Friday, January 12, 2007

Speedlinking 1/12/07

Quote of the day:

"Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can't read them either."
~ Gore Vidal

Image of the Day:

BODY
~ Hot moves to get in shape for winter sports.
~ Can't Prove It: 8 coaches explain what they believe to be true, but can't prove. This is good, from T-Nation, the authority in real training.
~ No Breakfast And Frequent Fast Food Leads To Extra Pounds In Aging Teens -- No!? Really?! Are you sure?
~ Supermarkets to Promote Food Pyramid -- Too bad it's useless.
~ How iPods, TV can affect your workout -- "An iPod or TV can inspire better workouts, but distractions also can hurt performance. In a way, music can add static to the mind-body connection."
~ Benefits Of Testosterone Treatment Unknown, Research Shows -- I call bullsh!t on this "study." I personally have read dozens of studies on the benefits of T replacement -- check out PubMed or Medline.
~ It's Not Your Weight, It's Your Waist -- Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz Share Their Diet Secrets. These guys have a no nonsense book, You: On a Diet, that's pretty good.


PSYCHE
~ Better-Educated Older Adults Had Greater Declines In Word Memory Than Their Less Educated Peers, Study Finds -- "Adults over 70 with higher levels of education forgot words at a greater rate than those with less education, according to a new study from the University of Southern California." But maybe it's because they have a lot more words to forget?
~ 25 Stress relief tips -- Some good suggestions.
~ The Limits of Rational Thought -- "In The Echo Maker, Powers' character Mark flips his truck on an icy stretch of road in Nebraska and ends up in the hospital in a near-vegetative state. His sole-remaining family member, his sister Karin, immediately rushes to his bedside to nurse him back to health."
~ A researcher uses his understanding of the human brain to advance on a popular quiz show -- "Boston University's doctoral program in cognitive neuroscience prepares students for a career in brain modeling, robot design, or biomedical engineering—or for winning cash on the television quiz show Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?."
~ Want To Improve Memory? Strengthen Your Synapses. Here's How -- "Nurturing neuronal connections can protect your memory and help you stay mentally alert.A sharp mind and strong memory depend on the vitality of your brain's network of interconnecting neurons, and especially on junctions between these neurons called synapses."
~ Why do opposites attract? It's all in the genes -- "It is an age old adage that opposites attract - now scientists believe they have found out why this is the case. A study has shown women are genetically pre-programmed to seek out men who are different to themselves."
~ That Scene Was Amazing! -- A look at the mass psychology of media.
~ Gratitude: Becoming Grateful Enough to Miss the Negative.
~ From Aaron at Anxious Living: More on Writing to Cope.


CULTURE
~ One Fourth of American's Calories Come From Soda -- That's just plain scary.
~ Robert Anton Wilson 1932-2007, By R.U. Sirius. Wilson rocked my world when I read Quantum Psychology back in college. Then I read Prometheus Rising and Coincidance : A Head Test, which I used for my grad school paper on James Joyce's Ulysses (and I got damned B because Wilson and I agreed that Jung was better for reading Joyce than was Freud), and was convinced the man was pure genius. The world will be a lesser place without him.
~ Blake’s notes go on display -- This is cool for lovers of literature.
~ The Surge: Just Enough to Lose?
~ The Minimum Wage Faces Maximum Flak -- "The No. 1 rule in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is "Don't Panic." That's the message small business might want to take to heart now as the House of Representatives embarks on passing promised legislation during its first 100 hours." Any story that references Douglas Adams in the fist line is worth posting.
~ Excerpts of Pulitzer Winners and Finalists.


HABITATS
~ Turtle Thought Extinct Found in Thailand -- "Thai villagers have caught a river terrapin turtle that was thought to be extinct in the country, a leading conservation group said Wednesday."
~ Beavers Could Be Frogs' Best Friends -- "Beaver dams could be the answer to stopping the decline of amphibian populations in Canada's conifer forests."
~ The cost of climate change -- "Reducing our contribution to global warming may be expensive. Global warming itself, however, is likely to be much more expensive."
~ New Alien-Life Search Aims to Eavesdrop on ETs -- "A new project plans to detect low-frequency signals sent by alien civilizations—from military radar to the ET version of talk radio."
~ Eight New Neighboring Galaxies Found, Scientists Announce -- "The discovery of eight tiny galaxies near our own may provide scientists with insights into the structure of the universe."
~ Google Partners With High-Tech Telescope to Map Universe -- Cool.


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