Les Mis on the big screen..... Again!

My reply to the article: http://www.crosswalk.com/culture/movies/les-miserables-2012-movie-review.html

I appreciate your review and agree with most of it. Russell Crowe was definitely too weak in terms of voice but I also found the key or perhaps the octave a bit too high for the guys. I kept wondering who chose it bc the guys were breaking trying to hit their high notes. Colm Wilkinson was the priest, I wish he got a bigger role but of course there are only so many. But gosh, the question of who else could have been Javert kept going through my head. His suicide scene was sooooo weak. They all did a fine job though and I'm glad every time they try to get Les Mis on the big screen! Yes, I'm a fan.

Do you agree? Let me know!

Egypt: That was sickening ... I am not a big fan of American politics at all but innocence should not be used to pay for ignorance.

Fitbit update ...

A reader asked if I have hit the tipping point yet exercising with the Fitbit.  Here was my answer:


Everyone is different of course, for me, i don't know if I have hit a tipping point yet because I haven't lost any weight but the difference is I feel great!  I'm just a little overweight, maybe 10 pounds, but for the last year before i started exercising, I felt like a slug, always heavy and slow.

I moved back to NY from Chicago and decided not to continue, with a move back home, it was time to make some changes.  I started running (really just walking), and now I run about 75% of my 3 to 5 mile treks every day (You just have to squeeze it into your schedule, exercise is that important).  Also, it only lasts a little over an hour now, so as you get healthier, your runs (should you choose to do that) will shorten.

Now, I am with my fiancee in Pennsylvania for a few weeks and we are out in corn country.  Lots of cars and no sidewalks - I bring this up because of the walking and running in NY, I can run a lot longer here where I think is quite dangerous bc of the no sidewalks environment.  I want to get on and off the main roads quickly.

Anyway, main point, I do not feel like a slug any longer and I can run a pretty good distance ... still improving too!  Have i hit a tipping point?  Probably not, but I feel great and that's another thing that's important.  So don't give up, the tipping will come but enjoy just getting healthy.

My Fitbit Ultra Review

Picture is from:http://blog.gifts.com/gift-of-the-day/fitbit-ultra-the-wearable-wireless-wellness-monitor

Just wanted to take a moment and give my initial impressions of the FitBit Ultra.  I recently got back into working out and walking, jogging, and running.  I've been feeling a little overweight and sluggish for the last few months.  I'd say I have probably been a little overweight for about the last year or 2 actually to the point I can actually feel it.  It was time for a change.

Well, the Fitbit has been out for quite a while now.  Maybe the last 4 years?  I've been looking to get one since it came out but decided on waiting on what other people thought, if there would be improvements, and to see if the price would come down.

The wait paid off in certain ways.  The Fitbit Ultra came out about a year or so after the original if I remember right and it tracks more things and does more things, like containing a clock, a simple feature I really like, which was mysteriously missing from the first iteration.  Along with tracking steps, it also tracks altitude and tells your distance in miles which is nice. 

I've always used Runkeeper on my Iphone since it came out and really liked how this app tracked your mileage as well as mapped your routes very accurately using the GPS in the phone.  Recently, I've gotten into the Nexercise app because I love the way it gamifies the exercising process and allows you to level up with increased workouts.  For a fan of role-playing games like me, that's just sooo nice.

I read in multiple posts that the Fitbit was supposed to work in conjunction with the Runkeeper app so now that I was exercising regularly and using all these apps anyway, I thought it would be nice to get the Fitbit and get rid of a few apps and just let the Fitbit control and feed info to them.  

When I finally got the Fitbit Ultra and worked with it these last few days, I found out that Runkeeper did not have an app or a tracking connection with the Fitbit any longer.  I wasn't able to find any information on why but, I gotta say, I still love the Fitbit.  The statistics it provides me on the steps I've taken, floors I've climbed, and about my sleep patterns have been invaluable so far.  I wouldn't say I'm numbers inclined enough to like statistics but I do like what the Fitbit is telling me.  I get to find out all this info on how I live and tweek myself in order to maximize my own workouts and life.  

An added bonus was finding this app/web service Myfitnesspal.com, which does have an app that connects with Fitbit.  I tried to use the "Loseit" app for a few weeks in the past to enter foods I eat to measure calories and how much I burn but it was a very cumbersome process.  Because the app didn't recognize a lot of things I ate, I had to enter some things by ingredient.  The first day, this took about an hour per meal, not to mention how many times I went back to tweek it thinking some of the ingredients were wrong (like baked potato + butter (1pat) instead of just potato).  Myfitnesspal.com takes all your foods through the web or through the iphone app and feeds it into Fitbit so you don't have to enter it at the Fitbit site.  That's a plus because Myfitnesspal.com has a whole lot of foods that you can just type in that many other services don't.  For example, my first snack was a Chinese coconut bun.  When I typed that in, it actually had "Chinese generic coconut cream bun," exactly what I ate.  It even had some dim sum by the Chinese phonetic names for my next morning.  Not to mention the English named, Papa John's 12 inch pepperoni pizza, slice, it's so easy to enter.

So, as of today, I am loving my workouts using the Fitbit and all this info I'm getting from it.  Just a note about the sleep functionality, some people say it's not really reliable because it tracks your arm movement as you sleep but it does show up in graphs as movement or waking movement.  This is actually good information in my opinion.  Something while I sleep, causes me to move every now and then as I sleep and although I don't remember it, it might be, if it happens often enough, what causes me to feel tired in the morning or more tired throughout the day (times of less deep sleep).  I'm waiting to see what it looks like when I do remember having a rough night.  It seems to be able to tell how fast you go to sleep too which is nice and how much time you actually spend sleeping.  Another plus.  

So I guess my conclusion would be ... I love this thing.  It's a hundred bucks at most places so it's not cheap.  It's not bulky though either and it's very reliable.  I got mine at Bestbuy where I had a hundred bucks in gift cards over the last 3 years.  I thought it was finally time to use them.  I did look around though and the other simple pedometers were around 40 to 60 bucks so I saw this as a very good deal.  Although you could view it as a glorified pedometer, it's the software, wireless base, and the website and apps that make all the difference.  It really lets you use the information rather than just view it. If you have the extra cash lying around or think this info could help you, or just need a kick in the butt by seeing how much "sedentary time" it says you are experiencing, I say go get it confidently.  It's really cool, really light, and reliable.  

One thing of note though, I thought about the Nike Fuel band also, but I already have a nice watch and for 150 bucks, it doesn't do nearly as much as the Fitbit.  Also, those Nike Fuel points were a real turn off.  There's no way to tell how they're calculated.  I say just stick with real stuff like steps, mileage, and floors.

On things that it's doing wrong, one thing that can be fixed on it by changing your stride length, is the distance and steps it's tracking.  For me, the Fitbit seems to be tracking extra steps and extra distance by a few percent over what I'm getting from my GPS apps I mentioned above.  After the last few days though, I pretty much know to just subtract 200 steps and a quarter mile or so from whatever I get at the end of the day for the "real" totals.  In the end the GPS apps might be a little off as well so I just average out the 3, the 2 apps and the Fitbit.  As a side note, I'm still using Runkeeper because I like the maps it draws of my running paths that seem to change everyday.  And Nexercise is just fun, period.  It's just like government, I use all three to provide checks and balances on each other and it might seem a little OCD but it makes it even more fun.  I'll fix my "stride" next time I'm at a track.

If you guys have an opinion or tips on how to use this device even better, leave me a message.  And if you want to join my fitbit network, I should be under nyhunter77.  If I don't friend you don't feel bad, I haven't friended anyone yet.  Ok, time to go climb some stairs :D  

One more note about purchasing this.  Make sure you get the right one!!!  Bestbuy is selling the Fitbit and Fitbit Ultra both for 99 dollars because someone entered it into their system and website incorrectly (at least this past week).  They seem to only have old Fitbits in Blue and Fitbit Ultras in Plum.  I ended up getting a blue and having to exchange it and take a plum (or some would say pink) but who cares, it's just a color.  I found you can't even see the color most of the time.  Anyway, make sure you take a gander at that box!  Read Ultra before taking it.

Happy exercising!

This was a response to Dwight Silverman's article on travel tech. Just some suggestions on how I use GPS apps on my iPhone and how a combination ends up working better than just one.

http://blog.chron.com/techblog/2012/07/travel-tech-notes-from-the-road-and-the-sky/

Recently I’ve travelled a lot too. On ios, mapquest has become a free app lately and I find that dead on when giving me the routes that are best and giving me lots of clear verbal instructions. I used to use Waze all the time but in the northeast it’s instructions aren’t the best and in jersey, can have you going around in circles. Not good one tired morning. I had to break out the mio standalone gps to get out of the area. Waze does tell you where accidents are and more importantly, where traffic jams end. I usually plug my iPhone in and turn both apps on. Get my directions from MQ and leave Waze on just for the crowd sourced traffic reports. Tag team! How bout that?

As an add-on note, I can't forget Slacker with the ~3.99 a month subscription to get rid of commercials. This makes my road trips that much more enjoyable.  It's also great to mention how i can use all these apps at the same time.  When traffic directions are given, the music is automatically lowered. It's great, I leave my phone plugged into the car stereo all the time!  It's worth the few seconds of trouble (no bluetooth in my vehicle).

Gun Control

2 posts I had with a friend on gun control after the "Batman Massacre." He didn't really have a side I guess.

1.  What's your stance Steve? Do you have one? It's so true, like the article says, you have to take into account the country's background, history, and the sociology of each country. Taking that into account, certain large populations here don't take kindly to the law much less answer honestly when asked about anything. I also think as a society, the US is such a disrespectful country as a whole that I hardly ever have felt safe (maybe that's my problem). Since college, I took my gun licensing exam, practiced at the range, got the concealed carry license (valid in some states), and have educated all that would like to learn the basics of using and safety features to look for in a gun. In our society, that's the only thing that's going to make us safer, education. I've always owned since then, yep, even in Chicago. I for one, feel much safer with it than without it. It's not something to fear if you know how to use it and how it works ... well, unless someone who shouldn't have one is right in front of you.

2.  That's the heart of the matter right there. Guns "can" kill people but it's the person, mentally and physically, who actually pulls the trigger. Ultimately, it is the person who does the killing whether bc of mental illness, lack of knowledge, or plain stupidity. I for one say, bring on the gun laws! And ban the assault rifles. Come on! There's no reason for that at all.

As long as single shot rifles, pistols, and perhaps semi autos (which most handguns are anyway) are in some way accessible for the consumer who has taken an active part in training and learning about what they are actually getting, I will support it. But an outright ban? That will just turn us all into victims sooner or later (in this country).

This was my reply to Shelly Palmer's article on how Verizon's Share Everything Plan was going to be "about the same" cost as current plans:
http://www.shellypalmer.com/2012/07/verizons-share-everything-plan/

Credit for photo: Thanks to http://brokelyn.com/
-------------------
Forgive me Shelly, I call you out as a lier on this. You shouldn't be judging this new plan on what you and I as techies use but as the general population uses. Most ppl I know use a basic calling plan with low minutes (no one wants to talk anymore or they just wait until free night and weekend times), they have the basic 2 gig data plan, and they have or have no txt messaging vs free texting services or google voice/Facebook.

Normal access right now for these things are around 70 bucks plus tax. Go to Verizon's share everything calculator and you will see this at a minimum (2gig data) is 100 bucks not including tax!

That is in fact, an unreasonable increase! Add Texting for those not savvy enough for free texting services and that's even more!

No one I know that uses YouTube frequently or even infrequently can stay under 2 gigs either.  Not to mention if they are Netflix or streaming radio subscribers which push them close or over the cap.

In fact, for my data conserving girlfriend, she gets really close or over the 2 gig limit on AT&T using her iPhone so often we're thinking about switching her to the 3 gig plan. It's not easy to stay under 2 gigs and it's almost impossible to stay under 1. I think you are seriously wrong on this issue and you should shout from the rooftops how Verizon is going to be gauging customers in the near future rather than helping or remaining "about the same" as the current plans.

That's just wrong, and that's a fact.  Thank you.

 Sent from my iPad

Say No To Standardization!

Response to Michael Winerip of the NY Times - Article dealing with education and roboreaders.

I just heard you on the NPR tech podcast and I have to agree that I am not a supporter of more and more standardized testing as well as "standardized reading" of writing exams.

I love reading and writing, I'm always reading in my free time and when I have something to speak on, such as this topic, I end up writing as well.

To keep it short though, I would say I am a perfect example of a victim of standardized tests.  Everyone knows that doctors must be smart and yes, they should be tested so they know their stuff, but I would say the 7/8+ hour tests over multiple days that give out page long cases to read and then to choose one answer that's correct over 6 to 10 other ones at times is just ridiculous.

It's sad, I don't think that way.  I've always been told I think outside the box and in some cases, real cases, that's what you need!  But, after many years, I haven't been able to train myself to think in the way the medical boards have wanted me to in order to pass these tests.  It took 3 years to pass the Step 1, and I've still not been able to pass Step 2.  It may be too late for me in truth, although, if anyone, doctor, or layman, asks me to come up with a list of possible diagnoses and treatments, I can rattle off a great list quickly from my mind (In essence, i can do the job).

I just think that the process of standardized testing is creating a standardized population. We're all being trained to do things the same way and there is no leeway or accounting for someone who may be just as smart or smarter than the next guy, yet can't pass some standardized test.  I think there should me another method or another way given to everyone, no matter the cost.  I taught kids for a while and we were taught that everyone learns differently.  It's the same for adults.  Testing has to take that into account as well!

I'm still trying, I may never pass, but I have picked up radiography as a skill since then and hope to at least be able to bankroll my future attempts.  They are not only tough, but expensive tests.

To close, I guess I wished that people took the time to find more realistic ways to test people and kids rather than just standardized "cardboard cutout" ways.  Not everyone fits a mold but everyone can be a valuable part of society and their value to themselves and to their society might be greatly diminished because of a standardized, one size fits all, test.

Thanks for reading,

Ken Guie (MD - yet still unable to practice)