SICKO

I have found the movie SICKO written by Michael Moore very interesting. The whole documentary movie is about the Health care in the United States. It shows that it is provided by high-profit oriented maintenance organization(HMOs).With 300 million populations in USA there is about 50 million people without an insurance, and even people with the insurance are worry if their insurance is covering them when they will get very sick. There are very bad practices by the insurance companies. The company agents who are helping to fill the applications for health insurance are not honest with their responses to the customers, and they are forced by companies to hold some information or even lie. People are worry after they will get sick not to be dropped by insurance companies, because insurance companies are able to use dirty practices to get rid of those people to save the companies money. The movie reveals that the doctors who have least claims are getting the big bonuses compare to the doctors with high numbers of claims. How is it possible that the guy who cut his two fingers has to decide which of his fingers he wants to safe because he has no enough money to save both of them? Why young women with cancer and small child can’t get the help because the insurance would not take her? Why three 9/11 clean-up volunteers, who developed respiratory problems can’t get help? It also shows that there is still racism in our health system. Author also examines why Nixon promoted HMOs in 1971, and why the Clintons' reform effort failed in the 1990s. It shows how big influence lobbing companies have in our political system. Author compares our health care to free, universal care in Canada, the United Kingdom and France. Moore contrasts U.S. media reports on Canadian care with the experiences of Canadians in hospitals and clinics there. He interviews patients and doctors in the U.K. about cost, quality, and salaries. It is unbelievable that young women with the cancer comes to Canada and gets help which she can’t get in USA or can’t afford it. Why is that that US citizens are forced to look for help outside of the country? How is it possible that Cuba is able to provide free health care for our citizens and US the country with the biggest economy of the world not? After watching this movie I think everybody has to answer all this questions in his mind, and it's hard to disagree with Moore argument that health care in the United States is broken and needs to be fixed.

Vegetarianism

When I hear this world vegetarianism ,I think of people whose diet is more healthier than diet of the rest of people who eat an animals. Vegetarians don't eat or use animal products. There is more forms of vegetarianism. Most common form is lacto-ovo-vegetarianism.In general people of these form of vegetarianism don't eat meat and sometimes eat the fish. They also eat eggs and dairy produce.There are also more extreme and restricted diets.There are vegetarian follovers who exclude all animal products but they eat anuything from the plant world. there are also follovers who eat only cereals or follovers who eat raw food.Personally I know some people who are vegetarians. Some of them are happy with they diet but some of them have change it back to meat diet. I was thinking of changing my diet to vegetarian but I have decided not to because I think that meat is better source of essential elements for healthy growth than plants and that plants don't have all nutritiens which the body needs.So I prefer combination of both.

Black Friday

Black Friday is known as a day of great discounts on retailers merchandise. Everybody is trying to get to the stores as soon as possible not to miss opportunity to get great deal on his items.I have never been shopping on Black Friday, so I went this year to see how it look like to stay in those long lines.I didn't go crazy and I didn't stay in line from 5 AM, instead I came there around 11AM. The line wasn't long so I have stayed there maybe for 5 minuets. I was trying to get a new phone for my brother, and after paying for the phone I had to wait very long two hours to get the Sim card activated. I was frustrated and very disappointed. I think that I will not go for shopping on Black Friday for very long time. When I was leaving the store and I was a witness of little nasty scene at the entrance. There was no line at that time and one guy was trying to make shortcut to the entrance sneaking in through opening between the small fences in his way. The guy standing at the entrance came to him and pushed him back but the guy who was pushed refuse to back up and pushed him back.The police officers standing next to them were watching for maybe 30 sec and than they decided to make a move to stop it. One thing was weird why the guy at the entrance who was suppose to watch the customers to enter the store didn't have some kind of security sign on him and why hi was so ruthless to pushing the other guy out when even the line didn't exist at the time.The cops have warned the customer and tell him to live not to get arrested, but didn't say nothing to the guy who started.

Hostel

One of the most disgusting movies I have ever seen is Hostel movie by director Eli Roth. The film is about three young men and their horrific backpacking trip through Europe. A particular hostel in an out-of-the-way Slovakian town stocked with Eastern European women as desperate as they are gorgeous. The young men quickly find themselves trapped in an increasingly sinister situation that they will discover is as wide and as deep as the darkest, sickest recess of human nature itself. Watching this movie was very unpleasant and there were the moments I had to close my eyes. I often had to resist the reflexive temptation to leave. Honestly, this movie has nothing to do with pleasure to watch. The movie is full of blood and torture scenes. I found this movie the sickest I have ever seen.

TSA scanning at the airports

We know that the air travel is essential part of our daily lives, and that millions of people are traveling every day.We had tighten security at the airports to the highest levels to prevent any terrorist attacks. I agree we need to have some kind of protection but we can't violate the human rights. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. TSA recently practising invasive and humiliating full-body scans that result in the display of a graphic image of each passenger's naked body to be scrutinized by a TSA agent.We have to be aware that full-body scans produced by backscatter X-ray machines create radiation potentially harmful to frequent fliers. The air travel is already not that comfortable like it use to be and I believe government is going to far, and some politicians are gonna profit from selling these screening machines to the airports.

Eiffel Tower - La dame de fer

When someone whisper the word Paris , first thing that clicks in my mind is Eiffel Tower. The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France.Tower has a nickname La dame de fer (The iron lady), and it is the tallest building in Paris, and the most-visited paid monument in the world. The tower has three levels for visitors.The third and highest level is accessible only by elevator.For repairs, the top of the Eiffel Tower is closed from November 3 to 16 during the day and evening.So when you are planning a trip to Paris and you are excited to see the city from the top of the tower, better check on Internet if there is some restrictions.I have always wanted to go to see Paris, but I couldn't. Paris has a great history and it is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and Eiffel tower is a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

ATP tournaments in tennis

Tennis is my favorite game. My favorite player for years is Roger Federer and he is #2 player of the world right now. This is his eight attempt at this tournament to win this title and he had never pass quarter final at BNP Paribas Masters.His now in semi-finals and he is on course to win his third straight ATP World Tour title after he defeated No. 11 seed Jurgen Melzer of Austria. It is unbelievable that the guy like him who is considered to be the greatest player of all times, who had won all Grand Slams tournament titles, had never won this tournament.He is 29 years old and many experts are predicting that he is at the end of his carrier, but he is still playing unbelievable tennis and I hope hill make this Little history in Paris and he became a champion ones again.

thanksgiving

I can't believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Thanksgiving is the third biggest holiday after Christmas and Halloween.In the United States, Thanksgiving Day falls on the fourth Thursday of November.Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks, of family gatherings and holiday meals. A time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. A time for Indian corn, holiday parades and giant balloons.Even in difficult times, there are always things for which to be grateful. For some people cooking the big holiday meal is stress.Everyone from local deli or favorite restaurant will likely offer Thanksgiving meals.I am not gonna use their services this year, because this year I will spend Thanksgiving in the circle of my family. Happy Thanksgiving.

crocodiles vs. alligators

Some people think that alligator or crocodile is a same animal but they think wrong. The truth is they are quite different.Alligators have a very broad, wide snout, and crocodiles have a narrower snout and jaw. Also crocodiles often have a lower tooth that juts out noticeably,while an alligator's fourth tooth is hidden. They have been considered villainous, man-eating monsters for centuries. Are they really so dangerous? The answer is yes. Alligators are actually "not" known for being aggressive toward man unless nesting or unexpectedly disturbed, but crocodiles do and have killed humans.The Nile crocodiles are known for the large number of human fatalities they cause every year. The best thing is never to approach one, even for a good “shot” with a camera.

halloween

The movie was about how Halloween became such a tradition. It began 3000 years ago in Ireland.Halloween is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today.It is considered to be the scariest day of the year.Halloween has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts.Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. Although the superstitions and beliefs surrounding Halloween may have evolved over the years, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people can still look forward to parades, costumes and sweet treats to usher in the winter season.

public tennis courts in NYC

I live in part of Queens called Woodhaven. I have walking distance to the public tennis courts there. The courts are in devastating condition for more than 4 years. Some of the cracks on the court surface are so big as a size of tennis ball, and anybody can easilly get hurt. Despite of this condition the people who work for the city are checking for the permits, and lock down the place after certain time. Permits are not cheap and the cost of permit is $100. People were signing petition 3 years ago and asking to fix these courts.Nothing happened till now. The courts are under the construction, so I had found another place to play this beautiful game. I was very surprised because about 5 miles from Woodhaven is Highland Park in Brooklyn and there is 14 tennis courts in very good condition.But listen to this. This courts have even a lights for night play and nobody is asking for permits there. How is this possible that in Queens people have to pay $100 for playing and in Brooklyn not? Both are public tennis courts in NYC. How is Mr.Bloomberg doing his job?

salmon fishing

Every year make a trip to Salmon river at Pulaski . It is a small town in NY state, approximately five hours by car from NYC towards Canadian border. The river at the time is packed with fishermen,and for the whole day you hear "fish on" and "fish off". I like it. I get up at 6AM and after I got back to the motel at 6PM, I have slept as a baby. Despite of excitement of fishing, the danger of drowning is still there. I felt into the watter myself and I was scared to death. The watter is very cold there so wearing the neoprene suit is needed. Some guys have ended the day without the fish, but many of them were more lucky. The fish gives a big fight and many times escapes from the hook.I love the feeling of the power on my rod when the fish is trying to escape. I can hear my heartbeat some times, and the fight can last up to 10 minutes or more. I hope that there will be the fish for another hundreds of years so me and my Friends can always go there and have some good times.

autumn

As summer ends and autumn comes, we notice this change because the days are getting shorter and shorter, and the trees "know" they have to get ready for winter. I love watching how the trees are changing the colors of the leaves.I use to drive to work, and on my way to work or from work ,I have been always fascinated by colors of the trees. Why the leaves are changing the colors? Why a maple leaf turns bright red,and where do the yellows and oranges come from. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color. Insufficiency of chlorophyll causes that the leaves are changing their colors.
Glucose is the product of photosynthesis.In some trees, like maples, glucose is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn cause the leaves turn this glucose into a red color.The brown color of trees like oaks is made from wastes left in the leaves.
The combination of all these things make the beautiful fall colors we enjoy each year.

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden

The oldest beer garden in New York City is 100 years old. Since 1910, Bohemian Hall has been a part of New York City history. This is the last original remaining Beer Garden in all of NYC. I remember the first time I had entered this place . It was eighteen years ago, and I was concerned that this is a place which is gonna die very soon. There were just four people with me and a bartender. The place was very slow, but after restriction of smoking in bars and restaurants, this place started be very popular among a smokers and beer lovers. You can easily fit over 1000 people in there. The garden is surrounded with 15 feet high stone walls and beautiful trees behind them. Especially in the summer time place is packed with the people and there are very long lines to get in . Miracles happens all the time, and this is a miracle that the garden didn't die.

NYC marathon

NYC Marathon is behind the corner.NYC Marathon along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, it is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States. Not everybody can run it and overcome 42.195 km .For those who don't know, it is held on the first Sunday of November and attracts professional competitors and amateurs from all over the world,and has been run every year since 1970. Runners pass through all five boroughs of New York City.So hurry up get ready for this big event of the year.