This could be my last thought provoking blog! I am not quitting blogging but I am considering quitting thinking. A new university study suggests that intellectual work – like reading, writing or working on a computer – prompts people to overeat and that might be a cause of obesity. Consequently I am contemplating (rather than thinking about) stopping any more thoughtful blogs.
The study undertaken at Laval University claims to have found that mental work represents a stress factor that stimulates food intake. The researchers hypothesized that the stress might stimulate some hormone that increases appetite. If they are correct, then our world will drastically change.
The philosophy of “I think, therefore I am” will be replaced by “I think, therefore I am fat”. Imagine a world where there will be less thinking than is currently practiced. You will not be able to ask anyone, “Who do you think will win?” or “What did you think of that movie?” No one will want to think and gain weight.
Most weight gain can be minimized if we exercise regularly. I always find when I go for a walk that I spend a lot of time thinking and that will have to stop. The exercise factor and my ‘thoughtful’ stroll will cancel each other out.
I am sure that politicians will love this new research. They will not be confusing voters with alternative choices regarding policy and ideology. Voters will not be asked to weight the facts, as that will just encourage thinking, so they should make their political choices on blind faith. Many voters I would imagine would be very cautious about doing anything that might result in gaining a few pounds!
The researchers are attempting to use their findings (on a sample size of fourteen subjects) as one of the root causes of increased obesity in most western societies. Personally, I boldly think (at the risk of a pound or two) they are out to lunch (figuratively speaking). Weight gain, in either a thinking or a non-thinking species, is based upon the universal equation of ‘calories in’ must equal ‘calories out’, or there will be weight gain.
Rather than studying the relationship between thinking and weight gain, we should undertake a comprehensive study of the relationship between university research and the IQs of the researchers!
PS After some careful reflection and serious study, I have decided to take advantage of the above research to quit thinking and thus blogging. It has provided me with a novel rationale to direct my limited skills to some other writing endeavor. Thus this is it – the last blog!
It is time to move on and on and on! Thanks Lydia for reading it. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Three Cheers for the Airlines Industry
For a change, let’s not criticize the airline industry. In many ways their performance really blows my mind.
Today I am flying from Nassau to Calgary on a direct flight that in itself is a small miracle. Who would have envisioned direct flights from Western Canada to the Caribbean ten years ago? It is a distinct improvement over the two or three stopovers I encountered on my first trip to the Bahamas in the ‘80s.
I found my own ticket on the Internet and purchased it online. No more travel agents or sitting endlessly in a travel agency or making ten phone calls to correlate the details of the trip with an agent. Today I am my own travel agent. And for further convenience, I can charge the flight to my credit card online and not have to deal with cash or checks as in the past.
This morning I again signed on the Internet and selected my own seat for the flight. No more begging for an emergency exit seat or a window seat. I could pick what I wanted. The final coup was that I could print off my own boarding pass at home and save further time at airport check in. Many airports now provide a special queue for those who have their boarding passes and just need to dispose of their luggage. Will airline miracles never cease?
The logistics that allow me to travel from Nassau to Calgary are truly a miracle. Someone, somewhere has to make sure the planes are fuelled and prepared, the crew is assigned and in place, the baggage handlers know where to load my bags, the check in staff is at work and knowledgeable and the customs and security agents are at their posts. The tasks of thousands of people must be coordinated and synchronized to make sure that MY trip is safe and secure and on time. If my flight was on the only airplane flying today, that would be quite a task. Multiply that by millions of flights around the world today and airline travel is truly one of the unsung miracles of our day.
Hats off to all the men and women who work behind the scenes and on the front lines to allow me to fly safely to Calgary today. Your collective efforts have blown my mind!
Today I am flying from Nassau to Calgary on a direct flight that in itself is a small miracle. Who would have envisioned direct flights from Western Canada to the Caribbean ten years ago? It is a distinct improvement over the two or three stopovers I encountered on my first trip to the Bahamas in the ‘80s.
I found my own ticket on the Internet and purchased it online. No more travel agents or sitting endlessly in a travel agency or making ten phone calls to correlate the details of the trip with an agent. Today I am my own travel agent. And for further convenience, I can charge the flight to my credit card online and not have to deal with cash or checks as in the past.
This morning I again signed on the Internet and selected my own seat for the flight. No more begging for an emergency exit seat or a window seat. I could pick what I wanted. The final coup was that I could print off my own boarding pass at home and save further time at airport check in. Many airports now provide a special queue for those who have their boarding passes and just need to dispose of their luggage. Will airline miracles never cease?
The logistics that allow me to travel from Nassau to Calgary are truly a miracle. Someone, somewhere has to make sure the planes are fuelled and prepared, the crew is assigned and in place, the baggage handlers know where to load my bags, the check in staff is at work and knowledgeable and the customs and security agents are at their posts. The tasks of thousands of people must be coordinated and synchronized to make sure that MY trip is safe and secure and on time. If my flight was on the only airplane flying today, that would be quite a task. Multiply that by millions of flights around the world today and airline travel is truly one of the unsung miracles of our day.
Hats off to all the men and women who work behind the scenes and on the front lines to allow me to fly safely to Calgary today. Your collective efforts have blown my mind!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Canada: Better Than the Bahamas
Living in Canada has far more advantages than living in the Bahamas. Most people would probably be surprised with that statement, but it is true.
The Bahamas is noted for its endless days of sun and mild weather. How boring! Variety is the spice of life and living in Canada is a veritable spice cupboard. For example, as April is drawing to a close, it is still snowing in Calgary. Next week the forecast is for 20 degrees Centigrade, with only a 50 percent possibility of another foot of snow. How exciting! In fact the weather office in Calgary has recorded snowfall in EVERY month of the year. The unpredictability of the weather offers the same high as watching to see if the lucky lottery numbers match your ticket numbers.
The Bahamas is almost insect-free. An occasional fly, stopping to rest on its journey from Haiti to Florida, or a few ants looking for lunch, are the only pests. In Canada, it is soon going to be Musk-E-Toe season. During the summer the country is held hostage by billions of blood sucking insects that prevent residents from risking sunburn or sunstroke by forcing them to remain indoors. Not only do they help us avoid heat prostration but the large ones can be shot and grilled on the Barby. How’s that for a big plus? Musk-E-Toe burgers will soon by competing with soy and tofu as an alternative food source.
The Bahamas are surrounded by turquoise colored warm water, with gentle waves lapping up onto endless sandy beaches. Again, seemingly lovely but very boring. Canada has coastal waters as well, but they are really blessed with crystal clear glacier fed lakes. On the one week in July that the lakes are ice free, hardy Canadians swim, water-ski and canoe in the frigid waters. A bracing five-minute swim stimulates the blood flow, invigorates the heart and tints the entire body a soft pastel blue color. A summer swim in Canada can conjure up the same excitement as falling off of a whaling boat in the Antarctic. A swim in the Bahamas certainly can’t claim that kind of thrill!
I rest my case. The Bahamas can only provide boring sun, sand, warm azure waters and an insect free holiday. Canada on the other hand can treat you to fours seasons in a day, new gourmet delights and the chance to witness your entire life flash before your eyes during a healthy summer swim.
If I had to make a choice, I would pick Canada. In fact, I am returning there next week to test my hypothesis. My mind is also coming with me.
The Bahamas is noted for its endless days of sun and mild weather. How boring! Variety is the spice of life and living in Canada is a veritable spice cupboard. For example, as April is drawing to a close, it is still snowing in Calgary. Next week the forecast is for 20 degrees Centigrade, with only a 50 percent possibility of another foot of snow. How exciting! In fact the weather office in Calgary has recorded snowfall in EVERY month of the year. The unpredictability of the weather offers the same high as watching to see if the lucky lottery numbers match your ticket numbers.
The Bahamas is almost insect-free. An occasional fly, stopping to rest on its journey from Haiti to Florida, or a few ants looking for lunch, are the only pests. In Canada, it is soon going to be Musk-E-Toe season. During the summer the country is held hostage by billions of blood sucking insects that prevent residents from risking sunburn or sunstroke by forcing them to remain indoors. Not only do they help us avoid heat prostration but the large ones can be shot and grilled on the Barby. How’s that for a big plus? Musk-E-Toe burgers will soon by competing with soy and tofu as an alternative food source.
The Bahamas are surrounded by turquoise colored warm water, with gentle waves lapping up onto endless sandy beaches. Again, seemingly lovely but very boring. Canada has coastal waters as well, but they are really blessed with crystal clear glacier fed lakes. On the one week in July that the lakes are ice free, hardy Canadians swim, water-ski and canoe in the frigid waters. A bracing five-minute swim stimulates the blood flow, invigorates the heart and tints the entire body a soft pastel blue color. A summer swim in Canada can conjure up the same excitement as falling off of a whaling boat in the Antarctic. A swim in the Bahamas certainly can’t claim that kind of thrill!
I rest my case. The Bahamas can only provide boring sun, sand, warm azure waters and an insect free holiday. Canada on the other hand can treat you to fours seasons in a day, new gourmet delights and the chance to witness your entire life flash before your eyes during a healthy summer swim.
If I had to make a choice, I would pick Canada. In fact, I am returning there next week to test my hypothesis. My mind is also coming with me.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
You Are Sworn to Secrecy
Before reading further you must be sworn to secrecy! You are not allowed to divulge the following to anyone who is remotely associated with the airlines industry. Promise? Okay!
On our recent trip to Peru we took a train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Our carriage was very modern with seating for about eighty, in groups of four arranged around little tables. The tables were set with tablecloths and we were provided a light meal during our journey. The crew in our car performed the same kind of service as an airlines stewardess, serving meals and drinks and cleaning up afterwards.
The differences occurred after the meal. A couple of the carriage crew dressed up in some native costumes and entertained the passengers with dancing and music. It was quite enjoyable.
The highlight however was the fashion show. A male and female crewmember sashayed up and down the railcar wearing a variety of different Peruvian made shawls, sweaters, panchos and jackets. It was a quality act, but something that I had never encountered before while traveling on public transport. After the show the crew came up and down the aisles selling the items that had been modeled at the fashion show.
If the airlines ever discover that there is something else that they can try to sell on an airplane, I will quit flying. Not only is it bad enough that they can wake you up on a flight to sell you duty free items or items from their in-flight catalogue, but the thought of a fashion show and sale on every future flight slays me. You have to pay for a bottle of water, or a drink, or a sandwich or a blanket and now you are possibly going to be subjected to another moneymaking scheme – the unnecessary fashion show.
This information is too dangerous to fall into the hands of an airline marketing executive. If it does, air travel will be ruined forever. And my mind will know who squealed and you will be blown away! Remember you have been sworn to secrecy.
On our recent trip to Peru we took a train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Our carriage was very modern with seating for about eighty, in groups of four arranged around little tables. The tables were set with tablecloths and we were provided a light meal during our journey. The crew in our car performed the same kind of service as an airlines stewardess, serving meals and drinks and cleaning up afterwards.
The differences occurred after the meal. A couple of the carriage crew dressed up in some native costumes and entertained the passengers with dancing and music. It was quite enjoyable.
The highlight however was the fashion show. A male and female crewmember sashayed up and down the railcar wearing a variety of different Peruvian made shawls, sweaters, panchos and jackets. It was a quality act, but something that I had never encountered before while traveling on public transport. After the show the crew came up and down the aisles selling the items that had been modeled at the fashion show.
If the airlines ever discover that there is something else that they can try to sell on an airplane, I will quit flying. Not only is it bad enough that they can wake you up on a flight to sell you duty free items or items from their in-flight catalogue, but the thought of a fashion show and sale on every future flight slays me. You have to pay for a bottle of water, or a drink, or a sandwich or a blanket and now you are possibly going to be subjected to another moneymaking scheme – the unnecessary fashion show.
This information is too dangerous to fall into the hands of an airline marketing executive. If it does, air travel will be ruined forever. And my mind will know who squealed and you will be blown away! Remember you have been sworn to secrecy.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
You're So Vain, I'm Not
I never considered myself to be a vain person. That is one of the reasons that I have never bought a vanity license plate for my car.
Many people like the idea of having a name or cute saying on their car’s license. It generally costs a hundred dollars or more to obtain a custom plate. You often see plates such as Marilyn or Kingpin or UR14ME or some other clever acronym.
I personally could never be bothered. I always figured it was better to be anonymous, than have your car’s license identify you. If I was going to rob a bank or fly down a highway at 100 mph I would prefer that my license plate be harder for a witness to remember. I always thought a plate like CSR493 would be a lot harder to remember than KENBOB.
In some countries ‘special number’ plates are auctioned off to the highest bidder. Fourteen years ago in the state of Delaware, the Delaware No. 9 plate was bought for $186,500. The single digit plates 1,2, and 3 are reserved for the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state. The other six single digit plates are up for grabs.
This week the Delaware No 6 license plate sold at auction for $675,000. A twenty five year old man bought it for his grandfather. Certainly a nice gesture, but for over half a million dollars I could think of a lot of things I would have preferred to get. Vanity can sure be expensive.
The only vanity plate I might be interested in would be BLOMYMIND!
Many people like the idea of having a name or cute saying on their car’s license. It generally costs a hundred dollars or more to obtain a custom plate. You often see plates such as Marilyn or Kingpin or UR14ME or some other clever acronym.
I personally could never be bothered. I always figured it was better to be anonymous, than have your car’s license identify you. If I was going to rob a bank or fly down a highway at 100 mph I would prefer that my license plate be harder for a witness to remember. I always thought a plate like CSR493 would be a lot harder to remember than KENBOB.
In some countries ‘special number’ plates are auctioned off to the highest bidder. Fourteen years ago in the state of Delaware, the Delaware No. 9 plate was bought for $186,500. The single digit plates 1,2, and 3 are reserved for the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state. The other six single digit plates are up for grabs.
This week the Delaware No 6 license plate sold at auction for $675,000. A twenty five year old man bought it for his grandfather. Certainly a nice gesture, but for over half a million dollars I could think of a lot of things I would have preferred to get. Vanity can sure be expensive.
The only vanity plate I might be interested in would be BLOMYMIND!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Decline in "Outdoorsiness"?
A newspaper article today indicated that, “Yosemite National Park is still a major draw despite a general decline in outdoorsiness”. I had never seen the term “outdoorsiness” before, so I read further.
The article believes that the general population is spending more time communing with their TVs and computers than they are with nature. As a result, they spend less time outdoors and generally are displaying less interest in conservation and parks. The author claims the decrease in exploring and enjoying the beauty of nature can be attributed to the growth in video games and electronic technology.
This is an interesting cause and effect hypothesis. More video use at home means less time damaging and littering natural settings. Perhaps this is finally a positive advantage of children endlessly playing video games and Game Boys. Let them practice their violent and destructive behaviors vicariously within their own homes and not in the national parks and wildernesses that are so fragile.
The decrease in “outdoorsiness” may also have several other causes. People today have far more recreational options competing for their leisure time. A more urban society must make an effort to travel to wilderness areas and this may be a factor in fewer park visitors per capita than in the past. North Americans are working longer and seem to prefer to spend their free time flopped at home in front of the TV. Perhaps we are developing an urban dweller who does not enjoy the peace and tranquility of mountains, forests and rural areas as much as they enjoy the amenities of the city.
Whatever the reason for the decline in “outdoorsiness”, I am all for it. It allows me, and my mind, to enjoy the outdoors with less intrusion, less pollution and less congestion. Thanks Mr. Video Game!
The article believes that the general population is spending more time communing with their TVs and computers than they are with nature. As a result, they spend less time outdoors and generally are displaying less interest in conservation and parks. The author claims the decrease in exploring and enjoying the beauty of nature can be attributed to the growth in video games and electronic technology.
This is an interesting cause and effect hypothesis. More video use at home means less time damaging and littering natural settings. Perhaps this is finally a positive advantage of children endlessly playing video games and Game Boys. Let them practice their violent and destructive behaviors vicariously within their own homes and not in the national parks and wildernesses that are so fragile.
The decrease in “outdoorsiness” may also have several other causes. People today have far more recreational options competing for their leisure time. A more urban society must make an effort to travel to wilderness areas and this may be a factor in fewer park visitors per capita than in the past. North Americans are working longer and seem to prefer to spend their free time flopped at home in front of the TV. Perhaps we are developing an urban dweller who does not enjoy the peace and tranquility of mountains, forests and rural areas as much as they enjoy the amenities of the city.
Whatever the reason for the decline in “outdoorsiness”, I am all for it. It allows me, and my mind, to enjoy the outdoors with less intrusion, less pollution and less congestion. Thanks Mr. Video Game!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Not on my Ideal Job List
I spent my working career as a teacher, principal and curriculum superintendent. I loved going to work everyday. The work was challenging, meaningful and enjoyable. I never regretted choosing education for a career but did at various times consider being a chemist, an archeologist or a journalist. I never had any aspirations, however, to be a beaver dam hunter!
The following article may explain my feelings of good fortune.
“An Ottawa scientist has identified what he believes to be the world's largest beaver dam in Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta.
Ecologist Jean Thie, who is executive director of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, said he discovered the 850-metre long dam while scanning satellite images for signs of climate change.
"In addition to looking at permafrost melting, I started looking at beaver dams and just scanning all of northern Canada."
"These are some of the most amazing beaver landscapes in the world," he said. "I would not be surprised if we find a longer dam there than the one we have found so far."
Is this guy for real? Here is a man who should be complaining about his job, but in fact seems elated with his purpose in life. When you get a high from looking at permafrost melting and finding big beaver dams, you are a special kind of person.
I am sure that Mr. Thie is probably also fascinated by ant colonies and watching birds fly south for the winter. He probably gets a kick out of watching a pond freeze or a tree grow. I don’t know if I would want to invite him for dinner, but I am sure he could provide a lot of insights into Arctic Ocean temperature changes and the mating habits of the fuzzy crested, horned bill northern Ptarmigan.
My ideal job list never included wanting to be a professional permafrost observer or beaver dam hunter. Even the prospect of such thrilling occupations just blows my mind!
The following article may explain my feelings of good fortune.
“An Ottawa scientist has identified what he believes to be the world's largest beaver dam in Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta.
Ecologist Jean Thie, who is executive director of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, said he discovered the 850-metre long dam while scanning satellite images for signs of climate change.
"In addition to looking at permafrost melting, I started looking at beaver dams and just scanning all of northern Canada."
"These are some of the most amazing beaver landscapes in the world," he said. "I would not be surprised if we find a longer dam there than the one we have found so far."
Is this guy for real? Here is a man who should be complaining about his job, but in fact seems elated with his purpose in life. When you get a high from looking at permafrost melting and finding big beaver dams, you are a special kind of person.
I am sure that Mr. Thie is probably also fascinated by ant colonies and watching birds fly south for the winter. He probably gets a kick out of watching a pond freeze or a tree grow. I don’t know if I would want to invite him for dinner, but I am sure he could provide a lot of insights into Arctic Ocean temperature changes and the mating habits of the fuzzy crested, horned bill northern Ptarmigan.
My ideal job list never included wanting to be a professional permafrost observer or beaver dam hunter. Even the prospect of such thrilling occupations just blows my mind!
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