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**Books I'm Reading**
Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability
by Lierre Keith
Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason - by Sam Harris
Contents Copyright © 2003-2010 by Brent Zupp — All Rights Reserved.
What Teachers Make - by Taylor Mali
What a Teacher Makes by Taylor Mali - Found this video recently, and the performance knocked me out of my PJs. Below are both the video and transcript of Taylor Mali's poem/rant. Absolutely fantastic. BTW, there are a couple performances available online. This one is the best I could find.
Happiness - A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill by Matthieu Ricard
Happiness by Matthieu Ricard - Started reading this a bit ago. Nice primer on Buddhism. Absolutely loved the book that traces a dialog with his father, The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life.
Happiness does not come automatically. It is not a gift that good fortune bestows upon us and a reversal of fortune takes back. It depends on us alone. One does not become happy overnight, but with patient labor, day after day. Happiness is constructed, and that requires effort and time. In order to become happy, we have to learn how to change ourselves.
~ Luca and Francesco Cavalli-Sforza
Sick Notes
Found this somewhere recently...I think by email. At first I just found it funny. But then I thought it was sad. Now I'm not sure how to take it.
These are real notes written by parents in a Tennessee school district...(spellings have been left intact.)
1. My son is under a doctor's care and should not take PE today. Please execute him.
2. Please exkuce lisa for being absent she was sick and i had her shot.
3. Dear school: please ecsc's john being absent on jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and also 33.
4. Please excuse gloria from jim today. She is administrating.
Fresno Barbie
Fresno Barbie - Having lived some of my formative years in Fresno, California, this Fresno Barbie bit had me in stitches. Perhaps only a Fresno native would appreciate the humor.
Rec'd via email--Thanks Sharene!
River Park Barbie
River Park Barbie
This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and country club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Physical Trainer Rocky. You won't be able to afford any of them.
Med Student's Decision Tree for Choosing Specialty
Choosing Medical Specialty - Medical Students must choose a medical specialty at some point, and here is clever decision tree to help.
Med Student's Decision Tree for Choosing Medical Specialty
25 Things You Should Have Learned by Middle Age
Rec'd by email...VERY funny...even wise.
1. If you're too open-minded, your brains will fall out.
2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
4. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat.
5. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
Burglar's Advice - Best Place to Hide Money
Found this burglar's advice on a link that has since died. Most of the advice seems to serve the burglar more than the potential victim, so consider the source.
Best Place to Hide Money - Short answer: The bank. Aside from that, here is a burglar's best advice:
Understand a burglar's motivations:
- To steal your money and valuables
- To get out of the house quickly with these goods
So, don’t hide all your money and valuables too well. To quote the burglar...
How to Give a Pill to a Cat
- Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right and. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
- Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in right arm (To avoid wound on left arm) and repeat process.
- Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
Poem from a True Friend
From Dion in Idaho
Are you tired of all those sissy "friendship" poems that always sound good but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that really speaks to true friendship:
Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins
Anthony Robbins' Awaken the Giant Within - Picked this up some years ago. Actually found the ideas very helpful and insightful. I know many are turned off by Tony, but he knows his stuff and lives it. I'm hoping to jot down some notes from the book. My notes are organized by the book's chapters:
(I'm No) Superman by Lazlo Bane - Scrubs Theme Lyrics
Superman Zach Braff suggested this song by Lazlo Bane for the Scrubs theme, and creator Bill Lawrence saw the logic. I think the original is a little slower tempo than what's used most of the time on the series.
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine - Not what I expected. Not a real comedy--my God, the movie opens with a sister (played by Toni Collette) heading to the hospital to pickup her brother (played by Steve Carell), who just failed a suicide attempt. It's the kind of film you almost feel strange about laughing at. What you are laughing at is objectively quite sad, but you laugh in spite of that. AND it's not because the characters are making fun of the situation--NO! The acting performances in this film feel amazingly genuine and real; the performances are top notch from the entire cast.
How to Save a Life (Lyrics) by The Fray
Scrubs Cast
How to Save a Life by The Fray - Totally love this song...the melody, the refrain "How to save a life." First heard it on an episode of Scrubs but soon learned it was the theme for Grey's Anatomy. My musical tastes seem constrained to tunes used in TV and commercials. Sad, sad, sad.
Dalai Lama's Instructions for Life
Can't vouch that this really came from the Dalai Lama, but it's good advice.
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
- Respect for self
- Respect for others and
- Responsibility for all your actions.
Biomimicry - Innovation Inspired by Nature - by Janine Benyus
Biomimicry by Janine Benyus - Fascinating idea--philosophy, really--that we should look to the existing designs of nature for "innovation."
Not that such an approach isn't being used. Look at how pharmaceutical companies develop compounds found in rainforests into new drugs.
But biomimicry as Benyus describes it is something deeper. It's about changing how we view ourselves in the world as much as how we seek out nature-inspired design.
Review-lets - Movies I've Seen
 | Running With Scissors - Quirky, weird, bizzaro...and true. It's like a cross between Royal Tenenbaums and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Based on Augusten Burroughs Running with Scissors: A Memoir, the film portrays the eccentric (often disturbing) teen years of Burroughs. Annette Bening, who plays Burroughs' biological mother, gives an authentic, daring performance, as does Brian Cox and the rest of the cast. Odd film, but worth watching. |
 | The Fifth Element - Luc Bresson directs this quirky sci-fi flick with Bruce Willis and the totally adorable Milla Jovovich as Leeloo. Gary Oldman plays the evil nemesis. And Chris Tucker adds to the comedic weirdness of the film as the effeminate, flamboyant DJ Ruby Rhod. Strange, strange, strange...but it all works. Enjoyed it a lot. |
 | Brothers Grimm - Terry Gilliam film NOT based on the true Brothers Grimm, but a mashup of their story elements. Visually very interesting and I liked Heath Ledger's performance. Kept my interest, but not a favorite film. Gilliam is quite creative, and I respect his vision. It just didn't draw me in very deeply. Worth seeing for the visual elements. |
Unhappy Meals
Unhappy Meals by Michael Pollan Excellent article on nutrition, the food industry, and journalism...A recipe for poor health.
Food advice can be summed up:
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
- By food it means whole fruits, vegetables.
- By not too much it means eat until you're 80% full -- control your portions and never stuff yourself.
- By mostly plants it means eat more leafy vegetables and less grains and seeds--but focus on diversity.
Some helpful corollaries:
Jim Cramer's Mad Money - Stock Worksheet
Jim Cramer's Mad Money
Watch TV, Get Rich
Jim Cramer Mad Money Stock Worksheet - It's embarrassing to admit, but I really get a kick out of Jim Cramer. While he's totally nuts on his CNBC TV show, Mad Money, he was much saner on his Real Money radio program. Unfortunately, the radio program is no longer on the air, though archives exist. In its place is a very good video on demand program where Cramer is interviewed by a columnist from his own TheStreet.com. Very insightful stuff with a reasonable delivery.
But about Cramer's Stock Worksheet in Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich. The book is short (less than 230 pages) and perhaps the best part is the Stock Worksheet, which outlines his approach to researching stocks -- or as he likes to refer to it, The Homework.
Jim Webb's State of the Union Reply - In FULL
I found Senator Jim Webb's address enthralling. Why isn't this guy running for President? Perhaps he's too smart to go after the job. Below is a link to the video and a copy of the transcript.
Senator Jim Webb's Reply to Bush's State of the Union
Problem Solving Flow Chart
Problem Solving Flow Chart - I love the potentially infinite loop...Can you find it?
Warning: Use of profanity makes this content not suitable for children.
Condom Ads for Durex
Durex Condom Ads - Condom ads that are safe for work. Very clever.
David Duchovny - House of 'D'
House of D
House of D by David Duchovny - Just watched a marvelous film written and directed by David Duchovny titled The House of D. It tells two stories: one of a 13 year-old boy coming of age in New York in the early 70's; the second of a 40-something man trying to remember his painful past and share it for the first time with his wife and his own 13 year-old son.
It's a wonderful, touching film, though I was left wanting in one respect. I wanted to know more about the struggle of Tommy, the man. How had his past affected him as an adult? We only see the result after 30 years.
But if telling that story meant taking anything away from the story of 13 year-old Tommy...then I accept the gap. That storyline hooked me to the core.
New Think - by Edward de Bono
New Think by Edward de Bono
New Think - In this classic, Edward de Bono presents an accessible, practical handbook on how to generate new ideas or lateral thinking. His original book Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step is excellent, but a bit difficult to get through. New Think is quite the opposite. It's an easy, informative read. Below are my notes.
New Think by Edward de Bono
Below are notes from Edward de Bono's book New Think.
Notes
Hallucinogenic drugs alter our perceptions, the direction of our gaze, our focus. Many drugs alter perceptions. Funny. Altering perceptions is the goal of lateral thinking, too. Techniques of lateral thinking are like hallucinogenic drugs. And this, the 100th birthday of LSD's creator, Albert Hofmann.
Is the way we try to solve a problem, part of what makes the problem difficult to solve?
How to Train a Killer Whale
Training Whales - I found information on training a killer whales some time ago. It's a popular topic for parenting sites--and with good reason. Some of the 'lessons' we learn from training killer whales are very helpful to consider when teaching our kids.
Madonna Magdalene by Kim Garcia
Madonna Magdalene
Madonna Magdelene Poetry - Kim Garcia, a dear college friend, has recently published a book of poetry titled Madonna Magdalene. I just ordered my copy and will report later on my impressions. In the meantime, my anticipation is teased by these reader comments...
The Worthless Peons - Ted's Band, The Blanks from Scrubs
Ted's Band, The Worthless Peons, The Blanks
The Worthless Peons (also known as Ted's Band or the Blanks) are an a cappella group made up of hospital employees from different departments in the TV series Scrubs. The Worthless Peons are played by The Blanks, a real-life a cappella band made up of Sam Lloyd (who plays Ted), George Miserlis, Paul F. Perry, and Philip McNiven. The Blanks album, Riding the Wave, features guest performances from Bill Lawrence and members of the Scrubs cast.
I wonder if this the Riding the Wave album made any money...
Funny Billboards
Funny Billboards - Some of these billboards are hilarious. God! I hope they're photoshopped and not real...though I could see Ikea actually doing this one...
Ikea's Idea of Stool Sample
Cheap, Safe Drug Kills Most Cancers
The drug dichloroacetate (DCA) appears to target cancer cells, causing them to die. It's potency as a cancer killing agent has been tested in tissue cultures and, just recently, in mice -- all with very promising results.
Problem is, this drug has been used for many years to treat rare metabolic disorders and is not patentable as a cancer treatment. Without patent protection, the pharmaceutical industry has no interest in investing millions in clinical trials, even though the drug's impact on cancer could be profound.
U.S. Experiment in Private Healthcare
Healthcare Private or Public - Yes! Magazine published something of an expose regarding the debate on private versus publicly funded healthcare titled: Has Canada Got the Cure? Written by Holly Dressel, the story expands upon the following disturbing statistic:
The U.S. and Canada had similar life expectancy and mortality rates up until about 1970. After 1970, the numbers began to diverge. Currently, Canada has a longer life expectancy and lower mortality rate as compared to the U.S.
~ Yes! Magazine
What changed in Canada? In 1970, Canada began its publicly funded healthcare program. As the article concludes:
This graphic from the article displays data from the World Health Organization, CIA, and Centers for Disease Control.
Suze Orman Will and Trust Kit
Suze Orman Will and Trust Kit - Here's a good intro to will, estate and trust law. Still should have a lawyer review your documents to be safe. I found it very easy to go through and understand. She has a lawyer narrate much of the text and provides excellent summaries of the main points to consider when putting together a will and living trust.
Includes all necessary forms, and seems to perform online updates. For a relatively simple estate, I think the Suze Orman Will and Trust Kit is a winner.
 | Suze Orman Will & Trust Kit (CD-ROM) |
 | *NEW Suze Orman Will & Trust Kit Online Version (CD-ROM) |
Why Drinking Too Much Water Is Dangerous
Drinking Too Much Water - Jennifer Strange died from drinking too much water. The fact she drank it during a contest to win a Nintendo Wii video game system -- "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" -- made her death especially tragic...and newsworthy.
How could you die from drinking water?
Basic physiology and osmosis. The kidneys can only process so much water over a given time. If you drink more water than the kidneys can process, your blood dilutes. The diluted blood creates an imbalance (more salt in the surrounding cells than in the blood). To relieve that imbalance, water from the blood starts entering the salty cells. This causes the cells to swell.
Funny Newspaper Headlines
Newspaper Headlines - Found these at Funny Pages. They are all hopefully inadvertent. Some very funny. Some take a while to get what's wrong. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Death causes loneliness, feeling of isolation
- Never withhold herpes from loved one
- Farmer bill dies in house
- Organ festival ends in smashing climax
Superb Celebrity Face Transplants
Photoshopped Celebrity Faces - What is wrong with this picture?
A Peaceful Marriage is Not Always 50/50
Absolutely brilliant!!! This woman nails the situation on the head:
DO READ her original post: A Peaceful Marriage is Not Always 50/50
In fact, subscribe to her blog Violent Acres - it's hilarious and insightful.
Soccer Kid Video
Soccer Kid - Totally cute video I found on YouTube titled Soccer Kid. Works in any language. No translation required...
Portrait of a Father - by Karyn Sigurdsson
Love this image by Karyn Sigurdsson. She titled it Portrait of a Father...which I think is perfect.
When Our Diet Goes Ape - The Evo Diet
Nine volunteers, with a reality TV camera crew taping, decided to go ape with their diet (sometimes called the EVO diet). For 12 days the volunteers avoided all processed foods and ate only from a generous ration of fruits and vegetables -- a diet of the apes.
The results: Blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels dropped significantly for all.
What they ate: 2,300 calories of fruit, vegetables, nuts and honey
Typical 3-day Rotation included:
- Broccoli, carrots, radishes
- Cabbage, tomatoes, watercress
- Strawberries, apricots, bananas
- Mangoes, melons, figs, plums
- Satsumas, hazelnuts
Interesting stories of the volunteers' experiences.
Credit Card Scam Targets Men
Serious warning from post off CraigsList.org. Is there more truth to this than we care to admit?
WARNING - This post contains some mild sexual content.
Russell Crowe's Eulogy for Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter
Russell Crowe's Eulogy for Steve Irwin
Russell Crowe Eulogy Steve Irwin - When I heard that Steve Irwin, the Crododile Hunter, had been killed by a sting-ray, I was shocked and saddened. As news coverage of his death swelled, I was somehow comforted to learn that so many others felt the same....Who knew this wacky, passionate Aussie had such an impact on so many people?
Russell Crowe, a good mate of Irwin's, gave such a touching eulogy at the memorial service for Steve Irwin, a service that was televised around the world. I've transcribed Russell's words below. Truly moving. Here is the video...
World Wildlife Foundation Video Ad
This video from World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) looks so real...and the Mister Roger's Neighborhood music playing in the background is a great touch.
How to Get 59 MPG Out of a Honda Accord
As a driver, Wayne Gerdes is schizophrenic - one moment he's driving like an old lady, the next like Michael Schumacher. He's a maniac on a mission, getting 59-plus miles per gallon with an unmodified Honda Accord. However, it's not the car that generates the great mileage; it's the driver. Wayne's driving philosophy can be summed up with two of his favorite driving techniques...
