On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas--a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself--the men of The Adjustment Bureau--who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Fighter
"The Fighter" is the life story of boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward and his trainer brother Dick Eklund, chronicling the brothers' early days on the rough streets of Lowell, Mass., through Eklund's battle with drugs and Ward's eventual world championship in London. It is the inspirational tale of these two brothers who, against all the odds, come together to train for the historic title bout that will unite their fractured family, redeem their pasts and, at last, give their hard-luck town what it's been waiting for: pride.
Solving the cancer issue is like a puzzle. You hear many things, but it is sometimes difficult to put the pieces together. In his recent book, Dr Tullio Simoncini, an Italian Oncologist says,
"Much evidence indicates that this is the road to take: the analogy between psoriasis - an incurable disease of the skin that many treat as fungus - with tumors, which is also an incurable disease of the organism; the symptomatological overlapping of systemic candidosis and cancer; and the strict genetic relationship between mycetes and neoplastic masses. These are all elements that support and confirm the point of view that all types of cancer, as happens in the vegetal world, are caused by a fungus."The good Doctor goes on to explain, "A fungus infection - that of the Candida species - could supply the explanation for why a tumour occurs; and it is in this direction that research should move in the attempt to solve the problem of cancer once and for all."*Dr Simoncini regularly attends medical conferences and does interviews to explain what's wrong with conventional cancer theories and treatments, to present his fungal theory of cancer and to describe case studies involving patients healed with sodium bicarbonate, a powerful anti-fungal. His book, Cancer is a Fungus: A revolution in the therapy of tumors (Edizioni Lampis), is available in Italian, Dutch and English from the website (see below)So, is the cause of cancer a common fungus? A yeast infection as common as Candida?
Other reports and articles seem to be supporting this information.
"Grapes' Anti-fungal Agent May Fight Cancer" 3/16/02
"Grape Skin Protein Kills Cancer Cells" 6/9/04
"Chlorophyll Derivative May Cut Liver Cancer Risk"
The CBS News story, "Fungus Among Us May Cure Cancer"
"Plants, Fungi, Sea Creatures Tested In Hunt For Cancer Drug" - Frederick, Maryland, Dec. 20, 2004
Follow the money. If Cancer is a fungus, then the American Cancer Society would be out-of-business.Follow the money. Billions of dollars in research would be down the drain, and the drug companies would have nothing for which to make a new drug.IF taking a simple, common and inexpensive product like Yeast Balance from Enzymatic Therapy or Candida Gone from Renew Life, or Yeast-Cleanse from Solaray, or many other products from your health food store may be the answer. We are not doctors or pharmacists and we do not prescribe, but you can be sure that a good yeast cleanse will be part of my health regime in the future.*Excerpt from the book, "Cancer is a fungus", by Dr Tullio Simoncini, Oncologist ©2007.
Mexico the country of Salsa, Tortillas and Corruption;
I first arrived in Mexico City in February 2002 as an instructor for the WFB - the World Federation of Bodyguards. A Mexican security service had contracted Anders Sorenson, the Norwegian WFB instructor and I, to set-up a training program for BG's in Mexico.I came through customs and the weapons search, shaking my head at the Mexican officials who only spoke Spanish, making my visa interview a complete waste of time.That was one of my first lessons about Mexico; almost all Mexicans dream of going to the US to live however, the vast majority speaks nothing but Mexican Spanish. This lack of English knowledge goes all the way from the basic uneducated labour worker to the university-educated attorney at law!The Assassination:On my second day in Mexico, I witnessed a Mexican Assassination complete with a "Hollywood-Movie" car chase. Sitting in our chauffeur driven vehicle, I was enjoying the sights in the city of Morelia, Michoacan, when I suddenly heard the well-known sounds of automatic rifle fire. A few seconds later a Bronco jeep, riddled with bullet holes sped past us. The jeep rammed into a vehicle right in front of us and stopped momentarily. The front seat passenger was hanging half out of the shattered side window, half his head gone with brain mass showing, in the rear a woman slumped covered in blood. Then the driver regained his senses and sped off down the street ramming other cars as he fled.The sounds of automatic fire bursts came again but much louder and nearer. Seconds later a black jeep sped by, with two shooters hanging out the windows firing automatic bursts from AR-15's. By now, from the rear seat, I was yelling at our chauffeur to give chase and try to ram the second vehicle; however, the chauffeur were paralyzed with shock and did not react, until Anders slapped him back to reality.When we finally gave chase we just glimpsed the assassins jeep, take a right turn at an intersection 30 metres away. Our chauffeur was whining about it being to dangerous to get close to the assassins, however he managed to give a speedy chase. As we turned right at the intersection we witnessed 10-15 heavily, armed Police officers surround the assassins jeep.The driver of the Bronco jeep were slumped dead over the steering wheel, he had done all he could to evade the attack site and escape the assassins. Realizing the assassins would not relent, the driver had driven with the horn flaring into the no-parking zone, surrounding the heavily guarded high-security police detention centre, where he knew help were immediately at hand.The assassination turned out to be a drug cartel hit, the dead man in the front were a cartel leader, the woman in the rear was his wife and the driver was his personal bodyguard. The three assassins were arrested and charged with three counts of murder; they all pled guilty and subsequently each received a 12-year prison sentence, with parole after 8 years.My real surprise about the assassination was the fact that the assassins continued their attack after the target had evaded the attack-site.This contradicts all "normal" modus operandi for professional assassins, as giving chase across town exposes the whole assassin team to witnesses and law enforcement. Months earlier, I would have argued that this type of "spray and pray" car chase could only happen in a Hollywood movie.When I discussed this matter with the CEO of the local TV-Azteca, he told me the reason for the continued attack, was that the assassins had more fear of botching the hit, than being arrested by the police. They knew that their Cartel leader would not accept failure and that he would reward their loyalty and commitment. They received the best legal defence money could buy, bribes to the attorney and judges, grease to the prison guards etc. Eight years in prison was simply not such a bad deal for the assassins! This is a similar situation to what is happening in Russia, where standard CP preventive methods, just will not protect your ass either.The assassination proved to be a blessing in disguise, at least to Anders and I, who suddenly were the two most "wanted" persons in Morelia city. We had requests and questions about training, coming in from police VIP protection teams and security managers for the filthy rich. The WFB could not have arrived in town on a better day.Being the flavor of the month:Everyone in protection and his dog wanted to see what we had to offer in the training field. Everyone was very interested but also very sceptical about our training, the Mexicans are wary off gringos with the solutions to all their problems. Very candidly, they told us that they had "enough" experience with no-good American (US) templates for everything. Our schedule was quickly filled with meetings followed by training contracts.In the next months we provided training seminars and courses to corporate VIP protection units and various police departments in the states of Michoacan and San Luis Potosi. The Police departments we provided training to included state SWAT teams and Ministerial Hostage Rescue Teams. These courses were hosted by the State Police Academies and we even held a seminar for the Army during Army Day.Kidnapping Industry:Mexico has more than its fair share of drug related crime, robberies, kidnaps and assassinations. In 2002 Mexico became the number 1 country for kidnappings, taking the lead over even Columbia, a position Mexico held until toppled by China in 2004. There are currently about 4000 kidnappings a year in Mexico. A report published in 2002 by the Mexican Ministry of Justice, found that former or serving Police Officers were involved in the planning or cover up of 80% of all kidnappings.Training the Police:One of the interesting facts about Mexico is the enormous amount of Police Officers pr capita. Even in a medium size state such as SLP there are more than 3000 State Police Officers. Add that on top of a heavy presence of City, Federal and Ministerial Police Officers. For a "European" the shear amount of Police Officers and independent departments are staggering and the jurisdictions are often over lapping and confusing. There are almost zero communication between the different departments and Petty rivalries are commonplace, between departments of the State Police and the Federal and Ministerial Police.During a course for the Ministerial Police HRT, we had to stop early because the course was held at the State Police Academy, which were shared by State and the Ministerial Police. However the State Academy chief were annoyed with the Ministerial Police and decided suddenly that they could not use the firing range as it was officially under supervision of the State Police etc.This is one thing foreigners need to bear in mind in Mexico, politics are part of everything and corruption is not a dirty word. Every "chief" were looking for "what's in it for me" and if you could provide him with something he wanted, there were ends to what you could do. Firearms are a very delicate matter in Mexico, only the Police and Army has the right to bear arms. Bodyguards are not officially allowed to bear arms, but if you know the right "chiefs" the law means nothing.However that does not prevent other Police departments from having a say about you carrying arms. During our third course in Mexico, we were training a Corporate VIP Protection unit of the Industrial Police. The Industrial Police were simply a "name" for a unit sponsored by the wealthy in a certain state; they would hire their Bodyguards and then have them "hired" on paper by the Industrial Police. This way the Corporate VIP protection units could legally carry arms. The Bodyguards would thus receive a salary from the Industrial Police and a substantial cash bonus by the corporation they were working for.Weapons or rather a lack of weapons:Another interesting problem in Mexico is the acquirement of weapons as the only "body" who have the legal right to import arms and ammunition is the Army. Even the Police Departments have to purchase or lease their weapons and ammunition through the Army. This unfortunately means that the prizes for legal weapons and ammunition are absolutely outrageous. The Army uses its monopoly to fund its own weapons and ammunition purchases and needs, thus the Army have "free" weapons and ammunition due to the tax they levy on the Police.One result of this is that you can now see Soldiers brandishing new MP-5s used for guard duty, while the local Police SWAT team are still relying on UZIs and Beretta M-12s. It also results in an outrageously low amount of ammunition allowed for training Police Officers in the use of firearms. The majority of Police Officers fire less than 20 bullets a year and in one state, I witnessed the weapons training and the following weapons certification of Police Cadets, after having fired only 12 bullets from a revolver! More than two thirds of the Cadets did not hit their target with more than 2 bullets out of 12, from a 10 meter distance! After this I was "scared" when around armed Police Cadets, I jokingly told the local Chief of Police, to please not attempt to rescue me should I be kidnapped.Among the interesting aspects of Mexican "Bodyguarding" we found that the vast majority preferred to stick their gun in the back of the pants, gangster style. And avidly claimed that this was the safest and easiest method of carrying a handgun, however during training courses the guns would be dropping all over the place. The main reason for this is that the Bodyguards are not assigned a firearm, but usually pass it between when changing shifts, thus they are to "cheap" to buy their own holster. We made it "clear" that this was unacceptable and students only made the mistake of "tugging" their gun in once!Bodyguarding the Mexican style:Another interesting aspect of Mexican "Bodyguarding" is the fact that many VIPs prefer (demands) to drive their own vehicle, thus the Bodyguards are merely following in a back up vehicle. There were daily stories of smart ass VIPs (usually the sons of the wealthy) simply out-driving the Bodyguards, the sons were of course driving Ferrari's or other sport cars. One Fortune 500 VIP we trained for preferred to drive himself around in a two seat Mercedes Cabriolet, which of course made protecting him hell for the BGs.Those readers who have access to the first issue of Protection News, can see a picture of the WFB adapting its Embus and Debus training to accommodate the VIP driving his own car. We also found that most wealthy VIPs had a huge luxury bus, which they used for cross state travelling inside Mexico. Due to this we had to improvise and adapt Embus and Debus drills to accommodate this and teach linear assault on busses, during the Counter Assault Team training.A True Life Experience:Mexico was a breath of fresh air to me as a European CPO, everything were different from working in Europe and the threat level were far higher and by experience we learned that the BGs can not rely of the Police. The vast majority of BGs and Police Officers I met and trained with (several hundreds) were all highly motivated and good guys, who really wanted to learn. They were all sick with the way things were in Mexico and especially the corruption, but there were little they could do about it. Mexico is truly a land of opportunity for the European BG training provider, as long as you accept the rules of business; "corruption" and status quo. If you want to earn money in Mexico, simply go there on vacation and drop in for a visit, by the VIP security managers and local Police Chiefs and soon you will find yourself immersed in the Mexican BG business.One night when I was having a drink with a local Police Chief, I complained about the obvious drug trafficking. The chief looked at me and said; when I started this job I got a mail package, within it were two packages, one contained $10.000 the other a bullet! When I asked what he did about it, he quietly said; well I am still here...
The first capital city of the Confederacy and an important link
in the renowned Cotton Belt, Montgomery is today more
widely known for its role as the unwilling host to the historic
Civil Rights marches, inspired by a local seamstress, Rosa
Parks, who was too tired to give up her bus seat on her way
home from work one day in December 1955. Her calm
defiance attracted the admiration of the city's popular
preacher, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who emerged on the
local and national stage when he organized the famed
Montgomery Bus Boycott, which ignited the national Civil
Rights movement. Centrally located on the south bank of the
Alabama River, this capital city is emblematic of the historic
clashes from its role in the 1860's War Between the States
and its involuntary part in the Civil Rights movement 100
years later. Within one city block remnants of these
historical events compete in their respective historic
structures, memorials, monuments and
museum exhibits.Things to See in Montgomery:o State CapitolThis 1850 Greek Revival Capitol is famous for two events:
First, in February 1861 on the front portico, the new Southern
Confederacy inaugurated Jefferson Davis as the President
of the Confederate States. The second event taking place on
the same spot 104 years later, March 1965, Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. ended his Selma-to-Montgomery Civil
Rights march. Beyond this historic portico the doors open to
a grand foyer flanked by a pair of white spiral staircases
curling up three stories. The Capitol's pink and gold
neoclassical Rotunda features a glorious stained glass
skylight. Eight large murals designed in the late 1920s by
Alabama artist Roderick MacKenzie decorate the walls. The
murals show scenes from Alabama's history, such as the
arrival of deSoto, the French settlement, early pioneers,
antebellum life, the Confederacy and commercial
development.Check it out . . . The original "Governor's Suite" and the
"Secretary of State Suite," on the first floor preserve
furnishings and documents from the period of
1870s-1880s, presenting a tactile peek into the past.Check it out . . . On the Capitol grounds, 50 flagpoles wave a
flag from each state on a semicircular walkway called the
"Walk of States." Beneath each flag lies a stone
nameplate--donated by each state from material
indigenous to its terrain. A few of the stones are
semiprecious, such as turquoise from New Mexico.o State Archives and History MuseumFounded in 1901 the Alabama Department of Archives and
History was the first state archival agency in the nation. The
museum, housed in a beautiful turn-of-the-century building
with marble walls and staircases of Tennessee gray and
Alabama white marble, displays changing exhibits relating
to Alabama history, including interpretive hands-on
galleries. Of particular note is the 19th century gallery on the
second floor featuring unusual items, such as human hair
jewelry made by Mrs. Jefferson Davis, antebellum quilts,
and the Alabama State Bible. A room dedicated to former
Vice President William Rufus King is also on the second
floor. King, a North Carolina native, was born April 7, 1786
and at the age of 29 served as a North Carolina
representative in the US Congress. He resigned in
November 1816 to accept a post in Russia. When he
returned, he became ill and moved to Cuba to recuperate. In
1819 he moved to Alabama and when Alabama became a
state in December of that year, he was elected to represent
the new state in the US Senate, and reelected more three
times before being appointed Minister to France in 1844. He
was elected again to the US Senate in 1848 but resigned in
1853 to serve as Vice President under Franklin Pierce. He
took the oath of office on March 4, 1853 but died soon after,
on April 18, 1853. The room dedicated to William Rufus
King displays some of his personal clothing, furniture,
china, and silver, and other items he collected from his
foreign posts. It also displays documents that reveal
fascinating things about this relatively unknown political
figure and the times in which he lived.o First White House of the ConfederacyA simple, unassuming dwelling, the First White House of
the Confederacy was the makeshift executive mansion
donated by a local merchant and hurriedly established to
serve as temporary living quarters for the newly elected
President Jefferson Davis and his family who lived there
three months before the Confederate capital moved to
Richmond. Conveniently located across the street from the
State Capitol, the White House of the Confederacy allows
self-guided tours. All the rooms on the first and second floor
are open to visitors. Period furnishings, personal items
belonging the Davis family, photographs and documents
present a keen insight into the early days of the Civil War,
the South's prominent leader and his personal struggles.o Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist ChurchDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Began his ministry at the Dexter
Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, which served as
headquarters for the 1956 bus boycott. A large mural in the
church basement depicts the influential people and
landmark events of Civil Rights movement from the 1950s
to 1970s. A short film supplements the mural.o Civil Rights MemorialJust outside the Southern Poverty Law Office, kitty-corner to
the State Capitol and a block from the Dexter Avenue King
Memorial Baptist Church, is the impressive The Civil Rights
Memorial, designed by sculptor, Maya Y. Lin, who also
designed the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.,
and dedicated on November 5, 1989. Etched on a round
altar of smooth black granite is a chronology of the Civil
Rights events and the names of 80 martyrs who died in the
struggle for racial equality. Water bubbling from the altar's
center flows over the timepiece past the words of Martin
Luther King (paraphrasing the Bible), "Until justice rolls
down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream." A
beautiful and emotional memorial.o Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor MuseumThe Olympian Center, featuring a replica of the Greek
Temple of Hera, is the centerpiece of this 20-acre flower
garden ablaze in colors all year long.o Alabama Shakespeare FestivalLocated in the expansive green gardens of Wynton M. Blount
Cultural Park, the nationally-acclaimed Alabama
Shakespeare Festival is the fifth largest in the world.
Presenting both classic and contemporary productions, it
also offers year-round educational programs. The Alabama
Museum of Fine Arts is also on the grounds. With its acres
of ponds, gardens, museums and theaters, the Wynton M.
Blount Cultural Park is the place to go for art and nature.o Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald MuseumHoused in the modest home where the Fitzgeralds lived in
the early 1930s while Scott wrote "Tender is the Night," the
museum features personal belongings, furniture,
photographs, and manuscripts of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald
and the rare diaries and unpublished paintings done by his
talented, Montgomery-born wife Zelda. Each room contains
memorabilia that speak volumes of their unusual
personalities and strange life together. On the screened-in
side porch of this old rambling house, the museum plays a
film of their sad story, told through interviews of surviving
relatives and friends.ALABAMA TOURIST INFORMATION: (800) 252-2262
Grown Ups
"Grown Ups" is about five men who were best friends when they were young kids and now are getting together for the Fourth of July weekend to meet each others' families for the first time. Picking up where they left off, they discover why growing older doesn't mean growing up.
Edge of Darkness"
My 0-10 rating: 7
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
Director: Martin Campbell
Screenwriter: William Monahan, Andrew Bovell, based on the 1985 six-hour British TV miniseries
Starring: Mel Gibson, Bojana Novakovic, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston
Time: 1 hr., 57 min.
Rating: R (strong bloody violence, vulgarity)With gripping gravity and a driven sense of deep drama, Mel Gibson is back in bloody action.A steady urgency and a welling motive of uncompromised revenge fuels the basic but well detailed plot development, earning the film a decent nod of respect in its accomplishment of condensing a six-hour British TV serial into a two-hour movie. Gibson, it is obvious from his character's breathtaking, burning will toward retribution against very bad men, wants this to work.It does, and in the gloom of night-time Boston in heavy rain and raging car killings and gut-tearing shootouts, your spirit will be well purged of hope for civilized behavior between greedy men caught up in mortal stress.Gibson is as intense as he's ever been, his face looking hardened, heavily seasoned yet capable of sensitivity. The script keeps him caught up in a methodical tracking of murder. However, the many oh-so-Hollywood contrivances in the action are so glaring as to deny the film any credibly high rating.Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson), veteran homicide detective and loving single father of his 24-year-old daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic), is shattered when he bears witness to her being gunned down on the steps of his home.The general assumption, by himself and the police, is that it was he, not Emma, who had been the intended target. But, as Thomas, wracked with grief and guilt, begins tracking the murderer, he is uncovering some surprising aspects of his daughter's involvements, perhaps shedding light upon her recent uncharacteristically tense demeanor and episodes of nausea and nosebleeds, Thomas is thinking there may be a lot more to this. Did she have a secret life of which he'd been totally unaware?She was, he is to learn, working for a security-research compound with top nuclear secret ties to the government. It is becoming apparent that it is headed by the overbearingly willful Jack Bennett (Danny Huston) and further that major corruption is involved. Thomas will also find himself in the path of a fixer, that is, an evidence cleaner-upper named Darious Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who obviously doesn't really care about Thomas' efforts as long as they don't become obstacles in his own goals. The corporate and government cover-up now expands.All performances radiate the compulsions of desperate men, each drawing from the spiraling thrust of the other. The film draws you well into its darkness.
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