Sun Exposure to Left Arm While Driving Damages Skin Forever

I haven't owned nor driven a car steadily since 1986. I don't like to nor want to drive which is one of the reasons I stayed in San Francisco all these years. I prefer to walk to my destinations if possible. I have a phobia of driving the freeways and feel vertigo and panic when I'm going at high speeds.

I've noted recently how just a few years of driving in my 20's, way back from 1979-1986 caused so much sun damage on my left arm to this day the damage remains. In just a few years of hanging my left arm out the window of my car whenever I drove, the sun fried my skin so bad the difference between my two arms is remarkable.

My left arm is full of many freckles with a few small black spots and my right arm hardly has any. I'm wondering how many people notice this later in life? Sun really does damage the skin. I was always under the impression you could save your skin by protecting it later in life. It isn't true. I have definite sun damage to my left arm simply because I liked to prop it on my car door while I drove over 25 years ago.

As for years of laying out in the Southern California sun in my teens and up to 1995, damage to one's face can be reversed gradually. I had Intensive Pulsating Light (IPL) treatments that helped improve the appearance of my facial skin. It was expensive but worth it. Of course, I could afford it back in 2004 but wouldn't think of doing such an expensive procedure today. I'm glad I did it when I could afford a $2,000 treatment.

• IPL Info

20 Reasons Why The Luxor Sucks

I think I was lucky the Luxor gave me a free upgrade room after I complained about the dump they were going to charge $120 for. I checked on Yelp and there are similar complaints. This hotel isn't what it used to be and needs a complete overhaul. I'm never going back to this hotel again. It's sad what they've let it become. Here's someone's slideshow who posted a review on Yelp.

20 Reasons The Luxor Sucks

View more documents from David Berkowitz.

My Home Gym Equipment Workout Strategy Failed

Two years ago I decided to see if buying moderate gym equipment for use in my home would do the trick to keep me in the shape I'm accustomed to. I can now say that after two years of using my home based program that it didn't work.

I had six work out items, the arm weights, the large ball, a exercise bike, Suzanne Sumer's leg and arm devices, a stomach cruncher and the total gym platinum. It was cost effective yes, but did it help me keep toned and in the condition I'm used to? Did it make me feel good after each work out? The answer is no.

I'm analyzing why my home program didn't work and I think the main reason why is I never really combined using all of my equipment in one work out sitting like I would at a gym. I found myself using the bike for 20-30 minutes and calling that a work out for the day. My exercise bike was affordable and pretty, but didn't really do much good.

It also was inconvenient to set up the total gym platinum. The tension rope would break every 6 months costing $35 to replace. The equipment wasn't top of the line as they have at gyms today.

I called around asking for monthly rates at local gyms. I told the guy I tried to work out at home and he said everyone always tries that method for a little while and then they go back to a gym. He's right. Working out during my trip at the Luxor in Las Vegas, I almost immediately felt better and my muscles felt stronger after around 4 work outs.

Fortunately for me, it won't take too long to get back in the shape I'm accustomed to after I start the gym routine again. The most important thing I like about working out intensely is that it tends to allow you to eat a few things that might otherwise result in a few pounds. You don't tend to feel guilty about having ice cream once in a while.

Back From Sizzling 117 Degree Las Vegas

I'm back from a mini-vacation in Las Vegas to say I lived to tell the tale of 117 degree weather. I left Monday morning and got back a few hours ago Thursday night. I wanted a "real" vacation since my last business visit in June when I had a tight schedule. Las Vegas is the cheapest vacation around and easily accessible on my favorite airlines Virgin America.

When I got into my hotel room, it was nothing like the Luxor advertised, an alleged Spa Package with a jacuzzi with a view in my room. They advertised luxurious surroundings like a top of the line suite. The room was nothing short of a dump! I mean, it was really depressing. The furniture was worn, torn and pathetic. I mean really tacky looking furniture with marked up walls. The bathroom looked like Motel 6 and also showed wear and tear.

The bed decor was nothing like in the ad, just the typical standard room style. The extra room they advertised was poorly furnished. I asked for an upgrade and they gave me a far nicer suite that had 750 sq. ft and a great view high in their West Tower, for the same price of $120/night. Plus it included a free all you can eat all-day buffet, free drinks, free Starbucks credit and free use of the gym.

I got a nice facial and did the spa thing too. I had a pretty good time and got a lot of reading done. There were no signs of a faltering economy in this place either. It was really packed all the time unlike in 2001 when I last visited the Luxor when it was quite dead and they paid half of my airfare and only charged me $39/night. I don't think I'll ever be returning to that hotel again.

I stood waiting for the airport shuttle in 117 degree heat. My greatest fear wasn't fainting from the heat, but that my expensive cosmetic serums and cremes would evaporate in the heat in the luggage compartment. It felt like a furnace. I've never been in that kind of hot weather before. It's quite an experience. I don't know how people can work outdoors in that kind of temperature.

Unbelievable Transformations of Middle Aged Women

I thought I'd post a few more astonishing transformations of middle aged women on the MSNBC.com's Ambush program. They're truly amazing! The photo at left shows how hair coloring can be used in one's favor to enhance rather than overkill one's appearance. What's amazing is how all of these talented styling artists together create a highly appropriate image especially fitting to someone's smile and personality. Obviously there's talent involved in these style artist's ability to transform people's appearance, much like gourmet chefs transform food into pleasure to our senses.

One thing that really helps these women is they all have really nice smiles. Everyone should have a make-over photo taken of them at least once in their lives.

• Today Show - Ambush!

California and Its IOU's Kind of Concern Me

I was grateful the State of California paid me hard cash for my 2008 tax return. There was a slight delay but I got my money free and clear. I can't imagine what it would be like for the state to send me a *gasp* IOU. If this IOU issuance by one of the largest economies in the world isn't enough of a red flag to denote what's to come, I don't know what is.

One day people may be temporarily trading precious metals for goods. One store in another state has already set up a system to do so. There was a video of it a while back but YouTube took it down apparently afraid of potentially panicking the populace. The gov't probably fears a panic will cause a shortage of precious metals and people hoarding.

I was in Martinez, California this weekend, a place I don't wish to return to ever again. While I was there a resident said the courts recently suspended prosecuting all kinds of criminal offenses due to layoffs of gov't staff. The city seemed peaceful enough to me for my one day trip. I also thought Martinez a perfect location for cemeteries. The map at right denotes numerous cemeteries in the area.

Yup, Martinez seems a good place for dead people, at least those who can afford to be buried rather than cremated. While I was having breakfast at Carrows I watched a very old person spend 30 minutes trying to get out of his car. It was like observing a star fish. Fortunately, I only had to spend a few hours in Martinez.

Alex Jones Demonstrates He's a Big Bully and Hypocrite

Since my last post declaring my personal moratorium on listening to Alex Jones's radio program, so far so good. I've been able thus far to successfully resist my former daily dose of Alex Jones's commentary on the state of our country and culture.

After his Michael Jackson funeral mockery, I made a pledge to abandon my interests in Alex Jones who has taken up a great deal of my time and even money the past two years. I actually paid a few hundred dollars to obtain a DVD copy tower in order to replicate his movies for free distribution to the public and through my SongChannels site. I have also donated to the program along with purchasing a great deal of his DVD's since 2006 I since gave most away to the local library in San Francisco.

It became increasingly clear as I listened that Alex Jones can be a little too crazy for his audience in many of his rants. He was also becoming too overtly aligned with Christians who called into his program often to recite the Bible. The last straw was his complete loss of inhibition in shamelessly mocking Michael Jackson along with his family and fans during the memorial service a couple days after his scathing accusation Jackson was in hell. Alex Jones sounded like a bully in a school yard mocking an alleged weakling and, even at times on the level of Hitler, in his referring to Jackson as "degenerate", "weak", "pathetic" and "trash", typical slogans the dictator used.

A Former Alex Jones Rant Addict Has Had Enough

It's clear that Alex Jones has gotten a little too confident with himself the past couple of years. For instance, he clearly has no right claiming Michael Jackson's in hell. I became addicted to Alex Jones' rants and the nature of his alternative news stories. I realized a few days ago since Jones' declared "all was lost" and it was "all over for America" that he can no longer possibly have the New World Order on the run as his program advertises, so there's no valid reason to listen to his program. The basic concepts of "don't accept any forced flu vaccinations", "don't use fluoridated water or products", "don't take any computer chip into your body", "protest any Federal ID card", "stock up on food, water and precious metals", "be aware of [blank, blank and blank]" has all been hashed and rehashed that makes it pointless to listen any longer.

Alex Jones declared on his radio program a few times in recent weeks that America has been lost to off shore criminal banking cartels and it's all over. He goes on to repeatedly mock Americans as "slaves" along with the culture out of his frustration. It takes a tremendous amount to convince Alex Jones America's lost which he fought for years to save. To me, what Alex Jones's acknolwedgement of declaration of defeat really means is there's no real point to listen to his radio program which is why he's resorting to crazy obnoxious behavior to entertain his remaining listeners.

Alex Jones' Rant and Mockery of Michael Jackson's Memorial Outrageous!

Alex Jones has totally lost me with his recent obnoxious commentary of Michael Jackson's funeral. He said some really ugly things about Michael Jackson as he hacked into the ceremony's coverage in an attempt to entertain his audience. Calling Michael Jackson trash and his family evil, it became clear Alex Jones is ill and so cynical I can no longer follow his interpretations of reality.

Alex Jones really exposed himself as a moron on this video rant and I regret he chose to give into the temptation of mocking Michael Jackson, his family and fans' memorial of him. Though I agree the father Joe is definitely evil due to whatever mental illness he has, Alex was way out of bounds calling Michael Jackson "trash", "freak" and "filth".

Alex Jones can't comprehend how music connects deeply with people and Michael Jackson connected emotionally with people in a way no other has done. He can't comprehend how Jermaine Jackson's heart was breaking as he sang Smile to the world over the loss of his brother.

If Alex Jones ever gets killed by the government, I won't grieve over him. I detect a certain male jealousy in his obnoxious mockery.

• Alex Jones Copy DVD's Discontinued from SongChannels.com

Manipulative People - A Red Flag of Impending Danger

When you deal with people willing to bend reality to suit their desired outcome, the likes of Edmond Wollmann and his ongoing propaganda campaign, you know you're in danger in some form. People who manipulate and intimidate others are inherently dangerous because they so easily cast aside the truth they don't value. People who demonstrate consistently a disregard for reality and truth should be avoided in my opinion.

Police Officers Have Many Enemies - Legions of Good Law Abiding People

Police officers are inherently dangerous because they often lie and twist reality. They are often devious, reckless and destructive to their victims. Police officers have many enemies, legions of good people across the country, including Alex Jones at Infowars.com, who have witnessed their activities as corrupt and criminal. Police often aid and abet criminals because they naturally form a business partnership with crime to keep themselves in business.

When you go to get a divorce these days, it's highly recommended by reputable professionals to avoid hiring an attorney for uncontested divorces. Why? Because attorneys will deliberately complicate issues to make things worse in order to extract more money from their clients. It can be similarly said that when police officers are called into any given situation they will make things worse, not better.

Reality warping is a superpower in superhero fiction. It is the ability to reshape matter and energy, create or alter life and matter, turn a person's thoughts or desires into reality, simulate any and all other powers and abilities, bend time and space, and possibly even rewrite the laws of physics.

All things are possible for a reality-warper, making them seem omnipotent.

Thank heavens Michael Jackson was able to overcome police plans to put him in a jail cell a few years ago to eventually show how much people appreciated him around the world.

• Wikipedia - Reality Warping

Make-Overs on MSNBC's Today Show

After the shocking realization a former high school peer I had obsessed over her beauty for decades looks like a worn out dish rag in 2009, I thought a make-over article was appropriate. A little make-up goes a long way for women, along with a hair make-over.

There are many examples on MSNBC's Today Show makeover show proving any average every day looking woman can change her look dramatically using the help of make-up artists and hair stylists.

The bottom line is, if you have a lot of money, there's no excuse to look hideous, especially if you don't even have a weight problem to deal with. There are spas, all kinds of great ways to renew a youthful appearance. It just takes a little effort. The worse thing for a middle aged woman is when her hair is disproportionate with her facial appearance. Long goldie locks youthful hair doesn't look proportionate with a washed out make-up less face. What happened to this formerly sophisticated lady's sense of style?

Take it from me, I'm not overly critical of women and their appearance but when some formerly totally gorgeous woman who has financial resources turns into someone who looks like what I've seen on the streets begging for money, something's seriously wrong with that picture

This photo is of a 60+ Barbara Walters. She may even be in her 70s! All it takes is a little attention to one's health and appearance to look nice. Women often look horrendous without make-up after a certain age. Most certainly don't go around getting celebrity like photo shoots of themselves without adequate preparation.



MSNBC's Today Show Make Over Program