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I have a number of, what you may refer to as, pet peeves. Sure, mortality ranks up there as number one but a very close second is the effect that passion has on the passage of time.

Passion: The Good

Passion is a wonderful thing, if you are lucky enough to have found yours, then pat yourself on the back… you have found something that some spend their whole lives without. Passion can be described as things that you do, either for profit or for fun, which you simply cannot do enough of. If you are a musician, then your passion is playing instruments, composing songs and playing your next gig to screaming fans. If you are a gardener, then your passion is planting seeds, mending a garden and sharing the great bounty which you have created. If you are an entrepreneur, then your passion is developing something that has been in your mind and somehow turning it into a profitable enterprise. Passion is a wonderful thing!

Passion: The Bad

The problem with passion, especially if you have quite a few of them is that it becomes an addiction. I have never taken hard drugs but I can assure you that passion can be just as detrimental to relationships, finances and common sense as a cocaine addiction. How? Well, when you focus all your energies into something that gives you so much joy and a sense of accomplishment, things begin to fall apart in other areas of your life. I can honestly say that if there was a way for me to get married to my company and have kids with it, I would do it in a heartbeat… the love I experience for my companies is the same found in deep relationships, the same found in a chef’s eyes when you take a bite out of a food they have prepared and the same found in the eyes of somebody you want to spend the rest of your life with.

Passion: The Ugly

Luckily, or unluckily, depending on your perspective, I have developed a number of passions for myself. When I get worn-out of one, I just jump right into the next passion… and there goes my day! Am I addicted to my companies? Absolutely, I actually have to remind myself to take a break to do such menial tasks as eating, sleeping and exercising. I might be starving and as soon as I begin one of my hobbies, the hunger pains disappear! I am so involved in the cocoon I have created for myself that everything else seems to fade away. The worst part about all this is time, I will begin working at, let’s say 9am then I will take a quick look at the clock and realize it’s 2pm! This happens far more often then I care to admit.

Passion: Perspective is Key!

I am fortunate to be able to pursuit my passions despite the limitations imposed upon me by others and my lifestyle. I am most fortunate that one of my passions is my body… specifically, working out and pushing it beyond it’s limits. This actually works rather well in my case because my other passions involve sitting in-front of a screen and typing, animating, modeling or composing on a computer. I found out a while back that passions themselves aren’t the problem, they should have a life cycle, the problem is when they are in unhealthy endeavors. If you are lucky enough to experience the joy that comes with exercising a passion in your life, always remind yourself that it will be there the next day and the next… you need to take a break (complete one) every once in a while in order to refresh your batteries and enjoy the other experiences that life has to offer.

The Bottom Line

Passion is wonderful, but like other things in life, must be balanced.

I have spent over a decade in the 3D industry under various roles in my company. It’s a field that continues to compel me to create and explore where your only limitation is your mind. Here are some really cool animations I have found!

Doll Face by Andy Huang

This is a powerful animation illustrating how the endless pursuit of beauty is not only crazy but also harmful. Harmful to your pocket book, self-esteem, health (chemicals in cosmetics aren’t good for you) and generally take away from a persons uniqueness.

Morula by Propa

Great animation that is highly stylized that expresses the growth of the human spirit and love leading to rejuvenation.

The Hiccups by Jordan T. Caylor

Sure it’s political as hell but it doesn’t take away from how original I find this… really nice and simple!

Fabulas: La Lampara by widam

Although I have no clue what they are saying, the message is clear and the character animation is very well done. I especially like the flame effect in this animation.

The Bottom Line

3D is cool!

Let me state emphatically, ignorance doesn’t equate to stupidity nor mental defects but rather a systematic choice to, purposefully, choose irrelevance in the place of true knowledge.

Ignorance comes in many shapes and sizes

I am sure you know people who, if their life depended on it, couldn’t find a country like Iraq or even Canada on a map. There are others who still believe the planet is flat and that the sun rotates around it. Still others who, for some crazy reason, believe fervently in the supernatural which, by its very definition, cannot come from natural processes (thus cannot exist). Yes, I bump into these types of people every once in a while, although I enjoy a good debate when ever I can get it, there is no way of debating anything based on facts when a mind is full of ignorance. It’s like trying to break down a solid brick wall using nothing more then a hammer made out of paper mache… it’s a futile effort.

Ignorance isn’t hard to find

Anybody who has lived long enough soon realizes that there seem to be more ignorant people out there then otherwise, you can see them “reporting” the news through various media, you can talk to them while at your local shop buying supplies and even while driving down the road. I am sure I am not alone in wondering where the heck did all these people who wouldn’t know a dime from a quarter keep coming from? Is there some alien spaceship dumping people at will on our planet in the hopes of creating a super human race as tame as a herd of farm animals?

Why are people ignorant?

I can easily state that the reason why there are so many ignorant people all around us is because they have become mentally lazy. It’s far easier to sit in-front of a television for a few hours a day then to actively work towards making ones life better or of others around us. As well, it’s easier to follow tabloid journalism and read-up on the latest fads created by marketers then to truly become a student of history and human nature. Why are people ignorant? Because there is NO COST for them to continue being so. Put another way, societies around the world are less interested in developing intellectuals then they are consumers. The era of great debates still exists but its popularity has faded in the minds of the masses who absolutely must know why celebrity “who cares” got red shoes instead of black ones. This statement is no truer then today, regardless of the type of government you choose to live under.

How to solve the problem of ignorance

The problem of ignorance comes from several circles but the most important way to solve this mental epidemic is to place a higher value on creativity, education and passion. A population that has found their reason for being is of far higher strategic and economic value then one based on herd mentality. Education is also key, from the sciences to the maths, I am not saying kids should be studying Shakespeare but what I am saying is that the mental faculties of critical thinking MUST be the foundation upon which knowledge is given. Lastly, creativity, an incredibly rational and passionate person is useless to all of us if they cannot have the creative abilities that allows them to see outside of normal thought patterns. A physicist who finds the solution to a Unified Theory is useless if he cannot explain it to a six year old, much less the general public.

The Bottom Line

Ignorance is a choice, stupidity isn’t.

I can’t think of any entertainer who has had more ups and downs over the course of a career that lasted several decades than David Hasselhoff. The “Hoff’s” career has spanned several industries from television to music, movies to now, the internet!

David Hasselhoff: The Early Years

Born David Michael Hasselhoff in Baltimore, Maryland on July 17th, 1952, little did his parents know they had just created a phenomena that would revolutionize an entire industry! He was born in a family of four sisters so he always had attention thrown upon him so at the age of seven, it seemed natural at the time that he began taking acting, dancing and singing lessons. By the time he got out of his teenager years, he was already standing at six foot four and was beaming to become a huge pop star. He has already stared in a number of school plays and did the rounds of several dinner theater circuits before being discovered in California.

David Hasselhoff: Television Career takes off!

Although he had planned on doing musicals on Broadway at first, he soon caught the attention of an “The Young and the Restless” scout while in California in 1973 and, in 1975 began his first role portraying Dr. William “Snapper” Foster, Jr. till 1982. He then struck gold when he got the role of Michael Knight in “Knight Rider” which shot him into cult status, he would play this role for four years till 1986 when the series ended. Although still in heavy syndication, this was the first show for “The Hoff” to be seen abroad, it played in over 80 countries and set the state for his success abroad.

David Hasselhoff: Musical Career takes off!

Not wanting to rest on his previous success, he was eager to transform his career into the pop world and, in in 1989 launched his “Looking for Freedom” song which stayed at the number one spot on the German charts for eight weeks! He toured extensively around Europe hundreds of concerts attended by millions of dedicated fans. He would later release 8 records which involved extensive touring and promotional events. He never let his extreme success get to his head, often capable of making fun of his image along the way.

David Hasselhoff: The Worldwide Phenomena that is Baywatch!

David Hasselhoff was approached by NBC on the heels of reviving his television career after extensive success with both his previous “Knight Rider” show and his developing his pop-icon status abroad. The name of the show was “Baywatch” and it changed his life forever in 1989. The show had a simple premise, he played “Mitch Buchannon” and the show chronicled the beach life full of beautiful woman and men running around with nothing but bathing suits. Although the show was canceled after the first year it was on television, he had a stroke of pure genius and acquired the rights to “Baywatch” to continue developing the show with a few partners. The show became an instant worldwide phenomena that lasted over a decade, had almost a billion weekly viewers and continues to be syndicated around the world even to this day through its various spin-offs. One of the huge breakout stars of the “Baywatch” show was Pamela Anderson who, herself, has been incredibly successful in creating a worldwide following of her own since the show ended.

David Hasselhoff: Other Roles

In between his busy television and musical careers, David Hasselhoff has appeared in a number of other television and movie projects. From “Revenge of the Teenagers” in 1976 to Anaconda 3 which is currently in production, he has amassed an extensive and impressive portfolio. (See more here)

David Hasselhoff: Awards and Recognition

David Hasselhoff has achieved incredible success and, as a result, a number of distinctions. In 1983, he won a “Peoples Choice Award” for his role as Michael Knight in “Knight Rider. In 1996, he was awarded his own star on the “Walk of Fame” in Los Angeles, California and in 2005, he won “International Star of the Year” by Bollywood!

David Hasselhoff the Humanitarian

His schedule might be loaded but he still finds ample time to spread good cheer to those less fortunate, especially children who are terminally ill or handicapped around the world. He also runs his own charity called “Race for Life” and has hosted numerous charitable events.

David Hasselhoff: Internet Phenomena

Having conquered the television, theatrical and musical scene, David Hasselhoff has recently began conquering the Internet, producing rather fantastical music videos and selling everything “Hoff”. Here is a glimpse of some of his works!

David Hasselhoff: Trivia

There are a number of very interesting facts about David Hasselhoff that you may not be aware of, here are a few:

• in 1994, his first heavily promoted, pay-per-view concert meant to ignite his popularity in the United States happened to be the same day that O.J. Simpson drove his friends famous white Bronco down the Los Angeles highway
• in 2004, he appeared as himself in SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
• he believes that Knight Rider was a larger worldwide hit then Baywatch, though both live on in syndication
• has a listing in Guinness Book of World Records under “Most Watched TV Star in the World” due to his roles in Knight Rider and Baywatch
• has a keen interest in politics, sometimes comparing himself to Tony Blair
• has appeared in South Park
• fought John Tesh in MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch
• 1989, New Years Eve, he performed “Looking for Freedom” on the Berlin Wall
• has a musical in Australia based on his life
• is an avid outdoors and sports fanatic

The Bottom Line

When success came to “The Hoff’s” door… he ANSWERED IT!

Buzvia: David Hasselhoff on The Internet Movie Database, David Hasselhoff’s Official Website, David Hasselhoff on Wikipedia, David Hasselhoff’s Biography on Sing365.com

Drug addicts all seem to develop specific physical and habitual characteristics as they spiral down into the hole of addition; Meth addicts seem to show these traits in an especially ugly form! I believe knowledge is power, I may dedicate my life towards my passion but I also try to educate myself about those who dedicate theirs towards self-destruction. Why? If you don’t know how bad things can become, they you cannot fully appreciate the gift of not living that type of life can be!

What is Meth?

Meth is a nervous system stimulant which gives its users an instant rush of energy, they feel like they are 10ft tall and can do anything. It is also goes by the name “ice”, “crystal” and “glass” for its smokable forms while the pill forms go by “billy whizz”, “speed”, “sulphate”, “fast”, “uppers”, “powder” and “crank”. It is made up of mix of commonly available, hazardous chemicals, as such it can be mass produced relatively easily and requires no importation such as other hard drugs.

How is Meth taken?

Meth can be taken in various forms such as powder, pill, injectables and I am sure there are other creative ways addicts have found in order to receive a high from this awful drug.

Why do people take Meth?

When the dangerous mix of peer pressure, low self-esteem and easy availability come together, the perfect storm begins. I can easily say that these are the same pressures that create many other types of addicts from nicotine to alcoholics.

What happens after a user stops use?

Well, the reason they took the drugs was to feel 10ft tall, once off, they receive the opposite effect and feel like they belong 6ft under. With prolonged use, Meth addicts become extremely paranoid and develop a host of traits that would make a schizophrenic appear normal. Like other drugs, there is also an adaptation that the body does to cope, meaning more regular and higher doses are required to achieve the same effect.

What do meth addicts look like?

These aren’t pretty pictures, it shows you what drugs can do to you in their extremes. Note that cigarettes and alcohol have the same effects but they are to a lesser extreme and more internalized.

Governments “War on Drugs” commercials: The Montana Meth Project Ads

I may be wrong, but I believe these commercials where actually produced by a concerned individual who had enough with seeing the government do little in the face of the Meth epidemic that was happening in his city. Hopefully these scare the shit out of you… if they don’t, you have deeper problems.

The ugly physical effects of Meth

Like other hard drugs, Meth has a profound effect on the physical body. As the substance is completely toxic to the body, it tries to excrete these substances through the skin’s pores, which tend to get infected. This specific trait seems to be specific to Meth users. In addition, many Meth users end up with mouths that would make even the local dentist freak-out! The internal organs are also taxed beyond recovery most of the time with prolonged use, which means that you don’t only age much faster, but you are really screwing yourself internally as well. Any type of drug use leads to malnutrition, lack of exercise and the usual culprits that don’t have any positive impact on living a long, healthy life.

The Bottom Line

Drugs, of any kind, produce nothing of any positive value to a life.

Buzvia: Documentary Review -> The Meth Epidemic, Amphetamines/Methamphetamines on myfoodcount.com drug listing

I was recently contacted by the Nursing Online Education Database to review an article they had written titled “50 Tiny Health Habits that Can Save You Big Money (And Add Years)” and I must say I agree with most of what I see. Just to clarify, I have no formal medical training, I am simply a person with many passions and one of them is spreading the word about the very big advantages of a healthy lifestyle!

Article Summary

It’s a known fact that people following a healthy lifestyle throughout your life, though you are never too old to start, save a fortune in medical expenses and lessen or even completely avoid a host of diseases that strike us mortals. Most importantly, a healthy lifestyle will add QUALITY YEARS to a limited lifespan.

Bad habits to avoid or stop immediately: Smoking, drinking, unhealthy snacking, promiscuity, tanning, nail bitting, drug abuse (including caffeine), leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating too fast.

Good habits to have: take vitamins, drink plenty of water, avoid sleep deprivation, exercise, avoid second-hand smoke, eat breakfast, eat your vegies, wear sunscreen, wear good shoes, stretch and floss regularly.

How to de-stress yourself: maintain a good posture, relax your jaw, get some sun, meditate, take your time when eating and most importantly, take a break!

Avoiding those evil diseases: wash your hands, drink green tea, eat fish, drink milk, scrape your tongue, eat a high fiber diet, wash your kids toys regularly, clean your sheets and towels and throw kitchen sponges away!

Invest in yourself: get tested for STDs, become best friends with your dentist, replenish your beauty products, get a flu shot, buy generic, don’t share (toothbrushes, shavers etc), save your money (in an account), avoid the junk food, go to the gym.

Personal habits that help: know your families medical history, accept your mortality, cook for yourself, find somebody to share your life with (no matter how brief) and push yourself to become more then you think you are capable.

My review of key items on this list

Overall, I think this is a great article, Laura knows what she is talking about! Some things I don’t completely agree with while others I believe need to be re-enforced.

Promiscuity

Here is a scary fact repeated many times but needs to be said again, a full 1/4 of Americans are walking around with an STD, whether they realize this or not, yes, that may include you (reading this now). This can range from HPV to AIDS and everything in between. Some are incredibly nasty while others are relatively benign, but an STD is an STD no matter how you describe it. Entering “morals” into the equation as to why promiscuity is “bad” is best left to religion, not the medical community in my opinion.

Drug Abuse

I have had first hand experience with the evils of drug abuse with both of my sisters, one of which died as a result. What I can tell you is that countries who behead drug pushers and traffickers are right on… people who make a profit off other peoples misery deserve no less a reward. The irrational and extreme mood swings, exponential aging and the breakdown that drugs cause within a family are incalculable. I am talking about hard drugs but I also saw my grandfather slowly die due to a life of smoking cigarettes. Drug abuse isn’t just the hard stuff, but any type of drug abuse, from smoking to prescription drugs can only spell problems in your later years.

Daily vitamins

So far, there have been NO studies out there supporting the use of vitamins or multi-vitamins, not one. If you eat a whole, balanced diet, multi-vitamins are not needed for a healthy life. That being said, I take a multi-vitamin twice a day, there may be no proof that it works, but I consider it an insurance policy as I can’t turn back the “health clock” within my body should such a study come out. There is A LOT of hype regarding the vitamin industry, buy the cheapest ones that have everything including the kitchen sink in them… multi-vitamins should be following this shot-gun approach for maximum effectiveness.

Exercise

Walking, running and climbing stairs has been shown to NOT BE ENOUGH. Any exercise regimen must include weight training. Why? Well, unlike running and general cardio-vascular exercises, which are great… weight training increases your muscle mass (promoting fat loss), keeps your body tones and stimulates your central nervous system including an optimization of your neuro-muscular pathways. Why is this important? Well, these all decline with age and lack of use, get them optimized when you are young and their degradation will happen at a slower rate.

Wear Sunscreen

I realize both sides of this argument but I do not wear sunscreen but when I go outside, I always have a hat, long sleeves (even in the summer) and avoid the sun during its peak hours, roughly 11am till 3pm. Sunscreens are effective but for me, they cannot replace common sense. If you go to a beach and spend a few hours in the sun, absolutely wear sunscreen but for daily activities like walking a dog… I consider this a waste of money and time.

Floss

I have to be honest, I don’t floss… what I do instead is put half a cup hot water, mix it with a heaping tablespoon of salt, a pinch of baking soda and wash my mouth with this at least once or twice a day. Why? Well, I believe it’s far more effective then flossing, not only does the salt get under the gum-line and between teeth but it also promotes blood flow. More importantly, this KILLS every bacteria and virus that may live in your mouth. I still brush my teeth of course, but since I have followed this regimen a few years ago, morning breath, tartar build-up and icky mouth feelings dissapeared! Kill them all and nothing is left to do you harm is my philosophy regarding oral care.

Drink Milk

You know what, I don’t agree with this what-so-ever. Where do cows get their calcium? Plant materials. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables will give you far more calcium then any glass of milk could ever hope to do. I believe the marketing of milk has been detrimental to the healthy eating habits of most people, they assume wrongly that milk is the only or BEST source of calcium on the planet, which it is not. Most milk is mass-produced by boosted cows and guess what, this stuff leaches into your milk. I use milk for recipes and that is the extent of my use for this substance.

Wash your kids toys

Before you rush-out and buy some cleaning chemicals, get yourself a steamer, they cost almost nothing and are by far more friendly to your child’s body. Using steam will kill everything, doesn’t produce environmentally damaging chemicals and is a far cheaper method of cleaning.

Replenish your beauty supplies

I think women are at their most beautiful when they wear NO make-up. I believe that the entire fashion and cosmetics industry is a farce that essentially tells women that they are ugly unless they SPEND MONEY on their stuff to look great. Sorry, but a healthy lifestyle will do far more good then any of this garbage will ever do. Preying on self-esteem of woman in order to gain access to their pocket book is just plain evil in my opinion.

Accept your mortality (embrace your age)

Love the skin you’re in, age gracefully and embrace your age sound nice but I disagree. The moment you accept this, in my opinion, is the moment you accept the inevitable that you can do little to nothing to FIGHT aging. I work hard at the gym to extend my lifespan and slow the aging process (the eye candy is a bonus) but you won’t see me ever sitting around saying “wow… I have really aged… great!”. Aging is a battle that I realize I cannot win but that doesn’t mean I will stop trying!

The Bottom Line

Great article… hopefully this gets other to take their health seriously!

Buzvia: 50 Tiny Health Habits that Can Save You Big Money (And Add Years)