http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/11/16/DI2009111601270.html
It really is amazing how far we have come as a country when even Marijuana is is starting to be legalized. In California, Pot is now legalized for medical use and aparently it is very easy to get a medical prescription to use it. Also the use recreationally among middle aged adults is starting to pick up again. The article actually states that there seems to be a generation gap among users in that the baby boomers are still using the drug frequently while it is not as prevelantly used by younger adults. I find it very interesting the different perspectives about the drug and look forward to seeing what happens with it legally from here.
I am for one not a Weed smoker, but do like the idea of it being legalized because it does not cause too much harm when used responsibly, can help erase the deficit int hat it can be taxed, and it costs the country way too much money with the number of inmates being held for possession. This drug could actually help society in a number of ways and has been proven to be perfectly safe and doable in other countries around the world legally.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Without Job Stress, Retirees Sleep Bette
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/agng/632747.html
Without Job Stress, Retirees Sleep Bette
According to a new study people who have been retired for at least seven years have better sleep patterns than when they were working. The article states that many things should and probably do contribute to this occurrence. Researchers think that this increased sleep "has less to do with how they were spending their retirement, though, than with the removal of the demands and psychological stress associated with working." Retirement has apparently been ruled as both a destresser and stresser for retirees. Though the biggest difference was in people who had previous psychological disorders more research needs to be done to confirm the findings.
Without Job Stress, Retirees Sleep Bette
According to a new study people who have been retired for at least seven years have better sleep patterns than when they were working. The article states that many things should and probably do contribute to this occurrence. Researchers think that this increased sleep "has less to do with how they were spending their retirement, though, than with the removal of the demands and psychological stress associated with working." Retirement has apparently been ruled as both a destresser and stresser for retirees. Though the biggest difference was in people who had previous psychological disorders more research needs to be done to confirm the findings.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Making a Digital First Impression: Why You Can't Fake Your Facebook Profile
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/11/10/making-a-digital-first-impression-why-you-can-t-fake-your-facebook-profile.aspx
This article is very interesting. According to this article people are able to tell a lot more than one would think is possible just based off of a picture of a person. People are now able to tell the type of personality of a person and even the religion of another person based solely on there profile picture on a social networking site such as facebook and dating sites. I happen to agree with this in that people speak with their eyes, mouth and face. Most of our communication with each other is visual and this article proves it. Especially when 9 out of 10 people were able to give accurate predictions about the person's personality being viewed.
This article is very interesting. According to this article people are able to tell a lot more than one would think is possible just based off of a picture of a person. People are now able to tell the type of personality of a person and even the religion of another person based solely on there profile picture on a social networking site such as facebook and dating sites. I happen to agree with this in that people speak with their eyes, mouth and face. Most of our communication with each other is visual and this article proves it. Especially when 9 out of 10 people were able to give accurate predictions about the person's personality being viewed.
Monday, November 2, 2009
No Pain, No Gain: Mastering A Skill Makes Us Stressed In The Moment, Happy Long Term
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029120900.htm
The saying no pain, no gain may now have some new meaning. after new research "published online in the Journal of Happiness Studies. People who work hard at improving a skill or ability, such as mastering a math problem or learning to drive, may experience stress in the moment, but experience greater happiness on a daily basis and longer term."
I have found this to actually be true with many aspects of my life. Whether it is as simple as getting better at driving, watching my body develop from months of working out, or just acing a test that I have been studying for the preparation tends to suck, but the results bring greater satisfaction because of all the hard work that had to go into the task. I tend to agree with this article a lot and it gives me a greater insight into why things seem hard but satisfying at the same time.
The saying no pain, no gain may now have some new meaning. after new research "published online in the Journal of Happiness Studies. People who work hard at improving a skill or ability, such as mastering a math problem or learning to drive, may experience stress in the moment, but experience greater happiness on a daily basis and longer term."
I have found this to actually be true with many aspects of my life. Whether it is as simple as getting better at driving, watching my body develop from months of working out, or just acing a test that I have been studying for the preparation tends to suck, but the results bring greater satisfaction because of all the hard work that had to go into the task. I tend to agree with this article a lot and it gives me a greater insight into why things seem hard but satisfying at the same time.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Study; Childhood Cancer Survivors Less Likely to Marry
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/21/childhood.cancer.survivors.marriage/
The journal "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that adults who are childhood cancer survivors are 20 to 25 percent less likely to marry compared with their siblings and the American population. The trend held across all age groups over 25 years old, the authors wrote." This has a lot to do with how these people feel about themselves. Many struggle to get over what they have previously gone through, others fear that they are not as fertile thus not as desirable, and also there are psychological ramifications that come from going through numerous surgeries and chemotherapy to save your life from cancer at such a young age.
Other factors that have been considered for reasons that childhood cancer survivors have not married is because of "childhood cancer survivors included short stature, history of tumor recurrence, poor self-reported physical functioning, emotional distress, problems with task efficiency, problems with organization, and problems with memory, the study said." This is a big problem that should be paid attention to. Many people pay attention to the actual cancer but what happens after the cancer is beaten and the person how has to move on with their life. Much more attention has to be paid attention to this topic.
The journal "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that adults who are childhood cancer survivors are 20 to 25 percent less likely to marry compared with their siblings and the American population. The trend held across all age groups over 25 years old, the authors wrote." This has a lot to do with how these people feel about themselves. Many struggle to get over what they have previously gone through, others fear that they are not as fertile thus not as desirable, and also there are psychological ramifications that come from going through numerous surgeries and chemotherapy to save your life from cancer at such a young age.
Other factors that have been considered for reasons that childhood cancer survivors have not married is because of "childhood cancer survivors included short stature, history of tumor recurrence, poor self-reported physical functioning, emotional distress, problems with task efficiency, problems with organization, and problems with memory, the study said." This is a big problem that should be paid attention to. Many people pay attention to the actual cancer but what happens after the cancer is beaten and the person how has to move on with their life. Much more attention has to be paid attention to this topic.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Nastier bosses are more insecure, study finds
http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/710602--nastier-bosses-are-more-insecure-study-finds
This article shows that employers (specifically bosses) take out their frustrations about their insecurities within the job on their employees. This shows that people can use their power to their advantage to put inferiors within the workplace down. The article points out that “the more incompetent the boss thought they were, the more aggressive they became to people who worked for them.” This goes to show why certain people change once they are put into a powerful position and also helps explain why people appear power hungry once they have achieved status and hope to maintain that status. I tend to agree with the article.
This article shows that employers (specifically bosses) take out their frustrations about their insecurities within the job on their employees. This shows that people can use their power to their advantage to put inferiors within the workplace down. The article points out that “the more incompetent the boss thought they were, the more aggressive they became to people who worked for them.” This goes to show why certain people change once they are put into a powerful position and also helps explain why people appear power hungry once they have achieved status and hope to maintain that status. I tend to agree with the article.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Think you're looking good? Might just be a post-exercise mind trick
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091009/ARTICLES/910091006/1002?Title=Think-you-re-looking-good-Might-just-be-a-post-exercise-mind-trick
It does not really matter if you are actually gaining results the individual who is exercising will generally still view themselves in better light according to this study. This whole idea stems from the fact that self-image is subjective and can change based on how the person feels. This idea truly makes sense because of such phenomena’s as a runner’s high for example. This is when someone is running and feels better about themselves along with having extended energy because of the release of endorphins while running. These endorphins act as a “happy” hormone and are released during physical activity. Once these endorphins are released the person feels better about themselves and thus their bodies. This study really does bring things together and I do agree with it.
It does not really matter if you are actually gaining results the individual who is exercising will generally still view themselves in better light according to this study. This whole idea stems from the fact that self-image is subjective and can change based on how the person feels. This idea truly makes sense because of such phenomena’s as a runner’s high for example. This is when someone is running and feels better about themselves along with having extended energy because of the release of endorphins while running. These endorphins act as a “happy” hormone and are released during physical activity. Once these endorphins are released the person feels better about themselves and thus their bodies. This study really does bring things together and I do agree with it.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Do smart drugs really make you smart?
http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/?p=4079
This article really does relate to college students and those on a college campus. The article looks at how Adderall and Ritalin are used and how they affect a student's academic performance and success. Adderall is meant to be used to help ADHD patients better concentrate, calm down, and also mellow behavior for school purposes. However people who do not have ADHD or other attention disorders generally use these drugs to help with study performance and getting work done. The article points out what I have actually witnessed from some of my friends who have used the drug for school work that "Adderall users do not necessarily get the 4.0 we would think they would be able to get with this extra study boost. It turns out that Adderall users are those who need to cram in a few extra hours of study time because they did not plan ahead to begin with." As it turns out these smart drugs are just a person's last attempt to gain an edge from prior procrastination to get work done.
This article really does relate to college students and those on a college campus. The article looks at how Adderall and Ritalin are used and how they affect a student's academic performance and success. Adderall is meant to be used to help ADHD patients better concentrate, calm down, and also mellow behavior for school purposes. However people who do not have ADHD or other attention disorders generally use these drugs to help with study performance and getting work done. The article points out what I have actually witnessed from some of my friends who have used the drug for school work that "Adderall users do not necessarily get the 4.0 we would think they would be able to get with this extra study boost. It turns out that Adderall users are those who need to cram in a few extra hours of study time because they did not plan ahead to begin with." As it turns out these smart drugs are just a person's last attempt to gain an edge from prior procrastination to get work done.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Torturing "does not get the truth"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8267633.stm
The article states that the method that the Bush administration used to get the truth out of foreign prisoners may not have worked as well as previously thought. The administration ordered prisons to get prisoners to reveal the truth about questions asked to them using torture. The thought process behind torture is that " people will 'tell the truth' as a result but much evidence suggests that people will, in fact, tell those conducting the torture what they think will make the torture stop.” This article gives numerous reasons that the method was faulted. Such examples include that “the extreme stress of torture harms the (long term) memory” of the victim. The torture that a prisoner endures could actually lead to brain damage to the victim to a point that the victim is just being tortured and cannot recall what is being asked of them. This article shows the faults of thousands of years of torturing people to get the truth or information.
The article states that the method that the Bush administration used to get the truth out of foreign prisoners may not have worked as well as previously thought. The administration ordered prisons to get prisoners to reveal the truth about questions asked to them using torture. The thought process behind torture is that " people will 'tell the truth' as a result but much evidence suggests that people will, in fact, tell those conducting the torture what they think will make the torture stop.” This article gives numerous reasons that the method was faulted. Such examples include that “the extreme stress of torture harms the (long term) memory” of the victim. The torture that a prisoner endures could actually lead to brain damage to the victim to a point that the victim is just being tortured and cannot recall what is being asked of them. This article shows the faults of thousands of years of torturing people to get the truth or information.
Monday, September 21, 2009
And still we love our cars
http://www.montrealgazette.com/still+love+cars/2011046/story.html
I find it amazing how something that has helped transform our country into what it is in terms of power, prosperity, and technological powerhouses is now coming back to bite the consumer.
According to this study people who commute now face "symptoms of pain, dizziness, exhaustion and sleep deprivation twice as much as non commuters." The article also notes that people facing long commutes everyday "are also more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, digestive problems, headaches, backaches and trouble with concentration." The commute thus affects other fascets of life for the commuter along with "negative moods translate into poor work performance, road rage in the office and more sick days." Transportation is very important to every person who has a family, works, or just wants to enjoy their lives. I know that in my situation being a commuter the traffic patterns in Hartford along with the congestion really does increase my stress level especially when it comes to getting to class on time or when someone does something with a car that may not have been the smartest thing to do at the particular moment. This article seems to play into everyday life for the average working american.
I find it amazing how something that has helped transform our country into what it is in terms of power, prosperity, and technological powerhouses is now coming back to bite the consumer.
According to this study people who commute now face "symptoms of pain, dizziness, exhaustion and sleep deprivation twice as much as non commuters." The article also notes that people facing long commutes everyday "are also more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, digestive problems, headaches, backaches and trouble with concentration." The commute thus affects other fascets of life for the commuter along with "negative moods translate into poor work performance, road rage in the office and more sick days." Transportation is very important to every person who has a family, works, or just wants to enjoy their lives. I know that in my situation being a commuter the traffic patterns in Hartford along with the congestion really does increase my stress level especially when it comes to getting to class on time or when someone does something with a car that may not have been the smartest thing to do at the particular moment. This article seems to play into everyday life for the average working american.
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