background preloader

Why Walking Helps Us Think

Why Walking Helps Us Think
In Vogue’s 1969 Christmas issue, Vladimir Nabokov offered some advice for teaching James Joyce’s “Ulysses”: “Instead of perpetuating the pretentious nonsense of Homeric, chromatic, and visceral chapter headings, instructors should prepare maps of Dublin with Bloom’s and Stephen’s intertwining itineraries clearly traced.” He drew a charming one himself. Several decades later, a Boston College English professor named Joseph Nugent and his colleagues put together an annotated Google map that shadows Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom step by step. The Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain, as well as students at the Georgia Institute of Technology, have similarly reconstructed the paths of the London amblers in “Mrs. Dalloway.” Such maps clarify how much these novels depend on a curious link between mind and feet. Since at least the time of peripatetic Greek philosophers, many other writers have discovered a deep, intuitive connection between walking, thinking, and writing. Related:  misc

Climate Change What is Climate Change? How should we respond to Climate Change? These questions are complex, not least because the responses available to us depend upon who is providing the answers and the particular perspective they take. The economist sees the economic challenges and opportunities of Climate Change; the scientist sees the need to describe and explain Climate Change; the policy-maker and social scientist see Climate Change as a social problem. This course offers you an introduction to different disciplinary perspectives on Climate Change to help you think about how Climate Change affects you as an individual, as a member of your local community, as a citizen of your country and as a member of the global community. The overall aim of this subject is to provide an introduction to the socio-political, scientific, and economic aspects of the phenomenon known as Climate Change. No background is necessary. A collection of readings pertinent to each topic will be made available online.

Stopping Exercise Decreases Brain Blood Flow – Neuroscience News Summary: Researchers report a significant decrease in cerebral blood flow after physically fit older adults stop exercising for a short period of time. Source: University of Maryland. We all know that we can quickly lose cardiovascular endurance if we stop exercising for a few weeks, but what impact does the cessation of exercise have on our brains? New research led by University of Maryland School of Public Health researchers examined cerebral blood flow in healthy, physically fit older adults (ages 50-80 years) before and after a 10-day period during which they stopped all exercise. “We know that the hippocampus plays an important role in learning and memory and is one of the first brain regions to shrink in people with Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr. Using MRI brain imaging techniques, they found a significant decrease in blood flow to several brain regions, including the hippocampus, after they stopped their exercise routines. Dr. Dr. About this neuroscience research article Abstract

The Odd Work-Break Ratio That's Great for Productivity Everyone has that person in the office. You know, the one who always seems to get way more done than everybody else, but who never seems stressed or frantically trying to finish an assignment. How does he or she get it done? And can you steal those secrets to improve your own productivity? Yes. Using time-tracking and productivity app DeskTime, we’ve been able to study the habits of the most productive employees—and pinpoint the working flow that leads to that incredible ability to get things done. And the trick might surprise you. The employees with the highest productivity ratings, in fact, don't even work eight-hour days. The reason the most productive 10% of our users are able to get the most done during the comparatively short periods of working time is that their working times are treated as sprints. Working with purpose can also be called the 100% dedication theory—the notion that whatever you do, you do it full-on. There are a lot of surprising benefits to this rest time.

4 Ways to Do Leg Lifts Steps Method 1 Doing Vertical Leg Lifts <img alt="Image titled Do Leg Lifts Step 1 preview" src=" width="728" height="410" class="whcdn" onload="WH.performance.clearMarks('image1_rendered'); WH.performance.mark('image1_rendered');"> Leg Lifts Step 1.360p.mp4 00:00 -00:04 00:04 spaceplay / pauseescstopffullscreenshift + ←→slower / faster (latest Chrome and Safari)←→seek . seek to previous 12…6 seek to 10%, 20%, …60% to Do Leg Lifts1Lie flat on your back with your legs stretched out in front of you. Your legs should just be a toe's width apart. Make sure to keep your hands down flat on the ground near your sides, with your palms down. Method 2 Method 3

The Undercurrents of Our Education System: Recognizing and Subverting Cognitive Disinformation I The Hampton Institute The Undercurrents of Our Education System: Recognizing and Subverting Cognitive Disinformation Anna Brix Thomsen I Education I Analysis I July 16th, 2014 In his book, Underground History of American Education[1], one of the most progressive yet unappreciated voices of pedagogy today, John Taylor Gatto, exposes the undercurrents that steer the direction of the education system. Inglis breaks down the purpose - the actual purpose - of modem schooling into six basic functions, any one of which is enough to curl the hair of those innocent enough to believe the three traditional goals listed earlier: 1) The adjustive or adaptive function. 2) The integrating function. 3) The diagnostic and directive function. 4) The differentiating function. 5) The selective function. 6) The propaedeutic function. Yet you will not find these six purposes in any school policy. Students know they must go to school to learn for the sake of learning but are taught from an early age to not ask questions. 1. 2. 3.

Study shows exercise won’t cause you to forget things - Vital Record Research has found that exercise causes more new neurons to be formed in a critical brain region, and contrary to an earlier study, these new neurons do not cause the individual to forget old memories, according to research by Texas A&M College of Medicine scientists, in the Journal of Neuroscience. Exercise is well known for its cognitive benefits, thought to occur because it causes neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons, in the hippocampus, which is a key brain region for learning, memory and mood regulation. Therefore, it was a surprise in 2014 when a research study, published in the journal Science, found that exercise caused mice to forget what they’d already learned. “It stunned the field of hippocampal neurogenesis,” said Ashok K. “The mice who exercised had a large number of new neurons,” Shetty said, “but somehow that seemed to break down the old connections, making them forget what they knew.” “Exercise is not at all harmful,” Shetty said. — Christina Sumners

How to Carry Major Appliances on your Bike Right around the same time I bought this new fixer-upper house, I bought a special piece of equipment to help make the project more efficient. With the new house a five minute walk from the old one, commuting time was not an issue. But with the hundreds of trips carrying tools and materials required for a project like this, I didn’t have the right vehicle. On foot, although I try my best I am simply not badass enough to drag a table saw and miter saw along with a stack of 2x4s for much distance down the street. So with your entertainment in mind, I acquired this extremely large and badass bike trailer from a small Iowa builder called Bikes at Work: These things are highly configurable due to the modular design. I picked the longest 96A model but skipped the “wide” and “heavy” options since this still provides plenty of space and I figured 300 pounds is plenty of capacity. A complete patio set including 4 chairs, a 6-person table, and an umbrella (250 lb) What I Like About This Trailer

Stationary Bike Stand » Best THREE stationary bike stands for under $80! There are some truly great stationary bike trainers out there – we personally love the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine model – but for beginners and the more price-conscious shopper, we know there are a few of you out there looking for a great value bike stand. Let’s face it, as the economy bites many of us in the ***, saving some money is always a good thing. So, after getting a few questions from readers asking us about some cheaper options, we decided to put this article together. There are a whole load of stationary bike stands dropping in under the $80 mark, and you can find many online at stores like Amazon, as well as other high-street bricks and mortar outlets (though it has to be said, we’ve struggled to find the variety you can find on the Internet). Below are the best THREE stationary bike stands we know of and have seen, and that are also ranked well on Amazon by satisfied customers. NOTE: The bike stands below are suitable for 26″, 27″ or 700C wheels. What makes it such a winner?

Related: