According to a recent study by neuro-psychologist, Dr. Paul Nussbaum of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, the best time to fight dementia is to begin in your 20's, 30's and 40's.
Following are some quite interesting tips:
1. Use your non-dominant hand to write often. This helps to excercise your opposite side of the brain and activate your neurons.
2. Get you groove on. Dance - Dance - Dance. Dancing is apparently the only physical acitivity that decreases the incidence of dementia.
3. Excercise your green thumb and garden. Gardeners use the visual and spatial resoning to garden, this excercises the brain.
4. Get some yarn and make something creative. Knitting requires use of both sides of the brain.
5. Get your board games on. Great use of your brain and it's a socializing activity.
6. Inspire your musical genious by learning to play an instrument. This develops a dormant part of your brain.
7. My favorite thing to do: Explore the world. Traveling forces your brain to expand by navigating a new and complex environment.
*** In other words..don't spend most of your time engaged in passive brain activity. (i.e. Watching television, playing video games) Excercise your brain.
(The article was inspired by an article written by Orlando Sentinal for AM NY)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Will Computers be Terrorized by a Virus Tomorrow?
According to an article in the AM New today by Jason Fink, computers could be attacked by a PC Conficker Worm tomorrow.
Although tomorrow is April Fools Day, people are taking this threat very seriously.
This potentially deadly virus is lying in millions of computers and can cause anything from an "April Fools Day" floating across your screen to completely shutting your computer down.
It is for this reason that I prefer Macs.
Are these viruses put out there to boost sales in the anti-virus programs - you never know. Following are frequently asked questions about the Conficker worm by Jason Fink:
Who may be impacted?
Conficker may attack the computer of any PC user who runs a Windows operating system and who hasn't been installing Microsoft's security updates.
How do I know if my computer is infected?
Commercially available anti-virus scanning software will detect it.
What can I do to prevent an infection?
Enable the automatic updates setting on your computer or go to safety.live.com and run the free Windows Live OneCare safety scanner.
What should I do if my computer is infected?
An infected machine must be "cleaned" either by re-installing the operating system or by contacting a computer specialist.
Hopefully this bug is nothing dangerous and Windows users will be fine.
We will see tomorrow.
Although tomorrow is April Fools Day, people are taking this threat very seriously.
This potentially deadly virus is lying in millions of computers and can cause anything from an "April Fools Day" floating across your screen to completely shutting your computer down.
It is for this reason that I prefer Macs.
Are these viruses put out there to boost sales in the anti-virus programs - you never know. Following are frequently asked questions about the Conficker worm by Jason Fink:
Who may be impacted?
Conficker may attack the computer of any PC user who runs a Windows operating system and who hasn't been installing Microsoft's security updates.
How do I know if my computer is infected?
Commercially available anti-virus scanning software will detect it.
What can I do to prevent an infection?
Enable the automatic updates setting on your computer or go to safety.live.com and run the free Windows Live OneCare safety scanner.
What should I do if my computer is infected?
An infected machine must be "cleaned" either by re-installing the operating system or by contacting a computer specialist.
Hopefully this bug is nothing dangerous and Windows users will be fine.
We will see tomorrow.
Friday, March 13, 2009
One of Ghana's Finest Performs in NYC Today....
During my trip to Ghana I had the opportunity to hook up with Batman Samini,one of Ghana's leading musicians. I dropped in on a studio session check out the pic:
Samini will be performing later tonight in NYC. I'm sure the show is going to be great!!!
Samini will be performing later tonight in NYC. I'm sure the show is going to be great!!!
Busta! What it is right now?
Busta is currently touring as he gets ready to release his new album B.O.M.B an acronym for Back On My B.S. Check out some up coming east coast dates:
Richmond, VA Toad's Place Fri Mar 13 / 09
New Haven, CT Toad's Place Sat Mar 14 / 09
Burlington, VT Higher Ground Sun Mar 15 / 09
Foxboro, MA Showcase Live Mon Mar 16 / 09
Clifton Park, NY Northern Lights Fri Mar 20 / 09
Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre Sat Mar 21 / 09
On March 23, 2009 catch Busta's free My Space Release Party at the ever so popular Santos House in New York City.
This past Tuesday, Busta Bus rocked B.B. Kings with a dynamic sold out performance. Special Guests included his new New York Posse, Maino, Red Cafe and Ron Brown. Guest also included M.O.P and Beenie Man. Check out some videos...
Red Cafe opened the show...
Busta and Maino...
Busta and Beenie Man
Busta and M.O.P
Thursday, March 5, 2009
$499 --Paris 4 - Night Spring Getaway w/Air...
Find this super deal at travelzoo.com
Paris, France
Top 20 deal - sells out quickly!
Travel dates: Wednesday departures April 1 - May 13
By Travelzoo Staff
Airfare prices usually climb for spring travel, but go-today.com is still able to combine low airfare and affordable hotel accommodations to offer a 4-night spring getaway in Paris for $499.
This deal is valid for Wednesday departures April 1 - May 13 and is at least $200 less than competing packages or a-la-carte prices.
This $499 package includes:
Roundtrip airfare to Paris (see departure cities below)
4 nights at Comfort Hotel Lamarck
Daily breakfast
Hotel taxes/service charges
Airline fuel surcharges
The Comfort Hotel Lamarck is a budget hotel about 1 mile from the Sacre Coeur Church. Many hotel choices are available with this deal, including an upgrade to the "tourist" Pavillon Villiers Etoile Hotel for just $50 more. Well-situated within a mile from Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and minutes from the Villiers Metro stop, the Pavillon Villiers Etoile is worth the incremental cost.
Travelzoo Tip: Want to stay longer? Go-today offers a 6-night Paris package starting at $549, with many hotel upgrades options available at very reasonable add-ons.
Departure cities:
New York City ... $499; Philadelphia ... +$130; Houston, Los Angeles ... +$220; click the link below or call for more departure cities.
Click here for more information and to book with go-today.com. Or call 800-227-3235 to reserve over the phone.
Paris, France
Top 20 deal - sells out quickly!
Travel dates: Wednesday departures April 1 - May 13
By Travelzoo Staff
Airfare prices usually climb for spring travel, but go-today.com is still able to combine low airfare and affordable hotel accommodations to offer a 4-night spring getaway in Paris for $499.
This deal is valid for Wednesday departures April 1 - May 13 and is at least $200 less than competing packages or a-la-carte prices.
This $499 package includes:
Roundtrip airfare to Paris (see departure cities below)
4 nights at Comfort Hotel Lamarck
Daily breakfast
Hotel taxes/service charges
Airline fuel surcharges
The Comfort Hotel Lamarck is a budget hotel about 1 mile from the Sacre Coeur Church. Many hotel choices are available with this deal, including an upgrade to the "tourist" Pavillon Villiers Etoile Hotel for just $50 more. Well-situated within a mile from Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and minutes from the Villiers Metro stop, the Pavillon Villiers Etoile is worth the incremental cost.
Travelzoo Tip: Want to stay longer? Go-today offers a 6-night Paris package starting at $549, with many hotel upgrades options available at very reasonable add-ons.
Departure cities:
New York City ... $499; Philadelphia ... +$130; Houston, Los Angeles ... +$220; click the link below or call for more departure cities.
Click here for more information and to book with go-today.com. Or call 800-227-3235 to reserve over the phone.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Talk about an awkward situation: Rabbi Vs. Daughter in Sex Trial....
The following article expresses an example of the sick horrors that some people experience in their lives. Wow!!!
(Associated Press) A woman who says her ultra-orthodox rabbi father molested her for much of her youth confronted him Tuesday under tense circumstances: as he cross-examined her at his own sex-abuse trial.
The defendant, Israel Weingarten, decided to be his own defense lawyer, setting up what a frustrated judge called an "awkward" and "fairly untenable" situation once he got the chance to directly question the government's star witness.
The woman, now 27, initially turned her head and wept when her father stepped up to a podium normally used by lawyers in a Brooklyn courtroom. But she slowly regained her composure, even lashing out at him when he questioned why she didn't come forward as a teenager with the shocking allegations.
"My feeling from your molesting me was utmost fear and blackmail and years of torture because you hit me, because I told my mother," she said. "Didn't I get hit enough?" Weingarten, 59, a member of the Satmar community in Monsey, N.Y., was arrested and jailed without bail last year on charges he traveled outside the country to have sex with a minor. In a rambling opening statement, he said he had been falsely accused by a daughter who rebelled against a strict upbringing, and suggested that a neighbor was the The daughter, one of eight children, told the FBI in 2003 that she was victimized since age 9 while living with her family in Hasidic communities in Belgium, and on trips to England and Israel. Prosecutors allege Weingarten sexually abused her, sometimes on a daily basis, and moved the family around to help conceal his crimes.
The accuser has since changed her name, but came forward and identified herself in open court as the daughter of the rabbi on Monday when she first took the witness stand to detail the accusations. She has appeared in court wearing an orange scarf and pants suit, and with her hair down -- a mainstream look she said her father had scorned.
She told jurors on Tuesday that once she grew up, she left the faith and hoped "to forget everything that happened to me," mindful that her father had warned her she "would never be able to prove it." But she went public with her charges at the urging of her mother, who was embroiled in a custody dispute with her father.
Weingarten, though assisted by two lawyers, struggled with his cross-examination. His questions meandered, and he often interrupted his daughter's answers by scolding her, which visibly angering U.S. District Judge Gleeson.
"I'm not sure where this cross is going, but I do know this: You are not going to lecture this witness," the judge told him.
The father peppered his daughter with questions about her admission that as a teen she briefly fell in love with an older man living next door in Belgium. Though she claimed she never had sex with him, she testified she was thrilled "that I finally got to be with another guy besides my father." Her father reminded her that the neighbor was married with children, asking, "Didn't you feel that was wrong?" "I didn't do much thinking," she responded. "I went with my heart." The woman was to resume testifying on Wednesday
(Associated Press) A woman who says her ultra-orthodox rabbi father molested her for much of her youth confronted him Tuesday under tense circumstances: as he cross-examined her at his own sex-abuse trial.
The defendant, Israel Weingarten, decided to be his own defense lawyer, setting up what a frustrated judge called an "awkward" and "fairly untenable" situation once he got the chance to directly question the government's star witness.
The woman, now 27, initially turned her head and wept when her father stepped up to a podium normally used by lawyers in a Brooklyn courtroom. But she slowly regained her composure, even lashing out at him when he questioned why she didn't come forward as a teenager with the shocking allegations.
"My feeling from your molesting me was utmost fear and blackmail and years of torture because you hit me, because I told my mother," she said. "Didn't I get hit enough?" Weingarten, 59, a member of the Satmar community in Monsey, N.Y., was arrested and jailed without bail last year on charges he traveled outside the country to have sex with a minor. In a rambling opening statement, he said he had been falsely accused by a daughter who rebelled against a strict upbringing, and suggested that a neighbor was the The daughter, one of eight children, told the FBI in 2003 that she was victimized since age 9 while living with her family in Hasidic communities in Belgium, and on trips to England and Israel. Prosecutors allege Weingarten sexually abused her, sometimes on a daily basis, and moved the family around to help conceal his crimes.
The accuser has since changed her name, but came forward and identified herself in open court as the daughter of the rabbi on Monday when she first took the witness stand to detail the accusations. She has appeared in court wearing an orange scarf and pants suit, and with her hair down -- a mainstream look she said her father had scorned.
She told jurors on Tuesday that once she grew up, she left the faith and hoped "to forget everything that happened to me," mindful that her father had warned her she "would never be able to prove it." But she went public with her charges at the urging of her mother, who was embroiled in a custody dispute with her father.
Weingarten, though assisted by two lawyers, struggled with his cross-examination. His questions meandered, and he often interrupted his daughter's answers by scolding her, which visibly angering U.S. District Judge Gleeson.
"I'm not sure where this cross is going, but I do know this: You are not going to lecture this witness," the judge told him.
The father peppered his daughter with questions about her admission that as a teen she briefly fell in love with an older man living next door in Belgium. Though she claimed she never had sex with him, she testified she was thrilled "that I finally got to be with another guy besides my father." Her father reminded her that the neighbor was married with children, asking, "Didn't you feel that was wrong?" "I didn't do much thinking," she responded. "I went with my heart." The woman was to resume testifying on Wednesday
Are you being textually harrassed?
According to an article printed today by Andrew Breiner and Marlene Naanes of AM New York, textual harrassment is on the rise. Most cases in NYC include consistent and overbearing requests for dates, and threats from exes. Apparently, most of the harrassment comes from people that you know.
As we all know, texting is on the rise. Verizon Wireless reported 90 billion messages in the last quarter of 2008.
The U.S. Justice Department recently did a study showing that stalking by text is becoming an issue.
So what can you do if you are being textually harrassed?
1. Simply don't reply.
2. Block the sender.
3. Disable your texting function for a few days.
4. If it's really serious get a new phone and be very careful of who you give your number to.
5. If it's really, really, serious report it to officials.
There is no, cyberstalking law in NYC, however, these types of harrassments could fall under second degree aggravated harassement and fourth-degree stalking.
Hmmmm...Somthing to think about in respects to the future of communication and privacy or lack thereof.
As we all know, texting is on the rise. Verizon Wireless reported 90 billion messages in the last quarter of 2008.
The U.S. Justice Department recently did a study showing that stalking by text is becoming an issue.
So what can you do if you are being textually harrassed?
1. Simply don't reply.
2. Block the sender.
3. Disable your texting function for a few days.
4. If it's really serious get a new phone and be very careful of who you give your number to.
5. If it's really, really, serious report it to officials.
There is no, cyberstalking law in NYC, however, these types of harrassments could fall under second degree aggravated harassement and fourth-degree stalking.
Hmmmm...Somthing to think about in respects to the future of communication and privacy or lack thereof.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs @ The NYC International Children's Film Fest.
I must admit I was a bit excited to see the film to one of my favorite children's book stories, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sciezka. Today was the kick off of the NYC International Children's Film Festival. This film was featured in the Shorts for Tots Series. I took my son and his buddy Judah to see the series of short films geared towards 3-5 year olds. It was a joy to watch the two of them giggling throughout the films. The coolest part is that they got to rate the films with "loved it," "liked it" "so -so" and "hated it." Luckily they liked most of the films, with the True Story being in their top three.
Well, the Facebook junky that I am, I decided to that I was watching the film, in the midst of my viewing it. I got quite a few responses about it, so I decided to post the actual story. I love this story because it's a great way to teach kids perspective. All these years we've been told the story from the perspective of the three little pigs, but, who knew that Mr. Wolf had his own version of the story. Read the story and decide what your perspective is:
OMERSET PA (AP) -- A. Wolf took the stand today in his own defense. This shocked and stunned the media who predicted that he would not testify in the brutal double murder trial. A. Wolf is accused of killing (and eating) The First Little Pig, and The Second Little Pig. This criminal trial is expected to be followed by a civil trial to be brought by the surviving Third Little Pig. The case has been characterized as a media circus.
His testimony is transcribed below:
"Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story. I'm Alexander T. Wolf. You can call me Al. I don't know how this whole Big Bad Wolf thing got started, but it's all wrong. Maybe it's because of our diet. Hey, it's not my fault wolves eat cute little animals like bunnies and sheep and pigs. That's just the way we are. If cheeseburgers were cute, folks would probably think you were Big and Bad too. But like I was saying, the whole big bad wolf thing is all wrong. The real story is about a sneeze and a cup of sugar.
THIS IS THE REAL STORY.
Way back in Once Upon a Time time, I was making a birthday cake for my dear old granny. I had a terrible sneezing cold. I ran out of sugar. So I walked down the street to ask my neighbor for a cup of sugar. Now this neighbor was a pig. And he wasn't too bright either. He had built his whole house out of straw. Can you believe it? I mean who in his right mind would build a house of straw? So of course the minute I knocked on the door, it fell right in. I didn't want to just walk into someone else's house. So I called, "Little Pig, Little Pig, are you in?" No answer. I was just about to go home without the cup of sugar for my dear old granny's birthday cake.
That's when my nose started to itch. I felt a sneeze coming on. Well I huffed. And I snuffed. And I sneezed a great sneeze.
And you know what? The whole darn straw house fell down. And right in the middle of the pile of straw was the First Little Pig - dead as a doornail. He had been home the whole time. It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So I ate it up. Think of it as a cheeseburger just lying there. I was feeling a little better. But I still didn't have my cup of sugar . So I went to the next neighbor's house. This neighbor was the First Little Pig's brother. He was a little smarter, but not much. He has built his house of sticks. I rang the bell on the stick house. Nobody answered. I called, "Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig, are you in?" He yelled back."Go away wolf. You can't come in. I'm shaving the hairs on my shinny chin chin."
I had just grabbed the doorknob when I felt another sneeze coming on. I huffed. And I snuffed. And I tried to cover my mouth, but I sneezed a great sneeze.
And you are not going to believe this, but the guy's house fell down just like his brother's. When the dust cleared, there was the Second Little Pig - dead as a doornail. Wolf's honor. Now you know food will spoil if you just leave it out in the open. So I did the only thing there was to do. I had dinner again. Think of it as a second helping. I was getting awfully full. But my cold was feeling a little better. And I still didn't have that cup of sugarr for my dear old granny's birthday cake. So I went to the next house. This guy was the First and Second Little Pig's brother. He must have been the brains of the family. He had built his house of bricks. I knocked on the brick house. No answer. I called, "Mr Pig, Mr. Pig, are you in?" And do you know what that rude little porker answered? "Get out of here, Wolf. Don't bother me again."
Talk about impolite! He probably had a whole sackful of sugar. And he wouldn't give me even one little cup for my dear sweet old granny's birthday cake. What a pig!
I was just about to go home and maybe make a nice birthday card instead of a cake, when I felt my cold coming on. I huffed And I snuffed. And I sneezed once again.
Then the Third Little Pig yelled, " And your old granny can sit on a pin!" Now I'm usually a pretty calm fellow. But when somebody talks about my granny like that, I go a Little crazy. When the cops drove up, of course I was trying to break down this Pig's door. And the whole time I was huffing and puffing and sneezing and making a real scene.
The rest as they say is history.
The news reporters found out about the two pigs I had for dinner. They figured a sick guy going to borrow a cup of sugar didn't sound very exciting.
So they jazzed up the story with all of that "Huff and puff and blow your house down"
And they made me the Big Bad Wolf. That's it The real story. I was framed. "
Well, the Facebook junky that I am, I decided to that I was watching the film, in the midst of my viewing it. I got quite a few responses about it, so I decided to post the actual story. I love this story because it's a great way to teach kids perspective. All these years we've been told the story from the perspective of the three little pigs, but, who knew that Mr. Wolf had his own version of the story. Read the story and decide what your perspective is:
OMERSET PA (AP) -- A. Wolf took the stand today in his own defense. This shocked and stunned the media who predicted that he would not testify in the brutal double murder trial. A. Wolf is accused of killing (and eating) The First Little Pig, and The Second Little Pig. This criminal trial is expected to be followed by a civil trial to be brought by the surviving Third Little Pig. The case has been characterized as a media circus.
His testimony is transcribed below:
"Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story. I'm Alexander T. Wolf. You can call me Al. I don't know how this whole Big Bad Wolf thing got started, but it's all wrong. Maybe it's because of our diet. Hey, it's not my fault wolves eat cute little animals like bunnies and sheep and pigs. That's just the way we are. If cheeseburgers were cute, folks would probably think you were Big and Bad too. But like I was saying, the whole big bad wolf thing is all wrong. The real story is about a sneeze and a cup of sugar.
THIS IS THE REAL STORY.
Way back in Once Upon a Time time, I was making a birthday cake for my dear old granny. I had a terrible sneezing cold. I ran out of sugar. So I walked down the street to ask my neighbor for a cup of sugar. Now this neighbor was a pig. And he wasn't too bright either. He had built his whole house out of straw. Can you believe it? I mean who in his right mind would build a house of straw? So of course the minute I knocked on the door, it fell right in. I didn't want to just walk into someone else's house. So I called, "Little Pig, Little Pig, are you in?" No answer. I was just about to go home without the cup of sugar for my dear old granny's birthday cake.
That's when my nose started to itch. I felt a sneeze coming on. Well I huffed. And I snuffed. And I sneezed a great sneeze.
And you know what? The whole darn straw house fell down. And right in the middle of the pile of straw was the First Little Pig - dead as a doornail. He had been home the whole time. It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So I ate it up. Think of it as a cheeseburger just lying there. I was feeling a little better. But I still didn't have my cup of sugar . So I went to the next neighbor's house. This neighbor was the First Little Pig's brother. He was a little smarter, but not much. He has built his house of sticks. I rang the bell on the stick house. Nobody answered. I called, "Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig, are you in?" He yelled back."Go away wolf. You can't come in. I'm shaving the hairs on my shinny chin chin."
I had just grabbed the doorknob when I felt another sneeze coming on. I huffed. And I snuffed. And I tried to cover my mouth, but I sneezed a great sneeze.
And you are not going to believe this, but the guy's house fell down just like his brother's. When the dust cleared, there was the Second Little Pig - dead as a doornail. Wolf's honor. Now you know food will spoil if you just leave it out in the open. So I did the only thing there was to do. I had dinner again. Think of it as a second helping. I was getting awfully full. But my cold was feeling a little better. And I still didn't have that cup of sugarr for my dear old granny's birthday cake. So I went to the next house. This guy was the First and Second Little Pig's brother. He must have been the brains of the family. He had built his house of bricks. I knocked on the brick house. No answer. I called, "Mr Pig, Mr. Pig, are you in?" And do you know what that rude little porker answered? "Get out of here, Wolf. Don't bother me again."
Talk about impolite! He probably had a whole sackful of sugar. And he wouldn't give me even one little cup for my dear sweet old granny's birthday cake. What a pig!
I was just about to go home and maybe make a nice birthday card instead of a cake, when I felt my cold coming on. I huffed And I snuffed. And I sneezed once again.
Then the Third Little Pig yelled, " And your old granny can sit on a pin!" Now I'm usually a pretty calm fellow. But when somebody talks about my granny like that, I go a Little crazy. When the cops drove up, of course I was trying to break down this Pig's door. And the whole time I was huffing and puffing and sneezing and making a real scene.
The rest as they say is history.
The news reporters found out about the two pigs I had for dinner. They figured a sick guy going to borrow a cup of sugar didn't sound very exciting.
So they jazzed up the story with all of that "Huff and puff and blow your house down"
And they made me the Big Bad Wolf. That's it The real story. I was framed. "
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