So I got a new phone a couple months ago. I'm ashamed to tell you what it is because it's not cool. It is a "smart" phone and to explain my shame - I got it with points from a phone plan so it is not what I might choose with a load of cash in my pocket.
This cool new smart phone came with a slip of paper in the box in 5 languages. The English says, "Using Wi-Fi may be restricted in some countries." I pause here to say, okay, my brain goes immediately to some really totalitarian states that restrict some basic freedoms to keep their agendas in the forefront of the culture. BUT, the rest of the paragraphs says this: "For example, in France, you are only allowed to use Wi-Fi indoors. For more information contact your local authorities."
Wow. Really? France? What's going on over there in the land of the republic? No Wi-Fi outdoors all my frog friends? In Spanish, we'd say, "Que absurdo."
I had fun imagining the Wi-Fi police. How would you actually patrol that? Do you run around with a phone that gets Wi-Fi and see if there's a signal and then look for people using their phones? Why does it matter whether you use Wi-Fi indoors or outdoors? Is it uncouth to be looking at your phone as you stroll? Perhaps it's a public safety issue - all those people getting run over using Wi-Fi on the streets. It's just impossible to imagine an enforcement of this, but the note in the box sort of leaves it up to the phone owner to police themselves by checking with the local authorities.
Maybe I should call up someone (who do you call for this?) and ask about using my Wi-Fi outdoors. Don't you think they would think it was a joke or a prank?
I know our own representatives in the good ole USA make runs on limiting the freedoms of the internet every now and then, for various reasons, while I disagree with their concepts, I recognize their sense of security or something. I can sometimes understand ideas even if I disagree with them. But censorship only out of doors doesn't really have any sense.
My friend from France who lives in a suburb of Paris assures me that people actually do Wi-Fi on the streets. The other absurd thing our friends in France do is try to keep people from using anglicized words. The law is on the books - only French words, no adoptions of illegitimates from other lands. They actually do police this one, according to my friend, on city and government websites and documents. While the Spanish may have a sofá, their neighbors have a canapé. (Canape turns out to be a sandwich in Spain, oddly enough!)
Viva la différence!
21 June 2012
07 June 2012
Lisbon in 48 hours
All of our travel this year has been work related and while that's not a complete bummer, nor is it the pure delight of self indulgent holiday. Our office decided to take American Memorial Day despite our location in Spain, because it's nice to have holidays when everyone is not on the road.
For 6 years now, we've been saying in a vague way, "We should go to Portugal since we're so close." Yes, Madrid is relatively speaking close to Portugal compared to say Kansas City, but it's not a day trip either. Ours was a spontaneous decision on Friday night, so we just googled until we found a hotel. While the place we stayed was nice and a good location, I won't make any official recommendations because we paid a lot spur of the moment. It's good we made reservations or we might not have made it to Lisbon. It was a long, long drive for a weekend and I think we might have turned in at Caceres or somewhere in Spain, but once they zap your credit card online your committed.
The good thing was we were a 10 minute walk from the center district of Lisbon. It was a fun walk through the posh shopping district. Can I just say that I'm really out of the loop on these stores? Who knew Porsche sold clothes and FLY was shoes? It was only window shopping 1. because it took us a long time to drive and everything was closed and also closed on Sunday and 2. I can't or perhaps won't afford those stores.
We also strolled through several grand plazas. One plaza was full -- and I mean full of Communist Party flags. A little stunning for two kids who grew up in the cold war. They'd had a demonstration that week against their collapsing economic state. We have those protests in Spain too, but not in the village where we live.
My overall impression of the center of Lisbon was gloriously colorful and rundown. They were refurbishing the waterfront so that was more polished behind the scaffolding, but the rest was shabby chic in a big way. I've never been to Cuba but it gave me a hint of the pictures I've seen, but with modern cars.
We had a bad experience trying to do one of the tourist buses so we could see some of the other famous site in the city besides just the center. Normally, we park and don't move the vehicle until it's time to drive home as the parking is such a challenge. AND we'd found a free place to park. We waited for the tour bus that comes "every half hour" for over an hour and half. We tried calling but I couldn't get my Spanish phone to make the connection or it was Sunday morning and it was turned off for the day. Either way we were up early(for me anyway) because of the time zone change and we wasted that extra time sitting at a bus stop. The reason we picked the yellow buses was because they also included the trolly. Fortunately we got our money back and just rode the public trolleys.
As in many centers of cities, the roads are tiny and narrow and in the case of Lisbon uphill in every direction. I mean HILL, like the kind that makes your thighs hurt for days. To compensate for this there are loads of electric old trolleys.
Number 28 has a reputation. I don't know if it's the oldest but it was windy and narrow and did not disappoint. Because it was not the expensive tourist one it was jammed, standing room only in the tiny trolley of wood and old fashioned benches. I was so plunged into the middle that there was nothing to grab onto and too many people for me to reach the polls. I figured I'd surf -- that's the word I use when I'm on the metro in Madrid and can't reach a hand hold. Take a ski stance with bent knees and surf it.
Let's just say a trolley is not the metro. I ended up legs in the air flat on my back on top of a little old lady tourist. Then I giggled incessantly and the poor pickpocket felt so badly for me he moved so I could reach the poll and he got off at the next stop. It was definitely the highlight of my trip.
Here's a few photos from the center of old town. That's the only area we ended up exploring. Next time we'll go for longer. Oh, and the food was really tasty. Cod fritters, grilled shrimp and beans and rice. Good stuff. Turns out "Portuguese Stew" is corned beef and cabbage with slightly different spices.
For 6 years now, we've been saying in a vague way, "We should go to Portugal since we're so close." Yes, Madrid is relatively speaking close to Portugal compared to say Kansas City, but it's not a day trip either. Ours was a spontaneous decision on Friday night, so we just googled until we found a hotel. While the place we stayed was nice and a good location, I won't make any official recommendations because we paid a lot spur of the moment. It's good we made reservations or we might not have made it to Lisbon. It was a long, long drive for a weekend and I think we might have turned in at Caceres or somewhere in Spain, but once they zap your credit card online your committed.
The good thing was we were a 10 minute walk from the center district of Lisbon. It was a fun walk through the posh shopping district. Can I just say that I'm really out of the loop on these stores? Who knew Porsche sold clothes and FLY was shoes? It was only window shopping 1. because it took us a long time to drive and everything was closed and also closed on Sunday and 2. I can't or perhaps won't afford those stores.
We also strolled through several grand plazas. One plaza was full -- and I mean full of Communist Party flags. A little stunning for two kids who grew up in the cold war. They'd had a demonstration that week against their collapsing economic state. We have those protests in Spain too, but not in the village where we live.
My overall impression of the center of Lisbon was gloriously colorful and rundown. They were refurbishing the waterfront so that was more polished behind the scaffolding, but the rest was shabby chic in a big way. I've never been to Cuba but it gave me a hint of the pictures I've seen, but with modern cars.
We had a bad experience trying to do one of the tourist buses so we could see some of the other famous site in the city besides just the center. Normally, we park and don't move the vehicle until it's time to drive home as the parking is such a challenge. AND we'd found a free place to park. We waited for the tour bus that comes "every half hour" for over an hour and half. We tried calling but I couldn't get my Spanish phone to make the connection or it was Sunday morning and it was turned off for the day. Either way we were up early(for me anyway) because of the time zone change and we wasted that extra time sitting at a bus stop. The reason we picked the yellow buses was because they also included the trolly. Fortunately we got our money back and just rode the public trolleys.
As in many centers of cities, the roads are tiny and narrow and in the case of Lisbon uphill in every direction. I mean HILL, like the kind that makes your thighs hurt for days. To compensate for this there are loads of electric old trolleys.
Number 28 has a reputation. I don't know if it's the oldest but it was windy and narrow and did not disappoint. Because it was not the expensive tourist one it was jammed, standing room only in the tiny trolley of wood and old fashioned benches. I was so plunged into the middle that there was nothing to grab onto and too many people for me to reach the polls. I figured I'd surf -- that's the word I use when I'm on the metro in Madrid and can't reach a hand hold. Take a ski stance with bent knees and surf it.
Let's just say a trolley is not the metro. I ended up legs in the air flat on my back on top of a little old lady tourist. Then I giggled incessantly and the poor pickpocket felt so badly for me he moved so I could reach the poll and he got off at the next stop. It was definitely the highlight of my trip.
Here's a few photos from the center of old town. That's the only area we ended up exploring. Next time we'll go for longer. Oh, and the food was really tasty. Cod fritters, grilled shrimp and beans and rice. Good stuff. Turns out "Portuguese Stew" is corned beef and cabbage with slightly different spices.
23 May 2012
Help pick a book cover
Below are the three candidates for my book cover for Killed in Kruger. You can vote by commenting here or by going to my facebook page. The one with the most votes will be my cover and a Want to help me pick a book cover?
A few who choose the winner will win a free book. Good luck!
Number 1
Number 2
Number 3
A few who choose the winner will win a free book. Good luck!
Number 1
21 May 2012
Reading adventures
Today I had to take the train and the metro to get to the doctor's office. It was one of those May days that dips back into early chilly spring instead of bordering on summer. I wore a long full skirt thinking it would be warm, then needed a rain jacket. The overall effect I'm afraid might have been slightly bag lady what with my hair flying out of the clip with the help of the wind. Or worse yet, slightly square, spongebob-ish.
But it was an oddly delightful reading expedition. I should preface it by saying I've read a lot of books this year that were underwhelming. In a sort of vague dissatisfaction, I picked up a REAL book that my mom had recommended. It's from 1954 and I'd barely gotten started in it before today. It's written first person and has a growing sense of disquiet and building suspense.
Despite needing to go to the doctor, I was looking forward to the train ride. It's about 35 minutes and felt like it was only a few minutes today. I was so immersed in my book, I just looked up and suddenly we were at the main station.
I tucked my book back in my oversize bag and headed for the Metro. My two tickets were both expired and I had to spring for another pass. In one of those lovely synchronicity moments, I got the ticket, swiped through the gates and made a train as the beeps were sounding to close the doors. Amazingly, there was a seat. Out came my book. I enjoyed the lightness of it. My ipad while I enjoy reading on it, traveling from train to train and trying to continue to read is unwieldy and requires two hands, partly because of a built in keyboard in the cover.
I nearly missed my station where I needed to switch trains I was so into my book. I did that weird thing where I stood up thinking it was too late. I hesitated a moment longer and suddenly flung myself off the train at the ultimate moment. While it made my heart race, there was something satisfying to having made it. Maybe a hint spy like. I simply held my book in my hand and found my next platform.
I got a seat on the next train - just as amazing. This time I was a little paranoid about missing my stop. I'd made up my mind to go to the more distant metro stop and find my way to the doctor's office from a new direction. I get a kick out of figuring out new neighborhoods. I glanced up from reading and noticed a familiar name so I got off the train. It was my normal stop for the doctor's office! I guess I just couldn't keep my concentration with the book and the stops. When I have my ipad on the train, I'm always consumed with getting it back in my bag safely before I transfer stations.
I was early so I ducked into a Starbucks and got a caramel steamer and sat in a sunny spot reading and watching the ritzy families go by with the children all in their private school uniforms and doggies(fox wire hairs, poodles, and tiny french bulldogs) who'd gone to pick up the kids from school too.
Then I went to the doctor's office and had to wait (yeah! more read time!). Apparently it was urology hour for one of the other docs because I was surrounded by dapper old Spanish gentlemen. During this part of my book an apparent stalker starts surfacing -- with a trademark whistling. Someone in the hall outside the doctor's office started whistling. It was a huge thrill to have my book coming to life around me.
I sat my beverage on the doctor's desk as we talked. Yeah, he told me no dairy. I didn't volunteer what was in my cup but he asked eventually. Busted. Blah, blah, blah, And I'm on my way to the train again. A man asks me in Spanish where the Metro is and I'm able to understand AND tell him where. Cool.
I saw a tiny, tiny grandma walking a grandaughter home from school on my way back to the Metro. The little grandaughter - obviously gradeschool, maybe 3rd grade was up past nana's shoulder. I got a seat and read on the way back to the big train station. Saw a nun eating a pastry in the station. The train was super crowded. I was in the awkward position of center entry way with no polls to hold onto. So I surfed and read -- I would never try that with my ipad. After two stops, I got a seat in the doorway. The sunlight slanted across my book and it was good.
But it was an oddly delightful reading expedition. I should preface it by saying I've read a lot of books this year that were underwhelming. In a sort of vague dissatisfaction, I picked up a REAL book that my mom had recommended. It's from 1954 and I'd barely gotten started in it before today. It's written first person and has a growing sense of disquiet and building suspense.
Despite needing to go to the doctor, I was looking forward to the train ride. It's about 35 minutes and felt like it was only a few minutes today. I was so immersed in my book, I just looked up and suddenly we were at the main station.
I tucked my book back in my oversize bag and headed for the Metro. My two tickets were both expired and I had to spring for another pass. In one of those lovely synchronicity moments, I got the ticket, swiped through the gates and made a train as the beeps were sounding to close the doors. Amazingly, there was a seat. Out came my book. I enjoyed the lightness of it. My ipad while I enjoy reading on it, traveling from train to train and trying to continue to read is unwieldy and requires two hands, partly because of a built in keyboard in the cover.
I nearly missed my station where I needed to switch trains I was so into my book. I did that weird thing where I stood up thinking it was too late. I hesitated a moment longer and suddenly flung myself off the train at the ultimate moment. While it made my heart race, there was something satisfying to having made it. Maybe a hint spy like. I simply held my book in my hand and found my next platform.
I got a seat on the next train - just as amazing. This time I was a little paranoid about missing my stop. I'd made up my mind to go to the more distant metro stop and find my way to the doctor's office from a new direction. I get a kick out of figuring out new neighborhoods. I glanced up from reading and noticed a familiar name so I got off the train. It was my normal stop for the doctor's office! I guess I just couldn't keep my concentration with the book and the stops. When I have my ipad on the train, I'm always consumed with getting it back in my bag safely before I transfer stations.
I was early so I ducked into a Starbucks and got a caramel steamer and sat in a sunny spot reading and watching the ritzy families go by with the children all in their private school uniforms and doggies(fox wire hairs, poodles, and tiny french bulldogs) who'd gone to pick up the kids from school too.
Then I went to the doctor's office and had to wait (yeah! more read time!). Apparently it was urology hour for one of the other docs because I was surrounded by dapper old Spanish gentlemen. During this part of my book an apparent stalker starts surfacing -- with a trademark whistling. Someone in the hall outside the doctor's office started whistling. It was a huge thrill to have my book coming to life around me.
I sat my beverage on the doctor's desk as we talked. Yeah, he told me no dairy. I didn't volunteer what was in my cup but he asked eventually. Busted. Blah, blah, blah, And I'm on my way to the train again. A man asks me in Spanish where the Metro is and I'm able to understand AND tell him where. Cool.
I saw a tiny, tiny grandma walking a grandaughter home from school on my way back to the Metro. The little grandaughter - obviously gradeschool, maybe 3rd grade was up past nana's shoulder. I got a seat and read on the way back to the big train station. Saw a nun eating a pastry in the station. The train was super crowded. I was in the awkward position of center entry way with no polls to hold onto. So I surfed and read -- I would never try that with my ipad. After two stops, I got a seat in the doorway. The sunlight slanted across my book and it was good.
03 May 2012
Crank it up
I was driving recently with the wind pouring in the window and a song I remembered from childhood came on the radio so I cranked it up. This is one of my favorite things to do. Drive windows down, destroying any hair alignment I might have made that day, and loud music. Love it!
I noticed that song I was listening to from the 70s, a Bee Gees tune I think, sounded pretty good and had some parts I'd never noticed before. How is that possible? Songs like these have been on the radio in my hearing more times than I can count, so how I can I notice a new part?
When I was a kid my parents listened to the radio, but generally at a staid normal volume. I do remember a few times riding with my dad when he would crank it up on a song or two he really liked and sometimes when he pulled in the drive way after work he'd be jamming to something, but in general it was always civilized volumes. I obviously take after my dad in this department with my tendency to want to crank the tunes.
Also I had a bedside radio but didn't dare crank it up for fear of having the radio taken away as punishment when I was young. As a teenager, I'd push the volume up when no one was home and enjoy myself, but there are a lot of songs I have never heard loud.
As an adult, I've lived all but seven years in multi-family dwellings where being a kind and self conscious family we keep the volume pretty minimal trying not to bother others. This is my husband's doing as I'd probably forget and crank it unknowingly if someone didn't help me pay attention. So really and truly the car is the one place I rock out and then only when I'm on my own normally. Ahh, guilty pleasures. I've discovered the ipod is a great opportunity to crank the volume without bothering others, but I have a fear of singing along and looking ridiculous which open car windows and racing wind help me overcome.
The other interesting thing about volume is what I'm experiencing living in Spain at the moment. We are tightly packed in living conditions where I am and yet there is no self consciousness about volume. I wonder if they've all grown up sandwiched together so if you want to sing loud, or practice an instrument, or have the radio on the patio -- well that's as good a place as any. And if there's a party -- watch out -- they will indeed crank up the volume until the wee hours.
I noticed that song I was listening to from the 70s, a Bee Gees tune I think, sounded pretty good and had some parts I'd never noticed before. How is that possible? Songs like these have been on the radio in my hearing more times than I can count, so how I can I notice a new part?
When I was a kid my parents listened to the radio, but generally at a staid normal volume. I do remember a few times riding with my dad when he would crank it up on a song or two he really liked and sometimes when he pulled in the drive way after work he'd be jamming to something, but in general it was always civilized volumes. I obviously take after my dad in this department with my tendency to want to crank the tunes.
Also I had a bedside radio but didn't dare crank it up for fear of having the radio taken away as punishment when I was young. As a teenager, I'd push the volume up when no one was home and enjoy myself, but there are a lot of songs I have never heard loud.
As an adult, I've lived all but seven years in multi-family dwellings where being a kind and self conscious family we keep the volume pretty minimal trying not to bother others. This is my husband's doing as I'd probably forget and crank it unknowingly if someone didn't help me pay attention. So really and truly the car is the one place I rock out and then only when I'm on my own normally. Ahh, guilty pleasures. I've discovered the ipod is a great opportunity to crank the volume without bothering others, but I have a fear of singing along and looking ridiculous which open car windows and racing wind help me overcome.
The other interesting thing about volume is what I'm experiencing living in Spain at the moment. We are tightly packed in living conditions where I am and yet there is no self consciousness about volume. I wonder if they've all grown up sandwiched together so if you want to sing loud, or practice an instrument, or have the radio on the patio -- well that's as good a place as any. And if there's a party -- watch out -- they will indeed crank up the volume until the wee hours.
21 April 2012
100 Foods To Eat Before You Die
My blog is based on this blog and what I saw on facebook too -- Credit where credit is due:
The Daily Dish: 100 Foods To Eat Before You Die: Happy New Year! For the first post of 2012 I thought I would share this food list challenge (I found via facebook) of the 100 foods to eat ...
My thoughts --
This was very fun to see and take my own personal challenge. I believe I'm at 70 items on the list and not in old age yet. More time. But a couple of the items I probably will never try. Durian I think is that fruit that smells like something rotting - probably I'm not going to feel compelled to try.
Often I'm the taster and my husband is the eat the full plate of something exotic, so that has given me more tastes than maybe I would have had.
I find that I am sorely lacking in the exotic Asian food department and I do like Indian and Asian foods, so I'm not sure how that happened.
Honestly, I'm not sure how some of these things made it on the list. Some I've had and I still don't know why they're on the list. (Frito pie?) I've crossed off everything I've eaten. But a fun diversion when I should be going to bed!
2. Absinthe
3. Alligator
4. Baba Ghanoush
5. Bagel & Lox
6. Baklava
7. BBQ Ribs
8. Bellini
9. Birds Nest Soup (maybe at a Dim Sum party once?)
10. Biscuits & Gravy
12. Black Truffle
14. Calamari
15. Carp (In Missouri, this is what you throw back when your fishing.)
17. Cheese Fondue
18. Chicken & Waffles
19. Chicken Tikka Masala
20. Chile Relleno
22. Churros (Spain)
23. Clam Chowder
24. Cognac
25. Crab Cakes
26. Crickets
27. Currywurst
28. Dandelion Wine
29. Dulce De Leche (Spain)
30. Durian
31. Eel
32. Eggs Benedict
33. Fish Tacos
35. Fresh Spring Rolls (from a Philipina friend)
36. Fried Catfish (caught ourselves)
37. Fried Green Tomatoes
38. Fried Plantain
41. Fugu
42. Funnel Cake
43. Gazpacho (Believe it or not, I have not)
45. Goat's Milk (I've had cheese. Does that count?)
47. Gumbo
49. Head Cheese
50. Heirloom Tomatoes
53. Huevos Rancheros
54. Jerk Chicken
56. Key Lime Pie (homemade by my Dad)
57. Kobe Beef
58. Lassi (homemade by a South American friend)
59. Lobster (on the beach)
60. Mimosa
63. Nettle Tea
66. Paella (Spain)
67. Paneer
68. Pastrami on Rye
69. Pavlova
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheese Steak
72. Pho
73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese(not together)
74. Pistachio Ice Cream
77. Polenta (had it out and made it too)
78. Prickly Pear
80. Raw Oysters
81. Root Beer Float
82. S'mores
83. Sauerkraut
84. Sea Urchin
88. Soft Shell Crab
89. Som Tam
90. Spaetzle
92. Squirrel
93. Steak Tartare (tasted the husband's)
94. Sweet Potato Fries
95. Sweetbreads
96. Tom Yum
97. Umeboshi
100. Zucchini Flowers
24 March 2012
Technology reading revolution, poke, poke
Have you seen the video of the baby playing with a phone or an ipad? I also saw one of a baby looking at a magazine and when she poked the pictures and they didn't do anything she cried. This generation won't have a concept of a mouse and maybe not even a keyboard. Things they are a changing.
After one year with an ipad and ebooks, I find some of my own habits are changing. I go back and forth between and ipad and a macbook. I know the difference. It's clearly not possible to use the computer as a touch screen yet without thinking I pull up a web page and reach up and tap the screen of my computer.
I've also had trouble finding the place I want to put my cursor in a document and reached up and tap to move to the location I want. I know with my conscious brain that it doesn't work, but some part of me is on automatic pilot and does it anyway. Yes, people will laugh at you if they see you do this.
While I'm reading an ebook, I particularly enjoy being able to tap a word and have the definition pop up. You don't need that very often but it's a fun way to find a new word. If I'm reading a paper book, I confess I am not ambitious enough to lay down my book and go find a dictionary to learn the true definition of the new or unfamiliar word. I just infer it from the context and keep moving. Now I have not yet actually tapped a word in a paper book for the definition but I will admit that I have unclasped the book from my hand and hovered over it for a second before I realized what I was doing. Yes, you can laugh.
I had a habit in the past of just keeping the page number I stopeed reading a book on in my head. When I picked up the book, I flipped to that page and kept going. The ebook keeps track for you (unless you switch to your phonee and then back then you'll have to search without the aid of page numbers). For some reason since I've started with ebooks, I find it hard to keep my page number in my head for my paper book reading. Although it is just possible that this has something to do with a busy job, learning a foreign language, and...getting older.
27 February 2012
It's not a tumor
I recently did an online search for mouth cancer on WebMD. A very serious thing to do, right? I've had a really weird symptom that I'm going to spare you from here and not describe, but it had been going on for over a year. I'd mentioned it to my dentist. He didn't have a solution that was last year. It seemed like it was getting worse so I resorted to the (scary music insert here) the internet.
Now, I don't know about you, but I can be a bit of a hypochondriac so I generally avoid medical websites and especially medical television shows. In 10th grade, I thought I needed to go to the emergency room by the time I got done reading the segment for science on how lungs function.
In college we had a campus nurse who jumped to drastic conclusions and it became a joke the whole time we were there. My inquiry over whether I might be having some appendicitis pains brought a suggestion of female organ cancer from the school nurse. A friend of mine with headaches saw the nurse who tried to get er to see the doctor because it might be an aneurism. Really? I was hoping you could give me some Tylenol. This was the 80s and Arnold Schwarzenegger was renown for a silly movie in which he said, "It's not a tumor." (Kindergarten Cop). So we took to saying this line a lot.
So when I went to WebMD, I was really concerned about my weird symptoms or I really wouldn't go there. I got nothing other than a confirmation that I have no symptoms of mouth cancer. I tried quite a few descriptions of my symptoms. Nothing.
In desperation after exhausting a few medical sites, I did a general internet search. It took me to a lay person blog. I will not link to it because frankly the discussion was disgusting. Hilarious but disgusting. In the end, I discovered hundreds of people on this website had the same problem. As a medically uneducated group, they'd come to the conclusion that they were allergic to teeth whitening toothpaste. I figured, what the heck? I'll try it. My symptoms were gone after a toothpaste switch avoiding teeth whitening options. Amazing - thought I'd have to live with this for the rest of my life.
The thing I find humorous is that probably without a serious medical study no one official is going to say, hey, some people have allergies and weird symptoms from whitening products. But a bunch of people can get together on a blog, complain and find a solution.
I have a friend who has kidney stones. She swears each month, ahem, they act up at a certain time. Doctors all say no way. Sure enough she found a blog -- hundreds of women saying the same thing - kidney stone flare up once a month corresponding with being a girl. So a consensus of people can affirm each other when medical science is not ready to talk. Interesting.
Now, I don't know about you, but I can be a bit of a hypochondriac so I generally avoid medical websites and especially medical television shows. In 10th grade, I thought I needed to go to the emergency room by the time I got done reading the segment for science on how lungs function.
In college we had a campus nurse who jumped to drastic conclusions and it became a joke the whole time we were there. My inquiry over whether I might be having some appendicitis pains brought a suggestion of female organ cancer from the school nurse. A friend of mine with headaches saw the nurse who tried to get er to see the doctor because it might be an aneurism. Really? I was hoping you could give me some Tylenol. This was the 80s and Arnold Schwarzenegger was renown for a silly movie in which he said, "It's not a tumor." (Kindergarten Cop). So we took to saying this line a lot.
So when I went to WebMD, I was really concerned about my weird symptoms or I really wouldn't go there. I got nothing other than a confirmation that I have no symptoms of mouth cancer. I tried quite a few descriptions of my symptoms. Nothing.
In desperation after exhausting a few medical sites, I did a general internet search. It took me to a lay person blog. I will not link to it because frankly the discussion was disgusting. Hilarious but disgusting. In the end, I discovered hundreds of people on this website had the same problem. As a medically uneducated group, they'd come to the conclusion that they were allergic to teeth whitening toothpaste. I figured, what the heck? I'll try it. My symptoms were gone after a toothpaste switch avoiding teeth whitening options. Amazing - thought I'd have to live with this for the rest of my life.
The thing I find humorous is that probably without a serious medical study no one official is going to say, hey, some people have allergies and weird symptoms from whitening products. But a bunch of people can get together on a blog, complain and find a solution.
I have a friend who has kidney stones. She swears each month, ahem, they act up at a certain time. Doctors all say no way. Sure enough she found a blog -- hundreds of women saying the same thing - kidney stone flare up once a month corresponding with being a girl. So a consensus of people can affirm each other when medical science is not ready to talk. Interesting.
09 February 2012
Facial recognition. Cool or Creepy?
I went and saw the latest Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol and regardless of whether you liked it or not I saw something interesting in the opening scene. An agent is trying to find someone in a crowd, but he hasn't as in olden days studied the person so much he can pick him out even in a crowd. He has a way to scan the entire crowd with his phone and that identifies the target. Wild and crazy, right? Handy for agents anyway.
Then I saw this completely serious article that is a discussion of the privacy concerns of facial recognition. I realized as I started reading that there are already sites like Flickr and Facebook using facial recognition software.
I started thinking are the days of privacy winding down to an end. Will we give up anonymity for security in finding the latest bad guy?
Even more interesting, will we give up our opportunity of anonymity for convenience? After all, isn't it handy when Facebook finds the person and says start typing the name to tag the person. You don't have to do all the work of a graphic artist just to show your friends the picture you took of them last night.
I don't have any plot items in mind, but it seems that I am not alone in thinking the idea of facial recognition can be abused a staff attorney at the Federal Trade Commission is asking questions too. I wonder if you could include in a Sci-Fi story that detective use facial recognition to catch cheating spouses via the internet or tapping into security camera networks. I could see a plot point where government agents gone bad hunt people on the run.
I haven't read anything using this in the story line but I'm sure I will.
No more blending into the crowd, huh?
Then I saw this completely serious article that is a discussion of the privacy concerns of facial recognition. I realized as I started reading that there are already sites like Flickr and Facebook using facial recognition software.
I started thinking are the days of privacy winding down to an end. Will we give up anonymity for security in finding the latest bad guy?
Even more interesting, will we give up our opportunity of anonymity for convenience? After all, isn't it handy when Facebook finds the person and says start typing the name to tag the person. You don't have to do all the work of a graphic artist just to show your friends the picture you took of them last night.
I don't have any plot items in mind, but it seems that I am not alone in thinking the idea of facial recognition can be abused a staff attorney at the Federal Trade Commission is asking questions too. I wonder if you could include in a Sci-Fi story that detective use facial recognition to catch cheating spouses via the internet or tapping into security camera networks. I could see a plot point where government agents gone bad hunt people on the run.
I haven't read anything using this in the story line but I'm sure I will.
No more blending into the crowd, huh?
20 January 2012
Painting damaged by drunk lady's butt
So I first saw this headline and thought, "Oh, poor dumb drunk lady. She had one too many and was in a crowded gallery. She must have brushed up against some artists' painting with her sequins or something."
Oh, how innocent I am. No, this lady was drunk and angry and these were paintings valued at $30 mil! Now we've all been angry, but this lady must have some kind of chemical reaction with alcohol to reach these heights, or ahem, should I saw lows. I'd wonder if she dated the artist, but he's been dead since 1980.
Also this was not a gallery showing it was a museum. I'm betting they think twice before they serve alcohol to the patrons again.
So the shocking thing is this lady didn't just get inebriated and bump into a painting, she actually dropped trou and put some effort into this even perhaps forgetting anatomy lessons of the past and trying to urinate on it. Really? You're a girl. The painting is not bothering you.
I don't know that I particularly like abstract expressionism either but after all it is just paint on canvas. Losing ones britches and, uh, rubbing oneself on a painting seems like going a little far. It doesn't say, but I have to admit I'm curious what the museum security guards do in a case like this. Making half naked ladies stop rubbing paintings with their derriere=awkward day on the job.
All of this buys her a charge of felony criminal mischief. Mischief indeed. Keep your pants on!
Article
Oh, how innocent I am. No, this lady was drunk and angry and these were paintings valued at $30 mil! Now we've all been angry, but this lady must have some kind of chemical reaction with alcohol to reach these heights, or ahem, should I saw lows. I'd wonder if she dated the artist, but he's been dead since 1980.
Also this was not a gallery showing it was a museum. I'm betting they think twice before they serve alcohol to the patrons again.
So the shocking thing is this lady didn't just get inebriated and bump into a painting, she actually dropped trou and put some effort into this even perhaps forgetting anatomy lessons of the past and trying to urinate on it. Really? You're a girl. The painting is not bothering you.
I don't know that I particularly like abstract expressionism either but after all it is just paint on canvas. Losing ones britches and, uh, rubbing oneself on a painting seems like going a little far. It doesn't say, but I have to admit I'm curious what the museum security guards do in a case like this. Making half naked ladies stop rubbing paintings with their derriere=awkward day on the job.
All of this buys her a charge of felony criminal mischief. Mischief indeed. Keep your pants on!
Article
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