Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Sunday, November 16th, 2008
(Post title from Star Trek’s Spock’s Brain episode)
This was worth a thorough read. Starting with the mundane (gadgets and web sites to measure and pique brain activity) it moves through anecdotes and scientific observation and (it really is well worth a read) concludes in this mode, with some suggestions like:
Nancy Andreasen offers four suggestions to which you should allocate 30 minutes a day — choose a new and unfamiliar area of knowledge and explore it in depth, spend some time meditating or just thinking, practise observing and describing things, and practise imagining.
The best advice I ever heard came from a Spanish neurologist, Damaso Crespo. He said I should do 100 yards a day, not sprinting but walking. But I had to walk with a friend and talk all the time. It’s the walking, the talking and the friendship that feed the brain; the sprint just feeds dumb muscles.
In the end you die, and it seems likely that the miracle of the world inside your particular 1.3 kilograms of crème caramel dies with you. Perhaps you had insight, inspiration, perhaps you created, perhaps you were a genius. [...] Brain workouts are all very well but, stripping away the science and the rhetoric, they all come down to the same simple injunction: pay attention, because you pass this way only once.
Posted in Health, Life | 1 Comment »
Saturday, November 15th, 2008
First, I watched (streaming Netflix) “The Natural History of the Chicken” (a PBS video, about 1 hr.) Netflix link IMDB link
Now: whilst procrastinating a bit, caught this on Newsweek’s site: Chicks and the City (2 min.) about family raising chickens in the middle of Brooklyn.
Addendum 18 Nov:
New Coop de Ville (Newsweek), which mentions:
UrbanChickens.com, The City Chicken, BackYardChickens.com
Posted in Garden, Health, Life | No Comments »
Friday, November 14th, 2008
Last Wednesday night I had a rare evening out and went to the Egyptian Theatre to listen to Michael Pollan speak about food. It’s his book tour, I suppose, for In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
which I reviewed a few posts ago. You’d think it’d be boring and just of interest to a few, but the house was packed. It was sold out.
My program’s the graphic. You can scan for more background. All I can say briefly is I’m really rethinking everything. And though I’ve not done so yet, I am looking forward to reading his article “Farmer In Chief,” published in early October and directed at the next US president. I’ve heard that Obama has read it; he mentioned it in passing during an interview.
Food is one of those things wherein you don’t often see the core issues forest for the faddish talking-head trees. It bears thinking about.
Posted in Garden, Health, Solution | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
I hoarded links for almost two months. I think I’m doing well by not spreading them all over my (immense) desktop as much as I used to. A few minutes ago I sorted them. Three “geeky” (see previous post). Then, 34 of a political nature. Well, it’s not like you’re unable to see the nose in front of your face, so I’m just going to toss out that folder. That leaves this mix and match set.
Miraz told me about these tattooed NYC toughs who have no pity for those that abuse or neglect animals. Rahhh!
A German prosecutor is checking into Bayer CropScience’s pesticide chlothianidine for links to mass bee deaths. Bees be critical to everything, beeeesides being cool creatures.
If you have a September birthday (or just know someone who does), check out this brilliant project to provide clean water in Ethiopia. (I hear the rest of the months will be coming in 2009!)
A stunning pictorial memoir: Days With My Father
Ack! Push-ups!
If you’re serious about increasing your strength, follow this six week training program and you’ll soon be on your way to completing 100 consecutive push ups!
Diet as metaphor for life + time. I’m not putting it right. Just read. Good to ponder.
What worries me are the consequences of a diet comprised mostly of fake-connectedness, makebelieve insight, and unedited first drafts of everything. I think it’s making us small. I know that whenever I become aware of it, I realize how small it can make me. So, I’ve come to despise it.
Life maybe requires ‘an evening class in failure’.
Various vintage absinthe photographs.
Netflix envelope origami. What can I say?
Everything I should have been reading all along (why do I throw these links everywhere?) about recovering from a bad ankle sprain.
A new book blog AAAAAAAAA “Today I read…” (very nicely designed, too!)
Okay, tell me true: you want one of these fun TRIKKEs, don’t you? Watch the movie. Starting to sway back and forth, aren’t you? Yeah.
Interesting to read the comments. We’re nasty narrow little people, just a bit: Beauty standards have sure changed (since 1919).
Having fun with time lapse movies. Another thing way down on my list of stuff it’d be a kick to play with.
Read! Ten simple ways to live a less stressful life.
Silly (custom(expensive!)) sock monkeys!
Which is your favourite creature? Silly animal slippers. Bonnie Bunnie!!!
Japanese home made specially especial for kitties!!
Posted in Art, Health, Life, Nibblette™ | 1 Comment »
Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
As part of my Be Zen Clear And Free, I’ve been going through the detritus of digital clutter (with another eye peeled for the physical-realm clutter). So here are several posts on various Themes.
Tour de Fat is in Boise today
Winn says it’s a “stop and smell the roses kind of festival, with bikes and beer.” His favorite sporting event of the day is the Slow Ride. [...] Two Boise organizations, Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association (SWIMBA) and Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance (TVCA), will reap the financial benefits of this year’s tour visit.
Xtracycle is the forward-looking bicycle
Built to carry everything, all your transportation needs (maybe, nearly) on two wheels. You’re free.
Fans take victory ride with Olympian Kirstin Armstrong
Boise residents proud of Kirstin’s achievements. Would that it prompts more locals to the bicycling route!
Why do Republicans hate bicycles so much?
Decrying bicycles as an antiquated solution, I’m sure they’d prefer anything that takes individual control out of your own hands. Yeah, people don’t, but people can effect widespread societal change.
This is an awareness test…
Brilliant ad from England. Please do check it out. Amusing as well as enlightening.
Posted in Health, Nibblette™, Solution | No Comments »
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Maureen Dowd on Obama’s tour of Middle East.
That old skill that Obama honed at the Harvard Law Review of listening until everyone at the table felt they had been heard (and agreed with) is coming in handy on his presidential dress rehearsal. [...] The Angry One can try to paint The One as having bad judgment. But who is being advised by Kissinger, the man who helped keep us in Vietnam and get us into Iraq?
My family car is an SUB and I love it
On my new “sport utility bicycle” I can cart groceries, take my kids shopping, haul a barbecue grill and make a margarita. [...] “To test whether I could abandon my four-wheel behemoth, I spent a week trying to do my errands using my new SUB. I aimed high right out of the gate: the family grocery trip to Trader Joe’s.” (Article has movie, too, and link to Xtracycle.)
What’s next for product placement?
In the US, Rupert Murdoch’s Fox network has struck a deal with McDonald’s, which has bought the right to have two cups of their branded frappuccino appear on the desk in front of the anchors on Fox 5 News.
In Italy, non capiscono “recycling”
For years, it’s been a national embarrassment. Over the past year, it’s spiraled into a crisis damaging Italy’s image all over the world: the heaps of garbage lining the streets of Naples.
The stench alone has kept many visitors away. It began more than 14 years ago, but flared up last year when official dumps were declared full. Residents with no options simply dumped their trash along streets and sidewalks.
[Berlusconi]: “Just think: 60 percent of the total garbage collected in this area is made up of packaging, which is recyclable. So for this we have an education program which will start in the schools and will reach the whole population.”
Posted in Health, Nibblette™, Solution, Urp | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
In the Washington Post, an article on “The Impassive Bystander“. We - most markedly when in a group - shrug off responsibility for helping. Two recent examples to be added to Kitty Genovese, et al.
And from NY Times: the push up is the “put up or shut up”, “got it or don’t”.
Based on national averages, a 40-year-old woman should be able to do 16 push-ups and a man the same age should be able to do 27. By the age of 60, those numbers drop to 17 for men and 6 for women. Those numbers are just slightly less than what is required of Army soldiers who are subjected to regular push-up tests.
Posted in Health, Zed | No Comments »
