Nuggets News or Knicks News ? Can't Choose !

Whether I did this consciously or not- I know I predicted the change in the Nuggets line-up, which happened recently, a little more than a year ago. I spotted first round draft pick Danilo Gallinari out of a small crowd as the next wunderkind of NBA basketball. I hope I was right. He has very quickly taken Carmelo Anthony's place as Small Center. This was Melo's position through the nearly eight years which he played for the Nuggets and kept consistently high scores akin to that of Kobe Bryant and several other stars in the NBA.
Danilo was given the number 8 supposedly because they found out his birthdate, which is 8/8/88, could possibly be a lucky number. Well, I've been saying that for years even though I am no adherent to such superstitious ideas. What got my attention was his good looks and his stats which were very good for a European player. To me, basketball will always be an American sport because it was invented and perfected here. It makes sense that the best of the NBA would be here. Well, there are now quite a few Europeans proving us all wrong on that premise. I sincerely hope Danilo will be able to do just that because he's got some awesome shoes to fill and he'll have to do better than 2 points for a game. Maybe our climate is a little rough for him.

The first game without Melo is showing me that many other prodigious players are going to have to really step up their game and take themselves to the next level. On February 24th the Nuggets played the Celtics and won 89-75 which is wonderful considering that Kevin Garnett was very much in attendance. As a matter of fact Kenyon Martin, Power Forward, caused him to hit the hardwood and K-Mart (as we like to call him!) made the most points at this game at a total of 18. To exceed Melo he'll have to double that consistently with every game. He was his usual happy, mouthy self by the fourth quarter when he was fouled. To K-Mart that's money in the bank! Affalo and Chandler were right behind him in scoring but they'll have to bring their numbers up as well. With Chauncey and Carmelo gone they must do even better. Andersen aka Birdman is still day to day since that knee surgery but he'll get back to doing what he does best. Blocking slam dunks from the Big Birds ! !

http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/denver_nuggets_george_karl_prepare_for_life_after_carmelo_anthony/4227289

In other news...... The Knicks lost to the Cavs ? ?

Big kisses from

The Castle Lady !

A Proven Method for Avoiding Jet-Lag !

I have read about and tried a few methods for avoiding jet-lag which rendered mixed or bad results through many years of traveling. One exception to this roundelay of panaceas was the anti-jet-lag diet I tried before going on my European castles tour in 2001. I would remind everyone that this experience included a week delay return flight because the end of the tour nearly coincided with 9/11. The day I returned after a long two flights back home from Munich (including a brief layover at Dulles Airport) I got up at my usual time the next morning (even after poring over my hundreds of e-mails 'til midnight the night before), after I arrived home ! I got back into my home routine without so much as a yawn !

Today I'm going to share that method with you. Please let me know your results after you try it. I'm interested to know if this method works for everyone from all walks of life.

This diet was exclusively designed with the idea of helping people adjust to changed schedules, changing shifts for workers (such as power plant operators) or those wishing to drastically rotate work hours. The development of this diet was the invention of Dr. Charles R. Ehret for a division of Biological and Medical Research as an application of his fundamental studies of the daily biological rhythms of animals in a research lab in Illinois.

1. Determine breakfast time at destination on day of arrival.


2. Feast-Fast-Feast-Fast on home time three days before departure day. On day one, feast on a high-protein breakfast and lunch and a high-carbohydrate dinner. No caffeinated drinks should be consumed except between 3 and 5 p.m. On the second day fast on light meals of salads, light soups, fruits and juices. No coffee or caffeine drinks should be taken in except between 3 and 5 p.m., once again. On the third day you should go back to feast with an identical routine as described for the first day. The fourth day, being the day of departure, you will fast with one distinct change. If you drink caffeinated beverages you should take them in the morning when traveling west or between 6 to 11 p.m. when traveling east. If you are traveling west you should only fast for one half of the day.


3. Break your final fast at your final destination breakfast time. For best results you should not consume alcohol on the plane. If your flight is international, long or you experience long delays and layovers be sure to only sleep until normal breakfast time at your destination and no later. When you wake up, feast on high-protein breakfast. Stay awake and active. Continue day's meals according to meal times at destination.

What should you eat ?

Examples of foods to feast on are high protein breakfasts and lunches which would include steak, eggs, hamburger, high-protein cereals, nuts and green beans. The protein stimulates the body's active cycle. (This will re-train your body to have a active cycle for a longer period of time.) High-carbohydrate suppers will stimulate a sleep cycle and they include such dinners as spaghetti, pastas (without meatballs or sausage), crepes (without meat-fillings) potatoes and starchy vegetables and sweet desserts.

How do I fast ?

Fasting has a distinct effect on your body. It depletes the liver's store of carbohydrates which thereby prepares the body's clock for resetting. Suitable foods which can be consumed at this time, in moderation, are fruits, light soups, broths, small salads, dry unbuttered toast or half pieces of bread. As light as you can is the rule to keep calories to a minimum. Water hydration is essential.

On your return flight, you will want to repeat this procedure, again, three days before departure day. The best way to stay on track with this procedure is to log your feast, fast days so you will stay on schedule. This is made to reschedule your body for the destination and timing is important. Use a day book or an online calendar to keep your progress current and correct. Script it ahead of time, if you need a reminder, then check your progress. The only way this schedule can be defeated is if your destinations change drastically. Some adjustments can be made within reason depending on the destination difference. Do not continue a feast-fast-feast-fast routine for longer than four days.

Thought for the day:

And let us, with God's help, begin a new diet:

Fast from Criticism, feast on praise

Fast from Self-pity and feast on joy

Fast from Ill-temper and feast on peace

Fast from Resentment and feast on contentment

Fast from Jealousy and feast on love

Fast from Pride and feast on humility

Fast from Selfishness and feast on service

Fast from Fear and feast on faith.

The Castle Lady

with a feast of kisses and hugs !

Good News for Airline Passengers ?

     Maybe. Yes, I know that doesn't sound very encouraging from the last time I addressed a specific airline travel situation on this blog back on November 28th, 2009 but the reports look better if not improved to everyone's satisfaction. In truth, 2010 still had its problems. The downright space invading body pat down complaints, Europe's volcano eruption flight delays and new fees instituted by airlines were hardly a step in the right direction. However, a turnaround in DOT's focus from targeting airlines with more regulations to becoming more consumer friendly and enforcing regulations that actually help air travelers is a breath of fresh air. This is the first time in the administration's history that airline passengers rights are being given first consideration since DOT has been in force!

     Last Spring, a rule was put in force which limited tarmac delays to three hours. In addition, several consumer protection initiatives have been brought to the tables which will force air carriers to display airfares and optional fees to allow better side-by-side price comparisons and boosted fines for overbooking were also proposed over the summer which should be finalized by this Spring at the latest. Once these changes are approved airline passengers will have more clout and consideration with DOT than ever before. Not since the deregulation of 1978 has such radical changes gone into initiation and it will continue if everything gets approved and in a short period of time.

     Because of the changes that have already taken place our nation's cops issued 47 tickets to some of the top airlines of which the revenue from the citations totaled $3.33 million in penalties. This is up from 2009 in which the numbers totaled were 30 tickets and $2.6 million. The citations covered such areas as misleading brochure information on baggage compensation and failure of online information supplied by an airline to disclose full ticket prices. One citation even covered El Al's non-compliance with international baggage policy regulations.

     Unsurprisingly, DOT is getting some criticism on the new tarmac delay regulations from travel industry insiders and a few outsiders. All committees, aviation analysts and various industry agencies, such as AAI, feel that more can be done. Michael Miller, AAI's vice president says, "I don't think the tarmac-delay rule is well thought through, and I'm not alone." He also says that for the DOT to create a new legacy of consumer friendliness, it would be necessary to create new initiatives to make air travel noticeably better. One way would be to partner up with the Department of Homeland Security by improving the way passengers are screened and move away from the body-scan/pat down procedures now in place.

     Thomas Dickerson, the author of the book, "Travel Law" and a New York Supreme Court Judge feels that the poor disclosure of new airline fees for extra luggage, ticket changes and other options which were once bundled with the basic airline ticket should be better regulated. There has been an increase in litigation over surcharges, airport concession fees, government fees and passenger facilities charges. 

     With the changes, it appears that many people are stepping forward for greater airline passenger advocacy and that is a step in the right direction if these changes are not tied up in arguments over how these regulations should be written or enforced. Time is of the essence and any input from the consumers themselves will put us on a faster track to solving these issues and making flying more consumer-friendly. Everyone concerned will gain from the changes, I feel, including the airline industry itself.

The Castle Lady with good news for the new year 2011 !