BuzzSugar

88 Minutes: Actually 105 Minutes, And Feels Longer

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:30:25 PDT

I fear for the future of Al Pacino's career. If 88 Minutes is any indication - and I think it might be - he should stop. Now. Or stick to cameos because his near-constant presence in 88 Minutes is an exercise in frustration. And sure, much of the movie is frustrating. It's not all his fault, not by a long shot. I'm just so baffled by how an actor so revered could have one facial expression to offer. I fear he'll fall into the same category as Diane Keaton - every performance one-note, and that note makes us cringe. It makes me wonder if there's really much there at all. And that sucks.

The movie follows the successful Seattle forensic psychiatrist and professor Jack Gramm (Pacino, with an extra six inches of puffy hair adding to his height) whose testimony in the trial of serial killer Jon Forster (Neal McDonough) helped send Forster to death row. However, now that the killer's execution date has arrived, there have been murders occurring in the city that mirror Forster's, casting doubt on his guilt and causing his lawyers to call for a stay of execution. Meanwhile, Gramm receives a phone call telling him he has 88 minutes to live. This is where the story actually picks up a little, so

read more. What follows is a race against time as everyone in Gramm's life becomes suspected of trying to kill him, including his loyal assistant Shelley (Amy Brenneman), his assistant teacher Kim (Alicia Witt) and some of his best students, like Lauren (Leelee Sobieski) and Mike (Ben McKenzie). He runs around, evading bombs and gunmen and fires (and I feel sorry for Pacino that he has to run so much in this film because he seems like he'd prefer to settle in for a nap), trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. In my memory of this movie, I can't distinguish one scene from another. There is no real suspense, no big surprise, no satisfying pull of tension and release. They talk about scary, nasty things, and they show a few yucky images (and, to their credit, the violence is not gratuitous) but there is nothing - absolutely nothing - underlying it all. The most dramatic scene features Al Pacino hurling a cell phone away from him, and the slow motion descent and shattering of the phone. And it's so ridiculous I would have laughed - if I weren't so worried for Al Pacino and his future. To see the trailer and more clips from 88 Minutes check out movies.ivillage.com. Source

What Not to Keep in Your Wallet

SavvySugar — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:15:00 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

We love the motto “be prepared.”

But when it comes to the average American’s wallet, there’s such a thing as over-prepared. From the looks of our bulging billfolds, we must be heading out each day to open a new line of credit, fill out a W-2, shop at several department stores, use a few gift cards, return an item or two, and grab a fro-yo at our favorite punch card spot on the way home.

1,000 wallets and purses are stolen every two minutes in America (44% of LearnVest readers have had their wallets lost or stolen once, while 8% have had theirs stolen twice or more). While it’s smart to be concerned with online security (check out our article on creating the perfect password here), 76% of identity thefts result from the theft of something physical, like a wallet. Additionally, it costs an average of $8,000 to recover from identity theft.

Most police who receive reports of stolen wallets lament the same thing: people carry way too much stuff in their wallets, handing their entire lives over to identity thieves.

So before you leave the house, read our list of what NOT to keep in your wallet, so you can pare down to just the essentials - and protect your finances and identity.

Social Security Card

This is the number one thing to NOT keep in your wallet. If a thief gets ahold of your Social Security card, he can open credit cards, take out loans or even buy a car - it makes you very vulnerable to identity theft. There is no need to carry this around as an extra form of ID, and even the U.S. government's website recommends leaving your card at home in a safe place. Your Social Security number is only nine digits - just memorize it.

(Learn how to safely store your important information; read this.)

Read on for more items you shouldn't keep in your wallet.

6 Financial Milestones For Twentysomethings

Kiplinger — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:22:10 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Editor's note: Our regular Kip Tips columnist Cameron Huddleston is taking a deserved vacation but has solicited the help of her favorite personal-finance bloggers to guide Kip Tip readers in her absence.

The twenties. At no other point in time in your life will you be better able to set yourself up for financial success than in your twenties. Or, failure for that matter.

But don't stress, you have enough on your plate: school, your first awkward years of a real job, investing, insurance, possibly marriage . . . you see where this is going. Determining what to really focus on can be difficult when so much is thrown at you so quickly.

The following are six milestones that you should aim to hit in your twenties. In most cases, the sooner the better. And for those who already think they are hot stuff, I've highlighted ways that you can show you're a true pro and earn "bonus points" in each area.

1. Graduate and move on

Very few people actually know what they want to do at the point when they start their secondary education. And many dig themselves tens of thousands of dollars into debt trying to figure it out.Student debt recently passed credit card debt for the first time ever - quite a sad statistic. And now that 60 percent of employers are completing a credit check as a reason to weed you out of the jobs you are applying for, it's more important than ever to keep debt under control.

If you don't know what you want to do for the rest of your life at age 22, it's okay. You are normal. I've seen employers hire people from all walks of life for more general occupations. And you can then learn on the job what your strong points are and what you want to do next. If going back to school is necessary at that point, go for it. If not, don't. But jumping from one degree to the next is not going to get you there.

Bonus Points if you pay off your student debt by age 30. It may seem ambitious, but if you can work while in school, apply for and receive scholarships and financial aid, graduate as quickly as possible and move on, it is a strong possibility.

Read on for more tips.

Enjoy Fireworks - Save Your Ears

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:29:05 PDT

Fourth of July is right around the corner, and that means fireworks! Like a kid, I look forward to the colorful starbursts streaming across the sky. I do, however, hate to rain on your Independence Day parade: as spectacular as they are, the booming sounds that accompany the sparkling visuals can really damage your ears. Noise-induced hearing loss is as real as your mama's cherry pie. Once damaged, the sensitive hair cells of the inner ear never regenerate and can't be repaired, creating permanent hearing loss here.

For a point of reference, here are some common Summer sounds and their decibel (dB) levels:

Rustling leaves: 10 decibels
A whisper: 20 dB
Humming of a fridge: 40 dB
A conversation: 60 dB
Busy street traffic: 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner: 80 dB
Lawn mower: 90 dB
A large orchestra: 98 dB

See how fireworks and other loud noises measure up.

Fireworks and Your Delicate Ears

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:31:20 PDT

I'm ready to celebrate the Fourth of July, but must admit I am not a fan of the noise that accompanies fireworks - lovely as they may be. Those booming sounds can really damage the delicate structures in your ears; once they're damaged, they never regenerate and can't be repaired. This condition is known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The loss is permanent and may cause impaired hearing or total loss of hearing down the road.

NIHL can be caused by one exposure to a loud noise such as an explosion, or by regular exposure over an extended period of time. If you continuously experience sounds over 85 decibels (dB) then a hearing aid may be in your future. Check out how some common sounds compare:

Rustling leaves: 10 dB
A whisper: 20 dB
Humming of a fridge: 40 dB
A conversation: 60 dB
Busy street traffic: 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner: 80 dB
Lawn mower: 90 dB
A large orchestra: 98 dB

To see how fireworks measure up

read more. Fireworks for spectators 800 feet away: 88 to 126 dB Fireworks for spectators 10 feet away: 155 dB Front row of a rock concert: 110 dB Military jet takeoff: 140 dB Motorcycles, firecrackers, small firearms: 120 to 150 dB So when it comes to ear safety, it's best to enjoy a fireworks display from far away. If you're serious about preventing ear damage, pick up some foam or silicone earplugs. They sell them at most drug stores for less than $5. I know they're not exactly the most fashionable things to sport, but I'd rather wear these for 20 minutes than hearing aids for the rest of my life.