50 movies included unforgettable portraits of innocence and of decadence, from the children's classic "National Velvet" and the sentimental family comedy "Father of the Bride" to Oscar-winning transgressions in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Butterfield 8." The historical epic "Cleopatra" is among Hollywood's greatest on-screen fiascos and a landmark of off-screen monkey business, the meeting ground of Taylor and Richard Burton, the "Brangelina" of their day.
She played enough bawdy women on film for critic Pauline Kael to deem her "Chaucerian Beverly Hills."
But her defining role, one that lasted long past her moviemaking days, was "Elizabeth Taylor," ever marrying and divorcing, in and out of hospitals, gaining and losing weight, standing by Michael Jackson, Rock Hudson and other troubled friends, acquiring a jewelry collection that seemed to rival Tiffany's.
She was a child star who grew up and aged before an adoring, appalled and fascinated public. She arrived in Hollywood when the studio system tightly controlled an actor's life and image, had more marriages than any publicist could explain away and lasted long enough to no longer require explanation. She was the industry's great survivor, and among the first to reach that special category of celebrity — famous for being famous, for whom her work was inseparable from the gossip around it.
She died of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized for about six weeks, said publicist Sally Morrison.
Taylor was the most blessed and cursed of actresses, the toughest and the most vulnerable. She had extraordinary grace, wealth and voluptuous beauty, and won three Academy Awards, including a special one for her humanitarian work. She was the most loyal of friends and a defender of gays in Hollywood when AIDS was still a stigma in the industry and beyond. But she was afflicted by ill health, failed romances (eight marriages, seven husbands) and personal tragedy.
"I think I'm becoming fatalistic," she said in 1989. "Too much has happened in my life for me not to be fatalistic."
Her more than 50 movies included unforgettable portraits of innocence and of decadence, from the children's classic "National Velvet" and the sentimental family comedy "Father of the Bride" to Oscar-winning transgressions in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Butterfield 8." The historical epic "Cleopatra" is among Hollywood's greatest on-screen fiascos and a landmark of off-screen monkey business, the meeting ground of Taylor and Richard Burton, the "Brangelina" of their day.
She played enough bawdy women on film for critic Pauline Kael to deem her "Chaucerian Beverly Hills."
But her defining role, one that lasted long past her moviemaking days, was "Elizabeth Taylor," ever marrying and divorcing, in and out of hospitals, gaining and losing weight, standing by Michael Jackson, Rock Hudson and other troubled friends, acquiring a jewelry collection that seemed to rival Tiffany's.
She was a child star who grew up and aged before an adoring, appalled and fascinated public. She arrived in Hollywood when the studio system tightly controlled an actor's life and image, had more marriages than any publicist could explain away and lasted long enough to no longer require explanation. She was the industry's great survivor, and among the first to reach that special category of celebrity — famous for being famous, for whom her work was inseparable from the gossip around it.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
how to get rid of haole koa
After spending some time cutting some haole koa in the back yard, I wondered if there is a good way to get rid of it.
Apparently, there is a way to get rid of it (and nutgrass too), but it doesn't sound easy.
[11/19/14] Found this Kokua Line article
Apparently, there is a way to get rid of it (and nutgrass too), but it doesn't sound easy.
[11/19/14] Found this Kokua Line article
Monday, March 14, 2011
G. I. Joe: Rise of Cobra
For my first-ever Redbox rental, I decided on GIJROC. (Actually my first ever rental from one of those machines was Sorceror's Apprentice at Times: Liliha, but it wasn't a Redbox.)
I decided on this because I always thought the trailer looked pretty cool. And the Blu-Ray is on the top of my wish-list on swapadvd.com.
I had seen the DVD available before, but never rented it. Then it disappeared for a month or two. Then I saw it again at Foodland Liliha, but it disappeared again. But a search at redbox.com showed it was available at Foodland Dillingham. OK, I'll venture out my 1.04. (Or maybe it's free because I'm supposed to have a free credit for signing up, not sure if it's claimed automatically.)
Anyway, even though it wasn't a Blu-Ray, I thought the picture looked pretty good on my 42" Plasma. Saw the first half yesterday and the rest today on the old 27" Panasonic outside. OK, maybe a little confusing with all the characters. And the picture was a little darker since the scenes went underwater. But overall, I'd say it's filled the bill as an action picture. I'd give it a thumbs up.
But then, I'm speaking as one who never really watched the G.I. Joe cartoons. Here's another view (which turned out to be nearly as entertaining as the movie for me).
The movie's ostensible lead is Duke, played by Channing Tatum, who is without question the absolute worst actor to have ever lived in the history of mankind's existence on this planet we call Earth. I'm talking all the way back to the birth of drama in ancient Greece, never has there been another actor as awful as Tatum. Even Ed Wood would have laughed at this guy's screen test. The filmmakers should have called his character "Cue Card," because he's obviously reading his lines off of them.
Nearly as bad is Sienna Miller as The Baroness. Yes, she's sexy, but my lord, the woman needs to take some acting lessons. Not only is Miller's delivery stilted, the movie's version of the character is an American bimbo (a blonde, we learn in flashbacks) with no accent, is Duke's ex-girlfriend, and isn't even really evil. What the hell? What does any of that have to do with The Baroness, who was previously one of the juiciest characters in all of G.I. Joe lore? I'm going to assume that Miller had to be cast in the movie due to some studio contractual obligation. If she has to be in the movie, why not give her a more appropriate character that she could handle, like Cover Girl? Shouldn't The Baroness actually be The Baroness, and played by someone who can pull off the role?
Supporting characters make just as little sense. Saïd Taghmaoui is Breaker. Except that he's not actually playing Breaker, the team's radio operator. He's playing Mainframe, their computer tech geek. So why isn't the character just called Mainframe? Obviously, the writers didn't know who Mainframe was because they'd never gotten past Issue 3 of the comic book.
The film is agonizingly, insultingly stupid. It has been written by people who have no respect at all for their audience's intelligence. Movies like this are often called "turn off your brain" entertainment. I've never understood the appeal of that. There's nothing stopping any movie from having major excitement and thrills along with a decent story and interesting characters, except the will to do it. How far must we lower our standards to find something like this entertaining?
***
Then again, I just picked up Karate Dog from swapadvd.
I decided on this because I always thought the trailer looked pretty cool. And the Blu-Ray is on the top of my wish-list on swapadvd.com.
I had seen the DVD available before, but never rented it. Then it disappeared for a month or two. Then I saw it again at Foodland Liliha, but it disappeared again. But a search at redbox.com showed it was available at Foodland Dillingham. OK, I'll venture out my 1.04. (Or maybe it's free because I'm supposed to have a free credit for signing up, not sure if it's claimed automatically.)
Anyway, even though it wasn't a Blu-Ray, I thought the picture looked pretty good on my 42" Plasma. Saw the first half yesterday and the rest today on the old 27" Panasonic outside. OK, maybe a little confusing with all the characters. And the picture was a little darker since the scenes went underwater. But overall, I'd say it's filled the bill as an action picture. I'd give it a thumbs up.
But then, I'm speaking as one who never really watched the G.I. Joe cartoons. Here's another view (which turned out to be nearly as entertaining as the movie for me).
The movie's ostensible lead is Duke, played by Channing Tatum, who is without question the absolute worst actor to have ever lived in the history of mankind's existence on this planet we call Earth. I'm talking all the way back to the birth of drama in ancient Greece, never has there been another actor as awful as Tatum. Even Ed Wood would have laughed at this guy's screen test. The filmmakers should have called his character "Cue Card," because he's obviously reading his lines off of them.
Nearly as bad is Sienna Miller as The Baroness. Yes, she's sexy, but my lord, the woman needs to take some acting lessons. Not only is Miller's delivery stilted, the movie's version of the character is an American bimbo (a blonde, we learn in flashbacks) with no accent, is Duke's ex-girlfriend, and isn't even really evil. What the hell? What does any of that have to do with The Baroness, who was previously one of the juiciest characters in all of G.I. Joe lore? I'm going to assume that Miller had to be cast in the movie due to some studio contractual obligation. If she has to be in the movie, why not give her a more appropriate character that she could handle, like Cover Girl? Shouldn't The Baroness actually be The Baroness, and played by someone who can pull off the role?
Supporting characters make just as little sense. Saïd Taghmaoui is Breaker. Except that he's not actually playing Breaker, the team's radio operator. He's playing Mainframe, their computer tech geek. So why isn't the character just called Mainframe? Obviously, the writers didn't know who Mainframe was because they'd never gotten past Issue 3 of the comic book.
The film is agonizingly, insultingly stupid. It has been written by people who have no respect at all for their audience's intelligence. Movies like this are often called "turn off your brain" entertainment. I've never understood the appeal of that. There's nothing stopping any movie from having major excitement and thrills along with a decent story and interesting characters, except the will to do it. How far must we lower our standards to find something like this entertaining?
***
Then again, I just picked up Karate Dog from swapadvd.
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Charlie Sheen winning yet?
[7/14/12] Quitting Twitter. Checking twitaholic, Charlie is no. 35 with 7708629 followers. The current top ten: Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Barack Obama, Shakira, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Youtube. Oprah is 12. Justin Timberlake is 13. Ellen is 14. Ashton Kutcher 20. JLo 26. Jim Carrey 28. Mitt Romney is 1824 with 560,248 followers. Cesar Millan is 2489 with 424,258 followers.
[5/13/11] Acting with an imminent deadline to keep alive a hit comedy after it had been derailed by Charlie Sheen's troubles this season, CBS and Warner Bros. Television said Friday that actor Ashton Kutcher will replace Sheen in "Two and a Half Men."
The show goes into production this summer and will be on CBS' schedule in the fall.
The deal apparently came together quickly, following reports earlier this week that negotiations with film actor Hugh Grant to join the show had fallen through. Kutcher is familiar to television audiences through his role on Fox's "That 70s Show," film roles like the romantic comedy "No Strings Attached" and for producing and hosting the prank show "Punk'd."
A deadline on deciding whether the show would continue was looming with CBS set to unveil its fall schedule to advertisers in New York next Wednesday.
Kutcher is not as well known as Sheen but is 12 years younger and has a huge following of fans who check in on his ever utterance on Twitter. He said Friday he believes that "we can fill the stage with laughter that will echo in viewers' homes.
"I can't replace Charlie Sheen but I'm going to work my ass off to entertain the hell out of people," he said.
Kutcher gave his followers a big clue Wednesday on Twitter that he may be joining "Two and a Half Men."
"What's the square root of 6.25?" the actor asked in a tweet.
The answer is 2-1/2.
Sheen offered his replacement a welcome on Friday — sort of.
“Kutcher is a sweetheart and a brilliant comedic performer ... Oh, wait, so am I,” Sheen said.
***
Charlie is up to #25 on twitaholic passing Alicia Keys, ColdPlay, Shaq and TwitPic with 3,884,762 followers and is just behind Paris Hilton and Pink. However, he now doesn't appear to have any shot to catch Ashton Kutcher who is at #7 with 6,699,411.
[4/4/11] By all accounts, Charlie Sheen's traveling stage show, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option," failed bigtime on its opening night. The sellout crowd at Detroit's Fox Theater on Saturday booed the erratic star, shouted for refunds, and walked out early, leading Sheen to curtail his appearance after an hour. His broadly reworked second show, in Chicago on Sunday, went better. But repercussions from his disastrous effort in Detroit are already souring ticket sales for the tour's remaining 20 or so stops.
[3/31/11] Charlie has made his way up to #29 with 3,353,073 users passing The New York Times, Perez Hilton, KAKA, Chelsea Handler, Jimmy Fallon.
[3/17/11] Charlie has now passed Google Support is up to #34 with 2,908,192 followers. Up next: The New York Times
[3/16/11] Charlie has passed Luciano Huck and is now #35.
[3/15/11] Charlie has passed Lance Armstrong, Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg and is now #36 with 2,815,786 followers. Up next: Luciano Huck, Google Support, The New York Times.
[3/14/11] Charlie is up to #39 with 2,752,467 followers, passing Conan, The Onion, Khloe Kardashian, Soulja Boy, E! Online. Just ahead: Lance Armstrong, Nicki Minaj (hip hop artist from Trinidad), Snoop Dogg, Luciano Huck (Brazilian television personality).
[3/10/11] Charlie is now up to #48 with 2,482,522 followers, passing Time.com, People Magazine, and Ashlee Simpson Wentz. Just ahead of him are Conan, Khloe Kardashian, and Jonas Brothers.
[3/10/11] Sheen filed a lawsuit Thursday against Warner Bros. and "Two and a Half Men" producer Chuck Lorre for $100 million, plus punitive damages, TMZ reports.
Sheen, 45, is demanding he get paid for the eight "Two and a Half Men" episodes that were canceled this year, and he's also suing to gain lost wages and benefits for the show's crew.
Sheen's lawyer Marty Singer drafted the suit, and, according to TMZ, writes in the preamble: "Chuck Lorre, one of the richest men in television who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, believes himself to be so wealthy and powerful that he can unilaterally decide to take money away from the dedicated cast and crew of the popular television series, 'Two and a Half Men,' in order to serve his own ego and self-interest, and make the star of the Series the scapegoat for Lorre's own conduct."
[3/9/11] Charlie is up to 51 with 2,368,290 passing Al Gore, Tony Hawk, and NBA and is just behind Time.com, People Magazine, and Ashlee Simpson Wentz.
[3/8/11] Charlie is now up to 58 with 2,215,685 followers. Just ahead of John Legend and just behind Al Gore. Soon to fall: Tony Hawk, NBA, Time.com, People Magazine. Conan may take two or three days. Teamcoco is 47 with 2,570,746 followers. Looking live at Charlie's account, he has 2,277,644 followers. Conan has 2,586,251 and is still following 1 person.
[3/8/11] Charlie fired from Two and a Half Men
[3/6/11] Charlie Sheen has jumped from 112 to 85 with 1,895,761 followers. Two spots ahead of him? Denise Richards! Oddly, going to his actual page, Charlie has "only" 1,810,129 followers.
[3/5/11] Charlie Sheen now has 1,755,443 twitter followers and apparently set the record of most followers in a 24 hour period.
Still has a ways to go to catch Oprah who has 5,250,998 followers and Ashton Kutcher who has 6,407,439.
Looking now at twitaholic, Oprah is only tenth and Kutcher sixth. The others in the top eight (starting from number nine): Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ellen, Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama, Britney Spears, Justin Beiber, Lady Gaga.
Charlie Sheen is currently 112th with 1,707,580 and rising. Just behind John McCain and just ahead of Women's Wear Daily. He'll probably break into the top 100 in a day or two.
... Here's how fast Charlie's followers have grown:
3/1/11 - 141,468
3/2/11 - 837,124
3/3/11 - 1,244,318
3/4/11 - 1,551,589
3/5/11 - 1,707,580
So it's slowing down with the big jump of nearly 600K on 3/2 and only 150K on 3/5.
[2/28/11, posted 3/10] Charlie Sheen: bi-winning
[5/13/11] Acting with an imminent deadline to keep alive a hit comedy after it had been derailed by Charlie Sheen's troubles this season, CBS and Warner Bros. Television said Friday that actor Ashton Kutcher will replace Sheen in "Two and a Half Men."
The show goes into production this summer and will be on CBS' schedule in the fall.
The deal apparently came together quickly, following reports earlier this week that negotiations with film actor Hugh Grant to join the show had fallen through. Kutcher is familiar to television audiences through his role on Fox's "That 70s Show," film roles like the romantic comedy "No Strings Attached" and for producing and hosting the prank show "Punk'd."
A deadline on deciding whether the show would continue was looming with CBS set to unveil its fall schedule to advertisers in New York next Wednesday.
Kutcher is not as well known as Sheen but is 12 years younger and has a huge following of fans who check in on his ever utterance on Twitter. He said Friday he believes that "we can fill the stage with laughter that will echo in viewers' homes.
"I can't replace Charlie Sheen but I'm going to work my ass off to entertain the hell out of people," he said.
Kutcher gave his followers a big clue Wednesday on Twitter that he may be joining "Two and a Half Men."
"What's the square root of 6.25?" the actor asked in a tweet.
The answer is 2-1/2.
Sheen offered his replacement a welcome on Friday — sort of.
“Kutcher is a sweetheart and a brilliant comedic performer ... Oh, wait, so am I,” Sheen said.
***
Charlie is up to #25 on twitaholic passing Alicia Keys, ColdPlay, Shaq and TwitPic with 3,884,762 followers and is just behind Paris Hilton and Pink. However, he now doesn't appear to have any shot to catch Ashton Kutcher who is at #7 with 6,699,411.
[4/4/11] By all accounts, Charlie Sheen's traveling stage show, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option," failed bigtime on its opening night. The sellout crowd at Detroit's Fox Theater on Saturday booed the erratic star, shouted for refunds, and walked out early, leading Sheen to curtail his appearance after an hour. His broadly reworked second show, in Chicago on Sunday, went better. But repercussions from his disastrous effort in Detroit are already souring ticket sales for the tour's remaining 20 or so stops.
[3/31/11] Charlie has made his way up to #29 with 3,353,073 users passing The New York Times, Perez Hilton, KAKA, Chelsea Handler, Jimmy Fallon.
[3/17/11] Charlie has now passed Google Support is up to #34 with 2,908,192 followers. Up next: The New York Times
[3/16/11] Charlie has passed Luciano Huck and is now #35.
[3/15/11] Charlie has passed Lance Armstrong, Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg and is now #36 with 2,815,786 followers. Up next: Luciano Huck, Google Support, The New York Times.
[3/14/11] Charlie is up to #39 with 2,752,467 followers, passing Conan, The Onion, Khloe Kardashian, Soulja Boy, E! Online. Just ahead: Lance Armstrong, Nicki Minaj (hip hop artist from Trinidad), Snoop Dogg, Luciano Huck (Brazilian television personality).
[3/10/11] Charlie is now up to #48 with 2,482,522 followers, passing Time.com, People Magazine, and Ashlee Simpson Wentz. Just ahead of him are Conan, Khloe Kardashian, and Jonas Brothers.
[3/10/11] Sheen filed a lawsuit Thursday against Warner Bros. and "Two and a Half Men" producer Chuck Lorre for $100 million, plus punitive damages, TMZ reports.
Sheen, 45, is demanding he get paid for the eight "Two and a Half Men" episodes that were canceled this year, and he's also suing to gain lost wages and benefits for the show's crew.
Sheen's lawyer Marty Singer drafted the suit, and, according to TMZ, writes in the preamble: "Chuck Lorre, one of the richest men in television who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, believes himself to be so wealthy and powerful that he can unilaterally decide to take money away from the dedicated cast and crew of the popular television series, 'Two and a Half Men,' in order to serve his own ego and self-interest, and make the star of the Series the scapegoat for Lorre's own conduct."
[3/9/11] Charlie is up to 51 with 2,368,290 passing Al Gore, Tony Hawk, and NBA and is just behind Time.com, People Magazine, and Ashlee Simpson Wentz.
[3/8/11] Charlie is now up to 58 with 2,215,685 followers. Just ahead of John Legend and just behind Al Gore. Soon to fall: Tony Hawk, NBA, Time.com, People Magazine. Conan may take two or three days. Teamcoco is 47 with 2,570,746 followers. Looking live at Charlie's account, he has 2,277,644 followers. Conan has 2,586,251 and is still following 1 person.
[3/8/11] Charlie fired from Two and a Half Men
[3/6/11] Charlie Sheen has jumped from 112 to 85 with 1,895,761 followers. Two spots ahead of him? Denise Richards! Oddly, going to his actual page, Charlie has "only" 1,810,129 followers.
[3/5/11] Charlie Sheen now has 1,755,443 twitter followers and apparently set the record of most followers in a 24 hour period.
Still has a ways to go to catch Oprah who has 5,250,998 followers and Ashton Kutcher who has 6,407,439.
Looking now at twitaholic, Oprah is only tenth and Kutcher sixth. The others in the top eight (starting from number nine): Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ellen, Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama, Britney Spears, Justin Beiber, Lady Gaga.
Charlie Sheen is currently 112th with 1,707,580 and rising. Just behind John McCain and just ahead of Women's Wear Daily. He'll probably break into the top 100 in a day or two.
... Here's how fast Charlie's followers have grown:
3/1/11 - 141,468
3/2/11 - 837,124
3/3/11 - 1,244,318
3/4/11 - 1,551,589
3/5/11 - 1,707,580
So it's slowing down with the big jump of nearly 600K on 3/2 and only 150K on 3/5.
[2/28/11, posted 3/10] Charlie Sheen: bi-winning
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
my heroes
These are the people I admire and look up to. Why? For one thing, they are successful people and (just as important if not more so) are positive people. [And after thinking it over, they're all smart and have a sense of humor.]
Anyway here they are, not necessarily in any order. [Well, I guess it's sort of in chronological order.]
The Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso)
Warren Buffett (did you know Buffett is five years older than the Dalai Lama?)
Oprah Winfrey
Barack Obama
Cesar Millan
And I guess I'd better mention my Hall of Famers
Jesus Christ
The Buddha (Siddartha Gautama)
Mahatma Gandhi
Richard Feynman
John Wooden
Anybody daring to criticize them goes down a peg in my book. Well, I guess nobody's perfect (with one exception) and above criticism. And I suppose constructive criticism should always be welcome.
[original version started in July 2010]
links:
Oprah talks to the Dalai Lama
A New Day
John Wooden voted for Obama
Dalai Lama on meeting Obama
Cesar helps Oprah with Sophie
Anyway here they are, not necessarily in any order. [Well, I guess it's sort of in chronological order.]
The Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso)
Warren Buffett (did you know Buffett is five years older than the Dalai Lama?)
Oprah Winfrey
Barack Obama
Cesar Millan
And I guess I'd better mention my Hall of Famers
Jesus Christ
The Buddha (Siddartha Gautama)
Mahatma Gandhi
Richard Feynman
John Wooden
Anybody daring to criticize them goes down a peg in my book. Well, I guess nobody's perfect (with one exception) and above criticism. And I suppose constructive criticism should always be welcome.
[original version started in July 2010]
links:
Oprah talks to the Dalai Lama
A New Day
John Wooden voted for Obama
Dalai Lama on meeting Obama
Cesar helps Oprah with Sophie
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Jack LaLanne
LOS ANGELES — Jack LaLanne was prodding Americans to get off their couches and into the gym decades before it was cool. And he was still pumping iron and pushing fruits and vegetables decades past most Americans' retirement age.
The fitness fanatic ate well and exercised — and made it his mission to make sure everyone did the same — right up to the end at age 96, friends and family said.
LaLanne died Sunday at his home in Morro Bay on California's central coast, longtime agent Rick Hersh said. The cause was respiratory failure due to pneumonia.
"I have not only lost my husband and a great American icon, but the best friend and most loving partner anyone could ever hope for," Elaine LaLanne, LaLanne's wife of 51 years and a frequent partner in his television appearances, said in a written statement.
Lalanne, who had heart valve surgery two years ago, maintained a youthful physique and joked in 2006 that "I can't afford to die. It would wreck my image."
"He was amazing," said 87-year-old former "Price is Right" host Bob Barker, who credited LaLanne's encouragement with helping him to start exercising often.
"He never lost enthusiasm for life and physical fitness," Barker told The Associated Press on Sunday. "I saw him in about 2007 and he still looked remarkably good. He still looked like the same enthusiastic guy that he always was."
LaLanne credited a sudden interest in fitness with transforming his life as a teen, and he worked tirelessly over the next eight decades to transform others' lives, too.
"The only way you can hurt the body is not use it," LaLanne said. "Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it's never too late."
His workout show was a television staple from the 1950s to the '70s. LaLanne and his dog Happy encouraged kids to wake their mothers and drag them in front of the television set. He developed exercises that used no special equipment, just a chair and a towel.
He also founded a chain of fitness studios that bore his name and in recent years touted the value of raw fruit and vegetables as he helped market a machine called Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer.
When he turned 43 in 1957, he performed more than 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes on the "You Asked For It" television show. At 60, he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco — handcuffed, shackled and towing a boat. Ten years later, he performed a similar feat in Long Beach harbor.
"I never think of my age, never," LaLanne said in 1990. "I could be 20 or 100. I never think about it, I'm just me. Look at Bob Hope, George Burns. They're more productive than they've ever been in their whole lives right now."
Fellow bodybuilder and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger credited LaLanne with taking exercise out of the gymnasium and into living rooms.
"He laid the groundwork for others to have exercise programs, and now it has bloomed from that black and white program into a very colorful enterprise," Schwarzenegger said in 1990.
In 1936 in his native Oakland, LaLanne opened a health studio that included weight-training for women and athletes. Those were revolutionary notions at the time, because of the theory that weight training made an athlete slow and "muscle bound" and made a woman look masculine.
"You have to understand that it was absolutely forbidden in those days for athletes to use weights," he once said. "It just wasn't done. We had athletes who used to sneak into the studio to work out.
"It was the same with women. Back then, women weren't supposed to use weights. I guess I was a pioneer," LaLanne said.
The son of poor French immigrants, he was born in 1914 and grew up to become a sugar addict, he said.
The turning point occurred one night when he heard a lecture by pioneering nutritionist Paul Bragg, who advocated the benefits of brown rice, whole wheat and a vegetarian diet.
"He got me so enthused," LaLanne said. "After the lecture I went to his dressing room and spent an hour and a half with him. He said, 'Jack, you're a walking garbage can.'"
Soon after, LaLanne constructed a makeshift gym in his back yard. "I had all these firemen and police working out there and I kind of used them as guinea pigs," he said.
He said his own daily routine usually consisted of two hours of weightlifting and an hour in the swimming pool.
"It's a lifestyle, it's something you do the rest of your life," LaLanne said. "How long are you going to keep breathing? How long do you keep eating? You just do it."
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Dan and Jon, and a daughter, Yvonne.
The fitness fanatic ate well and exercised — and made it his mission to make sure everyone did the same — right up to the end at age 96, friends and family said.
LaLanne died Sunday at his home in Morro Bay on California's central coast, longtime agent Rick Hersh said. The cause was respiratory failure due to pneumonia.
"I have not only lost my husband and a great American icon, but the best friend and most loving partner anyone could ever hope for," Elaine LaLanne, LaLanne's wife of 51 years and a frequent partner in his television appearances, said in a written statement.
Lalanne, who had heart valve surgery two years ago, maintained a youthful physique and joked in 2006 that "I can't afford to die. It would wreck my image."
"He was amazing," said 87-year-old former "Price is Right" host Bob Barker, who credited LaLanne's encouragement with helping him to start exercising often.
"He never lost enthusiasm for life and physical fitness," Barker told The Associated Press on Sunday. "I saw him in about 2007 and he still looked remarkably good. He still looked like the same enthusiastic guy that he always was."
LaLanne credited a sudden interest in fitness with transforming his life as a teen, and he worked tirelessly over the next eight decades to transform others' lives, too.
"The only way you can hurt the body is not use it," LaLanne said. "Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it's never too late."
His workout show was a television staple from the 1950s to the '70s. LaLanne and his dog Happy encouraged kids to wake their mothers and drag them in front of the television set. He developed exercises that used no special equipment, just a chair and a towel.
He also founded a chain of fitness studios that bore his name and in recent years touted the value of raw fruit and vegetables as he helped market a machine called Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer.
When he turned 43 in 1957, he performed more than 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes on the "You Asked For It" television show. At 60, he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco — handcuffed, shackled and towing a boat. Ten years later, he performed a similar feat in Long Beach harbor.
"I never think of my age, never," LaLanne said in 1990. "I could be 20 or 100. I never think about it, I'm just me. Look at Bob Hope, George Burns. They're more productive than they've ever been in their whole lives right now."
Fellow bodybuilder and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger credited LaLanne with taking exercise out of the gymnasium and into living rooms.
"He laid the groundwork for others to have exercise programs, and now it has bloomed from that black and white program into a very colorful enterprise," Schwarzenegger said in 1990.
In 1936 in his native Oakland, LaLanne opened a health studio that included weight-training for women and athletes. Those were revolutionary notions at the time, because of the theory that weight training made an athlete slow and "muscle bound" and made a woman look masculine.
"You have to understand that it was absolutely forbidden in those days for athletes to use weights," he once said. "It just wasn't done. We had athletes who used to sneak into the studio to work out.
"It was the same with women. Back then, women weren't supposed to use weights. I guess I was a pioneer," LaLanne said.
The son of poor French immigrants, he was born in 1914 and grew up to become a sugar addict, he said.
The turning point occurred one night when he heard a lecture by pioneering nutritionist Paul Bragg, who advocated the benefits of brown rice, whole wheat and a vegetarian diet.
"He got me so enthused," LaLanne said. "After the lecture I went to his dressing room and spent an hour and a half with him. He said, 'Jack, you're a walking garbage can.'"
Soon after, LaLanne constructed a makeshift gym in his back yard. "I had all these firemen and police working out there and I kind of used them as guinea pigs," he said.
He said his own daily routine usually consisted of two hours of weightlifting and an hour in the swimming pool.
"It's a lifestyle, it's something you do the rest of your life," LaLanne said. "How long are you going to keep breathing? How long do you keep eating? You just do it."
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Dan and Jon, and a daughter, Yvonne.
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Bob Klouster
What would you do if you knew you were dying?
A Kapolei man diagnosed with incurable stage three kidney failure is using what time he has left to help others live longer, better lives.
If Bob Klouster could find a way to fix his ailing body as well as he can cars, he would.
Diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that is attacking his failing kidneys, doctors have given Bob 2 1/2 years to live.
"So my body is basically thinking my kidney is a foreign object. To get a transplant, the likelihood of doing the same thing is very high, so they put me very low no the wait list," said Klouster.
The prognosis has been difficult to fathom for the 37-year-old North Dakota native, who moved to Hawaii four years ago with his wife, who serves in the Air Force.
Klouster was a record-breaking track star in high school and at 18 was an elite college football recruit.
"You never really fully encompass the whole thing, because some days, I look as healthy as anybody," said Klouster.
But instead of being bitter about his fate, Klouster has decided to use his skills as a certified mechanic to help repair the used cars donated to the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii.
"I've had a full life compared to kids who have kidney disease that are very young," said Klouster. "So I'm kind of looking at it like that. Trying to help them and maybe others who come after me," said Klouster.
Bob said he has good days and bad days. He's in pain almost every day. But he said he doesn't believe in having a bucket list.
"I'm just thankful for everyday I'm able to get up and go. I"m very fortunate that I have a loving wife and caring family and that's what gets me through," said Klouster.
He's living proof, you can have a bad kidney, but still have a good heart.
For more information on how to become an organ donor or donate a car to the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii go to www.kidneyhi.org.
A Kapolei man diagnosed with incurable stage three kidney failure is using what time he has left to help others live longer, better lives.
If Bob Klouster could find a way to fix his ailing body as well as he can cars, he would.
Diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that is attacking his failing kidneys, doctors have given Bob 2 1/2 years to live.
"So my body is basically thinking my kidney is a foreign object. To get a transplant, the likelihood of doing the same thing is very high, so they put me very low no the wait list," said Klouster.
The prognosis has been difficult to fathom for the 37-year-old North Dakota native, who moved to Hawaii four years ago with his wife, who serves in the Air Force.
Klouster was a record-breaking track star in high school and at 18 was an elite college football recruit.
"You never really fully encompass the whole thing, because some days, I look as healthy as anybody," said Klouster.
But instead of being bitter about his fate, Klouster has decided to use his skills as a certified mechanic to help repair the used cars donated to the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii.
"I've had a full life compared to kids who have kidney disease that are very young," said Klouster. "So I'm kind of looking at it like that. Trying to help them and maybe others who come after me," said Klouster.
Bob said he has good days and bad days. He's in pain almost every day. But he said he doesn't believe in having a bucket list.
"I'm just thankful for everyday I'm able to get up and go. I"m very fortunate that I have a loving wife and caring family and that's what gets me through," said Klouster.
He's living proof, you can have a bad kidney, but still have a good heart.
For more information on how to become an organ donor or donate a car to the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii go to www.kidneyhi.org.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
what your burglar won't tell you
Subject: THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU
THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer on your front door knob to see how long it takes you to remove it.
5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway you're not home.
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)
10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.
12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it atfaketv.com.)
8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever, look like a crook.
2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again.
If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.
4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're not home, and for flat screen TVs, or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.
8. If you don't answer when I knock, I'll try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , andKentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.
[from Donda Spiker forwarded by Donna, 11/15/09]
THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer on your front door knob to see how long it takes you to remove it.
5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway you're not home.
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)
10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.
12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it atfaketv.com.)
8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever, look like a crook.
2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again.
If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.
4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're not home, and for flat screen TVs, or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.
8. If you don't answer when I knock, I'll try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , andKentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.
[from Donda Spiker forwarded by Donna, 11/15/09]
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
white lithium grease
Dr. Yee recommends white lithium grease for battery corrosion.
I thought he was talking about those Sylvania Motion-Activated Safety Lights that he recommended I buy from Amazon (?)
But maybe they might work on the flourescent tubes that don't go on in rainy weather. Gary tried to get them to work by sandpapering the connection, but they don't seem to work any better.
Funny though that the lights nearer to the back of the house work almost all the time.
Or maybe just buy new lights.
I thought he was talking about those Sylvania Motion-Activated Safety Lights that he recommended I buy from Amazon (?)
But maybe they might work on the flourescent tubes that don't go on in rainy weather. Gary tried to get them to work by sandpapering the connection, but they don't seem to work any better.
Funny though that the lights nearer to the back of the house work almost all the time.
Or maybe just buy new lights.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
mylocalcrime
is a website which displays recent crimes in your area. Not sure where the data comes from.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
everyday items to the rescue
If you don't have any silver poish handy and need to shine silverware or jewelry, toothpaste will work well. Use a very soft brush or cloth, and rinse thoroughly. This will work on other metals like copper and gold as well.
Use rubbing alcohol to clean your phone. For the small areas, use a cotton swap. For the larger areas, use a paper towel or cloth. The alcohol will tidy up the phone and kill germs at the same time.
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of broken glass you can't easily see.
Two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.
To remove a splinter, just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All on it, let dry, and peel the dry glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
-- Island News, Volume 2, Issue 3 (from Island Realtors)
Use rubbing alcohol to clean your phone. For the small areas, use a cotton swap. For the larger areas, use a paper towel or cloth. The alcohol will tidy up the phone and kill germs at the same time.
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of broken glass you can't easily see.
Two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.
To remove a splinter, just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All on it, let dry, and peel the dry glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
-- Island News, Volume 2, Issue 3 (from Island Realtors)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
keeping good bacteria
A DAILY shower is a deeply ingrained American habit. Most people would no sooner disclose they had not showered in days than admit infidelity. But Jenefer Palmer, 55, of Malibu, Calif., cheerfully acknowledged recently that she doesn’t shower or shampoo daily and doesn’t use deodorant. Ever.
Defying a culture of clean that has prevailed at least since the 1940s, a contingent of renegades deliberately forgoes daily bathing and other gold standards of personal hygiene, like frequent shampooing and deodorant use.
To the converted, there are many reasons to cleanse less and smell more like yourself. “We don’t need to wash the way we did when we were farmers,” said Katherine Ashenburg, 65, the author of “The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History.” Since the advent of cars and labor-saving machines, she continued, “we have never needed to wash less, and we have never done it more.”
Retention of the skin’s natural oils and water conservation are two reasons Ms. Palmer and others cite for skipping a daily shower. Some have concluded that deodorant is unnecessary after forgetting it once with no social repercussions, or are concerned about antiperspirants containing aluminum, even though both the National Cancer Institute and the Alzheimer’s Association don’t share those concerns. Shampooing as little as possible can help retain moisture in dry locks and enhance curl shape, argue adherents of the practice; for some men, it’s about looking fashionably unkempt.
Resist the urge to recoil at this swath of society: They may be on to something. Of late, researchers have discovered that just as the gut contains good bacteria that help it run more efficiently, so does our skin brim with beneficial germs that we might not want to wash down the drain. “Good bacteria are educating your own skin cells to make your own antibiotics,” said Dr. Richard Gallo, chief of the dermatology division at the University of California, San Diego, and “they produce their own antibiotics that kills off bad bacteria.”
Defying a culture of clean that has prevailed at least since the 1940s, a contingent of renegades deliberately forgoes daily bathing and other gold standards of personal hygiene, like frequent shampooing and deodorant use.
To the converted, there are many reasons to cleanse less and smell more like yourself. “We don’t need to wash the way we did when we were farmers,” said Katherine Ashenburg, 65, the author of “The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History.” Since the advent of cars and labor-saving machines, she continued, “we have never needed to wash less, and we have never done it more.”
Retention of the skin’s natural oils and water conservation are two reasons Ms. Palmer and others cite for skipping a daily shower. Some have concluded that deodorant is unnecessary after forgetting it once with no social repercussions, or are concerned about antiperspirants containing aluminum, even though both the National Cancer Institute and the Alzheimer’s Association don’t share those concerns. Shampooing as little as possible can help retain moisture in dry locks and enhance curl shape, argue adherents of the practice; for some men, it’s about looking fashionably unkempt.
Resist the urge to recoil at this swath of society: They may be on to something. Of late, researchers have discovered that just as the gut contains good bacteria that help it run more efficiently, so does our skin brim with beneficial germs that we might not want to wash down the drain. “Good bacteria are educating your own skin cells to make your own antibiotics,” said Dr. Richard Gallo, chief of the dermatology division at the University of California, San Diego, and “they produce their own antibiotics that kills off bad bacteria.”
Friday, November 12, 2010
more dangerous than heroin and crack cocaine
LONDON -- Alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, according to a new study.
British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole.
Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how it harms the human body, in addition to other criteria like environmental damage caused by the drug, its role in breaking up families and its economic costs, such as health care, social services, and prison.
Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, ecstasy and LSD scored far lower.
Experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them.
When drunk in excess, alcohol damages nearly all organ systems. It is also connected to higher death rates and is involved in a greater percentage of crime than most other drugs, including heroin.
But experts said it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol.
"We cannot return to the days of prohibition," said Leslie King, an adviser to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and one of the study's authors. "Alcohol is too embedded in our culture and it won't go away."
Experts said the study should prompt countries to reconsider how they classify drugs. For example, last year in Britain, the government increased its penalties for the possession of marijuana. One of its senior advisers, David Nutt - the lead author on the Lancet study - was fired after he criticized the British decision.
"What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science," said van den Brink. He said considerations about revenue and taxation, like those garnered from the alcohol and tobacco industries, may influence decisions about which substances to regulate or outlaw.
"Drugs that are legal cause at least as much damage, if not more, than drugs that are illicit," he said.
British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole.
Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how it harms the human body, in addition to other criteria like environmental damage caused by the drug, its role in breaking up families and its economic costs, such as health care, social services, and prison.
Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, ecstasy and LSD scored far lower.
Experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them.
When drunk in excess, alcohol damages nearly all organ systems. It is also connected to higher death rates and is involved in a greater percentage of crime than most other drugs, including heroin.
But experts said it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol.
"We cannot return to the days of prohibition," said Leslie King, an adviser to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and one of the study's authors. "Alcohol is too embedded in our culture and it won't go away."
Experts said the study should prompt countries to reconsider how they classify drugs. For example, last year in Britain, the government increased its penalties for the possession of marijuana. One of its senior advisers, David Nutt - the lead author on the Lancet study - was fired after he criticized the British decision.
"What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science," said van den Brink. He said considerations about revenue and taxation, like those garnered from the alcohol and tobacco industries, may influence decisions about which substances to regulate or outlaw.
"Drugs that are legal cause at least as much damage, if not more, than drugs that are illicit," he said.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
God In America
An interesting series from PBS of the history of religion in America.
***
Since the days when the Puritan "city on a hill" beckoned on the horizon of the New World, religious faith and belief have forged America's ideals, molded its identity and shaped its sense of mission at home and abroad.
For the first time on television, God in America explores the tumultuous 400-year history of the intersection of religion and public life in America, from the first European settlements to the 2008 presidential election. A co-production of AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and FRONTLINE, this six-hour series examines how religious dissidents helped shape the American concept of religious liberty and the controversial evolution of that ideal in the nation's courts and political arena; how religious freedom and waves of new immigrants and religious revivals fueled competition in the religious marketplace; how movements for social reform -- from abolition to civil rights -- galvanized men and women to put their faith into political action; and how religious faith influenced conflicts from the American Revolution to the Cold War.
Interweaving documentary footage, historical dramatization and interviews with religious historians, the six-part series is narrated by actor Campbell Scott and includes appearances by actors Michael Emerson (as John Winthrop), Chris Sarandon (as Abraham Lincoln) and Keith David (as Frederick Douglass), among others.
"The American story cannot be fully understood without understanding the country's religious history," says series executive producer Michael Sullivan. "By examining that history, God in America will offer viewers a fresh, revealing and challenging portrait of the country."
As God in America unfolds, it reveals the deep roots of American religious identity in the universal quest for liberty and individualism -- ideas that played out in the unlikely political union between Thomas Jefferson and defiant Baptists to oppose the established church in Virginia and that were later embraced by free-wheeling Methodists and maverick Presbyterians. Catholic and Jewish immigrants battled for religious liberty and expanded its meaning. In their quest for social reform, movements as different as civil rights and the religious right found authority and energy in their religious faith. The fight to define religious liberty fueled struggles between America's secular and religious cultures on issues from evolution to school prayer, and American individualism and the country's experiment in religious liberty were the engine that made America the most religiously diverse nation on earth.
***
Since the days when the Puritan "city on a hill" beckoned on the horizon of the New World, religious faith and belief have forged America's ideals, molded its identity and shaped its sense of mission at home and abroad.
For the first time on television, God in America explores the tumultuous 400-year history of the intersection of religion and public life in America, from the first European settlements to the 2008 presidential election. A co-production of AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and FRONTLINE, this six-hour series examines how religious dissidents helped shape the American concept of religious liberty and the controversial evolution of that ideal in the nation's courts and political arena; how religious freedom and waves of new immigrants and religious revivals fueled competition in the religious marketplace; how movements for social reform -- from abolition to civil rights -- galvanized men and women to put their faith into political action; and how religious faith influenced conflicts from the American Revolution to the Cold War.
Interweaving documentary footage, historical dramatization and interviews with religious historians, the six-part series is narrated by actor Campbell Scott and includes appearances by actors Michael Emerson (as John Winthrop), Chris Sarandon (as Abraham Lincoln) and Keith David (as Frederick Douglass), among others.
"The American story cannot be fully understood without understanding the country's religious history," says series executive producer Michael Sullivan. "By examining that history, God in America will offer viewers a fresh, revealing and challenging portrait of the country."
As God in America unfolds, it reveals the deep roots of American religious identity in the universal quest for liberty and individualism -- ideas that played out in the unlikely political union between Thomas Jefferson and defiant Baptists to oppose the established church in Virginia and that were later embraced by free-wheeling Methodists and maverick Presbyterians. Catholic and Jewish immigrants battled for religious liberty and expanded its meaning. In their quest for social reform, movements as different as civil rights and the religious right found authority and energy in their religious faith. The fight to define religious liberty fueled struggles between America's secular and religious cultures on issues from evolution to school prayer, and American individualism and the country's experiment in religious liberty were the engine that made America the most religiously diverse nation on earth.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
women give more
Women across nearly every income level gave significantly more to charity than men, nearly twice as much in some cases, according to a study by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Nonprofits have long suspected that women were the driving forces behind many of the gifts they receive, but they haven't had much proof. But the results of this study are so decisive and consistent, they can stop wondering, said Debra Mesch, director of the university's Women's Philanthropy Institute.
Nonprofits have long suspected that women were the driving forces behind many of the gifts they receive, but they haven't had much proof. But the results of this study are so decisive and consistent, they can stop wondering, said Debra Mesch, director of the university's Women's Philanthropy Institute.
Monday, October 25, 2010
karaoke
Found this site called karaokeplay. Where people can record and save and display their karaoke performances. Came across this one rather good singer called dreamrose. She could probably make the early cut on American Idol. There's probably some other good ones too. Haven't found a really bad one yet.
***
Fun karaoke at Cafe Duck Butt
Beside She-Bangs, we can add Joy To The World, Without You, All By Myself.
***
Fun karaoke at Cafe Duck Butt
Beside She-Bangs, we can add Joy To The World, Without You, All By Myself.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Limbaugh, Obama, Palin cousins
Rush Limbaugh calls President Barack Obama "imam," even though he knows the president isn't a Muslim. Sarah Palin has openly doubted the president's courage.
Turns out these two conservative firebrands have been dissin' their own cousin.
The online genealogy service Ancestry.com reports that Obama and Palin are 10th cousins, and Obama and Limbaugh are 10th cousins once removed. In both cases, the ties date to the 1600s.
Obama's distant family ties to former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney surfaced during his presidential campaign. Obama also is a distant cousin of billionaire investor Warren Buffett and actor Brad Pitt, according to Ancestry.com.
Anastasia Tyler, lead genealogist on the latest project, said in an interview: "It just shows how all of these politicians, they're on different sides of the political spectrum, but in the end they're all part of what makes America great, and they all go back to deep American roots."
Turns out these two conservative firebrands have been dissin' their own cousin.
The online genealogy service Ancestry.com reports that Obama and Palin are 10th cousins, and Obama and Limbaugh are 10th cousins once removed. In both cases, the ties date to the 1600s.
Obama's distant family ties to former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney surfaced during his presidential campaign. Obama also is a distant cousin of billionaire investor Warren Buffett and actor Brad Pitt, according to Ancestry.com.
Anastasia Tyler, lead genealogist on the latest project, said in an interview: "It just shows how all of these politicians, they're on different sides of the political spectrum, but in the end they're all part of what makes America great, and they all go back to deep American roots."
Tom Bosley
It was a constant in American television for more than a decade: Viewers could turn on their TVs and find Howard Cunningham in his armchair, reading the newspaper and providing a fatherly voice of reason to young Richie Cunningham and his friends on "Happy Days."
Tom Bosley made the role famous during the long-running sitcom, earning a place as one of the most memorable fathers in TV history.
Bosley died Tuesday at the age of 83 after suffering heart failure at a hospital near his Palm Springs home. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer.
His death brought fond remembrances of the nostalgic ABC show, which ran from 1974 to 1984. On Saturday, TV viewers lost another surrogate parent, Barbara Billingsley, who portrayed June Cleaver in "Leave It To Beaver."
Both shows showcased life in the 1950s — before Vietnam, Watergate and other tumultuous events of the '60s and '70s — when life was simpler.
"Kids were watching their parents grow up, and parents were watching themselves grow up. And that was the key to success of that show," Bosley said in a 2000 interview.
TV Guide ranked Bosley's Howard Cunningham character at No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" in 2004. The distinction puts "Mr. C," as his character was affectionately known on the show, right alongside Ward Cleaver, Andy Taylor, Dr. Huxtable and Mike Brady as some of the best-ever TV dads.
"Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the 'Happy Days' experience. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom led by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it," said a statement from Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham.
"My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already," Howard said.
Tom Bosley made the role famous during the long-running sitcom, earning a place as one of the most memorable fathers in TV history.
Bosley died Tuesday at the age of 83 after suffering heart failure at a hospital near his Palm Springs home. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer.
His death brought fond remembrances of the nostalgic ABC show, which ran from 1974 to 1984. On Saturday, TV viewers lost another surrogate parent, Barbara Billingsley, who portrayed June Cleaver in "Leave It To Beaver."
Both shows showcased life in the 1950s — before Vietnam, Watergate and other tumultuous events of the '60s and '70s — when life was simpler.
"Kids were watching their parents grow up, and parents were watching themselves grow up. And that was the key to success of that show," Bosley said in a 2000 interview.
TV Guide ranked Bosley's Howard Cunningham character at No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" in 2004. The distinction puts "Mr. C," as his character was affectionately known on the show, right alongside Ward Cleaver, Andy Taylor, Dr. Huxtable and Mike Brady as some of the best-ever TV dads.
"Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the 'Happy Days' experience. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom led by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it," said a statement from Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham.
"My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already," Howard said.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Which Services Don't You Want?
There’s been a lot of talk recently about the size of government - recently, in this case, meaning since about, oh, 1776. Today’s Tea Party folks seem to think that big, bloated government is the root of all that ails us. President Obama seems to think that there is no problem too big (or small) for government to fix.
This may, in fact, be the longest running debate in the United States: What exactly is the role of government in our lives, what services do we want it to provide and how much do we want to pay for it? Because once you have a Constitution and 27 amendments to it, the first 10 of which comprise our Bill of Rights, you assume a government to protect and enforce those rights - in short, to govern.
The subject of government size and reach most recently came up in the debate over health care and health insurance. I recall one anti-Obama guy shouting at a person in a wheelchair at an Ohio rally, “Health care is not a right!”
And I wondered: What about public education - is that a right?
Good roads and street lights? Bike paths?
Clean running water? Health and sanitation - garbage collection and landfills? Flu vaccines?
Public safety - cops, fire-fighters and EMTs? Jails and prisons?
Tsunami and hurricane warning systems?
Parks and pools? Libraries?
Airports and harbors? Sewage treatment?
Bus service?
A train?
Where do we draw the line? And at what point exactly does government get “too big”?
This may, in fact, be the longest running debate in the United States: What exactly is the role of government in our lives, what services do we want it to provide and how much do we want to pay for it? Because once you have a Constitution and 27 amendments to it, the first 10 of which comprise our Bill of Rights, you assume a government to protect and enforce those rights - in short, to govern.
The subject of government size and reach most recently came up in the debate over health care and health insurance. I recall one anti-Obama guy shouting at a person in a wheelchair at an Ohio rally, “Health care is not a right!”
And I wondered: What about public education - is that a right?
Good roads and street lights? Bike paths?
Clean running water? Health and sanitation - garbage collection and landfills? Flu vaccines?
Public safety - cops, fire-fighters and EMTs? Jails and prisons?
Tsunami and hurricane warning systems?
Parks and pools? Libraries?
Airports and harbors? Sewage treatment?
Bus service?
A train?
Where do we draw the line? And at what point exactly does government get “too big”?
Sunday, October 03, 2010
letting go -- of comic books
Jose Alaniz spent about a week sorting and packing each comic book — carefully, lovingly. There were 12 boxes of them, comics he'd collected since his mother bought him his first one at age 6.
He took time to look through them all. The Defenders. The Incredible Hulk. The Mighty Thor. Spider-Man. Each of them, even the bad ones, meant something to him.
And now here he was, preparing to let them go to the special collections at the University of Washington libraries.
Alaniz knows some would consider it silly that a 42-year-old man should be so attached to bits of paper and ink, books never really meant to last that long. A professor at the university, he sounds a bit apologetic for what he can only describe as his own sappiness (not an easy thing for a serious, somewhat nerdy academic to embrace).
Still, though he would soften the blow by keeping 10 of his most prized comic books, it would not be easy to let go.
He took time to look through them all. The Defenders. The Incredible Hulk. The Mighty Thor. Spider-Man. Each of them, even the bad ones, meant something to him.
And now here he was, preparing to let them go to the special collections at the University of Washington libraries.
Alaniz knows some would consider it silly that a 42-year-old man should be so attached to bits of paper and ink, books never really meant to last that long. A professor at the university, he sounds a bit apologetic for what he can only describe as his own sappiness (not an easy thing for a serious, somewhat nerdy academic to embrace).
Still, though he would soften the blow by keeping 10 of his most prized comic books, it would not be easy to let go.
Friday, October 01, 2010
speaking of Gandhi
As a 12-year-old boy growing up in Georgia, William T. Randall despised the Japanese for attacking Pearl Harbor. But when Mahatma Gandhi won independence for India through nonviolent protest two years later, his view started to change.
Randall, a retired minister and professor, will be among the speakers next Saturday for Gandhi's birthday and the International Day of Nonviolence.
The program is being organized by Raj Kumar, founder and president of Gandhi International Institute for Peace, based in Honolulu, and the Indian-American Friendship Council.
Randall says he was profoundly influenced by Mohandas Gandhi, assassinated in 1948 after leading India to independence after two centuries of British rule. Gandhi, known as mahatma or "saint," pioneered the concept of "satyagraha" -- resistance to tyranny through peaceful noncooperation.
Randall will speak on how his views on the use of violence changed since he was taught as a youngster to hate wartime foes.
As a Christian missionary in Japan, he said, he developed respect for and an understanding of its people.
"I learned very acutely that to harbor revenge would only divide and separate," he said.
Gandhi believed "nonviolence needs more courage than violence," says Kumar. "He advised people not to fight in the name of God and religion. He emphasized that God does not belong to one society, religion or nation. God dwells in the heart of all human beings. Gandhi said, If you wish to see change in the world, change yourself. When we change, the world changes."
The community is invited to the International Day of Nonviolence celebration from 10 a.m. to noon next Saturday near the Mahatma Gandhi statue outside the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki. E-mail Raj Kumar at rkumarhi@yahoo.com or visit www.gandhianpeace.com.
Randall, a retired minister and professor, will be among the speakers next Saturday for Gandhi's birthday and the International Day of Nonviolence.
The program is being organized by Raj Kumar, founder and president of Gandhi International Institute for Peace, based in Honolulu, and the Indian-American Friendship Council.
Randall says he was profoundly influenced by Mohandas Gandhi, assassinated in 1948 after leading India to independence after two centuries of British rule. Gandhi, known as mahatma or "saint," pioneered the concept of "satyagraha" -- resistance to tyranny through peaceful noncooperation.
Randall will speak on how his views on the use of violence changed since he was taught as a youngster to hate wartime foes.
As a Christian missionary in Japan, he said, he developed respect for and an understanding of its people.
"I learned very acutely that to harbor revenge would only divide and separate," he said.
Gandhi believed "nonviolence needs more courage than violence," says Kumar. "He advised people not to fight in the name of God and religion. He emphasized that God does not belong to one society, religion or nation. God dwells in the heart of all human beings. Gandhi said, If you wish to see change in the world, change yourself. When we change, the world changes."
The community is invited to the International Day of Nonviolence celebration from 10 a.m. to noon next Saturday near the Mahatma Gandhi statue outside the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki. E-mail Raj Kumar at rkumarhi@yahoo.com or visit www.gandhianpeace.com.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Blockbuster files for bankruptcy
NEW YORK - Blockbuster Inc., once the dominant movie rental company in the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday after reeling from mounting losses, rising debt and competitors that have better catered to Americans' changed media habits.
Blockbuster will continue to operate its 3,000 U.S. stores. But the move, long expected, marks the end of an era that Blockbuster and its gold-and-blue torn ticket logo helped establish — of Americans visiting video-store chains for the latest movie-rental releases. Increasingly, Americans are forgoing Blockbuster and watching movies via video subscription services like Netflix Inc., video on demand and vending machine services such as Coinstar Inc.'s Redbox.
Blockbuster will continue to operate its 3,000 U.S. stores. But the move, long expected, marks the end of an era that Blockbuster and its gold-and-blue torn ticket logo helped establish — of Americans visiting video-store chains for the latest movie-rental releases. Increasingly, Americans are forgoing Blockbuster and watching movies via video subscription services like Netflix Inc., video on demand and vending machine services such as Coinstar Inc.'s Redbox.
fat Americans
PARIS (AP) — Citizens of the world's richest countries are getting fatter and fatter and the United States is leading the charge, an organization of leading economies said Thursday in its first ever obesity forecast.
Three out of four Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020, and disease rates and health care spending will balloon, unless governments, individuals and industry cooperate on a comprehensive strategy to combat the epidemic, the study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said.
Franco Sassi, the OECD senior health economist who authored the report, blamed the usual suspects for the increase.
"Food is much cheaper than in the past, in particular food that is not particularly healthy, and people are changing their lifestyles, they have less time to prepare meals and are eating out more in restaurants," said Sassi, a former London School of Economics lecturer who worked on the report for three years.
That plus the fact that people are much less physically active than in the past means that the ranks of the overweight have swelled to nearly 70 percent in the U.S. this year from well under 50 percent in 1980, according to the OECD.
In 10 years, a full 75 percent of Americans will be overweight, making it "the fattest country in the OECD," the report said.
Three out of four Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020, and disease rates and health care spending will balloon, unless governments, individuals and industry cooperate on a comprehensive strategy to combat the epidemic, the study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said.
Franco Sassi, the OECD senior health economist who authored the report, blamed the usual suspects for the increase.
"Food is much cheaper than in the past, in particular food that is not particularly healthy, and people are changing their lifestyles, they have less time to prepare meals and are eating out more in restaurants," said Sassi, a former London School of Economics lecturer who worked on the report for three years.
That plus the fact that people are much less physically active than in the past means that the ranks of the overweight have swelled to nearly 70 percent in the U.S. this year from well under 50 percent in 1980, according to the OECD.
In 10 years, a full 75 percent of Americans will be overweight, making it "the fattest country in the OECD," the report said.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
5 things for good health
After 12 years, this will be my last column for USA WEEKEND Magazine. It has been tremendously rewarding to be able to provide helpful hints on health. I'd like to leave you with a few of my thoughts on maintaining good health. Given all the uncertainties the national health care debate has brought, it makes even more sense to make personal health maintenance a high priority. So here are some tips to remember:
Health is your responsibility. It is not the doctor's job, the hospital's job, your spouse's job or the government's job to keep you healthy — it's up to you. We suffer from chronic diseases that are too often the result of poor habits. The choices you make today usually determine the health you have tomorrow.
Stay active. If you're looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than that pair of sneakers in your closet. A daily “dose” of 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise will go a long way toward keeping you healthy as you age.
You are what you eat. Diets high in saturated fats and refined sugars provide lots of calories and little nutrition. Imagine your plate in four quadrants; three of them should be filled with colorful fruits and vegetables. This is a simple but very important image to maintain whether you're at home or eating out.
Stop smoking. Smoking is the greatest modifiable health risk facing our nation. For people who want to try to kick the habit on their own, stop-smoking aids are available at the local pharmacy. For those who need an extra push, professional help can be found with the help of your local doctor. However you do it, live smoke-free.
Keep a healthy emotional outlook. Life has ups and downs for all of us, but how we react to adversity influences not only our own psychological health but also the quality of life of those who live and work with us. It's like Grandma Moses said: “Life is what we make it — always has been, always will be.”
TEDD MITCHELL, M.D., is president of Texas Tech Health Sciences Center.
Health is your responsibility. It is not the doctor's job, the hospital's job, your spouse's job or the government's job to keep you healthy — it's up to you. We suffer from chronic diseases that are too often the result of poor habits. The choices you make today usually determine the health you have tomorrow.
Stay active. If you're looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than that pair of sneakers in your closet. A daily “dose” of 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise will go a long way toward keeping you healthy as you age.
You are what you eat. Diets high in saturated fats and refined sugars provide lots of calories and little nutrition. Imagine your plate in four quadrants; three of them should be filled with colorful fruits and vegetables. This is a simple but very important image to maintain whether you're at home or eating out.
Stop smoking. Smoking is the greatest modifiable health risk facing our nation. For people who want to try to kick the habit on their own, stop-smoking aids are available at the local pharmacy. For those who need an extra push, professional help can be found with the help of your local doctor. However you do it, live smoke-free.
Keep a healthy emotional outlook. Life has ups and downs for all of us, but how we react to adversity influences not only our own psychological health but also the quality of life of those who live and work with us. It's like Grandma Moses said: “Life is what we make it — always has been, always will be.”
TEDD MITCHELL, M.D., is president of Texas Tech Health Sciences Center.
save your brain
“The idea that Alzheimer's is entirely genetic and unpreventable is perhaps the greatest misconception about the disease,” says Gary Small, M.D., director of the UCLA Center on Aging. Researchers now know that Alzheimer's, like heart disease and cancer, develops over decades and can be influenced by lifestyle factors including cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, depression, education, nutrition, sleep and mental, physical and social activity.
The big news: Mountains of research reveals that simple things you do every day might cut your odds of losing your mind to Alzheimer's.
In search of scientific ways to delay and outlive Alzheimer's and other dementias, I tracked down thousands of studies and interviewed dozens of experts. I put the results in a new book: 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss (Little, Brown; $19.99). Here are 10 strategies I found most surprising.
The big news: Mountains of research reveals that simple things you do every day might cut your odds of losing your mind to Alzheimer's.
In search of scientific ways to delay and outlive Alzheimer's and other dementias, I tracked down thousands of studies and interviewed dozens of experts. I put the results in a new book: 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss (Little, Brown; $19.99). Here are 10 strategies I found most surprising.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
continuous chest compression CPR
The American Heart Association has updated its CPR guidelines and now advocates continuous chest compressions, a method developed at The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center.
Learn Sarver Heart Center's Continuous Chest Compression CPR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5huVSebZpM
[via unclewilfred (aunty laura) via paula via Carol.Briseno@sudler.com]
Learn Sarver Heart Center's Continuous Chest Compression CPR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5huVSebZpM
[via unclewilfred (aunty laura) via paula via Carol.Briseno@sudler.com]
Friday, September 17, 2010
relationship killers
Certain actions are relationship killers. Here are some areas where action -- or inaction -- will make all the difference.
1. Money. It is the No. 1 cause of divorce. If a partner has been unscrupulous, getting the trust back can be a challenge. You can start over, but you have to be willing to make up for what was lost and make sure the business side of your relationship is tuned up.
2. Sex/infidelity. A sexless marriage or unfaithfulness can extinguish love quicker than blowing out a candle. Don't let the flame burn out when keeping things warm is much easier than you think.
3. Disrespect. Research shows that if you call your partner names, belittle him or her, threaten to leave or use insulting language and yell, your relationship has a very low chance of survival.
4. Children. To some, children are bipedal germ carriers; to others, they are a reason for living. When families blend or go through difficult changes, the kids can become the entire focus of your relationship. Make sure to keep things in balance with your partner, so you have the energy to deal with any child issues.
5. Opposite-sex friends. Would you want your mate to hang out with a member of the opposite sex, having lunches, texting, etc.? If the answer is no, then you need to follow the same guidelines and talk with your partner about keeping appropriate boundaries.
6. Resentments. When you are holding pain, hurt or anger in your heart, there is little room for love. If you are harboring some resentment -- and who isn't? -- talk it out and put the matter to rest, so you can enjoy your relationship.
7. Discomfort/remodeling. If you are living in a construction zone, it's pretty hard to feel comfortable. Injury or illness can create a similar situation. Your home should be a place of serenity, so if you are remodeling or are dealing with physical issues, make your comfort a priority.
8. Lying/broken promises. Once you have been caught in a lie or break a promise, things change -- and not for the better. Even if you're afraid of getting in trouble, tell the whole truth and don't break promises, and find a way to make up for past mistakes.
9. Laziness. All good relationships require work. If you are unwilling to do it, your connection will diminish and you will begin to resent your partner. Talking about the kind of work your relationship needs is a good start.
10. Being mean. If you punish your partner when you don't get your way, or if the two of you give each other the silent treatment, you are headed for a lifetime of emotional pain. Stop the nastiness and learn how to heal what bugs you.
It's not very complicated. Avoid these relationship killers, and keep the love alive.
1. Money. It is the No. 1 cause of divorce. If a partner has been unscrupulous, getting the trust back can be a challenge. You can start over, but you have to be willing to make up for what was lost and make sure the business side of your relationship is tuned up.
2. Sex/infidelity. A sexless marriage or unfaithfulness can extinguish love quicker than blowing out a candle. Don't let the flame burn out when keeping things warm is much easier than you think.
3. Disrespect. Research shows that if you call your partner names, belittle him or her, threaten to leave or use insulting language and yell, your relationship has a very low chance of survival.
4. Children. To some, children are bipedal germ carriers; to others, they are a reason for living. When families blend or go through difficult changes, the kids can become the entire focus of your relationship. Make sure to keep things in balance with your partner, so you have the energy to deal with any child issues.
5. Opposite-sex friends. Would you want your mate to hang out with a member of the opposite sex, having lunches, texting, etc.? If the answer is no, then you need to follow the same guidelines and talk with your partner about keeping appropriate boundaries.
6. Resentments. When you are holding pain, hurt or anger in your heart, there is little room for love. If you are harboring some resentment -- and who isn't? -- talk it out and put the matter to rest, so you can enjoy your relationship.
7. Discomfort/remodeling. If you are living in a construction zone, it's pretty hard to feel comfortable. Injury or illness can create a similar situation. Your home should be a place of serenity, so if you are remodeling or are dealing with physical issues, make your comfort a priority.
8. Lying/broken promises. Once you have been caught in a lie or break a promise, things change -- and not for the better. Even if you're afraid of getting in trouble, tell the whole truth and don't break promises, and find a way to make up for past mistakes.
9. Laziness. All good relationships require work. If you are unwilling to do it, your connection will diminish and you will begin to resent your partner. Talking about the kind of work your relationship needs is a good start.
10. Being mean. If you punish your partner when you don't get your way, or if the two of you give each other the silent treatment, you are headed for a lifetime of emotional pain. Stop the nastiness and learn how to heal what bugs you.
It's not very complicated. Avoid these relationship killers, and keep the love alive.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Law of Success
Happened to catch this informercial on CNBC.
This guy was hawking this book by Napoleon Hill of Think and Grow Rich fame.
The premise was that Think and Grow Rich is a very watered-down version of this original publication purportedly first printed in 1925 with a run of about 100 copies distributed.
Then came another (the official?) version in 1928. Then the popular Think and Grow Rich in 1937 [pdf here along with a number of other classics].
A search of Google brought this.
The 1928 version is available on the web here [also at archive.org] and in book form at Amazon. The book is from Wilshire Publishing [I remember them. That's Melvin Powers' company and at one time I tried to sell their books. I did like The Magic of Thinking Big from them.]
I see the book is $30 at Wilshire vs. $17.55 at Amazon (vs. $50 from the infomercial -- actually $49.95 plus $9.95 s/h). [Here's another site for his informercial. Don't know why there's two.]
And I see it's available on ebay for $28.95 (plus $3.99 shipping) from bigbluemonster.
Apparently the guy in the informercial is Steve Paris (from the website above). Googling Steve Paris shows the book is oddly available on itunes. The guy is on twitter with 124 followers (account created 11/26/09). His company is Orne Publishing which apparently only publishes this one book.
Here's something interesting. Orne Publishing interviewing Steve. In other words, Steve hired somebody to interview himself. (Hmm. Like an informercial..)
And there you have it. The Law of Success in practice (assuming Steve is making a profit at this).
***
(See also The Secret)
[5/29/14] 10 Rules of Success
This guy was hawking this book by Napoleon Hill of Think and Grow Rich fame.
The premise was that Think and Grow Rich is a very watered-down version of this original publication purportedly first printed in 1925 with a run of about 100 copies distributed.
Then came another (the official?) version in 1928. Then the popular Think and Grow Rich in 1937 [pdf here along with a number of other classics].
A search of Google brought this.
The 1928 version is available on the web here [also at archive.org] and in book form at Amazon. The book is from Wilshire Publishing [I remember them. That's Melvin Powers' company and at one time I tried to sell their books. I did like The Magic of Thinking Big from them.]
I see the book is $30 at Wilshire vs. $17.55 at Amazon (vs. $50 from the infomercial -- actually $49.95 plus $9.95 s/h). [Here's another site for his informercial. Don't know why there's two.]
And I see it's available on ebay for $28.95 (plus $3.99 shipping) from bigbluemonster.
Apparently the guy in the informercial is Steve Paris (from the website above). Googling Steve Paris shows the book is oddly available on itunes. The guy is on twitter with 124 followers (account created 11/26/09). His company is Orne Publishing which apparently only publishes this one book.
Here's something interesting. Orne Publishing interviewing Steve. In other words, Steve hired somebody to interview himself. (Hmm. Like an informercial..)
And there you have it. The Law of Success in practice (assuming Steve is making a profit at this).
***
(See also The Secret)
[5/29/14] 10 Rules of Success
Monday, September 13, 2010
money buys happiness?
WASHINGTON (AP) — They say money can't buy happiness. They're wrong. At least up to a point.
People's emotional well-being — happiness — increases along with their income up to about $75,000, researchers report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
For folks making less than that, said Angus Deaton, an economist at the Center for Health and Wellbeing at Princeton University, "Stuff is so in your face it's hard to be happy. It interferes with your enjoyment."
Happiness got better as income rose but the effect leveled out at $75,000, Deaton said. On the other hand, their overall sense of success or well-being continued to rise as their earnings grew beyond that point. "Giving people more income beyond $75 thousand is not going to do much for their daily mood ... but it is going to make them feel they have a better life," Deaton said in an interview.
Not surprisingly, someone who moves from a $100,000-a-year job to one paying $200,000 realizes an improved sense of success. That doesn't necessarily mean they are happier day to day, Deaton said.
***
Money can't buy happiness, but a study shows that we can earn it.
The study, which analyzed Gallup surveys of 450,000 Americans in 2008 and 2009, suggests that there were two forms of happiness: day-to-day contentment and overall satisfaction with one's place in the world. While a higher income brings little day-to-day contentment, it does boost people's overall satisfaction.
The study, conducted by Princeton University economist Angus Deaton and famed psychologist Daniel Kahneman, found that there's a specific dollar number, or income plateau, after which more money has no measurable effect on day-to-day contentment.
As people earn more money, their day-to-day happiness rises. That is, until you hit the magic number: $75,000 a year. After that, it's just more stuff, with no gain in happiness.
People's emotional well-being — happiness — increases along with their income up to about $75,000, researchers report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
For folks making less than that, said Angus Deaton, an economist at the Center for Health and Wellbeing at Princeton University, "Stuff is so in your face it's hard to be happy. It interferes with your enjoyment."
Happiness got better as income rose but the effect leveled out at $75,000, Deaton said. On the other hand, their overall sense of success or well-being continued to rise as their earnings grew beyond that point. "Giving people more income beyond $75 thousand is not going to do much for their daily mood ... but it is going to make them feel they have a better life," Deaton said in an interview.
Not surprisingly, someone who moves from a $100,000-a-year job to one paying $200,000 realizes an improved sense of success. That doesn't necessarily mean they are happier day to day, Deaton said.
***
Money can't buy happiness, but a study shows that we can earn it.
The study, which analyzed Gallup surveys of 450,000 Americans in 2008 and 2009, suggests that there were two forms of happiness: day-to-day contentment and overall satisfaction with one's place in the world. While a higher income brings little day-to-day contentment, it does boost people's overall satisfaction.
The study, conducted by Princeton University economist Angus Deaton and famed psychologist Daniel Kahneman, found that there's a specific dollar number, or income plateau, after which more money has no measurable effect on day-to-day contentment.
As people earn more money, their day-to-day happiness rises. That is, until you hit the magic number: $75,000 a year. After that, it's just more stuff, with no gain in happiness.
Monday, September 06, 2010
respect my authority
Does Jerry Coffee respect Barack Obama? Does he honor and pray for our president? Judy Bader raises these good questions in her letter last week. I’ve had occasions to witness Mr. Coffee’s sincere faith in Jesus and his devotion to the Bible, so I have hope that Jerry fully intends to follow the Apostle Paul’s dictum in Romans 13: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”
It is unfortunate and patently unbiblical for Christians to disrespect and dishonor our governing authorities. Amazingly, when these words were written, the authority was the Roman emperor Caesar - not an amenable or particularly friendly administration! Still, scripture insisted on respect. Certainly there is a clear Biblical precedent and constant societal need for prophetic speaking of truth to power. This is what Mr. Coffee sometimes does. All of us have a right and responsibility to make our voices heard on issues of justice and mercy, but always with kindness and love for our political “enemies.” I am ashamed of outraged, undisciplined Christians, both left and right, who ignore God’s standard of honorable discourse indulging in hyper partisan pandering to putrid political prejudices.
Jay Jarman
Aiea
It is unfortunate and patently unbiblical for Christians to disrespect and dishonor our governing authorities. Amazingly, when these words were written, the authority was the Roman emperor Caesar - not an amenable or particularly friendly administration! Still, scripture insisted on respect. Certainly there is a clear Biblical precedent and constant societal need for prophetic speaking of truth to power. This is what Mr. Coffee sometimes does. All of us have a right and responsibility to make our voices heard on issues of justice and mercy, but always with kindness and love for our political “enemies.” I am ashamed of outraged, undisciplined Christians, both left and right, who ignore God’s standard of honorable discourse indulging in hyper partisan pandering to putrid political prejudices.
Jay Jarman
Aiea
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Pogo Poge
No one quite expected that the lyrics of the "Checkers & Pogo" theme song — "Here comes Checkers, here comes Checkers, Checkers ... and Pogo Poge!" — would be quite so prescient. Three actors eventually played Mr. Checkers in the KGMB-TV children's show, but to his Hawaii fans, there could be only one Pogo.
Entertainer Morgan Branch White, better known to Hawaii schoolchildren as TV character "Pogo Poge," died yesterday in Utah, where he had retired. He was 86.
He had retired largely to farm in Sevier, Utah, after he left Hawaii television in 1982, said son Steve White.
From 1967 to 1982, White was an island TV fixture on the after-school program "Checkers & Pogo," considered the longest-running, most successful children's television show in Hawaii.
White recalled in a KGMB "Checkers & Pogo Remembered" special that station owner Cec Heftel rushed the show onto the air. Heftel drafted White, then a disc jockey at KGMB radio, as one of the leads, telling him to grab a costume from wardrobe. The first items White put on were a pointy hat, a too-tight vest, and a clashing striped shirt and pants. This ad-hoc outfit defined Pogo's look for the next 15 years.
In the book "Hi There, Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Shows," author Tim Hollis described Poge's costume resembled an Alpine climber complete with a Tyrolean hat.
The "Pogo Poge" character, as played by White, was kind, impish and innocent, a kind of Stan Laurel to Mr. Checkers' blowhard Oliver Hardy.
Gruff Mr. Checkers was portrayed by actors Jim Hawthorne, former Star-Bulletin columnist Dave Donnelly and Jim Demarest, all of whom have died in the last six years. White, who also wrote and produced several episodes of the children's TV series, carried on the show as a solo act for the last three years it aired.
White also appeared in the original "Hawaii Five-0" series, portraying the islands' attorney general six times. After retiring from Hawaii, White continued children's programming in Utah and played a judge in the 1987 TV movie "At Mother's Request."
Entertainer Morgan Branch White, better known to Hawaii schoolchildren as TV character "Pogo Poge," died yesterday in Utah, where he had retired. He was 86.
He had retired largely to farm in Sevier, Utah, after he left Hawaii television in 1982, said son Steve White.
From 1967 to 1982, White was an island TV fixture on the after-school program "Checkers & Pogo," considered the longest-running, most successful children's television show in Hawaii.
White recalled in a KGMB "Checkers & Pogo Remembered" special that station owner Cec Heftel rushed the show onto the air. Heftel drafted White, then a disc jockey at KGMB radio, as one of the leads, telling him to grab a costume from wardrobe. The first items White put on were a pointy hat, a too-tight vest, and a clashing striped shirt and pants. This ad-hoc outfit defined Pogo's look for the next 15 years.
In the book "Hi There, Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Shows," author Tim Hollis described Poge's costume resembled an Alpine climber complete with a Tyrolean hat.
The "Pogo Poge" character, as played by White, was kind, impish and innocent, a kind of Stan Laurel to Mr. Checkers' blowhard Oliver Hardy.
Gruff Mr. Checkers was portrayed by actors Jim Hawthorne, former Star-Bulletin columnist Dave Donnelly and Jim Demarest, all of whom have died in the last six years. White, who also wrote and produced several episodes of the children's TV series, carried on the show as a solo act for the last three years it aired.
White also appeared in the original "Hawaii Five-0" series, portraying the islands' attorney general six times. After retiring from Hawaii, White continued children's programming in Utah and played a judge in the 1987 TV movie "At Mother's Request."
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