Isn't incredible what we hold inside of us? Sometimes I forget how amazing the human body truly is. I've been watching this TV series on the Discovery Channel called "Human Body: Pushing the Limits". It is awesome. There are four episodes: "Sensation, Brain Power, Sight, and Strength". I've caught all but the "Sight" episode. While watching the show you can't help but want to take better care of yourself. You know, start going to the gym, take more vitamins, eat a more nutritious diet, etc.
However, the series led me to something interesting:
After an episode last night I had an enormous feeling of guilt. I believe it stemmed from the notion that if we don't take care of ourselves, if we don't use our bodies to their fullest potential, then we are being irresponsible human beings! Now that might sound kind of harsh and militant, but seriously, we take so much for granted when it comes to our bodies.
I'll take it as a motivator.
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On another semi-related note, I feel nauseated from the vitamins I just took. So a note from the wise, take food with your multi-vitamin!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
3D imaging and nauseous vitamins
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
I Want Aliens
From The Daily Galaxy Considering humans, E.T. life, and why it's so quiet out there!
"When we consider the chronological history of life on Earth, humans have only existed for a small fragment of time and our existence has always been precarious. The entire time we’ve existed, we been banding into various groups and attempting to kill each other—or at least are constantly in the process of developing more effective ways of killing each other—just in case. The US government, for example, spends on “Defense” (including “preemptive” warfare) and Homeland Security, 8 times what it spends on educating the next generation. There is enough nuclear weaponry in storage around the world to kill every living creature on the planet several times over. Clearly, we’re a species with poor odds of surviving indefinitely.
Our self-destructive natures aside, curiosity may end up killing more than the cats. The faster technology is advancing, the more our “leap now, look later” nature appears to grow as well. If evolution on Earth serves as a somewhat typical template for evolution of other life forms, then becoming a truly advanced civilization must be a very daunting task indeed and a very rare, if not impossible, achievement."
John Mayer: A little bit cooler now.
I can't stop watching this:
It makes me want to start playing guitar again like I used to.
Year Zero = 2008
Time Machine at LHC
Year Zero is NOW! Watch out for the genetically modified super humans! There are reported sightings around Geneva!
Seriously, this is really cool stuff. I love physics! I am though kind of bummed out because the article says we can only travel as far back as the machine itself has existed. This means nothing before 2008, hence Year Zero.
Fantasizing about the future is quite a brain exercise. I wonder if I'll be 30 with a family and a nice suburban house or 30 with a loyal pooch and lots of excess income. Or maybe I'll have finally put out that Grammy winning rock album or HBO hit LGBT show "Plans". WHO KNOWS???
One positive thing about working at AAAS is : access to all the top peer reviewed journals. Eg. New Scientist, where I saw the article which inspired this post. I had heard about these Russian scientist in a podcast a week or so ago, but I'm just now delving into the specifics. Anywho, I highly suggest all of you out science-minded geeks out there read the article and check out the paper!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Dubai Is Out of Control
Dubai, of the United Arab Emirates, is out of control. It's as though a giant piss contest has emerged from this Middle East metropolis. Here are some current projects:
The Burj Dubai, when completed in 2008 will be the tallest building in the world.
The Word, man made arpeglios off the coast of Dubai. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have bought a mock African island there.
The Palm island projects. The artificial island groups designed to attract more tourism to Dubai.
The 6th Crossing at Dubai Creek. Their most recent endeavored. When completed it will be the world's tallest spanning arch bridge.
One more picture:
Seriously folks, ever hear of something called urban planning? One word comes to mind when I see all this; sprawl. What are they trying to prove? Where are they getting the money (oil?)? What kind of work force is constructing these mammoths? How is that workforce treated? I've read that a great percentage of Dubai's residents are immigrants from Asia so I guess that is whose supplying the workforce, but I bet the working conditions are less than stellar.
...more investigating...
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Why the Wii is the coolest!
Nintendo DS - 8,500,000
Wii - 6,290,000
Xbox 360 - 4,620,000
PlayStation 2 - 3,970,000
PSP - 3,820,000
PlayStation 3 - 2,560,000
2007 console sales.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
damn the new york times
Mid-life Crisis
read that.
I feel like I'm in store for a heavy mid-life crisis. It's just so "me".
"Popularly viewed as a unique developmental birthright of the human species, it supposedly strikes when most of us have finally figured ourselves out — only to discover that we have lost our youth and mortality is on the horizon."I can totally see myself in like 20-25 years, finally have my shit worked out, look in the mirror and freak out that I'm no longer 22. I'll examine my life with a fine tooth comb and declare I've "done nothing". Every accomplishment will be insignificant in comparison to life I thought I would live; the Great Life I dreamed of as a idealistic youth. There will surely be a scene where I fall to my knees, break down and sob, shout out to the heavens and proclaim "WHY LORD? WHY?" "I've only just begun to LIVE!" (cue epic soundtrack and celine dion or whoever sang that song).
I already kinda had a 1/4 life crisis. When I turned 20 I totally freaked; seriously. I was home for the summer between sophomore and junior year. Right on July 7 I started freaking out, thinking I had some horrible disease. I turned into a slight hypochondriac. I couldn't believe I was 20. I was the baby of the family; babies aren't 20! Needless to say, it was quite a stressful experience. I eventually though got over it. Realized I was being silly and swung into junior year as a confident new 20 year old.
But this whole thing has got me thinking. If I reacted like I did to my passage from teen life to adult hood, how am I going to react when I pass into middle age? I freaked out at a moment in life most kids cannot wait to get to! How am I going to react when I enter the first days of my golden years?! Many elderly people say the best years of their life were after middle-age. So why all the fuss? The article cites a youth obsessed culture, and in part I agree with the author. I know I'm pretty youth obsessed. Hell! I'm only 22 and I'm writing about how my mid-life crisis is just around the corner!
Who knows, maybe it does come down to the fact that I might be a raving narcissist. Or it might be that I think too much. Or it might happen that by the time I get to my 40s I will have grown enough to handle feeling a little old. Or it might be nothing...
I've often quoted the once great Garth Brooks "I'm much too young to feel this damn old."
This is all of course assuming I make it past 26.
....at the most!
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oh...and another thing i realized today: women=bullets
Monday, January 14, 2008
the train
i can't help it.
i find myself staring at people on the train. it is a habit i just can't break. my sister is more notorious for it, but i'm just as guilty.
but today while commuting, i feel like my bad habit was worth something. i saw a woman with a sony walkman with over-the-head headphones. i was completely enamored with this woman. she seemed so at peace with the world; eyes closed, a slight smile, like she knew something the rest of us did not.
i don't know why, but just seeing this woman made feel so calm. in a world which has apparently outgrown cd players, let alone a tape player, she clutches her walkman with pride. and even though i don't know this woman, or what kind of person she is, it was nice to see something different on the train. i feel like public transportation is either full a bunch scowling 9-5ers who take themselves way too seriously or urban nut jobs. to see someone who appeared to be enjoying "the simple" was refreshing.