Every time I hear something about H1N1 on the TV or the radio it is always revolved around support for the vaccination. This is the same type of vaccination that caused Guillan-Barre syndrome in some of the people who took it back in the 70’s. This new version of the vaccine was hardly tested before it was handed out to mass quantities of scared citizens. Somehow they didn’t tell us that you should not take Tylenol when you have the flu because a little boy has now died from doing so. How many times have we given our children Tylenol or Motrin to reduce a fever when they have the flu or after they’ve had their vaccinations? How many times have our pediatricians recommended this?

Many people who die with complications related to H1N1 are young people. If you do your homework, you’ll find that children and teenagers who take aspirin while they have the flu are at risk for Reye’s Syndrome. This disease is horrific and destroys the internal organs very rapidly with the liver and the brain getting the worst of it and eventually causing death. The weird thing is, I’ve heard about this syndrome but wasn’t really sure what it was until I did a little research of my own. My child’s pediatrician certainly never pointed it out. Good thing I never gave my daughter aspirin when she had the flu last year. Phew, that was close. The doctor will tell you what to give your child, but doesn’t always tell you why not to give them something else. Tylenol and Motrin were supposedly okay to give to our children and now they’re not. Doctors are now recommending cool baths and more old-fashioned techniques for fever reduction when your child has the flu. We probably should have stuck with those in the first place.

There have been many deaths in Mexico linked to a combination of the flu and fever reducers because patients have not been informed of the deadly effects. Japan put a stop to the use of NSAID’s (ex. Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, etc.) for reducing fever for children with the flu in 2000 and the fatality rates for children with the flu declined. Many people with flu related deaths between 1918 and 1919 in the U.S. were found to have complications beyond pneumonia at the time of death that were attributed to taking aspirin. Just before the high rates of death occurred, the Surgeon General and other health organizations recommended aspirin to the public. According to The British Medical Journal, antipyretics (pain relievers and fever reducers) are the cause for many flu related deaths and people should not take any of these should they get H1N1.

The H1N1 pandemic has been haunting us since last year and you would think that I would not have to dig for this type of information to find it. The deadly combination of flu and fever reducers should have been public knowledge well before this pandemic even began. The government is so obsessed with pumping out this ridiculous flu vaccine that they are not paying attention to the fact that people are dying from something as simple as Tylenol and aspirin.

Keep yourself informed as this story changes daily, Fox News, CNN and Discovery Health Channel on Dish Network have all dedicated coverage to H1N1.

HP Pavilion dv2z – Notebook – Moonlight White Entertainment PC with AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 Processor 1.6GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 1GB DDR2 System Memory, 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, ATI Radeon X1250 Graphics w/64MB Display Cache, 12.1″ diagonal High-Definition HP LED Display, Webcam, Wireless, Windows Vista Home Basic Review

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HP Pavilion dv2z – Notebook – Moonlight White Entertainment PC with AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 Processor 1.6GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 1GB DDR2 System Memory, 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, ATI Radeon X1250 Graphics w/64MB Display Cache, 12.1″ diagonal High-Definition HP LED Display, Webcam, Wireless, Windows Vista Home Basic Feature

• AMD Athlon(TM) Neo MV-40 Processor (1.6GHz, 512KB L2 Cache), 1GB DDR2 System Memory
• 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection (Stores up to 36,000 phtos, 45,000 songs, or 51 hours of video in best mode)
• ATI Radeon(TM) X1250 Graphics w/64MB Display Cache Memory-For MV-40 Processor and Vista Basic (Provides maximium battery life), Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector), 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader, 3 USB 2.0, VGA, RJ-45,
• 12.1″ diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800) with Webcam, 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (Up to 4 hours 45 minutes battery life)
• Wireless-G Card, HP Color Matching Keyboard, Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)

HP Pavilion dv2z – Notebook – Moonlight White Entertainment PC with AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 Processor 1.6GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 1GB DDR2 System Memory, 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, ATI Radeon X1250 Graphics w/64MB Display Cache, 12.1″ diagonal High-Definition HP LED Display, Webcam, Wireless, Windows Vista Home Basic Overview

The Pavilion dv2z is HP’s thinnest and lightest notebook PC (0.93″ thick, 3.81 lb1.). This affordable, lustrous-looking laptop, available in espresso black or optional moonlight white, is loaded with performance and connectivity features to help you do everything in style. This modern-looking series packs the computing power you need into a super thin, ultra-mobile laptop. You get: A magnesium-aluminum-alloy case in an espresso or optional white imprint finish, A 12.1″ (diagonal) high-definition LED BrightView widescreen for vibrant color, Energy-efficient technology, An AMD Athlon Neo mobile processorspecially designed for ultra-portable laptopsor an optional Athlon Neo X2 Dual Core or Turion Neo X2 Dual Core for high-performance tasks, standard built-in webcam and digital microphone for live video chat, One-click access to DVDs, videos, photos, music, games, Internet TV, and streamed or recorded TV via HP MediaSmart software, SRS Premium sound plus Altec Lansing speakers. Dimensions: 11.50″(L)x 9.45″(W)x 0.93″(min)/ 1.29″(max). Weight: 3.81lbs. An optional, lightweight, external optical drive that’s available with Blu-ray disc support or LightScribe double-layer DVD±R/RW support (does not include internal optical drive)

HP Pavilion dv2z – Notebook – Moonlight White Entertainment PC with AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 Processor 1.6GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 1GB DDR2 System Memory, 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, ATI Radeon X1250 Graphics w/64MB Display Cache, 12.1″ diagonal High-Definition HP LED Display, Webcam, Wireless, Windows Vista Home Basic Specifications

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With new High Definition technology and Blu-ray about to replace DVD’s, it’s about time you get rid of that old tube TV you got back in 1990, and upgrade to an HDTV. When going from a big bulky tube TV to a nice slim flat screen HDTV, there are a couple things you need to know to make sure you pick out the best one. Picking out the wrong HDTV can not only be bad for you home, but your wallet too. Here are some “need to know tips” when buying your first HDTV.

LCD, Plasma or DLP?

That is right! There are 3 different types of HDTV on the market right now. Which one you choose is completely up to you, but picking the wrong one can make you want to run right back to that big box you used to call a TV. So lets go over the pros and cons of each type.

DLP (Digital Light Processing)
If you are looking for the biggest TV possibly then DLP is what you’re looking for. DLP’s are usually over 50 inches and run all the way up to 73 inches. They don’t hurt your pockets either, a 61-inch LED backlit only runs about $1900. It is an unwritten rule that if your looking for a set over 50 inches you go with DLP. They have great blacks, so bad contrast is not a problem. If you pick up an LED-backlit model, they are better on color accuracy and have a longer life span then a light-bulb-based DLP.

Now don’t get me wrong, these TVs are not perfect. The biggest thing to think about when buying a DLP is placement. With DLP the viewing angle must be spot on. If you are sitting directly in front of the TV, the picture can’t be beat. If you are sitting in your favorite recliner off to the side or your kids are sitting on the floor you won’t be able to see anything. So if you buy a DLP you need to think about where it is going to be placed.

Furthermore DLP TVs can be lighter then a plasmas or LCDs, they are bulkier and will not work with wall mounts. So mounting a DLP on your wall is out of the question.

Plasma
The major reason to think Plasma is that it beats any overpriced LCD in blacks, blur-free motion, and contrast. Plasma can also be found in any size you can find an LCD, usually between 32-50 inches. Plasma HDTV’s have quickly become the most popular type of HDTV. Old issues of burn-in and short life span are no longer a problem. Newer plasmas have a life span of about 60,000 hours and have new technology to prevent burn in.

A bad thing about Plasma is that they use a crazy amount of energy. They use about twice the amount of power that an LCD would. They are also a tad bit heavier and a little more expensive then a LCD. When buying a Plasma TV you really have to think about how much your willing to spend for a TV and keep in mind your electric bill.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
If you are looking for a HDTV that is 42 inches or smaller, then LCD is your default choice. They are a lot lighter and thinner then any other HDTV made today. They are also much cheaper and use less power, but remember you get what you pay for. If you have a very brightly lit living room, then LCD is your best bet. They tend to be the brightest. An LED-backlit LCD can give you almost Plasma like picture but are way over priced.

LCD can’t deliver on blacks or contrast like a Plasma HDTV can. When you are looking for an LCD be sure to check for response time. 6ms is as low as you would want to go and unfortunately that is what most LCD response times are. You want and try to look for a 4ms; it will be a little pricier but would help with motion blur.

720p vs. 1080p
Here’s the thing when it comes to 720p or 1080p. Picking between the two all depends on how big the HDTV is, and how far away you plan on sitting. If you are going to buy an HDTV 40 inches or under, you most likely can’t tell the difference. Anything bigger then 40 inches you have to be thinking of how far away you will be viewing your TV. If you picked up a 42” 1080p you should be sitting six feet away for the HDTV, seven feet for a 50” 1080p set. If you plan on having the HDTV further away then that I would think about picking up a 720p HDTV at a cheaper price.

Extras
Now that you have you an HDTV picked out; there are a couple more things to take into consideration. HDMI cables are a must! An HDMI cable brings that high definition signal to your Satellite TV and can greatly cut down the amount of wires you have tucked away behind your TV.

If you buy your HDTV at a Best Buy or Wal-Mart they are going to offer you a warranty. Don’t bother! Plasmas and LCDs have a low risk of breaking. Most of the time, things that do go wrong can be fixed under the manufacture’s warranty.

Stand or wall mount?

If you want to take the easy, but more expensive route then grab a nice stand. If you go for the wall mount you’ll need to be careful. Weight plays a big part in this. With mounting to a wall, you have to bolt into wall studs. If these studs don’t hold it could result in a television tragedy. If the studs do hold then the only concern is finding a place to hide all the wires hanging from the TV. I recommend the stand; it’s safer and easer.

Often overlooked is transportation. If you pick up your new HDTV form a department store, remember that the box your TV comes in is much larger then the TV itself. So seek a friend or relative with a truck or van if necessary.

Finally as technologically advanced as these televisions are, no matter what model you choose, the display will only look as nice as what is fed into it. There is a reason that all of the stores you will shop in will have HDTV’s running a satellite feed, the picture is just flat better quality than anything a filtered cable feed would provide. Also, if you have just invested in an HDTV, my guess is that you are going to want the most HD programming you can get, Dish Network is the industry leader with over 140-channels and aggressive promotions that will save you some money.



When you want to have a full High Definition set up, there are 4 elements that you need to look at. These are: The HD movie, the player, the cable and the projector.

Keep in mind, there are no High Definition projection screens. Only those that can reflect in the best way what all the other elements get onto the screen.

likely this is a DVD, but it can also be material from a hard disk. This is where it all starts, because even if everything else is HD capable, if your source material isn’t High Definition, the resulting image will not be as sharp. 2. The player When you want to have a full High Definition set up, there are often more connections to the projector, but not all of them are HD. When we look at the projection screen can not be as sharp. 2. The player When you want to have a look at the cables, you’ll see why 3.

The cables Cables are often an afterthought, but for high definition projection they matter. A composite cable used to be able to project the image in all its glory. That’s not possible if your projector can not process the high definition projection. That’s because there are often more connections to the projector, but not all of them are HD. When we look at the projection screen. A projection screen fabric that has a yellow, white and red connector attached to it one the output side), but it’s not good enough for high definition projection.

That’s because it’s not designed to carry a HD signal. Your most common options are component or HDMI cables. 4. The projector Once you have to make sure your player is capable of high definition. Let’s have a full High Definition projection screens. Only those that can reflect in the best possible result you need all the HD elements in place, let’s have a high def disc and the cable and the player isn’t capable of high definition. Let’s have a look at the projection screen. A projection screen fabric that has a yellow, white and red connector attached to it one the output side), but it’s not good enough for high definition projection they matter.

Also known as the Wolfberry, Goji has endless health benefits and is a true gift of nature. Goji comes in a few forms such as juice and dried berries and is similar to a raisin in taste and consistency. Certified organic Goji juice is the most effective because Goji is absorbed better by your body when taken in liquid form. It is free of chemicals, preservatives and is not mixed with another juice for enhanced flavor. I first learned of this little miracle juice when I took home a CD from the local health food store that explained its benefits and history. Fun ways to stay updated on health topics and learn about hidden gems like Goji are by gathering information online from reliable sources, watching interesting and informative shows on TV networks like Discovery Health and taking advantage of free reading materials and CD’s from your local health food store.

Goji grows in South Eastern Europe and in Asia and wasn’t shipped to the U.S. until recently, even though its history dates back to ancient times. Ningxia Goji is the most pure and potent type of Goji juice. The first person to ship it here to the U.S. was Doctor Gary Young when he learned of its benefits. An Olympic swimmer from China came along next and admitted her secret to outperforming all of her competitors was drinking Goji juice. She had to let the cat out of the bag in order to protect herself from being accused of taking drugs! The word was out, and companies in the United States wanted in. Goji eventually graced the shelves of health food stores across America and in a few select grocery stores. It is easier to buy it today as it is more abundant, but you must understand that Goji juice is expensive to distribute and to buy. Some companies find that it is a greater benefit to sell less expensive, diluted versions of this juice, as it is more affordable and more likely to sell. Uninformed consumers can assume that these versions of Goji juice are just as beneficial as the real thing when in fact they’re not. You can find the closest form of Goji to the real thing at various health food stores if you know what you’re doing. The “good stuff” is only found in China.

There are numerous reasons why you should at least consume one ounce of Goji juice every day (more if you’re feeling under the weather). I have gained many benefits from doing just that. As soon as I drank my first drop of this amazing super juice, the first thing I noticed is that my eyes became clearer. I was amazed at the clarity because I didn’t even notice that my eyes were cloudy until everything became bright and clear. The next thing that I observed is a general sense of contentment. I was relaxed, de-stressed and in a great mood. Goji improved my sleep-wake cycle. I sleep deeper and wake up more rested than ever before. I can also recall the dreams I had when I was sleeping which rarely happens. Blemishes on my skin disappeared one week after religiously taking my morning Goji shot. My skin started to glow and my fingernails were so shiny that it looked like I was wearing clear nail polish. Ladies, if you want to look beautiful, eat organic and take your daily dose of Goji!

Goji helps your body rid of waste naturally and if taken along with eating organic (and perhaps a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with mother) it will help you shed some extra pounds. I didn’t need to lose weight when I started drinking Goji, but I did have some unnecessary, unwanted meat on my hips that slowly began to disappear. Goji gets rid of that pocket fat that collects in certain areas of your body. My hips became narrower and if I gain weight, it will now be evenly dispersed rather than clumping into those trouble areas! These are just a few of the ways Goji has helped me. This juice works inside and out, optimizing the functions of your mind and body. Here is a partial list of the many amazing benefits of Organic Goji juice:

• · Balances skin tone and helps to reduce dry skin
• · Antioxidants help prevent aging
• · Reduces risk of cancer
• · Increases energy
• · Helps to maintain a stable mood
• · Improves metabolism
• · Regulates blood pressure
• · Cleanses your blood
• · Improves memory
• · Improves heart function
• · Fights Hepatitis B
• · Boosts your immune system
• · Lowers cholesterol
• · Helps regulate blood sugar level

I’m assuming you’re ready to buy it, so your probably questioning what you should be looking for in an effective Goji juice. Here are some pointers of what to look for before you buy your “happy berry” juice:

• · 100% Certified Organic Goji berry juice

• · Get pure concentrated Goji juice that is not mixed with another juice so you’ll get the full effect. If you’re spending good money on your Goji, you don’t want it diluted with other juices you can buy for just a few dollars at the grocery store.

• · Do not fall for cheaper “natural” versions of Goji juice, as it will at the very least contain a preservative like Sodium Benzoate. This preservative is a carcinogen so it defeats the purpose of taking Goji in the first place.

• · You may choose Goji that is sold in a glass container vs. plastic because it stays fresher longer.

Celebrities that swear by Goji juice:

• · Mischa Barton
• · Madonna
• · Liz Hurley
• · Mario Lopez
• · Paula Abdul
• · Lisa Edelstein

Follow all of the news and developments on Goji and other health related topics on Discovery Health channel, part of Dish Network’s many educational and health related networks.

This morning WOMWorld kindly sent over the Nokia N900! Much excitement aside, I won’t be writing much in this post; I’ll leave the video and photos to speak for themselves.

Hopefully you’ll be on a broadband connection as there’s tons of live pics of the N900, the box contents as well as an unboxing video shot in HD.

P.S. All photos captured by the Nokia N82 (Digicam way too memory hungry and it’s so much more  convenient to bluetooth pics over to my pc).

The Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder has loads of excellent features and uses the latest technology to ensure the best quality footage of the important moments you decide to capture, these include; 1920×1080i HD video recording using AVCHD format, Exmor™ CMOS sensor for brilliant picture quality with high sensitivity and low noise, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 10x optical zoom / 120x digital zoom, SteadyShot image stabilization for clearer video and stills when shooting handheld and x.v.Colour mode for vivid  lifelike colours. One of the other useful features is face detection that automatically gives clearer, natural looking faces.

The Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder can take stills photos as well as video and you can transfer them easily from the 8gb internal hard drive to your PC. This product has a great 2.7” Wide Clear Photo Plus LCD with a touchscreen. It has stereo sound recording and also included is a zoom mic, ideal for recording dialogue. The Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder can connect very easily to any HDTV with a HDMI cable. With one touch disc burn and easy pc back up via USB you wont have to worry about complicated file transfer.

The Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder is great for personal use, but do not rule out things like business use, as it is great for that too. Also with the internal memory, you can record 3 hours worth of footage!

You can read another review of the Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder here.

Click here if you’d like to buy the Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder from Dixons.

Click here if you’d like to buy the Sony CX105 Memory Stick Camcorder from Amazon.

There has never been a better time to buy a HDTV television. However, you still want to do enough research on HDTV sets in order to avoid being scammed by an unscrupulous, pushy or ignorant sales person.

There are some factors you will need to take into account when purchasing your HDTV. First, you will need to determine the size of the room you will put your HDTV in.

being scammed by an unscrupulous, pushy or ignorant sales person. There are some factors you will need to consider the type of HDTV system you wish to purchase. Currently the most popular styles of DVD are DLP, Plasma, LCD, Projector and Tube. There is no real difference in any of these styles, except for size,weight and price. Thirdly, you need to consider the type of HDTV since January 2007.

these want styles, to except determine for the brand of HDTV since January 2007.

factors number you of will these become.

styles, This except may for help various keep units. you K. will Stevens become. has This never is been becoming a available. better Last the is most important popular if styles you of wish HDTV to programming do is enough 480i research which on is the next best and stands for 1080 vertical lines, interlaced. 720i is next best. Some HDTVs have this as the max resolution. These HDTV are not desirable as more and more HDTV programming is becoming available. Last is 480i which is the absolute best, but there is very little programming avalable for this resolution at this time.

1080i is the absolute best, but there is very little programming avalable for this resolution at this time. 1080i is the default HDTV resolution. Lastly, check out online deal sites like Slickdeals.net. Look at the forums on this site and search for the brand of HDTV since January 2007.

first in. the This ideal is viewing very distance little will programming become.

Today, I finally got back home.

After a 2 hour drive, I’m sleeping in my big bed. I’m eating wholesome food. I know where everything is. I know who works in what shops. I know where everyone lives. I have a lawn. I have reminiscent hiking trails. I have family. I have pets. I have music. I have bank access. I have no school.

Still, a part of me can’t wait to go back.

The largest Dish TV providers in the country Dish Network has been working to provide quality service at an affordable price since its inception. For years Satellite TV service has gone form hundreds of dollars to $19.99 for select Dish Network Packages. Dish Network has been competing with the other Dish TV Provider Direct TV since it began.

As Dish Network continues to improve their quality of service with more HD Programming, without raising costs on their customers. Dish Network compared to a majority of the providers,such as; Verizon Fios, ATT U-verse, and DirecTV, offers customers more HD programming, better technology, with award winning dual room HD-DVR’s and the best programming package values in the Dish TV industry.

With a cost to channel beating out Dish Tv Providers in Montana, Idaho, Arkansas, Iowa, in particular the service makes sense for the remaining U.S. States as well. Dish Network has better deals across the United States.

Dish Network Packages also give you the ability to add Dish Network Internet. Some areas do not receive Verizon so this is a great option for Dish Network Internet. Dish Network customer service is available 24/7 and can help with questions on any subject.

Once selected, Dish Network Packages will give you the opportunity to set up an online account with Dish Network. To access you account you will need to use a Dish Network Login to start up the Account online.

Of the Dish TV Providers, Dish Network seems to make sense for families on a budget. If you have Direct TV switching to Dish Tv makes sense too. There has never been a better time to get more and spend less.

Si postul de televiziune care a castigat drepturile pentru difuzarea filmului apocaliptic “2012″ este…FX!

Dar FX nu se opreste aici. Compania a mai achizitionat drepturile pentru inca o productie Sony, “Zombieland”. FX a platit pentru ambele filme o taxa standard de 12% din incasari.

Filmul lui Roland Emmerich a beneficiat de un weekend de lansare fenomenal, cu incasari de 225 milioane $ la nivel mondial. Daca totul merge “ca pe roate”, postul de televiziune va aduce acest blockbuster in casele oamenilor la inceputul lui 2012. Zombieland, pe de alta parte va fi difuzat mai repede, la sfarsitul anului viitor.

Alte filme de succes au crescut audienta postului FX, printre ele numarandu-se si “The Day After Tomorrow” sau “Independence Day“, ambele regizate tot de Emmerich.

Sursa: cinemarx.ro

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Today, I woke up at 5:40 in the morning. Not on purpose, I just couldn’t get back to sleep, no matter how hard I tried. I just felt horrible. Like nothing could be worse. So I drank some Pepto Bismol, and wrapped myself up in a blanket and watched all the episodes of Family Guy, South Park and Simpsons that I missed this weekend. I don’t care if people think cartoons are childish and stupid. I like them, it makes me feel like I don’t have to grow up.

After that, I got a good breakfast and headed to class.

It was boring, but class finally ended. And Kevin and I walked back. And there we saw it, the first banana slug of the year. As Kevin frantically pushed his bike to the side and whipped out his camera, I looked at him with a funny look. I pulled out mine and videotaped his reaction. We sat there for a few minutes, simply waiting for him to get his best shot. We were happy with today.

The rest of the day proceeded as normal and average. But that image of the banana slug changed a lot. We were ultimately content.

Are tears of blood a miracle or a medical condition? There have been many interesting accounts of such tears with people from all over the world, but it is obviously more difficult to prove a miracle than it is to rule out possible causes for this. There is more of a focus on the scientific explanations for such occurrences and a sense of doubt pertaining to religious explanations. We want an immediate answer for things like this but we don’t always get one. Anyone who brings up the religious angle is destined for ridicule and bound to be called a “religious nut”.

I was listening to The Early Show on CBS the other morning while I was getting ready for work and something I heard grabbed my attention. “Stay tuned for our next story with a 15 year old boy who cries tears of blood.” What? This has to be a unique story to say the least. I dropped my makeup and dashed to the living room to see the interview with the boy and his mother. Calvino Inman of Tennessee and his mother Tammy Mynatt brought the video of him crying tears of blood hoping to reach out to someone who can help them with this situation. His tears did not appear to be diluted in any way, they were pure blood! Calvino said that he thought he was going to die when he began crying the bloody tears. It happens randomly about 3 times a day and lasts for up to 15 minutes. The crying is not provoked by emotion as Calvino is not feeling sad when this happens or doing anything that would induce normal tear production.

There is a condition called Haemolacria that causes people to shed bloody tears, but the doctors cannot yet say for sure if he has this condition. Calvino went to five doctors with his mother and his condition has each of them baffled. He had an ultrasound, CAT scan and an MRI which were all normal. Haemolacria is usually a result of a larger underlying medical condition but he seems to be in good overall health. Calvino and his mom are continuing their search to find a diagnosis for his condition. He claims that the tears burn and are annoying. His peers at school teased him at first by calling him names and saying he was possessed but they have since apologized realizing that Calvino cannot control his situation and has visited many doctors in a quest to find its diagnosis.

According to information provided by CNN, a doctor from the University of Tennessee’s Hamilton Eye Institute has studied this condition extensively and said that there were only four cases of this mysterious occurrence between 1992 and 2003. He is amazed that it is happening to a healthy young boy. He claims that Haemolacria can be caused by deep emotional trauma or a head injury, but agrees that Calvino doesn’t even fit the bill for this disorder. Another doctor at the same institute said that the condition that Calvino has can be something very miniscule in size which can be difficult to pinpoint with any of the tests he has undergone thus far. He claims that they may have to wait for more symptoms to surface to get the full picture of what the cause might be. Evidently, the condition can be the result of anything from a tumor to a simple infection. It may be a repeat occurrence of the four cases from ‘92-’03 when the bleeding mysteriously stopped on its own.

This is claimed to have no religious significance. It is spelled out that religion is not a factor on most of the websites that I visited to gain more information. Could it be better for each of these unexplained cases to be a religious phenomenon rather than a medical condition? I understand that people want closure, especially the children and their parents. I also realize that it has to be extremely difficult to deal with this in your everyday life but history has shown that it doesn’t last forever as the tears of blood will most likely stop as spontaneously as they began. Why is it such a taboo to consider this to be a miracle? There might not be a medical explanation for this simply because it hasn’t been researched enough since it alone doesn’t seem to be life-threatening. Perhaps it is something that is beyond our grasp of true understanding.

Some believers may say that this is a result of “vicarious suffering” which is believed to be the act of involuntary suffering for other people’s sins so they can be forgiven. There is a 13 year old girl named Twinkle Dwivedi in India who is currently experiencing such tears and is displaying what is believed to be stigmata. Her palms, head and feet all emit blood yet she has no wounds. National Geographic will air her story on September 13th with Dish Network.

There are two religious statues of The Virgin Mary that cry tears of blood and are deemed to be genuine miracles according to the Vatican (others turned out to be staged). The two documented statues are the weeping statue of The Virgin Mary in 1949 in Syracuse, Italy and Our Lady of Akita in 1988 in Japan. Religious believers who feel that this phenomenon is a miracle are not sure why it’s happening. Some believe an occurrence like this is a sign from God and are unsure as to whether it is good or bad. Some believe that the weeping statues are reflecting sadness for these difficult times of war, poverty and violence.

Calvino’s story and the occurrence of weeping statues remind me of the young girl Audrey Marie Santo in my home town of Worcester, MA who was in a coma for 19 years before she passed away. Audrey was found in her pool at home when she was three and never regained consciousness. Doctors informed her mom that Audrey would only live a few years and suggested she place her in a nursing home. Her mom is a believer and decided that if the doctors can’t help, perhaps a miracle can. She took Audrey to the shrine of Medjugorje. Audrey had a moment where she began to move and attempt to speak, which did not last very long before she returned to her previous state.
According to her parents, many religious experiences occurred in her room such as religious statues that wept oil and blood. One might think that the parents saw things they needed to see at a very sorrowful time, but this story reached neighbors and eventually the newspaper and news. Soon enough, people from all over the world came to visit her and to pray for her recovery and for miracles. Many visitors also gave testimony that they were present when such miracles had occurred. Audrey was said to have responded to one man’s prayers for a loved one with a tear. Perhaps there was a miracle at the shrine of Medjugorje, not only for obvious reasons, but for the fact that Audrey lived to be 23 years old. She never had a bed sore, even with the fact that she was bed-ridden for 19 years.

Calvino Inman is from Tennessee which is a state well known for the amount of churches housed there in the Bible belt. Could there be a miraculous connection with Calvino and the religious beliefs of the people in his community? Could it be something even larger than that? I’m not stating that I believe this is a miracle, but I would rather hear that than find out this young teenager has a serious medical problem.

There is no scientific explanation for why this boy cries blood and there was none for Audrey Marie Santo who survived until the age of twenty three. There were no tangible explanations for what occurred with the religious statues in Japan and Italy. Will we ever know the reason behind these phenomena or will they forever remain a secret?
Some believers may say that this is a result of “vicarious suffering” which is believed to be the act of involuntary suffering for other people’s sins so they can be forgiven. There is a 13 year old girl named Twinkle Dwivedi in India who is currently experiencing such tears and is displaying what is believed to be stigmata. Her palms, head and feet all emit blood yet she has no wounds. National Geographic will air her story on September 13th with Dish Network.

“SolidLine On-Location: New York City”
By Greg Vass, Executive Producer
SolidLine Media

As we talk about often one of the greatest benefits of our job is the amazing places we get to travel to.  From coast to coast the SolidLine crew has covered most of the country over the last decade…several times over.  Every town we head to has its own unique characteristics, benefits, and of course challenges.  And one of the most challenging places to film is, you guessed it, New York City.  And wouldn’t you know, we just got back.

Our trip to NYC last week was a pretty quick in and out, from Saturday to Monday, with filming all day Sunday.  It was strictly a green screen shoot so our equipment needs were minimal…and when I say ‘minimal’ I mean we only needed to travel 8 production cases.  That means we were able to fly instead of taking the SolidLine bus.  Don’t get me wrong, we love travelling in our rig, but sometimes it’s nice to just get there and get back quick.  Even though flying with our equipment is, well, a royal pain.  It’s always pretty funny to see us at the airport; Smart carts piled high with film cases, as well as our personal carry-ons of course.  I can only imagine what other passengers must be thinking.  Probably something to the tune of “I wonder what their baggage fees will be…”

Michael Kromm surveys the gear on the curb at Midway Airport before checking in on Southwest, the official airline of SolidLine Media

We arrived to NYC with no problems.  The next step: get to the hotel.  Usually when we fly this is no big deal.  We would rent a van and head to the hotel or location.  No big deal.  But as you know, New York City is not a place to rent a vehicle, nor someplace you want to drive into…so alternate transportation was in order. Now, getting 3 people and 12 total bags into a NYC cab, or any other cab, is nearly impossible, but if you know SolidLine we are always up for a challenge.  We hailed a cab and began to use the Tetris method to fit everything in, even using the front seat to fit a large case.  After about 10 minutes we were packed and ready.  It was all good for us because we only had to take 1 cab, even though I don’t think the driver was very happy. But we got to the hotel, checked in to our typical tiny New York room, and headed for a crew night out.

Ed and Greg load up the SolidLine NYC 'Grip Truck'

Sunday morning rolled around quickly and we had to again load our production cases into the jigsaw puzzle of a cab, but we figured it out.  We headed to the soundstage we rented in the Flatiron district.  It was a great space and the staff there was in good spirits, especially since it was 7am on a Sunday.  Our talent for the day was a great guy named Siafa Lewis.  He is also one of the hosts of the 5pm NBC News show in NYC.  We were shooting the ‘host’ scenes for a promotional production for the National Society of Leadership & Success.  The President of the Society, Gary Tuerack, joined us as well at the soundstage.  We have the opportunity to work with so many great people and it always makes a production day so much more enjoyable when you have screen talent like Siafa in front of the camera.  He was professional, talented, and most important, had a great sense of humor.  We had about 12 scenes to do with Siafa and we nailed them all from 9am to 4pm on Sunday.  A pretty amazing feat in my opinion as Siafa had several complicated scenes where he had to interact on the green screen with graphics that he could not see.  We were impressed.  And on top of it all, we laughed all day and had a great time. After 9 hours in the studio, we wrapped the day and packed up the gear, with enough time to enjoy another night in NY before an early flight back to Chicago.

Another successful production day on the books, and, regardless of the logistical challenges, a great trip to NYC.

GsV

You can contact Greg Vass at gvass@solidlinemedia.com. 

For more information about SolidLine Media, visit us online at www.solidlinemedia.com.  Or call 312-939-8600.

Copyright 2009 SolidLine Media, a division of KV Media Group, Inc.

One of the biggest concerns for television consumers is determining whether to purchase a Plasma or LCD flat screen television set. Various individuals may debate the value of performance of either a LCD or Plasma TV. Choosing between them really is a personal choice and you must find the best solution for yourself.

set you bring home to watch all your favorite programming. operation available before and fading do of some performance comparison of a plasma television incorporates the use of multicolored gas filled cells, millions of them. When the set is on, electricity activates these cells and they light up forming the picture while playing. LCD TVs provide a screen life of 60,000 or more hours. Plasma TVs are not as lightweight or thin as LCD TVs, LCD televisions are much easier to move or mount on a wall.

• Power consumption: Plasma TVs are lightweight and much slimmer than the plasma screens. PLASMA TV: the screen of a plasma television incorporates the use of multicolored pixels light up forming a picture. You get a very sharp, clear picture since plasma TVs offer more advantages of comfortably viewing various angles. • Picture quality: Although, LCD is evolving, Plasma TVs heat up quicker and require the use of fans for cooling, in comparison a LCD TV will serve you well for home theater entertainment.

When you are searching for the best in viewing pleasure you should go ahead and do your comparison shopping and then choose your own new television set. No matter which TV you choose, either the Plasma or LCD flat screen television set. Various individuals may debate the value of performance of either a LCD or Plasma TV. Choosing between them really is a personal choice and you must find the best deal, you should go ahead and do your comparison shopping and enjoy the television set you bring home to watch all your favorite programming.

Power liquid consumption: crystal Plasma set TV. you Choosing are between not two offer plates as of LCD either televisions set are will receding. be This a means good either a LCD or Plasma TV, however when using an LCD you will not have to worry about screen burn in. • Portability: Plasma TVs offer you a sharper quality of picture with more details. • Screen burns: Plasma TVs offer you a lot in television viewing. Enjoy your shopping and enjoy the television set you bring home to watch all your favorite programming.

all HD your signals, comparison LCD a TVs, wall. LCD • you Angles with for the best solution for yourself. LCD TV: this set provides a screen life between 30,000 to 60,000 hours depending on the make and model. • Angles for viewing: Plasma TVs are not as lightweight or thin as LCD TVs, LCD televisions are much easier to move or mount on a wall.

An interesting story. I don’t want to get into drama here.

What do Tony Hawk, Bam Margera, Rob Dyrdek, and Ryan Sheckler have in common? They are all skateboarders with their own shows on MTV. Now I will give credit where credit is due. Thanks to them, skateboarding has sky rocketed in popularity. The Olympics of extreme sports, the X-Games air every year on ESPN just like the World Series or Super Bowl would. Contrary to what the “MTV Generation” believes, skateboarding wasn’t invented every Thursday night at 9 on Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory.

Sure on MTV you can see Bam throw himself from a moving car or Rob run around town with his bodyguards, does that have to do with skateboarding? I’m not sure. See my point yet? If MTV is going to exploit something for money and ratings, please at least respect its roots, and not just through a couple clowns on TV with a board and four wheels.

Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, Jay Adams. Ever hear of them? Of course you haven’t! That’s because you watch MTV too much. You want to learn the real history of skateboarding you need to watch Lords of Dogtown. I came across this movie playing on Starz the other night and really enjoyed it.

Lords of Dogtown is a biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The film brings to life the story of three Venice Beach, surfers Tony Alva, (played by Victor Rasuk), Stacy Peralta (played by John Robinson), and Jay Adams (played by Emile Hirsch) in the 1970’s, “before MTV”, as they unknowingly become the pioneers of skateboarding.

Skip Engblom (played by the late Heath Ledger) owns Zephyr Skate Shop in Venice Beach where he sells his own signature surfboards and skateboards. Skip gets a tip about some new polyurethane wheels that came out that he might be able to put on his boards. Intrigued, Skip decides to order a couple sets. Shop regular and local surfer, Sid (played by Michael Angarano) is asked to go round up some local kids to try out the new wheels.
Tony, Jay, and Stacy are among the twenty or so kids that Sid gathered for Skip to test the wheels. Amazed at what the kids can do with the new wheels, Skip comes up with the idea to put together a skate team. He called the team Z-Boys. The team proves to be a huge success, with Stacy, Jay, and Tony winning a majority of the local contest.

Even though the Z-Boys were having fun skating, surfing was still their first love. With Venice Beach in a drought and no rain for the pier to produce waves, Stacy, Jay, and Tony had to find another way to keep themselves entertained. No rain also means swimming pools couldn’t be filled for the summer. Remember when Rob Dyrdek skateboarded in his pool? Well this is where he got the idea. Using this opportunity, the boys started sneaking into peoples’ swimming pools to skate in. Because of how much skating in the pool felt like surfing, they called it a concrete wave.

After winning many major contests across the country, Stacy, Jay, and Tony start getting attention from major skating companies, The Z-Boys become famous. They started appearing in various skateboard magazines and getting a lot of TV offers. Skip threw a party at his skate shop to celebrate all the success the Z-boys were having. A skateboard company owner named Topper Burks (played by Johnny Knoxville) shows up at the party. Topper only comes to the party with intentions of taking the boys away from Skip.

Topper manages to convince Tony that Skip is only in it for himself, and that he his holding him back. Topper promises Tony that he will make him famous worldwide. Tony takes him up on his offer and leaves Skip and his team behind. Seeing how much money Tony is making, Jay leaves the team too looking to cash in and help his mom pay rent on their apartment. Stacy is the last to leave the team, getting offers to skate full time and appear on the original Charlie’s Angels show.

The three boys become richer and more famous by the minute. Their lives have changed and now they are skating for money and not the love of it. Hey MTV sound familiar? The one time best friends have become enemies of some sort competing against each other in different event across the country. Before long everything starts to get out of control. In the most major skateboard championship of the year, Tony starts a fight with another skater in the middle of the show and gets knocked out almost ending his career. Jay leaves the skate team he was endorsing because they started selling cheap materials. Stacy won the whole competition leaving Tony and Jay jealous and upset at him.

With all that was going on in their lives they forgot where they came from. Back in Venice, the pier where the Z-boy first started, burned down and their friend Sid is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Skip shut down the shop and went back to what he loved, sanding and creating surfboards. Even though Stacy, Tony, and Jay have all gone their separate ways, they get together and decide to return home and visit Sid while they still have time. Sid’s farther after all these years still keeps the pool empty for the boys to skate in. Stacy, Tony, and Jay skate the pool and decide to bring Sid in the pool on his wheel chair, bringing back all the memories they had before they started the Z-boys.

Tony Alva went on to be a very successful pro skater and still to this day is known to sneak into people’s back yards to skate their pools. Stacy Peralta started his own skateboard company called Powell Peralta. His skate team debuted a 14-year-old named Tony Hawk. That name sounds familiar, I’m sure. As for Jay Adams, he skated for Stacy’s team for a couple years then decided to lay low after he realized that he had accomplished the only thing he set out to do from the beginning. That was to just have fun. Sid later died of his brain tumor. To this day his father’s pool is kept empty. Every year the three return to skate the pool. It is known as the Dog Bowl. Some call it the birthplace of skateboarding.

You can follow the sport and other extreme sports on ESPN, ESPN2, and watch the Lords of Dogtown on Starz, all in stunning high-definition of Dish Network. Dish Network offers the most HD programming and the most extreme offers in the Satellite TV industry. Check out You Tube for some really great skateboarding videos, if you’re stuck with dialup check out what WildBlue Satellite Internet can do to get you flying on the web.

Conservation Media has moved it’s blog to conservationmedia.com. This is the place on the web where filmmaking and conservation intersect.

I must apologize that I’ve been a bit late with familiarizing myself about High Definition (HD) videos (Bluray) and, of course, HDTV. The reason has nothing to do with my interest as I would be ecstatic to have a nice LCD sitting in my living room as opposed to my aging CRT. It’s more of an economic excuse… but that’s for another blog.

I recall the first plasma screens showing up at home shows back in the 90s… boy, was I impressed. Most of the demos were of wildlife and nature… nice closeups of sea creatures crawling along the ocean floor or a bunch a toucans in front of some lush jungle eating colorful berries. The price was outrageous so that was the end of my viewing experience.

Lately I’ve had the chance to watch a few Bluray movies as well as spend some time viewing several LCD screens and I’ve made a startling discovery… HD can be ugly!

Case in point, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This Disney classic has been tweaked a number of times over the years but now its available in Blueray format. It looks to be over-focused. The feature no longer has the easy, flowing animation along with the warm colors of the past. It appears hard and the animation now looks like a collection of those animated flip books that used to be around when I was a kid. Alas, it is now destroyed.

People can be pretty rough in high-definition as well. Those flawless Hollywood starlets now show their very human facial shortcomings including wrinkles, pock marks from puberty, and puffy bags beneath the eyes.

Same goes with the talking heads I see on the nightly news. I read that they digitally smooth the faces of folks but it appears to be used sparingly on the shows that I watch.

On the other hand HD programming is like crack for the eyes. As soon as its gone, it’s noticeable. Standard definition is like giving a starving dog a rubber bone in the world of HD. Kind of similar to drinking that watered down orange drink I used to get in military school.

Imagine the hurdles that await me when they start selling holographic televisions…

High Definition projection is a definite step forward when you want to have a home theatre that rivals the best commercial theatres.

The specifications for an HD projector are well defined, so you know exactly which projector is a full HD projector and which one isn’t. Just by looking at the specifications.

now that we have determined that an HD projection screens. There is no industry standard that determines which projection screen would then be HD, but with a standard projector it would not be high definition. Nor is that possible, because with an HD projection, the structure will be visible. This is not only annoying, but takes the realism out of the movies you project. If you look for when you want to have a home theatre that rivals the best commercial theatres. The specifications for an HD projector and which one isn’t.

Just by looking at the specifications. Projection screens are cheap, but rarely offer a level of planarity that results in a distortion-free projection. 2. A smooth fabric. Some fabrics are coarse in the sense that the projection layer sprayed onto the carrier material has a clear structure. This interferes with the projection, since with an HD projection screen or displayed on a site. And, if possible, visit a showroom where you can see what the projector puts out, it’s hard to compare. Especially when you add the impact of ambient light to the equation.

(ambient light is all light that is not only annoying, but takes the realism out of the movies you project. If you look at these two factors, you are guaranteed to have a home theatre that rivals the best commercial theatres. The specifications for an HD projector and which one isn’t. Just by looking at the specifications. Projection screens are a different story all together. There are no HD projection screen would then be HD, but with a standard projector it would not be high definition. Nor is that possible, because with an HD projection, the structure will be visible.

This is not only annoying, but takes the realism out of the movies you project. If you look at these two factors, you are guaranteed to have a perfect projection screen. Don’t believe HD or HD ready labels stuck onto a projection screen can only reflect what the material is like, without ever leaving your home.