Archive for July 2015

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RIP – Omar Sharif

July 13, 2015

 

I read that movie star Omar Sharif passed away last week. He was 83. Here is the link to obit in the NY Times. Mr Sharif had an Oscar nomination for his role in “Lawrence of Arabia”.  Here’s the link to his entry on IMDB.

So in our household we are doing an Omar Sharif film festival this week starting with “Lawrence of Arabia” Here’s the link to the trailer. Watching this film first because it was available for free on Amazon Instant Prime. We’ve only watched the first half so far. The movie is 3 hours and 45 minutes long. Oh my aching butt. Thankfully, they don’t make movies that long any more. This is a film that belongs on the big screen. Our 32″ TV just doesn’t do it justice. Here’s the link to the trailer on IMDB.

Then we’re going to watch “Funny Girl” which we just got on DVD. Buying older films on DVD is as about as cheap as renting on Amazon Instant video, Here’s the link to the IMDB entry. Also, Paula is a big fan of Barbra Streisand

And finally, we will be watching “Doctor Zhivago”. Here’s the link to the IMDB entry. This movie is also on the long side at 3 hours and 16 minutes. DVD ordered.

Other movies on our watch list include all of the Minions movies. (Despicable Me, et al.). Maybe the kid in me is breaking out to go see the animated films. Minions rock!

TTFN

Joe

Categories: Films, Movies, Reviews
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Captain John Smith

July 12, 2015

Great RogueI just finished reading a book titled “The Great Rogue: A Biography of Captain John Smith” by Noel Gerson. John Smith was one of truly great English explorers. He was one of the founders of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia in 1602, The book was actually written quite a while ago (the copywright notice says 1978). It was only recently published on Kindle.

The book tells the story of his early life and through his exploring and colonizing of the new world. The Jamestown colony came almost twenty years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

it was enjoyable read. A couple thoughts seemed to jump out at me. First that the English investors in the New World had this idea that gold, silver and precious jewels would be found as soon as the colonists landed in the new world.

The second idea was that the path to the Pacific Ocean was just around the corner and up the stream. It took John Smith a long time to persuade the investors that there wasn’t gold in every hill.

He did however that other natural resources were just as valuable. Those resources included lumber, furs and many other goods that were traded with the indians. He also discovered that fish and whales were abundant. Whales were valuable for their oil (used in lamps) and ambergris. Ambergris is a substance found in the digestive system of whales that was valued by perfumeries.

John Smith wanted to go on the Mayflower expedition but the leaders didn’t think he was a good fit. Instead they chose Miles Standish.

John Smith an outstanding job of mapping the New World. When he returned to London in 1609 after suffering serious burns, Smith returned with maps, charts and data about the new world. He never got to return to the new world but he certainly affected the development. It’s a good read.

Categories: Books, Reviews
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Mary

July 12, 2015

I am becoming convinced that the bathroom is the most dangerous room in our house. Let me repeat, the bathroom is the most dangerous room in our house. Not the kitchen, the bathroom.

Mary doesn’t go into the kitchen very much. She might on rare occasions use the microwave. But for the most part, she stays out of the kitchen. But not for that the kitchen would win the award for most dangerous room.

The plan yesterday was for Paula to take Mary to a fashion show at Draper & Damon’s in Torrance. Paula was taking her shower and getting dressed. Mary was getting dressed in her bathroom. She seemed to be taking a long time.

Eventually, Paula went in to check on how things were going. I, for obvious reasons, tend to stay out of her bathroom.

So Mary has a small stool that she sits on while dressing. So she got dizzy while standing up and took a dive. She bumped her head but no serious damage. So Paula helped her get onto her feet. Then finished helping her get ready. And off they went to the fashion show.

When we are walking outside either Paula or I stay by her side and take her left arm. That just doesn’t happen in the bathroom.

I swear the bathroom will kill that woman yet. But not today.

Categories: Family, Mary
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Mary, God and the Conversation

July 6, 2015

So do you remember article in the New York Times that I wrote about a couple of days ago? The one by Eleanor Goodman? Yeah, that one. What you didn’t read it? Go back and read it, I’ll wait. Click here.

Yesterday, I had printed a copy of the article for Paula to read. So the printed copy was sitting on the dining room table. So Mary picks it up and starts reading it. Indeed, she is studying it. Front to back, back to front. Then a few hours later she looked at it again.

So I ask her what she thought about the article. She replies that she is talking with God about that. Okay, Do you think you could share your side of the discussion. No, that’s between me and God. I told her that God might not be sharing your discussion with us and it might be helpful if Mary would talk to us about that. Nope.

So that reminds me of an old joke. There was a great flood throughout the land and a man was sitting on the top of his home waiting to be rescued. So the man prayed to God, “Please God, save me”.

So a while passed and a lifeboat came by and the life boat crew asked him to get in and they would save him. Nope, the man said, “I am waiting for God to save me”.

Then some time passed and there was a Coast Guard helicopter hovering above the man. The helicopter pilot asked the man to get in and be saved. No, the man said, “I am waiting for God to save me”.

So maybe, by this point you know where I’m going with this. Eventually, the man drowns. So he reaches the pearly gates, the man asks God, why didn’t you save me?” And God said, “I sent you a life boat and a helicopter, but you decided not to get in. What was I supposed to do?”

So my point is (and I do have a point) sometimes we have to recognize that sometimes God sends someone to help us. We need to recognize this. Paula and I are the crew of the lifeboat. We just need Mary to get in the boat.

Categories: Dying, Family, Mary
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COIN

July 5, 2015

  About 18 months ago, I paid $50 to join a crowd source funding for a new product called “COIN”. COIN is supposed to be a credit card replacement that could dynamically change the data on the credit card magnetic stripe. One would be able to store a total of 8 different credit cards on the device. The idea is/was to reduce one’s credit card bloat in your wallet.

It seemed like a good idea to me. I typically have about 6-7 credit cards including ATM cards, credit cards and the like. The developer was promising delivery during the summer of 2014. I guess the early beta didn’t go as well as they hoped. So last summer they scheduled a second expanded beta with expanded beta units going to those who signed on early in the funding process.

Everyone else would have to wait until full production ramped up this summer. Those who didn’t want to wait could get a refund. So a couple of weeks ago I finally received my unit. Better late than never.

Here’s how it works, You need to install the COIN app on your smart phone (in my case an iPhone 6 plus). The COIN comes with a plug in credit card reader. First you have to pair your phone with the COIN. The COIN uses Blue-Tooth to communicate with the app.

One loads the credit cards into the app by swiping the card on the card reader. Then the app prompts you to add the security code on the back of the card. Once you are finished loading credit cards onto the app you then sync the credit cards with the COIN, So far so good. Works as advertised.

The COIN is the exact same size as a credit card. It has a small display that shows the card type (AMEX, Visa, etc) and last four digits of the card number. You can load credit/debit cards, gift cards and some id cards that have a magnetic stripe (though I can’t see how much use that would be.) There is button that you press to wake up the card and select the card that one wants to use.

Supposedly the COIN is compatible with most credit card readers and ATM’s. Here is where the rubber hits the road (or not). I haven’t tried it on any ATM’s yet. I don’t need to go to ATM’s very much. I usually get cash back while I am at the supermarket.

I have tried to use the device about a half dozen time. This is certainly a very limited sample size to be sure. I have attempted and been rejected at two different restaurants. I have successfully used it at a grocery store and the Starbucks at the grocery store.

It does have some neat security features though. The COIN won’t work if you lose connection to your phone. And the app will warn you that your COIN has gone away. It shuts off after about seven minutes and you will need a pass code to turn it back on or be paired with your phone.

So I wouldn’t use at it the regular Starbucks. They have an iPhone App for that and it works quite well.

Much of my shopping is done online and this device is of no use for that type of shopping.

My end goal is to have Apple-Pay become more widely accepted. Then I could ditch the credit cards all together. As it stands right now, I have only seen Apple-Pay in use at one merchant establishment (Panera Restaurant).

If you are interested in learning more about the device from the developer’s web site, Go to onlycoin.com. As for me, I’m not quite ready to leave my credit cards at home (at least not yet.) The support pages has a list of merchants that accept COIN and a list that have been reported as rejecting it.

Categories: apps, Reviews, Technology
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On Dying

July 4, 2015

So Happy Fourth of July to everyone. We will be going to a pot luck picnic at our Masonic Lodge in San Pedro. The lodge has a spectacular view of the LA Harbor. It is an excellent spot to watch the fireworks. It is familiar territory. We try to avoid big crowds with Mary. She doesn’t do well with them. I will post pictures tomorrow.

So this morning I read an article by Eleanor Goodman on dying. Eleanor Goodman you might remember (or perhaps not) as a columnist for the Boston Globe. The article’s title is “How to Talk about Dying”.

The article really hit home for us. For example, she says,

 

 

 

 

Yes, my mother and I talked about everything — but we didn’t talk about how she wanted to live toward the end. The closest we ever came to discussing her wishes was when she would see someone in dire straits and say, “If I’m ever like that, pull the plug.” But most of the time there is no plug to pull.

 

Right, no plug indeed. She also talks about something the experts call executive function, where one loses the ability to do ordinary things like deciding what to eat or how to turn on the TV or make a phone call.

Mary is certainly heading in that direction. She gets stuck in a rut on what to have for breakfast. For a while, all she would eat would be Cheerios with blueberries. Then all of a sudden, she starts eating Raisin Bran. She probably switched because we were out of Cheerios, so now Raisin Bran is the new normal.

Slowly but surely, we are taking over those executive functions on what she eats or what medicines she takes to insure that her last days are the best that they can be.

So back to the column. Ms Goodman is working on a non-profit called “The Conversation Project”. Here’s the pointer to her piece in the NY TImes.

And here’s the link to “The Conversation Project“. Go take a look. You won’t regret it.

Categories: Aging, Dying, Mary
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