My last entry saw some improvement in my knee pain, which was mostly undone by two straight days of strenuous exercise. I had found a stretch that loosened up my knee, drastically reducing the amount of crackling noises it was making (although I can still feel some crackling in the joint).
Monday, the day after I wrote my entry was much better. My knee pain was virtually gone. It only appeared when I would flex it about 35 degrees and use muscle to straighten it, or when I put weight directly on my knee cap (which made for some funny incidents crawling across my hardly unyielding bed to get a book or magazine).
By Tuesday I was moving around pain free. Although the joint was not what you would call springy, it was neither stiff nor achy when I woke up. I went through three days where I had pain only when I would use my right leg first to stand up from doing push ups and when I would go up stairs 2 at a time. Even that was tantalizingly small, a sensation, like your gums when novocaine is wearing off and you can't stop pressing the half-numb flesh.
Thursday evening was a minor test. I played basketball with two of my kids on a cement court. We played for about 30 minutes and I tried some adult, game speed defense and moves to prepare for a tournament I have coming up this week. My flexibility in the joint was good and there was no sharp pain while I was playing. On some landings and while playing defense, I felt some pain, but not to the extent where my muscles responded to it by losing power.
Essentially, it was quite bearable and uplifting. The next morning, my knee was a little stiff but not swollen. I did my flexibility exercise (as described in my previous article: http://newsfrompalookaville.blogspot.com/2012/05/glucosamine-diary-tease-in-week-2.html) and felt some sharp pain as my knee got close to my chin. After a few reps, the pain was reduced significantly.
Since I will be playing basketball on three consecutive nights this week, that was a big test. As most of us know, your knee's reaction to the actual activity is only part one. Just as important is part two, how it responds the next day. With this test completed and my knee feeling good on Friday, I am confident that I can play at 80-90% speed.
On Saturday and Sunday, I jogged and rode the exercise bike. I iced down after both and have a little pain and stiffness. Looking at how last week went, this seems that it will be the norm. My knee is a little less painful this week, but that may be attributed to running a shorter course this week.
All in all, I can positively say that the Glucosamine/Chondroitin is having a positive effect. It is definitely not merely psychological. I have been running my knee through daily flexibility and power tests to see how it is responding and there are concrete results. This Wednesday through Friday, I will see how those results fare under duress.
On another note, for those thinking of trying this supplement, I have become quite flatulent. It happens everyday at around 12:30 in the afternoon and for about three hours is quite persistent. The studies I've read warn of loose stool, but I have only contracted flatulence. Luckily, my profession allows me to keep separated from others for extended periods. For those who need to be wary of their aroma, you might try spacing out the dosages to three times a day, instead of twice a day with the larger dosage at night like I do. It is a small price to pay if these results keep getting better.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Quick notes on Laker loss & Magic's comments
The Lakers lost game 4 to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night. Down 3-1 in their best of seven series, they are sunk. Next year Kobe will be a year older and the team will have to look to an as yet immature Andrew Bynum to carry more of the load.
What Lakers head man Jim Buss needs to understand is that head coach Mike Brown is a winner, but not a WINNER. Like Tom Hagen in The Godfather, Brown is a fantastic consigliere. He is second to no one in preparation, pre-game strategy, and delivering a winning record.
But he is not, as Michael Corleone points out to Tom, a wartime consigliere. When the playoffs get tough and it's winning time, his players do not respond to him. They make fundamental errors as if some confusion or lack of belief is hampering their ability to tap into their highest level of play.
Leadership is more than just knowledge and preparation, and Brown does not know how to inspire confidence in his team at the most crucial moments.
Magic Johnson addressed this when he talked about Brown being replaced if the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in round 1 of the playoffs. He understands that the other court families are getting stronger and that a coach who cannot get the job done when the crossfire is at its deafening height needs to be replaced.
Magic alluded to it first and I agree, the Lakers need a wartime consigliere.
In other notes:
Brown was brought in partly to emphasize defense. It seems other teams are putting up 100 points a game on the Lakers, either not knowing or heedless of what the coach was hired to do.
What Lakers head man Jim Buss needs to understand is that head coach Mike Brown is a winner, but not a WINNER. Like Tom Hagen in The Godfather, Brown is a fantastic consigliere. He is second to no one in preparation, pre-game strategy, and delivering a winning record.
But he is not, as Michael Corleone points out to Tom, a wartime consigliere. When the playoffs get tough and it's winning time, his players do not respond to him. They make fundamental errors as if some confusion or lack of belief is hampering their ability to tap into their highest level of play.
Leadership is more than just knowledge and preparation, and Brown does not know how to inspire confidence in his team at the most crucial moments.
Magic Johnson addressed this when he talked about Brown being replaced if the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in round 1 of the playoffs. He understands that the other court families are getting stronger and that a coach who cannot get the job done when the crossfire is at its deafening height needs to be replaced.
Magic alluded to it first and I agree, the Lakers need a wartime consigliere.
In other notes:
Brown was brought in partly to emphasize defense. It seems other teams are putting up 100 points a game on the Lakers, either not knowing or heedless of what the coach was hired to do.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
How they Made Americans Roll Over for High Gas Prices
This article was extremely valuable in giving me great tips on how to improve the efficiency of my car and lower the amount of gasoline I use on a daily basis.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-steps-counter-4-per-070049728.html
The problem that underlies this, which unfortunately nobody seems to be talking about, is that gasoline costs over $4 per gallon. A few years ago at $3, people were shocked and angry. Outrageous! Shameless money-grubbing profiteers! George Bush promised he would make the Arabs "Open their spigots."
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to placate us.
Then the "speculators" came. They drove up prices to over $100 a barrel, citing war and unease in the financial markets. So gasoline rose up to $3.50. Again we got off our seats. How are we going to travel during summer vacation? What are our politicians doing! And we heard that our strategic reserves were full and could be used to offset gas prices.
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to get us back in our seats.
Now we have the oil companies telling us that they need to update their refineries and we can look forward to gas being over $4 through the Independence Day travel season. Blame it on "Americans' addiction to oil." And people are throwing up their hands. Not with fists clenched, but with eyes rolled and the look of the defeated in their eyes. There is nowhere left to look for help and no one seems interested in trying anymore.
And gas prices will stay above $4. Completely, but we will simper in quiet angst, reading about how to make our cars more efficient. The mighty companies and bungee pricing have broken us once again.
As for me, I am placated no more. I believe in the free market and it is time to make my stand. I'm going hybrid, or electric, or even bicycle and let the oil companies hang themselves. Like the boxer in the Simon and Garfunkel song, "I am leaving, I am leaving/ But the fighter still remains."
A historical lesson for the politicians. Gas prices were one of the very public manifestations of "stagflation," one of the main conditions that cost Jimmy Carter and others in power their jobs. Since everything in this country relies on gas-fueled transportation, inevitable rising prices will come and history will repeat itself. And we will get out of our seats, pay our $4 a gallon, go to the voting booth, and get someone to get this under control.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-steps-counter-4-per-070049728.html
The problem that underlies this, which unfortunately nobody seems to be talking about, is that gasoline costs over $4 per gallon. A few years ago at $3, people were shocked and angry. Outrageous! Shameless money-grubbing profiteers! George Bush promised he would make the Arabs "Open their spigots."
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to placate us.
Then the "speculators" came. They drove up prices to over $100 a barrel, citing war and unease in the financial markets. So gasoline rose up to $3.50. Again we got off our seats. How are we going to travel during summer vacation? What are our politicians doing! And we heard that our strategic reserves were full and could be used to offset gas prices.
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to get us back in our seats.
Now we have the oil companies telling us that they need to update their refineries and we can look forward to gas being over $4 through the Independence Day travel season. Blame it on "Americans' addiction to oil." And people are throwing up their hands. Not with fists clenched, but with eyes rolled and the look of the defeated in their eyes. There is nowhere left to look for help and no one seems interested in trying anymore.
And gas prices will stay above $4. Completely, but we will simper in quiet angst, reading about how to make our cars more efficient. The mighty companies and bungee pricing have broken us once again.
As for me, I am placated no more. I believe in the free market and it is time to make my stand. I'm going hybrid, or electric, or even bicycle and let the oil companies hang themselves. Like the boxer in the Simon and Garfunkel song, "I am leaving, I am leaving/ But the fighter still remains."
A historical lesson for the politicians. Gas prices were one of the very public manifestations of "stagflation," one of the main conditions that cost Jimmy Carter and others in power their jobs. Since everything in this country relies on gas-fueled transportation, inevitable rising prices will come and history will repeat itself. And we will get out of our seats, pay our $4 a gallon, go to the voting booth, and get someone to get this under control.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Glucosamine Diary: A Tease in Week 2?
In the previous entry, I noted that in my first week taking glucosamine/chondroitin I had no change in pain from when I started. Last Sunday I noticed something about my knee. It made crunching noises.
This was nothing new. My knee has made crunching noises for some time and I was used to it. It was like an audio Post-it reminding me that all was not right in that joint. But this was louder. It was the difference between crumpling a chewing gum wrapper and an empty plastic bottle.
With nothing to go on but a hunch that it might be scar tissue build up or (hallelujah) some new cartilage, I started doing a knee exercise that I'd had to do throughout rehabbing my knee when I had my ACL replaced. Lying on my back with my toes pointed upwards, I lift my leg straight up and then flex my knee, pulling it toward my chin. When the knee will bend no more, I point my toes down and straighten my leg. When the leg is straight, I point my toes back up and repeat. I did three reps of this 20 times each.
After I finished, the crunching noises in my knee mostly disappeared. The joint also felt more flexible. During the week, I noticed that certain things like getting in and out of my car or going down the stairs had less pain or fewer stabs of pain. When pulling my foot up to my butt to stretch my thighs, I could do so with easily bearable pain although it still gave me a good shock when I would release my foot to go down.
So, until yesterday, it was a mixed bag of results. That was better than the bag full of coal that I had the week before.
On Thursday, I played basketball with my kids. No quick movements or high jumps, but I experienced a bit of pain on quick stops and changes of direction on defense. It was a warning that I am definitely not ready for full court with grown men.
Yesterday morning I went jogging. I was feeling sprightly, but I wasn't sure how my knee would respond. Through warm-ups and stretching, everything was mostly pain free. After one-half of a mile, my knee felt great. I decided to run the long course. Three miles. My knee felt so good I even did high knee raises on the home stretch. After a little icing, no swelling at all.
Today, I worked out on the exercise bike and did leg exercises: quads, hamstring, and leg press. I think two days in a row was too much. The nagging pain was back going down the stairs and when I straighten my knee from ninety degrees, it hurts. It was not quite back to square one, but it reminded me to take it slow.
No problem. Since I am only in week 2, I feel that the progress I have seen is sufficient. It is uplifting to believe that after another two weeks I might be able to work out two days in a row or even run full court, pain free. With the help of the glucosamine/chondroitin, maybe time will bring back what time's broken down.
This was nothing new. My knee has made crunching noises for some time and I was used to it. It was like an audio Post-it reminding me that all was not right in that joint. But this was louder. It was the difference between crumpling a chewing gum wrapper and an empty plastic bottle.
With nothing to go on but a hunch that it might be scar tissue build up or (hallelujah) some new cartilage, I started doing a knee exercise that I'd had to do throughout rehabbing my knee when I had my ACL replaced. Lying on my back with my toes pointed upwards, I lift my leg straight up and then flex my knee, pulling it toward my chin. When the knee will bend no more, I point my toes down and straighten my leg. When the leg is straight, I point my toes back up and repeat. I did three reps of this 20 times each.
After I finished, the crunching noises in my knee mostly disappeared. The joint also felt more flexible. During the week, I noticed that certain things like getting in and out of my car or going down the stairs had less pain or fewer stabs of pain. When pulling my foot up to my butt to stretch my thighs, I could do so with easily bearable pain although it still gave me a good shock when I would release my foot to go down.
So, until yesterday, it was a mixed bag of results. That was better than the bag full of coal that I had the week before.
On Thursday, I played basketball with my kids. No quick movements or high jumps, but I experienced a bit of pain on quick stops and changes of direction on defense. It was a warning that I am definitely not ready for full court with grown men.
Yesterday morning I went jogging. I was feeling sprightly, but I wasn't sure how my knee would respond. Through warm-ups and stretching, everything was mostly pain free. After one-half of a mile, my knee felt great. I decided to run the long course. Three miles. My knee felt so good I even did high knee raises on the home stretch. After a little icing, no swelling at all.
Today, I worked out on the exercise bike and did leg exercises: quads, hamstring, and leg press. I think two days in a row was too much. The nagging pain was back going down the stairs and when I straighten my knee from ninety degrees, it hurts. It was not quite back to square one, but it reminded me to take it slow.
No problem. Since I am only in week 2, I feel that the progress I have seen is sufficient. It is uplifting to believe that after another two weeks I might be able to work out two days in a row or even run full court, pain free. With the help of the glucosamine/chondroitin, maybe time will bring back what time's broken down.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Clippers get Ref-Assisted Suicide
The Los Angeles Clippers squandered an eight point fourth quarter lead and the home court advantage they had taken from the Memphis Grizzlies by losing 90-88 Friday night. The series now heads back to Memphis for a decisive, winner take all game 7.
The Clippers had clawed back from a 9 point, first half deficit to lead in the fourth quarter. A hobbled Chris Paul, obviously bothered by an injured hip flexor, turned the ball over twice in the waning minutes and Randy Foye stepped incomprehensibly out of bounds on a free throw rebound to hand the Grizzlies the victory.
Although Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were key to Memphis' comeback down the stretch, the Grizzlies were helped in their endeavor by referee Marc Davis. Earlier in the game, he inexplicably called a technical foul on Reggie Evans for high-fiving Blake Griffin. In the final minute, he again put his fingerprints on the game by calling Griffin for a phantom foul on Tony Allen.
Make no mistake, the Clippers blew this game, and possibly a chance to move on in the playoffs, all by themselves. Having to keep one eye on an overzealous, recovering from a chest-bump, pathological zebra while trying to defend their opponents did not help them maximize their efforts, either.
Sunday will decide whether it will be more of Lob City or an epitaph of Flop City.
The Clippers had clawed back from a 9 point, first half deficit to lead in the fourth quarter. A hobbled Chris Paul, obviously bothered by an injured hip flexor, turned the ball over twice in the waning minutes and Randy Foye stepped incomprehensibly out of bounds on a free throw rebound to hand the Grizzlies the victory.
Although Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were key to Memphis' comeback down the stretch, the Grizzlies were helped in their endeavor by referee Marc Davis. Earlier in the game, he inexplicably called a technical foul on Reggie Evans for high-fiving Blake Griffin. In the final minute, he again put his fingerprints on the game by calling Griffin for a phantom foul on Tony Allen.
Make no mistake, the Clippers blew this game, and possibly a chance to move on in the playoffs, all by themselves. Having to keep one eye on an overzealous, recovering from a chest-bump, pathological zebra while trying to defend their opponents did not help them maximize their efforts, either.
Sunday will decide whether it will be more of Lob City or an epitaph of Flop City.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
iPads and Issues in Education
In an article I saw about the Manhattan Beach school district in southern California, it stated that the district was aiming to have an iPad for every student up to middle school by next year. The district sees having the devices as imperative to engaging student interest and providing some skills to prepare them for the future.
They already have bought 560 iPads this year and are looking to buy up to 600 more. The enormous cost of this will possibly be offset by leasing the devices. If the district cannot come up with the funds, 55% of parents have stated that they would not mind letting their children bring their own iPads to school.
I believe in the power of technology and empowering our students with the tools to make them able to shape a better future for themselves and society. Provided that the teachers are using the iPads for presentations, research, and getting immediate feedback on things such as student comprehension or class opinion, I am all for it.
On the other hand, there is the fear that our over-stimulated students are driving their teachers to wit's end and the iPads become a district approved baby-sitter. At my daughter's school there are a few class sets of iPads, but for some reason they have the app Temple Run downloaded onto them. I hate to think that when Friday rolls around and the teacher is tired of hearing "I'm bored" he may pacify the students with the type of mindless entertainment they are wasting their time on at home.
While I do not really think that iPads are the answer to the problems in education, they represent a barrier between the haves and have nots. It is the perception that is most troubling, more than the fact itself. The iPads might be used for eye-opening experiences or to prevent eye-closing tedium, but just the physical presence of such a hot technology in some affluent districts is demoralizing for students in other districts. For low income students who already feel disadvantaged, the iPad represents another barrier to equal opportunity.
Although students in low income areas are making Power Points, doing research on the internet, and doing amazing things with computer design, they are always getting the message that they are the caboose of the train rolling into the future. They are oh so wrong, but they are also right.
In school they ARE getting a quality education, and no iPad or Smart Board is going to take away the fundamental knowledge and skills they acquire. They are right only insomuch as they believe schools are supposed to be fair. Outside of school, low income students know life isn't fair because they feel the pain of want everyday. I don't think they are sad about their lives, but there is a realization there that says they must survive and can't live a certain lifestyle.
Schools are supposed to be the vehicles through which students can correct this. Feeling that they are being left behind raises their self-defeatism, their feeling that "everything" is stacked against them and often they become less engaged in school.
Equity has been a buzz word in education for the last few years. It means that all students are given equal chances to reach their personal potential. In Manhattan Beach, that means that each child gets his or her own iPad to use. In most other areas, it means getting class time a few times a month on the Dell desktops. The reality is that inequity is the inevitable norm for public schools.
Probably because of a combination of forward thinking and better resources, Manhattan Beach enjoys exceptionally high state testing scores, and I cannot fault them for that. If I were in their shoes, I would invest in iPads, too. But when I hear low income students say they feel the system is not fair, I know they are being further indoctrinated into the belief that what they are told and what really happens are two separate things. How we as a country conquer these differences will say a lot about what we value.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_20516912/manhattan-beach-teachers-union-questions-districts-ipad-program?IADID=Search-www.dailybreeze.com-www.dailybreeze.com
They already have bought 560 iPads this year and are looking to buy up to 600 more. The enormous cost of this will possibly be offset by leasing the devices. If the district cannot come up with the funds, 55% of parents have stated that they would not mind letting their children bring their own iPads to school.
I believe in the power of technology and empowering our students with the tools to make them able to shape a better future for themselves and society. Provided that the teachers are using the iPads for presentations, research, and getting immediate feedback on things such as student comprehension or class opinion, I am all for it.
On the other hand, there is the fear that our over-stimulated students are driving their teachers to wit's end and the iPads become a district approved baby-sitter. At my daughter's school there are a few class sets of iPads, but for some reason they have the app Temple Run downloaded onto them. I hate to think that when Friday rolls around and the teacher is tired of hearing "I'm bored" he may pacify the students with the type of mindless entertainment they are wasting their time on at home.
While I do not really think that iPads are the answer to the problems in education, they represent a barrier between the haves and have nots. It is the perception that is most troubling, more than the fact itself. The iPads might be used for eye-opening experiences or to prevent eye-closing tedium, but just the physical presence of such a hot technology in some affluent districts is demoralizing for students in other districts. For low income students who already feel disadvantaged, the iPad represents another barrier to equal opportunity.
Although students in low income areas are making Power Points, doing research on the internet, and doing amazing things with computer design, they are always getting the message that they are the caboose of the train rolling into the future. They are oh so wrong, but they are also right.
In school they ARE getting a quality education, and no iPad or Smart Board is going to take away the fundamental knowledge and skills they acquire. They are right only insomuch as they believe schools are supposed to be fair. Outside of school, low income students know life isn't fair because they feel the pain of want everyday. I don't think they are sad about their lives, but there is a realization there that says they must survive and can't live a certain lifestyle.
Schools are supposed to be the vehicles through which students can correct this. Feeling that they are being left behind raises their self-defeatism, their feeling that "everything" is stacked against them and often they become less engaged in school.
Equity has been a buzz word in education for the last few years. It means that all students are given equal chances to reach their personal potential. In Manhattan Beach, that means that each child gets his or her own iPad to use. In most other areas, it means getting class time a few times a month on the Dell desktops. The reality is that inequity is the inevitable norm for public schools.
Probably because of a combination of forward thinking and better resources, Manhattan Beach enjoys exceptionally high state testing scores, and I cannot fault them for that. If I were in their shoes, I would invest in iPads, too. But when I hear low income students say they feel the system is not fair, I know they are being further indoctrinated into the belief that what they are told and what really happens are two separate things. How we as a country conquer these differences will say a lot about what we value.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_20516912/manhattan-beach-teachers-union-questions-districts-ipad-program?IADID=Search-www.dailybreeze.com-www.dailybreeze.com
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Google Earth
I was watching the Kings game today and was wondering if the arrow on the roof of Staples Center faces due north.
It doesn't.
I checked Google Earth, my favorite bird's eye view, only to find out that the arrow faces NorthEast, veering towards the East. The logo on the top of Nokia Center (where they have the Grammys) faces the exact same direction.
I googled for an answer but found nothing.
Is there any significance to the direction those name brands of Nokia and Staples face? I am sure it is not a Mason plot, a la Da Vinci Code, but there must be some reason. Right?
It doesn't.
I checked Google Earth, my favorite bird's eye view, only to find out that the arrow faces NorthEast, veering towards the East. The logo on the top of Nokia Center (where they have the Grammys) faces the exact same direction.
I googled for an answer but found nothing.
Is there any significance to the direction those name brands of Nokia and Staples face? I am sure it is not a Mason plot, a la Da Vinci Code, but there must be some reason. Right?
Saturday, May 5, 2012
First Week with Glucosamine
One week has passed since I started chasing the dream of ridding myself of knee pain through a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. So far, the results have been negligible. Or zero. I still have significant pain when my knee is flexed and I put weight on it (usually when trying to sit on the sofa, a low chair, or toilet). From a 90 degree angle, it still hurts when I straighten it without my thigh supported. Also, my psyche still aches when I imagine myself trying to play sports and crumpling to the ground in a pathetic, wailing lump.
Of course, I did not expect extravagant results in the first week, but I was hoping for some morsel to satisfy my athletic soul's appetite. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that I do have some results but they are not yet measurable. Either way, I will continue with the program and take the results as they come.
Since I started, I have gotten a lot of support from people who take glucosamine. It is encouraging to know there are so many out there who have had positive results, and I thank you for your stories and advice. Someday soon, I imagine I will be able to put my arm around the shoulders of an arthritic middle aged friend and, with a far away gaze in my eyes, say, "I remember that feeling. Have I told you about this supplement...."
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