Secret to a long life. Heck, even if you “only” live to be 95 instead of 105, you’ll still probably enjoy life more. The health nannies are gonna hate this one.
Category: Health and Science
… which all have to do with science, science fiction, medicine, or technology today … “Open up and say ‘neigh’” — how horses can help teach young doctors to have a better bedside manner. (Tip o’ hat to ML.) I thought he’d died decades ago. No, but that was his compatriot Janos Prohaska. Farewell, Ray Harryhausen, FX pioneer. I’ll bet the words “dog” and “cat” were among those our prehistoric ancestors bequeathed us. … Those ancestors now under the sea? So, is the movie of Ender’s Game going to be good? The trailer has possibilities. But I was never a…
On guns and “mental illness” You know I don’t usually get into conspiracy theories, but some connections are just too convenient. First, you build a medical/pharmaceutical industry that successfully pushes the notion that every little sorrow, nervous twitch, or bit of restlessness is a “disease” that needs to be treated with psychoactive drugs. Then you go on a holy crusade to take guns away from the “mentally ill” (and all the bobbleheads who haven’t thought about the implications repeat “good idea, good idea, good idea”). So with the consent of the ignorant, complacent, well-programmed, and the devious slimeballs who take…
You know, it takes a lot more brainpower to write long, thoughtful, personal posts than it does to toss out a little news (maybe accompanied by a bit of snark or righteous indignation). So while I continue working on the “Perspective” Blog Tome, news (and one really good laugh) it is for today. “Anonymous has left the building.” “The logic of surveillance.” (H/T JG) This isn’t exactly nooz. It’s from last month. But it makes me proud that the Northwest is a national center of anti-surveillance activism. You go, monkeywrenchers! This pertains to yesterday’s “Perspective” blog. Gretchen Rubin of The…
Whoohoo! Somebody has made a video adaptation of F. Paul Wilson’s 1978 story, “Lipidleggin’.” Wilson (a physician when he’s not writing great, freedom-tinged supernatural fiction) wrote it back in the day when the fedgov insisted margarine was just the healthiest thing in the whole, wide world — which somehow makes it even more amusing now. Thanks to Jim Bovard for finding and sharing the link with me on what appears to be the very first day the video went on YouTube. And thanks to John Marc Green & Company for making it.
Yet another example of “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.” (Tip o’ hat to G, who was absolutely fulminating over this.) How do you have meaningful due process when everything is a crime? Glenn Reynolds answers in “Ham Sandwich Nation.” (Per J.) Everybody knows about the infamous “no-fly” list. But did you have any idea there’s also a “no-credit” list you can end up on if you happen to share the name of a suspected drug dealer, money launderer, etc.? And of course … it’s secret and you can’t appeal. Ah, the wonderful Land of the…
Just for trivia fun: 12 letters that didn’t make it into the alphabet. (From yet another Friend O’ Blog with the initial J; there seems to be a conspiracy of them this weekend.) Rescuers deliver an early Christmas to a homeless man and his dog. Pit bull saves his human from an attacker. And although this isn’t strictly good news, it was surprising to me that S.W.A.T. put my latest article online and the Infamous — and in my experience, very nice — TJIC found it. Although it’s credited to me on the site, this was actually co-authored with Joel…
The Obamacare future is nigh. (H/T JB) PBS (rather belatedly) asks if we’re safer with all that “suspicious activity” reporting. (Tip o’ hat to RLW) Is there a vampire on the loose? (Or merely a clever tourism scheme?) Did you see anything in the MSM about pennies and nickels being phased out next year? (ADDED: Nevermind. It’s a hoax.) Anybody here ever drink a switchel? I’d never heard of it until I ran into the term in the fascinatingly eccentric little book The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition (thanks for the recommend, JG). Apparently at one time the switchel was…
Water storage, continued Previous post on water storage here. Read that first. Returning to our series on preparedness basics. These posts are aimed at newbie preppers (please share with your family and friends), though they might also help us fill gaps in our existing preps. As always, comment away if you have helpful experience and/or other options to suggest. How much water should you store per person/per pet? For a long time, most experts on preparedness recommended keeping one gallon of water per person on hand for the duration of whatever emergency we’re anticipating. That’s bare bones. It’ll be sufficient…
Reader “just waiting” writes once again from the heart of Superstorm Sandy’s destruction — this time to say thanks for the help you gave the other day and to report on how government is “helping” the situation. His own home is inland and was spared, but his parents live on one of the hard-hit barrier islands. —– “just waiting” writes: I want to send my heartfelt thanks to the members of the Commentariat for their good thoughts and sage advice in this difficult situation. My parents home of 40+ years was in the path of Sandy, and suffered some pretty…