Roadracers and Baoding Balls

Plugging Away:

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Movie Review of The Day:

ROADRACERS : Directed by Robert Rodriguez

Roadracers is a 1994 made-for-television film directed by Robert Rodriguez, his second feature film following the success of his 1992 debut, El Mariachi. The film originally aired on Showtime Network as part of their Rebel Highway series that took the titles of 1950s-era B-movies and applied them to original films starring up-and-coming actors of the 1990s (including the likes of Alicia Silverstone and Shannen Doherty) and directed by established directors such as William Friedkin, Joe Dante, and Ralph Bakshi. Rodriguez was the only young director to participate in the series. The series was produced by the son and daughter of Samuel Z. Arkoff, the co-founder and producer of American International Pictures (AIP), the distributor of the films this series takes its titles from.

Robert Rodriguez's take concerned a rebel named Dude (David Arquette) who dreams of leaving his dead end small town and becoming a rockabilly star but gets caught up in a nasty feud with the town's local sheriff (William Sadler) and his son (Jason Wiles). Salma Hayek plays the Dude's girlfriend.

This flick is pretty damn cool, if you ask me. David Arquette, who has starred in his share of cinematic steaming-turds, actually has something to do in this film. The period in time is represented well and the attitude of the film is something to stand back in awe of. Dude is cool and The Nixer is just plain fun.

I am a fan of the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" subplot, simply because it adds to the whole "Grindhouse" feel of this film. I can imagine kicking back in my Rootbeer-Brown 1965 Chevy Impala at a drive-in, making out with some hot chick, and drinking a Cherry Coke while this film plays in the background. I LOVE THIS FILM!

Salma Hayek... what can I say about her that has not already been said? She's smoking-hot, a great actress, and she has fun with her role. She is not a mere puppet in this film. She has some character development that I found interesting.

Now for the gags... I loved the pomade on the skating rink bit. I also liked the cigarette in the hair, the flying bottle of ketchup, and the wig scene. These helped add shlock-value and fun to this crazy film.

The music was great and fit in well. Jason Wiles was a great bad-guy. I got what he was trying to portray and it worked for me. Also, The Nixer's speech about the timeline of his life, as it relates to the lifespan of the universe was acted in a professional manner. Me likey.

I suggest you go see this film. Go see it now. Your only problem will be that this film ONLY EXISTS ON VHS at the moment!!! I have an import-version of the DVD, but I want a badass version with all of the bells and whistles (a Ten Minute Film School is a must). Anyways, you must see this film, even if you can only see it on VHS. I know you will be pleased.

More about Baoding Balls:

You can buy them here: http://www.freewebstore.org/brownpanda

How They Work

Regular use of Baoding balls is believed to calm the mind and body and also prevent, alleviate and even cure some ailments. The mild effort required to use them can relax muscles and joints in the arm and shoulder and improve blood circulation. But the effect of Baoding balls goes a little deeper than that according to Chinese medicine.

Chinese medical theory maintains that there are specific paths that run throughout our bodies. These paths are known as meridians, and they are the conduits of the energy that flows through each person. The meridians connect all the systems of the body, so a seemingly unrelated action could affect something else in the body. Acupuncture and reflexology both take meridians into consideration. Chinese medicine is mainly concerned with unblocking the meridians and keeping the flow of energy strong. If your flow is strong then you are healthy—blocked or stagnant meridians cause health problems.

Because certain meridians end on your palms and fingers, and because these meridians are connected to vital areas of the body, including the heart and lungs, stimulating your hands can revitalize or unblock specific meridians in the body, increasing your well-being.

How to Use Them

To begin, choose a pair of balls you can handle easily. Place them in your hand and use your palm and fingers to rotate the balls in the direction that seems most natural. You can also tilt your palm at different angles in order to let gravity help you along. Once you are comfortable with rotating in one direction, experiment with the opposite direction. Your goal should be to eventually be able to rotate the balls comfortably in either direction.

There are different ways to use Baoding balls. You can rotate them smoothly so they don’t hit each other hard, or for challenge you can rotate them so they don’t touch at all. Remember to keep switching your hands so you maintain a healthy balance. As your hands strengthen, you can increase the size of the balls. If you practice for 10-15 minutes, you will notice that your forearm, shoulder, and hands are receiving a substantial workout.

Baoding Balls:

The Brown Panda Store has a wide selection of Baoding Balls for sale. I will make you a deal and my site has some super-prices just for you. Even J.T. would buy a pair. Come on by: http://www.freewebstore.org/brownpanda