Good news for people over the age of 70

(Post being entered by Jay)

The good news is that if you're over 70 it is healthier for you to be overweight:
LINK: Overweight septuagenarians live longer

Weeeeeeeeeeell, doesn't this just fly in the face of conventional wisdom. Admittedly, the study said you can't go too overboard, and that moving around is still a good idea. But it's one of those things to make ya go hmmm.

Now that I have broached an uncomfortable subject, let's ponder it a little longer. Like lots of other people, I (Jay) am on a personal quest toward fitness. What I keep encountering though is that good science seems to be in short supply. If you watch one of the many TV shows about weight loss, you will be told the ageless mantra that the only way to lose weight is through extreme exercise and caloric restriction. While this works, I also think it is approaching the issue with tunnel vision.

Perhaps because it won't fit into a sound bite for radio or TV, we don't often hear about how the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio of stomach bacteria may just prove to be the biggest cause of weight gain. Or that some colds and respiratory infections contain the adenovirus-36 strain which can trigger weight gain. Or that bisphenol A (BPA) can disrupt endocrine function to the point of forced fat cell accumulation. Even if these things are shown to be of only marginal effect, or exceptions to the rule, I would still like to see the media gurus acknowledging them.

[sarcasm mode]
NAW, let's just revert back to reductionist thinking and do things the way they've always been done. 'Cuz that's always right, right? That is why these guys cut their grass the way it's been done for thousands of years, using scythes:

You wouldn't dare tell those guys there is a more efficient way to cut grass, would you? Let's totally eschew anything revealed by science. Let's make sure to do everything like the olden days. The older the better. That's the way it was, and we liked it. And by the way, why doesn't my new-fangled doctor treat illness the way they did it in the good old days, through bloodletting? That was also used for thousands of years, and we liked it.
[end sarcasm mode]

I realize in my journey I am still gonna have to eat my veggies and hit the bricks. But while the "experts" keep trying to give everyone guilt trips about eating, I have a sneaking suspicion that one day they will receive a major guilt trip of their own. If it doesn't hit them from the grassroots side of things, it will come from empirical studies in laboratories. Prepare to watch them eat a steaming helping of humble pie.

I'm so glad software companies don't want to be annoying or anything

(Post being entered by Jay)

Just a minor rant. Before getting on here today I got a system request to update Adobe Reader. Again. This time it was the 9.3.0 update. Did you get that one recently?

How about the thirty-seven updates before that one? Seriously, a READER program. A glorified image-viewer. Except not even as complex.

We all know what is happening really. It's just another way for the software company to nag you into buying some "more" full version of their software.

This kind of stuff has been tried before. Anyone remember Real Player? If you don't, you're lucky. If you do, you are probably wondering why you don't see it anymore. It's because at the grassroots level, every computer user decided they'd had enough of its constant self-updating. Stock in its parent company, RealNetworks, Inc., has gone from $82.60/share to its present-day $4.52/share.

Are you listening, Adobe Systems????

Take THAT, Geek Squad!

(Post being entered by Jay)

May I share with you how I saved $167 by NOT listening to Geek Squad? (And you can too!)

It all started a couple of months ago with a new notebook computer for Joann's school. I made an error in judgment: I told Joann it might be a nice computer for the kids to use too. On their first night of use, the kids managed to do one of these:

"No problem!" I frantically assured everyone as I grabbed Q-tips and rubbing alcohol. Thankfully, I managed to clean out every key and the keyboard was working fine again. Bliss!

The following week, the kids were on the computer again. Although they were told to be VERY careful this time, they quickly managed to do one of these:



This time our home cleaning remedies were not so lucky. Half of the keyboard was acting as if something were on top of it. Like perhaps a 600-pound anvil.

I took it to Best Buy's Geek Squad, thinking this would be a 24-hour repair. But they told me it will be shipped to Kentucky and then I will get a call. ONE WEEK LATER I finally get a call from a Geek Squad representative in Kentucky. He told me that this repair will cost $191.00. ONE HUNDRED NINETY-ONE DOLLARS!!!!!!!!! I kindly asked him if he could explain what part of that cost was labor vs. for parts. He got very defensive and said "Either you want it done or you don't." I told him to cancel the repair.

Having NO IDEA how I was going to fix things, I stumbled across this very helpful website.

Then I searched online for replacement keyboards. Found one for $24, shipped. It arrived before our computer made it back to our local Best Buy, which must have used a shipping route that passed through the rings of Saturn because it felt like forever.

The keyboard snapped in place like a dream. The repair was easier than changing one's socks. Total cost: $24. Total saved: $167. Fight the power!

Some pictures that make me smile.

Becky's pup
Taking my own picture in the hotel I was at for my first business trip, a conference. I feel so grown up! I should. I am almost.... 40. Gosh, that sounds old.

Bonfire at Becky's

Family

The room is dusty but I love this picture of Emily being her happy self at my dad's house.

say what?

Emily came out and wondered why her feet have calculus. That's callouses Emily.

Tara was mad that more people didn't put on their porch light to give out candy. "Why didn't more people parpissapate?" Um. Uh.

Have you already had Halloween?

We just got home from it. The girls actually made the full trek this time without any complaints of headache, backache, neck ache, arm ache, stomachache, leg pain or foot pain. :)
They actually smiled a lot and seemed to get into it. They even helped dress up the dog for the first time, who went as a banana.

When they returned home, they wanted to stay by the door and pass out candy to any remaining trick-or-treaters and asked us to sit back & watch. Not a problem for Jay & me!

I guess sometimes they do grow up quickly

Today felt like a big race to get clothing and shoes to keep up with Tara. She is growing like a weed, right into that hard-to-fit zone between child and adult. Some days you definitely know when your kid is running the show.

Her royal majesty

You know those motivational sayings like "live each day like it's your last!" ? Ummm, yeah that's not really possible as a parent because some of your days will have to be lived in total sacrifice to the needs of your child.

I think today we finally got caught up with all of the kids' clothing needs. Although it is possible Emily is planning to thwart this calmness. She has stayed the same height and size as she was a year ago - remaining in a holding pattern, if you will. What will likely happen is just when we get all the winter outerwear she needs, her body will rise up in defiance against it all by growing a foot taller. Then the entire merry-go-round repeats itself.

But of course this is all said in a spirit of gratitude. Well, actually it's being said in a spirit of exhaustion. but gratitude should be there once we all have adequate sleep.