Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Crafting A Holiday

In most parts of the city, the moment that the month ends in ber, it is time to break out the christmas gear. There is nothing that Filipinos love more than to celebrate and this season is an absolute favorite.

In our family, the tree doesn't go up til a few weeks before Christmas. Usually we put up the decorations sometime in the 2nd week of December. It is a family event with everyone helping to setup the tree, decorate it and set up the other little touches throughout the living room.

This year, I have been both excited and worried about Christmas. I love the season of giving. It is fun to try and come up with the perfect give for the loved ones. I enjoy the christmas shopping with my siblings and the wrapping of presents. This year, we've begun teaching the kids about what the season means and the traditions we follow.

The worry has been more of how to manage to get gifts for everyone. The cost of things has been rising and there may not be enough for everyone. It is more difficult to find the time to go around and do my Christmas shopping. There is just so many people on my list. How do I make the budget stretch? I figure though that somehow, it will happen. It somehow always does.

Christmas has apparently also brought out a new interest in me. Growing up I absolutely disliked arts and crafts - no patience for it. Lately, I find myself wondering if I could actually make those quilts or knits or whatsits. I find myself thinking fondly of my maternal grandmother who exposed us to the joy of knitting, crocheting and other creative projects that actually allows me to believe that I can do these, if I just put my mind to it - and practice. I am thankful I won't be doing it all on my own though. My sister Tina has always been gifted in these things and so is my daughter.

I have to go back to poring over the christmas crafts book I have here. Still haven't quite figured out how to make one of the pieces I want for christmas .

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Enchanted Date

Enchanted was the chosen movie of the month and the kids were excited. I checked out the various cinemas around us and was surprised that Gateway only had 2 viewing times listed for it on their website, which would mean waiting til late afternoon to enjoy the film - not ideal for our schedule. So I checked out the other malls and we settled on Galleria.

In Galleria, there were 2 cinemas set to show the movie. One was reserved seating, the other not. We opted for the second - and a good choice it was. The cinema was practically empty!!! There were only 4 other families there to enjoy this Disney movie.

We were early so we got to sing along with the various christmas carols playing over the sound system. These were christmas songs performed first by various Disney characters followed by some performed by the muppets. We enjoyed trying to identify which princess was singing in the 12 days of Christmas.

Between one moment and the next, the trailers began, It was funny because you'd think a gun had gone off. The kids were cringing in their seats since the volume of the trailer was REALLY LOUD and it was National Treasure: The Book of Secrets which had a suspenseful kind of background music. I laughed even as I encouraged them to straight in their chairs.

Then the movie began and it was so well done! It was like watching one of the classic Disney animated films I love yet it wasn't. The Disney castle in the opening is CGI now and even more magical and as the camera pans to a window it focuses on a book with the same title as the movie.It opened with pop up figures telling of the wicked stepmother who was definitely not looking forward to the day when Prince Edward, her stepson, found his mate.

Giselle is not a princess. Like Cinderella, she talks and sings with the animals. Like Sleeping Beauty, it is her voice that draws the prince to her. They decide to wed the next day.

Now that definitely did not suit the wicked stepmother in this tale. She send Giselle into the water and into a place where she says there is no such thing as happy ever after - NEW YORK!

I have to say I love the outfits that they made for the lead actress, Amy Adams. The really big skirt and hoops had me laughing. The dress she made after her first night in New York was so cool - my daughter loved it.

Kudos to Rick Baker, the guy who made the hag in reality! Talk about hideous old bat!

We all agree that we love the scene in the park. Typical Disney - sing at an outburst of joy. It was a really fun production number, makes me wish a trip to Disneyland was in the budget at this point. You can watch the video here if you can't see it below.

Some things I found funny because they were inconsistencies or unusual:

  • Giselle knew the names of the various appliances such as the vacuum cleaner though you'd think she'd never seen one before.
  • She had a new pair of shoes on her second day but she didn't buy any. Wonder if they just magically appeared the next morning when she made her second dress? They weren't the same as her first set of shoes.
  • In most of the film, Giselle wears her princess style dresses while everyone else is in everyday wear. At the ball, everyone is dressed in period dress while she's in an evening gown of modern style.
While it is understood to have a happy ending - that goes without saying for fairy tales - this one had some nice twists before getting there. Since I hate to give spoilers beyond what I already may have, let me just say, I hope you watch the film - irregardless if it's in the cinema or if you wait for the DVD. Don't forget to watch the credits!!!! Watch the shapes - that's all I'll say . Now I have to go get the soundtrack for the kids. They want to learn the songs and sing along - just for that, Disney, I LOVE YOU!



Saturday, November 03, 2007

I Want A PADD!!!

I have become an ebook addict. It soothes my need for instant gratification - no need to go to the bookshop, line up, pay and navigate home before getting to read my book. You want it, quick search on the net and voila! if you are lucky you can immediately start reading.

The thing I dislike the most about the current setup though is that I read my ebooks either on my computer- meaning a long time sitting in a chair when you want to be reclining and resting, or on my PDA phone - which mean teeny tiny letters. Neither is very comfortable or good for one's health.

Makes me long for a PADD (Personal Access Display Device) just like in Star Trek. These handy portable devices are used everywhere. They are wireless computers that are bigger than PDA's with huge capabilities. Lapatops are close but still too big and clunky. I heard that Nokia and Sony have both been trying to come up with something but haven't hit it on the head yet. I hope it gets invented soon. While I am still partial to the feel of an actual book in my hands, a data padd that I can hold easily and use to read comfortably would be cool!

Friday, November 02, 2007

Whats In A Name

****Warning! This is a bit of ranting so feel free not to read*****

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a unique name or nickname.

Advantages
  • people remember your name more easily
  • you are instantly unique - stand out from the crowd of Janes, Christines and Jennifers
Disadvantages
  • Your name often gets mispronounced
  • Some a----- make fun of your name
Most of the time, everything is pretty cool. Everyone has a live and let live policy. Heck! If you were born with a name like Procopio and just want to be called Cop, why should anyone mind or care? It is none of their business anyway.

Hay! If you don't like your name, go ahead and change it. Leave those of us who do like our names alone. We don't go picking on you just because you chose to use a nickname that means a piece of land!

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Enchanted

I love Disney movies. I enjoy the imagination and skill that goes into putting together their films. I also like the fact that their films are those that the whole family can enjoy.

I saw this trailer online but I haven't seen it listed on any of the local offerings for the year. It's titled "Enchanted" and stars Patrick Dempsey. If it shows in the cinema, I'm definitely watching. Watch the trailer below.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

New Worlds: Meet and Party Time!

NW5 header.jpg

Looking forward to Samhein? Ready to do a little trick or treating? Before that, why not wander over and visit New Worlds at the Glorietta Activity Center on October 27. You may just meet some interesting people and have a blast exploring the various science fiction and fantasy fandoms active in the Philippines. The event starts as soon as the mall opens and lasts the whole day. There are activities lined up for everyone to enjoy.

Now, I can hear some people going, “are you crazy? Go to Glorietta after the bombing (or whatever it was)?!?” I would answer YES! In fact, why not? It is the safest place to be because the security there is on high alert. Besides, if we cower and hide away, they win.

In times of uncertainty, it is the time to seek joy and be a source of happiness for others. Come and be a part of New Worlds. Boldly Go and Use the Force. Let magic fill your day and maybe discover Heroes standing right in the mall.

The event doesn’t end on October 27 though. There’s also a party on October 30 at the Hard Rock Cafe which has been dubbed “Dare to Pair: A Rockin’ Halloween Tandem”. This is a halloween party that also encourages you and a friend to come in costume as a pair. Get creative, be unique, beautiful and interesting and you may just bring home the prize of P10,000 cash!. Interested? You can click here for more details.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Desktop Meme - Tagged by Ade

Really not into these meme whatever-they-are but since Ade was sooooooooooo nice and tagged me and then YM’d me so I could not escape knowing I was tagged, I complied.

Desktop meme.jpg

What does this mean? I was happily blogging when Ade said I had to click on a link. I did. It led me to his post. Then he YM’d me and logged out. So nice! (Just wait, you noisy, noisy man!) :-P
I’m tagging the following to get into the spirit of this thing:180px-7of9borg.jpg

You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile! You must follow the My Desktop Free View Instructions below:

  1. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun.
  2. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of Icons, things like that.
  3. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Different Shows, Same People

I just finished catching up to the latest Stargate Atlantis episode. I only today realized that the doctor is played by the woman who plays the engineer in Firefly/Serenity. It has always been a point of interest when favorite actors and actresses would appear in the shows like the Star Trek cast members appearing on either Stargate SG1 or Atlantis. Some have appeared on Heroes, too, and on a few more shows.

I wonder though if in Hollywood, actors are reluctant to take on the roles? Afraid to get type cast? Well, if that's so, they are missing out. As the cast of Star Trek and Star Wars and a whole slew of other science fiction shows can attest, they have careers that last long after the show is cut, simply because the shows are unique and capture the imagination.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Mall Sight!



Times really have changed. We are not only less formal, socially we are less concerned about appearances. While we were in Trinoma yesterday, I saw this group resting on one of the sofas set on the second floor. Around them other people were eating, malling, talking, etc. This group just wanted to catch some zzzz.

Now, we all usually try to be understanding and just say that they must have been really tired. I still couldn't resist but take their picture anyway. They were so at home in the mall that not only were they zonked out, the male actually took off his shoes and put up his feet (at least there were socks) on the opposite sofa.

The changing of the times....for the better? Sometimes, not necessarily.

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Wednesday, September 19, 2007

A Seinfeld Moment


Sometimes I spot the funniest things. As I left the elevator, another person just entered the building. I guess he didn't see me because he very swiftly lifted his arm, checked for wetness and then smelled himself! Yes, you read right. He was checking his stink level. Now I'm all for ensuring one's deodorant is not six dwarves, dead rat or unwashed socks under the bed but there are more subtle ways to find out if you've been let down by your current brand and now have that corn chip stink.

I had a hard time keeping a straight face as he passed me. Thankfully he didn't stink - at least not enough to be noticeable in the corridor in front of the elevators. I have to admit though that even if he looked like this:



I would have said "yuck!" if he smelled like a skunk.

Anyway, I then hopped into a cab to take me home. I thought I'd gotten a good one since it was from a taxi fleet that normally has great service. No prob with the driving - true; but I thank goodness for windows that you can roll down manually and let the air in.

"Why ?" you ask. Have you ever seen that episode of Seinfeld where they talk about BO? It was that kind of moment. I didn't want to embarrass the driver but the stink plus the icky sweet scent of the My Shaldan orange air freshener was turning me green. I quickly lowered the window about 1 1/2 inches so that I could get some of that quickly moving smog into the cab and hopefully some of the stink out!Fortunately it was a very short cab ride and I am safely away from the stinking taxi. I am happy to report that the odor did not transfer to my hair or clothes but stayed in the cab with its driver. Good luck to the next passenger.

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Friday, September 14, 2007

My LSS Named At Last

Usually when you get LSS (last song syndrome) it's from a song that you recently heard. In my case, I've had a song playing in my head which I haven't heard in months. The funny thing is I can almost sing the whole song yet I do not know it's title or it's singer.

So what do you do nowadays when you want information? Yes, that's right. I googled it! I wasn't expecting anything since the last time I searched I didn't find it. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was stuck on this song. I found the song by hunting for the first line of the song which led me to a blog talking about that same song.

Oh but there goes my rambling tongue. Here's the first stanza for those who'd like to identify the song:

Hello Joe, goodbye
I never thought I'd see you go
hello, goodbye
it wasn't really hard to know
we had to throw our memories behind
and start anew
until then will I say

Goodbye Joe, hello

The title of the song is Desire, who'd have guessed? I still don't know the original singer though in the playlist it is listed under VA - not a familiar singer and definitely not the original recording I heard. I wonder if this is a Ryan Cayabyab composition? Anyone who knows, feel free to share the details.

In the meantime here's a link to a lovely site that had the song amongst all the other beautiful OPM songs on their playlist. It's a really good selection of songs with over a 1000 tracks included. Drop by their tambayan and enjoy the music. They have hits from old and new including songs from APO, Asin, Sampaguita, Cinderella, Hagibis,Gary V, Kuh Ledesma, The Eraserheads, The Company, VST, Akafellas, Brownman Revival, Bamboo, 6 Cycle Mind and so much more. Enjoy!

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Sleep Deprived Ramblings

It is really tough to live with ones clock off sync with the rest of the world. You are asleep when they are awake. You're awake while they sleep. You don't see your family and friends unless you don't sleep until you absolutely have to.

Today was a really tough day. I slept but woke up not feeling rested (grabbed 5 hours) before my system refused to let me have any more zzzz. I watched a few movies before getting ready to leave for the company activity. That lasted until almost 11 - at which point it was time to go to work.

Looks like I'll be spending my Sunday just passed out on my bed again - oh joy! I am such a bundle of fun lately. Oh well....that's the way life goes.

Trying hard to stay awake through the remainder of a very long, toxic shift. Thank God that there's a comedy showing on TV that is really funny - no idea what the title is so can't tell you.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Found! To Boldly Go National Museum



Via Astris has an interesting set of activities called "To Boldly Go..." We had gone to the National Museum and stopped by the park after on one such trip. It drove me batty when we couldn't find the pictures afterwards. We thought they'd been lost when the hard drive crashed. Thanks to Picasa, here are 4 of the pics from that trip.

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The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear

I was tempted to make the title "3 Blind Mice, 3 Blind Mice" but didn't want people to get the idea or impression. No they aren't blind. They are just having some fun posing with the shades given by the company.
The kids get to pose "cool". Getting a good shot with people walking behind them and with them giggling was tough! The shades didn't suit the image of the guys below and they nicely gave them to me knowing that kids get a kick out of them.

If you want to see these three clowning around, singing Stevie Wonder's "I just Called To Say I Love You", drop by again when I've converted it to AVI or mpeg.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

A Thousand Marbles


I first heard this 5 or 6 years ago and it's a story that I love so much I want to share it. The original was written by Jeffrey Davis. Since I do not wish to infringe on anyone's copyright, let me encourage you to please click on this link for the simpler version or this one for the version with more ham radio jargon.to be brought to where the story is already published with permission.

If you feel like going out and buying your own thousand marbles... kudos!

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Marking Time

It's amazing how fast time flies.

Though I feel young still, I know that I am no longer a fresh grad out of college. My appearance may have changed but inside though, I still feel the same, if a bit more comfortable with who I am and more in touch with what I want for myself, my family and for my life.

Unmistakable markers to the passage of time though are my kids. They are indeed growing up fast! One moment they were nothing but armfuls. Now, they are all walking, talking, running, gabbing and utterly delightful beings. Even my youngest strings sentences already. Gone is the baby talk. As he says, he's no longer a baby.

I often find myself thankful for a quiet day. I can now relate to the elders telling us to be quiet. It always feels like the house is full of noise - happy noise but loud sounds nonetheless. It can make one feel like one's head is ringing from the sounds that kids can make. I try to keep in mind though that I will definitely miss those sounds as they grow older. Best to enjoy it now.

What are the kids into now? Art is still something my girl loves. JL sings quite well. Both of them are into Taekwondo now. Our youngest is really into swimming and has no fear. He just jumps in!

Getting them to pose for this pic was fun! Aren't they all so cute? Better sharpen the knives and prepare the shotgun. I'm sure they'll be needed soon based on this pic.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Why Not Romance?

A couple of days ago, one of my office mates brought a romance book to the office. She instantly got teased by all the boys in the team. They would go so far as to read out loud (with feelings!) portions of the book and always get the perfect spot! They would get the steamy scenes in the book. As one of them said, it's the most read part of the book.

Girls always get teased about reading romances, but I ask, why not? Guys read their war stories and the like. To each his own. Besides, it can actually be educational. Any guy who wants to improve his relationship (and be a better lover) should take the time to read a few romance books. Don't believe me? Just try reading a few. No, you don't need to read in public (LOL). Of course you can always do what my sister does. She wraps her books in opaque paper so no one can see the covers and no one will know what she's reading unless they ask or pick up the book.

There are many great authors out there but I do enjoy reading the works of Julie Garwood and Johanna Lindsey. They are not wham, bam thank you ma'am people and their stories actually have some humor. I love "The Secret" of Julie Garwood. The opening scene had me laughing my head off. Johanna Lindsey's Malory's are absolutely lovable but I think I like "Tender Rebel" best.

The new authors may be more explicit in their descriptions - but on the whole, the stories are usually good even without the scenes. This is useful for guys who get told by their women that they have no idea what fore play(yes I know there is no space! Just making sure I don't get blocked from my ads by this one word!) is .

Romance....we can never have enough. Why not read some?

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Stick It


I recently got to watch this movie. Since I've always loved gymnastics, the movie sounded really interesting. Have to rate this movie a 3 though. It's just so so.

It's a typical theme found in American teen movie flicks. Rebel, buck against he system. Find a way to be unique. If you can't beat em, stick it! Don't quit and walk out but stick it. If you don't get my drift, watch the movie.

What they said about gymnastics is very true though. The dedication and hard work required of them in order to get where they are is true of any discipline. We push to excel. That is something everyone admires.

It's a Disney flick. Stars Jeff Bridges and Missy Peregrym. No need to introduce Jeff Bridges. He made his mark a long time ago with movies like Jagged Edge and Mirror Has Two Faces (he has more recent films, of course). If you can't recall Missy Peregrym, she's appeared in Heroes and Smallville.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Done With Harry Potter, At Last

If you haven't read the book yet, I bet you now wonder if he dies in the story. With so many rumors and versions floating around both on the net and off it, people haven't been sure what to believe. READ IT FOR YOURSELF! I don't post spoilers.

We reserved our copy through PHP (Pinoy Harry Potter) which had a tie up with Fully Booked. The book was in our eager hands the moment the go signal was given at 7am. My LP was very generous and allowed me to read it first. Thanks, sweetie! And yes, it's a good read.

I'm glad that JK Rowling wrote these books. I hope at some point the books can be translated into a TV series or mini series that will then do full justice to the story she wrote. The movie makers tried but it is really hard to capture in a 2 hour film all the nuances of any of the HP books.

JK Rowling, this muggle thanks you for writing the story of Harry Potter. It has made for a number of nights without sleep - when I couldn't put down the book but who cares! I'm glad magic exists somewhere.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Quiz: Are You A Nerd, Geek or Dork?


Your Score: Joe Normal


39 % Nerd, 43% Geek, 17% Dork




For The Record:



A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.


You scored less than half in all three, earning you the title of: Joe Normal.



This is not to say that you don't have some Nerd, Geek or Dork inside of you--we all do, and you can see the percentages you have right above. This is just to say that none of those qualities stand out so much as to define you. Sure, you enjoy an episode of Star Trek now and again, and yeah, you kinda enjoyed a few classes back in the day. And, once in a while, you stumble while walking down the street even though there was nothing there to cause you to trip. But, for the most part, you look and act fairly typically, and aren't much of an outcast.



I'd say there's a fair chance someone asked you to take this test. In any event, fairly normal.



Congratulations!



If you enjoyed this test, I would love the feedback!




Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:



Buffy the Vampire Slayer




Professional Wrestling





Love & Sexuality




America/Politics





Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST




Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Thursday, July 12, 2007

MSG - A Slow Poison

Some years back a friend and I talked about the fact that MSG was something to avoid in our food. For her because she realized her headaches were a result of it, myself simply because I'd read it somewhere and I have an aversion to sticking stuff in my food when I have no idea what it is. Read this article (which was forwarded to me) and you may just become a vegetarian or choose to learn to become a cook using only fresh ingredients.

a bit knowledge

MSG, What exactly is it?


While I am unsure of the origin of this email – It is interesting and important enough to find out more!!!

The food additive MSG (MonoSodium Glutamate) is a slow poison. MSG hides behind 25 or more names, such as "Natural Flavoring." MSG is even in your favorite coffee from Tim Horton's and other brand-name coffee shops.


I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic, and so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and spent years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called The Slow Poisoning of America. In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies. No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so scientists have to create them. They make these creatures morbidly obese by injecting them with MSG when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and perhaps humans) to become obese. They even have a name for the fat rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats."


When I heard this, I was shock ed. I went into my kitchen and checked the cupboards and the refrigerator. MSG was in everything -- the Campbell's soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, and Kraft salad dressings, especially the "healthy low-fat" ones. The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label had something called Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein," which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate. It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children everyday are filled with this stuff. MSG is hidden under many different names in order to fool those who read the ingredient list, so that they don't catch on. (Other names for MSG are "Accent, "Ajinomoto," "Natural Meat Tenderizer," etc.)


But it didn't stop there. When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items contained MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn't use MSG. But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough, MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere. Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant -- even the sit-down eateries like TGIF, Chili's, Applebee's, and Denny's -- use MSG in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing. and gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that coating on the skin -- their secret spice was MSG!


So why is MSG in so may of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative, or a vitamin? Not according to my friend John Erb. In his book, The Slow Poisoning of America, he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it has on the human body. Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby group supporting MSG explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people eat more. A study of the elderly showed that older people eat more of the foods that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobbying group says eating more is a benefit to the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us? "Betcha can't eat [just] one," takes on a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight!


The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added. Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged meals, soups, snacks, and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food. They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. But how can they claim it's safe when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these:



  • "The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of exercise in obesity." Gobatto CA, Mello MA, Souza CT, Ribeiro IA. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002.

  • "Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats." Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro. Brain Res Bull. 2002 Aug.

  • "Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats: An animal model of multiple risk factors." Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima. Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar.

  • "Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in suckling period and subsequent development of obesity." Tanaka K, Shimada M, Nakao K Kusunoki. Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct. No, the date of that last study was not a typo; it was published in 1978.



Both the "medical research community" and "food manufacturers" have known about the side effects of MSG for decades. Many more of the studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to diabetes, migraines and headaches, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's. So what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping this fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity epidemic we now see? Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the highest government health officials in Canada. While he was sitting in the government office, the official told him, "Sure, I know how bad MSG is. I wouldn't touch the stuff." But this top-level government official refuses to tell the public what he knows. The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing issues with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry may hurt their profit margin. The food producers and restaurants have been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying the price for it.


Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused by an addictive food additive. But what can I do about it? I'm just one voice! What can I do to stop th poisoning of our children, while our governments are insuring financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us? This message is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell you the truth that the corporate-owned politicians and media won't tell you.


The best way you can help to save yourself and your children from this drug-induced epidemic is to forward this article to everyone. With any luck, it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation protecting those who are poisoning us. The food industry learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle on nicotine?


If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for us and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go to the National Library of Medicine at < http://www.pubmed. com./> www.pubmed.com. Type in the words "MSG Obese" and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear. We the public do not want to be rats in one giant experiment, and we do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic, addicted sheep, feeding the food industry's bottom line while waiting for the heart transplant, the diabetic-induced amputation, blindness, or other obesity-induced, life-threatening disorders. With your help we can put an end to this poison. Do your part in sending this message out by word of mouth, e-mail, or by distribution of this printout to your friends all over the world and stop this "Slow Poisoning of Mankind" by the packaged food industry. Blowing the whistle on MSG is our responsibility, so get the word out.


< http://www.thinksca pes.com/The_ Erb_report_ on_MSG_to_ the_WHO.pdf > http://www.thinksca pes.com/The_ Erb_report_ on_MSG_to_ the_WHO.pdf


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

My Bluetooth Is Dead!


It is so annoying. My bluetooth dongle is no longer working. Just when I have stuff to send using the device, it has conked out. While it isn't exactly an expensive item, I still would rather not have to spend on getting a new one.

What can I do? Fall back on the older methods,

  1. Infrared
  2. send by MMS
  3. use a card reader
Problems:
  1. My infrared is not working either
  2. MMS costs :(
  3. have to go hunt for my card reader - but this option may just work
Hopefully, I find a way to get the dongle working soon without buying a new one.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Is He A Great Writer?


How do you know if an author is a good one? Does the book have to have found profound meaning? Do they have to annoy you? Some would say that yes, an author is a good one as long as they can engage your emotions. Personally though, that would not be enough.

A great author is one who can not only stir the emotions, they can touch your heart with their words. Yes, they can make you laugh and cry, but the scenes are remembered long after they have read the article or book - some carry it for years. The emotion does not carry a distaste for the author (should the reader disagree), but simply be for the image he has crafted with his words.

A great author can have their readers so engrossed in what they are reading that they find themselves laughing out loud, whether or not they are alone. They can truly make one forget where they are and capture the imagination.

Does there have to be a deep message, a profound lesson imparted? There is always a lesson but it would depend on the reader which one they perceive and pick up. Every human encounter written, even imaginary ones, are chock full of life lessons. We take away what we need. Each time we read that same book we'll get a different idea.

What triggered this post? You guessed it! Someone thought there was something wrong with me because I was laughing so hard from the book I was reading. So if you don't want to be mistaken for a nut case, don't forget to lock the door so you can laugh your head off and they can't spoil the mood.

A Mizchvz Mind