Articles by Knight Pierce Hirst on ArticleSnatch.com

What's Changing In These Changing Times?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:12:21 -0500

Food contains less trans-fatty acids. Although similar studies are being done with other races, the CDC says trans fats decreased 58% in white adults between 2000 and 2009. Although trans fats were promoted as a lard alternative in the 1980's, by the mid 1990's health activists denounced trans fats because they increased cholesterol. In 2006 the FDA required food manufacturers to list trans fats on nutrition labels and by 2012 most food-makers and restaurants had substituted alternatives like sunflower oil. However, foods labeled "zero trans fats" can contain up to 0.5 grams per serving. It seems 0.5 is the new zero. In 2012 the Obama administration called for schools nationwide to replace textbooks with e-readers by 2017. The Department of Education thinks technology improves students' motivation, technical skills and collaboration with peers. The FCC says the government spends approximately $90 on textbooks per student yearly; but if textbook companies make their content digital, e-readers could be significantly cheaper. Hardcover books last for years; e-readers are likelier to be lost, broken or stolen. Would students without home Internet access be at a disadvantage? **End Summary** Topics: trans fats]]> books]]> parents]]> stadiums]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Is This Information We Can Swallow?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:54:11 -0500

Ninety percent of Americans eat too much salt. On average American adults eat more than 3,300 milligrams daily. The recommended amount is no more than 2,300 milligrams. That's according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The salt we put on food at home accounts for only 5% of the salt we eat. Sixty-six percent is in the food we purchase at stores and 25% is in what we order at restaurants. Reducing sodium levels by 10% would supposedly prevent 28,000 deaths yearly. One way to reduce salt is to read nutrition labels. Information - not food - is something you can "salt away". Bread and rolls are the #1 source of salt in the American diet. Bread and rolls aren't saltier than many other foods. The problem is we eat a lot of them. Ten foods are responsible for 44% of the sodium consumed. That's also according to the CDC. The other 9 foods in decreasing order are cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, fresh and processed poultry, soups, fast food hamburgers and sandwiches, cheese, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and snacks like pretzels and potato chips. **End Summary** Topics: salt]]> green tea]]> functional disability]]> vitamin D]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What's Your Definition Of Odd?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:33:15 -0500

Beer sales are down. Shipments in 2011 decreased 1.4% to an eight-year low. According to the trade publication Beer Marketer's Insights, Americans want drinks with more alcohol and sophistication. Because of that, wine and liquor sales increased 4% or more. Because sales of craft beers - beers made by individual or small group of beer masters in relatively small batches - have increased, major beer companies are making craft beers. They are also making beers with a higher alcohol content - 6% - and hard cider - whose sales increased 20% in 2011. For beer companies it's hard cider for hard times. Recliners - categorized as motion furniture - are best sellers in the furniture business. Even in a laggard economy sales of reclining chairs and sofas totaled approximately $3.5 billion in 2011 and the trade publication Furniture Today expects sales will grow 21% over the next 5 years. Fall and winter are the busiest periods for recliner sales - especially in the Midwest and Northeast - where people spend more time indoors. In fact, in the 2 weeks before 2012's Super Bowl there were double-digit increases in sales. **End Summary** Topics: beer]]> furniture]]> Twitter]]> Tupperware]]> salesmen]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

How Are We Relating To Relationships?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:33:24 -0500

Twenty-seven percent of singles don't want to marry. That's according to the annual "Singles in America" study, which surveyed 5,541 singles across the country. Approximately 35% wanted to marry and 40% weren't sure. The top 5 turnoffs to singles were sloppy appearance (67%), laziness (66%), neediness (63%), humorlessness (54%) and distance - more than 3 hours - (49%). Thirteen percent of women and 7% of men wanted the same religion, 13% of women and 8% of men wanted the same ethnicity and 36% of women and 13% of men wanted an equal wage earner. In 2012 that's what is "singularly attractive". "Modamily" is a website that pairs couples interested in co-parenting, but aren't interested in sex or marriage. Although similar social networks exist in Europe and Israel, this is the first in the U.S. Launched in January 2012, the New York-based site had approximately 20,000 visits the first week, of which 70% were heterosexual men in their 40's and 50's. Through a co-parenting contract the couples decide how the child will be conceived and raised - including religion, time commitments and financial obligations. The fee to subscribers is $50 a month. Gee ... **End Summary** Topics: singles]]> marriage]]> parenting]]> overeating]]> phones]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What Does Your City Say About You?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:34:09 -0500

Washington was the most literate U.S. city in 2011. That was according to Central Connecticut State University's annual study. The nation's largest communities were ranked based on 6 indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment and internet resources. The top 4 cities - including Seattle, Minneapolis and Atlanta - were the same as in 2010. Atlanta was followed by Boston, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, St. Louis, San Francisco and Denver. Frankly, I was surprised Washington was ranked #1. It doesn't seem like the politicians living there can read approval polls. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater was the most stressful U.S. metropolitan area in 2012. Sperling's Best Places ranked the 50 largest metropolitan areas by divorce rate, commute times, unemployment, violent crime, property crime, suicides, alcohol consumption, mental health, sleep problems and annual number of cloudy days. The Tampa Bay area was in the 97th percentile for suicides. The Las Vegas-Paradise area - ranked 2nd - was in the 100th percentile for divorces and the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall area - ranked 3rd - was in the 97th percentile for property crime and the 95th percentile for violent crime. It seems warm areas aren't "cool" for stress. **End Summary** Topics: literacy]]> stress]]> temperatures]]> health]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What's Dangerous To Our Health Now?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:34:06 -0500

Middle age can be dangerous to your health. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, men age 45 who have 2 or more or the following risk factors - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or smoking - have a 50% chance of heart attack or stroke during the remainder of their lives. Women age 45 with 2 risk factors have a 30% chance. However, even 1 risk factor dramatically increases the risk of heart disease. Considering 95% of middle-aged Americans (ages 45-55) have at least 1 risk factor, only 5% don't have to "take this information to heart". Working long hours can be dangerous to your health. A study published in the journal PLoS ONE followed 2,123 civil servants for 6 years and found those who worked an average of at least 11 hours a day at the office had about 2.5 times the risk of depression than employees who worked 7-8 hours. This was true even when job strain, workplace support, alcohol use, smoking and chronic physical disease were considered. **End Summary** Topics: middle age]]> heart disease]]> stroke]]> employment]]> depression]]> weather]]> stress]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What Do You Think Of These Thoughts?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:34:06 -0500

The Department of Agriculture is requiring healthier meals in schools. The 2012 new nutrition standards for school meals specify less salt and fat and more whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy. Although pizza will still be allowed to count as a vegetable, the new standards require 2 servings of vegetables per meal. Chocolate milk will still be allowed, but it will be made with skim milk. French fries - although a little less salty - will still be allowed too because of the potato lobby's friends in Congress. It's Congressional meddling like this that emphasizes the "con" in congress. FlightStats is an Internet service that provides global flight information. It also monitors the on-time performance of airlines. It has been doing that since 2004 and presently tracks more than 150,000 flights daily. "On time" is defined by planes arriving at their gates within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. In 2011 Alaska Airlines was #1 among North American airlines with 87.79% on-time arrivals. Among regional North American airlines Hawaiian Airlines was #1 with 91.96%. Finally, among major international airlines All Nippon Airways was #1 with 90.18% of its arrivals being on time. **End Summary** Topics: school meals]]> air lines]]> veterans]]> service dogs]]> cows]]> waterbeds]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Wat Do We Know About Us?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:33:44 -0500

Americans are keeping their cars longer. According to 2012 statistics from R.L. Polk Co., the average car is almost 11 years old - and that's a record. The average trade-in at new-car dealerships is 6.5 years - 1 year older than in 2007. In 2008 new car sales fell from 16.2 million to 13.2 million. In 2009 sales fell another 2.8 million to 10.4 million. Now there are 240.5 million cars and trucks on the road - down from 242.1 million in 2008. That may be bad for Detroit, but it's good for the planet. It means fewer cars in ozone-destroying "car-bon dioxide". Twenty percent of American adults were diagnosed with mental illness in 2012. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, that was 45.9 million people with mental, behavioral or emotional disorders. Mental health disorders were more common in the young. Almost 33% of teenagers and young adults ages 18-25 experienced a mental illness in 2010 compared to 14% of people age 50 and older. Sixty-one percent of those with serious mental illness received treatment. **End Summary** Topics: cars]]> mental illness]]> planes]]> taxes]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Are We Really Created Equal?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:33:35 -0500

Women feel more pain than men. In a study published in the Journal of Pain, researchers reviewed 160,000 pain reports from over 72,000 patients. The patients had reported pain on a 0 to 10 scale - 0 meaning "none" and 10 meaning "the most imaginable". In many cases the difference was almost a full point. The explanation may be that women report pain more readily, whereas men might be reluctant to admit pain to female nurses. The explanation might also be hormonal. Nevertheless, when it comes to a "pain in the neck", I suspect both sexes had similarly low pain thresholds. Workingmen spend more on coffee and lunch than workingwomen. Based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers done by Accounting Principals, half the workforce buys coffee during the week and two-thirds buy lunch. That's an average of $1,000 a year for coffee and $2,000 for lunch. However, men averaged $27.50 weekly on coffee and women averaged $15. Regarding lunch, men were only slightly more likely to go out; but they spent a lot more. Men averaged $46.30 weekly and women averaged $26.50. **End Summary** Topics: pain]]> money]]> cars]]> narcissism]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What Should You Expect When Expecting?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:52:59 -0500

Home births are increasing in the U.S. According to the National Center for Heath Statistics, the number has increased 29% from 2004 to 2009. The biggest increase was among non-Hispanic white women over age 35 who'd already had at least 1 child. About 1 in 90 births in that group was a home birth. The increase is attributed to home births being one-third less expensive than hospital births, dissatisfaction with hospital care and new mothers wanting more control. Because only 1% of births nationally are home births, 99% of women are still happy to be the "i" in hospital. Whether parents have college degrees is a better predictor of children's socioeconomic success than a strong work ethic and ambition. That's according to researchers from the Russell Sage Foundation and the Pew Economic Mobility Project. In fact, the relationship between parents' education levels and children's future success is higher in the U.S. than in Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Canada. Although pre-kindergarten and other opportunities to help children get ahead are popular in the U.S., parents' education makes a difference from birth in children's future socioeconomic success. It seem parents' college degrees are the ultimate "head start" program. **End Summary** Topics: home births]]> education]]> multitasking]]> smoking]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

When Will They Ever Learn?

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:29:05 -0500

On the street outside a New York City school building it said "SHCOOL X-NG". The spelling mistake happened when a Con Edison contractor ripped up the street for utility work and replaced the existing markings with the "H" and "C" reversed. Because the lettering was made with industrial textured tape that permanently sticks to asphalt, utility workers had to use heavy machinery to grind up the misplaced letters. Although the spelling was fixed on January 24th, 2012 - the day after it was reported in the New York Post, the mistake was made in July 2010. That's 18 months without anyone being "streetwise". Then there was John Robin Whittle, a 52-year-old man from the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Very shortly after ordering a beer at the Hay Loft Bar in Port Richey, Whittle told the bartender he would be right back and left the bar. After about 30 minutes he returned to the bar to finish his beer. According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, that's where Whittle was arrested 10 minutes later. It seems the beer-drinking customer had spent the 30 minutes robbing a nearby Wells-Fargo branch bank. I'm guessing Whittle's beer of choice wasn't "Bud-wiser". **End Summary** Topics: school]]> spelling]]> robbery]]> theft]]> forgery]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Can Parents Afford Free Advice?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:38:04 -0500

Acupuncture is safe for children. So said the American Academy of Pediatrics. A study published in the journal Pediatrics looked at the side effects from 37 studies of acupuncture on children from birth to age 17. Of the 279 adverse side effects found, 253 were mild, 1 was moderate and 25 were serious. However, the serious side effects were related to substandard conditions - not the acupuncture technique itself. About 150,000 U.S. children have acupuncture a year. It can be used to treat headaches, migraines, back and joint pain, cramps and chemotherapy-induced nausea. Unfortunately, acupuncture can't treat children's fear of needles. School lunches aren't making children fat. That's according to a study published in the journal Sociology of Education. The study followed approximately 20,000 students from kindergarten through eighth grade in 1,000 public and private schools. In the eighth grade 35.5% of the children in schools serving junk food were overweight compared to 34.8% in schools not serving junk food. That's a statistically insignificant difference. It's not that middle schoolers aren't eating junk food. It's that most of the junk food they eat doesn't come from school. **End Summary** Topics: acupuncture]]> school]]> junk food]]> cholesterol]]> exercise]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Do We Think About What We Do?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:15:12 -0500

Walking while using headphones is dangerous to our health. According to a report published in Injury Prevention, between 2004 and 2005 there were 16 incidents of serious injury or death to U.S. pedestrians. However, the number tripled in the past 7 years - with 66% resulting in death. The median age of victims was 21 and 68% were males. Half of victims were struck by trains and half by cars, buses, trucks, trailer tractors or bicycles. Using headphones causes inattentional blindness (distraction) and sensory deprivation. Pedestrians can't hear warning sounds. The report's message is "Hear" today or gone tomorrow. Synchronized movement makes us think alike. It connects us to others and makes us want to think the way they do. In a study published in the journal Social Influence, 70 college students were asked to walk behind a leader. They could walk in sync or at whatever pace they felt comfortable. Then the students used a 7-point scale to rate how close they felt to the leader, how similar to and how much they liked the leader. Those walking in sync saw themselves as more similar and felt closer to the leader. **End Summary** Topics: walking]]> headphones]]> synchronization]]> cohabitation]]> marriage]]> gossip]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Does Information Make Us Worldlier?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:02:05 -0500

Vienna - for the 3rd year in a row - is the best city in the world to live in. That's according to Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living Index. The ranking of 221 cities was based on criteria such as political and economic stability, personal safety, health and sanitation, culture, quality of schools, public services and housing. Zurich was ranked 2nd followed by Auckland, Munich, Dusseldorf, Vancouver, Frankfort, Geneva, Bern and Copenhagen. Last on the list was Baghdad. Are you wondering what U.S. city ranked highest? Honolulu was 29th. Our 50th state made the best quality of living "state-ment". Baghdad was also ranked the world's most dangerous city by Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living Index. Cities on the list suffered from both political instability and high rates of crime for profit. Both perpetuate depressed socioeconomic conditions. Baghdad's adult literacy was 74.1% and its adult mortality per 1,000 was 291. For N'Djamena, Chad - ranked 2nd - adult literacy was 12.2%, adult mortality per 1,000 was 447 and population living on less than $1/day was 58.7%. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire was 3rd. Its adult literacy was 48. **End Summary** Topics: lifestyle]]> corporal punishment]]> names]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Are Women And Men Really That Different?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:51:32 -0500

Beer has been linked to increased risk of psoriasis in women. A study published in Archives of Dermatology tracked 82,500 women for 14 years. Those who drank at least 5 non-light beers weekly were almost twice as likely to develop psoriasis compared to nondrinkers. It's thought the gluten in the grains used to make beer is responsible. Because less grain is used in light beer, there's not enough gluten to be problematic. Some liquors are also made with grains, but the liquor is separated during distillation. Why hasn't this study been done with men? I suspect a "mental block". When women are scarce, men save less and spend more. A study published by the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management asked men to read news articles suggesting their local population had more men or had more women. Then the men were asked to estimate how much they'd save monthly and how much they'd charge with credit cards. Among those who read articles suggesting there were more men, the savings rate decreased 42% and credit card charges increased 84%. Just as with lower forms of animals, men are more competitive when females are scarce. **End Summary** Topics: beer]]> psoriasis]]> money]]> personality]]> acid reflux]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Are You Big On Little Known Facts?

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:17:05 -0500

"Occupy" was 2011's word of the year. That was the decision of the American Dialect Society. Occupy won a runoff vote, beating "FOMO" (an acronym for Fear Of Missing Out, describing anxiety about being overwhelmed by information on social media) and "the 99%" (those thought to be at financial or political disadvantage). Occupy took on new meaning in 2011 due to the Occupy Wall Street movement that spread worldwide as a call to action against unequal distribution of wealth and other issues. Previous year's winners have been "app", "tweet" and "bailout" - each one becoming a "word of honor". There are fewer children in the U.S. Thirty-six states reported declines in young residents. According to the Census Bureau, there were 73.9 million people under age 18 on July 1, 2011. That's 260,000 less than in 2010. The last drop in child population was in the 1970's, when most of the 77 million Baby Boomers reached adulthood. The drop before that was during the Great Depression. The present decrease in children is attributed to the poor economy and to less immigration. **End Summary** Topics: occupy]]> word]]> children]]> population]]> power]]> height]]> body]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Did City Planners Plan On This?

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:20:16 -0500

Boston was the drunkest U.S. city in 2011. That determination was made by The Daily Beast, a news and opinion website, which used data from the research firm Experian Simmons and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Supposedly, the average Boston drinker consumed 15.5 drinks monthly and 20.1% of the population were binge drinkers. Springfield, Massachusetts was ranked second (14.6 drinks and 19.5% binge drinkers) followed by Milwaukee (15.7 drinks and 19% binge drinkers), Reno (14.5 drinks and 18.1% binge drinkers) and San Antonio (14.2 drinks and 19.4% binge drinkers). If nothing else, these numbers are "sobering". The best-run U.S. city is Virginia Beach, Virginia. This was the finding of 24/7 Wall St.'s 2012 analysis. The 100 largest cities by population were ranked by local economies, fiscal discipline and standard of living. Second was Irvine, California and third was Madison, Wisconsin. The better-run cities tended to have access to jobs, more households making over $200,000 a year and less poverty. The worst-run city was Miami, Florida followed by Detroit, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey. **End Summary** Topics: alcohol]]> drinking]]> city management]]> vanity]]> safety]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Who's Putting "I" Into Idea?

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:45:11 -0500

"SuperTracker" was the Department of Agriculture's idea. It's an online food-and-exercise tracker that went into operation December 22, 2011. Because research shows tracking helps people lose weight and keep it off, several weight-loss companies also have trackers. However, the government one is free. It's 3 main features are a physical activity tracker; a diary for tracking daily consumption; and "Food-A-Pedia", which has nutritional information on more than 8,000 foods - nutritional information from chemical analysis by the government - not from manufacturers. What might not be super about SuperTracker is the government could be tracking us. It could be "SnooperTracker". Turning an abandoned Atlas F missile silo in Kansas into a condominium complex was the idea of Larry Hall, a Denver-based developer. Because the 14-story, 7-condo structure is built into the silo, Hall boasts it will be the world's only condominium able to withstand a direct nuclear attack. He also claims it will be self-sustaining - mimicking life outside as close as possible. Electronic windows will track your movement and change perspective accordingly. You could be in San Francisco, Paris, outer space - anywhere you want. **End Summary** Topics: weight loss]]> housing]]> parking]]> subway]]> pranks]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What Can We Do Besides Just Sit There?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:23:04 -0500

Exercising to maintain a healthy weight reduces breast cancer risk. According to the Women's Health Initiative, postmenopausal women who walked 30 minutes daily reduced breast cancer risk 20%. According to an American Cancer Society study, women gaining 21-30 pounds after age 18 were 40% likelier to develop breast cancer than women who stayed within 5 pounds of their youthful weight. Those gaining more than 70 pounds doubled their risk. Overall, obese women were 30%-50% likelier to develop the disease than women who maintained a healthy weight. Exercise is important. The only but about it is ... a bigger "butt". Exercise and a healthy diet reduce risk of dementia, which is important to know because a study published in the British Medical Journal found signs of age-related cognitive decline in people 45 years old. Researchers tracked 7,400 people ages 45-70 for 10 years. They were repeatedly tested for memory and vocabulary, as well as auditory and visual learning. Mental abilities declined in everything except vocabulary. Specifically, there was a 3.6% decline in mental abilities for people ages 45-49. However, because the youngest people in the study were 45, mental decline may start earlier. **End Summary** Topics: exercise]]> breast cancer]]> diet]]> dementia]]> back pain]]> teeth]]> heart disease]]> stroke]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Does The Government Need Better PR?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:30:05 -0500

The Environmental Protection Agency had a good idea in 2000 and it finally became law in 2011. U.S. coal and oil-fired power plants - the single, largest source of mercury emissions - must limit their emissions. Mercury - a neurotoxin - has long been known to damage developing fetuses, children and adults. Among children the new limits are projected to prevent 130,000 cases of asthma and 6,300 cases of acute bronchitis yearly. Among adults 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks are projected to be prevented. Power plants have 3 years to comply. Then we can "breathe more easily". The Department of Transportation had a good idea for the airline industry. As of January 26, 2012 airlines must include all mandatory fees and taxes in advertised fares. These fees and taxes can add up to 20% to a ticket's price. Other changes going into effect at the same time include a ban on price increases after tickets have been purchased and a 24-hour window for passengers to hold or cancel reservations made a week or more before departure without payment or penalty. **End Summary** Topics: mercury]]> power plants]]> airlines]]> banks]]> drunk driving]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Why Is Obesity Still Big News?

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:33:06 -0500

Night shift workers have an increased risk of obesity. An editorial in PLoS Medicine, an online medical journal, attributed this in part to diet. Options for eating at 3 am seem to be limited to convenience stores and fast food restaurants. Night shift workers who don't bring food from home and who don't have time to leave the building are stuck with vending machine food. Night shift workers also tend to exercise and sleep less because of their schedules. For the 15 million Americans who work the night shift, a healthy diet could make a "night and day" difference. Obesity may change the brain. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, rodents were fed a typical, high-fat, American diet. In just one day inflammation was found in their hypothalamus - the part of the brain that helps regulate body weight and hunger. Within a week the animals' brains activated brain cells that repair and protect damaged neurons. Then researchers looked at brain scans of 34 humans and found obese people had more repair activity in the hypothalamus. Because researchers think this may explain why it's hard to keep weight off, this information should be "weightlisted". **End Summary** Topics: obesity]]> workers]]> brain]]> diet]]> protein]]> surgery]]> heart attack]]> stroke]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

What's Been Found About Memory Loss?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:19:05 -0500

Memory loss can be caused by silent strokes. These strokes don't always cause noticeable symptoms, but they result in small pockets of dead brain cells and are found in about 25% of seniors. A study published in the journal Neurology included 658 adults age 65 and older - all without dementia. They had brain scans and were tested for memory, language skills, thinking speed and visual perception. The brain scans showed 174 of the participants had experienced silent strokes and those participants didn't perform as well on the memory tests. Research into stroke prevention continues - with the exception of "strokes of genius". A fat hormone can increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's. That's according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology. Adiponectin is a hormone produced by fat cells. It helps regulate the body's response to insulin and metabolism. Although higher levels help lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, higher levels were found in older women with dementia. Higher levels increased the likelihood of dementia 60% and Alzheimer's 90%. However, older women who were fatter had lower levels of adiponectin and dementia. **End Summary** Topics: memory]]> stroke]]> dementia]]> Alzheimer's]]> fat hormone]]> spinal tap]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Is There More "I Can" In Americans?

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:43:10 -0500

Americans are working more and socializing less. According to a 2011 nationwide survey of 900 adults, 28% of employees felt overworked, almost 50% missed or were late for at least 3 social events last year because of work and 70% were better at fulfilling work responsibilities than family ones. When asked how they felt in relation to their job in the past month, the responses were: tired - 44%, stressed - 43% and underpaid - 35%. However, 31% felt confident, 27% felt valued, 25% felt content and 21% felt excited. The survey was sponsored by Ultimate Vodka -working more to increase business too. The 40% of Americans who say they are active in religious organizations are more likely to be active in civic and social groups. The Pew Research Center found that religiously active people spend more than twice as much time participating in group activities. For example, 24% of Americans were involved in sports or recreation leagues for themselves or for their children (25% RA's/17% NRA's). Twenty-two percent were involved in charitable groups (34% RA's/15% NRA's). Fifteen percent were involved in political parties (22% RA's/10% NRA's). **End Summary** Topics: employees]]> religion]]> diet]]> guns]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Who Is Having Good Ideas?

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:02:05 -0500

The "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness" is the idea of Lake Superior University and is compiled of nominations from around the world. "Amazing" topped 2012's list of 12 words or phrases primarily because of overuse on reality television and by daytime talk show hosts. Others making the list were "ginormous", "baby bump", "man cave", "shared sacrifice", "the new normal" and "thank you in advance". The list was started by the university's PR department on New Year's Day 1976 and has gotten "wordier" over the past 37 years. There are also new ideas for hotels. At Stockholm's Arianda Airport you can stay in a Boeing 747. It has 25 four-person, dormitory-style rooms and the cockpit contains a double-bed, luxury suite. In Ottensheim, Austria and Bottrop-Ebel, Germany you can stay at a Das Park Hotel. The rooms are giant, concrete drainpipes - complete with double beds and electricity. At the Crane Hotel in Harlingen, Netherlands 2 people can stay dockside with luxury accommodations in a shipping crane. The included breakfast is delivered by an internal lift. I suppose the new looks of these hotels could qualify them as "ho-ho-hotels". **End Summary** Topics: words]]> hotels]]> pilots]]> paper towels]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

How Can We Avoid Alzheimer's?

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:09:05 -0500

Lifestyle changes can delay or prevent late-life Alzheimer's, which affects people in their 80's and 90's - especially if the changes begin in midlife. Being physically fit is the most important factor in keeping the brain young. Being socially active and mentally engaged in new and challenging ways are two other factors. Moderate exercise increases the size of the shrinking hippocampus - the part of the brain responsible for forming memories. Exercise also maintains healthy blood flow to the brain - important because blood vessels make up one-third of the brain's volume. It seems you can't start to early to avoid late-life Alzheimer's. Nutrition also helps prevent Alzheimer's. Because brain and heart health are very closely related, a heart-healthy diet is essential. Safflower and sunflower oils plus nuts and green vegetables are good sources of anti-oxidant-rich vitamin E, which significantly lowers Alzheimer's risk. Four ounces of fatty fish (lake trout, salmon, sardines, tuna) - eaten at least twice weekly - increase Omega-3 fatty acids, which aid mental function. Finally, the spice turmeric protects the brain and is thought partly responsible for the much lower rate of Alzheimer's in India. Considering Alzheimer's is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U. **End Summary** Topics: Alzheimer's]]> exercise]]> nutrition]]> diet]]> vacines]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com