Happiness, and what it really means

Sadness is an unnatural state :-)

You all know what happiness is, right? Give me a definition.... not so easy was it?  Happiness is different for every person on this planet. What makes me happy is profoundly different from what makes you happy. I will admit, however, that there are subjects of overlap (e.g. a fluffy kitty makes me happy and also makes you happy)  But in the grand scheme of things we all want to have our own little brand of happiness and carry on our lives comfortably.

But what happens if your arm gets cut off?!?! Most people say something like this: "I would never be completely happy again". Here's where I'm going to blow your mind away; people who actually have had their arms removed report the SAME level of happiness they experienced before the amputation, roughly six months after the amputation. This is our mind's immune system at work. Once we learn to cope with a loss (whether it be losing an arm, family member, job, etc...) We return to how we were before the loss. There are some confounding factors though; for example, if you were to lose your job, and end up working much more demanding and stressful jobs for the rest of your life it would only stand to reason that you might not be quite as happy as before. However, when you consider this... how likely is that situation? Not very, if you have the experience, you can always find a job that you are at least moderately happy in doing.

At this juncture, you're probably wondering if I have a point to all of this; well, I do. And it comes down to making decisions. There are almost NO decisions that you can make, that you are going to be stuck with for the rest of your life (maybe a tattoo doesn't fall under that category though...). For example, if you decide to move across the world for a job, and that job turns out to be a big mistake... you can always change your mind and move back. It may take a little work to pull yourself you, but you can make the change. So, when it comes to making a decision; don't stress too much over it, science has shown that you will be happy regardless of what you decide (even if you decide to remove your arm [please don't do this though]) There is a difference between knowing your options and making educated decisions and wasting time waiting for the right opportunity, or analyzing an opportunity so much that you convince yourself that it's a bad idea; when in the end, it really isn't.

I'm going to share a video that goes into a little more detail about happiness that I believe you should ALL watch. It's on the TED website (which, by the way, is a fantastic place to get information)  A great deal of the information that I used in my everyday life came from this video and other psychological journals; let me know if you want some further reading and I will e-mail you some great PDFs.

Dan Gilbert on Happiness

Cheers!

An App!

Hi everyone!
I'm making a little announcement. Maybe if I make it public like this I will actually follow through. I have an idea for an application for Andriod, iPhone, etc... It ties directly into a post I made a long time ago about making a site for health and wellness.  I will fill you in on more details as time progresses (I don't want to show my cards yet, if you know what I mean) but I will be giving free beta versions of the program for testing to people who are subscribed to this blog. Furthermore, I will have some for twitter folk as well (but it will be a limited number)

Take care everyone! and wish me luck on my programing endeavors

How to Get a Job (the practical way)

Most of you have (at one point or another) applied for a job and had an interview to determine if you are a good candidate. Regardless of your current position, you may feel the need to find new employment. So I have come up with a little how-to to assist you in finding a job. The aim of this blog (as you all know) is about health and wellness; and your wellness is profoundly impacted by your career (or even a career-less temporary job).

I will not be playing this the fair way per se... as I said in an earlier post, the job market is a dog-eat-dog situation and I want to arm you with the tools you need to fend off the dogs and become the dog-catcher.  I want you to become "above" the rabble and be aware of your options, what the hiring party is thinking, and how you can separate yourself from the background.

With a good career, you will be happy, healthy, and possibly wealthy (although money does not bring you happiness, it DOES give you comfort in your lifestyle; and until we live in a completely communal society, it is a sad necessity)

The following is a bullet point system for the whole process.  A great deal of this information is available in various sources online and in books. I simply aim to reiterate it and pass it along.

1. Before you even apply:
1. Know yourself, what you want, and who you want to help. This could mean that you take a career aptitude/satisfaction test; or maybe a talk to a career counselor. All in all, make sure you know the kind of job you will be happy with. One that is rewarding and also provides you with the future experience and upward movement you need. For example, if you enjoy reading and mostly solitary activities; it might not be advisable to apply for jobs that require you to interact with the public on a regular basis (like a sales job). Instead focus on jobs that are more self-monitored, like library work or book-keeping etc
2. Tailor a couple resumes and have people look over them. Make sure you put only pertinent and your most current jobs on the resume. If you are applying for a job in the human resources field,  for example, list skills that you have applying to this (5 years of counseling experience, HR Certificate, Great communication skills). Then leave out information that is not as critical, like "I am interested in how radio-isotopes interact and have written a thesis on said subject". 
3. Get some professional new clothes. I do not want you to go spend thousands of dollars and a made-to-measure suit. Simply make sure that your clothes fit, they aren't stained, and they are up-to-date with current business-wear trends. This will save you from rushing to the store the day before an interview trying to find a shirt that fits and is under $5 because you didn't budget for a last minute expense like that.
4. Write a couple cover letters.  Test out different formats for your cover letters, have friends and family read them and give constructive criticism. There are many great online resources for cover letters and resumes; just do a Google search and surf away! Lastly, make sure you tailor, like your resume, a cover letter to each application; highlighting your strengths in the field you are applying for.
2. Looking for Jobs:
1. Like I said earlier, look for your interests! Make sure you check out many different avenues for advetisment as well. Your local online job-bank, newspapers, monster.com, etc etc. Don't limit yourself to advertised jobs either; take your resume around to different companies you are interested in, they will keep your resume on file and call you when a job opens up that they believe you would be suited for. This also shows you are interested in their company beyond the simple "I need a job".
3. The Interview:
1. Dress Appropriately. Do I even need to say this? really?
2. Have a copy of your resume, references contact sheet, and cover letter. This is for your convenience and theirs (sometimes the interviewers are not very organized and won't have a copy of your resume, it's best that they have something to look at).
3. Don't be afraid to bring a portfolio of your work to show off
4. Figure out what the company wants. If you are applying for a sales position, make sure you have a couple SPECIFIC examples of good sales experiences, times when you gave great customer service etc... They want to hear what job, when, what happened, and how you resolved it. The don't want to hear: "in this situation I would..." they want to hear: "During my time at Sears, I had an experience where .... and we both came to an agreement and left on good terms".  Check a Google search for more information about behavioral interview questions.
5. Have your lies rehearsed and backed up. I know it's bad to lie, but sometimes you have to. A good example of where to lie would be if you are planning on attending Graduate school in the next year, and you are applying for a full time job. Employers want someone they can have for as long as possible (because it's expensive to train a noob). Therefore, instead of saying "I plan on attending a graduate school in the next couple years" say: "My long term plan is to attend graduate school after 5 or 6 years of practical work experience, I would like to take a little break from school and get some hands-on experience"  That whole thing might be bullshit, but once you're hired they can't fire you for changing your mind. Essentially, don't give them any pause for thought (any reason do doubt hiring you).
6. Ask a couple questions: A good one to ask is "how long should it be before an answer is given on the job offer" That way you aren't waiting by the phone day after day for a call that isn't going to come. Ask about the company (but don't sound too dumb) and ask how the interviewers enjoy working at the company.
7. Always leave with a handshake. Also, leave with a smile, a "pleasure to meet you", and a "I look forward to hearing from you". 
4. Follow-up:
1. Send a friendly e-mail or phone call to check on the competition status. Don't be pushy, but word a nice e-mail expressing your curiosity on the status of the job offer.
2. If you don't get the job: Don't sweat it, move on. If you want to analyze your techniques, this is the best time to do it. See where you may have gone wrong and correct for the next time.

I hope this helps all of you! if you have anything to add, please put them in the comments section below

Time to Cut The Sweet Stuff

It's surprising how much sugar we consume..

We all know that sugar isn't that great for us..... but we binge on it anyway, especially around Halloween. It's part of our tradition that we walk around town and gather sweet goodies and then consume as many as possible in one night. It's also part of our culture (through our choices of food) that we eat sugar. Sugar has this nasty habit of ruining our bodies, not only is it hard on our liver, kidneys, and pancreas; it also contributes to our excess fat stores. Lets think back for a minute, do you remember when the "Fat Free" and "Low Fat" revolution came into play? Since then obesity has actually increased; despite increase consumption of "low fat" foods. What is going on?!!  It's simple really... when you cut fat out of a food product, it tastes bland and not very appetizing at all. So what do you do (as a food product specialist) ?   You add sugar to make it taste better.  It's no wonder everyone is getting so overweight! They are eating low fat products and thinking it's helping, when in actuality it is causing them to get bigger.

I would like all of you to take a look at the video I will post at the end of this article. It details all the scientific facts about sugar that everyone should know. But to make things faster for you readers out there, I'll make a list of things to avoid and things to do instead

• Tips:
• Don't eat foods that have "high fructose corn syrup"
• Don't eat foods that are high in carbohydrates just before going to bed
• Start using a natural sweetener (like honey) instead of sugar (or artificial sweeteners; they aren't that great for you either) in your coffee and tea
• Eat fruit when you get a craving for something sweet. Berries are a good choice as they are rich in good sugars and have a very sweet flavor.
• Using apple sauce in recipes instead of granulated sugar
• If you like chocolate: the darker the better (as it has less sugar)
• Stick to a plan of "no sugar"  you have to treat it like an addiction

It's not feasible to completely cut out bad sugars in a modern society, but you can reduce it. There have been rumors in the scientific community that sugar can contribute to a wide variety of diseases.... including cancer. These studies are ongoing, and I look forward to more results.  Thanks for listening, and please take this message to heart. You will feel like a new person once you've trampled your addiction to sugar.  (and as promised, here's the video) Sugar: The Bitter Truth

The Golden Rule

Is it true? Are successful people rich jerks?

If you went to grade school during the years between 1900 and 1980 you were taught about the "Golden Rule".  If you were unfortunate enough to go to school later than that, it is likely you missed the boat on how to act in a society. 

The simple truth is that we rarely follow the golden rule anymore. Its message is simple "do unto others, as you would have them do unto you"  Essentially, if you don't want to be treated like a piece of lint then don't treat other people like pieces of lint!  It really isn't hard to understand, but it is ever so hard to actually practice.

Most Psychologists, religious officials, world leaders all agree that if everyone followed this rule, we would be the most happy and cohesive species in the whole galaxy. What gets in the way of this happening? selfishness! Our world is set up so that bad people are the most successful. If you are willing to step all over people in order to get your way, then you are rewarded by having lots of money and a comfortable lifestyle. If you are always nice to people and rarely force your will.... you're likely to not go very far.   So it's true, nice people finish last in Western society. Lets say, for example, that you want to have a house on the ocean in Nova Scotia; and lets say the property you want will cost you more than you can afford, so you put your dream of home ownership on the shelf with the other dreams you can't accomplish and move on. Then suddenly a new position opens up in your office, and you have the qualifications, but Bill across the hall has more years at the company and will likely get the job. BUT, you know for a fact that Bill is homosexual, and that the boss is very homophobic.... Maybe if you mentioned this to him casually, he will reconsider your application over Bills... (Realizing there are laws against discrimination, it still happens, and in this situation they would be bogged down in court for years deliberating the outcome) What would you do?  most people would SAY that they wouldn't do anything, but studies have been done that say otherwise. People will say things that are socially more acceptable, then DO what is better for themselves.

Now, don't expect a big change in the world anytime soon. Big changes happen very slowly; and I think that we are headed in the wrong direction when it comes to morality and treating each other with respect. So here's what you can do, and it's my little word of advise for the day. Follow the Golden Rule as closely as you can, without being taken advantage of yourself. In other words, be successful, assertive, but also be wise and kind. When you find the right balance, the world will be at your fingertips.

Parrot Phrases

Hello everyone.

Are our words superficial social norms?

Last night, as I lay down to sleep, I said "goodnight" to my partner. This morning at work I said "Thank You" when a co-worker held the door for me. Also this morning, I said "good morning" to countless people. Where is all this going?..... it's about common phrases that we use everyday, but lose the meaning of.

Let me elaborate a little bit on that point. When you say good morning to someone, are you actually hoping that they have a pleasant morning? or do you say it out of social obligation? As humans we have a set of these "parrot phrases" that make our interactions with people easier. In psychology, they are called heuristics ... (a.k.a. shortcuts) and they essentially make it easier for our brains to function. It's like a keyboard shortcut on your computer, whereby you simply hit the right combo for the situation and you don't even really have to think about it. Psychologists use it to explain shortcuts in our judgments and behavior. For example, "I had an experience were a cat bit me, therefore, I hate all cats". The same works for "Thank you" and the other parrot phrases (e.g. "A woman walked into my workplace, I smiled and said 'good morning'") The character in the last example did not say "good morning" because he wished the woman had a nice day.... he said it because it is the social norm for that situation.

Because of these shortcuts in our interactions, I believe we are losing meaning behind our conversations.  So from now on, I charge all of you to think about what you say to someone, change it up. That way, they know and YOU know you mean what you are saying. "Get a good rest" "

How to Reorganize Your Sleep Life

Nobody sleeps like a cat...

Think of the last time you went to bed when you STARTED feeling tired... hard to find a time correct?  We've all been there. It's 7pm and you want to go to bed... but NO, you must stay up! there's a 4 hour marathon of Dr. Who that you must watch. Well... people in the know about sleep say otherwise. It is important to let your body tell you when it's time to sleep and wake up. Normally, your body will put you to sleep and wake you up naturally and without an alarm clock. But the days of living in caves are over, now we have bosses that expect we will be at work by 7am regardless of what our body needs for rest and recovery.

So, we must take the time to understand when our bodies' want to sleep. I challenge you to take a couple of days (most likely weekends) where you don't have to be awake at a specific time and you don't have to go to sleep at a specific time  and track your sleep pattern. All you have to do is get into your bed and go to sleep when you feel tired, take note of the time, then let your body wake up naturally in the morning, and take note of the time. You should notice that the amount of time you sleep each night is almost the same! Roughly 7 to 10 hours per night, depending on your age and activity level. Once you know what your body needs, start scheduling your life accordingly. If Dr. Who is on, tape it; with the advent of DVR and PVR, and computers, we don't need to be slaves to the idiot-box's timetable. This could mean that you go to bed at 10 and wake up at 7. To some people a 10pm bedtime is way too early... but are you tired when you wake up the next day? The answer is mostly yes, because your body didn't get enough sleep! Once you know the amount of time you need to sleep, force yourself to go to bed at the correct time and see how you feel at work the next few days (after you get accustomed to going to bed earlier)

Now I know there are some of you out there who have trouble sleeping at night. For you I have a few solutions to cure the bedtime blues...

Things to do:

• Read before bed (puts me right to sleep)
• Listen to come calming music as you sleep (Maybe put it on a timer so it switches off)
• Regular exercise (Is extraordinarily important to getting restful sleep)
• Vitamin D & Melatonin (Get out into the sun!)
• Keep your room clean and neat (so you aren't bothered about being in there!)
• Proper nutrition (Have your 5 fruits and veggies every day!)
• Have a ritual that puts you in the bedtime mood (Brush teeth, read book, go to sleep etc...)

Things not to do:

• Don't have the television on (it distracts and stimulates your brain, hindering proper sleep)
• Don't eat big meals after 6pm (Stick to cereal and easily digested foods as snacks)
• Don't do schoolwork in bed (keep your bed a work-free zone)
• Don't drink caffeine after 12pm (Hard to do, but caffeine has long-lasting effects than can hinder sleep up to 10 hours after your last cup!)
• Don't think that a 3 hour afternoon nap will make up for lost sleep the night before. This nap isn't nearly as affective as a full night, and it will take your body hours to wake back up from your nap, ruining your next night's sleep.

Lets all take the time to have a good night's rest. You'll find that you will be healthier, and sharper (in the head) than ever before!

Space, The Final Frontier

Conceptual Space Habitat - Stanford Torus, by Don Davis (1976)

I've been doing a lot of mulling about space travel lately. This sort of thing happens when I go on a sci-fi kick on the telly. If humans can go to the moon and return, then it would only stand to reason that we, as a united human race, can accomplish anything we can imagine. Because, if you think about it, everything we have ever created, started as a thought and developed into a physical object or process through experimentation and reasoning. So what is standing in our way with regard to complete human-space integration? Lack of what I mentioned earlier: a "united human race".  As of right now, most of the world is at odds with itself. People have their own selfish agendas, countries have their own selfish policies, and all-in-all we lack a unified designation as fellow earth-dwellers. If every country in the world stopped thinking entirely for itself and worked together with other countries... there would be no hunger, very little disease, and we would be focusing our efforts into the space beyond our world.

That is easier said than done. It would take a second coming of some religious prophet to reunite the world in this way. The only other way I could imagine this happening would be if extra-terrestrial beings were to make contact with earth. This would give everyone on earth a sense of belonging to a group .... Earthlings. And if you remember from your into psychology courses, if your group (earth) is threatened or at least made to realize that it isn't the only civilization out there, then there will be a much stronger self-interest amongst the group and an extremely heightened sense of resolve.

Sounds a little far-fetched, no? Well, maybe, but in the next 60 years, I predict that many of the world's internal issues will be at least under control (if not eradicated)  and we will be able to enjoy a margarita on mars.

So while our scientists work on a means to escape the speed of light and travel around the solar system at will, lets focus on getting the ground work ready for our jump into space. Get our diseases in check, be healthy, and no one going hungry. Not a small task, but I think we are up to it. Get out there and make a difference! keep aiming for those stars...

Cigars, Beaches, & Cancer Vaccines

Bone-marrow cancer vaccine molecule

As I sat at my computer, sipping coffee, and reading the day's headlines this morning, I stumbled across a nifty little tidbit that says Cuban scientists have found a type of vaccine to treat lung cancer. My first reaction was astonished excitement! so I delved further into the myriad of information about cancer research and how far we've come. It turns out that this vaccine is essentially used to stop the spread of cancer. It does not stop it from occurring, and will not get rid of cancerous growths that are already present. What this vaccine does is stop the proliferation of a particular protein that allows cancer cells to multiply.  Similar vaccines are being tested in the United States. "Provenge" was the first cancer vaccine to be approved by the FDA. However, this treatment is extraordinarily expensive and only prolongs survival by a few months. This is where the difference lies; the Cuban vaccine turns the cancer into a more manageable chronic illness that can be treated with more conventional and less invasive means. Basically it's not just a promise of a few more months of life, it's a promise of years!

I will say that there still needs to be testing, and it's unlikely that the drug will become available in the United States and Canada for a while as there will be very stringent investigations on the validity and safety of the drug. It's no secret that people from the US are likely to distrust the country of origin because of the indoctrination of anti-communist thought since the 1950s.

This could, however, bring the two nations closer together and open up better dialogue for ... well... not being so damn uptight to one another!  One can only hope

Tempo

Hey there, I just want to direct your attention to my other blog (if you are so interested) it's about music, both mine and other's.

TEMPO - Music & Life

Enjoy!

New Paths

Well hello again!  long time no see...

I would like to share with you the new path that I am taking with regard to online presence. As most of you know, I have a great number of interests, all of which tend to pull me in different directions all the time. Because of this, I feel that this blog (and all my other online profiles) lack a certain cohesiveness... the kind of cohesiveness that is found in most successful blogs, YouTube pages ... etc...

Therefore, I am going to create a couple new blogs, revamp my YouTube presence, open a music profile (site yet to be determined) and create a website.

This blog will remain intact and will actually focus on Wellness, commentary on world events, and how world events pertain to your well-being. Since I am critical of music that I listen to, I will be starting a blog devoted to my opinions of new and old music. Lastly I will be starting a blog to detail my musical progress on a professional level, Including my thoughts and feelings on gigs, info on where to see me perform etc...

I will keep my personal YouTube page (for family reasons) but I will be starting a new page that will have very tight control of content and a focus on professionalism ... because hey, in many ways it is my musical portfolio.

The website will be focused on my music as well, and will have lots of cool things for people to look at, listen to, and perhaps buy.

I think that creating these different venues will attach the right people to the right social outlet.  I would love to have your thoughts on this!  if anyone has some cool ideas, let me know!

Take care!

Social Psychology, how I love the lessons you've taught me

I'm walking down the street today, and a thought occurred to me: my Social Psychology and Personality classes have to be the most practical courses I have ever taken in University. I definitely mean no offence to the numerous other helpful courses that have lead to my profound bachelor's level of enlightenment; I simply mean to point out that these courses are the most helpful when you want to manipulate, weasel, or in other words... play the game that is modern life.

Marty Feldman - Successfully Bug-Eyed

Lesson #1:

People who are better looking (e.g. have a symmetrical face and are fit in appearance) get higher paying jobs, and have more relationships. There are a ton of other factors that come into play there as well, such as self-esteem. However, when experimental rubber hits the practical road ... it's a reliably tested tendency. So what can we do about it? ... Go to the gym and keep yourself healthy. Other than that, you simply need to be confident and a little bit more sure of yourself. Genetics can only get you so far.

I urge you to disagree with me, PLEASE TRY TO UNDERMINE MY PLATFORM. for that is what experimentation is all about.... discourse.

Stay tuned for more lessons as the weeks tick by :)

Another Tech Post? Boxee ! The Start of a New Era

Like I say in my description, my interests are varied. So I've decided that you all must know about this new program that I'm running that has turned my television experience upside down.  It's called "Boxee" and it's a neat little program that packs a huge punch. Specifically, it's punching standard Satellite and Cable TV right in the gonads. The program installs on your computer (or you can order a pre-made version). You plug your computer into your TV, and voila! you have videos streaming from all the major networks (Via your local network's streaming services, and depending on where you are viewing from that could change) YouTube, Netflix, TED, etc etc all on your TV, without having to browse through their websites (which are usually full of advertisements)

Boxee turns your TV into a communications hub for all your entertainment needs. Because of it, I don't have cable at all. Why would you pay for cable, when you have everything you want on demand.  Check it out for yourselves!  It works on Ubuntu, Windows, and Mac.  The only downside is that it does not support Netflix for Ubuntu... but this is due to Netflix using exclusively Microsoft Silverlight, which does not run on Linux :-(

www.boxee.net

Study-Break!!!!

Hey everyone!   It's been a while since the last post.  These last few weeks of a semester are always the hardest, what with studying and all *wink wink nudge nudge*  So I thought I'd share a little cartoon with you. You may or may not agree with it, but I see it as an example of how subjective the wording of ANYTHING can be. Enjoy :)

Mendeley and my student life

Beyond its clever name, Mendeley is a really powerful program and social networking utility that I have begun to use non-stop over the past months.

It organizes all those peer-reviewed journals you downloaded from EBSCO or any of the other multitudinous online journal distribution sites. It allows you to highlight and add notes to the articles, then share them with people and collaborate.

It also allows you to set up a social networking utility that facilitates communication with other people in your field!  So for example, as part of your profile you list publications you have been a part of, then people can contact you through Mendeley to comment on your work etc.  It's like peer review facebook!

Maybe you guys aren't as excited as I am, but at least if you have lots of articles you want to hold on to, this is the program for you!  (oh, and did I mention that it's free and runs on Linux as well?!?!)  Happy Writing!

www.mendeley.com

Ideas That Matter: Lucia O'Sullivan & the Sex Lives of Youth

One of my favorite social psychological professors is giving a lecture about "Tweeting, Texting, Teens & Chat: the Internet and Sex in the Lives of Youth"

This lecture that will be held at Fredericton High School on April 6, at 7:00pm.

Lucia has a very pleasant way of expressing important information. Furthermore she is extraordinarily insightful on the issues surrounding sexuality and youth. This is a must-see for parents, and teens alike. Not to mention if you're a psychologist, she will give some tasty tid-bits that will tantalize your inner researcher and send you searching for more! Check it out!

Live Profile and Jabber

I've recently heard of this new thing called "Live Profile".  Essentially it allows Android, Blackberry, and iPhone to communicate with each other with text messages... without the need for clunky sms.  It's all fine and dandy, and I think it's a good program. However, for my purposes (because I use a Nokia n900) I prefer the Jabber protocol.  It is open source and works on lots of different platforms. Furthermore, if you have a Facebook account and use chat, you automatically have an XMPP (which goes hand in hand with Jabber)

Here's the link: http://www.jabber.org/about/

Have fun!

"No Logo" My New Book Obsession

I want to share with you a book that I am reading for a class.  At first I thought that it was going to be another stuffy read that had me reaching for summaries and sparknotes. But I must say that this is one good read

It details how the media, advertisers, and brands are interrelated and how invasive they actually are in our lives.  It is a must read for EVERY MODERN CONSUMER.  It's full of tasty data and streamlined prose that make it manageable and interesting.  Albiet, it is a little old (published in 1999) it still makes very good points. So I laud the Author Naomi Klein, and give you a link.  Happy Reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover of the book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.naomiklein.org/no-logo

Don't Worry!!

I just changed the site around a bit so that it's more pleasing to they eye and looks a little more professional!  the content will still be the same

Elizabeth Taylor has passed away...

It was announced today that actress Elizabeth Taylor has passed away, she was 79.

We've lost another of the classic starlets who created the modern image of powerful female actresses. She will most definitely be missed...

 

 This picture is courtesy of  another blogger, it is most likely from a Dior advertisment

I think I'm going to spend the next few days watching some classic movies, with a classic lady of the silver screen. Won't you join me?

New Book - Website Holistic Wellness

Hi everyone, I'm just making a little announcement about a summer project that I am embarking upon.

The essence of it is a Website devoted to holistic wellness (meaning a harmony between body, mind and spirit) that uses empirical evidence to support it!

It basically outlines good habits to get into, the right foods to eat, and how to generally be happier and healthier!

On top of the Website, I am going to publish a book outlining these things in more detail (Possibly even a series of books detailing each aspect that I want to talk about).

Now that I have you excited, its still in the planning stages, so it is going to be a while before I have anything for you to see. However, I would like to have input on the content, so if you have anything you would like to bring to my attention (meditation techniques, dietary theories, etc etc) I would be extremely grateful! just send them to the following email:

tristangreenlaw@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks!

Nuclear Meltdown

With the continued focus on Libya at the moment, The subject of the nuclear reactors in Japan has fallen by the wayside. Furthermore, the point has been beaten to death of late.  Honestly, I must say that a reactor that can withstand and earthquake, then a tsunami, then multiple explosions..... is a pretty safe reactor.  Albeit, they are still in the process of cooling the reactor (it takes a few weeks for reactors to reach a normative level of "coolness")

We aren't out of the water yet, but instead of dwelling on how dangerous and unstable nuclear power is (as the media keeps pounding us with) why not look at how unlikely this situation is (huge earthquake + tsunami) and how the safety procedures at the power plant have held at least mostly.  Everyday it is getting better with regard to the safety around the plant. So I say: congratulations to all the engineers, technicians, scientists etc... who have thought of these creative strategies to keep us safe from contamination. You aren't done yet, but we are behind you all the way!

Libya

It's not everyday that a person can witness multiple countries enact their own change, and revolt against their government... We have that opportunity but looking at Egypt, and now ... Libya.

For those of you who don't know exactly what is going on over there right now... the U.N. has sanctioned a no-fly zone over Libya. They are doing this so that they can protect the Libyan people from their own leader.

This is one fight that the U.N. can't falter on.  If Gadhafi is allowed to fall back into power, he will doubtlessly turn his aggression inward and wreak havoc on his own country in retaliation. 

However, what I must warn the U.N. (not that they will necessarily listen, but I'm putting it out there anyway) is that they must not allow one country (The US UK or any other solidified economic body) to take control of the rebuilding of infrastructure in Libya after this conflict is over.  The people of Libya have to work themselves to create their new infrastructure.  If another nation lends money with the expectation that it will be paid back, Libya might be on the track to third world status.

The next thing is the oil... it's a huge motivational factor, regardless of how pious you are... you probably used oil products to get to work today or to heat your home. So it is imperative that we all realize that the oil that resides under the soil of Libya... belongs to the Libyans. This isn't free reign to start sending in private companies to pull the oil out from under their feet.  I'm all for free enterprise, but advantage should be given to Libyan-owned oil companies to exploit that resource. Or we could have another starving periphery that struggles to repay debt...

Japan, Earthquakes, and Crazy People

A friend of mine discovered a clip on YouTube of a girl professing that God created the earthquake on Japan in order to teach them a lesson.  the video has since been removed, however, here is a remix of it that gives you an idea of what she was talking about

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHN9AWtHYqU

have fun with that one.  I'd like to hear your comments in the section below!

UPDATE!   It's a hoax video that was made specifically to go viral. At least that's what the girl who put it up says

Child Maltreatment

I would like to share a few things with you that I learned about child maltreatment recently, through classes and readings that I have done.

Firstly, I use the world "Child maltreatment" because it is a catch-all for various forms of abuse that include; sexual, neglect, etc...

Imagine that you have a young child who you are going to put into a day-care for the first time. As a new parent, you definitely have a lot of anxiety around leaving your young one with a group of relative strangers. But according to a lot of very well-gathered data, your child is more likely to be abused by you than by a stranger!!

Now, let me qualify that statement a little bit.  I'm not saying that we are all inadvertently abusing our children without knowing about it. What I am saying is that 84% of children who are abused are abused by parents. Only 10% of abuse cases are perpetrated by non-parents and strangers. The other 6% are the cases where the perpetrator is unknown. This data is from a 2005 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

When you think of the amount of time a child spends with certain people, it is clear that the majority of this time is spent with parents rather than strangers. In fact, we tend to reduce the amount of time our child spends with strangers due to the fear that they will do something bad to our child, or at least not abide by our specific parenting plan. 

Now don't go giving your child to the first homeless person you see to take care of for the day while you're at work!! but the moral of this passage is that the next time you see a parent treating a child badly, instead of attributing it to the fact that the child may be having a really bad day in terms of behavior, maybe realise that there could be a pattern of negative behavior that needs to be stopped before permanent damage occurs to the child's well-being, both physically and mentally. Don't play into the by-stander effect!!! DO something about it when you see it.

I will leave you all on a much better note. The incidence of child maltreatment has gone down significantly over the past few years. No doubt this is because of new social programs that have been put into place. We are making progress.... now lets not get lazy!

Something a friend noticed

As I was sitting with friends recently, we made the observation that Lady Gaga's new song "Born This Way" sounds quite similar to "Express Yourself", by Madonna.  Apparently we weren't the only people to think this way. This guy's got some pretty good talent going for him!  He made a great mashup of the two songs, with a few others thrown in

Click Here for the youtube video

While talking with my hairdresser....

While I was having a much-needed haircut this afternoon, my hairdresser brought up a good point to me... who are we planning for? and why?

Cryptic I know, but this is where it all started, with some observations...

There was a time, when older generations tried their best to leave behind money, assets, land etc... for future generations to enjoy. Essentially the idea of a family dynasty was an attractive goal. Whereby slowly over time, the family (as a whole) would grow and expand, not only with respect to more people (through marriage etc...) but also through the accumulation of wealth.

When I think about the people growing up today... their thoughts are decidedly not on the future of their children or families... they tend to have a more "screw it, I'm going to enjoy myself, who cares if I leave behind debt when I'm dead...I'll be dead" and they overspend, and don't try to save a dime.

Personally, I come from a more rural area, and I feel that this gave me the drive to aim for the family dynasty style of life.  My father's pet project/retirement project is a vineyard.  It takes at least 10 years for the vines in a vineyard to produce enough fruit to be profitable.  This project is not just meant for him, but for both my brother and I as well.  Once he has reached the point where he can not longer tend it, it will be passed on to us, his sons, to take up the reins.  This is something that I thoroughly look forward to!  and something that in the coming years I will take a much more active role in.

Now that I have kept you interested with a little anecdote ... I will bring you back to my point. There seems to be a phenomena when people get a pay-cheque these days... they get paid on Thursday... and most of it is spent my Monday.  And I don't mean it was spent on bills... but frittered on many small and non-essential items that creep up on people.  then, the person goes 10-12 days without any money, so that when they get paid next... they are so excited to spend money that now... it's gone by Saturday instead of surviving until Monday.

I think this ... small spending addiction is contributing to the fall from grace of the future planners... the dynasty builders (the Kennedys etc...) who look out for each other, plan for their children.  But above all else, impart to their children the knowledge and the drive to realise that they need to work for their income, and be always grateful for what their parents left for them.

Next time you enjoy a meal that your parents or other providers have prepared for you.... make sure you thank them... and think about what you would want your children to say to you in the same situation, Then I think we will all understand that a penny saved is really, a penny earned

A little rhetoric regarding the right to vote

I want all of you to think about the right to vote. This means that you have the ability to decide (through a public poll who gets to assist in running your country for the next few years)  For those of you who are reading this and might not have the ability to vote, please read on!

Now, that last sentence might seem like a little bit of a surprise to most people... but I want you to think of this:  what happens when you are disabled and can't make it to the poll? what if you are mentally disabled and your caregivers decide that you aren't of sound mind to vote? there are a lot of factors regarding this right, even within our "free" society. I implore those of you who have voted to put yourselves in their shoes and think about how you would feel. Then think about your own stance on that situation.

Now, I will draw your attention to another point about our form of government that has been talked about in back alleys and in the dark shadows of the parliament/capitol... The people we vote into power... are they really qualified to make decisions on... lets say medical policy? drug policy? educational policy? economic policy?  in most cases the people we vote into power have a career based on POLITICS. Their university careers are spent looking at ways of  running a government, or in law. They are decidedly not experts in any field of applied study that would inform them better on the issues they decide.  Now, I will say that when a decision is to be made in congress or parliament, they try to get the most unbiased information from professionals in order to make an informed decision. Who decides what this information is? mostly they are lobbyists and other special interest groups that may have an agenda of their own.  Because the people we have elect to make decisions for us are easily swayed by the "expert" opinion of the people they interact with.

For example, I give you the medical doctor who attends to a congressperson. What if he/she could benefit from new legislation... what is stopping him/her from trying to convince their patient (the congressperson) that this legislation is beneficial? Nothing; and it happens all the time. The congressperson trusts the opinion of the doctor, who is an expert in medical knowledge.

So who really has the power to change things within our country(s)  the truth is, we all do, it just matters who you know, and how you convince your elected officials to your way of thinking. whether that way of thinking is right or wrong, is a matter of opinion.  That's my two cents

The Secret Life of Men

at 8:30am on Mondays,Wednesdays, and Fridays I am blessed with having my Psychology of Gender Differences class. It is seminar based, so there is a great deal of discussion that ensues about any topic we choose to look at. Furthermore, being one of only two males present, I have to defend my fellow man against the onslaught of a group of women... that being said, I think that being in a room with 10 other women, hearing their views in a structured environment, has given me great insight into that it really means to be a man, a woman, or somewhere in between.

What stood out in the discussion today, was a TED talk video presented by the author of the Vagina Monologues (I will link the video at the end of this post).  She made many good points about female genital manipulation, rape, and many other issues that face woman around the world at the moment.  From her presentation, I took one particular phrase to heart... "bullets are hardened tears"...  now what does she mean by this?

Essentially she says that, since men are told to not show emotions and to suppress compassion, it builds up a cathartic response and comes out as violence.  We are all told that holding in what you are really feeling is not a good way of dealing with any kind of conflict; there are definitely much better ways of talking things out, one item at a time, as the issues come. Absolutely not saving up a bunch of problems for one large bitch-session.  However, the message that men receive from an early age is in direct conflict with this.  The masculine image is that of the strong man who doesn't cry and who can think his way through any feelings or emotions. Building on this is the premise that feelings get in the way of progress, whether that be monetary or otherwise... do I appeal to the minority group and lose money? (feelings) or do I stay with the status quo and gain more resources? (apathy, cold-hard-calculating)

It is here where there is a disparity in what motivates us as a society. Do we look at the thoughts and feelings of everyone at the expense of, say, my car? our country's economic well-being? I would like to think that there is a balance between these two things within out society.... it works as a pendulum, sometimes we are on track to keeping a stable and profitable capitalist economy while pertaining to the needs of the few. Other times we don't. This is the bain of a Democratic society.

I would like to say, in closing, that we should all take a page from the diverse genders that our culture contains (but often times hides) and make sure that our children don't get caught up in the bland, faceless world that was taught to us many years ago. Tell your son it's okay to cry. Convey to him YOUR emotions, let him know how you feel about things. Fathers, let your daughters see a sensitive side. Mother's tell your daughters that there is nothing they can't do. Father's, tell your sons that no matter what they do, you will love them unconditionally. Because there is nothing worse for a child, than not knowing (for certain) whether he or she is loved. This will create for us, a much better world


http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/eve_ensler_embrace_your_inner_girl.html

This is what I do when my hands are occupied

I'm a big believer in open education. That is, a system whereby everyone has the right to and open, unbiased, balanced, and reasonably priced education (if not a free one). It benefits society as a whole to have more highly educated and well-rounded individuals.  Higher education provides a person with the opportunity to learn to think critically of what is placed before them, whether this be in the form of an advertisement or when faced with a moral dilemma.

Let us not, however, forget about trade work. Tradesmen are no less important to society than the most highly achieved academic. In some cases one could argue that the tradesmen directly contributes more to society than the academic. This is not the point of this post, however.  The point of this post is to lead you to a new website that I have found.  It is an example of where I would like to see information and literature move toward. Like Wikipedia, it enables people to access all sorts of books (audio books to be precise) for free.  It is based on volunteer work from all around the world.

Now, some of you might not like audiobooks; I, for one, didn't. But I have learned their value when I am doing something that is monotonous where I cant read a book like normal. For example, when driving, and when running on the treadmill. Time when I would normally be listening to music, is now spent listening to classic literature and non-fiction books.  I would like to think that this, once wasted, time is now used for something that is enhancing my overall worldly knowledge. So here it is, now enjoy!...

http://librivox.org/

The Dogma of Our Governments

Okay, so I promise that I won't get preachy very often. Lies, I will.... mostly because I find the internet a valuable forum for discussion. You may not agree with me about certain matters, and I welcome your opinion on the comments section... provided that said opinion is well thought-out and not vulgar.

As some of you may know, I have taken a liking to political readings of late. That fact, coupled with the Sociology of International Development class that I am taking, has created a little bit of a political commentator within me.  Not so much with regard to specific people in the governments of both Canada and the United States, but more in general terms and overriding themes.

Let us take Egypt as an example. The people of Egypt are protesting the fact that they don't have the full ability to vote and decide who is in charge of their country. Furthermore, they don't have what we know as "Free Speech".  All of this was sparked when the people of Tunisia revolted against the same facts in their government during the month of December.

Now, there is a current theory called "modernization theory" that postulates that countries develop in a certain way.  It is the common consensus in the Western world that Western-style democracy is naturally the highest point of development for any country regardless of that country's  ethnic or religious background. What some people don't understand is that these countries (Egypt included) do not enjoy as strict a separation of church and state. Further, they have been USED to this way of living for centuries, before the United States or Canada even existed; before Democracy was enjoyed in Europe; and long before anyone thought about what a natural progression for development would be.  There are certain points of traditional Muslim law, that conflict with a true Democracy. Roughly 70% of the population of Egypt still wants Muslim law.  I am definitely not saying that the people of Egypt are incapable of changing their government; I am simply pointing out that they will not be able to instate a copy of the United State's or the United Kingdom's form of government.  The people of Egypt will need to create their own form of representative government that pleases the masses its people. Who says that democracy is right for every culture?

What that government will be has yet to be decided. But it is clear that in this case, and when taking into account the other occasions when Western powers have interfered with another culture's development, the United States and its allies should take a back seat to the will of the people of Egypt, who are enacting their own change.

The concern of western powers, is that these protests will open up the government of Egypt to the influence of a radical group that does not want to interact positively with the rest of the United Nations.  This is a true concern for me, as a citizen of both the United States and Canada. But we have to know when to step back and let a modern country do what we did in 1776 and decide their fate for the betterment of their people.

LOL

One wonders why this was found in a dorm room.... then one stops wondering and accepts the fact that university students are little more than dogs being toilet trained

New Song

I put up this song a little while ago,  Just thought I'd share it around a bit :)