Games, puzzles, books and toys are all the rage among Japan's seniors who are eager to exercise their brains to stave off Alzheimer's disease.
crapbag
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Fascinating article about non-lethal weapons that cause pain, but no permanent injury.
The LAPD will be using a new lightweight but very powerful flashlight costing about $100.
"[A]dopted children in the study apparently get less of an oxytocin reward [and] could explain why some children... as they grow older, have difficulty forming social relationships."
When to get rid of your old computer, mattress, make-up, etc.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Interesting take on a recently published study comparing four different diet plans that found the Atkins diet the most effective. It turns out that people cheated on all of the plans, so people weren't really following the diet plans correctly. But they stuck the closest to the Atkins plan. That may be the secret to its success.
The co-founder of Wikipedia wants a new online encyclopedia that won't be subject to the same problems as Wikipedia. His new project is called Citizendium.
When people pass away or become victims of Alzheimer's and don't prepare for such circumstances, they often cause great difficulties for their loved ones. These are the papers you should have ready for the people who survive you or who must make decisions for you when you are no longer able to.
From the article:
An eyetracking study caught men, but not women, staring at a batter's crotch. In eyetracking, 'special cameras called 'eye trackers' can watch a person's eye and capture fixations and eye movements … without requiring any special headgear.' Participants viewed a Web page that included an image of George Brett batting, along with biographical information about him. 'Although both men and women look at the image ... when directed to find out information about his sport and position, men tend to focus on private anatomy as well as the face. For the women, the face is the only place they viewed.' According to a supervisor of the study, 'men tend to fixate more on areas of private anatomy on animals as well, as evidenced when users were directed to browse the American Kennel Club site.'
Saturday, March 24, 2007
France releases its UFO files on the Internet.
A study says that kids are becoming obese not because they watch too much TV but probably because they are being driven to school.
Blue Cross is being fined for dropping health insurance coverage for certain patients who are found to be costly patients (e.g. pregnant or ill) based on the accusation that they lied on their applications about pre-existing conditions. While the fine may be considered negligible, let us hope that the government's investigation of these insurance companies keeps them from continuing with this terrible practice.
Many people do not realize that ordinary batteries can cause fires if they are not properly stored.
Finally, someone has taken a scientific approach to determining which drugs ought to be regulated based on the actual harm they pose to society. While socially acceptable, alcohol and tobacco are actually more harmful than marijuana or LSD.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Interesting article about animal behavior that is similar to human behavior.
Fathers are spending more time with their kids and doing more housework. There are a number of reasons for this.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Switch to compact fluorescents to save on electricity and money. This fact sheet tells you how to dispose of CFs properly as does this. This explains why you should switch your bulbs at home to CFs.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Two documentary filmmakers expose Michael Moore in their own documentary, "Manufacturing Dissent".
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Plagued with difficulties sleeping in the same room,couples are increasingly sleeping in separate bedrooms even when their marriage is not in trouble.
Very interesting article about plastic surgery in China.
An addiction to storage facilities can mean thousands of dollars a year spent on renting space to hold things that people don't want to part with at the moment. People find such storage units a convenient solution to their immediate problems and have all intentions of eventually taking things out of storage. Yet somehow, this solution quickly becomes a permanent one turning into a life-long and expensive crutch that enables pack rat behavior. Some find themselves renting even more storage space to hold more things they don't really need, but want to keep.
Dropping their most objectionable policies has nothing to do with the goodness in their hearts, but rather is a preemptive strike in the midst of congressional scrutiny and is designed to fend off possible regulation of the industry. However, the author predicts that leaving credit card companies unregulated will only bring us back to the same situation prior to these recent changes, with creit cards creating policies and fees that are designed to trap consumers in expensive debt.
Friday, March 09, 2007
You should be wary of accepting offers for free things. Most come with strings attached and are not worth the time or trouble.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
To improve their image in the eyes of foreigners, cab drivers in Shanghai are now required to install spit sacks in their taxis to keep them from spitting outside their windows.
At a time when many people are clamoring for cows to be exclusively grass-fed, a farmer discovers a cow that has developed a taste for fresh meat all on its own.
General Motors manufactures small cars with amazing gas mileage, except you can't buy them in the United States. The cars are being sold in Europe where there is a big demand for small, fuel-efficient vehicles. But gas may have to hit $6 a gallon before Americans start considering owning small cars.
Some people have found that moving to a small town is the answer to their problems.
If you're dieting, don't go to the mall or you might find yourself making impulse purchases.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
This sociology professor at Cornell has found proof that being a mother hurts a woman's career:
In her studies, when two equally qualified candidates -- one childless, one a mother -- applied for a job, the mother was 100 percent less likely to be hired.
"Again and again we found that mothers were viewed as less committed and even rated as less competent," said Correll. "They were also offered $11,000 a year less pay, on average, than an equally qualified childless candidate."
You may be better off not taking certain vitamin supplements. You may also want to read this other article that talks about whether it is necessary to take a daily multivitamin.
Toyota and Honda still make the best cards according to Consumer Reports.
Here are some magic words that you can include in your ad when you sell your home.
Here are some guidelines from experts on giving your kids an allowance.
What increases breast cancer risk and what you can do to lower yours.