Finally watched Rhianna's video "man down". Not a bad song and understand the point but there is a big difference between self-defense and vengeance.... I don't think she is ready to accept any responsibility as a role model ( who is these days ?) so it is (and should be ) up to the parents to watch what their kids are watching.....
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Top 5 World Cities and the Ways They are Measured
The following information was collected mostly from Wikipedia, Worldatlas.com and Citymayor.com.
Its always good to know your geography and demographics!
Ambiguities in measuring the "size" of a city
The question of determining the world's largest cities does not allow a single, simple
answer. It depends on which definitions of "city"
and "size" are used, and how those definitions are applied. Complex political/cultural/social situations,
sometimes controversial or disputed,
further confuse the discussion. Debate on this field is highly vulnerable to bias or manipulation, as people[who?] tend to prefer whichever definition
most flatters their own city.
The "size" of a city can refer to
either its land
area or, more
typically, its population.
The boundaries of a city can also be defined in
any of several ways:
Morphological
/ Urban ( Space, Density)
"City" defined as a
physically contiguous urban area, without regard to territorial or
other boundaries. The delineation is usually done using some type of urban density, such aspopulation density or density of buildings (for
example, "gaps between structures may not exceed 200 metres"). Satellite and/or aerial maps may be used. For statistical
convenience, such areas are sometimes adjusted to appropriate administrative
boundaries, yielding anagglomeration.
Main
articles: List of
urban areas by population and List of urban agglomerations by population (United
Nations)
Functional
/ Metropolitan (People, Demographics)
"City" as defined by
the habits of its demographic population,
as by metropolitan area, labour market area, or similar. Such definitions are
usually based on commuting between home andwork. Commuter flow thresholds into the core
urban area are established by the national censusauthority, determining which areas are included.
Main
article: List
of metropolitan areas by population
City
Proper (Administrative, City Council)
"City" as strictly
defined by a given government (city proper). Typically based on a municipality or
equivalent entity, or sometimes a group of municipalities under a regional government.
Main
articles: List of
cities proper by population, World's
largest municipalities by population, and List of
cities by surface area
Urban / Morph - Wikipedia
Mumbai
Urban / Morph – U.N.
Mumbai
Urban / Morph - Citymayor.com
Mumbai
Average: Tokyo / New York /
Mumbai / Mexico City / Sao Paulo
Metro / Functional –
Wikipedia
Mumbai
(Jakarta , Sao Paulo
Metro / Functional - Citymayor.com -
Metro – Worldatlas.com
1. Tokyo , Japan
2.Seóul ,
South Korea
3.Mexico
City , Mexico
4.New
York City , USA
5.Mumbai ,
India
(6.Jakarta ,
Indonesia Sáo Paulo ,
Brazil
2.
3.
4.
5.
(6.
Average: Tokyo / Seoul / New York / Mexico City / Mumbai
/ Sao Paulo
City Proper – Wikipedia
Mumbai
(Sao Paulo , Moscow ,
Seoul , Beijing , Tokyo
City Proper - Citymayor.com
Mumbai
City Proper – worldatlas.com
Mumbai (
Average: Shanghai /
Mumbai - Karachi / Delhi
/ Moscow / Buenos Aires
/ Istanbul
Metro – Worldatlas.com
1. Tokyo , Japan
2.Seóul ,
South Korea
3.Mexico
City , Mexico
4.New
York City , USA
5.Mumbai ,
India
6.Jakarta ,
Indonesia
7.Sáo
Paulo , Brazil
8.Delhi ,
India
9. Õsaka/Kobe,Japan
10.Shanghai ,
China
11. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Õsaka/Kobe,
10.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See - Kids & Movies
Some great advice for parents with young children....
Plugged In
Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See
Here's
a paragraph I didn't write, but I certainly could have:
Plugged In
479
Posts
Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See
Here's
a paragraph I didn't write, but I certainly could have:
I see a lot of movies for
my job, and at almost every R-rated offering, I see someone trot in holding the
hand of a toddler, or I hear that child's telltale wail after the violence
begins. Sometimes I can't hear the child once the film starts to roll, but yes,
my judgey mom side is still worrying about them, wondering what they're
thinking when that guy gets brutally stabbed in The
Expendables or almost
every single character gets violently torn apart in Predators.
Those
words come from today.com contributor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper,
as she confessed one area in which she's not shy about being judgmental as a
mom. At the end of the article she added, "Yes, I can only control what my
child sees, not the decisions other parents make. But that doesn't mean I'm not
sitting there in the dark, getting my Sanctimommy on."
And
I have to confess that I sometimes get my, um, Sanctidaddy on for the exact same reason.
One
of the foulest films I've reviewed in the last year was Your
Highness. And I watched it while sitting next to a man who saw fit
to bring his barely adolescent son with him. Before the movie rolled, he asked
me what publication I wrote for (our press seats are reserved, so he knew I was
a movie reviewer), and I told him a bit about Plugged In. I said that one of our goals
is to give parents the information they need to help make good decisions
regarding their families' media choices.
After
the film—which included a litany of content so foul I struggled even to know
how to describe it in my review with words my editor would allow on our site—he
joked something to the effect of, "Well, I guess that's not a good one for
families." Never mind that his 10- or 11-year-old son was right next to
him. I wasn't sure whether this was some kind of nervous admission that he'd
made a mistake or whether he really didn't see the connection between his
statement and his own family.
Either way, his son had been exposed to some pretty awful imagery.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Re-Hab or AA? / Genetics, Environment or Choice?
From what I've been seeing and reading - support groups that offer assistance and accountability work a lot better than just a forced "re-hab" stint .
The study below suggests that both together work the best....
I have not dealt with alcoholism personally, but in my experience with OCD I think I would have to agree with this conclusion....
I readily acknowledge the effects that genetics and environment have on us - but we also have choice. Although some of us may start off with way bigger challenges than others, none of us are destined to fail.
Personal choice and and good old fashioned help ( whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual) are inextricably linked together and dependent on each other for success.
At the end of the day we have to want and choose to be healed.... but sheer will power alone rarely works. We need help and support to do it.
And for me that begins with God.
The study below suggests that both together work the best....
I have not dealt with alcoholism personally, but in my experience with OCD I think I would have to agree with this conclusion....
I readily acknowledge the effects that genetics and environment have on us - but we also have choice. Although some of us may start off with way bigger challenges than others, none of us are destined to fail.
We may have pre-dispositions,
but we are not bound by pre-determinations.
Personal choice and and good old fashioned help ( whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual) are inextricably linked together and dependent on each other for success.
At the end of the day we have to want and choose to be healed.... but sheer will power alone rarely works. We need help and support to do it.
And for me that begins with God.
Study Finds Treatment, AA Participation Works Best
Neither Is Substitute for the Other, Authors Say
From ACER News Release,
Updated October 27, 2005
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
A research study indicates that people trying to quit drinking who become involved in both Alcoholics Anonymous and professional treatment program fare much better than those who only go to treatment or only go to AA.
A study in the October 2005 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research tracks individuals for 16 years who have first acknowledged their alcohol-use problems and then chosen Alcoholics Anonymous, treatment, or both. Findings indicate that people who become involved in both AA and treatment fare better than those who obtain only treatment.
"We know that self-help groups, such as AA, contribute to better alcohol-related and psychosocial outcomes," said Rudolf H. Moos, senior research career scientist for the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto, California, and corresponding author for the study. "For example, patients with alcohol use-disorders who participate in AA, and those who attend more meetings and/or participate for a longer time, are more likely to be abstinent and to maintain remission up to five years after an episode of professional treatment than patients who are not involved or less involved in such groups.
"Affiliation with AA also is associated with more self-efficacy and problem-solving coping skills, and better social functioning, which are linked to better alcohol-related outcomes."
"In the current study, we wanted to find out whether individuals who participated only in AA in the first year after initiating help-seeking (and did not obtain professional treatment) achieved outcomes comparable to those of individuals who participated in AA and also obtained professional treatment. We also wanted to find out whether individuals who participated in AA in the first year achieved better long-term outcomes."
Researchers surveyed 362 individuals (193 females, 169 males) who had initial contact with an alcoholism treatment system for their alcohol-use disorder. Study participants were asked about their subsequent participation in AA and/or treatment, as well as their alcohol-related functioning, at baseline (initial contact) and then again at one, three, eight and 16 years later.
Participation Is the Key
"One, individuals who enter AA relatively quickly after initiating help-seeking, either alone or in conjunction with treatment, are more likely to participate in AA in the subsequent 15 years and participate in AA more frequently and for a longer duration," said Moos. "Two, a longer duration of participation in AA is associated with a higher likelihood of continuing remission up to 15 years later.
"Three, individuals who obtain professional treatment and participate in AA in the first year after initiating help-seeking are more likely to achieve remission for up to 15 years later than are individuals who obtain professional treatment alone. Finally, individuals who have achieved remission but who discontinue participation in AA are at increased risk for relapse; individuals who have not stopped drinking and who discontinue participation in AA are more likely to continue drinking."
Better Long-Term Outcomes
"These findings are consistent with previous studies of AA," said William R. Miller, Distinguished Professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. "As we already knew, drop-out from AA is high. Nevertheless, involvement in AA during, and in the few years after, treatment is associated with better long-term outcomes.
"An additional 10 to 20 percent were in remission, which is a large and clinically meaningful difference. Of those who do not attend AA during treatment, many don't [ever] go, and if they do, [their] delayed entry to AA is associated with less benefit. In sum, there are good reasons to encourage people to get involved with AA while they are still in treatment."
Self-Action Improves Recovery
"These findings emphasize that initial and subsequent episodes of participation in AA can have long-term effects on the likelihood of remission of alcohol-related problems," said Moos. "They also emphasize that counselors in information and referral centers and clinicians in substance use treatment settings should make every reasonable effort to enable individuals with alcohol-related problems to enter and continue to participate in self-help groups such as AA."
"Are these better outcomes due specifically to AA?" asked Miller. "We can't be sure. In general, the more actions people take toward their own recovery the better they do, whether it is attending treatment, going to AA, or faithfully taking medication. It is an impressively consistent finding, however, that people who go to AA during treatment have better outcomes.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Frances Bean Cobain
I often wondered how Frances turned out. She's been through more than I can imagine...but seems to have a good head on her shoulders....
"These people are fascinated by me, but I haven't done anything," she told the magazine. "I'm famous by default. I came out of the womb, and people wanted to know who I was because of my parents. If you're a big Nirvana fan, a big Hole fan, then I understand why you would want to get to know me, but I'm not my parents. People need to wait until I've done something valid with my life."
See also: Nirvana, Gen X and Hope
Frances Bean Cobain Has Steered Clear Of Her Parents' Spotlight
Daughter of Courtney Love and late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain has tried to avoid the fame she was born into.
By James Montgomery (@positivnegativ) 
Frances Bean Cobain, born August 18, 1992, was the first — and, as it would turn out, only — child of Courtney Love and Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. From the minute she came into the world, she was famous.
Photographers clamored to snap her picture. Journalists lined up to crown her as the heir to the throne, the princess of rock and roll. Even her godparents — R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and actress Drew Barrymore — were famous. And, yet, very little is actually known about Frances Bean. She's given only a handful of interviews. She interned at Rolling Stone magazine. And, by all accounts, she's tried very hard to live a normal life. At least as normal a life as the daughter of rock royalty can have.
In her first-ever interview — a 2005 conversation with Teen Vogue — Frances told the magazine she didn't want to be known as the daughter of Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, but "thought of as Frances Cobain." She described her personal style ("I don't like to look sloppy. I'm a girly-girl") and said she was making attempts to distance herself from her mother's rocker attitude.
"I prefer when she's [a] more classy starlet," Cobain said. "I don't really like her hard-metal stuff or when she doesn't brush her hair."
But she was also quick to come to her mother's defense. In a January 2006 interview with i-D magazine, she railed against the tabloid portrayals of Love, saying, "When you see a lot of lies about her in the tabloids ... it can be hurtful." In August of that year, she was photographed for Elle wearing one of her father's famous cardigans, tattered blue Converse All-Stars and the pajama pants he was married in.
To date, Frances' most revealing interview was a March 2008 feature inHarper's Bazaar, in which she said that she didn't understand the media's fascination with her.
"These people are fascinated by me, but I haven't done anything," she told the magazine. "I'm famous by default. I came out of the womb, and people wanted to know who I was because of my parents. If you're a big Nirvana fan, a big Hole fan, then I understand why you would want to get to know me, but I'm not my parents. People need to wait until I've done something valid with my life."
In the same interview, she declared her love for musical theater and "Sex and the City," called herself "a shoe junkie" and talked about the possibilities of an internship with Rolling Stone in the summer. She also credited her grandmother, Wendy O'Connor, with helping her remain rooted.
"We've moved so much, and my life has been so inconsistent," Frances said."[She's] the most constant thing I've ever had. I'm really lucky, because I've been able to go places and meet people you can only dream of, but she's probably the person I respect most out of anybody in the world."
O'Connor would also play a central role in the drama that surrounds Frances' life. In 2003, following Love's overdose — and subsequent arrest — O'Connor was awarded custody of her granddaughter, and both sides would engage in a lengthy court battle over who would retain guardianship. At the time, Frances lived in her mother's house — though Love was ordered to move out — under the supervision of a nanny and Love's stepfather, Frank Rodriguez, and aunt. During the trial, Love and O'Connor would come to blows outside a Los Angeles courthouse, but ultimately, in 2005, the court ruled in favor of Love.
On Friday, a filing gave temporary guardianship back to O'Connor, and on Tuesday (December 15), news broke that the decision was made becauseFrances prefers to live with her grandmother and that Love's past history of substance abuse had nothing to do with the court's filing.
-----------------------------------------------
I think of this passage off Scripture when I think of some the troubles Kurt dealt with, Courtney has and some of the things Frances must have dealt with... I guess we all have our troubles don't we?
Psalm 139
For
the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You
know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
|
|
You
comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.....
For
You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.....
Freed from Cutting |
On another note, If you're interested - A short article I wrote called The Gift Card
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