Author: Agasel

Sleeping on the Job

- Agasel

Metronap.jpgWe drink cup after cup of coffee or tea, take pills, and push ourselves to be “productive”.  But a practice that most companies frown upon, at least in North America, is the afternoon nap.  A municipal office in Bangkok is allowing employees the right to rest.

Of 200 employees at the municipal office, there are about 20 regular nappers who have reported feeling “fresher and brighter” after a midday snooze, says Surakiet Limcharoen, the top official who started the program.

In the meantime, what can employees do, who aren’t encouraged to nap?  Perhaps try healthy ways to wake up, or check for napping places in your city.

New Molecule for Alzheimer’s Detection

- Agasel 2 Comments

According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, an estimated 290,000 Canadians over 65 have Alzheimer’s.  Researchers at UCLA have discovered a new compound that can map the plaques and tangles in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s.  This may help detect and treat the disease earlier and more effectively.alzheimer.jpg

 The compound, named FDDNP, may help test new treatments for Alzheimer’s.  There may also be a reduced need for volunteers in clinical trials.

Susan Molchan, M.D., program officer in the United States’ National Institute on Aging (NIA) Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program, said “The ability to image brain changes may allow us to see how drugs affect the accumulation of proteins in the brain that cause Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles, possibly preventing or delaying the progression of Alzheimer’s.”

The Lennon Files

- Agasel

An historian has finally received the remaining FBI documents on John Lennon, that were kept secret for decades.  Jon Wiener obtained 10 pages detailing the intense scrutiny Lennon received from the FBI.  Lennon.jpg

One report describes how two prominent British leftists tried to persuade Lennon to finance “a left-wing bookshop and reading room in London”, but Lennon gave them no money.

Another page states that there was “no certain proof” that Lennon had provided money “for subversive purposes.”

Wiener told the L.A. Times, “Today, we can see that the national security claims that the FBI has been making for 25 years were absurd from the beginning.”

Wiener had originally asked for the documents in 1981, a year after Lennon was killed.  The FBI originally provided some files showing how closely monitored he was from 1971-1972.  The rest were not given, for reasons of national security.  In addition, the Freedom of Information Act was declared to not apply.

Wiener sued the U.S. government and received some of the documents in 1997. In 2004, a judge ordered the FBI to hand over the remaining 10 pages.

The Grinch Strikes Hollywood

- Agasel 2 Comments

Gift baskets at the Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards will become a thing of the past, according to recent news reports.   Ceremony reps for both shows confirmed that, starting in 2007, presenters will not be given extravagant grab bags, which have totaled up to $100,000 (US).

A Golden Globes rep alleged that all attendees (even in the audience) would receive gifts “valued at less than $600.”  A rep for the Oscars stated that “the Academy would like to thank presenters in a way that doesn’t carry a tax burden.”

Taxes are one reason why gift baskets are being nixed.  Under U.S. income tax law, the baskets are seen as income, not gifts, and are subject to heavy taxes.  The IRS reached an agreement with the Academy for previous extravagant gifts, including sending tax forms to 2006 Oscar presenters.

Another reason why celebrities will take home less next year: Edward Norton.  The actor criticized the practise, describing it as a waste.  He is quoted in a future edition of New York magazine as saying: “I’m sick of this. It’s not who we are – it makes us look ridiculous and out of touch. If these evenings are going to be a celebration of our craft and what we express about what’s going on in the world, then picking through $35,000 gift baskets is disgusting and shameful.”

Watermelon Wonder

- Agasel

When you take that fresh watermelon home, don’t put it immediately in the fridge.  Unlike most produce, watermelons do not deteriorate after being harvested.  You can benefit from storing them at room temperature, until an hour or two before serving.tomatoes.jpg

The red color of watermelons comes from lycopene, the valuable antioxidant relative of carotene.  Scientists at the USDA lab in Lane, Oklahoma discovered that watermelons held for two weeks at room temperature continue to produce lycopene and deepen in color, ending up with 10 to 40% more pigment than freshly harvested melons.  On the other hand, watermelons stored in cold temperatures lose lycopene, and develop areas where cells are damaged and leaky.  This may be a result of the fruit’s origins, namely hot and dry regions of Africa, and therefore don’t do well in cold conditions.

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