Tagged

I guess if you hang around long enough it's bound to happen. And today, it happened to me. I got tagged. At least I got it from the lovely, talented, and wonderful Ms. Josey. And you always remember your first one... right? I love her style. And did I mention, she's funny too? One of my favorite blogs from her is: Crinkle Crinkle Scoop. Grab something warm to drink and take a few minutes to read it. It's a heartwarming and touching story.



So here's the Tag:

• Pick your birth month.


• Bold the 5-10 traits that best apply to you.


• Copy to your own journal, with all twelve months.


• Tag 12 people from your friends list.

Not too bad huh? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and tag the following people :

1. Meemoe
2. Tre'
3. Femikey
4. Articlespecialist
5. Somewhatfortyplus
6. Dave

I hope it's not too inconvenient for you and that you'll take a few minutes to let us all know a little bit more about you.

Here's mine:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

Here are all the months:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Xbox 360 vs Nintendo WII

Where Can You buy the Nintendo Wii?

Last year Santa was a hero in my house. He left a brand new Xbox 360 underneath the Christmas tree. Boy was that a hit. I must add that I became quite a fan of the game myself. Madden 2007, Sonic the Hedgehog, and NBA Live were the popular games. I must admit that I was a bit disappointed in the lack of availability of age appropriate games for the younger kids, or "E" rated (Everyone) games. But I was very impressed with the graphics. Xbox 360 seemed to win that competition hands down against the other platforms. Please note that I haven't played the Playstation 3 yet. Nonetheless, as the year went by more and more games became available and I discovered that with a special disk ordered from the company, we could configure our console to play the older regular Xbox games. This created a new pool of games. We added the Lego Star Wars games to our collection and then followed up with a very cool game - " Surf's Up" shortly after...... I really like that game. I'm not a surfer and don't really buy into the whole surfer image but the movie was cool and the characters have some redeeming values and I get " totally "stoked" playing the game." (See, I even learned a few new words) I later picked up the Tiger Woods game on sale and quickly found that game to be quite enjoyable as well. It's fun to create your own players and customize them in size, appearance, and dress. You'll have fun trying to create someone who looks like you and plays like you..... Anyway, I summarize this all to say: It was a nice gift from Santa and it brought and continues to bring joy to me and my household.

So this year, after succumbing to all of the hype and listening to all of the so called advantages of the Nintendo Wii system from my friends, I stopped in a game zone and checked out the Wii system. Pretty cool. It has just okay graphics in my opinion - Not nearly as good as the Xbox 360. But it was fun using the wand/baton or whatever that thing is called and I enjoyed the physical interactivity. I processed the information and decided I could definitely justify owning two game platforms. The Wii is just different enough to warrant a purchase. I reasoned that the different controls and motions are a required skill set that today's children should master. For example:

Look at the Predator and Global Hawk weapon systems:

Pictured below: These UAV's (unmanned aerial vehicles) are the military's latest manifestation of space aged, sci-fi, technology. These vehicles are largely being flown by 25 - 45 yr olds who grew up playing Pac Man, Space Invaders, Galaga, and Donkey Kong. Who would have thought that they'd be sitting in a bunker thousands of miles away from the weapons system digesting tons of computer generated information and making life or death decisions utilizing skills perfected on those antiquated gaming systems.

RQ-4 Global Hawk

MQ-1Predator

So with that distorted reasoning and logic, I decided to ask the big guy(Santa) for a Nintento wii for Christmas this year. That should be easy enough right? I remember seeing them in all of the stores just a few months ago for around $249. Concurrently, I decided to look online to check the availability. Well, guess what? That was a few months ago. I just casually looked around the web starting with the obvious places like Toys R Us, Best Buy, Target and you guessed it> These are the messages I received: Sold Out, Out of Stock, Unavailable, etc., etc., Wow. Who would have thought? I then went to some other places like: Costco.com, Walmart.com, Circuitcity.com and the likes.... Sold Out! The only place that the Wii seems to be available is Ebay and Amazon. All for outrageous prices! Forget that! Wow! Can this be real? How can a company like Nintendo not have enough platforms available at the peak of the selling season?

I guess I snoozed by waiting this late to order a system but I guess Nintendo made a bigger mistake in not being able to quench a thirsty market at a critical time. At least I can kick back and wait for Santa's elves to build me one and get the free delivery on Christmas Eve. I wonder what the other shoppers will do. Anyone know of a good place to buy a Wii this close to Christmas at a reasonable price?

Please let us all know.....

DAN IN REAL LIFE (2007)

DAN IN REAL LIFE

Get the review at Movies.com

Last Wednesday was a great time to take the afternoon off to catch a movie. And after some discussion about what constitutes a "Chick Flick", I was talked into seeing DAN IN REAL LIFE. This was not my first choice but I'm a team player and not totally against "chick flicks" and the ladies wanted to see it so I agreed. After all, I totally enjoyed Steve Carell in 40 year old Virgin and I was optimistic.


My Review: Wait until it comes out on DVD or catch it on cable. Very short synopsis: Boy meets girl and falls in love. Girl falls in love with Boy. Boy finds out that girl is Brother's girlfriend. Boy, Girl, and Brother run through a series of escapades, lies, deception, and shenanigans. And well, you know the rest. Suffice to say, this is a very predictable movie.

I did however, find myself laughing out loud a few times. But overall, I found myself feeling sorry for Carell's character and longing for the inevitable happy ending. Juliette Binoche is indeed a pleasure to watch and Carell is a talented and convincing actor. The two are surrounded by a somewhat idyllic family in a beautiful Autumn setting. There are certain lessons to be learned for all ages especially parents. But in my humble opinion; Save it for the small screen. Take a risk on something else at the movies.......





Enjoy your day.

More Sunsets!

Spectacular Sunset Photos!

Hey there,

Here are a few spectacular photos of the sun setting. Can you guess where they were taken?

I took all of these pictures of the sun setting on the big island of Hawaii, near Kona, in August, 2007. I hope you enjoy them. If you'd like to see more, please let me know.

Chart Blaster!

Photo details - Click here

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's your Treat!

Leona Lewis- Winner X-Factor of London

A few weeks ago I highlighted a Leona Lewis song, (See my Daylight Saving Post), She's the young and very talented winner of the X factor of London. I first noticed her when Oprah did a piece on Leona about a year ago. Well Guess what? Her debut album is set to break all records for a debut album in the UK.

Hit the play button.....Close your eyes, Think Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, or Whitney Houston and let me know what you think.








If you like that and are thirsty for more get some more scoop from this Ryan Seacrest interview with Leona.

The album has not been released in the United States yet but I'll be in line to get my copy as soon as it is. I expect to hear lots more about and from this young and beautiful phenom in the next few months. Let's hope it's all good. For more information and some gossip on Leona you can follow this link: Click Here

Going Technorati

Technorati Profile

THE ASS, THE FOX, AND THE LION

Ah Ha,.... I got your attention with the Ass part huh? We all know one, admire one or at least own one! But do you remember this one?


THE ASS, THE FOX, AND THE LION

An Ass and a Fox went into partnership and sallied out to forage for food together. They hadn't gone far before they saw a Lion coming their way, at which they were both dreadfully frightened. But the Fox thought he saw a way of saving his own skin, and went boldly up to the Lion and whispered in his ear, "I'll manage that you shall get hold of the Ass without the trouble of stalking him, if you'll promise to let me go free." The Lion agreed to this, and the Fox then rejoined his companion and contrived before long to lead him by a hidden pit, which some hunter had dug as a trap for wild animals, and into which he fell. When the Lion saw that the Ass was safely caught and couldn't get away, it was to the Fox that he first turned his attention, and he soon finished him off, and then at his leisure proceeded to feast upon the Ass.



Betray a friend, and you'll often find you have ruined yourself.


As you may know, this is one of many of Aesop's fables; Aesop's Fables or Aesopica refers to a collection of fables credited to Aesop (620–560 BC), a slave and story-teller who lived in Ancient Greece. These stories generally involved animals and are used to articulate a story with a moral. They are particularly useful in educating children.

Another very popular and widely known fable involves a fox and the grapes:

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of Grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis, and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air. But it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach: so he gave up trying, and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking, "I thought those Grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour."


This of course is where the term sour grapes comes from.

A Free Aesop's Fables download


Click here and follow this link to get a free copy of Aesop's Fables

Aesop, as depicted in the Nuremberg Chronicle by Hartmann Schedel. Here he is shown wearing 15th century German clothing

The New Moon Race

Why all the new interest in the Moon?

All of a sudden there seems to be a renewed interest in putting a manned vehicle back on the moon. Wait a second...... Didn't we already have that race? And didn't we win? - July 20, 1969 - "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." The timeless words of Neil Armstrong. (I'm working on streaming his speech here should be available soon- click here to listen to it again)

Well guess what? After years of ignoring the moon and focusing on Mars and beyond, out of no where, we have a new aggressive interest in getting to and controlling the moon and it's resources. But really, why is China, India, Japan, Russia, and the United States so fired up about the moon again?

"China, a relative newcomer, has developed a booster capable of propelling a capsule to the moon and has now sent three astronauts into orbit. China plans to launch its first moon probe on April 17, and hopes eventually to follow up with a manned trip. Japan is moving ahead with a moon program. And last week an Indian flight successfully deployed four satellites, giving Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's audacious promise in 2003 to send a spacecraft to the moon by 2008 at least a patina of realism.

(See the associated Newsweek story by clicking here)"

Well consider this: Buried in the dust in the moon is an element called Helium 3. Helium-3 is an isotope of helium, meaning that it doesn't have the normal number of four bits inside it to call it proper helium. In fact, it's only got one neutron instead of the normal two. This means that the atom is balanced again if it can get another neutron from somewhere. Complicated stuff for some of us I know, but in a nutshell, this is the basis for nuclear fusion. See this space article if you're interested in more detail it really explains the process. (click here). And with light sweet crude oil approaching $100 a barrel one would think that a cleaner more efficient fuel source is more of a necessity than a luxury. Factor in, that there's enough helium-3 on the Moon to supply 10,000 years of energy needs on Earth and you now have a very strategically desireable entity.

Put your track shoes on folks. The race is on - Again!

Modern Day Romeo and Juliet

Alright! I couldn't resist this one:


Dire Straits Live with a very nice opening Saxaphone solo.


Check it out!

I've always liked this cut. In particular, the catchy tune, the guitar chords, and the passionate lyrics. Some of the lines are sappy but they are contrasted with some of the deepest and most romantic prose ever.

Here are the Lyrics:

"Romeo And Juliet"

[Dire Straits cover]

A lovestruck Romeo, sings the streets of serenade

Laying everybody low with a love song that he made

Find a streetlight, steps out of the shadeSays something like,

"You and me, babe, how about it?"

Juliet says, "Hey, it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack

"He's underneath the window, she's singing Hey, la, my boyfriend's back"

You shouldn't come around here, singing up at people like that

Anyway what you gonna do about it?

Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start

And I bet and you exploded in my heart And I forget, I forget the movie song

When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame

Both dirty, both mean, yes and the dream was just the same

And I dream your dream for you and now your dream is real

How can you look at me, as if I was just another one of your deals?

Well, you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold

You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold

You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin

Now you just say, "Oh, Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him"

Juliet, when we made love, you used to cry

You said, "I love you like the stars above,

"I love you till I die"There's a place for us, you know the movie song

When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

I can't do the talk like the talk on the TV

And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be

I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you

Can't do anything except be in love with you

And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be

All I do is keep the beat, the bad company

And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of a Orion

Juliet, I'd do the stars with you any time

Juliet, when we made love, you used to cry

You said, "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die"

There's a place for us, you know the movie song

When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

A lovestruck Romeo, he sings the streets of serenade

Laying everybody low with a love song that he made

Find a convenient streetlight, steps out of the shade

He says something like, "You and me, babe, how about it?"

Anyone know what's really going on here? I'd love to hear your intreptations of the lyrics....

What's in a Name?

Romeo and Juliet.


Juliet:"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet."


This book remains one of my favorite memories from High School. And that quote remains one of the few that I still remember and understand. Let's not discuss it took me three reads and some extra instruction to fully understand most of the book. Fortunately, I was able to locate one of those books with the text on one side and the translation on the other side. Did that Shakespeare cat really speak English? I'm not so sure. Well, at the end of the day it was the movie: Romeo and Juliet (the 1968 version) starring Olivia Hussey, that finally put it in perspective for me. And I mean total Technicolor! We took a field trip to the theater to watch the movie. What a treat! For a teen aged boy with raging hormones, Olivia Hussey was more than an eye full. And I was a captive, or should I say captivated, audience. She totally wooed me into submission as I watched the tragedy unfold. Completely knowing and understanding the ending, I still found it difficult to hold back my emotion as the two lovers met their tragic end.



Today, my vision of Juliet has been smeared. I learned that her (Actually, Shakespeare's) immortal words are false: A rose by some other name perhaps would not smell as sweet. Or at least it wouldn't be as smart and could have a lower batting average.


I came across this story today:


Yale University researcher Joseph Simmons and Leif Nelson of the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals' initials played a role when looking at their success in baseball or academia, a news release from Psychological Science said Wednesday.
In the duo's first study, they took into account Major League Baseball players' initials and strikeout percentages during the last 93 years.
Since strikeouts are typically recorded with the letter "K," the researchers attempted to discover if those players whose names started with that letter struck out more often.
They determined that those players did, indeed, strike out more often than those whose names began with different letters.
The second study took into account letter grades in academia in relation to students' initials and again a link was found.
By looking at the grade point averages of M.B.A. students from an unidentified university during the last 15 years, they found students with names starting with "C" or "D" typically had lower grade point averages than those whose names began with "A" and B."


So just think.... Now, after all those years my parents harassed me about my GPA, I learn that it's their fault. If they had named me Andrew or Brian, Bruce or Arthur,.... I would have had better grades and perhaps even made it into the Major League.

Is it too late for a name change?

MacGyver - Like!

Richard Dean Anderson as MacGyver

When I was a kid, I loved taking things apart and putting them back together again. I just loved getting my hands on old televisions, stereos, and radios. Anything around the house that was broken gave me a license to work my magic. Occasionally, after some fiddlin' and fixin' I'd manage to get something broken to work again. And of course, there were those times when the reverse was true. My older sister sometimes reminds me of how I wired her personal telephone into the stereo system of the house and blasted her conversations live, loud, and in stereo! Oh, sibling rivalry - I'm glad we can laugh about these things 30 years later. And I'm glad my parents never found out that I drilled a hole in the floor to run the wires. What was I thinking?

Naturally, it was no surprise that when the show MacGyver came out I became an instant fan. I remember chilling -back in the day and watching MacGyver before I hit the club scene with my friends. I admired how he could take common, ordinary household items and fix or build just about anything. I recall the show where he used an ordinary ball point pen to repair a punctured fuel line in an automobile. Still another favorite; The time he repaired a blown fuse using aluminum foil from a stick of chewing gum. And let's not forget how he repaired a bullet hole in a hot air balloon with a map and some tape. Fascinating stuff to say the least. And slightly more realistic than the A-team's antics. (Remember those guys?) With his Swiss army knife and some ordinary items, just about anything was in the realm of possibilities.

And so it was no accident that I would stumble upon and be attracted to the following video: This guys claims you can power and ordinary television with a AAA battery, some duct tape, and one RCA cable cord. Watch how he does it:

Is that a MacGyverism or what? (Yes, Macgyverism is a word) Can you imagine sitting around your house during a blackout and wanting to catch the latest episode of Survivor? Desperate Housewives? 24 ? or American Idol? Then bamm! You whip out a MacGyverism. Let's hope you have local channels and a good antennae because I haven't seen the youtube video hook-up for the cable box yet.

Well anyway, I got a kick out of the video. Who knows if this actually works or not? If any of you gets around to trying this before I do, please leave me a note. I did some more searching and I came across this hilarious response to the video. Enjoy the viewing, it's short:












Some people are crazy and have too much time on their hands!

Jet Lag

Are you looking for the best ways to avoid Jet Lag? Some travelers advocate the use of melatonin, ambien, and other over-the-counter remedies and prescription drugs.

Here are my thoughts on Jet Lag.....

Wikipedia defines Jet Lag:



Jet lag, also jetlag or jet-lag, is a physiological condition which is a consequence of alterations to the circadian rhythm. Such alterations result from shift work, daylight saving time, altered day length, or as the name implies, transmeridian travel as on a jet plane. They are known as desynchronosis, dysrhythmia, dyschrony, jet lag, or jet syndrome. The condition is generally believed to be the result of disruption of the "light/dark" cycle that entrains the body's circadian rhythm. It can be exacerbated by environmental factors.


Interestingly, jet lag affects women and men differently. Females are more susceptible to jet lag than are males[2] this is in part because estrogen is often vulnerable to jet lag-like conditions[3


Symptoms usually will be experienced differently by different people. Some of the common symptoms that can be associated with jet lag are:


1. Dehydration and loss of appetite
2. Headaches and/or sinus irritation
3. Fatigue
4. Disorientation and/or grogginess
5. Nausea and/or upset stomach
6. Insomnia and/or highly irregular sleep patterns
7. Irritability, irrationality
8. Mild depression




I think I've had just about all of these in varying degrees over the years.


As you can see though, Jet lag is a live and real phenomenon. There are many different so called cures and remedies for Jet Lag. If you travel a lot or work shift work, or somehow experience jet lag and can't seem to deal with it, here are a few tips that have helped me and may help you:

1. Eat when you're hungry and sleep when you're tired. I've traveled with many people and some have tried to game the system by faking their bodies out. They've tried to stay on their home body time throughout their trip by sleeping during their home sleeping cycles and eating at the normal times. This is a difficult undertaking. And unfortunately, everyone doesn't have the luxury of manipulating their abroad schedules. I've found that my body is frequently the best judge for these things. And by keeping it happy, it in return is better to me. On the eating note - be sure to attempt to eat healthily. A balanced diet including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables works wonders. Stay away from greasy and fatty foods. Another key ingredient is hydration. Be sure to drink lots of water. Try to stay away from excessive sugary drinks and sodas. Drink a cup of tea when you can. Green tea if you're able. Tea is loaded with antioxidants and will relax you.



2. Use Alcohol and Caffeine in moderation: Both are stimulants and both will impede good quality sleep. While alcohol may tend to make you sleepy at first, it steals quality REM (rapid eye movement sleep - the best kind) sleep from you later. And we all know how bad you can feel the next morning after pounding a few brewskis. Enough said!



3. Get some exercise and sunlight: Make sure you find some time for some sort of regular exercise. Even if you don't normally exercise at home, make an exception on the road. Most hotels have a gym or exercise room. Try to combine some sort of cardiac/aerobic workout with some light weights. A good brisk walk or run outside is also encouraged if you can fit it in. Be sure to work in some exposure to sunlight. Don't turn into a vampire by sleeping all day long and staying awake at night. This is sure to exacerbate the problem away and at home.



4. Nap, Nap, Nap........ Naps have been the single best cure for jet lag for me. I generally try to take a nap as soon as I can after arriving the first day. This generally applies to morning arrivals. So when I'm traveling, as soon as I check into the hotel I try to relax for a few minutes by reading and then catch a quick nap. The key here is not to sleep too long. Anything longer than four hours is too long. Set an alarm or arrange for a wake up call and then get up and do something. This is a good time for #3: exercise and sunlight. And then try to go to bed that night at a reasonable time.



5. Pack your tools: In your toolkit you should have earplugs and eye guards. These will help you sleep if you're hotel room or sleeping accommodations are noisy or too bright. In your kit also have some tape or thumbtacks to secure the curtains if necessary. You want to keep your room as dark as possible so that you are not falsely awakened before you're ready to get up. Finally, be sure to take sunglasses with you. Scientists in Edinburgh have found that people can adjust their body clocks when travelling to different time zones by altering their light patterns. See the story here: click.



6. Pamper yourself: Lastly, find something you really enjoy doing and pamper yourself. Take a hot bath, get a massage, splurge on a fine meal, go see a play. Whatever it is that floats your boat, treat yourself. I like to sneak out and catch a movie when I'm on the road. Try it: Pamper yourself a little bit and you'll be surprised at how much better you'll fell about everything.

So that's my take on the big J L (jet lag). Hopefully these tips will help mediate your exposure.

All the Best!

Speaking of United Airlines

Delta And United Merging?





















That's the talk on the street today.



Early on-

Delta Air surges as much as 10% on merger speculation
Marketwatch - November 14, 2007 2:40 PM ET


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+4.22
Real time quote.
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Delta Air Lines, Inc. shares surged Wednesday afternoon on speculation that the Atlanta carrier could be headed toward a merger with another large airline. Earlier, the company said it was evaluating strategic options, including mergers, and said it had received a letter from hedge fund and shareholder Pardus Capital Management urging it to take a lead in industry consolidation. The Wall Street Journal previously reported Pardus was pushing Delta to link up with United Airlines, the flagship carrier of UAL Corp. . Shares in Delta were recently up 9% to $20.54. UAL shares also rallied, up 9% to $47.45.

More news:

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. are in talks to discuss a possible merger, The Associated Press reported Wednesday, citing an anonymous source close to the talks. The wire service said a possible scenario is the combined airline keeping the United name with headquarters staying in Chicago and keeping Delta's Atlanta hub as an operational center. Shares of UAL jumped 13% to $49.12 and Delta shares rose 7% to $20.07 in afternoon trading.



This quite possibly could be the biggest news since each of these carriers entered and exited bankruptcy. Of the many possible merger scenarios, this one makes since. United has recently swelled it's cash coffers and streamlined it's balance sheets making it a perfect merger partner. Delta brings to the table a very strong southeastern US and Atlantic route system which is very complimentary to United's strength in the Pacific and the western US. Additionally, with both pilot groups belonging to ALPA - Airline Pilots Association, Intl. - and having similar wage structures, this could make for a somewhat seamless labor combination.

United's Chief, Glenn Tilton, has long been an advocate of airline consolidation. Do remember that United offered to merge with Delta in 2005 and that offer was declined. Also, recall the hostile takeover attempt of Delta by US Airways. Delta said no way!

While high oil prices and an increasing competitive marketplace seem to suggest the need for consolidation, airline mergers are challenging undertakings and frequently laden with complications. United seems to be posturing itself for consolidation more so than growth. This is evidenced by it's reluctance to commit to new airplanes. Delta, although making some favorable comments today, often times proves to be an unwilling dance partner. Factor in the perceived need to complete such a combination before an administrative change (Democrats generally look less favorably at big business pairings) and the certain opposition from American, Continental, Northwest, and Southwest Airlines to name a few. And you've got yourself a very difficult prospect at best.



Stay tuned for more....

Back in Hong Kong

which way do I go?

Okay, I'm off to the races. After a grueling 14 1/2 hour flight to Hong Kong on United Airlines I hit the ground running. Well, not really running but walking very quickly. Okay, kinda just staggering around - lost! It was a nice flight over. Very smooth. United has started direct service from LAX to Hong Kong again so that's a great deal for me. The flight traveled up the west coast of the United States, across Alaska and the Aleutian islands, across the Russian Kamchatka peninsula overhead Magadan, Russia and then south directly overhead Beijing, China - down through southeastern China and into Hong Kong. I was a bit tired when we landed but I quickly got a second wind. After checking into the hotel I agreed to meet my traveling partners for a beer. And that's about all I could stand. The beer hit me rather quickly and I soon realized that it was time for bed. I found myself dozing several times at the bar. It's not too cool when you start drooling in the middle of a conversation. (Ha, ha, ha ) So I figured, it was a good time to head back and get some rest. It's just my luck that Hong Kong has these cute little directions in the street for pedestrians to remind you of which way to look for street traffic. Many of you know this but they drive on the left side of the road in Hong Kong, versus the right side in the US. Thus, the tendency is to look the wrong way before you cross the street. Honestly, I found that the signs didn't help me per se. They just reminded me that I needed to look in all directions several times before I crossed the street. Remember your parents teaching you to look both ways before you crossed? See, those good habits can save your tail.....

Flying over the Kamchatka peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk



Well that's it for now. I know I've got some catch up blogging to do so expect more soon.

Sunrise or Sunset?

Sunrise or Sunset. What do you think?



It's that time again to hit the road. Off to Hong Kong this time! It's been a few years since I was there. I'm guessing it's been about 2 and 1/2 years since my last visit. I'm kinda looking forward to the trip. I'm a bit curious to see what has changed since I was there last. Secretly wondering if some of my old haunches are still there and popular. I've spent a lot of the last year traveling back and forth to Beijing. There's a big difference between Beijing and Hong Kong. (I'll eventually get around to some Beijing blogs.)


Over the years I've had a love/hate relationship with Hong Kong. My first visit was in 1999. Just after the turnover. I remember there still being a touch of colonialism in the air. It seems to be transforming more into a Chinese province these days. On my last visit, it was my opinion that the population seemed to be swelling. I had the feeling that there were more Chinese people on the island and less foreigners compared to 1999. (Imagine that Chinese people living in China. Curious Huh???)


I've had some great times in Hong Kong and I've experienced some of the most challenging and emotionally draining days of my life there. I sometimes hear people talk about where they were and what they were doing when JFK, and RFK were assassinated. The same with Martin Luther King and the first manned landing on the moon. And more and more the subject turns to where they were and what they were doing on 9/11/2007. Those memories were permanently etched in my heart, soul, and personality as I watched the events unfold from my hotel room in Hong Kong. I will never forget the telephone call from Jim that said "turn on your television." I can't forget how I felt that night as it became clearer to me exactly what was going on. I refuse to forget how I pondered the fate of our nation, worried about my own future, and felt an unquenchable sorrow for the families who lost friends and loved ones on that tragic day. I'll cherish the friendships I cemented and the people who comforted me and were sympathetic to what I was feeling. I'll remember how I found an escape with Otto (my main man) through Moulin Rouge and Bridgette Jones's Diary. Two silly movies that provided timely comic relief.






Twin towers burning - 9/11/01










I'll close the book on those 9/11 days in Hong Kong and allow the sun to set on the memories for now. I'll eagerly and anxiously await the adventures that lie ahead.


More to come... Let the Blogs continue!

If you guessed Sunset, you're right! This is actually a sunset. Taken on the island of Kauai, Hawaii by me in 2001. Very shortly after 9/11.

7 Deadly Zins!

So did you make a few pennies in the Market today? PKD up as planned. AIG down as planned. CSCO - oh well, can't win them all. And 2/3 ain't bad in this market climate. CSCO reported earnings pretty much in line with estimates but that wasn't good enough. A roller-coaster day on the floor today. Watch for more Volatility tomorrow.



On a different note, Did someone say sinning is winning? I'm not necessarily a proponent of sin.. But I do have something to chat with you about:

It's kinda like the 7 Deadly Sins but slightly different.


As you may know, the seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a classification of vices that were originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning (immoral) fallen man's tendency to sin.

The 7 Are:

1. Lust
2. Gluttony
3. Greed
4. Sloth
5. Wrath
6. Envy
7. Pride
   

I'm sure some of you reading this right now are intimately familiar with some if not all of these. I, let's just say I do know how to spell a few of these myself. I'm sure we can agree that it's better to keep them in check.

So what I really want to talk about is the 7 Deadly Zins...... Anyone out there familiar with this brand?

This Zin is rapidly becoming the bottle that I most consistently go to. Now, I don't claim to be a top notch wine connoisseur but I've been known to tip the bottle with the best of them. Usually, I like to kick back in the warm summer afternoon with a cool refreshing glass of Chardonnay. I like it oaky, buttery and smooth. When dinner rolls around, I'm looking for a full bodied glass or two of red. Something in the Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon category. I don't buy into the drink red wine with red meat and drink white wine with fish or chicken exclusively, philosophy. I think you should drink and enjoy what you like. And that seems to be more and more the going trend. One caveat: Be careful not to under power/overpower your food with an improper wine choice. The right wine can and will compliment your meal. What do you guys think? Comments welcomed! 7 Deadly Zins runs anywhere from $11 -$20 a bottle. I get it at Costco for about $12. For me, this is a solid, good, full-bodied wine that's good for most occasions. But don't just take my word.

See what Cork'd has to say about 7 Deadly Zins: click here for more reviews


My next quest: Finding an affordable Cabernet/Zin that is good reliable and less than $5 a bottle.

If you have any recommendations Please leave me a note...


That's all for now.


Catch this Classic: Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant!

"Bottle of White..... Bottle of Red." Just seem appropriate!

I- Trade (Courageous Trades)

Traders work the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City.

It's no secret, I do a little trading in the Stock Market! Today's news:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks dropped sharply on Wednesday, with the S&P index briefly falling more than 2 percent, as fear of more credit market turmoil heightened worry about prospects for the economy and profits.

Wow! More worry in the Marketplace. And another down day in a very fragile market.

As I pen this post.... The Dow is down more than 240 pts., the NASDAQ down 50 pts. and the S&P 500 down about 30 pts. Do I have your attention? A very schizophrenic market indeed. What should the small investor do?

1. Sell off and go to cash
2. Sell off and buy foreign equities
3. Stay the course, the market will rebound
4. Buy like crazy.... The market will go up
5. Other

Help me out here. Leave a comment and let me know what your thoughts are.

Make a few Dollars in the Market:

For those of you who know that the "I" in "I-Trade" stands for Intrepid! Here's some Dauntless advice for the day:

Cisco Systems - CSCO, Parker Drilling -PKD and American International Group, INC - AIG, will report earnings today.

With that said.... The buzz is that CSCO and PKD will report stronger earnings and we'll see some upward movement. AIG will report weaker earnings and will move lower. This has been a consistently strong quarter for PKD so it's my best pick. Please do your own research and make an educated play. But either way, expect some movement in these three stocks after the bell and early tomorrow morning. Long - PKD and CSCO - Short - AIG.

Short term thoughts: Plan to sell and be heavy into cash before December 1, 2007.


Just some thoughts. I welcome your feedback if you have any.

All about being boring

Are you Bored out of your mind today? Maybe you're just looking for something to do to pass the time....

Here's a task - Test yourself on these words. Do you know all the definitions? Then try to incorporate these words into your conversation sometime during the course of the day. From time to time I'll be rolling out some words to challenge myself and keep my vocabulary up to speed. Hopefully you'll indulge me and find my word choice to be stimulating. If you have some words you'd like to share please hit me with a post.

Words for today.......

1. Seductive


2. Cerebral


3. Obsequious


4. Sexpot


5. Enhance

And oh yeah. If you don't know the definition of the words be sure to click on them.

I ran across this track/video the other day. Seems to tie into my post. What a concept huh?
I always liked "The Pet Shop Boys" (anyone know where their name comes from?) But I've found their videos a tad bit mismatched to the lyrics.












Really Bored? If you are tired of searching Blogs for something interesting and you've got a few hours to kill, you MUST Check out this website: http://bored.com/


You will certainly find something to do there. Let me know what you think

American Gangster

Shhhhh.........

I played a little Hookey today. Not from work but from chores. I figured I busted my rump the last few days around the house and it wasn't too outlandish for me to take the day off. So after a bit of "Day Trading" (another choppy day in the markets) I teamed up with one of my weekday movie buds and off we went. Unfortunately, I misread the schedule and we showed up two hours early for the 1:00 pm movie. My bad! Well, that was remedied by an early lunch and a very understanding friend. It gave us a chance to catch up and discuss a few current events and possible business ventures.

And then it was on. The American Gangster Epic! I found it to be "Godfatherish" yet more subtle. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are masters at their game and very easy to watch. They make it seem natural and realistic. I found it a bit curious how they focused on the redeeming qualities of a "drug lord/mob boss." For example: Denzel, as Frank Lucas, buys a beautiful home for his parents and extended family. He embraces his family members and brings them into the business. He charms the heck out of a Puerto Rican beauty queen (Lymari Nadal) and then does the respectful thing and marries her. Throughout the movie he displays sound work ethic, character, and wisdom. Visions of a Don. Without giving away the story and movie to those who haven't seen it yet, I took away several things from my experience. There's a part in the movie where Denzel is conversing with his drug supplier and the supplier says: "Quitting while you're ahead is not really quitting." There is some wisdom and truth to that statement. We should all know when to quit. Secondly, I enjoyed the time travel back to the seventies. The music, the clothes, the cars, and decor were quite accurate and enjoyable to see. I especially enjoyed hearing the cut from Curtis Mayfield: Across 110 Th street: listen to it here. Taken from the 70's movie by the same title. I remember seeing the movie in the theaters when it originally opened. Finally, I appreciated the history lesson. Frank Lucas was a true character:

Frank Lucas (born 1930 in Washington, North Carolina) was a heroin dealer and organized crime boss in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in Southeast Asia. He organized the smuggling of heroin from Vietnam to the U.S. by using the coffins of dead American servicemen ("cadaver connection").[1] He claims to have grossed US$1 million a day selling drugs on 116th Street.[1]

Click here for more of the story.

Overall, I found this to be a good movie and quite worth the time and energy. Come on... Three academy award winning actors that I'm aware of. Hard to go wrong there. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Electric Company - Retro Flashback

Okay, I'm telling my age now but do you remember the show Electric Company from the 70's? Back in the day, when I was in elementary school, the teachers would use the show as a learning device. And truthfully, I think they used the show as babysitter during rainy days when we couldn't go outside for recess. Honestly, it was kind of a treat for me. I enjoyed watching and learning. A trait I carry with me even now. I tend to be more visual than not. Know what I mean? Anyway, I still remember the segment on the word "Enough." They pronounced it phonetically: "E" - "new" - "ga"- "ha." I think I flash back to the show every time I spell the word "enough." I wonder how popular the show would be with kids today? I saw the complete DVD collection in the store the other day for about $46. Any of you use the show to teach your kids now?

For you Retro folks.... here's a clip to enjoy: Recognize anyone?




Some of the members of the cast were: Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks, and Joan Rivers. The series ran from about 1971 - 1977.


And for you real Electric Company fans.... You know the best part of the show was the theme song.

So Catch it again here:

Daylight Saving Time

Yep. Believe it or not it's actually spelled "Daylight Saving Time" and not Daylight Savings Time. That should win you a bet with someone around the ole watering hole. So what does it actually mean and what does it do for us? Well, the theory is that by adjusting our clocks, usually one hour forward in the spring and one hour backward in the fall, we can optimize our daylight hours and thus reduce power consumption. Ben Franklin is often credited for the modern day version of this practice. During his time as an American envoy to France, Benjamin Franklin anonymously published a letter in 1784 suggesting that Parisians economize on candles by arising earlier to use morning sunlight.[10] One of his widely know proverbs: "Early to bed and early to rise / Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." seems to support this ritual.



So where am I headed with all of this? I've always used the "Spring forward Fall back" device to help me remember which way to set my clocks. In the past, the fall back portion has been the most desirable portion of the duo. In my club going days, falling back always produced one more hour in the streets. Or one more hour to sleep in the next day following a night of hanging out. Additionally, it was usually better to show up one hour early for church or whatever committment I had on Sunday morning versus one hour late on those occasions when I forgot to make the change. The club days are now pretty much gone for me.... So today, I'm cherishing the thought of sleeping in tomorrow morning and sipping on some good freshly brewed coffee while I read the Sunday paper. One whole extra hour in the day! Wow! I'm excited. I want to do something constructive. Something with a quantitative benefit. Any ideas out there? I'm sure I'll find something to do with my time be it good, bad or ugly. And here's wishing you well and a safe, profitable and constructive extra hour.



While you are pondering what to do with your extra hour, check out this youtube video of Leona Lewis singing "Summertime" on the X factor competition. I've always loved the song and she adds her own touch to the classic version of the song.


By the way.... Happy Birthday Mom!

California Fires - Under Control?

details of this photo

Wow! What a season in the wild fire department! I've been a resident of California for 14 years now and this is certainly the worst year I can recall. Is it just me, or are many things going to extremes now? Global warming? The economy? Cancer? Health care? Water and fuel shortages? Crime? Just pick a topic and everything seems to be at an all time high. Except for my salary of course - LOL! Anyway, I watched in horror this year as many people lost everything they owned to fires burning nearly out of control. Others evacuated and were inconvenienced and faced the threat of peril. I was outraged to learn that according to an Orange County fire official one of the larger fires in Southern California was deliberately started by someone with apparent knowledge of arson.

The Santiago Fire in Orange County was started in two places along a little-traveled road, according to Chief Chip Prather of the county's fire authority. The fire, which has burned more than 25,000 acres, was started in brush just off Santiago Canyon Road, not close to homes. It spread rapidly, indicating the arsonist had some knowledge of winds and other factors.
"It is a confirmed arson. There was evidence found at the scene. That is the purpose of our early declaration of it being an arson-caused fire," Prather said. He would not describe the evidence.

click here for more of this story.

Horrific to say the least! So as I pondered the worst. I questioned and examined my own vulnerability.

If these such fires approached your home how would you protect your possessions and loved ones? Do you have a plan?

I don't. I need to get my butt in gear!

I also had a realization: I have a lot of stuff on my computer that I need to back up! Yeah, I have a laptop and I generally back things up on flash drives and such. But what about all of the stuff on my desk top computer that would be very difficult to replace? I decided I should be a bit proactive and search for a FREE online backup site. So I hit CNet.com and did some research. I came across a company that I had read about before in the Bottom Line.

They offer 2 GB of free online storage.

Additionally, they will increase your free amount for you and each of your referrals. That's right. If you sign up using my referral link, you and I will each get an additional 256MB of space.

So check it out using my referral link:



Click Here to get 2 GB of free back up space plus and additional 256MB



Also, click here if you want to stay up on the fires in California. This is a very informative site and includes daily updates on the fires. According to the site, almost all of the fires are currently 100% contained. One fire, the Poomacha fire, is 90% contained.


I'll have to be a little more proactive on some other things in life now too. Material things generally can be replaced. But there are quite a few memories attached to some of the things in my home.

My heart goes out to those individuals and families who lost so much.

Want to help out?

See American Red Cross:

American Red Cross: Cash donations can be made through http://www.redcross.org/ or through a local Red Cross chapter. Volunteers also are needed. Information on shelter locations can be found on Red Cross websites for Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire. Donations of clothing can be made at Goodwill locations. Information: (800) REDCROSS or (800) 257-7575 for Spanish speakers.

Get details of this picture

Mission Statement

Kicking it off!

Here goes..... Well, I'm relatively new to the blog sphere but I hope to become a permanent resident. I've toyed around a bit at another blog site but found it to be lacking in the tools that I need to execute my goals. For example, after spending several hours researching and composing a blog commemorating the 14 Th anniversary of the events in Somalia that precipitated the book and movie "Black Hawk Down," I was exasperated to lose all of my work. The site I was using did not have the ability to save my work and my computer locked up. Yuck! I didn't have the patience or desire to recreate the post. This site seems to have some great tools and I hope to explore them all and become more proficient in the next few weeks.

My objective here is multi-faceted. In short, I hope to spread some fresh courageous ideas through this blog as well as create a somewhat cryptic archive of my travels and thoughts. Through music, media, and prose, I hope to stimulate thought - exercise my creative side - and solicit feedback from the human race. Most importantly, I hope to realize some sort of growth from this experience. Spiritual, economic, emotional, educational or philosophical growth is all acceptable. Ultimately, I expect and hope that this journey will be a net positive gain for me and all those who visit.

I also expect that I will maintain some sort of anonymity throughout this process. Some of you may discover or know who I am. I've got love for you! Nonetheless, I hope each of you will look beyond me as a physical person and focus more on the Intrepid Ideas addressed in this blog.

I welcome your visit! I wish you well! And I hope you will comment and share your thoughts with me. Please enjoy your visit and feel free to return when it suits you.

All the best to you and yours and thanks for supporting my self-indulgence!


Intrepid Ideas