It looks like one of the big internet battles coming up is going to be in the supply and provision of digital music.  All the big guys are getting involved and expect to see improvements in how your music can be utilised with mobile devices.

Apple is of course a big player in this area with it’s iTunes application.  It is rumoured that they will be releasing a digital radio station this year at some point.  Also YouTube and Spotify the Swedish streaming service are also expected to be releasing updates to their existing services.

As in many sectors Google has been a little slow to enter the competition for these markets.  The computer giant though seems to have realised that it’s dominance with the “Windows Operating Systems’ is under huge threat as people change the way they use computers and other devices.

All Access will be avialble in the US this week (may 2013) and it should come with some sort of free trial (probably a 30 day one).  It is expected that Google will leverage it’s Android operating system to help push the service.  It is hoped that the service will not be restricted or blocked in different countries like Napster did when it was first released.  The annoying fact that the service was much different depending on which country you were in and worse the price varied dramatically.  So users in Europe would end up using an Australian proxy in order to connect to the Aussie version because it was cheaper than the European one!

In some ways this is driven by the technology that exists in listener’s homes.  After all on my desk I have a radio which is connected to the internet, it can play normal FM broadcasts or it can download and stream a radio station from anywhere in the world.  Using  the internet means that what I listen to on my radio is not dictated by it’s location.  I don’t have to listen to local broadcasts or even a programme in the country I am situated in.

The situation with television is extremely similar.  You don’t need a television to watch most TV programmes anymore.  Devices such as Xbox, Playstations or computers can all be used just like a TV set.  In my study I can watch British TV online by using a proxy server via my Ipad or computer – this is despite various internet blocks employed by some media companies to stop this practice.

It is essential that media companies adapt and embrace these innovations if they are to survive this revolution.  If you look at something like Pandora, the incredible online Jukebox that was created from the music genome project.  If it’s only music you’re after then it’s hard to see anything compete with this site, it gives you access to literally millions of tracks for free with very minimal advertising.  The world is changing and how we listen to content is moving faster than anything.

Now that we’ve discovered this smashing little resort we feel it our duty to share it with you! So here are just five good reasons to head for Morzine the next time you’re booking a ski trip in the French Alps.

First off Morzine is charming and peaceful…even when it’s busy, if that makes sense?! Popular with families Morzine has the gentle friendly atmosphere of a village where everyone is just going calmly about their business. Of course, it is a very popular resort and does get very busy but it doesn’t feel aggressive or overwhelming.

Secondly, as just mentioned, Morzine is really family friendly which given the cost of a skiing trip with kids is essential as far as we are concerned. There are plentiful child friendly ski areas and plenty of different options if you want to leave your bundles of joy in the safe hands of someone else!

Thirdly, we just loved the scenery, from the top heights there are some incredibly dramatic views while further down we loved skiing through the atmospheric woodlands. We’ve not been there during the summer months but from the photos we’ve seen…wow.

Number four…the food. We ate…a lot…and it was great. Lots of choice in and around Morzine but we were particularly fortunate to be staying in a hotel with a fantastic restaurant, which is where we ate most nights. If you’re looking for some luxury accommodation in Morzine we can highly recommend The Farmhouse (or Le Mas de la Coutettaz as its known locally).

Last but certainly not least is the skiing experience itself. Morzine isn’t the highest resort and maybe doesn’t always have the deepest snow fall but the skiing itself is such a pleasure. The runs are beautiful and the getting about easy. It’s no good having the most amazing runs in the world if it’s a drag to actually ski them in the first place. Morzine was just so enjoyably easy and that’s why we’ll be heading back just as soon as we can.

The problem apparently was a fibre line which failed. These lines are used to transmit the TV signals from the various satellite networks.  The problem was described as vaguely as possible and that include the resolution date – ’we are aware of the problem and are looking at a resolution” say the companies.

In my boredom I switched to the internet and actually looked to see if I could get some of the TV channels online.  What I discovered was a relative bonanza of channels to watch, pretty much all the major stations like NBC and ABC broadcast over the web.  You can also visit a site called Hulu whihc rebroadcasts loads of popular shows from a variety of networks, they have a free version and a premium service.

It was then I started looking further abroad for different options. I had heard that the BBC in the UK was broadcasting a new natural history programme with David Attenborough, which was something I was desperate to see.  This is where my lucky run halted and the BBC website told me that as I wasn’t in the UK I couldn’t watch the show !!  Of course this is the internet and I know nothing is impossible so after a little searching I found this website which showed me how to watch it – BBC Iplayer abroad.  All I needed was a little program that hid my location and I was able to watch other stations across the world.

I picked up some Canadian TV including the excellent History Channel with shows lilke Ice Pilots.  I then decided to check out some other European sites such as a channel called M6 Replay in France which is great if you’re learning French as you can watch the Simpsons dubbed.  Australia, Germany and Ireland also had lots of channels to watch online and you could switch country using the program I found called Identity Cloaker.

So I lost my TV channels but discovered a whole new world of them online. So thanks guys, and don’t rush with the repairs!

So is Missoula the home of thousands of movie superstars?  Well unfortunately not but it does have quite a few famous actors who were born here.  Possibly one of the most famous is the writer and director David Lynch.  He was born in 1946 in this city although he was raised in many cities as his father moved around a lot with his work.

He is of course famous for many great films and TV shos including Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive to name but a few.  probablu one of the most famous current actors born in Missoula is Jesse Tyler Ferguson who has been a successful TV actor for many years.  He’s also starred in such films as Untraceable and Modern Family which were both box office successes. 

For not so serious actors Missoula can count Dana Carvey as one of its own.  He was of course one of the stars of the box office smash – Waynes World which was released 20 years ago !!  I can’t believe the film is that old.  Although Carvey is probably better known nowadays for his stage shows where he excels in live routines.

Scott Michale Campbell starred in the remake of one of my favourite films – Flight of the Phoenix.    It tells the story of a group of people who are stranded in the desert when their plane crashes.  It’s a good little remake but not in the  league of the orginal.  His biggest role was probably Brokeback Mountain though which won several Oscars in 2005.

Incidentally if you enjoy TV shows and films it’s worth checking out the various online media sites.  Sites like Hulu, ABC and NBC rebroadcast a lot of their stuff online.  There are also some great dramas and documentaries available from UK based sites like BBC, Channel 4 and 5 online, although it should be noted that you will need access to a UK IP address to view these – this site shows how - http://www.theninjaproxy.org/tv/a-fake-uk-ip-address/.  Be warned though the same restrictions apply to Hulu and others, so if you are outside the US for any reason you may not be able to connect through to  these sites without and Amarican IP.

But how do you become more aware of what you’re eating? That’s the main question we’ll be considering in this installment as we look at ways to make it easier to identify where some people are going wrong and to offer a healthier and more positive alternative to the problem.

Write it All Down

One of the most powerful ways of raising awareness of the things that you are consuming every day is to write down in a notepad every single thing that passes your lips every day for a week or longer if possible. The best way to do this is to keep a notepad and pen handy with you at all times and simply jot down what it is you eat and drink every time throughout each day.

Don’t go back and review it at the end of each day or even at any frequency, but just keep a daily record of your food and drinks consumption. You can review it all at the end of the week.

Using the Information

After the first week of keeping a daily diary of your food intake, you should then spend some time going back through the diary and looking at what you have written down. You may begin to see patterns in your eating habits where you are perhaps snacking between meals on high calorie sweet or savory things and maybe drinking a can of soda here and there.

Once you can see the obvious big calorie spikes throughout each day, you can take that information forward and look for ways to stamp them out. The best way to do that if you don’t think you have the will power to go cold turkey is to find alternatives.

Replacing the Bad with the Good

This can really make a difference to your weight if you can start replacing the high calorie snacks with other options and get into the habit of doing it every day. You will have identified the worst offenders through your daily food diary, so start by tackling those first.

If there is a slice of pie with a coffee or a can of soda mid morning for instance, then replace it with something else you like to eat that is much lower in calories and healthier, such as an apple or other piece of fresh fruit and swap the soda for a glass of plain water. It might seem strange at first, but do it anyway and after a while you’ll really get into enjoying it a whole lot more.

Go through your day systematically replacing bad foods with good ones and before too long, your reduced calorie intake will have a marked effect on your body weight as it drops steadily. You can read more about diet awareness and how it can help you manage your weight by visiting this website: www.dietawareness.com and taking some time to read the articles there that expand on this practice in more detail.

This does not bode well for the health of the city’s inhabitants, but what can be done to apply the brakes to this runaway wagon? The obvious answer is to get people to take a closer look at what they’re eating and the volume of food they consume each day. In many cases, the overweight people’s actual diet is in a terrible state and to compound the problem, they’re eating way too much of it.

So let’s look at what can be done in the short term and how people can be saved from themselves so they can look forward to a healthier future.

Being Aware of Portion Sizes

One of the massive problems faced by people in many fast food restaurants is the full-on promotion of extra large or super size meal combos. They are made to look so tempting while appealing to the customer’s sense of value that they are irresistible. Unfortunately, what people are buying is a ticket to an early one way visit to the cemetery!

Eating high levels of this type of food will load on more than just excess calories. It also contains a lot of trans fats, sodium, sugar and preservative. These are bad for the heart, causing high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, narrowing the arteries and leading to strokes and heart attacks.

Knowing Where to Make Cuts

Amazingly, it’s not really necessary to start a set diet program to lose weight. All it takes is some common sense in what is already being consumed and making tactical reductions of the worst offenders.

The obvious first choice is to cut down on sugar intake. Drinking soda, especially the super size cups in fast food restaurants, adds an enormous amount of sugar and with it hundreds of empty calories. Cutting out this beverage altogether can help many people to lose a pound or more every week without making any other changes to their eating habits!

Taking Each Step at a Time

Of course, the next step is cutting down on the amount of processed junk food being consumed. This will reduce the level of bad fats as well as further cut down on calorie consumption.

Swapping just one super size happy meal per week for a healthy, home cooked meal made from fresh ingredients and not from a packet will help reduce the calorie count further. Learning about eating a healthy life diet is easy, so it’s worth visiting http://healthylifediets.com to get more information and increasing your knowledge and understanding of this subject.

Reversing the obesity figures for Missoula just takes some sound thinking by the people most affected. Taking action is the way to beat this problem, so all people need to do is take the first step and act!

Every month between 20 and 30 thousand people descend on Koh Phangan. Many come 3 or 4 days before the main party to get a cheap bungalow in Haad Rin. The parties start a week before the Full Moon. There is the famous foam party held by the Drop in Club. All the bars along the beach crank up the music to draw in the punters.

On the night of the party, the small town of Haad Rin becomes inundated with fluorescent paint daubed youngsters getting drunk, taking illicit substances and displaying a remarkable lack of embarrasment. It is like New Year’s eve every month.

The bars on Haad Rin Nai and Haad Rin Nok beaches take a lot of money as do the small ’bucket stands’ between the bars. The prices for accommodation not only in Haad Rin but all over the island go up and so the resorts also do very well from the party. And then there are after parties that go on until the following night that also do very well.

On the other hand, those who do not want to party but live in Haad Rin find it imposssible to sleep for 48 hours. The beach and town are inevitably left with lots of litter, broken glass and passed out bodies to deal with. The one hospital on the island cannot cope with the numerous injuries and ’psychological’ problems the party causes.

The police force have a field day collecting tourists who break the law and throw them in the cells. Their fate is usually a hefty fine and sometimes jail time. And of course, Thailand is traditionally a conservative Buddhist culture. The party is an affront to the traditional peaceful and reserved way of doing things in Thailand.

The debate between those who want the party and those that don’t is one that cannot be easily resolved. One small step in the right direction is the recent move to charge entry for the party. Some of this revenue is used to clean up the beach.

It is great to live your life on a beach. I did so for a year once. I rented a cheap bungalow in Maenam, Koh Samui by the month. This is an island in the Gulf of Thailand that has lots of great beaches to enjoy as well as plenty of amenities to make life comfortable such as supermarkets, modern hospitals, international restaurants and so on. I could find basically everything I could want while living on Samui island.

The only drawback with living in paradise is that I noticed the other ex-pats that I sometimes hung out with often had a bad attitude towards the locals. They didn’t learn to speak Thai and they constantly moaned about the Thais not doing this or that correctly. It almost felt like a self-fulfilling prophecy when they were robbed in business or otherwise swindled.

At the same time there is a habit to get too wrapped up in the drinking culture when living on a cheap beach in Thailand. There is also the temptation of illicit substances as well as readily available girls for hire. It struck me that you have to work harder at keeping your integrity and soberity when you are living in paradise.

Perhaps it is true what they say about a bit of suffering building character. I now prefer just going to the beach for two week holidays rather than living there.

We took a bath and then decided to go for a walk before dinner. We discovered there was no pavement and thus very few walking options considering the busy road.

We fiddled around with the massage chairs upstairs while waiting for dinner. The dining room was full of old dears wearing sleeping kimonos. Everyone had crab and lots of side dishes. They tucked in heartily and soon were done. No sitting around drinking. The bar closed at 10pm. I was so bored. I’m never going to stay in a hotel like that again.

In contrast, we stayed in Bangkok on the way to Europe to visit some other friends. We got a last minute deal on a hotel in Siam called Siam@Siam Design. From the stiff formality of the Japanese into a hotel as cool as ice. It had a hard edge minimalist design and a Thai atmosphere. The bar crowd was a mix of Westerners and young monied Bangkok Thais. While being very modern, it was also very revealing about Thailand.

Bangkok is one of the most cosmopolitan cities I’ve been to. Around our hotel were shopping malls, Starbucks, banks and galleries. A few stops up the river were the amazing Grand Palace and reclining Buddha statue.

The difference in hotel experiences is marked. I would rather pay $60 to stay in a chic hotel in one of the best cities in the world than get a free night in a hotel eating free crab.