Columns

Scribble Works Reviews: ‘Pacific Rim’

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Naftali Burakovsky, left, and Lorenzo Venneri

Scribble Works Reviews
By LORENZO VENNERI and NAFTALI BURACOVSKY

Pacific Rim: The Best Game of the Year

Guillermo del Toro, famous for his critically acclaimed contributions to Mexican cinema (Pan’s Labyrinth) and infamous for down and dirty action like Hellboy and Blade II, returns to the action arena with Pacific Rim, which we award an Alpha.

The story follows the pilots of giant war machines as they battle to overcome an alien threat from beneath the Pacific Ocean. Make no mistake, watching Pacific Rim will not change the way you think. It will Read More

Column: Multiple Sclerosis and Exercise

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Fitness Column

Multiple Sclerosis and Exercise
By KENT PEGG
 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system.

Myelin, a lipoprotein that provides a protective cover for the nerves, is destroyed, leading to a disruption of nerve function. This disruption causes numerous symptoms including muscle weakness, tingling or numbness, stiffness, awkward movements, loss of coordination, poor balance, and affected gait. Additionally, MS can cause visual disturbances like loss of vision, blurred vision, or double vision, and sensitivity to heat, chronic fatigue Read More

Column: Vitamin C and the Skin

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Skincare Column
By JUNE ENGLISH
 
Vitamin C and the Skin

Topical vitamin C is effective in preventing skin damage and treating compromised skin.

The antioxidant is essential for healthy skin, but is not produced by the human body. For this reason, skin care regimens must be supplemented with topical vitamin C products. However, just because a product label lists vitamin C as an ingredient doesn’t mean it contains it in a bio-available form.

In fact, L-ascorbic acid is the only form of vitamin C that’s effectively assimilated into the body topically and orally. However, L-ascorbic Read More

Yang: Sometimes It’s A Lot Easier To Know Why…

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Sometimes It’s A Lot Easier To Know Why, But A Lot Harder To Know How
By ELENA YANG

Saying management should build “trust” is like saying, “Buy low and sell high.” It’s a no-brainer…till you try to execute the principle. 

Of course, we can always find some amongst the managerial ranks who’d say, “Trust, shmust … I don’t care how you do it, just get it done. I don’t have the luxury of building trust.”  And indeed, building trust takes a long time, without guaranteed positive outcomes. Further, any managerial slip, let alone a colossal mishap, could instantly diminish the trust savings account. Read More

Scribble Works Reviews: ‘R.I.P.D.’

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Naftali Burakovsky, left, and Lorenzo Venneri

Scribble Works Reviews
By LORENZO VENNERI and NAFTALI BURACOVSKY

R.I.P.D. Should Rest in Peace

To be honest, we expected director Robert Schwentke’s R.I.P.D (Omega) to be terrible just from watching the trailers. But we walked into it with an open mind and not expecting too much. We just wanted a fun summer blockbuster and this film seemed to have the necessary ingredients: comedy, grand action, famous actors, and the undead.

This hope vanished instantly. Almost every aspect of the film was a failure. In the beginning, we were hoping to have a good Read More

Hygea Health Bite: Health-Wrecking Ingredients to Avoid like the Plague

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Hygea Health Bite: Health-Wrecking Ingredients to Avoid like the Plague
By: Lisa Bakosi, CHC

My favorite post on Facebook this week said, “You are what you eat – so don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake.” 

That’s easier said than done in this crazy, fast-paced world we live in. While it may not be possible to home-cook 100 percent of our meals, simply avoiding the following “health wreckers” will go a long way in protecting you and your family. The only commitment you need to make is to flip over the package and read the label. You can do it!

Noteworthy health wreckers to avoid…

  • •GMOs– GMO stands
Read More

Solo Traveler: Guides

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Solo Traveler: Guides
Column by SHERRY HARDAGE

In most areas of the world, tour companies provide both a good driver and a tour guide for each busload of passengers.

While most of the drivers are excellent, the tour guides can be great, mediocre or just plain charlatans.

I went on a tour in 1985 from Delhi to the Taj Mahal. The guide was a young lady who spoke heavily accented English, very fast. I had read several books to get an idea what we would be seeing and knew a lot about the history of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The guide got dates and even names incorrect and seemed to make up answers when people Read More

How the Hen House Turns: Strolling Coyote, Poncho and Raccoons

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How the Hen House Turns
Column by Carolyn A. (Cary) Neeper, Ph. D.

Strolling Coyote, Poncho and Raccoons

The coyotes are back in Walnut Canyon, far off somewhere. Or it could be Pueblo Canyon that reverberates with their cascading chorus of high yips at 3-5 a.m. every day this week.

Their concert reminds me of the days in the ’70s when a singular coyote haunted our neighborhood with his tortured sopranino yodeling

One day Strolling Coyote came by, the one who sang as if being strangled, who also made a habit of moving along the back fence, setting all the neighborhood dogs to barking their heads Read More

Food on the Hill: Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Maple Syrup Drizzle

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This week’s recipe:
 
Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Maple Syrup Drizzle
 
Photo by Sue York/ladailypost.com
 
Makes two large pies.
 
2 large graham cracker pie crusts
1 quart of vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
2 ½ cups of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups of heavy whipping cream, sweetened
REAL maple syrup
 
Get the two crusts ready for the filling (take them out of the packaging.) If you are making your own crusts make sure they are cooled and ready.  Before starting prepare the room in the
Read More

Yang: Targeted Learning, Meandering Learning…

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Targeted Learning, Meandering Learning: Exploitation vs. Exploring Learning In Organizational Context
By ELENA YANG

Exploration learning is associated with experiment, discovery, play, risk … and long-term perspective. 

Exploitation learning is associated with refinement, efficiency, production, execution…and short-term perspective. An organization that fails to properly balance the allocation of resources between these two will eventually face some crises. For instance, emphasis on exploration learning is likely to yield anemic profits, and focusing only Read More