Monthly Archives: February 2009
Doctors Confirm 1st Law of Thermodynamics
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 25th February 2009A study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that reducing calories results in the same weight loss regardless of how caloric reduction is realized. In other words, a calorie lost from reducing fat, or carbohydrate, or protein has the same effect. “Reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of…
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NY Times Execs Make Millions
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 23rd February 2009The NY Times is waxing indignant about the high salaries paid to employees of universities. I predicted this 10 days ago. Of course, I share their dudgeon as I don’t make that kind of money. Obviously these guys are paid too much. Of course, if I did make as much money as they do I…
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Life Expectancy, Medicare, and Preventable Death
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 21st February 2009I’ve recently read several articles dealing with the aging of our population. They all said that retired people have to confront the problem of a longer life expectancy. They have to husband their resources to last longer than did previous generations You’ve probably seen similar material. Everybody believes that old people are living a lot…
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The Recordings of Enrico Caruso 1910
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 18th February 2009Caruso made 25 recording in 1910. Here’s a selection, Solo, profugo, reietto, from Flowtow’s Martha that’s not “M’appari”. It’s almost never played today. Caruso was in splendid voice and makes a fine case for this rarity. The bass in Marcel Journet. The number also shows the tenor’s liberal use of portamento; tenors today are a…
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Met's New Il Trovatore Vocally Disappointing
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 17th February 2009Enrico Caruso declared that all one needed for a good performance of Verdi’s masterpiece of the id gone berserk – Il Trovatore – were the four greatest singers in the world. Unfortunately they did not show up last night at the Met’s first performance of its new production at least if you were listening on…
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IRS Should Force Churches to Pray More
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 13th February 2009A new report by the IRS has documented that most not for profit hospitals don’t take care of poor people. The author of the report could have asked his mother and she’d have told him that hospitals only take care of non-payers at the point of a gun and she’d have done so at no…
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Erectile Dysfunction and Coronary Artery Disease
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 11th February 2009It’s not surprising that doctors have wondered whether erectile dysfunction (ED) is a marker of coronary artery disease (CAD). After all both disorders result from impaired blood flow to the two involved organs. Because the penile artery is about one-third the diameter of the coronary artery, vascular disease affecting both these arteries might become symptomatic…
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More on Lucia Di Lammermoor
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 10th February 2009In my review of the Met’s recent HD telecast of Donizetti’s Lucia Di Lammermoor I mentioned the famous incident at the old Met when Maria Callas lost her high note at the end of the Duet between Lucia and Enrico in the first scene of the opera’s second act. Looking around the web I noticed…
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Public Polled on Origin of the Universe
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 9th February 2009The report that the public favors the economic stimulus package now before the congress shows how great is the popular understanding of complex issues. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp survey A slight majority of those surveyed, 54%, favor the bill while 45% are opposed. Sixty-four percent of those polled said the current bill being…
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Lucia Di Lammermoor in HD
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 8th February 2009[For the 2011 telecast go here.] The Met’s HD transmission (February 7, 2009) of Donizetti’s romantic melodrama Lucia Di Lammermoor showed both the best and worst of what this medium (televised opera) offers. Both result from the audience seeing what’s happening on stage. Let’s get the worst over with right away. Mary Zimmerman directed this…
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