Kiplinger lists the best places to live in the US, and Ithaca is number 8.
crapbag
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Some interesting statistics about American fathers. For example, dads with college degrees plan on having fewer kids, and end up fussing over them more than those without a college degree.
A Japanese acoustic expert has simulated what Mona Lisa must have sounded like by using a model of her skull.
Parents are making use of televisions as baby-sitters.
Even if your weight is normal, losing a few pounds may help solve your heartburn problem.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Here are some financial tips that women (or anyone) can benefit from.
Monday, May 29, 2006
This is another sign that the US is falling behind in science and research and that China is quickly moving up.
More women are realizing that getting their period is optional. Some women have been using standard birth control pills and skipping the placebos to get this effect for some time, but now there is a pill you can buy that is designed to give only four periods a year, and another pill is set for approval that would eliminate periods year-round.
If you are aiming for twins, you might want to try drinking more milk. The growth hormone fed to cows may be causing more twin births in humans.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Being a working mother may actually be better for your health than staying at home.
Monday, May 22, 2006
A study has shown that memories are distorted by moral judgements. This is why we can't really trust people's memories (including our own) and why eye witness testimonies may not be very reliable.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
From William Saletan's column in Slate:
The section called, "We're the offspring of sex between human and chimp ancestors" is interesting. He also linked to the Washington Post article that discusses this in more detail.
Also interesting, are the sections on "Britain began weeding out embryos with cancer genes" and "Holding a gun may trigger testosterone and aggression".
The section called, "We're the offspring of sex between human and chimp ancestors" is interesting. He also linked to the Washington Post article that discusses this in more detail.
Also interesting, are the sections on "Britain began weeding out embryos with cancer genes" and "Holding a gun may trigger testosterone and aggression".
In the past, whenever I would hear lactic acid being discussed, the claims about what it was and how it worked seemed rather vague and the explanations seemed to be lacking or sometimes seemed somewhat magical. I never did understand what lactic acid really did or how it worked, and it is no wonder why. That's because people who said that lactic acid was a waste product that was bad for muscles apparently did not have a clear understanding of the scientific basis for their claims. And now, we find out that those widely disseminated ideas about lactic acid have turned out to be wrong. We are finally beginning to understand what lactic acid actually does in the body thanks to the work of scientists. Learn what they have found out in this article.
The man who came up with the Geek Squad, a computer repair service that he later sold to Best Buy reveals how he got into the business of fixing computers. The article discusses why the computer repair business is doing so well.
This is good news. Efforts to reduce CFCs and other chemicals that harm the ozone may begin to reduce the ozone hole over the Antarctic by 2020. If the emissions are reduced fast enough, the hole may close by 2050.
Nevaeh (heaven spelled backward) is now the 70th most popular name for baby girls. It is an anomaly among baby names. Read this article to learn more.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Read about what this Slate writer thinks about Tyra Bank's crusade to get Danielle to get rid of her black accent on America's Next Top Model.
Some scientists are now questioning whether other researchers have really discovered a new dwarf human species that are Hobbit-like. These scientists think that the fossils are just those of modern humans who had a genetic illness known as microencephalitis which would have given them small brains and bodies.
Out of all the countries in the world, it looks like the Philippines is the only place where the movie, The Da Vinci Code has been banned.
That's just great. You'd think we were still living in the Middle Ages. No wonder liberal democracy is not working the way it's supposed to in the Philippines. There's not even any protection for freedom of expression.
The strange thing is, the movie (based on the bestselling novel) is not even claiming to be anything more than a work of fiction, yet people seem to be so threatened by it.
[T]he Manila City Council passed a resolution banning the movie, effective Friday.
The movie "is undoubtedly offensive and contrary to established religious beliefs which cannot take precedence over the right of the persons involved in the film to freedom of expression," the resolution said.
That's just great. You'd think we were still living in the Middle Ages. No wonder liberal democracy is not working the way it's supposed to in the Philippines. There's not even any protection for freedom of expression.
The strange thing is, the movie (based on the bestselling novel) is not even claiming to be anything more than a work of fiction, yet people seem to be so threatened by it.
We take our ability to exercise for granted. For some women, exercise is not even a possibility because their religion and society consider it improper and fear that exercising may lead to women's emancipation which would corrupt men!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Women have always lived longer than men. Researchers theorize that this is because men expend more effort in competing to attract a mate (as compared to females), thereby weakening their immune systems.
High gas prices are starting to have an effect, if this article is any indication. The article reports that more people are now riding bicycles to work in the US. This is good not only for people’s pocketbooks, but for their health too. Plus, riding a bike instead of driving a car can help reduce our economic dependence on oil and is much better for the environment.
Spoiler Alert: Warning—don’t read this article if you don’t know the premise of the movie yet. The article reports on protests against The Da Vinci Code movie in different countries.
Women can tell if a man likes kids, and seem to find such men more attractive.
Many people avoid MSG. But glutamate is actually present in a lot of the foods we eat albeit under other names. It may not be so bad to incorporate the umami flavor in our food. If you like the taste of parmesan and soy sauce, you are probably already an umami fan.
MSN Money - 5 ways to stop the urge to shop: "If you can still pay your bills, you might not think you have a problem. I didn't think I had a problem, either -- until I asked myself why buying shoes felt so good. "
Monday, May 15, 2006
Very few people succeed in maintaining their weight loss. Find out what successful maintainers do to keep the weight off.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Movies are more powerful than you can imagine. The depiction of coma patients in movies is often inaccurate and can lead people to have mistaken beliefs about the condition. Coma patients are usually portrayed in movies with their eyes closed, so many people do not know that some people in comas open their eyes. These beliefs we pick up from the movies affect how we act in real life, and may have contributed to the whole Terri Schiavo controversy.
The image of Americans has been deteriorating internationally. Now, some people have come up a guide for Americans to teach them how not to be ugly Americans while they are abroad so that they can be positive ambassadors to people in other countries.
We think kids will lose their baby fat when they grow up, but that may not be the case according to this new study that found that obese kids become obese adolescents.
Good news for smokers trying to quit. This pill may be the answer.
Monday, May 08, 2006
This is just ridiculous. An anti-porn group in the Philippines is filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission against the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)—the Philippine’s censorship board—for allowing the Da Vinci Code movie to be shown in Philippine theaters. The group is saying that allowing the movie to be shown violates a presidential decree that prohibits the MTRCB from importing any movie that is “ libelous or defamatory to the good name and reputation of any person, whether living or dead.”
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Interesting idea. This German man is helping needy children in third world countries by claiming he is their father so they can get German citizenship. I wonder how long it will be before the German government decides to close this loop-hole.
This is a very good idea. We waste so much clean water just flushing our toilets, we might as well get some use out of the water first before it's used to flush. Based on people's comments, it looks like this sink and toilet combo is already in use in Japan.
Casting a reality show like Big Brother is extremely important. But now, Big Brother in the UK is leaving it up to chance as it gives away one spot on the show at random to whoever finds a KitKat Bar with the winning entry.
This German brothel is giving special sensitivity training to its prostitutes so that they can brothel properly service virgins who come to the establishment.
This is interesting. As women become more independent and self-sufficient, their criteria for a mate may start to resemble men's. Maybe this is part of the reason for the whole metrosexual phenomenon.
Some statistics on the popularity of video games.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Philip Morris is coming out with a new smokeless tobacco that you don't have to spit out. Smokeless tobacco is still harmful to users and can cause cancer, so it is important that people realize that it is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. But if smokeless tobacco eventually does replace cigarettes, it may be good for non-smokers who won't have to deal with second-hand smoke.
If you haven’t seen Stephen Colbert’s speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner, you should watch it here. Then read this Salon article about it.
These days, it takes a comedian to have the courage to do the job of a journalist.
Should we be surprised that there was no mention of Colbert’s speech in the mainstream press afterwards? It seems many of us were, although we ought to have known better.
These days, it takes a comedian to have the courage to do the job of a journalist.
Should we be surprised that there was no mention of Colbert’s speech in the mainstream press afterwards? It seems many of us were, although we ought to have known better.
This is wild. McDonald's is redesigning its restaurants to update them, giving them a more Starbucks-like look. Judging from these pictures (see slide show), it looks like the new design is a complete departure from the McDonald's that we're used to. The question is, will it work?
The old design seems particularly suited to a fast food restaurant, where people can grab a quick bite in clean, simple surroundings and run out the door. But the new design seems geared toward encouraging people to stay and linger in the restaurant. That completely goes against what a fast food restaurant is all about. It might actually reduce sales volume if people end up staying put in their seats for a long time, monopolizing the space and preventing others from sitting down. Will this redesign work out for McDonald's? We'll have to see.
The old design seems particularly suited to a fast food restaurant, where people can grab a quick bite in clean, simple surroundings and run out the door. But the new design seems geared toward encouraging people to stay and linger in the restaurant. That completely goes against what a fast food restaurant is all about. It might actually reduce sales volume if people end up staying put in their seats for a long time, monopolizing the space and preventing others from sitting down. Will this redesign work out for McDonald's? We'll have to see.
Friday, May 05, 2006
This story about David Copperfield is pretty cool. This is proof that knowing magic can actually come in handy in real life.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
If this is true, it is very scary. A bunch of people are saying that the contact lens solution, Renu with MoistureLoc caused fungal growth, and led to eye problems that in some cases required some people to get corneal transplants. This woman claims to have lost her eye due to the product.
What is it with Sopranos cast members and the law?
Comparing white Americans and white Englishmen, researchers have found that white Americans are sicker than their British counterparts, at all income levels, and even when statistical models gave the British the same lifestyle risk factors as Americans, such as obesity. Yet Americans spend nearly double what the British do on health care.
While wealthier people in both countries had better health compared to those lower on the economic ladder, the health of a wealthy white American only matched the health of a low-income Englishman.
The reason for the disparity in health between the two countries is still a mystery. This is definitely something that deserves further investigation.
While wealthier people in both countries had better health compared to those lower on the economic ladder, the health of a wealthy white American only matched the health of a low-income Englishman.
The reason for the disparity in health between the two countries is still a mystery. This is definitely something that deserves further investigation.
This is must-read series of articles written by a Canadian journalist who went undercover for a month as a maid. The journalist, a well-to-do woman who lives in a posh neighborhood and has a housekeeper, decided to investigate what it would be like to live on the Canadian minimum wage. Accompanied by her two sons, she finds out how hard it is to get by on a minimum-wage job.
Start with the first article in the series near the bottom, "The Great Experiment Begins", followed by the second article, "Living a Minimum-Wage Existence", until you reach the fifth and last article at the top, "Maid for a Month: Goodbye to All That". Then look at the link to pictures at the very bottom of the page, "In Pictures: Living the Low-Income Life".
Start with the first article in the series near the bottom, "The Great Experiment Begins", followed by the second article, "Living a Minimum-Wage Existence", until you reach the fifth and last article at the top, "Maid for a Month: Goodbye to All That". Then look at the link to pictures at the very bottom of the page, "In Pictures: Living the Low-Income Life".
Monday, May 01, 2006
Read about what a food scientist has to do to come up with new things for us to eat.