From: denman@infoseek.jp
To: diane705@yahoo.ca
cc: barclay1720@aol.com
Date: Thurs., June 12, 2014 1:10:39 PM
Pacific Daylight Saving Time
Hi Diane,
Are you still avoiding poutine?
Come to think of it, it is actually junk food as you stated in the previous mail.
To tell you the truth, I've never eaten any French fries for last 10 years.
As you mentioned, the obesity epidemic is a big problem in Canada.
As a matter of fact, in 2004, approximately 6.8 million Canadian adults ages 20 to 64 were overweight, and an additional 4.5 million were obese.
Amazing, isn't it!?
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Well ... Diane, you really inspired me to write the following article.
You believe or not, the obesity epidemic is also a big problem in Japan.
The Japanese must adhere to government-mandated waistline limits or face consequences.
The government has established waistline limits for adults ages 40 to 74.
Men must maintain a waistline at or below 33.5 inches; for women, the limit is 35.4 inches.
Diane, can you believe this?
Well, I'm pretty sure your waist measurement is below 35.4 inches.
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In Japan, the "metabo law" went into effect in 2008, with the goal of reducing the country's overweight population by 25% by 2015.
The government's anti-obesity campaign aims to keep "metabolic syndrome"---a number of factors that heighten the risk of developing diabetes and vascular diseases, such as obesity and high blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels---in check, thus minimizing the ballooning health care costs of Japan's massive aging population.
It is a good idea, isn't it?
Why doesn't the Canadian government copy the "metabo law"?
The Japanese who stray beyond the state-mandated waistlines are required to attend counseling and support sessions.
Local governments and companies that don't meet specific targets are fined, sometimes quite heavily.
NEC (Japan's largest maker of personal computers) says it's possible to incur as much as $19 million in penalties for failing to meet their targets.
Matsushita (which makes Panasonic products) has to measure the waistlines of at least 80% of its employees, along with their families and retirees.
The company distributes "metabo check" towels that double as tape measures to employees to ensure adherence to the waistline limits come time for employees' annual checkups.
This seems to be working for Japan, at least for now, though the policy has its share of problems.
Critics of the policy say the government's real goal is to shift health care costs onto the private sector.
One thing is for sure: this would never work in the U.S.
How about in Canada?
What do you think about it, Diane?
So much for the obesity epidemic.
Last night, I watched "The Sign of the Cross."
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In the year 64 C.E., the corrupt and maniacal Emperor Nero torches Rome,
and is advised to blame the ensuing destruction on the unsuspecting Christians.
Meanwhile, Roman Prefect Marcus Superbus falls for an innocent and beautiful Christian maiden, Mercia.
When the seductive and wicked Empress, Poppaea, learns that she has a rival for Marcus' affections,
she conspires to send all Christians to a chilling death.
This is a 1932 pre-Code epic film released by Paramount Pictures, produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
It is based on the original 1895 play by Wilson Barrett.
It is the third and last in DeMille's biblical trilogy with The Ten Commandments (1923) and The King of Kings (1927).
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This film has a history of censorship.
In the original version, Marcus Superbus (Fredric March) is unsuccessful in his desire to seduce Mercia (Elisa Landi), an innocent Christian girl.
He then urges Ancaria (Joyzelle Joyner) to perform the erotic "Dance of the Naked Moon" that is intended to "soften" her into life.
This "lesbian dance" was cut from the negative for a 1938 reissue.
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Some gladiatorial combat footage was also cut for the 1938 reissue, as were arena sequences involving naked women being attacked by crocodiles and a gorilla.
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This DVD (Turner Classic Movies) has been restored to the original 125-minute length.
Some arena scenes are so disgusting yet unquestionably fascinating and gripping.
This epic is a vivid retelling of the struggles of the first Christians.
Elisa Landi portraits a beautiful Christian girl and effectively underplays her role as the virtuous believer who eventually coverts Roman Prefect Marcus Superbus at the very end before entering the arena.
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Oh Diane! This movie is really for you.
I'm pretty sure that you would cry for joy after viewing it.
Let me know how you feel about it.
Your smiling Bohemian, Kato
with a lot of love as always
From: diane@vancouver.ca
To: barclay1720@aol.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 20:24:28
Pacific Daylight Saving Time
Hi Kato,
Well, you have a good point here kiddo.
The Canadian government should, I think, at least seriously look at the Japanese "metabo law" and determine its effectiveness.
I didn't realize the Japanese people were also experiencing these obesity problems.
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I expect it's getting to be a worldwide phenomenon.
Thank God we don't have this problem, I say; we all have problems but thankfully this isn't one of them.
Now, having said that, I've just returned from a 15-day visit to Paris and Nice with my boyfriend and we certainly had our fill of lovely fat-filled French food, including pommes frites (french fries) which are an absolute must when in France.
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They seem to come with everything except the pizzas, which are absolutely delicous by the way as the Italian influence is very strong in France.
We had a wonderful time and many adventures and experiences.
My brother lives in Nice and he totally devoted the 10 days we were there to us and we had so much fun with him and his son and their friends.
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One day we took a train up into the mountains to a medieval village for a mind-blowing duck lunch, one day his friend Pierre took us all to Italy to Ventimigilia (or something like that) to experience their market and then to another village for a four-course lunch with wines and licquer complimentary.
We also had them over to our apartment which had a big deck and a gorgeous view.
And he had us over on the last night for a party with his musical friends
(they sang French songs to us which were really sweet) and another pasta dinner.
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In between we visited each other, went to a raggae concert, and every morning we had breakfast on the deck with the warmth of the Mediterranean sun warming us and the sweeping view of nice charming us.
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My brother's girlfriend, Michelle, lives on the 5th floor of an apartment on the promenade with a million-dollar view and she invited us over for drinks one night before heading out to the raggae event.
So it was wonderful.
I won't forget this marvellous vacation!
In any case, thanks so much for this movie recommendation.
I'm going to add it to my list.
How are you doing?
Has your friend come yet?
Anything new?
...hope to see you soon.
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Love, Diane ~
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Summer at last!
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From: denman@infoseek.jp
To: diane705@yahoo.ca
cc: barclay1720@aol.com
Date: Thurs, 26 Jun 2014 10:28:18
Pacific Daylight Saving Time
Hi Diane,
I can see you had a wonderful summer vacation!
God bless you!
Here in Vancouver, we seem to have started getting gorgeous sunny days---at least today, we have one!
God bless us!
On June 16, Mari---my cousin's daughter---visited my elderly mother with her own mother (my cousin).
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Mari met my mother for the first time.
My mother is sort of a "God Mother" in the whole clan.
So, Mari seems to have overjoyed to meet her.
My mother was profoundly happy to see unexpected young relatives.
Mari is planning to work in a bagel shop in Vancouver and now doing her best to get a job as a baker.
Mari is a licensed cook specializing in bagels and European sweets.
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Hopefully, she is coming to Vancouver in October or November.
In any case, enjoy this sunny day and take a good care of yourself.
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Your smiling and romantic Bohemian, Kato
with a lot of love as always...
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Subj:Summer in Stanley Park!
From: diane@vancouver.ca
To: barclay1720@aol.com
Date: Thurs, 26 Jun 2014 14:45:21
Pacific Daylight Saving Time
Hi Kato,
You, too, have a great day.
I started my day by hiking the Tatlow Trail to 3rd Beach and around the cliff trails.
How wonderful your mother had a visit by her relatives.
... hopefully Mari will be able to get a job as a baker soon after she arrives;
good thing she has a specialty.
The contemporary version, internationally known as "sushi", was created by Hanaya Yohei (1799–1858) at the end of the Edo period in Tokyo.
Sushi invented by Hanaya was an early form of fast food that was not fermented (therefore prepared quickly) and could be conveniently eaten with one's hands.
Originally, this sushi was known as Edomae zushi because it used freshly caught fish in the Edo-mae (Edo Bay or Tokyo Bay).
Though the fish used in modern sushi no longer usually comes from Tokyo Bay, it is still formally known as Edomae nigiri-zushi.
I like temaki sushi.
It is easy to make.
Here are the step-by-step instructions.
Source: The Associated Press
Posted: 06/18/2008 5:13PM
Filed Under: World
DETROIT (AP)
A young Muslim woman said she and another woman were refused seats directly behind Barack Obama — and in front of TV cameras — at a Detroit rally because they wear head scarfs.
