JD Blackstar

Flustrated

2011-02-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

*Flustrate, Flustrated:

variant of Flusterate, Flustrated

A Twenty first century amalgam of the words frustrate and fluster

–verb (used with object)

to make (plans, efforts, etc.) worthless or of no avail;defeat; nullify: The student's indifference frustratedthe teacher's efforts to help him.

to disappoint or thwart (a person): a talented woman whom life had frustrated.

–verb (used without object)

to become frustrated: His trouble is that he frustrates much too easily.

–adjective

frustrated.

–verb (used with object)

to put into a state of agitated confusion: His constant criticism flustered me.

to excite and confuse with drink.

–verb (used without object)

to become agitatedly confused.

–noun

nervous excitement or confusion.

*Source: Faux dictionary.com

Flustration comes in many shapes and forms. The following article arguably has points that need to be fine tuned, but overall it's a straight forward and accurate assessment of why many aren't seeing the nutrition and fitness results they desire:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/28/exercise.reboot/index.html?eref=rss_health&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+rss/cnn_health+(RSS:+Health)

A couple of key areas that the article should have espoused more were that of realistic goal setting and monitoring your progress towards said goals. Such practices don't just apply to nutrition and fitness. They're applicable to most facets of our lives. The overwhelming majority of instances in which we've failed to meet a stated goal or task (e.g. passing an exam) wasn't because we lacked the ability. Rather, it was usually the lack of a structured plan to meet said goal (e.g. modular studying).

It's important to remember that setting realistic goals doesn't mean you can't eventually reach a more grandiose one. By setting, monitoring and meeting smaller (short term) goals you're far more likely to meet or even exceed larger ones. This methodology is a well proven stratagem for surmounting flustration. We just need to be reminded of it every now and then. Now, if only I could convince myself not to get flustrated over fitting blogging into my regular schedule.

Ks3 (Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

Screening, Lung Cancer and Menthol Cigarettes

2010-11-06T01:20:00.000-07:00

In March of this year (2010) my brother in law and close friend died from Lung Cancer at the relatively young age of 55. He was an extremely well rounded, intelligent and charismatic individual. He maintained the balance of academia and autodidactism that's ironically becoming a scarce commodity in the information age. Having said qualities, he was fully cognizant of the fact that his smoking habit (menthols were his cigarettes of choice) could severely limit his life span. In the 25 years that I knew him he made several attempts to quit smoking (using myriad methodologies). He exercised regularly, ate a well balanced diet and passed his routine check-ups with flying colors. So when I heard about the proposed use of CT scans to detect Lung Cancer it forced me to ruminate over its potential efficacy: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/health/research/05cancer.html?ref=health

Clearly smoking isn't an easy addiction to overcome. Smoking cessation is a billion dollar industry in and of itself: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104949.php

This isn't surprising given how much research and development appears to have been used to create and maintain loyal (read addicted) users:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090110085918.htm

http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/12/4/398.short

It's no secret that smoking is "...bad for you..." and that you should never start. Regardless, prohibition will not, nor in my opinion should it, be used to prevent smoking. Once the protocols are perfected having CT scans as an additional diagnostic tool could give individual smokers much early warnings. That said, it could also give some smokers a false sense of security. At the end of the day, smoking prevention/education and finding an effective cessation methodology continue to be the most powerful weapon against cigarette impelled lung cancer.

A few breakfast options/substitutions. Most contain whole foods and are minimally processed

2010-03-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

A few breakfast options/substitutions. Most contain whole foods and are minimally processed.

Yogurts (preferably plain):

Greek Yogurt

Cascade Fresh

Horizons

Brown Cow

Steel Cut oats :

Bob’s Red Mill

Trader Joe’s

McCann’s

Bacon :

Applegate Farms

Niman Ranch

Trader Joe’s

Eggs

Admittedly, there are issues with what constitutes free range and humanely kept chickens. That being said, most of us don’t have access to freshly laid eggs and from a health standpoint the following types of eggs are more ideal:

Free range

Free range flax seed fed

Protein bars :

Lara Bars

Luna Bars and Clif Bars

Organic Food bars

We'll be posting more options during the week. If you have any specific questions or suggestions feel free to post them on the event wall.

Grass fed Beef and other meats

2010-03-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

The debate over the composition and benefits of Grass fed Beef versus Grain fed Beef has garnered a substantial amount of publicity over the past couple of years. There have been myriad empirical studies carried out and published about Grass Fed Beef. All meat is definitely not created/grown equally. As an unapologetic Omnivore meat is a staple of my diet. That said, the quality and origins of the meat that I typically ingest is of supreme import.

The majority of arguments center around whether or not Grass Fed Beef is healthier and more environmentally friendly than the commercially processed Grain fed Beef. The overwhelming majority of empirical and, admittedly less persuasive, anecdotal evidence leans strongly in favor of Grass Fed Beef. Grass Fed Beef may be slightly more expensive, but it's naturally leaner contains significantly higher levels of both Omega 3 fatty acid and linoleic acid.

The following hubpage contains quite a bit of useful information on the subject:

http://hubpages.com/hub/epicureanhealth

A few issues that the page didn't address is that many commercial farms are now attempting to fool consumers into believing that their Beef is grass fed. What's often done is that they will give the cattle access to both grains, corn, and grass. Thereby, circumventing the current rules and regulations about organically grown animals. The truth is in the meat itself. One simple method of recognizing Grass Fed Beef is by looking at the fatty tissue that surrounds the meat. Instead of being white like your typical corn fed beef it will yellow. Grass Fed ground beef is typically more dense as well.

It can be difficult to find Grass Fed Beef in supermarkets. Moreover, the ubiquitous problem of confusing food labels rears it's head again. Fortunately, there are resources, such as the following to help:

http://www.foodrenegade.com/decoding-supermarket-beef-labels/

Not unlike the arguments made by proponents of High Fructose Corn Syrup there will continue to be arguments for Grain fed Beef. Fortunately, there's even stronger empirical evidence to support the merits of Grass Fed Beef over the Grain Fed variety. It may be slightly more expensive but when you factor in the health benefits Grass Fed Beef is clearly a healthy component to an omnivorous diet.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

Complementary vs homeopathic medicine

2009-10-29T22:06:00.000-07:00

Complementary and homeopathic medicine are terms that are often used interchangebly; However, there is a distinct difference between complementary medicine and classic homeopathy.

Complementary Medicine, such as the use of leeches: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12233807

Complementary Medicine, while unorthodox, can be measured empirically using scientific methodology. Conversely classic homeopathic treatments consist of typically toxic substances being diluted thousands of times over in water or alcohol. Such treatments have been proven to be ineffective and could delay truly beneficial treatments.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_2_1x_What_is_Homeopathy_.asp

The following article is what prompted me to repost my brief statement above (I originally posted it on my Facebook page):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/26/AR2009102602456.html

The debate surrounding vaccination is more complicated than CDC sometimes makes it out to be. Never the less the above referenced article indicates the dangers of not being able to differentiate complementary medicine that may well have merit with that of junk science. Classic homeopathy is clearly junk science that can have dire consequences when used in lieu of valid precautions and preventative measures.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

Obstructive vs Constructive criticism of the Obama administration

2009-03-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

April 20th will mark the third official month of the Obama administration. Ninety days is the probationary period for many positions and the current administration has received consistently high approval ratings. Although that analogy doesn't realistically hold with the being the elected President of the United States, it's worth noting because this very young administration appears to be one the most scrutinized ones ever. Outside of the faux pas remark made by Obama about his bowling skills, the only major mistake has been his casual dismissal of the regulation of marijuana as a viable source of income (an issue which I will address in a separate blog). That being said, Obama and his administration appear to be making a veritable attempt to address all the variables in the current economic crisis.

Some strategems and tactics are better than others. Some will work and others will fail. What appears to be truly different about this administration is that they are open to suggestions (with the possible exception that I previously alluded to). Regardless, there is a small but vociferous percentage of people, many of them politicians, who criticize the administration's politices without offering any alternative ones. Some have even publicly expressed a desire to see the administration fail. Which begs the question, is being an obstructionist anti-patriotic?

One could certainly make an argument that our economic crisis is an infinitely greater danger than extremist ideologues. Individuals and groups who, often rightfully, questioned the tactics and overall strategy of the previous administration were often villified and constantly had their patriotism questioned. Perhaps a more logical, but equally stringent criticism of the current administrations obstructionists is required. If only to spur them to either "...put up or shut up.."

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD

Critical thinking...aka looking out for B.S.

2009-03-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

Let me begin by stating that my focus for 2009, in both the "real world" and "cyberspace" is espousing critical thought. Some have accused me of thinking too critically. Regardless, I have decided to, tactfully, filter my thoughts about any given subject less. Since one of my goals is to help others learn to think more critically I would be remiss by not to being forthcoming in this area. Contrary to the belief of many of the people I have encountered of late, becoming more skeptical and empirical does not inherently lead to group thought. What typically occurs is quite the opposite! I love to debate and debate in its highest form consists of clashing critical thoughts.

In any event, I'm going to share my recent encounter with one of the well known dangers of the Internet. That being unregulated online pharmaceutical sites. Admittedly, the FDA leaves much to be desired and is in desperate need of an overhaul; however, these pharmaceutical sites typically operate beyond the jurisdiction of the FDA. That means it is incumbent upon individuals and or online businesses that encounter sites like these to repudiate them like any other spam or scam site. It is impossible to eliminate these types of sites, but they can be kept in check if members of the online community treat them as the potential dangers they are.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case with a site I came across while using a reputable referral site. I won't list the URL of the referral site nor, more importantly, will I list the pharmaceutical site. In case you're wondering what dangers are held by an unregulated prescription drugs site a short list follows:

no prescription required
no oversight by a medical professional
no confirmation of the drugs potency
drugs could be expired
drugs could be placebos
drugs could be inaccurately labeled

I voiced my concerns about the site and I'm hoping the listing will be removed. Which begs the question shouldn't such a site be automatically vilified in the same manner as obvious spam and scam sites are? If one thinks critically the answer is an emphatic yes!

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

Supporting the auto bail out can have a positive cascade effect

2008-11-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

It's understandable that many are reticent about bailing out the auto industry. Never the less there are myriad reasons to follow through with one. Three primary reasons are as follows: loss of millions of jobs, national security issues, and the potential to influence the focus of automobile technology. It appears that a bail out for GM, Ford, and possibly Chrysler, will be considered in a lame duck session. Regardless, the incoming administration will influence, and eventually control, how such a bail out will be enacted.

The incoming administration has strongly expressed a desire to significantly increase the number of environmentally friendly vehicles on US roadways. The President elect has also personally demonstrated a commitment to practice what he's been preaching. The only vehicle owned by the incoming first family is a Ford Escape Hybrid. That being said, a major requirement for bailing out the US auto industry can and should be the development of more hybrids, diesel engines (which will use bio diesel), and the research and development of cleaner vehicle technologies. The mandated research and development should include an area that is rarely, if ever, discussed. That being research into retrofitting cleaner fuel technology into older vehicles.

The focus on more efficient vehicles will also address the two other crucial reasons for the auto bail out. Not only will the direct and ancillary job losses be avoided, but there will likely be a net gain of new jobs. National security will be bolstered from the positive economic and environmental changes as well as the continued use of domestically designed and manufactured vehicles. As long as the unjust enrichment of executives is curtailed the auto industry bail out can be used as a positive step towards innovation.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD

Last minute comparisons of McCain and Obama health care pla

2008-11-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

The 2008 US presidential elections are less than 24 hours away. At this point in time there are few who are truly undecided. Never the less there are indeed some who are still contemplating which candidate to vote for(and some debating whether to vote at all). Despite all the acrimony and political vitriol that has been cast about I believe that two key issues will be the economy and health care. The differences between the two campaigns on the economic front is now clear to most rational people. The majority of individuals and small business owners, myself included, would gain more from the Obama's proposed plans.

The respective health care plans of McCain and Obama have been scrutinized quite as much. The good news is that they are both fairly straight forward and it should be clear which plan would be more advantageous for the majority of Americans. The following URLs' contain the details of each plan and will allow you to judge for yourself:

http://www.votegopher.com/issueHomePage.php?issue=12
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/pm126

As for myself, I again fall in line with the majority of individuals and small business owners and would benefit more from the Obama plan. Putting all the salacious and capricious political issues aside(e.g. supreme court decisions) I believe most of us should vote our pocketbooks to a significant extent this year.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

Becoming cognizant of high fructose corn syrup

2008-10-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

High fructose corn syrup has begun to gain national attention here in the United States. This has occurred in large part due to a marketing campaign instituted by corn distributors and lobbyists. Their commercials extol that high fructose corn syrup, or hfcs for short, is safe in moderation. They base these claims on studies that did not find a considerable difference between the physiological effects caused by hfcs as opposed the the effects caused by other sweeteners such as cane sugar. Hfcs supporters often claim that there is little or no empirical research that point to potential dangers of hfcs. It is a fact that there is limited body of research about hfcs; however, within the limited research data available about hfcs there is enough information available that should concern the average consumer and prompt certain segments of the population to outright avoid hfcs (which, as I will point out, is not an easy task).

According to some studies, individuals with bowel function disorders (e.g. IBS, Crohn's), ingestion of fructose can be a major catalyst for flare ups. Hfcs in particular was demonstrated to cause flare-ups in over 70% of the participants in the following study:
Austrialian GI/HFCS study

A study conducted in 2005 suggested a correlation between insulin sensitivity and hfcs:
Insulin resistance study

A study published the previous year in the JAMA suggested a link between the ingestion of sugar sweetened beverages (most of which contain hfcs) type II diabetes:
JAMA sugar study

Perhaps there is some cause for concern. Like most things moderation is the key. Right? That sounds like a reasonable plan of action. Is it possible to ingest hfcs in moderation? Unfortunately, you cannot avoid hfcs without becoming fully cognizant of the constituent ingredients in everything you eat or drink. Hfcs is ubiquitous! It's often used as preservative in foods, such as whole wheat breads, that many "health conscious" individuals eat without a second thought. So how do you become more knowledgeable of hfcs you may ask. Admittedly, most of the information that is critical of hfcs is subjective. Never the less there are some fairly reputable resources that can help assist you.

The following URL's contain information about brand names foods that do not contain hfcs:

http://stophfcs.com/list.html
http://highfructosehigh.com/
http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php?cat=304

Due to a dearth of directed studies, the jury is still out on how detrimental hfcs is. Some people have equated it's possible dangers and the corn industry's response to those possible dangers to the tobacco industry of the mid 20th century. While it may not be as egregious as tobacco, there is enough information to prompt the average person to limit it's intake and for some populations to eliminate it from their diet altogether. Just remember that, unlike tobacco, it takes a much greater conscious effort to eliminate hfcs from your life. You must learn to read labels of all the food that you ingest and become more knowledgeable of the ingredients in foods and drinks that aren't conveniently labeled.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

Mis-information goes global

2008-10-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

Well before the age of digital communications half-truths and out right falsehoods have been able to spread rapidly. Our current technologies can almost instantaneously transform a fantasy into a fact. There is an abundance of misinformation spread throughout the Internet. By far the largest culprit is the forwarded "chain" email. It's content ranges from true stories that have been inadvertently altered to outright lies and hoaxes.

Most individuals are too rational to believe patently false assertions. Clearly Obama is not secretly a radical Muslim nor is McCain a Manchurian candidate. Regardless, many people are more easily deceived by the information they have received by email because written words(especially when nicely spell checked) appear to add a degree of veracity to the information. Fortunately, there are resources available to help people sort through all the (mis)information they're constantly bombarded with. The following sites are not infallible (somewhat biased in my estimation), but are never the less useful in determining rumors:

www.snopes.com
http://skepdic.com

The next two sites are excellent resources for determining hoaxes:

http://www.hoaxbusters.org
http://www.hoax-slayer.com

Once we have discovered the origins and history of a story it is incumbent upon us as individuals to weigh every aspect of a "true" story, tall tale or hoax. True stories may remain open to interpretation and context. A tall tale or hoax may contain some important aspects of truth within it, or it could simply be an outright mendacity.

The next time you're shocked by an incredulous email, text, or other multimedia message, stop before you blindly forward it. Think about its content for a moment. If you have any doubts make a search to prove whether or not it has any validity. Once you have more information about the story you can then make an informed and intelligent decision about its total authenticity. If it's true then you can be confident in passing the story along. If it's false or a misrepresentation of facts you'll have the ammunition to set the record straight.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar

JD Blackstar

2008-10-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

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Cyber Vociferous

2008-09-24T02:20:00.000-07:00

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had access to “cyberspace” since the late 1980’s. At that time there were two principal internet providers, CompuServe and America Online. Mosaic (the progenitor of Netscape) had not been created so there were no graphic browsers. All exchanges were text based and there were fairly strict codes of etiquette shared and agreed upon by most people who were “online”. As with all things change was inevitable. Due to the advent of HTML and the rapid growth and evolution of computer technology various rules of etiquette came and went.

Many of the behavioral shifts were for the better. Individuals of varied cultural, political and economic backgrounds were able to interact in a manner that never previously existed. While there are many positive aspects to this phenomenon there are, unfortunately, quite a few negatives as well. One of these negatives is something that I have given the nomenclature of Cyber Vociferous.

Cyber Vociferous are individuals or groups who normally adhere fervently to the “norms” of society. They would never openly make pejorative statements about other genders, ethnic or cultural groups outside of their own. They maintain a facade of civility and tolerance. However, with the illusion of anonymity that the internet now provides, there are millions of these individuals who believe they have carte blanche to espouse patently negative views. Were their identities not being shielded they would never make such statements.

We’ve all seen bulletin boards that mention an event that should have no relation to ethnicity, yet ethnic slurs and comments are attached to it. For example, a successful and highly responsible college student was missing for several days. His parents were, rightfully, concerned that he was involved in some type of accident. The authorities initially suggested that he had probably just decided to take a spontaneous trip without telling them or his girlfriend and did not classify him as priority. At the prodding of his friends and family the authorities began mounting a search, but were unable to locate him. As it turned out he was involved in automobile accident and his vehicle went into an embankment. He had been injured and trapped inside his vehicle for several days. Incredibly, he eventually managed to free himself and make it to safety.

When this was posted on news bulletin boards most of the comments were supportive and positive. Never the less, because the student was an ethnic minority there was a plethora of negative and outrageous comments made about the case. Issues that were not the least bit germane to what should have been a positive story of triumph and survival nearly tarnished it. The significant number of specious comments that were made detracted from a story that most people would see as a "feel good" story.

Some who perpetrate this type of behavior do so without being cognizant of how many impressionable minds will be exposed to this negative behavior. They believe they’re “just having a little fun”. Of course there are many who do this because they have found an outlet to express their negative beliefs to an audience that they would not normally have access to. One may ask what can or should be done one. Outright censorship is not solution to Cyber Vociferous nor can it be ignored. What can and should happen is that individuals who make such comments should be corrected bereft of acrimony. Nothing is more disarming than when someone is admonished without the visceral reaction they are looking to illicit.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD