I wrote this ages ago, we made it last week. The next time I write something with fake blood, it will be Greg who has to have it one him. Tom Tom was a huge help once again, he doesn’t ever want to be on screen though, probably he doesn’t want his reputation soiled. I keep refusing to write in any rough bondage scenes, so that to may be a reason for his absence from in front of camera.

Conservatives with Weakened Immune Systems Already Experiencing Allergic Reaction to Rare 11th Plague; Vaccine-Resistant Viral Clip May Also Convince Stubborn Eskimo to Rethink Unnecessary Air Travel, Free Israelites

You guys know I find politics gross, but I really wanna talk about this clip, and there’s no way to do it without trudging through hot-button sludge. So here goes. A nickel-bag environmentalist group in England somehow rustled up the funds to produce the following clip, which is blue-filtered and moody and Bolero-like and melodramatic and artsy and all of the things that a good theater commercial should be. That’s right, I like commercials—that doesn’t make me a capitalist any more than a conscious effort to reduce my carbon footprint makes me a communist.

Fueled by blind, impotent rage, scores of resentful, self-imagined guardians of truth instantly responded to this new threat with a barrage of climate statistics and strange references to Al Gore.  This counteroffensive, however, will probably prove ineffective against the bears, which are computer-generated and not really falling from the sky. YouTube is not the front, and the comments sections are not the trenches. Get over yourselves. You’re taking all of the good out of it, and ruining it for the rest of us.

There will be blood.

The channel that I embedded from is called “adsoftheworldcom“, and the theme of the channel is not global warming or climate change or making fun of birthers, but rather—you guessed it—ads of the world. It’s seemingly a repository for cool ads. That’s why I thought the comments for this clip might break YouTube precedent and actually be about style and technique and approach. It was naive of me, I now realize, to expect that the invisible chains of relevance would hold. Again, I thought we could all just enjoy the fact that it really looks like there are polar bears falling out of the sky. Yeah, it’s specious and over-the-top sentimental. Yeah, the target demographic is too niche. But the jet engine SFX are synchronized well, and incongruous imagery is always a treat. Usually the comments are an amusing supplement to any popular YouTube video, but today they just made me feel like I was living in a social Dark Age.

This is something that happens.

This is not something that happens. It looks really crazy, though, right?

]]> http://earthtojeremiah.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/what-a-hassle/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:08:08 +0000 Jeremy http://earthtojeremiah.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/what-a-hassle/ http://hoiseth.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/the-memory-of-a-bloody-mess/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:42:25 +0000 hoiseth http://hoiseth.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/the-memory-of-a-bloody-mess/ http://ehaugenboe.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/more-from-the-vault/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:49:15 +0000 Edward Boe http://ehaugenboe.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/more-from-the-vault/

Every so often I’ve updated the list of films that I have already seen with brief reviews.  Call it the complete-ist in me, but when I’m done with reviewing each of the films in the book, I’d like to have reviewed every single film in the book.

Anyhow, here’s another batch for you to read.

Enjoy!

Shichinin No Samurai AKA Seven Samurai (1954)

The Seven Samurai is the first movie that I had the pleasure of seeing from the master director Akira Kurosawa, and it is also one of his most praised works. Without a wasted frame, the story takes place over the course of almost 3 hours. Kurosawa, as he does in each of his movies, explores more than just the action and injustice featured in the plot. He is a humanist first and foremost, training his lens on the interpersonal relationships of the characters, tracking growth across this epic. As good as this film is, I would have to say that Kurosawa has numerous films that are even better, check out Stray Dog, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and my personal favorite High and Low.

The Ladykillers (1955)

Existing as a special combination of dark humor, and slapstick farce, The Ladykillers is exceptionally funny and unsettling. Alec Guinness stars as the leader of a group of criminals staying at the home of a hardy, vivacious older lady under the guise of being musicians. The plan is simple, rob a bank, and utilizing the trusting nature of the kindly old lady, and the remoteness of her home to their advantage, get away with it. Easily my favorite of Alec Guinness’ films (thanks in part to the Star Wars prequels that is), The Ladykillers features a solid cast of great actors, including a very young Peter Sellers.

Bob Le Flambeur AKA Bob the Gambler (1955)

My introduction to the fantastic Jean-Pierre Melville, I was captivated immediately by the cool as ice gangster come gambler Bob. This film is filled with signature Melville-isms. Glorious post war street scenes in Paris. Trench-coats. Honor among thieves. And who could forget the caper. To talk too much about this film is to give too much away, and to do that is to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it. Other classics by Melville: Le Cercle Rouge, Le Samourai, and the recently released in the U.S. Army of Shadows. All are fantastic, and deserve to be in this book! Incidentally, Bob le Flambeur was recently re-made into The Good Thief starring Nick Nolte and directed by Neil Jordan, and while I’m not generally a fan of re-makes, I really, really liked this film. Not quite as good as the original, but it was one of my favorite films of 2002.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

The ultimate in hardboiled private eye crime stories, Kiss Me Deadly is a full on assault on decency. Kiss Me Deadly proudly presents itself as a grimy PI story, littered with bodies and intrigue. If you even have a passing interest in film noir, this should be your first stop. Violent, misogynist, brutish, and glorious, Kiss Me Deadly begs to be watched and dares you to look away. I myself, loved it!

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Apparently based on a book, The Ten Commandments is an epic in every sense of the word. Colored in bright explosive candy hues, and featuring huge sets, as well as a cast that number in the thousands, The Ten Commandments is more spectacle than great movie. Certainly not a waste of time, but not my first choice when choosing something light to throw in.

Det Sjunde Inseglet AKA The Seventh Seal (1957)

A classic, and well-loved film by Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman, The Seventh Seal stars an extremely young Max von Sydow as a knight who faces Death at a game of chess to decide his fate. This film is filled with themes that find their way into each of Bergman’s works, ranging from courage in the face of death, religion, and humanity. The Seventh Seal still holds up to this day, with luminous black and white photography that, thanks to Criterion’s Blu-ray edition, has never looked better.

Note: Don’t be fooled by the similarly themed, but much worse, “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey”

Kumonosu Jo AKA Throne of Blood (1957)

Kurosawa’s retelling of Macbeth set in feudal Japan. Shakespeare has never looked better as it does in the stark black and white, twisting shadows and swirling mists as seen through Kurosawa’s camera. Toshiro Mifune doesn’t disappoint in the lead role, but the real stand out is Isuzu Yamada in the as Mifune’s opportunistic, poisonous wife. The plotting and scheming starts right from the get go, all the way up till the frenzied end of the film.

Touch of Evil (1958)

One of the many trouble spots on Orson Welles’ resume due to studio interference, and financing issues, still Touch of Evil remains as possibly the best B-Movie ever made. Iconic (and sometimes hilarious) performances by Janet Leigh, Charlton Heston (as a Mexican) and Welles himself as the crooked cop willing to do almost anything to ensure justice prevails (just so long as it’s his justice). The movie is almost as famous for its long tracking shot opening as it is for any of the performances, featuring a nearly 4 minute shot done in one take which travels around cars, actors, and buildings. The film The Player, payed homage to it by mentioning it a few times during a similarly complex shot in that film.

Vertigo (1958)

Flopping on its initial release, Vertigo didn’t gain the acclaim it deserved until much later after it was released on video. Vertigo visits themes present in each of Hitchcock’s other works, including the obsession with blondes, innocence tainted with corruption, and the schlub who get in over his head. Jimmy Stewart plays the schlub, Kim Novak plays the blonde, and gloriously technicolored San Francisco plays the innocence and the corruption. Vertigo has a twisty convoluted story with elements of surrealism, an interesting watch.

Mon Oncle AKA My Uncle (1958)

My favorite of Jacques Tati’s Monsieur Hulot films, Mon Oncle was also the first of them that I had seen. Tati, playing Hulot, is a master of visual comedy, and not in the same way as the Three Stooges, or even Buster Keaton. Tati is an artist whose work is appreciated the longer you watch. The plot of the movie is not so much important to the film as it is simply a guide to get our characters into interesting situations so we can watch them get out. If you liked this film, check out other films featuring the bumbling Mr. Hulot, including Trafic, Playtime, and Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot.

Les Quatre Cents Coups AKA The 400 Blows (1959)

My personal favorite of the French new wave movement was this small-scale film, personal piece from Francois Truffaut. Featuring the director’s alter ego, Antoine Doinel, The 400 Blows is the first in a series of movies, each about a different stage of life and the challenges that go along with them. The period from childhood to young adult is covered heart-breakingly here, following Antoine through the rough waters of his home life and his interaction with the outside world. Later chapters deal with finding love, getting married, having children, and growing old, but Les Quatres Cent Coups remains the directors most personal and his best.

North by Northwest (1959)

One of Hitchcock’s best, North by Northwest features Cary Grant, suave as ever, being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies. Just like in Hitchcock’s most famous works (of which this is one), the witty one-liners, suspense, and drama are heaped on generously. I can’t help but feel sad that a similarly themed, but better film featuring Cary Grant was left off this 1001 list. Charade, also featuring Audrey Hepburn, James Coburn, and Walter Matthau, is one of my favorite movies ever! Check out both Charade AND North by Northwest as a double feature! You won’t be sorry.

Some Like it Hot (1959)

Now this is an example of a classic, well-loved film, with actors that I really love (Jack Lemmon I’m looking at you), a premise that is more than suitable, yet the finished product never really caught me. It’s sort of like Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. I never really saw what all the hype was about. That being said, I didn’t hate it either. It never made fun of me when I had braces, or turned me down for a date, my affections and this film have just always been mutually exclusive. Perhaps it deserves another watch…then again maybe I should just watch The Last Boyscout again.

A Bout De Souffle AKA Breathless (1959)

Jean-Luc Godard is nothing if not a sacred cow of French cinema, and while I have loved some of his other films (Le Mepris, Bande A Part, and Masculin Femenine), Breathless or A Bout De Souffle never really did it for me. I can still rationalize why it was so revolutionary (use of jump cuts, editing, non-actors, and subscription to the aesthetic of the French new wave style), and see it’s importance, but I prefer other examples of New Wave cinema. If you are interested in seeing a Godard film, try Masculin Feminine, it is just as revolutionary and a bit more accessible.

Psycho (1960)

A prime example of Hitchcock in his prime. Psycho was so good, and so affecting that some of its actors were type cast just on the strength of this one film (Anthony Perkins, and Janet Leigh), so much so that without a little research it’s hard to think of what other films either of them has been in. Psycho may not be as visually shocking and gory as horror films of today, but it still manages to hold up over time and be just as unsettling as it was back in its day. Hitchcock has always excelled at making the comfortable un-comfortable (motels, birds, tea, dreams, the list goes on…), and the subtle touches in this film work perfectly. Consider for a moment that Perkin’s Bates is an amateur taxidermist of birds, and then that Janet Leigh’s name is Marion Crane a type of bird, or the fact before the crime Marion is wearing a white bra and a white purse, while after it she is wearing a black bra and purse. His attention to detail, and knack for foreshadowing is demonstrated in full force in Psycho and remains one of his best films. Despite all the uproar over the Gus Van Sant remake, I thought it actually did some justice to the original film and if nothing else brought it a little more deserved attention.

Note: This film also has the distinction of being the first American film to ever show a toilet flushing on-screen.

Peeping Tom (1960)

Released the same year as Psycho, and dealing with similar subject matter, Peeping Tom wasn’t received with the same acclaim and attention that the former was. On the contrary, Peeping Tom was seen as subversive, perverted, and generally too shocking. The story revolves more around the killer than the victim in this one, whereas Psycho is presented more from the victim’s point of view. Either way, Peeping Tom is a fine film, one worth watching, however it is so similar to Psycho that I’m not sure it needs to be on the list of 1001 films.

The Apartment (1960)

As far as light-hearted, touching movies about someone recovering from a bout of depression, this one is my favorite. Billy Wilder directs Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon in a sweet touching comedy without losing any of his trademark cynicism or the pointedness of his dialogue. The Apartment is another chance for me to champion the somewhat maligned talents of Mr. Fred MacMurray as Lemmon’s boss. MacMurray plays a fantastic creep who really defines the term “heel”.

Spartacus (1960)

Containing almost none of the trademark elements that make up a Stanley Kubrick movie as we know it (Kubrick apparently dis-owned the film before it’s release), Spartacus remains an interesting movie that isn’t great. It is, however, another example of a film that enabled an up and coming filmmaker to gain his voice, and define himself later on in his career. If only for that reason, Spartacus is a great film, but luckily for the studio, it has some other things going for it. Kirk Douglas plays the title role of Spartacus, and despite all the lavish set production, and concentration on spectacle, brings some heart to the slave who defied Rome.

Jules Et Jim AKA Jules and Jim (1962)

One of director, Francois Truffaut’s most well thought of films, Jules and Jim may be the Lost In Translation, or Juno of its time. Viewed from a certain angle, the plot is a completely moving and emotional story that you believe, so much so, that you can see yourself and those around you in the roles that these characters embody. Viewed from another perspective, it can seem a little precious or purposefully manipulative. Depending on what is happening in your life (I’m mostly thinking about whether or not you are in a relationship, and if you are happy), this movie can preach the glory of love and the pain of rejection. On the flipside, if you have shaken free the angsty, teenager-esque feelings everyone has had in their youth, you may feel like you’re being talked down to.

Cleo De 5 A 7 AKA Cleo from 5 to 7

Taking place, as the title suggests, from 5 to 7, we get a slice of the life of Cleo played out before us. Sometimes we, along with Cleo herself, are a voyeurs into the lives of people around her, and other times we are focused on her as she roams around Paris. By and large Cleo lives a carefree, spoiled life, yet we still sympathize with her when times are hard, and cheer for her when they are good. This is a small film in a lot of ways, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t impacting and beautiful.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

I have to admit.  I didn’t like Lawrence of Arabia that much.  Perhaps I was too young to appreciate the aesthetic beauty of Lean’s desert panorama camerawork, or just maybe it was the epic length that decided it for me.  One way or another, I didn’t appreciate it as much as everyone else seems to think I should. 

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Overly reliant on gimmicks and quick editing techniques, The Manchurian Candidate doesn’t flesh out the story nearly…wait, no that was the terrible re-make that came out in 2004.  The original 1962 version, is just as taught, and well executed today as it was at its release.  While the story between the two versions remained virtually the same, the consistent building of tension and anxiety, combined with the pitch perfect acting of Lawrence Harvey, Frank Sinatra (yes…Frank Sinatra), and the devilish turn of Angela Lansbury as the Queen of Hearts, makes for a fantastic film.

Lolita (1962)

It took me forever to finally see Lolita.  I have known the basic story (older man, younger girl) but had just never gotten around to seeing it.  And while I’ve been told that the book is much better, I thought the film was pretty good.  Not great, mind you, but definitely solid.  The shocking and controversial nature of the relationship was toned down a bit for the screen, and maybe as a result doesn’t seem all that shocking in today’s day and age.  Memorable turns by Peter Sellers, and Shelley Winters, not to mention it’s an early film of Stanley Kubrick.

The Birds (1963)

Despite being one of Hitchcock’s most popular, I actually think that The Birds is one of his most over-rated.  I think I owe it to myself to give this one another look someday, but right now I feel that it was too heavily based on the gimmick that had to rely on special effects.  Though it is not necessarily the fault of the movie, but the special effects seemed particularly dated and old fashioned.  Worth a watch, but not my favorite by a long shot.

8 1/2 (1963)

Federico Fellini is, by most accounts, a master of cinema.  One, that I have always had a little trouble getting fired up over.  It’s not that I don’t like his films once I’ve seen them, the problem comes in when it comes to motivating myself to see them.  I couldn’t tell you why, but his films consistently get pushed off when they come up on my Netflix Queue or when I see the one or two I have on my shelf.  I shouldn’t feel this way, considering I really loved the moving poetry, and soul baring passion in 8 1/2, yet it still happens.  One very definite reason to watch this film is the man-crushable Marcello Mastroianni, swaggering through as the alter-ego of Fellini himself.  Dealing with all the reservations with women, making movies, childhood, and the future that the director very famously dealt with himself, Mastroianni embodies a certain cool, yet believable character that begs to be watched.  Combined with imagery that leaves the audience wanting more, 8 1/2 is a fantastic film.

Well, that’s it for this time.  Thanks for reading!

Daddy used to touch me
It started when I was two
Every time I said something
You said you already knew
I guess it was alright
It went on for several years
No one else seemed to notice
And you never shed a tear
I guess you didn’t care
‘Cause you were never there
While he was doing shit to me
You were watching tv
At least you never raped me
That was Daddy’s thing
But sometimes when you hit me
It made my ears ring
Instead of showing me your love
You made me wipe up all my blood
In a way you were as bad as my father
You messed me up and got my head out of order
But I guess it’s okay now
I don’t give a shit
You both are sealed
In a six-foot ditch

You’re going to have to excuse the rather frightful poster if there ever was one. It is however entirely relevant to its morbidity, Pandorum definitely lives up to the hype of its horror, especially with a tagline such as ‘Don’t fear the end of the world. Fear what happens next.’ The German/American sci-fi horror was one of the better films I’ve had the pleasure of seeing within the last couple of months, and definitely worth a look at. But why?

Pandorum is one of those fist-clenching, mind-warping, jump inducing films where you are literally on the edge of your seat for a good minute at a time. Directed by newcomer Christian Alvart, whose only earlier works include ‘Curiosity & The Cat‘ and ‘Antibodies‘, but who will also be directing the upcoming ‘Case 39‘ featuring Renée Zellweger. Filming staff also includes Paul W. S. Anderson, director and writer of ‘Alien VS Predator‘, and Jeremy Bolt, both the producers of the ‘Resident Evil‘ trilogy. Stick AVP and Resident Evil in a blender and what do you get? Pandorum. Throw in a little sprinkle of ‘Sunshine‘, and you have the complete movie smoothie. However, was it a good idea to put all of their eggs in one basket? I’m afraid it wasn’t entirely. Many gamers are calling it a Dead Space wannabe.

The plot of Pandorum, a rather nice one at that for sci-fi fans, is set around the human race overpopulating the Earth. As a result, the first sleeper ship to head for Earth’s replacement, Tanis, holds 60,000 humans, except as the film opens up… You can’t see any of them. It is notably a unique blend of psychological thrills combined with action packed sequences filmed in classic, sci-fi grated-floor corridors. At times, Pandorum forces you question your OWN sanity, and explores some of the deep-rooted fears within its viewers. Specifically some of the more frightening fears which often take host, such as; a fear of the dark, loneliness, claustrophobia, lack of memory and it definitely plays upon those fears throughout the film. However whilst it was excellent in provoking thought, it was not exceptionally well constructed, despite the fact there was a plot (unlike most films these days!). This, alongside its lack of publicity, marketing and such may have been why it didn’t even make half of it’s $40 million budget.

A good film if you’re a sci-fi-aholic, or even if you enjoy video games, harnessing a strange familiarity to a first person shooter. However if you’re not that into chasing and racing in space, this isn’t the film for you. A possible DVD buy.

You’re going to have to excuse the rather frightful poster, if there ever was one. It is however entirely necessary in its morbidity, Pandorum definitely lives up to the hype of its horror, especially with a tagline such as ‘Don’t fear the end of the world. Fear what happens next.’ The German/American sci-fi horror was one of the better films I’ve had the pleasure of seeing within the last couple of months, and definitely worth a look at. But why?

Pandorum is one of those fist-clenching, mind-warping, jump inducing films where you are literally on the edge of your seat for a good minute at a time. Directed by newcomer Christian Alvart, whose only earlier works include ‘Curiosity & The Cat‘ and ‘Antibodies‘, but who will also be directing the upcoming ‘Case 39‘ featuring Renée Zellweger. Filming staff also includes Paul W. S. Anderson, director and writer of ‘Alien VS Predator‘, and Jeremy Bolt, both the producers of the ‘Resident Evil‘ trilogy. Stick AVP and Resident Evil in a blender and what do you get? Pandorum, throw in a little sprinkle of ‘Sunshine‘, and you have the complete movie smoothie. However, was it a good idea to put all of their eggs in one basket? I’m afraid it wasn’t entirely. Many gamers are calling it a Dead Space wannabe.

The plot of Pandorum, a rather nice one at that for sci-fi fans, is set around the human race overpopulating the Earth. As a result, the first sleeper ship to head for Earth’s replacement, Tanis, holds 60,000 humans, except as the film opens up… You can’t see any of them. It is notably a unique blend of psychological thrills, which at times forces you question your OWN sanity, combined with action packed sequences filmed in classic sci-fi hallways. Pandorum explores some of the deep-rooted fears within its viewers. Specifically some of the more frightening fears which often take host, such as; a fear of the dark, loneliness, claustrophobia, lack of memory and it certainly plays upon those fears throughout the film. However whilst it was excellent in provoking thought, it was not exceptionally well constructed, despite the fact there was a plot. This, alongside its lack of publicity, marketing and such may have been why it didn’t even make half of it’s $40 million budget.

A good film if you’re a sci-fi-aholic, or even if you enjoy video games, harnessing a strange familiarity to a first person shooter. However if you’re not that into chasing and racing in space, this isn’t the film for you. A possible DVD buy.

]]> http://musingsofahighschoolvampire.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/musings-of-a-high-school-vampire-tuesdays-child/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:10:53 +0000 jonathon8 http://musingsofahighschoolvampire.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/musings-of-a-high-school-vampire-tuesdays-child/ http://trashcinemacollective.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/primal-roots-rotten-reviews-presents-blood-freak/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:07:40 +0000 primalroot http://trashcinemacollective.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/primal-roots-rotten-reviews-presents-blood-freak/

Hey Gang,

For Turkey Day 2009 I figured what better way to celebrate here at The Trash Cinema Collective than with the 1972 Anti-Drug, Pro-Christian, Mutant Killer Turkey film…Blood Freak!

That’s right, hold onto Plymouth Rock and prepare yourself for horrendous audio, unintelligible mumbling, bio-hazardous turkey meat, real life turkey decapitation, bible thumpers in red hot pants, sibling rivalry, turkey poking, mutant sex, cock blockage, a God live ever present narrator, the complimentary use of the term “husky”, real life amputees, lots of screaming, copious blood squirting, and poultry rage!

This episode wouldn’t have been possible without the indispensable help of Team Trash Cinema: Erica Andrus, Justin Falco and Terrius Greene whose performances bring this Thanksgiving Holiday Special to life. Thanks again, gang!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Stay Trashy!

-The Primal Root

A simple blood test may be able to help doctors determine which patients need antibiotics and which do not.

A new study published in the Sept. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that use of the test resulted in less antibiotic use.

If the protocol winds up in widespread use, it could significantly cut down on side effects associated with antibiotic use, not to mention slowing the spread of “killer” bacteria which become stubbornly resistant to these medications.

“It certainly holds a lot of promise,” said Dr. Donald M. Yealy, co-author of an editorial accompanying the study and chair of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “We need a way to make a better determination of need.”

Overzealous use of antibiotics is commonly acknowledged as the main factor driving microbial resistance worldwide.

“What’s not disputed is that antibiotics have changed health,” Yealy said. “But there’s also no doubt that they’re currently often overused.”

“I think this is very exciting,” said Dr. Ann Falsey, a professor of medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center who specializes in infectious disease. “There’s been a great deal of antibiotic overuse, with a great number of adverse effects both to patients individually and to the global flora becoming more resistant. This is one tool that can help clinicians make better decisions.”

According to background information in the article, in the northwestern hemisphere antibiotics are most often prescribed for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). LRTIs can mean anything from bronchitis, which is likely to go away on its own, to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), which can be life-threatening.

Up to three-quarters of LRTI patients are treated with antibiotics, even though most of these infections are viral and don’t respond to antibiotics. There is some indication that the use of antibiotics has declined in children over the past 12 years, research released last month suggested.

This Swiss team randomly assigned almost 1,400 patients with LRTIs who came to emergency rooms at six hospitals to receive antibiotics based on results of a PCT test, or based on standard guidelines.

PCT stands for procalcitonin, a chemical found in the blood. The test was provided by BRAHMS Inc., which makes the test.

Patients in the PCT group were on antibiotics for shorter periods of time: 5.7 days vs. 8.7 days in the control group. The same pattern held true in the subgroups of patients with CAP (7.2 days in the PCT group vs. 10.7 days in the control group); those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.5 vs. 5.1 days); and those with acute bronchitis (1 day vs. almost 3 days). Fewer people in the PCT group had adverse events (19.8 percent vs. 28.1 percent).

But the test has a few hurdles to pass before it can be widely adopted, experts stated.

“It’s a nice initial clinical trial, but we need to see if it will change behavior,” Yealy said. “We also don’t know if this will apply to other settings.”

Most of the patients in this trial had pneumonia and many of them had severe pneumonia, a group which often does need antibiotics.

The bigger issue is use in less ill populations, said Yealy, who tells of a recent promotion by a local supermarket chain promising free generic antibiotics to people with prescriptions.

“There is pressure to increase antibiotic use,” he said.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Dr. Lilian Abbo, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “It’s unclear if we can extrapolate the findings. The study was conducted in Switzerland, it was an elderly population, and a high number had pneumonia. More studies are needed to interpret this and to incorporate it into practice.”

The test is available in the United States, but is not approved for this purpose, Yealy said.

“This was one specific manufacturer’s test,” Yealy noted. “It may not apply to others.”

If the smell of beets makes you gag but you simply can’t get enough sour crème and chive potato chips, your Mom may be to blame — and not because of what she fed you growing up. Several studies show that food preferences may be set even before you’re born, as early as 13 weeks after gestation. And those preferences derive from what your Mom ate while you were in the womb. 

Read more at Jon Barron’s Natural Health Blog

3143618    คลินิกอายุรกรรมโรคเลือดและการถ่ายเลือด    Blood Transfusion Medicine Clinic

ปฏิบัติการทางคลินิกในการวิเคราะห์สาเหตุของภาวะเลือดจาง กระบวนการเตรียมสัตว์ตัวให้และตัวรับก่อนการถ่ายเลือด การประเมินความเข้ากันได้ กระบวนการถ่ายเลือด การตรวจติดตามหลังการถ่ายเลือดและภาวะความผิดปกติที่เกิดขึ้นได้หลังการถ่ายเลือด

(Clinical practice in diagnosis of anemia, preparing the donor and recipient for blood transfusion, learning the in-house laboratory techniques in cross-matching, performing blood transfusion, monitoring the post-transfusion reaction and abnormalities after blood transfusion.)

(3143618 จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย)

The good diet

Fortunately, there’s a solution to all this: Any nation that wishes to remain strong and successful must follow a “good” diet. What is a good diet?

• Consists primarily of fresh, unprocessed plants (fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds) which can be made into a variety of delicious recipes (raw food chefs are especially good at this craft).

• Minimizes consumption of meat or animal products (including dairy).

• Avoids virtually all processed, manufactured foods and beverages, or only uses them sparingly.

• Consists of a wide variety of different foods so that phytonutrient diversity is high, providing consumers with a steady supply of plant-based medicine that prevents disease.

• Includes substantial time outdoors, in nature, where vitamin D can be created and stored in the body.

• Minimizes or eliminates all refined sugars and carbohydrates (like white flour).

• Eliminates GMOs from the food supply in order to avoid the health damage caused by GM foods.

• Minimizes consumption of foods sprayed with chemical pesticides or fungicides. This not only helps prevent disease caused by such chemicals; it also protects the environment from chemical contamination.

• Incorporates adequate hydration from clean water (while avoiding dubious liquids such as sodas and sports drinks).

• Includes nutritional supplementation to correct nutritional imbalances or deficiencies. (This can be accomplished through superfoods, food-based vitamins, etc.)

This diet, as you might guess, is rarely pursued by the average American consumer. Only highly health-conscious individuals even attempt such a diet, and it does require extra time, effort and money to make a reality. But the benefits are worth it. They can, in fact, save a nation from destruction!

Click here for FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION

About | Human Body | Degenerative Diseases | Multimedia

The problem with medication

As you can see, the problems caused by poor nutrition can literally destroy a nation. They reach into every area of society: The economy, education, health care, global competitiveness and even Democracy itself.

And yet, instead of treating these nutrition problems with a sound nutritional program, the United States of America has chosen toignore the problem and treat people with chemical prescription drugs.

This widespread use of prescription drugs to mask the symptoms of nutritional imbalances causes the following problems that further erode the strength of any nation:

Public Safety: Medicated drivers are unsafe drivers. In the United States today, as much as one-third of all traffic accidents involve medication-impaired drivers. Instead of being alert with the help of healthful foods, our drivers are mentally compromised by meds.

Impaired Cognitive Function: This impaired cognitive function continues at work, too, where medicated workers make mistakes, suffer reduced productivity and ultimately fail to perform to their full potential.

Deterioration of Democracy: Along with impaired cognitive function comes the inability to vote intelligently, causing voters to repeatedly elect disastrously unqualified representatives to Congress (and other offices). This, in turn, erodes the bedrock of Democracy as dishonest or unqualified politicians betray the future of the People for their own personal gain.

More Disease: Medications used to treat one disease today end up causing more diseases in the future (virtually all medications cause some level of liver and kidney damage, and many promote brain and heart damage at the same time). For example, common over-the-counter painkillers cause the deaths of several thousand Americans each year just from gastrointestinal bleeding (http://www.naturalnews.com/019945_d…).

Huge Increase in Health Care Costs: During all this, the monopoly pricing of medications causes health care costs to continue skyrocketing, further threatening the financial stability of the nation.

Environmental Destruction: After all those medications pass through the bodies of consumers, they end up in the sewage systems, where they are eventually dumped into rivers and other waterways. (Most drugs, such as HRT drugs, are not filtered out by water treatment systems.) These potent chemicals pose a huge threat to aquatic ecosystems and contribute to the destruction of coral reefs and ocean life.

Do you see where all this is heading? Higher costs and lower productivity. Increased rates of disease and decreased economic productivity. Environmental destruction. It’s not difficult to extrapolate this pattern and see where such a nation might be headed. The accelerating downfall of the United States of America is a textbook example of how a nation rapidly deteriorates under the influence of excessive medication and disease-promoting processed foods.

Click here for FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION

About | Human Body | Degenerative Diseases | Multimedia

Junk food and consequences

The diet previously described is a diet of death that delivers physical and mental impairment. Here’s an accounting of some of the major consequences of pursuing such a diet:

Personal Health: This diet causes rapid aging and the aggressive development of degenerative disease: Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. The population also remains highly susceptible to infectious disease.

Health Care Costs: In a nation that follows a bad diet, health care costs spiral out of control, eventually consuming a quarter (or more) of the GDP, driving the nation into bankruptcy.

Education: Growing up on this bad diet, children suffer severe cognitive impairment and are unable to learn in school. In time, academic achievement of the nation falls sharply, and the great “dumbing down” of the population accelerates.

Employment & Economy: A sick, diseased population is very expensive to maintain on the payrolls of Corporate America. Poisoned by processed food diets, workers suffer from repeated sick days and poor cognitive performance at work (inability to focus, failure to learn, failure to create new ideas, etc.), all of which make the workforce increasingly expensive for corporations to maintain. Not surprisingly, this causes yet a further shift of jobs to other nations where workers are more productive, healthier and less expensive.

Violent Crime: With their brains fueled by junk foods (and with failed education giving them few options for earning an honest living), more people turn to crime. In time, the prisons become filled with people incarcerated for behavior that could have been at least partially prevented with proper nutrition.

Happiness: With disease rates skyrocketing, violent crime on the rise, education failures rampant and health care costs bankrupting families, happiness plummets to all-time lows.

Genetic Integrity: As junk food consumption continues through multiple generations, the genetic integrity of the population erodes. Birth defects increase while fertility rates plummet. The population increasingly becomes haunted with unhealthy genetic mutations that promote yet more disease in future generations.

Economic Productivity: Poor nutrition leads to disastrous economic productivity. Powered by junk foods, the population becomes virtually useless as a workforce. Instead of producing new ideas, new products and new innovations that improve the world, people sit around eating Fritos and watching YouTube videos. Economic productivity plummets, and employers shift jobs to overseas markets where people often demonstrate much higher levels of productivity.

World Leadership: With its population falling behind the world academically and economically, the nation loses its leadership position on the world stage and begins to lose its leverage for maintaining the dominance of its currency.

Democracy & Freedom: When the voters subsist on a bad diet, their minds are clouded and child-like. They are easily manipulated to vote for politicians who are essentially “entertainers” — people who look good on TV but have no real ability to improve the long-term situation for the country. Voters on junk foods elect the very people who continue to drive the nation into disease and disaster.

Click here for FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION

About | Human Body | Degenerative Diseases | Multimedia

What’s a bad diet?

You are what you eat. It’s a saying as old as written history. Throughout every culture, people have known this simple truth since the dawn of Man (and Woman). But before we can even talk about the consequences of “bad” food choices for a nation, we have to engage in some honest talk about what “bad” foods really are.

It’s a sobering discussion, too, because most people follow atrociously bad diets… Including many people who think they eat a fairly healthy diet. Perhaps 90 percent of the U.S. population eats a “bad” diet right now.

The official government definition of a bad diet is nonexistent. The USDA wants Americans to eat more of everything: More dairy, more meat, more grains, and even more sugar. That’s because these are the industries served by the USDA. In their minds, “poor nutrition” just means people aren’t eating enough dairy, meat, grains and sugar. The USDA remains stuck in the mindset of the 1930’s whenpeople were literally starving from a lack of calories. So their policy incessantly remains “Eat More!”

But Americans don’t need to eat more. They need to eat less. A lot less. And especially less of the highly toxic, disease-promoting foods described below.

Here are the characteristics of a bad diet:

• Primarily consists of dead foods (cooked, microwaved, etc.)

• Primarily consists of processed foods (milled, bleached, etc.)

• Lacks large quantities of fresh, living fruits and vegetables.

• Avoids adequate water hydration (and focuses on manufactured beverages).

• Very high in processed sugars and processed carbohydrates.

• Contains genetically-modified foods such as corn, soy or sugar from GM sugar beets.

• Includes a large amount of processed, pasteurized dairy products such as cow’s milk.

• Is made with hundreds of different chemical food additives from MSG and aspartame to chemical preservatives.

• Is packaged in toxic food containers, including plastics and epoxy resins that contaminate the food with BPA.

• Primarily consists of conventionally-grown, pesticide-contaminated foods.

• Contains a large quantity of unhealthy oils such as corn oil, soy oil or partially-hydrogenated oils.

• Consists of a large number of fried foods or foods cooked at very high temperatures that destroy nutrients while creating carcinogenic compounds.

• Is made with many modified, unnatural ingredients such hydrogenated oils, refined sugar (which removes the minerals), homogenized milk fats, and so on.

• Consists of a large quantity of animal products.

As I mentioned, perhaps 90 percent of the U.S. population currently eats a diet that’s largely consistent with the above description. As you’ll soon see, this is destroying our nation.

Click here for FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION

About | Human Body | Degenerative Diseases | Multimedia

]]> http://ardymotos.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/nutrition-can-save-nation/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:34:37 +0000 ardymotos http://ardymotos.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/nutrition-can-save-nation/

Nutrition can save Nation!!!

But from what, exactly?

Every day, it seems, there are more signs of the accelerating decline of the American Empire. The economy is tanking, the currency is being abandoned by other nations, health care remains a disastrous failure, unemployment is atrociously high, prisons are filled to capacity, public education is failing yet another generation of children, and the population seems to be getting more diseased with each generation.

The question, though, is why?

Why is our population so diseased? Why is unemployment so high? Why can’t our kids learn well in school? Why is America losing its leadership position in the world? Why are so many jobs being offshored to other countries?

What if there were a single underlying reason that answered all these questions? As you may have guessed, there is:

Nutrition.

Poor nutrition destroys any nation. Good nutrition saves it. And in this NaturalNews special report, you’ll learn why nutrition plays such a powerful role in the rise or fall of any nation.

It’s also a warning message for America: If we don’t make immediate, radical changes in the available food supply — and the marketing of foods to consumers — we won’t survive much longer as a nation. America will fall, brought down by the inevitable consequences of a nutritionally deficient, chronically diseased population.

But to understand why this is the case, you first have to see why food has such a powerful impact on everything that matters in society: Health, happiness, employment, productivity, education and even freedom. To explain all that, let’s start with a lesson on poor nutrition.

Click here for FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION

About | Human Body | Degenerative Diseases | Multimedia

]]> http://brettfish.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/32/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:02:03 +0000 brettfish http://brettfish.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/32/

i have a friend called Roy (or Conrad Roy)

he is one of the new students who was in our church enGAGE this year and is now part of our leadership team for next year

i really like Roy, for a number of reasons:

he says ‘awesome’ a lot. now i don’t like it when people say ‘awesome’ a lot because i personally have reserved the word ‘awesome’ for God cos it seems a travesty when you say ‘God is awesome’ and then ‘that ice-cream is aswesome’ or ‘that hockey goal you scored last night, brett, was awesome’- it’s like you’re comparing God with an ice-cream – so for me i reserve the word ‘awesome’ for God. Roy uses it ALL the time and so it should really annoy me, but it doesn’t. because he is generally just so excited about life and everything in life that i think ‘awesome’ is his way of getting it out. and so his using the word ‘awesome’ is an expression of his zest for life and i LOVE his zest for life.

not only does Roy operate on a ‘glass half full’ way of thinking about his own life, but he will see his glass as full and overflowing and will look across and see your glass (which is smashed and lying on the floor) as half full and then offer you his. Roy has come and helped out my VOB hockey team a few times and is an amazing athlete (possible pole vault contender for next Olympicals) and i am not as good although have probly been playing the hockey of my life this last year and Roy has just been such a huge encouragement on and off the field and really helped me with my self-belief which in turn has helped me play better. in fact he set up my first of two goals i scored this season and was super stoked for me when i samessed him last nite about my second goal.

he is super animated when telling stories, especially bible stories which he starts acting out even without realising i think and is really fun to watch – again just his passion for the moment.

and he is super deep – still young and still a bit loud and can be distractive at times, BUT when he goes into the zone and starts speaking about deep stuff he has been thinking about in terms of life or God or church or sports for summer camp (which he is running – so amped to hang with him!) then he really is a deep thinker and you can see the quality of his realness.

so that’s why i like Roy (or rooi) – red spirited and highly contagious – and a definite leader in the future. And very privileged right now to get to call him my friend…

Officer Slams Dude Through Window – Watch more Funny Videos