Stem Cell blogged

Well my fellow Neoseekers, I'm going to share with you all a bit of my private life. I have done this only once before by uploading a pic of myself for all of Neoseeker to see, but that was about 7 years ago so it's lost in Loungin for now. Muahaha! Anyway, here is my fish tank, conveniently hosted via YouTube. Please feel free to comment on it. It took money, time, patience, fish deaths, but in the end... fish are just a terrific pet to have. The constant sound of water flowing while in bed going to sleep is great and it really takes the daily stress of life off your mind. Who needs to think about work when I get to sit and watch my fish? Enjoy.



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Well people, Nip/Tuck has finally ended. The series finale aired Wed, Mar 3 at 10:00pm and ended 11:00pm. The last shot of Nip/Tuck was Christian at a bar picking up a girl. It's fitting, as without him the show just wouldn't of been Nip/Tuck at all. He learned from all these years at McNamara/Troy that Sean needed to be on his own and he let that happen. Christian finally let go of the person he needed and loved most in his life. I'd say it was a good finale to a great show. It will be missed.



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White House: No guarantee taxes won't go up
Budget deficit needs to be tamed and health reform paid for, officials say




Sun., Aug 2, 2009


WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's treasury secretary on Sunday said he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit and his chief economic adviser would not dismiss raising them on middle-class Americans as part of a health care overhaul.

As the White House sought to balance campaign rhetoric with governing, officials appeared willing to extend unemployment benefits. With former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan saying he is "pretty sure we've already seen the bottom" of the recession, Obama aides sought to defend the economic stimulus and calm a jittery public.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers both sidestepped questions on Obama's intentions about taxes. Geithner said the White House was not ready to rule out a tax hike to lower the federal deficit; Summers said Obama's proposed health care overhaul needs funding from somewhere

"There is a lot that can happen over time," Summer said, adding that the administration believes "it is never a good idea to absolutely rule things out, no matter what."

'We have to bring those deficits down'
During his presidential campaign, Obama repeatedly vowed "you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime." But the simple reality remains that his ambitious overhaul of how Americans receive health care — promised without increasing the federal deficit — must be paid for.

"If we want an economy that's going to grow in the future, people have to understand we have to bring those deficits down. And it's going to be difficult, hard for us to do. And the path to that is through health care reform," Geithner said. "We're not at the point yet where we're going to make a judgment about what it's going to take."

Selling that proposal, however, has proved tricky

"Most private forecasters — and let's use their judgment — suggest you're going to see unemployment start to come down maybe beginning in the second half of next year," Geithner said, adding those same economists predict positive growth during the second half of this year.

At the same time, Geithner and other administration officials are contemplating how to ask Congress to extend — again — unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in recent months. The proposal drew measured support from Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.

"We need to take care of those who are unemployed, but we also need to make sure they get jobs," he said.

Continued...


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Between the Neohome, the Gallery, Posting and contributing to CRS, Neoseeker sure does have a lot for anyone to do these days. Back in 2001 when I first joined it was nothing but message boards... Now, if I get bored of one thing I just go to the next. Over the past 3 months I've built up this profile from the bare minimum of my location and half-a-Neohome to 1400+ Neopoints from contributing to the movies section, 200+ images in my gallery of anything that has ever interested me and more to come, and i'm on my way to finishing my Neohome although I still have more ideas to think of for it.

The point is, even when i'm bored with one thing i'm off to the next. This is one hell of a website Redemption and the Neo Staff has created for us. Why am I so addicted to this place? Does anyone else feel the same way I do about Neo?

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Earth


Synopsis: The story of three animal families and their amazing journeys across the planet we all call home. The film combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planets wildest and most elusive creatures.

I'm just wondering - who is planning on seeing this documentary? I believe it's going to be a very well made movie and i'm excited to see how it's gonna play out April 22. I'm going to try and see it in an iMax theater to get the best view of the images they shot that I can. Neoseeker Movie Information



   
  

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Reign Over Me
Further Info: MSN Movies


A Few Words
I invite anyone reading this blog to see this excellent movie. In the beginning, you laugh. In the middle, your confused and frustrated. Toward the end, you cry. Not literally, but all of you will experience a very wide range of emotions throughout this entire movie. The cast is great. Adam Sandler isn't Adam Sandler in this movie, he's Charlie Fineman and he makes you believe it. Don Cheadle was a great choice to play the "got it all together" kinda guy who finds Charlie and helps him get past recent events, all the while realizing that he himself needs to be a better husband. All in all, I was very surprised that I enjoyed myself as much as I did while I watched this movie. When I rented it from Blockbuster, I was expecting an OK flick, something I could watch and maybe have a good laugh or two. But I was wrong, this wasn't just a flick, it was a great movie. Do yourself a favor and rent this ASAP.

Synopsis
A chance run-in with an old college roommate becomes the catalyst for healing in writer/director Mike Binder's tale of friendship and understanding in post-9/11 New York. When the Twin Towers went down on that fateful morning in 2001, Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler) lost everything that he had to live for. Five years have passed since Charlie lost his family, and now the once-successful and sociable man has become a withdrawn shadow of his former self. When fate brings Charlie and his former college roommate Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) together once again on a Manhattan street corner, Alan is shocked to see just how far his old friend has fallen. Though on the surface it would appear that Alan has it all, the pressures of his family and career have been weighing heavily on the successful dentist and loving father's shoulders as of late. At that pivotal moment when Charlie and Alan both need a trusted friend to help them work through the seemingly insurmountable challenges they face in life, the restorative power of a rekindled friendship provides just the lifeline needed to move forward into the future with hope and optimism. Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, and Donald Sutherland co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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A Citizen-Politician. Of the People, By the People, For the People

I just finished watching the entire video of Ronald Reagans speech and I just have to say - wow, he sure was a Great Communicator. I was glued to what he had to say the entire time, not once bored of his words or wanting to skip forward to a 'better part', because all of it was great. Reagan showed so much love for his country and portrayed it so clearly and thoughtfully throughout his speech, I felt like I had to share it with all of Neoseeker. His words echoed the true feeling of American Pride, i sure as hell felt it, and hopefully, so will you.





Text Version It's even better when you read it

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Sorry President Obama, No Teleprompters Allowed
There's no time for preperation in the House of Commons, you have to think fast and give your response. Good old fashioned debate.

State Opening of Parliament. Closing remarks of Prime Minister Gordon Brown during the 2007 Queen's Speech debate with Leader of the Opposition David Cameron in a sceptical similar to PMQs (Prime Minister's Questions). During the discussion, David Cameron refers to Brown in the first person, which is technically out-of-order in the House of Commons, but the Speaker doesn't do anything about it. When asked by Cameron about inheritance tax Brown gives an immediate and direct answer, however he then evades the question about the election that never was. I wonder why?



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Back in Texas, Bush enjoys a simpler life
Former president spends his days writing, cycling, watching baseball on TV


By: Eli Saslow

Sat., April 11, 2009



DALLAS - The new couple at 10141 Daria Place accepted an invitation to a neighborhood dinner party last month. The guest list totaled eight. The main dish was chicken potpie. George and Laura Bush left their cul-de-sac in the back of a dark sedan, exited through a Secret Service checkpoint and rode down streets bordered by lawn signs adorned with gigantic W's to welcome them home.

It had been a bad week for the country. President Obama spoke on television about the burdens he had inherited in office: anti-American sentiment, two wars, a recession. But it had been a good week at 10141 Daria Place. The Bushes shared stories over dinner about their return to Texas after eight years in Washington. They had improved their sprinkler system and hung custom-made green drapes. Neighbors had brought over homemade cookies and a potted houseplant.

Not until late in the dinner party did the former president speak in any depth about his two terms in the White House. He told one of his favorite stories, about a trip to Bucharest, Romania, in 2002. More than 200,000 people had come to hear him speak in a town square, he said. The sky turned dark. A cold rain fell. The Romanian president introduced him and — look at that! A huge rainbow emerged on the horizon, and the Romanians burst into applause.

"Magical," Bush said.

The presidency that is remembered on Daria Place bears little resemblance to the one that most of the country continues to blame for its problems. Bush left Washington on Jan. 20 with two-thirds of Americans disapproving of his job performance — one of the worst ratings ever for an outgoing U.S. president. In his return to private life, he has maintained tranquility by adhering to a basic philosophy: He lives squarely in the remaining 33 percent.

The 'L word'
Bush works with a dozen aides from his administration, socializes with friends he has known for decades and lives in a conservative neighborhood that voted for him — both times — by a ratio greater than 2 to 1. And while the rest of the world mulls and debates his legacy, Bush has told friends that he prefers not to use the "L word." He dismisses analysis of his presidency as premature, regrets little and refrains from engaging in the snippety back-and-forth between the Obama administration and Bush loyalists such as Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. Bush feels content with his presidency, friends said. Now he will try to explain his two terms by writing a book and building a presidential center at Dallas's Southern Methodist University so that history will have the means to judge him fairly.

"Over the course of being president for eight years, you become, in some respects, immune to all the noise out there," said Dan Bartlett, who was a senior aide to Bush for more than a decade. "He's secure in the place he's in. He's confident in the decisions he made. There's none of that 'Shoulda, woulda, coulda.' "

His security is maintained by a daily routine that, intentionally or not, barricades him from the disapproving two-thirds of the nation. The 43rd president spends most weekends with his wife at their isolated ranch in Crawford, Tex., where he likes to wake up early, roam the 1,600 acres with a chainsaw and cut new bike trails. Most of his weekdays are spent 95 miles north, in Preston Hollow, an upper-class section of Dallas where he lived for seven years before becoming governor of Texas in 1995. He has declined to give interviews, except to discuss baseball or his book, and neighbors remain silent so as not to violate his privacy.

About once each week, Bush travels to give a speech or raise money for his $300 million presidential center, but he always moves inside an insulated bubble. On a trip to Calgary, Alberta, last month, he flew into town on a private jet and ate in a private room at a restaurant with three friends and the Secret Service. Eighty police officers provided extra security and closed streets for his motorcade so that he could cruise through downtown to a luncheon where 1,500 guests had paid $400 to hear him talk about "eight momentous years in the Oval Office," according to the invitation. The 250 protesters who waited to catch a glimpse of Bush instead settled for hurling their shoes at his picture.

In Washington, Bush spoke longingly of a quiet post-presidency that would allow him to bring Laura coffee in bed and meander into work around 9 a.m., but he has struggled to slow down, friends said. Bush almost always arrives at his Dallas office by 7:30 a.m., a few minutes before many of his employees. He works on his book with the help of a speechwriter, leaves for a late afternoon bike ride and spends his evenings reading or watching televised golf or baseball. Neither he nor Laura likes to cook, so they have relied on food brought by friends or prepared meals from EatZi's, a local market.

Trout-filled lake
Their 1.13-acre property — valued at about $2.4 million — is cocooned by 40 acres of private land and a trout-filled lake. Two oak trees shade the front yard. The Secret Service occupies a house next door. Entrance into the cul-de-sac is restricted by a barrier of orange cones, two police cruisers and four Secret Service agents who scan the perimeter with binoculars. The Bushes plan to install a permanent gate outside the cul-de-sac later this year.

Until then, some neighbors have decided to treat 10141 Daria Place as just another house in Preston Hollow, despite all indications otherwise. The day after the Bushes arrived, the local Cub Scout troop visited their cul-de-sac as part of its annual drive to collect canned food. The troop's supervising parent, Nancy Burke, drove over to Daria Place a few days in advance to ask the Secret Service for clearance.

Sorry, the agents said.

Burke stopped by twice more and received the same answer before finally winning approval from a scheduling aide in Bush's office. An hour before she took the boys to Bush's house, Burke met with them to discuss logistics. Only 30 people could enter the cul-de-sac. The Scouts, ages 7 to 11, needed to wear their full uniforms. A raffle determined which two children would receive Bush's cans. Burke taught them how to talk to the media: "Think about their question before you speak." She demonstrated how to shake a president's hand. "Look him in the eye and shake firmly."

Just after 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 21, two nervous Cub Scouts approached Bush's front drive. As he opened the door, the former commander in chief could have been any Preston Hollow retiree donating cans that Saturday morning: 62, gray hair, loose slacks and a plastic bag filled with canned carrots. Except Bush wore a blue windbreaker with the presidential seal over the left breast, and Burke noticed the Secret Service agents eye the Scouts as they wrapped their arms around Bush and posed for pictures.

CONTINUED: 'Emotionally Overwhelming'

The Bushes departed Washington less than 90 minutes after Obama's inauguration. They boarded a helicopter and flew to Andrews Air Force Base, where 4,000 invited guests and military families waited in an airport hangar. The crowd waved American flags as Bush stepped to the lectern and said, "We served with conviction." Then he disappeared onto a charter plane, where about 75 friends and family members greeted him with a standing ovation.

As the plane flew toward Texas, the entire party jammed into the conference room to watch a video tribute. Beneath the clouds, television stations replayed Obama's inaugural address, a somber assessment of a country in "the midst of crisis." At cruising altitude, Bush's guests watched for 20 minutes as leaders including Bill Clinton, Barbara Bush and Tony Blair retold their fondest memories of Bush's presidency. White House staff members testified to his kindness; longtime friends recalled his courage and fortitude.

"There were a lot of people that got teary-eyed," said Israel Hernandez, a close friend of the Bushes. "It was emotionally overwhelming."

Bush landed in Midland, Tex., his home town, for a rally attended by 20,000 supporters and then spoke to 4,000 more in Waco. He told them that, when he looks in the mirror, he will "be proud of what I see." Then a helicopter took Bush to his ranch in Crawford, where he arrived just after dark.

"Since the moment he got back home, you can see that he is a much more relaxed, lighthearted person," said Jim Francis, one of Bush's closest friends. "He's in a place where people appreciate and understand him, and a lot of the stresses of being president are not things he's going to miss. The relief is visible to anyone who knows him. This is where he's comfortable."

Idyllic memories
The Bushes coveted a house in Preston Hollow because they remembered their previous stint in the neighborhood as idyllic, friends said. From 1988 to 1995, the couple lived on a block lined with oak trees and single-story houses, nice but unpretentious. Their twin daughters attended a private school nearby. Bush jogged outside in the morning, frequented the local pizza joint and hosted the neighborhood's annual Halloween party. At night, as the owner of the Texas Rangers, he attended baseball games with friends and contemplated an underdog run for governor. Why not? He had a famous name, popularity and his own booming career.

"Everybody — everybody — just loved him," said Mark Langdale, a former next-door neighbor who now oversees planning for Bush's presidential center.

Late in 2008, Laura found the couple's new house less than a mile north of their old block, in what Langdale described as a "stepped up" part of Preston Hollow. Laura loved the floor-to-ceiling bookcases that lined the hallways, the fireplace and the large windows with views of a football-field-shaped back yard. Bush never visited the property; on Laura's advice, he agreed they should buy it.

The Bushes have settled into a new routine at home, even as they write their own books and travel to give occasional speeches. Laura shops for furniture with Ken Blasingame, her friend and decorator, and plans to practice yoga. The former president tests new mountain biking trials and monitors his heart rate while he rides. Laura returned to Washington last month to speak at the funeral of a former White House employee but left hours later. Her husband stays in touch with former aides by e-mailing on his BlackBerry, a new toy.

The couple subscribe to the Dallas Morning News, which has written about their visit to a local elementary school and the standing ovation they received after finishing dinner with friends at Fernando's Mexican Cuisine. Even on days when the paper's front page is blanketed with difficult reminders of Bush's terms — deaths in Iraq, Osama bin Laden, the recession — the former president has told friends that he prefers the newspaper to his old morning reading: a stack of national security threats.

Bush rarely talks about his successor and he vows to support him. At his luncheon speech in Calgary, the former president said: "I'm not going to spend my time criticizing [Obama]. There are plenty of critics in the arena. He deserves my silence."

But Laura has one curiosity about the Obamas that she cannot shake, friends said. Before leaving the White House, she spent her own money to have two of her favorite chairs reproduced as a gift for the new first family. The original chairs, on loan from her friend Anne Johnson, are armless and chic, and Laura thought Michelle Obama would love them.

"Laura keeps asking about those chairs," Johnson said. "She's saying to me, 'Do you think they're using them? Do they like them? Oh, how could they not love those chairs?' "

CONTINUED: Policy institute

Bush has said that he expects to live at least 20 more years, and that he does not want to spend all his time dwelling on an eight-year presidency. He has placed the hopes for his future in plans for a 207,000-square-foot presidential center, which will feature a library for his archives, a museum and a policy institute.

The center is scheduled to open in 2013, but the policy institute will offer preliminary programs starting this fall. Bush plans to host scholars and world leaders who will ruminate about freedom, the economy and keeping the country safe. He and Laura will participate in their discussions regularly, aides said.

But first, Bush will focus on writing a book that explains his presidency in detail. He thinks his two terms will ultimately be judged on a series of major decisions: going to war with Iraq, selecting Cheney as a running mate and directing the response to Hurricane Katrina. The museum will offer an interactive tour of those key moments, so visitors can experience the decisions as Bush made them. His book, scheduled for release in 2010 by Crown, will focus on about a dozen major choices and the reasoning behind them, aides said.

Bush has already written more than 25,000 words, and a research assistant has been dispatched to the warehouse in Lewisville, Tex., that is temporarily storing his archives. In explaining the book to friends, Bush has reinforced that it is at least partly intended for future historians who will examine his presidency with fresh eyes. Bush told former White House press secretary Dana Perino that he had found comfort reading several biographies of George Washington. If the first president still required analysis, Bush joked, then what could the 43rd president have to worry about?

'Real verdict'
"There's a comfort that comes with knowing you probably won't be alive to see the real verdict on your presidency," said Kirbyjon Caldwell, Bush's friend and the pastor at Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston. "There's only so much he can control."

Bush is less concerned about the opinions of his current critics than those of future generations, Caldwell said. Last month, Bush visited an American government class at Southern Methodist University to lecture to a group of 19- and 20-year-olds, people who were not old enough to have voted for or against him. His appearance was planned one week in advance but kept secret until the moment he walked into a classroom flanked by the university president, vice president, three personal aides and the Secret Service. The 30 students were instructed to turn off their cellphones and put away their cameras until the end of class.

Bush spoke for the first 10 minutes about his presidential center and his new life in Dallas. The students, most of whom had described themselves as conservative on a class questionnaire at the beginning of the semester, treated Bush with respect, even reverence. He asked for questions. One student raised a hand.

How did you make your decisions in office?

The classroom windows were covered with white paper to prevent outsiders from peering in. Secret Service agents were standing guard. The students were too star-struck to take notes. Bush stood at the center of the classroom, at home in the 33 percent, and offered an early summation of his presidency.

You make your decisions based on principles, he said. And you never worry about popularity or polls.

Staff researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.


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Earths Natural Cycles
Here is my stance on Global Warming: not-man made, but it might actually be occuring. The thing is: Is this really bad for earth? In my belief, no. I have had this belief for many years now, but I want to share with you some information that could be of interest to readers out there who believe Global Warming isn't man made. These are all professional websites. I will only use reliable sources on this blog because I find opinion pages or other blogs can be shot down very easily because of bias, ignorance, and of course blatant lies. This is a warmup post, as more opinions on Global Warming are surely to come soon.

The Ignorant Approach
In my belief, it is our responsibility to clean up this planet as much as possible; to prevent the spread of pollution through common sense, reasoning, and actually getting initiatives and problem solving solutions accomplished. I also believe that many crazies and liberals actually go too far in their fight against pollution, as it gets in the way of manufacturing and business in the United States. The way in which our government is dealing with the problem, along with many republicans - is the wrong way. Combating pollution by 'buying up green credits' is such a waste of time. All it does is throw money at the situation and nothing ever really gets accomplished. If we want to solve global warming, we first have to tackle pollution. We're all going in the wrong direction here, yet no one cares to notice or do anything about it. Hopefully, someone will stand up soon and speak out against the ignorant approach we've taken so far. Maybe they will actually try to fight for initiatives that will preserve mother nature the right way. I will be closely following the Obama Administration in their fight against pollution, and will post any updates on this blog. Thank you for reading.

BTW - Buying a snowboard that says "go green" doesn't do anything to help the fight against Global Warming, go plant a tree.


The Global Warming Myth - Dr. Noah Robinson - Telecosm 2007
Video Found Here Contains Interesting Information

Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts?
By Timothy Ball
Monday, February 5, 2007
Source: Canadian Free Press


Scientists Respond to Gore's Warning of Climate Catastrophe
By Tom Harris
Monday, June 12, 2006
Source: Canadian Free Press



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I know companies are always trying to push the envelope to try and gain national attention for a new line of products just released - but this is just plain weird. I wouldn't buy Levi Jeans because of this, I just turn the channel. I guess it worked(being provocative) - as always, but I didn't get anything out of it, i'm not buying their jeans. BTW, I've been wanting to talk about this on Neoseeker since the first time I saw these commercials but have always forgotten. I got the idea to post this after reading Chad's blog about Gamestop commercials.


"Secrets and Lies"


"First Time"


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Michelangelo Buonarroti


In this blog, i'll be showcasing just a few of Michelangelos accomplishments during his time as a masterful renaissance painter. Below each painting you will notice a description and/or story. I got these descriptions from this website. Give it a look, and you'll notice it's filled with great information about Michelangelo's entire life. Also, check out The Digital Michelangelo Project, they have some weird stuff happening on that website. haha. Modern technology and Michelangelo, does it fit? Enjoy.




David
    The high point of Michelangelo's early style is the gigantic (4.34 m/ 14.24 ft) marble David (Accademia, Florence), which he produced between 1501 and 1504, after returning to Florence. The character of David and what he symbolizes, was perfectly in tune with Michelangelo's patriotic feelings. At the time, Florence was going through a difficult period, and its citizens had to be alert and mobilized to confront permanent threats. He used David as a model of heroic courage, in the hope that the Florentines would understand his message. This young Biblical hero demonstrated that inner spiritual strength can prove to be more effective than arms. His faith in God ("The Lord is my strength and my shield.") enabled this young shepherd to overcome Israel's enemies, using a mere sling, which is the only element in the composition enabling us to identify the figure of David.

    Michelangelo chose to represent David as an athletic, manly character, very concentrated and ready to fight. The extreme tension is evident in his worried look and in his right hand, holding a stone. The meaning of this David becomes fully clear if we take into consideration the historical circumstances of its creation. Michelangelo was devoted to the Republic, and wanted each citizen to become aware of his responsibilities and commit himself to accomplishing his duty.

    Michelangelo wrote in his diaries: "When I returned to Florence, I found myself famous. The City Council asked me to carve a colossal David from a nineteen-foot block of marble -- and damaged to boot! I locked myself away in a workshop behind the cathedral, hammered and chiseled at the towering block for three long years. In spite of the opposition of a committee of fellow artists, I insisted that the figure should stand before the Palazzo Vecchio, as a symbol of our Republic. I had my way. Archways were torn down, narrow streets widened...it took forty men five days to move it. Once in place, all Florence was astounded. A civic hero, he was a warning...whoever governed Florence should govern justly and defend it bravely. Eyes watchful...the neck of a bull...hands of a killer...the body, a reservoir of energy. He stands poised to strike."

    With this statue Michelangelo proved to his contemporaries that he not only surpassed all modern artists, but also the Greeks and Romans, by infusing formal beauty with powerful expressiveness and meaning.


Sistine Chapel
    In April 1508, Michelangelo was summoned back to Rome by Julius II, but he was still not able to start on the papal tomb. In fact Julius II had a new job for him: painting twelve figures of apostles and some decorations on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Buonarroti, who had always regarded himself as a sculptor, would now have to perfect the art of fresco. It seems that the pope had been advised to make this move by Bramante and other artists working at his court, who did not take kindly to Michelangelo's presence: "And this thing they did with malice, to distract the pope from matters of sculpture; and since they were sure that he, either by not accepting this undertaking, would turn the pope against him, or by accepting it would do much less creditable work than Raphael of Urbino, to whom, out of hatred for Michelangelo, they gave every support."

    At first, Buonarroti tried to turn down the commission, but in vain. And then, during the realization of the work, that mysterious liking that the artist and the pope had, at bottom, for one another yielded its fruit. Julius II let himself be swayed by Michelangelo's creative frenzy, and both were carried away by their enthusiasm over more and more ambitious plans. So, Michelangelo was given carte blanche: by October 31st, 1512, he had painted over 300 figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

    In May 1508, Michelangelo began to make the preparatory designs for the Sistine ceiling. It was not until the fall that he started the actual painting, calling on the assistance of Giuliano Bugiardini, Aristotele da Sangallo, and his old friend Francesco Granacci, along with a number of laborers.

    However the work did not proceed as the master wished, and he soon fired all of his assistants, removed what had already been painted and, between the end of 1508 and January 1509, recommenced the whole demanding enterprise on his own. Condivi recalls that "as a result of having painted for so long a time, keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling, he saw little when he looked down; if he had to read a letter or some other small thing, he was obliged to hold it above his head."

    Extremely jealous of his work, he refused to show it to anyone but the pope, though the latter was always insisting that he finish it quickly, and often climbed the scaffolding to see how the fresco was proceeding. The pressure on the artist was such that he uncovered it in August 1511, even before it was finished. The sight of these highly original paintings made a great impression on the artists of the time. Raphael, who was painting the nearby Stanze, was so influenced by them that his own style altered as a result, becoming more plastic and sculptural as the decoration proceeded.

    The project was physically and emotionally torturous for Michelangelo. Michelangelo recounts its effect on him with these words: "After four tortured years, more than 400 over life-sized figures, I felt as old and as weary as Jeremiah. I was only 37, yet friends did not recognize the old man I had become."

    Working high above the chapel floor, on scaffolding, Michelangelo painted, between 1508 and 1512, some of the finest pictorial images of all time. On the vault of the papal chapel, he devised an intricate system of decoration that included nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, beginning with God Separating Light from Darkness and including the Creation of Adam and Eve, the Temptation and Fall of Adam and Eve, and the Flood. These centrally located narratives are surrounded by alternating images of prophets and sibyls (Libyan, Erythraean) on marble thrones, by other Old Testament subjects, and by the ancestors of Christ. In order to prepare for this enormous work, Michelangelo drew numerous figure studies and cartoons, devising scores of figure types and poses. These awesome, mighty images, demonstrating Michelangelo's masterly understanding of human anatomy and movement, changed the course of painting in the West.



Moses
    Before the assignment of the Sistine Ceiling in 1505, Michelangelo had been commissioned by Julius II to produce his tomb, which was planned to be the most magnificent of Christian times. It was to be located in the new Basilica of St. Peter's, then under construction. Michelangelo enthusiastically went ahead with the challenging project, which was to include more than 40 figures, spending months in the quarries to obtain the necessary Carrara marble. Due to a mounting shortage of money, however, the pope ordered him to put aside the tomb project in favor of painting the Sistine ceiling.

    When Michelangelo went back to work on the tomb, he redesigned it on a much more modest scale. Nevertheless, Michelangelo made some of his finest sculpture for the Julius Tomb, including the Moses (c. 1515), the central figure in the much-reduced monument now located in Rome's church of San Pietro in Vincoli. The muscular patriarch sits alertly in a shallow niche, holding the tablets of the Ten Commandments, his long beard entwined in his powerful hands. He looks off into the distance as if communicating with God.

    Two other superb statues, the Bound Slave and the Dying Slave (both c. 1510-13), Louvre, Paris), demonstrate Michelangelo's approach to carving. He conceived of the figure as being imprisoned in the block (Third Captive). By removing the excess stone, the form was released. Here, as is frequently the case with his sculpture, Michelangelo left the statues unfinished (non-finito), either because he was satisfied with them as is, or because he no longer planned to use them.


Pieta
    Loneliness and sorrow were Michelangelo's companions in the last years of his life. His younger friends, Vittoria Colonna and Luigi del Riccio were already dead, and in 1556 his faithful servant Urbino died too. In this period, he insistently produced studies and drawings of the Crucifixion and the Lament over the Dead Christ.
    They were also the years of his last sculptures, including the Florentine Pietà, carved for his own tomb. Dissatisfied with his work, Michelangelo attacked the sculpture with a hammer, breaking off a leg and an arm from the figure of Christ and one of the Virgin Mary's hands. Another sculpture the so-called Rondanini Pietà, consisting solely of the figures of the Madonna and Christ, may have been begun by Michelangelo before 1550 but had remained unfinished.

    Now his friends - we are told by Vasari - had asked him to start work on it again "so that he could continue using his chisel everyday." Still perfectly lucid, the almost ninety-year-old Michelangelo created one of his most spiritual images, in which the Mother and Christ almost interpenetrate in an indissoluble union, beyond passion and physical death.


other musingsthoughts michelangelo art painting history
Stem Cell blogged

Since Fish Oil and Omega 3 Fatty Acids are nutrients that us modern day humans just don't get enough of, I felt it would be nice to post some usefull information about these healthy substances. Below you will find links to other websites explaining in great detail Fish Oil, Omega 3's, and their benefits to the human body.


Wikipedia Article
    Main Article
    Remember, wikipedia articles can be edited by anyone at any given moment. I wouldn't put my stake in believing every article you read on the website, but it's an overall good start in researching any questions you may have.
MayoClinic Article
    Main Article
    Remember, always consult a doctor before beginning any diet or workout program. Thank you.

    BackGround
    "Dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish oil and certain plant/nut oils. Fish oil contains both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), while some nuts (e.g., English walnuts) and vegetable oils (e.g., canola, soybean, flaxseed/linseed, and olive oil) contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Evidence from several studies has suggested that amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of fish or fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides, slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques ("hardening of the arteries"), lowers blood pressure slightly, as well as reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known heart disease. However, high doses may have harmful effects, such as an increased risk of bleeding. Although similar benefits are proposed for alpha-linolenic acid, scientific evidence is less compelling, and beneficial effects may be less pronounced."

    Effects
    1. A; High Blood Pressure
    Multiple human trials report small reductions in blood pressure with intake of omega-3 fatty acid. DHA may have greater benefits than EPA. However, it may be necessary to take high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids per day to obtain these health benefits, and high doses may increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, a qualified healthcare provider should be consulted before starting treatment with fish oil supplements.

    2. A; Hypertriglyceridemia
    There is strong scientific evidence from human trials that omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements (EPA + DHA) significantly reduce blood triglyceride levels. Benefits appear to be dose-dependent. Fish oil supplements also appear to cause small improvements in high-density lipoprotein ("good cholesterol"); however, increases (worsening) in low-density lipoprotein levels (LDL/"bad cholesterol") have also been observed. It is not clear if alpha-linolenic acid significantly affects triglyceride levels.

    3. A; Secondary cardiovascular disease prevention
    Several studies report that regular consumption of oily fish or fish oil/omega-3 supplements reduces the risk of non-fatal heart attacks, fatal heart attacks, sudden death, and deaths due to any cause in people with histories of heart attacks. Most patients in these studies were also using standard heart drugs, suggesting that the benefits of fish oils may add to the effects of other therapies.

    4. B; Infant eye / brain development
    Early evidence suggests that infants have improved problem solving skills but not memory if their mothers consume DHA-containing functional foods during pregnancy. Other research suggests that DHA supplementation during pregnancy plays an important role in the development of the visual system.

    5. B; Inflammation

    Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation. Scientists believe that their anti-inflammatory effects may help protect against heart disease.

    6. B; Nutrition
    Early evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may be a good source of nutrition for patients with Crohn's disease or for those who need to be tube fed after abdominal surgeries.

    7. B; Rheumatoid arthritis
    Many studies report improvements in morning stiffness and joint tenderness with the regular intake of fish oil supplements for up to three months. Fish oil has been shown to increase the effects of anti-inflammatory medications, such as NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen). However, because of weaknesses in study designs and reporting, better research is needed before a strong favorable recommendation can be made.

    Dosing
    The below doses are based on scientific research, publications, traditional use, or expert opinion. Many herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested, and safety and effectiveness may not be proven. Brands may be made differently, with variable ingredients, even within the same brand. The below doses may not apply to all products. You should read product labels, and discuss doses with a qualified healthcare provider before starting therapy.

    Adults (over 18 years old)

    Average Americans consume about 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids each day, of which about 1.4 grams (~90%) comes from #945;-linolenic acid, and only 0.1-0.2 grams (~10%) from EPA and DHA. In Western diets, people consume roughly 10 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. These large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids come from the common use of vegetable oils containing linoleic acid (for example: corn oil, evening primrose oil, pumpkin oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil, and wheatgerm oil). Because omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids compete with each other to be converted to active metabolites in the body, benefits can be reached either by decreasing intake of omega-6 fatty acids or by increasing omega-3 fatty acids.

    For healthy adults with no history of heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice weekly. In particular, fatty fish are recommended, such as anchovies, bluefish, carp, catfish, halibut, herring, lake trout, mackerel, pompano, salmon, striped sea bass, tuna (albacore), and whitefish. It is also recommended to consume plant-derived sources of #945;-linolenic acid, such as tofu/soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed oil, and canola oil. The World Health Organization and governmental health agencies of several countries recommend consuming 0.3-0.5 grams of daily EPA + DHA and 0.8-1.1 grams of daily #945;-linolenic acid. A doctor and pharmacist should be consulted for dosing for other conditions.

    Stem Cell - This was just a small part to the extensive article hosted at the MayoClinic website. Take a look, it could really improve your lifestyle and/or workout routine.


musingsthoughts fish omega health
Stem Cell blogged

Bills arriving in heaps? Gas prices sky-rocketing? Summer love turned sour? Regardless of the cause, there's a counter-intuitiveness to the goodies we turn to for comfort. Take the classic-curling up with a pint of ice cream. It's a total backfire. Why? Sweets are insidious: After the initial rush, the body's insulin response kicks in, causing a sudden blood sugar drop that triggers the release of stress hormones. Soon you're feeling more jangled than you were before you inhaled that whole container of Chunky Monkey. And alcohol, of course, is a wolfish stimulant in calm sheep's clothing. But true comfort foods do exist.

    Berries, any berries
    Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in the stress hormone cortisol.

    Guacamole
    If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

    Mixed nuts
    Just an ounce will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts), give you a whopping amount of zinc (Brazil nuts)-it's also drained by high anxiety-and boost your E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multi-tasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little bit of tension.

    Oranges
    People who take a 1,000 mg of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind and you'll get a bunch of C as well.

    Asparagus
    Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood-lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

    Chai tea
    A warm drink is a super soother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.

    Dark chocolate
    Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.

Source: Yahoo! Food


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