tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327401598090170282024-03-05T08:23:43.466-08:00All Lost in the SupermarketRandom musings about life, business, and other stuff that occupies my timeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-76278017691973827192013-10-15T08:31:00.001-07:002013-10-15T08:46:06.277-07:00Woodstock's Cranky Aftermath<script type="text/javascript">
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Talk of “Freedom” was in the air at Tea Party Express rally for Steve Lonegan’s Senate campaign at the New Egypt Speedway on Saturday. Add <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf1B9ktRCkg" rel="nofollow">Richie Havens</a> and some <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvTmeJabmmw" rel="nofollow">Jefferson Airplane</a> and you are close to a veritable Woodstock, minus the idealism, marijuana and thankfully, public nudity.<br />
Many of the people at Saturday’s rally in Plumsted Township were part of The Age of Aquarius, but they’ve traded weed for Lipitor, worry about fiber intake and sometimes need a good place to sit. Their folk singer at the rally is lamenting government spending, high taxes and Obamacare.<br />
The Tea Party likes to think it challenges the establishment and conveys much of the rhetoric of getting government off our backs and challenging the system. <a href="http://youtu.be/dib2-HBsF08" rel="nofollow">They’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore</a>, to borrow the phrase from Howard Beale in “Network.” <br />
The Tea Party is the product of the politics of disillusionment. They make an easy target for their opponents who write them off as “kooks” and “crackpots.”<br />
Tea Party members have some legitimately overlooked grievances about President Obama and the federal government.<br />
· Is the government’s ability to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/us/broader-sifting-of-data-abroad-is-seen-by-nsa.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" rel="nofollow">gather my text messages</a> a good use of resources in the name of fighting terror? Why should they be entitled to breach our privacy?<br />
· Is the mandate to buy health insurance fair?<br />
· Why should the government bail out big businesses?<br />
· Do we have any business bombing Syria? (Diplomacy may carry the day here.)<br />
· Why should our country continue to compound additional debt beyond the <a href="http://www.usdebtclock.org/" rel="nofollow">$17 trillion</a> outstanding?<br />
Politicians have capitalized on this disillusionment with great effect. Saturday’s rally had its share of political double talk. <br />
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Sarah Palin, Alaska’s former governor and Sen. John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 Presidential election, lamented the disservice to our veterans by closing national landmarks and a few breaths later urging the House to hold the line on the government shutdown.<br />
Steve Lonegan, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senator, speaking about maintaining our nation’s strong defense and the importance of the navy to protect shipping lanes and warned about the mounting debt. Nothing was said about how defense spending – as well as entitlement spending – fuel the deficit.<br />
To be fair, liberals have their own share of opportunists and double talkers that fail to account for the cost of expanded programs or new taxes to pay for them, when on the stump. Also, political rallies are the last place where you’d expect candor about solving the nation’s problems, since the tone of political discourse has as much coherence as a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFRIjK-6pKM" rel="nofollow">pro-wrestling rant</a>.<br />
If conservatives -- or any politician in the political spectrum -- wanted to be honest and steer us away from a “socialist path” and tame the biggest risks to our government’s solvency, our seniors would lose their Social Security and Medicare. <br />
That would make the Woodstock generation, who spent a lifetime paying into these programs, much crankier and even more disillusioned.<br />
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</script><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com1Plumsted Township, NJ, USA40.0763889 -74.50027779999999239.8819089 -74.823001299999987 40.270868899999996 -74.1775543tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-77395967471605905282013-03-13T12:55:00.001-07:002013-03-13T12:59:38.361-07:00Best Movies About The 80sAs a man who graduated high school in 1985, the 1980s represented my coming of age. The Baby Boomers matured in the 70s, where they saw Watergate, the last gasps of the Vietnam War, disco and a lousy economy. The 1980s were a big turnaround. We had Reagan, Wall Street, "Morning in America," and a renewed optimism, except for AIDS scaring people sexless. This blog topic came to mind after I caught <i><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/boogie_nights/" target="_blank">Boogie Nights</a> </i>on television the other day. The movie was made in 1997, but it tried to serve as a time capsule of the late 70s and early 80s. I would welcome any debate or comments, but this is my list of best films about the 80s in no particular order ...<br />
<ul>
<li>Paul Thomas Anderson's <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118749/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">Boogie Nights</a></i> (1997) captured transition from the swinging 70s in the adult film industry to the direct-to-video 80s. The movie romanticized nothing about either era with its characters' broken souls and rampant drug use. It featured a stellar cast: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0O-UgYK70k" target="_blank">Mark Wahlberg as a deluded star whose only gift is between his legs</a>; Burt Reynolds' Golden Globe winning performance as a porn director who wanted stories in his movies; Julianne Moore as an actress (Amber Waves) who lost custody of her child but acts as a mother to Mark Wahlberg's Eddie/Dirk; Don Cheadle as an actor who wants to leave the business to sell stereos (his real passion); and <a href="http://meansheets.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/heather-graham-boogie-nights-rollergirl.gif" target="_blank">Heather Graham</a> as a starlet who dropped out of school. <a href="http://www.movieactors.com/actors/williamhmacy.htm" target="_blank">William H. Macy</a>'s role as "Little Bill" sparked a symbolic transition from the 1970s into the 1980s. Cocaine was a big continuing line throughout the movie, but the story captured the consequences of abuse and addiction with Dirk's downward spiral and Amber's custody battle. <br /> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bZRzeUrVy1o" width="420"></iframe> </li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083929/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</a></i> was my high school and a lot of other high schools in the early 1980s. Sean Penn established himself as one of the great character actors as Jeff Spicoli.<br /> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sKrpl-KBTzQ" width="560"></iframe> </li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_psycho/" target="_blank">American Psycho</a></i>, a dark satire based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel, captured the smug, yuppie mores of Wall Street in New York during the late 1980s. The role served as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">Christian Bale</a>'s springboard to Hollywood's A-list and gave me a whole new appreciation for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzN3qO-qc8U" target="_blank">Huey Lewis and the News</a>. <br /> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qoIvd3zzu4Y" width="560"></iframe> </li>
<li>Oliver Stone wrote and directed <i><a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wall_street/" target="_blank">Wall Street</a></i> -- which was meant as a cautionary tale. However, the film, as well as Michael Lewis' <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npAWlZGlqLk" target="_blank"><i>Liars Poker</i></a>, gave wannabe yuppies a playbook during the following two decades. Michael Douglas plays Gordon Gekko, a corporate raider whose mantra of "greed is good" has inspired many on Wall Street to share his worldview. Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox) aims to be Gekko's protege, but the values of Wall Street clashed against those of his father, who is a union representative at an airline that Gekko is targeting. The movie created some high drama and won Douglas an Oscar. <br /> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v1J6lx5_uM4" width="420"></iframe></li>
<li>"<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">They Live</a>" represented a different take on the "Morning in America" of the Reagan Era. Starring pro wrestling legend, Rowdy Roddy Piper, the movie captured the widening divide between America's "haves" and "have nots" in a fashion that was every bit as knowing as "American Psycho" and "Wall Street." Piper discovers special glasses that allow him to see aliens in our midst that have taken over the earth. <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Wp_K8prLfso" width="560"></iframe> </li>
</ul>
Please contribute! I welcome other suggestions. <br />
<br />
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"https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96110.Vietnam" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Vietnam: A History" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171309445m/96110.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96110.Vietnam">Vietnam: A History</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55270.Stanley_Karnow">Stanley Karnow</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/256517478">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />An in-depth look at Vietnam's embattled history, lost opportunities by the United States, and the in-fighting that crippled South Vietnam's ability to fight the Viet Cong and increasingly North Vietnam soldiers. Karnow highlights the debates among Washington policymakers and the decision making about combat and diplomacy in great detail. Karnow's background as Time's Southeast Asian Correspondent gives him a great deal of authority to engage a wide range of sources about how the war was fought and the negotiations behind the scenes until the fall of Saigon.<br />The book is a companion to the PBS series that aired during the early 1980s, which is also required viewing for anyone wanting to learn about the Vietnam War. <br /><br/> <br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6094511-bill-borden">View all my reviews</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-63151782035158805872012-01-24T08:31:00.000-08:002012-01-24T08:32:30.881-08:00Review of Michael Lewis' "Boomerang"<script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script><br />Michael Lewis captured many of the elements of the financial crisis and now looming threats to sovereign debt, since nations have decided to socialize the risks taken by reckless banks. His book examines the financial crisis from the viewpoints of Iceland, Ireland, Greece, Germany and the United States. The compelling question he raises is: Left alone in a dark room with a pile of money, what did these people do with it?<br />While there is a great depth to the reporting and witty writing, there appears to be a lot of missing parts. He didn't look at Asia with Japan's lingering malaise after its bubble burst in the early 1990s or China, the world's second largest economy with an abundance of poor people. However, a lot of eyes are on China to subsidize the folly of relatively affluent Westerners. He also hasn't looked at other emerging markets. In a topsy turvy world, emerging markets are now deemed less risky than many euro-zone nations. His coverage of the U.S. was centered on California, which is a financial basket case. But there is so much more of the story to tell about the financial crisis in the U.S. None of the people who were victims of subprime loan fraud were interviewed. The incomplete feel of the book led to a one star deduction.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-66406059823019405022012-01-20T21:00:00.001-08:002012-01-20T21:01:27.770-08:00Review of "Exile on Wall Street" by Mike Mayo<script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script><br><br />Securities analyst Mike Mayo recaps his career on Wall Street, where he covered the banking industry. Mayo outlines where the banks went wrong during the course of his career and what his independence and honesty cost him. As someone who was a financial reporter, I found myself nodding along with many of the points he raised in Exile on Wall Street. Executives and corporations will freeze you out if you don't "play along." Analysts who are on the team get rewarded with access and their banks are the ones who get deals. The financial stakes are much higher in that regard compared with the "media relations people" who will freeze out reporters who are too critical.<br /> the book also included a concise history of Citigroup, a company that represents much of what's wrong with banking. It's too powerful, takes a careless approach to risk and it expects the Fed and government to step in when it runs into trouble. TARP is only one of several bailouts it has received over the years.<br /> It is definitely a worthwhile read if you are interested in a behind the scenes look at finance and corporate management. Some of his recommendations and conclusions shouldn't surprise anyone though, since they are sound calls for smarter regulation, more accountability in management and greater transparency among banks.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-15466739276785057562012-01-16T07:36:00.000-08:002012-01-16T07:43:34.356-08:00Robert Kennedy announces death of Martin Luther King, Jr.<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MyCWV_N0EsM?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" width="459" frameborder="0" height="344"></iframe><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script><br><br />Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King represented what the United States could have become if they were not cut down by bullets. In their place, we got Nixon, Watergate, the Carter years, and a callousness toward our less fortunate over the past 30 years. RFK and Dr. King battled for what is right to make America realize its potential -- a land of not only the free and the home of the brave -- but also a land that recognizes the dignity of every human being. I would like to say RIP, but I don't think either will until America's dream is realized.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-29569051280839166862011-11-29T21:07:00.000-08:002011-11-29T21:49:54.070-08:00RIP Patrice O'NealI am saddened by Patrice O'Neal's death at the age of 41 after a severe stroke. I was a big fan of his from his appearances on the Opie & Anthony show over the years. His comic brilliance elevated the show consistently and his career as a comedian was on the verge of taking off. He recently had a successful Comedy Central appearance and also was featured on the Charlie Sheen roast <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FHqA9rtZhc">(check link in at 58 minutes when he eviscerates all the speakers before him)</a>. My favorite comedians die too soon. First Sam Kinison and now Patrice. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNFdSDOGWVw">He died just when opportunity was starting to knock.</a><br /><br /> Comedians and fans have been venting on Twitter and Facebook about Patrice's passing and extending condolences to his family. I would like to extend those condolences as well.<br /><br /> I would like to direct you to some of his work online, but it's not safe for workplace listening. His <a href="http://www.hulkshare.com/505invv7ufdi">"Black Phillip Show" on XM was great and captured on this page</a>. Patrice just riffs on a variety of topics for two hours. This is a video that compiles some of his scenes <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW35wjCoZhs">from different TV spots (late night, Tough Crowd, Opie & Anthony, etc.)</a>.<br /><br /> Please enjoy this clip and look for others on youtube to appreciate his work...<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U_DoD5kHsT4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-19546688931509325592011-11-17T07:01:00.001-08:002011-11-17T07:02:15.902-08:00Shatner shows his comedy skills in Thanksgiving safety video<div><iframe src="http://d.yimg.com/nl/ytv/site/player.html#browseCarouselUI=hide&vid=27281536" frameborder="0" height="324" width="576"></iframe></div><br />This was just too funny not to share. <br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-44636707863199001012011-06-21T10:26:00.000-07:002011-06-21T10:26:58.355-07:00Ryan Dunn, Daredevil Comedian of ‘Jackass,’ Dies at 34 - NYTimes.com<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/arts/television/ryan-dunn-daredevil-comedian-of-jackass-dies-at-34.html?scp=1&sq=Ryan+dunn&st=cse">Ryan Dunn, Daredevil Comedian of ‘Jackass,’ Dies at 34 - NYTimes.com</a><br /><br />It's a sad day in entertainment. RIP Ryan. You and your cohorts made me smile.<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-84117724955496219972011-06-01T07:30:00.001-07:002011-06-02T08:17:21.120-07:00Technology and the future of jobs and work<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]-->Not many people are shedding tears for lawyers displaced by the software that can search discovery documents, saving clients millions of dollars in billable time for the most complex legal cases.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One lawyer at a chemical company told the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/science/05legal.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%E2%80%9CPeople%20get%20bored,%20people%20get%20headaches.%20Computers%20don%E2%80%99t.%E2%80%9D%20&st=cse">New York Times </a>about this innovation: “People get bored, people get headaches. Computers don’t.” Technology renders the task of reading rooms full of legal documents into a simple database search.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Computers have become more intelligent to incorporate context and use linguistics to help users find and retrieve the veritable “needle in the haystack” from gigabytes and terabytes of storage. <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"></span>In many respects, this will create upheaval in industries that required many people to search for that needle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It could be in the field of academia, medical research, marketing and other information intensive industries.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our economy has been an information-based economy for the past three decades as manufacturing moved offshore.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Now the information business has become hyper-efficient, in large part from smarter computing, and the workforce has to think about how to position itself during this wave of innovation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"></span>From a technological standpoint, companies do not want to be left behind in this capability to automate tasks and bring new efficiencies to benefit customers and improve the bottom line.</p><p class="MsoNormal">This represents a sea-change in work, much like the industrial revolution. If you think about it, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> has a $50 billion market valuation and only 2,000 employees. Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, has over 2.1 million employees worldwide and a market valuation of $187 billion. In other words, Facebook is valued at $25 million per employee. Wal-Mart, which has revenue of $420 billion or about the same as the entire output of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29">Sweden's economy</a>, is valued at $89,000 per employee. Valuations are sometimes a dodgy prospect, since there are assumptions about growth rates.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The point that's being made here is that wealth is not necessarily determined by the size of an enterprise. Businesses are doing more with less and we will need to adapt to that new reality. Just as the car rendered horse carriages obsolete, our culture needs to think about what will be valued in the new economy.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-593259860475290702011-04-07T14:41:00.000-07:002011-04-07T14:41:10.988-07:00What's Financial Armageddon? CNBC Editors Weigh In - CNBC<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/42421489">What's Financial Armageddon? CNBC Editors Weigh In - CNBC</a> The only opinion that has merit is the guy who thinks canned goods can be currency. If the sh*t goes down, the person with the guns and canned goods has the clout. <br />Haven't these people ever seen the Road Warrior?<br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-84192272968951441742010-10-04T04:44:00.000-07:002010-10-04T04:44:42.812-07:00Simple Minds - See the Lights (12" Version)<object style="background-image: url("http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/HBiOyv87SAU/hqdefault.jpg");" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HBiOyv87SAU?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HBiOyv87SAU?fs=1&hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-52027195949592330322010-07-31T05:11:00.000-07:002010-07-31T05:15:47.758-07:00Bittersweet -- The Hoodoo Gurus<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-kk3_FsqH3w&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-kk3_FsqH3w&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-12645915840069629302010-07-21T16:59:00.000-07:002010-07-22T17:17:51.612-07:00What's on my mind...(July 21, 2010 edition)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.redcarpetcrash.com/wp-content/themes/majalah/timthumb.php?src=http://redcarpetcrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/KariByron_6x3.jpg&h=260&w=600&zc=1"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 260px;" src="http://www.redcarpetcrash.com/wp-content/themes/majalah/timthumb.php?src=http://redcarpetcrash.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/KariByron_6x3.jpg&h=260&w=600&zc=1" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script><br />Is there a cooler job than working on <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/mythbusters/">Mythbusters</a>? They get paid to break stuff and use explosives all in the name of science. Also, <a href="http://www.google.com/images?q=Kari+Byron&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=t4pHTIzwHsOB8gai-fD-BA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=574">Kari Byron</a>'s on the set.<br /><br /><br />My sister came across some videos of Don Kirschner's Rock Concert and put some videos up on her Facebook page of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6o_t2Q_gkg&feature=PlayList&p=E164D5373187C32D&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2">Ramones blasting through four songs</a>.... I came across this treat by T-Rex.<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i8tPkOusT4U&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i8tPkOusT4U&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />On a more serious note, NJ Gov. Chris Christie is proposing that the state take over the Atlantic City casino district in an effort to save it. He's also planning to sink more money into the ill-fated mondo-mall by the Meadowlands -- Xanadu. What happened to the magic of the marketplace? Meanwhile he's letting horse racing at the Meadowlands, a big money loser, fall by the wayside. I could see the rationale for ending subsidies for horse racing. The market doesn't support it anymore. But the other two steps defy "conservative," small government. It is essentially broadening government oversight of Atlantic City, the casino business and now is putting the government in the mall business. Xanadu, which shares the name of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081777/">a lousy Olivia Newton John movie</a>, has cursed any company attempting to complete the $2 billion shopping center. The state is now sinking good money after misspent money. New Jersey has enough difficulty filling the stores in its malls and downtown shopping districts. Xanadu might be best served running as a flea market, since the current economy is not going to support all of these luxury retailers that were originally planned for it.<br /><br />SNY showed an hour-long documentary celebrating the 1986 <a href="http://www.nymets.com/">New York Mets</a>. I love this team, but it's a grim reminder about how long it has been since the Mets have won a World Series. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://rootzoo.com/uploads/1193441708.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 298px;" src="http://rootzoo.com/uploads/1193441708.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-42063947300133567802010-06-08T17:03:00.000-07:002010-06-20T17:24:40.565-07:00Why Hollywood has sh*t the bed ...Avatar and Alice in Wonderland did big box office late last year and early this year, but the cupboard's running dry for Hollywood. <a href="http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1995182,00.html">Time.com is noting that May's box office take was 11 percent below a year ago</a> and that is despite higher ticket prices.<br /><br />It boils down to one thing: There's nothing good on the big screen today. There are only so many sequels that one man can take. I'm not too nostalgic for comic books and old-television shows. That's what TV-Land is for.<br /><br />Time's critic, Richard Corliss, details some of the reasons why the box office take is lower and nails a lot of the right reasons. However, his reasons could be boiled down to one big one: A lack of good ideas.<br /><br />But if you are a writer, would you want to write for a film studio?<br /><br />There's plenty of crap on television. But with the number of channels available, there are outlets for good writing. Shakespeare would be writing for television if he were alive today. <br /><object style="background-image:url(http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/s8WG1OVBAHk/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s8WG1OVBAHk&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s8WG1OVBAHk&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br /><br><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/breakingbad/">"Breaking Bad"</a>, <a href="http://www.hbo.com/the-wire">The Wire</a>, <a href="http://www.syfy.com/battlestar/">Battlestar Galactica</a> and The Sopranos allow long form story telling that is literary. The themes are complex; the characters are engaging and the plots grab you. How often do you see that on the big screen? Even "<a href="http://www.hbo.com/curb-your-enthusiasm/index.html">Curb Your Enthusiasm</a>," "<a href="http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/sunny/">It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</a>" and "<a href="http://www.fox.com/glee/">Glee</a>" offer more laughs in an episode than a typical film.<br /><object style="background-image: url("http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/uQdP_NC4EtY/hqdefault.jpg");" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uQdP_NC4EtY&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uQdP_NC4EtY&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");pageTracker._trackPageview();</script><br /><br />Okay, I realize that some nuggets of gold are bound to emerge from the landfill that is on cable and our broadcast networks, but I don't think the batting average is that much better for films. If you are running a movie studio and are committed to spending $50 million to $100 million to produce and promote a movie, wouldn't you demand something resembling quality?<br /><br />Only three of the top ten grossing films last week had favorable critical appeal, according to <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/">Rotten Tomatoes.com</a>, a compiler of movie reviews. Even among those three ("Get Him to the Greek," "Iron Man 2" and "Splice"), they were not resoundingly praised. As you can see from the films that got praise, movie critics are not as elitist as they used to be. They just want to be entertained to like the rest of us.<br /><br />Is that too much to ask from movie studios? Anyway, what's playing at the cinema?<br><br /><br />Nothing worth seeing ...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ADDENDUM 6-20-10<br /></span><br /><br />Toy Story 3 -- yep a sequel -- actually was very well done. It lives up to the standard of the other Pixar movies (Finding Nemo and the other Toy Story movies). Oddly enough, a computer-animated movie is more heart felt than 90 percent of what comes from real actors.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-2460983225717770092010-01-30T15:15:00.000-08:002010-01-30T15:22:20.109-08:00Passage from the book of John...<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script><br>7:53 <span style="font-style:italic;">And every man went unto his own house. 8:1 Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.</span><br><br /><br><br />Unfortunately, some of the conservatives in our midst think they have the right to throw the stone and forget about the "he that is without sin among you" part.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-91130376651827436352010-01-28T09:32:00.000-08:002010-01-28T09:46:21.024-08:00Team America: Everyone's Got Aids<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5yC7HwPh6Es&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5yC7HwPh6Es&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br> The creators of South Park did a great job skewering the broadway show "Rent." I'm a fan of the Tony Award-winning show, but this is a great take on it. If you haven't checked out the movie "Team America: World Police," please do. This movie made me look at marrionettes in a new light. I'm also looking forward to a <a href="http://defamer.gawker.com/5091224/south-park-creators-mormon-musical-to-light-up-broadway-with-magical-underwear">Broadway musical that's in the works from South Park's creators</a>. All kidding aside, please support <a href="http://www.broadwaycares.org/Page.aspx?pid=195">Broadway Cares</a>...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-17820046130952841682010-01-26T18:37:00.001-08:002010-01-26T18:37:19.892-08:00formspring.meAsk me anything <a href="http://formspring.me/billybobdude" target="_blank">http://formspring.me/billybobdude</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-39453898735044381662009-12-23T07:47:00.000-08:002009-12-23T07:58:33.870-08:00Vitamin D deficiency<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script>Doing some client work earlier today gave me a reminder about why I'm taking 4,000 iu of Vitamin D-3 today. It's been an ongoing battle to increase my vitamin d levels due to my lifestyle (sedentary and indoors) and my doctor has been on my case about it for about a year now.<br />Anyway, these is the clip that gave me the reminder. <a href="http://www.medco.com/medco/consumer/aboutus/main.jsp?app=aboutus&bcpid=40682388001&bclid=53147618001&bctid=55734566001">(click here about kids and vitamin D)</a> This is <a href="http://www.medco.com/medco/consumer/aboutus/main.jsp?app=aboutus&bcpid=40682388001&bclid=53147618001&bctid=52611916001">more pertinent for adults. </a><br /> My doctor is recommending far more more than what the video suggests. The Mayo Clinic goes <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind">into the breakdown of the difference of Vitamin D-3 and D-2 and their benefits.</a><br />Have a healthy holiday season!<br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-89231662266690863632009-11-04T18:02:00.000-08:002009-11-04T18:58:10.519-08:00Why Chris Christie won...<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script>In a nutshell, this is why Chris Christie defeated N.J. Gov. Jon S. Corzine:<br /><ul><li> Taxes -- Jon Corzine didn't address the property tax burden during his tenure, even after raising sales and income taxes. New Jersey manages to have high sales, income and property taxes. This is sending the middle class to the exits and has stifled job creation in the state.</li><li> Corruption -- If Attorney General Anne Milgram made a significant arrest for municipal corruption outside Atlantic City, Chris Christie's big advantage would have been blunted. Arrests in Atlantic City don't count in this category. Mr. Magoo can spot municipal corruption there. You can set your calendar by elected Atlantic City officials being indicted. </li></ul>Jon Corzine's a decent man with good intentions. I'd like to have him as an uncle. However, the Star Ledger precisely summed up his role in NJ politics and the state's Democratic Party: "Corzine is the chaplain on a pirate ship, not really its captain." He wasn't beholden to the power brokers in state government, since he paid for his own campaigns. However, the party bosses -- at least the ones out of legal trouble -- still hold a lot of power. Corzine ceded a lot of authority to them.<br /><br />Chris Christie won a tarnished trophy in this election. He's going into the Governor's office in January with a projected $8 billion budget deficit, a rotten business climate, and Democrats controlling the legislature. Most NJ resident's disagree with Christie's conservative social views (anti-abortion), but this was an electon primarily about pocketbook issues. He's pledged to lower taxes, but has been scant on details about how to pay for tax cuts. The legislature holds the purse strings and I don't see them crafting budgets that will cut urban aid, education or health care. I'm expecting a standoff in the next budget cycle and would not be surprised if there is a government shutdown. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_New_Jersey_State_Government_shutdown">Corzine had a standoff against the legislature in 2006 and they're in the same party</a>. Christie has much more different budget priorities that appeal to his suburban backers than the Democrats. His interests might be best served if he provoked a budget fight and shut down state offices. The public might realize that the world won't end just because Trenton is idled for a few weeks. <script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-63405475605047309672009-10-27T10:19:00.000-07:002010-02-03T09:33:51.730-08:00Trauma Redux, Oct. 26 episode<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nbc.com/assets/images/scet20/tpy.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 495px;" src="http://www.nbc.com/assets/images/scet20/tpy.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a>
<br /><script type="text/javascript"><br/>var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script> It's nice to see <a href="http://www.nbc.com/trauma/">"Trauma"</a> share some of the truisms about EMS. My favorite was the scene with "Rabbit" and Marisa, the EMT who was carrying all of the gear, heading to a cardiac call. Marisa had the temerity to ask why her partner, a paramedic, wasn't carrying anything. "ALS stands for 'Aint Lifting Stuff," Rabbit replied. I've heard it phrased with a profanity, but what can you expect from network TV? I thought the interplay between Rabbit and the patient's agitated wife was authentic and very much in line with what EMTs deal with. I thought how he asked for her to hold the door (a subtle way to keep her occupied) is a very good tactic to deal with frantic family members. Make them helpful and then they can focus and not get in the way.
<br /> Overall, the Halloween episode was pretty good. It also had shown Rabbit's limits to being a "cowboy" and trouncing on standing orders. He had refrained from administering morphine to a child trauma patient. Other emergencies seemed to be handled well (paramedics or more experienced EMTs may take issue with that assessment).
<br /> The preview of an ambulance accident for next week's episode should be interesting, because <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/Mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5208a3.htm">there are too many ambulance accidents</a>. Some have killed EMTs in the line of duty. My training and experience tell me that most other people on the road are too stupid to watch for ambulances. Assume the worst -- especially in New Jersey -- and don't just think the lights and sirens will keep you safe in the rig.
<br />
<br />
<br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-2442599020133495852009-10-19T20:12:00.000-07:002009-10-19T20:56:07.191-07:00The TV Show 'Trauma'<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script> I enjoy watching the show <a href="http://www.nbc.com/trauma/">"Trauma,"</a> not for its portrayal of EMTs. It falls into that realm of entertainment with <a href="http://www.worldof007.com/gallery/2007/11/16/James_Bond_11_18TS7Z.jpg">James Bond</a> movies, disaster films, and "Die Hard." Shut the brain off and enjoy the ride.<br /><br /><br />As an EMT, many of the things that I see on the show make me chuckle. A lot of these guys forget about scene safety among other basic tasks. One of the first lessons in EMT class is to stay safe so you don't become a patient and burden other first responders. What sometimes passes itself off as emergency medicine on this show would get EMT cards yanked. A paramedic would not fill an IV with ice water to intentionally induce hypothermia on a patient with a spinal injury. There are plenty of other examples cited by people better qualified than me. If you want to learn about EMS, there are plenty of emergency medicine sites and this one is one of my favorites, <a href="http://theemtspot.com/">The EMT Spot</a>. Or even better, get some first aid classes, join a squad and work toward an EMT certificate.<br /><br /><br />But just take the TV show with a grain of salt and enjoy it for what it's worth: an hour of drama with great production values. Roy and Johnny from "<a href="http://www.hulu.com/emergency">Emergency!</a>" did it better and captured more of the flavor of being an EMT. However, the name of the show is "Trauma" not "80 Year Olds with General Illness." Neither is pretty, but bowel troubles of the elderly don't make good television.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4add2f5eaae4a27c/4741e3c5156499a7/dfa3aa2b/-cpid/adb8667ae3284607" id="W4727a250e66f97234add2f5eaae4a27c" height="283" width="384"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4add2f5eaae4a27c/4741e3c5156499a7/dfa3aa2b/-cpid/adb8667ae3284607"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-18497279688653893872009-09-22T22:26:00.000-07:002010-01-27T08:11:43.256-08:00The latest cool stuff...<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script> This is an adolescent thing to do, but I thought it would be fun to share some things that I like right now. Some of this probably already appeared on my facebook profile. Apologies to those who have seen some of this before. I even liked some TV this week, a rarity: <br />-- <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/">Mad Men's</a> episode "A Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" shook up some of the listlessness from the first few episodes this season. Matt Weiner shows off his Soprano roots by placing unusually violent action into a plot. The show worked well on an acting and literary level. The title was a nice play on words. The symbol of snakes figured prominently. (Guy being a snake in the grass, Don speaking with Connie Hilton, Pryce's gift) A bit of foreshadowing of the JFK assassination (the tractor ride with the woman riding through the office and Joan looking like Jackie Kennedy) and Vietnam (the boys who never saw combat at sterling cooper covered with blood). Roger Sterling (played by John Slattery) had some great lines in the episode. "It looks like Iwo Jima here" ... "He was just getting his foot in the door." <br> <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iI2A8bQv2xA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iI2A8bQv2xA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />-- <a href="http://www.fox.com/house/">House's</a> premier was exceptional. It was nice to see Hugh Laurie working someone that could dish out as well as him, Andre Braugher (a favorite from Homocide: Life on the Street). <br><br />-- <a href="http://theemtspot.com/">The EMT Spot</a> -- I ride for Metuchen EMS. We are not a busy first aid squad. I consider myself fortunate, but it is important to refresh skills or keep certain things in mind when responding to calls. This page and the <a href="http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NJEMS/">yahoo bulletin boards for NJ EMTs</a> are very useful. On a related note, Congratulations are in store for Travis Hendon, who delivered a baby on a call at a gas station earlier this week when he was riding for Edison. I managed to get some ambulance driver training in this weekend!<br />-- Joe Perri, my colleague at Coyne PR, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/coynepublicrelations">attempted to eat half a sheet cake in 10 minutes. I salute you for the effort</a>! Nice work by Coyne's graphics department with the video footage.<br />-- <a href="http://www.yolatengo.com/">Yo La Tengo</a> came out with a new album, <a href="http://www.yolatengo.com/forsale/?category=11&product_id=18">Popular Songs</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-13063389137104110102009-08-31T18:45:00.000-07:002009-09-01T11:26:59.605-07:00A workable solution to America's health care troubles...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mysurgerywebsite.co.uk/website/H85051/files/docbaby.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 425px; height: 282px;" src="http://www.mysurgerywebsite.co.uk/website/H85051/files/docbaby.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script><br /> Politicians of all stripes have been bickering over health care. Who's going to get health care and how are we going to pay for it? We're already spending $2.3 trillion on health care in this country. That's greater than all the goods and services produced in the United Kingdom, not exactly an economic lightweight.<br><br /> So what does this spending -- about $7,000 every year -- for each man, woman and child in the United States get? <a href="http://allcountries.org/health/usa_health_care_2008_nyt.html">Sub par health care quality</a> with a ranking of 37th worldwide. Woo Hoo! We're number 37! <br><br /> So we don't do health care very well. As a country, we need to focus on our <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=2Nny30ocilQC&pg=PA62&lpg=PA62&dq=Adam+Smith+and+competitive+advantage&source=bl&ots=v6xHwPnxJy&sig=C_hld_EZWxRdf4cnTQ7sLqdNlvU&hl=en&ei=_4ScSr6LLsWgmAeguMSxBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9#v=onepage&q=Adam%20Smith%20and%20competitive%20advantage&f=false">competitive advantage</a>. At least, that's what Adam Smith tells us to do in "The Wealth of Nations."<br><br /> As a country, we don't make much of anything anymore. So it is incumbent on our policy makers to focus America's competitive advantage. <br><br /> We need to abandon health care. We do a crappy job at it. It's a financial sinkhole and we all die in the end anyway. So why bother? <br><br /> We need to channel our resources where we excel -- entertainment. We don't know the names of the eight chambers of the heart or how the larynx helps us digest our food, but we do know what "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" are having for dinner or Britney Spears' favorite coffee. It's a matter of our priorities. <br><br /> Policy makers should allocate our resources accordingly. So here's my solution to health care reform: We spend nothing on the sick. We take all that money and dedicate it to fun.<br><br /> This is how we solve this dilemma:<br><br /> -- Force every man, woman and child to spend $7,000 a year on entertainment. It can be devoted to consumer electronics, movie tickets, circuses, sporting events, video games, theme park admissions, the theater, and time shares. Not one cent can be spent on health, since it is not economical and doesn't fit with America's competitive advantage.<br> <br /> -- Hospitals will be turned into resorts to reflect our nation's drive to be a fun economy. Hospitals kill more people than theme parks, so theme parks must be better for our nation's health. Society can swap out go the machines that "go ping" in the hospital and replace them with video games. Amusement parks are a better investment than the lousy profit margins offered at health care facilities.<br><br /> -- This reform will require us to dramatically reshape our workforce. We'll need to retrain our nurses, doctors, pharmacists and other clinicians for new jobs. Our government will have to build a national chain of clown colleges to meet the demands of our new "fun economy." Instead of learning about anatomy & physiology, our clinicians will have to learn how to juggle. Administering an IV becomes a passe' skill, while trapeze work becomes a valued art.<br><br /> So that leaves us with a dilemma about what do do with the sick. In our new fun economy, sick people won't go the the hospital. They can behave like Super Bowl winners:<br> They can go to <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/">Disney World</a>! <br />###Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532740159809017028.post-78354782090512563602009-08-11T13:44:00.000-07:002009-09-24T12:19:39.830-07:00Tom Cruise's greatest role!<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6110494-1");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /></script><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4rbj1alnmWc&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4rbj1alnmWc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <br> Profane, but hysterical!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063504593711107648noreply@blogger.com0