Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) - Never Coming to NY?

There are two large venues in New York City, Madison Square Garden and the soon to be Brooklyn Nets arena, which would be perfect to hold mixed martial arts or MMA fights in. Additionally, on Long Island, there is Nassau Colliseum which would serve the community there, which is interested in MMA in New York.

We were in Rhode Island this weekend and Rhode Island MMA or mixed martial arts is very popular there. There are different martial arts styles and techniques practiced there including, RI BJJ or Rhode Island brazilian jiu jitsu, RI Gracie brazilian jiu jitsu or Rhode Island Gracie BJJ.


Rhode Island BJJ Grappling Photo

One of the schools we visited was Coventry Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Coventry Rhode Island which features RI BJJ or Rhode Island brazilian jiu jitsu, where they teach grappling and other floor techniques related to brazilian jiu jitsu in Rhode Island.


Rhode Island Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training Picture

RI BJJ or Rhode Island Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Video

New Yorkers who are interested in mixed martial arts, should not have to travel this far or need to travel out of state to see MMA fights but the New York state assembly has thwarted every attempt to make mixed martial arts fighting legal in New York.

Rhode Island Mixed Martial Arts Photo

Mixed martial arts is no more violent than boxing, which is legal and sanctioned in New York state and MMA would bring much needed revenue to both the local and state tax coffers, if these sporting matches are legalized. Until that time, for mixed martial arts enthusiasts, they can travel to or Rhode Island to watch and experience RI BJJ at Coventry Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy or RI mixed martial arts.

Facebook and Your Private Information

Facebook.com used to be cool. It was a great way to re-connect to long lost friends and family and to post photos and videos that only your friends and family can appreciate. As I said, it used to be cool. If I want to delete my yahoo, google or aol account, for example, each of them will say something to the effect of "Are you sure you want to delete your account" or "This action cannot be un-done once you click ok".

Facebook on the other hand does not actually delete your account. They only de-activate it. If you decide to re-open your Facebook account, it will re-activate it for you, as if your information is still stored on their servers. I have no problem with that, if my stored information is not shared with anyone but Facebook does share your information with third parties, with or without your approval.

I went to the New York Post's website and was reading a story. I was signed on, in a separate browser to Facebook. At the end of every story, in the comments section on the New York Post's website, my Facebook profile photo and a link to it automatically appeared. There was no opt-in or approval button for me to click, to give the New York Post authority to link my Facebook profile as a sign-in to their service!

I am aware that News Corp (the owner of both Myspace and the New York Post) and Facebook recently began sharing user information but I didn't realize that this information would be automatically intrusive. Facebook, in my opinion is close to becoming the one-hit wonder that Myspace has become simply because those who joined it (Facebook) did so because they traded away revealing their identity and personal information in return for the expectation that said personal information will be safeguarded and protected. Facebook has failed miserably in safeguarding it's users personal information and profiles.

If you must read the New York Post, DO NOT read it while signed in to Facebook because if your Facebook signon is automatically parsed into the New York Post's browser, it is more than likely being stored on their servers.

Methinks this is a job for the FCC or FTC to sort out.

New York Hospital and New York Medical Center, URMC

I visited Rochester New York last weekend and was impressed with the small town flavor but Rochester New York is home to the University of Rochester Medical Center and, of course, the University of Rochester.

The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or URoc) is a private, nonsectarian, research university located in Rochester, New York. It is often described as a small, liberal arts college in a big, research university. The University grants undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional degrees through six schools and various interdisciplinary programs. The University is home to several noted schools and programs, including the number one ranked Eastman School of Music and The Institute of Optics, the oldest optics program in the United States. The University enrolls approximately 4,600 undergraduates and 3,900 graduate students. The University of Rochester with its affiliated Strong Health System is the largest employer in the Greater Rochester area and the third largest employer in the state of New York. [Ref. Wikipedia]

Located one mile south of the Medical Center, South Campus is home to the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). LLE houses the OMEGA laser, the largest direct-drive laser facility in the world.

The University of Rochester Medical Center rivals and in my opinion surpasses downstate institutions such as New York University Medical Center, with it's state of the art equipment such as CT scanners, xray machines, mammography equipment, nuclear medicine and lasers.

Here is a one view of the University of Rochester Medical Center



The University of Rochester Medical Center boasts some of the finest cancer care and treatment facilities in the world and across from Strong Hospital, the University of Rochester Medical Center is building a new, state of the art Neurological research and treatment facility. Here is a photo of the new University of Rochester Neurology facility under contruction:



Finally, here is a photo of the central campus of the University of Rochester.

New York Police Department Helicopter Searches East River at Pier 17 South Street Seaport

I was at the South Street Seaports' Pier 17 last night and while there, I saw some lights off in the distance in the East River, between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. I noticed they were from a NYPD helicopter, which was hovering and pointing it's search lights at the water. It then came closer and closer to wear I was and dropped very low to the water in an apparent search mode. I didn't bother to ask them what was up but I did shoot this video.

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Oil Well Data Logging

We all know that the Gulf of Mexico is experiencing an environmental catastrophe due to thousands of gallons of oil being released into the water, over a mile down. This is coming from an oil reservoir, which was found and was in the process of being capped for future extraction. As this capping process was being done, a burst of methane or natural gas, shot up through the well and ultimately to the drilling platform, where an explosion was sparked, whose origin is unknown at this time.

Off-shore oil exploration and drilling is a sometimes, hit or miss endeavor, where boreholes are dug and then mapping of or making a detailed record of the geological formations that the borehole penetrates are recorded and analyzed. This process is known as oil well data logging or well logging.


In geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid is a fluid used to drill boreholes in the earth. Liquid drilling flowing is often called drilling mud, whose main function include providing hydrostatic pressure to prevent formation fluids from entering into the well bore, keeping the drill bit cool and clean during drilling, carrying out drill cuttings, and suspending the drill cuttings while drilling is paused and when the drilling assembly is brought in and out of the hole.

It appears that this drilling fluid or drilling mud, acts as a barrier or safety mechanism for the stability of the oil well, if for instance, a burst of dangerous natural gas surges through the newly drilled well. This is what appears to have created the current situation in the Gulf of Mexico.

For a detailed diagram of the events leading up to the oil spill, click on this link to NOLA.com: Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Diagram




British Petroleum or BP has decided to attempt to stop the flow of oil by using a process called "top kill" which is basically ramming drilling fluids or drilling mud down into the well, to stop the oils flow and then cap the well permanently using a concrete block or other capping method.

It appears that the entire accident was caused by the accidental or intentional depletion of the drill fluid from the well, which when the concrete block failed was the last safety mechanism in place to prevent the natural gas surge and eventual explosion. This same drilling fluid is now being used in this top kill process to stem the flow of oil from this runaway well.

We would like to think that there are smart and bright people bringing all of their expertise to bear in stemming and eventually capping the flow of oil from this Gulf of Mexico British Petroleum oil well. There are processes such as oil skimming, oil dispersants and other capture techniques that should be and will probably be employed to catch this enormous oil spill. General Electric, for example, manufactures oil exploration and oil drilling equipment. Spellman High Voltage manufactures high voltage power supply equipment used in oil exploration and oil drilling equipment.

Actor Kevin Costner and his scientist brother have a process by which oil can be separated from water, which British Petroleum has recently agreed to test. We can only hope that the bright and smart people in charge decide to employ existing and emerging technologies to help the petroleum contaminants that are flowing unabated into the Gulf of Mexico, threatening its ecology and the means of living for millions of people.

Denver Colorado - Coors Field, Pepsi Center and Invesco Field

Dallas Plummer traveled to Denver Colorado the weekend of April 16th through April 19th and stayed at the Embassy Suites Aurora in Denver and had a pretty nice time. I did some internet stuff for a high voltage power supply company and a Marin County real estate firm.

The flight was too long especially since I was sitting next to a frolicking 3 year old who waited until I was in a deep sleep, to kick me or hit me on my elbow to wake me up. Embassy Suites did have a courtesy van, which picked me up at Denver International Airport and I was checked in to my room in less than 15 minutes from the time the flight landed.

Here is a photo of the Denver Colorado hotel I stayed in, which was Embassy Suites:





Here are photos of the room in the Embassy Suites Denver hotel I was at:


















I went to a fish fry on Saturday and I worked the grill and then afterward sat down and ate some steak, shrimp and crab stuffed mushrooms, so the day turned out quite nice. Here is a photo of my plate at the Denver fish fry:











On Sunday or the day of this writing, I went to downtown Denver or LoDo as the locals call it and I took photos of Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies play, then to the Pepsi Center, where the Denver Nuggets live. I took a photo of Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos, off in the distance because I was not traveling that far to snap a photo. I did like the fact that each stadium is within walking distance of one another and the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains is pretty cool. Here are photos of Coors Field, the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field -- in that order:

















So there you have it. Denver Colorado is a pretty cool city to travel to and most of the major Denver tourist spots are within walking distance of one another. I recommend staying at the Embassy Suites Aurora because of its convenience and the complementary services that they provide for their guests. They are located at 4444 North Havana Street, Denver, Colorado, United States 80239. Tell them I sent you

Organic Food The Way To Go

For those of us baby boomers or those who were born between 1955 and 1975, we were mostly raised on organic food types, that is, food that is grown naturally and without harmful pesticides. These include grains and farm grown vegetables such as corn, wheat, soy, beans, etc. Meat and meat products such as bovine, port and chicken, when bred organically as said to be free range and are not fed any hormones or antibiotics to promote growth or in the case of dairy or milk products, are not fed hormones or anti-biotics to increase milk or egg production. TAQW4K973HQP

I love ice cream and I love milk. I have never, ever been diagnosed as being lactose intolerant and this is not something that grows on you. Either you are lactose intolerant or you aren't lactose intolerant. About 10 years ago, I stopped drinking store purchased milk from such chains as Pathmark, Shop Rite and Keyfood, simply because I felt (but without supportive proof) that I was drinking milk that came from cows which were bred with anti-biotics and hormones. I would always feel bloated or simply get sick, so I stopped drinking milk and milk products.

I wasn't going to switch to soy milk because that prospect was not enticing to me. One of the main hormones that dairy cattle are fed to produce more milk is Bovine somatotropin. The http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm130360.htm states that drinking milk that has come from cows that have been injected with this hormone, in a word, will produce no ill or side effects from this consumption.

As I stated previously, I stopped drinking milk from some of the larger store chains, since I felt that their milk is not organic. I have since started shopping at an organic store and have been purchasing dairy and dairy products including milk, eggs and ice cream and I have not experienced the bloating and digestive distress that I had experienced when drinking non-organic milk.

This past weekend I began to shop at Trader Joes and Whole Foods for my meat products and the feeling that I have experienced after consuming their organic, grain and free range meat products is remarkable. Let me use some examples: I used to eat, every now and again, at Dallas BBQs around New York City. I stopped eating there because I started experiencing this bloated feeling. Further, when a chicken wing is larger than a chicken breast, thigh or drumstick, something is wrong. I personally believe that with balance, such as eating red meat once or twice a week or even going a week or so without it's consumption is not a bad thing. Balancing the diet with fish, a vegetable only meal or poultry and balancing each meal with a starch and vegetable, is sound eating.

One of the main reasons for not consuming beef, pork or chickens which have been treated with or fed hormones and anti-biotics is the bovine disease, Mad Cow Disease. The British government performed research and found that this disease is caused by feeding a normally herbivore animal, such as a cow, the remains of other cattle in the form of meat and bone meal (MBM). This means that by feeding bovine the remains of other bovine, you are making the recipient bovine creature a cannibal. These animals were kept in the food chain and some human consumption of these Mad Cow disease tainted bovine occurred and the human variation of mad cow disease occurred.

Some of what companies are doing and what the USDA do are to perform food inspection using large x-ray type machines which scan food for improprieties and obvious diseases. These machines are industrial and require a lot of energy and high voltage power supplies for food inspection devices.

These examples are what I have experienced and may differ from person to person but simply put, each person should be aware of and watch what they eat.