Friday, April 29, 2011

Josep Guardiola Rant

It looks like Jose Mourinho is finally getting to Josep Guardiola. At first Real Madrid were no where near Barcelona, but now they are getting closer and finally beat them in the Cup. Still think Barcelona is better, but the gap is closing a bit.


Monday, April 25, 2011

Celery the Cure For Gout

From experience I know how painful it can be to suffer from gout. For those of you who have tried several medicines and treatments without success, I have something to recommend. It might be hard to believe that something as simple as celery could be the answer you are looking for...but incredibly it does work.

To use celery as a cure for gout it is very simple. First go to your local supermarket and buy some. Then wash and prepare them (just cut them into sticks). Lastly just eat about 6 inches of celery with every meal. Within the first week you should experience a marked improment, and if you keep eating the celery your gout should disappear completely.

So go on and give it a try, I mean what have you got to lose? It is cheap and natural. Besides eating vegetables is good for you anyway.

Should I buy D90 or D7000

Anyone considering buying their first Nikon DSLR camera or upgrading to a more serious model might be considering between buying the D90 or D7000. If you have done some research you probably know by now that they are both great cameras.

The D90 is one of Nikon's best DSLR models that offers great performance for its price when it came out. Now several years on the D90's price has dropped even further while still remaining capable of producing great image quality. The D7000 on the other hand is just as good value as the D90 when it came out. You could say that it is the current model of the D90. Obviously with newer technology it's going to offer better performance but at a higher price.

So what should you get? Is the D7000 worth the extra money? I have got to say that for most of us who take photographs as a hobby or for the enjoyment, we are unlikely to push either cameras to their limits. So if you are one of the non-serious amatures who knows that the D90 is more than capable for your needs then the D90 is probably the answer for you.

However I think most of us do not buy a new DSLR because of "Need" but because of "Want", and so we should buy something that would make us happy and rid us of our "Want". If having bought the D90 you are going to be looking on with sad puppy eyes everytime another person walks by with the D7000, then it's not going to work out very well buying the D90.
Even if you have to wait a few months to save up the extra cash to be able to afford the D7000 I think it is still worth it. Because it is better to have to live a few extra months with "Want" than to live with "regret" for a much longer time.


should I buy a 600D 60D or 7D

I am sure for most people considering buying a Canon DSLR camera these three models, providing it is within their budget, are the ones they will be looking at. Most of you by now will probably know that all three cameras use the same imaging sensor (four if you include the 550D). So many of you might be asking why are the prices so different for them, and why they are positioned differently from entry level to semi-pro models? So here I have tried to sum up the main differences that you will get for your extra money between the models.


Body Construction

The camera's body of the more expensive models are constructed more ruggedly with more expensive materials. the 60D uses a higher quality plastic than the 600D, while the 7Ds are made with Magnesium alloy complete with weather sealing.

The more expensive bodies are also larger and have more buttons and wheels on them so that you can access different functions easier and faster. Of course with larger bodies come added weight .


Focusing Speed and Accuracy

The more expensive models have better focusing abilities. They are able to focus faster and they also have more focus points to choose from so you are better able to track fast moving objects more accurately. These qualities are essential when you are taking sports or birds photography.

Faster fps

The more expensive models will be able to take more frames per second in burst mode. Again this could be essential when taking photographs of fast actions sequences.



"So I have to pay so much more just to get a few extra features?", this might be what a lot of people are thinking, and they are right in a way. Given a properly taken photograph shot with these three different cameras it would be very hard to tell the difference in image qualities between them. However for some photographers who take certain types of photographs these few extra features are the difference between getting and not getting the shots.

So if you enjoy taking mainly photographs of landscapes or static objects then even the 600D might be enough for you (providing you don't have ergonomics problems with the smaller bodies). However I am sure there will still be plenty  of people who "Want" the higher models...and "Want" and not "Need" is the main reason most of us buy new cameras :)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

It's ok to date people for their looks but not for their money?

I am sure we have all seen it. A shall we say... less than good looking, or an older but "rich" person going out with a really good looking person. People will often express a kind of bitter prejudice against the relationship, "they are only going out with them for their money" is often the agreed sentiment. While in a lot of cases this is true, certainly their money or power being partly or mainly their appeal, is it really worst than a lot of other relationships based on other factor?
"You should go out with someome because you like them?, is what I will often hear.


But for some reason people don't have a problem when people go out with each other just because of looks. When two good looking person go out together, for some reason it's all


"Oh they are perfect together"


"What a lovely couple"


"Now they really like each other" is what they will say. If you think about it  though there is not really a difference between this and the first case. Instead of going out with someone for their money, they are just going out with someone for their looks. I mean in a lot of cases if the other person weren't so good looking they wouldn't even consider speaking to each other in the first place, but for some reason it is so much more accepted.


ps. I have neither power nor money, just personally felt that some couples are too harshly judged.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

To Tip or not to Tip and how much? Why can't we just do away with Tips?

So you are just handed the bill for a meal you just had. Some figures are written on the small slip of paper. Hmm a reasonable sum for the fine meal you just had you think to yourself, but as you merrily reach into your wallet to pay the bill you realize with horror "What about the Tip!!!". Your hands begin to sweat as your brain goes into overdrive trying to figure out the complex arithmetic of exactly how much tip to leave without


a) Having the waiters/waitresses gossiping about how cheap you are as soon as you leave.
b) Feeling like you were ripped off and would have rather give the extra money to the poor.

or

c) having the waitress shout in your face demanding more money

And believe me I have been on the end of (c) myself. After a particularly disappointing meal with really bad service, I still left a tip of about 10% from the value of the meal. While walking out of the restaurant thinking that maybe I shouldn't have left any tip at all.

"Hey excuse me sir wait a minute", a voice behind me said.

"Err", I turned around surprised to see the waitress running after me.

"You didn't leave enough tip", she demanded.

"Er", I just stood there dumbfounded.

"You should give me more tip", she insists.


Completely in shock and not thinking straight I handed over some more money. After she left I felt like I had just been robbed.


So I am writing this appeal to any tipping authorities or ministry of tipping out there, I plead to you that maybe one day we can come up with some sort of tipping standard so that after every meal I wouldn't have to undergo the stress of trying to figure out how much to tip. I mean I have no problems with giving tips or over tipping when I felt the service was good, but I also want a standard minimum that I can tip without anyone complaining when I felt that the service was alright  or even bad. Better still if all this is calculated for me by the restaurant I am going to (I understand that there is a service charge but sometimes you are still expected to tip on top of that).

is CNN becoming an entertainment channel?

I am not saying that it is a bad thing or that we will soon being seeing Ryan Seacrest on CNN, but I was just wondering if anyone else feels the same way. Considering that these networks survives on getting sponsors good ratings are essential, and you wouldn't get too many viewers by just reporting no nonsense serious news 24/7, so the shift in style is understandable. But it did feel quite funny the other day switching over from E! channel to watch CNN. It sometimes feels as though I didn't switch channel at all. It really feels like CNN has made a conscious decision to move to a more "glossy" feel. From the choice of programs,  the choice of anchors and news reporters, to the way they are now more heavily made up (I am sure they have the same stylist team as the E Channel).

Anyways I am off to watch E....err....I mean CNN.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Doctors are not Gods : always get a second opinion and do your own research

Whenever we go through our daily lives or do business we are pretty rational and cautious most of the time. If we take our car into a garage for repairs for example, we will probably have a look around the garage to see what its condition is like. Maybe we will even do some research beforehand about its reputation, and we will certainly be trying to judge if what the mechanic is saying seems reasonable. Half of us is constantly thinking "Is he trying to scam me with all there repairs".
For some reason however, when it comes to seeing the doctor we seem to so easily put our complete trust in them, and just take whatever they are saying as facts without even questioning it in the slightest. Well you should be doing exactly the opposite, because these are probably the most important business deals you will ever do. I mean we are talking about the lives and well being of you and your loved ones. If a mechanic does a bad job on your car, you might have wasted some money, but you can always then take your car somewhere else next time. If you or your loved ones are dead however, it is not possible to then go see another doctor.

So seeing a doctor is probably the best time for you to be questioning everything. You do not need to be rude or overly aggressive about it, you don't even need to say much. Just listen carefully to what they are saying and try to judge if it is reasonable or not. Observe what he is doing. Now so often I have gone in to see a doctor, they will ask a few standard question and within about 15 seconds they will just prescribe something. Straightaway that should be a warning sign because diagnosis is probably the most important part of the job, and if you don't get that right then everything else that follows are meaningless because you will not be getting the right treatment.

Just because you don't have a medical degree does not mean you are powerless to do anything either. With the web you have a vast amount of information at your disposal. If the doctor says you are suffering from something, come back home and look it up online. Research about the disease and see if its symptoms matches yours. The doctor might have half an hour to ask you about your symptoms and do a few tests, but you are the one living with it 24 hours a day, so you should be able judge your symptoms pretty well yourself and see if it matches the disease the doctor says you have.

Lastly remember that doctors are just humans like you and me. They make mistakes, they get tired and sometimes they just have an off day. Just because they are doctors it does not mean that they are all the same. There is sure a world of difference between a good one and a bad one. I mean you wouldn't take your precious car to a dodgy looking, speaking mechanic would you? So why would you risk your health and well being on some bad doctor?

Always do your research and if possible get a second opinion.

the song in Cruel Intensions during the love scene

This song actually started playing before the love scene between the two main characters. It actually started playing when the main guy (Ryan Phillippe) drove to meet the main girl (Reese Witherspoon).




Color Blind

by

Counting Crows



Lyric


I am color...blind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am
taffy stuck, tongue tied
Stuttered shook and uptight
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am...fine
I am covered in skin
No one gets to come in
Pull me out from inside
I am folded, and unfolded, and unfolding
I am
colorblind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am...fine
I am.... fine
I am fine




The song at the beginning of Battle Los Angeles before working out on the beach

So this is the song at the beginning of the film before the aliens attacked. It started playing just before you see the main character working out on the beach


Califonia Love

by

2Pac or Tupac

How the hell did True Grit get such good reviews

So after seeing all the great reviews True Grit got I decided to go see it. What do I think? em...let's just say I was wondering whether there was another film also called True Grit and I went to see the wrong one.

I mean I think I'm the one with True Grit being able to sit through this movie. As fun as it can be watching a bunch of guys riding around in the wild west, moaning about their life and their problems, occasionally shooting randomly at each other and other random objects for questionable reasons, it just gets boring real fast.

Why did World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles get such a bad review?

Sure, it's not some high art indie flick or an intense drama driven by strong character development and acting, but it sure delivers on its promise of being and "Action Film", which is more than I can say for a lot of films.

All too often all the action you see in the trailers are pretty much all the action you will get from a film, that is definitely not the case here. You can certainly expect actions, more actions and some more actions right from the beginning of the film all the way to the end. The plot is really nothing new, but that is not to say that it is bad, it is just a vechicle to drive the film along without detracting from it.

All in all I think that most people who go to see the film will enjoy it (if they like action film that is), it wouldn't make it onto their best film list nor will it stick in their minds very long after leaving the cinema, but they will certainly have a good time while watching it. So I don't understand why it is getting such a bad review.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The song in 50 First Dates

This song came on the other day on TV, such a cool song, I think it was in the movie 50 First Dates.



Love Song

by

311



Lyric


Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am whole again

Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am young again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am fun again

However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love you

Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am free again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am clean again

However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love you


Friday, April 1, 2011

the song at the beginning of sucker punch

Having already mentioned the other cool song in the movie sucker punch



http://www.lordoftherant.com/2011/04/song-in-sucker-punch-during-first-dance.html


There are two more songs I really liked, both of which played during the beginning of the film. The first is


Sweet Dreams

by

Emily Browning



lyric

Sweet dreams are made of these
Who am I to disagree
Travel the World and the Seven Seas
Everybody's looking for something

Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused

[Break]

Sweet dreams are made of these
Who am I to disagree
Travel the World and the Seven Seas
Everybody's looking for something

Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused

[Break]

Sweet dreams are made of these
Who am I to disagree

Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused


The second song is


Where is My Mind

by

Yoav & Emily Browning





lyric

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head'll collapse
If there's nothing in it
And then you'll ask yourself:

Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/y/yoav/where_is_my_mind.html ]
I was swimming in the Caribbean,
And I was hiding, behind the box,
Accept the little fish,
And he told me,
He was trying to talk to me, talk to me,

Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?
Where is my mind?

Way out in the water,
See it swimming
Where is my mind?

Way out in the water,
See it swimming
Where is my mind?

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah

the song in sucker punch during the first dance and fight

Saw sucker punch the other day, although I am not going to be reviewing the movie in this post let's just say that the storyline ruined what could have been a really cool movie.


Nevertheless there are still some very good things about the movie, one of which is the great music. One of the best tunes were during the first dance scene in the movie, or during the first fight with the samurais. The song is

Army of Me

by

Bjork





lyric


Stand up
You've got to manage
I won't sympathize
Anymore.

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me

You're alright
There's nothing wrong
Self-sufficience please!
And get to work.

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Army of me

You're on your own now
We won't save you
Your rescue-squad
Is to exhausted

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Army of me