Oxymoron for Supplements

The title reads "Antioxidant vitamins are bad for your health". That grabs your attention, no? Amazing sometimes what timing the news around the world can have with occasional discussion among family members. Just the other day there was some discussion about the amount and types of vitamins/pills that one family member is taking and the relationship that has with the way he's been feeling. While we hope taking all those pills is not the reason, we have to wonder. Are all the different supplements really good for you? The author of the article presents the findings of a study published by The Journal of the American Medical Association that reveals the use of antioxidant supplements increases mortality. Advice given - eat five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day (Tough for us!), and stay away from the pills. How many pills do you take a day?

Top 10 Hollywood Rich Kids

Forbes magazine ranks Hollywood's top-earning stars under the age of 21 for 2006. Dang. Where were you at age 10? Sure not worrying about what you're going to wear to the Oscars. Didn't realize Amanda Bynes was that young too.

1. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who turn 21 June 13, $40 million

2. Daniel Radcliffe, age 17, $13 million

3. Lindsay Lohan, age 20, $6 million

4. War of the Worlds veteran Dakota Fanning, age 13, $4 million

5. What I Like About You star Amanda Bynes, age 20, $2.5 million

6. Heroes star Hayden Panettiere, age 17, $2.5 million

7. High School Musical star Vanessa Anne Hudgens, age 18, $2 million

8. Little Miss Sunshine Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin, age 10, $1.5 million

9. Everybody Hates Chris actor Tyler James Williams, age 14, $1.2 million

10. "Too Little, Too Late" singer Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, age 16, $1 million

Stamp Rate Hike

Looks like postal prices are going up again. The postage rates last went up in January 2006. There's also recommendation for a new "forever" stamp that would sell for the first-class rate and remain valid even if the rates go up in the future, thereby eliminating the need to buy small 2-cent type of stamps.

For example, if the 41-cent rate takes effect, forever stamps would sell for 41 cents. If rates later climbed to 45 cents or more, the price of the forever stamp would also go up at the counter or machine, but those purchased before the change would still be valid to mail a letter.

Under the proposal, sending a 2-ounce letter would actually decrease from 63 cents to 58 cents but mailing "odd-shaped" items may result in a 17-cent surcharge as they cannot be processed using letter-sorting machines.

The matter now goes back to the board of governors of the Postal Service, which can accept the recommendations or ask for reconsideration. If accepted, the new rates could take effect as soon as May.

Interesting example given:

Each penny increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline costs the Postal Service $8 million, and it cannot simply add a fuel surcharge to its rates.

Quotes From The Academy Awards

Wanted to watch the show but was busy. Was able to catch up with the goings on and get my daily dose of entertainment lowdown. These were deemed to be ten of the best quotes from the 79th show where celebrities dress up to look very pretty and handsome, and oh yeah, find out who takes home the gold statuettes.

"This is the only naked man that will ever be in my bedroom."
– Melissa Etheridge, clutching her Oscar and reveling in her win for Best Song backstage
Did you know she and her partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, are 13 years apart?

"I noticed everybody's having a hard time with the Oscar and what to do with it. So I came up with this backstage. It's an Ellen Oscar Bjorn. When you go to the parties later, you'll have your hands free to shake hands or drink."
– Host Ellen DeGeneres, revealing her strategy for carrying around the heavy award at the post-show parties
That is pretty inventive. Being able to use a Bjorn in its familiar way was indispensable for MSO and me.

"Even though I honestly did not plan on doing this, I guess with a billion people watching it's as good a time as any."
– Vice President Al Gore, pretending to announce his bid for the White House in 2008 after Leonardo DiCaprio egged him on
Whatever. From politician to documenter.

"I was just backstage with Jack Nicholson and Vice President Al Gore drinking. I don't think he's running for president. My apologies."
– George Clooney, completing Al Gore's faux candidacy announcement
Jack Nicholson is bald now.

"Could you double check the envelope?"
– Martin Scorsese, receiving his Best Director trophy after being passed over for the award five times prior
The critics are already at it regarding the Best Picture win for "The Departed".

"So now we're here to present another award for something short."
– Jaden Smith, 8, joking with presenter Abigail Breslin about having to present the Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Action Short Film awards
Looks like a young, little Will with hair.

"Helen Mirren and an Oscar will be coming home with me."
– Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Jack Black, singing about netting a future Oscar and seducing Best Actress winner Helen Mirren
Ookaay.

"Sound editing is very much like sex. It's usually done alone, late at night, surrounded by electronic gadgets."
– Steve Carell, presenting Best Sound Editing with Little Miss Sunshine costar Greg Kinnear
Funny guy.

"Dame Judi Dench is not here tonight. She's having 'knee surgery' on her eyes."
– Ellen DeGeneres, jokingly explaining the Best Actress nominee's absence from the ceremony
I'm definitely becoming convinced that I am really slow 'cause I didn't really get this. Anyone?

"Visual effects: They enable us to see aliens, experience other universes, move in slow motion or watch spiders climbing high above the city landscape. For me, just a typical weeknight in the mid '90s."
– Robert Downey, Jr., presenting the award for Best Visual Effects and referencing his drug-addled past
This one made me laugh. Glad to see he's doing well. Rumor is that Naomi Watts is impregnated by Liev Schreiber.

Some High School Basketball

Had read an article about Miah Ostrowski the other day and kinda interested to see how he plays. OC-16 is televising the Championship game at 2000. No 'Iolani this year huh?

Incorrect Archiving

Damn posts are incorrectly being archived. Did a search through Blogger's Help page and the Blogger Help Group and it appears that others have experienced the same thing. Supposedly it's being worked on.

Older But New Music

As Gee Why did a few weeks ago, I got some music this past weekend (along with all the free stuff) but I didn't buy them as I used my iTunes cards that I got during the holidays. Sweet!

Unlike the Norah Jones one which I got also, these two are dated 2005. Still good though.

Wonder If It Works

Saw this in a magazine. Supposed to prepare your first "baby" for arrival of the second one that suddenly appears. At least I think that's what our first one - the dog - must've thought. We tried exposing her to babies and also did the blanket thing where you take home a blanket that baby used. We also made my mom carry baby when we first got home. Those things might've worked then. She's still adjusting now to having our attention shared. She'll bring her toys over and will actually fling it in our face when we're sitting or lying down on the floor. Okay, I get it. Sheesh.

Tiny Pen Baby

Wow. Amazing.

FAT Discovery

After purchasing music through iTunes I've been getting the message that asks if you want to back up your music. Been holding off on doing it but I finally decided to back everything up to my external hard drive (EHD). This is an EHD that I used to back up data when I had my PC. Anyways, I just discovered that my EHD is read-only from the Mac! After some reading it appears that Mac OS X can read and write to FAT32 but can only read NTFS which my EHD is formatted in. Great. So you think okay I guess I'll take that stupid step back and format the EHD with FAT32 just in case I need to read that HD with a PC. But now you find out that with FAT32, files cannot be larger than 2GB and there are naming limitations. And if you format your HD with HFS+, which Mac OS X can read natively, you won't be able to read or write with a PC unless you purchase some type of application like MacDrive. Argh! So what is the best way people go about storing and sharing files between platforms?

For The Mothers

This is a great article about how to be a happier mom.

Being the mom of a young child (especially one under 3) is rich and rewarding, but also a real strain on your mood. "Moment to moment, you may be exhausted, frustrated, sometimes angry," says Peter Ubel, M.D., a professor of medicine and psychology at the University of Michigan. "You may be squabbling with your spouse more. You have more negative emotions." The time you spend taking care of your child may not even be the high point of your day.

8 Ways to Focus On The Positive:

• Admit when you're stressed
• Get enough sleep
• (Re)consider your priorities
• Go with the flow
• Savor the moment
• Take the long view
• Reconnect with your spouse
• Say thanks

I won't ever be the hottest mom in America, but I've got to try these tips 'cause I can be the most grouchiest mom in America. =( It's a little comforting to know that I have some reason to feel that way. Thanks.

The Color of Money

Oops, I mean the color of roses. Valentine's Day is over but there is still some discussion about roses going on. Specifically the color of roses. Not knowing much about the meaning of the colors, I did a quick search and found the following from The Voice of Women:

3/4 of men say they would love to get flowers and most women love floral gifts as well. Now here is something you may not know: Color Talks! Although it is commonly accepted that all roses convey warmth and affection, the person receiving them may know and understand the meaning of roses colors and the symbolic message conveyed. It would be nice to insure that you are communicating the right message to that special person. Read on to find the meaning of the color of roses!

Black roses stand for the color of Death. Death of certain “set” ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. It signifies a major change in the future.

Purple roses stand for enhancement, magnification, opulence, majesty and glory and mean I will always love you. Lavender roses symbolize caution and the need to proceed slowly and carefully. Lavender roses also indicate a need for discretion but it is also becoming widely accepted as representing love at first sight and enhancement. Burgundy roses mean unconscious beauty. Lilac represents the first emotions of love.

Blue roses stand for fantasies, hoping for miracles, new opportunities and possibilities.

Orange roses indicate enthusiasm, desire and fascination. The orange rose says, "I am proud of you!"

Coral roses signify desire.

Peach roses signify desire, anticipation, sincere appreciation and optimism for the future. Pale peach roses are a symbol of modesty.

Pink roses stand for elegance, gracefulness, refinement, gentility, style and poetic romance but are combined with fun and light-heartedness. It is the rose of sweet thoughts and thank yous. Pink roses also signify gratitude, sympathy and appreciation. Dark pink stands for thank you, appreciation and gratitude. Light pink roses convey admiration, sympathy, gentleness, grace, gladness, joy, friendship and sweetness. The combination of red roses and pink roses stands for strong romance and passion. Dark Pink roses are symbolic of thankfulness while pale pink roses are a symbol of joy and grace.

Red roses symbolize romance, beauty, respect, courage, passionate love and unity and are the most popular of all roses. Red roses also stand for the creative spirit of love, the true love stronger than thorns. True red is the Lover’s rose. Amaranth red means long-standing desire, Cardinal red means sublime desire. Carmine means false desire (not true desire). Fiery red means flames of passion. Red rosebuds are meant to reflect the beauty of a young lover and mean “pure and lovely”. Red roses in full bloom say, "I love you still." Red & White roses together signify unity or togetherness. They are given when facing a challenging life event or to celebrate a strengthening relationship. Red and yellow blended means gaiety and loyalty, jovial and happy feelings.

White roses represent unity, loyalty, reverence, humility, love stronger than death, sincerity, purity, silence and innocence as well as youthfulness. Sometimes called the "flower of light," the white rose also means spiritual love and anticipation of happiness. White roses can also be used to highlight the message of the other rose colors. White (Bridal) roses symbolize a happy love. White rosebuds can also signify girlhood or “too young to love.”

Yellow roses signify strong feelings of pure joy, gladness, happiness and friendship, but were once used to convey jealousy. Friendship is the main meaning of the yellow rose but it also signifies familiar love and domestic happiness. Yellow roses also symbolize fun and freedom. Today, the yellow rose is used to embrace a new beginning, apologize or express sympathy, and to say, "remember me" , "I am sorry', or "I care." Yellow roses are appropriate for marking the beginning of a new life together or for starting all over again. A Yellow rose with red tip indicates friendship falling in love.

Pastel or pale blends represent sociability and friendship. And the meaning of roses in mixed colors - 'you're everything to me'. A mixed-color bouquet carries all of the meanings of each individual rose.

Rosebuds symbolize beauty, youth and a heart innocent of love or: “You are young and beautiful.” Withered white roses can mean either of two things: fleeting beauty or “you made no impression.” A withered red rose means "I would rather die...our love is over." Hybrid tea roses say “I’ll remember you always”. A single rose stands for simplicity and means you are the only one. In full bloom, it means “I love you” or “I love you still.” It can also symbolize love at first sight. Two roses taped or wired together to form a single stem represent a commitment, an engagement or coming marriage. They represent the mutual feeling that the bond between the two of you is inseperable and nothing can come between you. Six roses means I miss you. Seven roses signifies infatuation. A dozen roses means "I love you" and denotes gratitude for your presence. Eighteen roses means "I am sorry." Twenty-five roses mean congratulations. Fifty roses means unconditional love. A full rose placed over two buds signifies secrecy and a crown made of roses stands for reward or virtue.

So there it is, all the meanings, (well most of them) of the color of roses! The next time you give or receive roses, you will know what their colors mean. Perhaps you will find out something someone may have been trying to tell you all along or you may tell someone something without saying a word and all because Color Talks!

Wow.

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit." -- Kahlil Gibran

No TV Star Status

Although I'm definitely not living the TV star life, I had the opportunity to sit pretty close to next to the stars at the Louisiana Tech game on Saturday thanks to Gee Why and his Pulpconnection connections.




View from our seats was clear with no atama obstructing the sights which somehow happens to me a lot (sarcasm).






One sight that I did note was that there were men sitting together (closely I might add),







although there were many empty seats nearby to give that one manly man seat spacing. Hmmm.







Having no problems with her seat is Minna Sugimoto. We thought about moving next to her. Too bad her canine son Joey couldn't be there.






Shirt launching time. Hey, we're over here!








Almost didn't recognize Alika Smith.









Halftime score.









Recruiting for the University of Hawai`i begins.








Oh look, Minna is joined by Howard Dashefsky and an unfeatured news guy perhaps?








Balloon Brigade. Didn't see KT aka Balloon Master as he was/is supposedly on travel.








Look at the ogling. =)









Final score.









Driving home safely was not to difficult that night but driving home quickly was. I probably don't know the best route to exit out of there so it took almost 1/2 hour to get home! But it was fun. Thank you Gee Why and The Greatest Legal Mind Ever (Sorry)!

Distracted

Supposed to be doing my year end report but wandered into some "Thoughts on Music". Some endearing thoughts...

Living The TV Star Life

We got baby's Shape-O® Toy aka "classic rattle, shape-sorter and counting toy," and my Open House™ Chip ’N Dip bowl that "provides easy access to dips and salsa". Tori Spelling just had a coed baby shower sponsored by Tupperware, and she and her husband (Who is this guy and what does he do?! He's in almost every picture with her.) are pictured here with those items. And yes, that Tupperware. So I'm feeling like a TV star. Okay, maybe not. I don't have any TV shows or never starred in Beverly Hills 90210 which I have to say MSO did watch religiously. =)

Are You Really Gonna Use It?

A pet peeve that I have in the abode is not with the pet (for the most part) but with MSO and his ability to keep things, rather little bits of things around till it goes bad, mold grows on it, it collects into an almost unmanageable pile, whatever, and I find it.

Take this darn bottle of Listerine or lack of it. It was in the cabinet in this state for who knows how long. I asked him if he's going to use it. He says he is. I'm speechless...almost.

Another thing he's left bits of is food which he keeps saying he'll eat later but might result in a satiate bird. But not before they collect mold in the refrigerator. Cleaning out the refrigerator has become a regular chore for me every now and then. Just throw it away!


LATEST: This is a perfect example of the itty bitty bits of food that MSO just can't seem to finish 'cause he's full, and will even go so far as to put it in a container and into the refrigerator...to sit and sit and sit and sit and sit there till I end up throwing it out.