James' World 2

HBO will launch a stand-alone streaming service in 2015, Richard Plepler, chairman and CEO of HBO, announced Wednesday at a Time Warner investor meeting. “It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO,” he said. “So, in 2015, we will launch a stand-alone, over-the-top, HBO service in the United States … All in, there are 80 million homes that do not have HBO and we will use all means at our disposal to go after them.” That is good news for fans of series like “Game of Thrones” — the most illegally downloaded show of 2013 — who will no longer need to pay for HBO on top of their regular cable bill (or steal their friend’s HBO GO password). The new HBO streaming service will face stiff competition from Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video, which have invested heavily in their…

Last Wednesday I accidentally got a job. I was going into this chocolate store and before I knew it, they were interviewing me. I wasn’t even slightly prepared.

I haven’t job ‘hunted’ in a while, but recently some of friends were complaining that no one was hiring.

Yet, they REALLY wanted me. They were trying to sell me the job! The whole thing was surreal. How did I do it? Not sure, but here’s what I came up with:

A) Confidence 

I feel like it all starts here. This is the determining factor for almost everything in life. You need to be confident when approaching your future employer. When I approached them, I remember saying, ‘I will be the best employee you’ve ever hired.’

People respond to confidence. So few people are confident, that when it’s demonstrated, it comes off as a shock.

A few tips to confidence: look…

Lights come on inside Casa del Prado in Balboa Park as another day ends.

Balboa Park in San Diego’s bright sunshine is wonderful. At night it becomes magical.

As darkness seeps in and night gentles the world, Balboa Park transforms into an entirely different place. Take a look…

Plaster statues of Spanish painters become shadowy in courtyard of Casa del Prado.

Faces above blue-lit fountain by Botanical Building.

Ornate building facades on El Prado take on new, amazing depth at dusk.

Walking down an elegant, golden corridor as night descends.

Passage along El Prado becomes mellow and mysterious.

The sky becomes dark blue after sunset and faint stars slowly emerge.

Balboa Park after dark transforms into a fantastic, fairy tale world.

Foliate capitals on the columns of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion colonnade.

Illuminated fountain beside patio beneath The Prado restaurant in Balboa Park.

One last juggle by darkening fountain near…

A seagull saw a lonely boat
Sobbing and crying
about her woes
All alone
no one around
Abandoned by
her friends and foes
His words of comfort
high tide, beautiful seas
Not enough, not satisfactory
Bird changed the tack
told how monstrous sea
killed so many
his brethren, and how
she is better off not going in
Told her about the dark tales
storms, winds, and gales
Broken boats and canoes
Icebergs and hails
Mighty ships split in twos
All those woes, made her think
Feeling content she smiles and say
Thank you little bird for making my day

RECEIVED THESE QUESTIONS IN AN EMAIL FROM A FRIEND

The Definitive Answer To 19 Of Your Biggest Health Questions

Does olive oil prevent heart disease?

Short answer: Yes

The health benefits of olive oil come from the presence of polyphenols, antioxidantsThat reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancers.  But to get these healthy compounds, consumers should buy good-quality, fresh “extra-virgin” olive oil, which has the highest polyphenol content. Most commercially available olive oils have low levels of polyphenols associated with poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and heavy processing.

Do cough syrups work?

Short answer: No

In 2006, the nation’s chest physicians agreed that the majority of over-the-counter cough medicines don’t actually work.  These colorful syrups typically contain doses of codeine and dextromethorphan that are too small to be effective.  Only cough suppressants that contain older antihistamines seem to relieve coughs.  That includes brompheniramine, an active ingredient…

What a great actor Jake Gyllenhaal has turned out to be.  For Nightcrawler, Jake lost 10 pounds to play his part and shows off his acting skills as he plays a dark, sinister character who is willing to do anything to be the best at what he does.  It’s a whole, different style of paparazzi we never think about.  A Nightcrawler goes way beyond paparazzi status because they don’t just film celebrities.  They film anything that interest the public and sells it to the highest bidder.  That means crime, accidents, fires and whatever shows pain and suffering when you are most vulnerable.  It seems the more privacy laws in affect, the less privacy we actually have.  Jake Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom to perfection.  He was down right creepy.  Rene Russo plays Nina, the News Director of the night crew of the LA TV station where Lou sells his videos.  Bill Paxton plays Joe Loder, another Nightcrawler with a…