Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Coughing your way to fame

While trying to work on assessments recently I inexplicably had this song in my head. I hadn't heard it for a million years, but it just kept coming to mind anyway so I eventually gave in and listened to it. How's that for fossilizing a problem?

As an extension of my procrastination I looked up James Morrison's bio on the ever-reputable Wikipedia. Apparently his distinctively gravelly voice is not just down to his smoking habit - he suffered a really bad case of whooping cough as a baby. He was only given a 30% chance of survival and even then was expected to be pretty severely brain damaged.

Instead he just has a really great voice. High five for silver linings.

Friday, April 30, 2010

To sleep, perchance to dream

Reptiles sleep, but they don’t dream.


Birds sleep and dream a little.


All mammals dream during sleep.


Info from an article called "Who Needs Sleep?" by Kirsten Weir (Current Health 2, Oct 2005; 32, 2)

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Iiiiiiiinternet

The Internet (capital "I") is the largest internet (with a small "i") in the world.

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Suit You Can Wash in the Shower

Looking for a way to save some time? How about getting a suit you can wash while you shower?

The Shower Clean Suit = "dawn of a revolution in business attire"?

Konaka Co. released this one in 2008 so I guess they're actually old news by now.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Suicide prevention

I recently read a very sad article on Japan Today about Japan's suicide rate. Last year, for the 12th consecutive year, over 30,000 people in Japan took their own lives, accounting for 3% of all deaths there. Russia is the only country with a higher suicide rate (and that thought makes me sad too, for the Russians).

After reading about that I heard a radio ad for Salvation Army suicide prevention training and I thought I'd look it up, then I checked out what Lifeline has too, and I came to the realisation that suicide really is no small problem here in Australia either.

According to a very recent Lifeline article suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 44.

I had to read that a few times before it sunk in. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 44.

Deaths from suicide are almost double road related deaths for men and women in Australia between the ages of 15 and 44. So every time you read in the newspaper about a young person killed on the road, there's almost two young people you don't read about who've taken their own lives.

Everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention. What's yours?



If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. There is HOPE.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Catfish = crazy

New learning courtesy of a chickpea.

Catfish have taste buds all over their bodies.

"Catfish are swimming tongues," says Dr. John Caprio of Louisiana State University. "You can't touch any place on a catfish without touching thousands of taste buds. To use an analogy, it's as if the tip of your tongue grew out and covered your body."

Gross.

Apparently their other senses are great too, but this one is the creepiest if you ask me.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Whaling and body language

I'm supposed to be researching for a Japanese lesson plan but keep getting distracted.

An Australian guy (I don't know anything about him, but the accent gives his country of origin away pretty quickly) has a youtube culture series under the username TheJapanChannelDcom. He seems to know his stuff.

I found his take on the whaling issue insightful. He makes some fair points, especially at around 5:53 of the 10 minute video.

I also really liked his short description of some Japanese body language. He does the head tilting and air-through-the-teeth thing (from ~1.43 onwards) really well.

Monday, March 22, 2010

In the sky

I find it strange that there are people out there who are not pilots for a living but possess the qualifications to fly a plane and/or helicopter. I think that the majority of those people are very rich. Maybe if we were all rich we'd all have flying qualifications.

Here's my hastily constructed list of some famous people who can apparently legally fly something:
  • John Travolta
  • Harrisson Ford
  • Dr. Phil
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Ben Affleck
  • Clint Eastwood
  • Morgan Freeman
  • Dennis Quaid
  • Tom Cruise
  • Jay Leno
  • Prince Charles
  • Fergie
  • George Bush (both W. and Snr.)
I somehow had the idea in my head that it's not easy to get a pilot's license of any kind. But maybe you do just need a lot of money. Or maybe I'm underestimating the capabilities of the people on that list... maybe.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

When catastrophe strikes

I know how to use a computer, but I'm relatively shortcut illiterate.

Only recently did I discover the joys of Ctrl + z. Undo. Magic.

Sure you probably already knew that, but I bet someone still doesn't.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Hurt locker

I saw The Hurt Locker this week, but didn't know what the title meant and I don't think it was actually mentioned in the movie. I asked my friend Google to fill me in.

hurt locker
noun. a period of immense, inescapable physical or emotional pain.
Source: Urban Dictionary

BBC News has a whole article on the term 'hurt locker.' In it they quote Mark Boal, the film's writer, who said, "It means slightly different things to different people, but all the definitions point to the same idea. It's somewhere you don't want to be."

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Structured procrastination

It's a wonder that I've ever achieved anything in my life, what with my highly developed procrastination skills. Tonight, as a way of procrastinating, I decided to do a little research on procrastination and I came across the concept of structured procrastination on a website by John Perry, a Stanford Philosophy professor. It makes good sense to me.

"Structured procrastination," writes Perry, "is a strategy that converts procrastinators into effective human beings, respected and admired for all that they can accomplish and the good use they make of time."He suggests that, "the procrastinator can be motivated to do difficult, timely and important tasks, as long as these tasks are a way of not doing something more important."

He points out that many procrastinators make the mistake of trying to minimise commitments in the misguided belief that having less things to do will mean they are more likely to get done. This actually destroys the procrastinator's key source of motivation. "The few tasks on his list will be by definition the most important, and the only way to avoid doing them will be to do nothing."

I like the idea that procrastination can be used for good. You just have learn to manipulate it the right way, which might be easier said than done...

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Purikura in Brisbane, yeah!

Purikura is the abbreviation of "purinto kurabu" (print club) used to describe those crazy Japanese photo sticker booths and the little photo stickers they spit out. They're good fun, but I guess the machines are expensive to import because I can't find anywhere that has them cheap here in Brisbane.

I saw one a few months ago at the Logan Hyperdome but it was $15 and looked a bit faded.

Today I went and peeked in at Area 58 in Elizabeth Street arcade in the city (photo above). They have more than one machine, but again, they're either $12 or $15. There was a Japanese lady working there when I went in. I know she was Japanese because I asked her a question and she answered in Japanese, even though I asked in English. I don't think she even realised she did it.

I saw a sign near there for another place called Sense-Q over in Adelaide Street (see map below) and they allegedly even have English instructions, but I have yet to check it out.

I also heard that there's a place at Sunnybank (Market Square), and discovered that they have a website, but I don't know if they're any cheaper than the others. I got a bit excited when I saw the "Machine Hire & Sales" tab on the website, but sadly they don't offer day hire because it takes a day just to set a machine up. No purikura parties just yet I guess.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Wisdom from Peter Combe

When I was investigating good foods to mush into your hair last week I came across the suggestion that orange juice is an effective facial treatment.

It allegedly offers an "instant and natural glow," revitalising your skin and making it "silky smooth to the touch."

They recommend applying the juice of one orange directly to your face like a face wash, then rinsing immediately. The Vitamin C purportedly adds smoothness and softness.

It's also supposed to shrink enlarged pores, tone and exfoliate, reduce wrinkles, prevent acne and blemishes, and help protect from the sun... depending on how long you leave it on your skin and, I guess, how magical the oranges are.

Maybe Peter Combe knew what he was talking about after all (see Mr Clicketty Cane).

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Chemistry like apple and cinnamon

This made me laugh.

I had some leftover pie apples in the fridge that I wanted to bake something with, but I can't find the recipe for apple and cinnamon cake that I usually use so I Googled "apple and cinnamon."

It seems that Utada Hikaru (a Japanese-American singer/songwriter) is a fan of the combination. Check out the musical evidence here.


PS. I settled on this recipe, but cooked it at 180C (for 45 minutes) rather than 140C based on some user reviews. Even then it was undercooked so I reckon it needs more like an hour at 180C (or maybe I used too much apple).

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Wet weather plan for the lazy


Going out in the rain?

Don't want to get the hems of your pants wet before you even reach the car?

Lazy and/or in a hurry? Paper clips are your new best friend.

They're like safety pins, but faster. And they won't stab you.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Mosquito teeth


I read somewhere that mosquitoes have teeth. Having conducted minimal research, to find out whether they really do, I have a whole new level of revulsion for mosquitoes.

"Mosquitoes have four knife-like tools of serrated teeth that surround a pair of fine tubes — one for dripping a pain suppressor and one for sucking blood.

A common house mosquito (Culex sp.) stabs the skin with her sharp snout and saws in with her four knife tools to draw blood. She shoots in saliva laced with anesthetic (to escape notice) and an anticoagulant (to keep blood flowing). Then she sucks blood.

In 90 seconds, she sucks enough blood to nourish 100 eggs or more — and is too heavy to fly. She makes a controlled descent to a close safe spot where she squeezes in on her abdomen. Water oozes out of the blood, filtered through the abdominal wall, and forms a large drop. Light again, she takes off.

During her short adult life (two weeks to a month) she bites one to three times... only female mosquitoes draw blood (for needed protein). The males feed on nectar and plant juices." Source

Sometimes knowledge is power. Sometimes it's just gross.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Ice cream shampoo


Imagine what it would feel like to wash your hair with ice cream. I thought there might be some literature available on the subject, but alas no.

I did, however, find information on using other foods and beverages on your hair. I've never used any of them and don't know if they work, but the concept of intentionally putting food and/or drink in your hair amuses me.

For body and shine massage a beaten egg into freshly washed hair, wait 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water. Don't use hot water or you'll have scrambled egg hair - mmm.

Mayonnaise is also supposed to be a great conditioner, but, again, don't use hot water to rinse it out. Apparently if it sets in your hair it's very difficult to get out.

Rinse hair with vinegar after shampooing for increased shine and fewer tangles. Doesn't seem to matter whether you rinse it all out. You might smell like vinegar briefly but supposedly not once it dries.

Beer is supposed to add shine and body. Wash your hair as usual, pour on some beer, massage it in, then rinse off after a few minutes. Don't use light beer if your aim is body. One site also suggests that you should choose a beer that doesn't smell too strongly or you will give people the wrong impression at work.

Some crazy people suggest using honey and even maple syrup, but I just CAN'T imagine that coming out easily. You'd want to stay away from bears and flies too.

Do let me know how ice cream goes if you happen to try it.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Eary


By the time you turn four your ears are almost fully grown.

That's what the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons reckons anyway. Ear surgery to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears is usually performed on children between the ages of four and 14.

One site I found (here) said that this is partly because cartilage is more pliable at a young age, but the Society of Plastic Surgeons says it's because the earlier the surgery, the less teasing and ridicule the child will have to endure. They mention the pursuit of more natural-looking ears.

The whole concept of cosmetic surgery disturbs me. Maybe it seems an unsympathetic stance to take, but I tend to think that however your ears naturally occur constitutes "natural-looking." I realise that there are sometimes extreme cases and, particularly in instances where this causes medical issues, I do think there is a place for cosmetic surgery.

It just seems a little bit scary that if you think your child has overly large ears you can take them to a surgeon to have them pinned back. Some people are born with big ears and, even if they get teased about it at school, I think it's OK for them to have big ears.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

A vicious cycle (of education)



I've recently enrolled in (and am seriously considering actually going ahead with) a Graduate Diploma of Education. I had a couple of orientation sessions this week.

The course convenor, lecturers and tutors who made presentations were actually engaging. Never before have I attended a university orientation program that was so informative, well-structured and helpful in thinking through what the program is, how it works and what it is meant to achieve.

I think this is specifically because it's an education course. Those running the course are experts on education and how to teach. We, the students, are there to learn to be educators.

So, in effect, we have educators educating educators on how best to educate.

I have previously studied in Science and Humanities faculties and although there were some good teachers it was obvious that many of them were primarily researchers rather than enthusiastic educators. Some approached teaching with reluctance, some with indifference, probably some even with abhorrence.

It would seem that the people in the Education faculty actually like to teach. And they're good at it.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Pseudo-family

I don't know much about Mumford & Sons. Bunch of guys who sing folky, catchy and currently very popular music about sums it up. But it suddenly occurred to me that they might actually literally be Mumford and sons - a guy and his sons.

I checked. They're not.

Marcus Mumford, in an interview, said of the name:
"I think we wanted it to sound like a family business, because that's what we think it is. We picked my name and it stuck, but that's not really the dynamic of the band. We're all on an equal footing, running it together and just having a laugh while we do it."

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Fish don't have eyelids

They don't need to blink because their eyes are always moist. But I still feel slightly sorry for them.

Sharks have upper AND lower eyelids. But they don't blink. What a waste.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Ankle pulse

Today I was sitting on the couch with my legs crossed and I could literally see my ankle pulsating. I put my fingers on the pulse and it was so clear it was freaky.

How did I never notice this before?
Not enough time spent staring at my ankles?

I think most people know how to find the traditional neck (carotid artery) and/or wrist (radial artery) pulse site/s, but my "friend" Wikipedia tells me that any place that allows for an artery to be compressed against a bone will do.

I think the tibial pulse (inside of the ankle, below the bone that sticks out) and the temporal pulse (on the temple directly in front of the ear) weird me out most, though it's hard to say why.


PS. I think I have actually seen doctors/physiotherapists TAKE my tibial pulse and just not thought about what they were doing.

PPS. I don't like blood. Maybe that's why I'm disturbed by pulse sites (some more than others).