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Barking Up The Wrong Tree December 9th, 2024 Before we commence with the festivities, I wanted to thank everyone for helping my new book become a bestseller! To check it out, click here. This Is The Most Fun Way To Make Your Life Awesome (Click here to read on the blog) “Carpe diem.” It’s the battle cry of motivational posters, Pinterest boards, and that one friend who just declared bankruptcy for the third time. It’s one of the oldest philosophical slogans around, first stated by Horace in 23 BCE. The poem he wrote it in, "Ode XI", is only eight lines long but, hoo boy, has it had legs. Look around and you still see versions of it everywhere – from “Dead Poets Society” to Nike (“Just Do It”), to #YOLO. But honestly: Seize the day? Buddy, I’m usually just trying to cope with the day. Can’t we just ask the day how it’s doing first? Maybe “Nudge the day,” or “Nod at the day politely”? Jokes aside – this is the problem. We don’t really know what the phrase means. It’s so overused it’s become the “live, laugh, love” of motivational slogans, right up there with “dance like no one’s watching” and “everything happens for a reason.” This is a phrase that sounds great but has also inspired every midlife crisis involving a sports car or a questionable tattoo. So what does it really mean? That’s up to you. But you’re going to get some options. We’re going to look at five different interpretations of this motto and see how they can help us live better lives. We’ll get insight from Roman Krznaric’s book, “Carpe Diem: Seizing the Day in a Distracted World.” Alright, let’s get seizing... 1) “Live This Day As If It Were Your Last” What a terrifying, maniacal slogan to live by. It’s like a corporate wellness email written by a death-obsessed cult leader. Every “last day” would involve liver failure, bankruptcy, and Googling “how to buy a tiger on Craigslist.” Now some people will say, “That’s not what the phrase means, Eric.” But it is how it’s often used. Carpe diem as get-out-of-jail-free card for impulsive behavior. “I maxed out my credit card, but carpe diem, am I right?” No, you’re wrong. Your credit score is crying. This version of carpe diem sounds like how an ancient Roman dude would justify really bad decisions. Because while life’s short, it’s not that short. But if we dial the intensity down a little, there is value here. While throwing your entire life into a hedonistic spiral is a surefire way to end up at rock bottom, every now and then, we need a little sprinkle of that chaos. Somewhere along the way, life turned into this endless to-do list where “joy” ranks somewhere between “call Comcast about that bill” and “figure out why your fridge is making that noise.” Yes, we should be responsible and make good decisions and all that. But sometimes we should not be that responsible. Eat the dessert, go to the concert, buy the plane ticket. This carpe diem isn’t truly about living every day like it’s your last -- but about remembering that, once in a while, you should choose the fun thing. Nobody’s going to hand you joy. Nobody’s going to ring your doorbell and say, “Congratulations! You’ve been selected to have a good time today. Please follow me to the rollercoaster and margarita station.” If we don’t give ourselves permission to step off the treadmill and do something stupidly wonderful now and then, we’re going to look back and wonder why we didn’t seize a few more ridiculous, glorious, indulgent days when we had the chance. Long-term hedonism? Disaster. But micro hedonism? A life saver. (To learn the four rituals that will make you happy all the time, click here.) Okay, one down. Let’s look at another interpretation that’s slightly less extreme but has a similar vibe... 2) “Live This Year As If It Were Your Last” The best part of living like you’ve got a year? You get to take advantage of life without burning everything to the ground. You’ve got time to be spontaneous andthoughtful. You’ve got urgency without panic. With a year, you stop waiting for the “right moment” to really live. Because, let’s be honest, none of us are getting that perfect time where everything lines up and life just makes sense. It’s not happening. When you’ve got a year, you stop thinking, “Maybe next year will be different” and start realizing that this is the year. This isthe life. There will be no mystical “better time.” And it’s also where gratitude comes in. With a year left, you start noticing things. You start realizing that your life’s pretty good in ways you’ve been too busy or too annoyed to appreciate. We forget to appreciate those things because we’re so busy worrying about the next thing, or the thing after that. With a year, you’re not acting impulsively – but you know there’s a deadline. And that’s something we often forget. (To learn how to stop procrastinating, click here.) Living like it’s your last day or last year is pretty straightforward. Now it’s time to turn carpe diem on its head and think more radically... 3) “Live This Day As If It Were Your First” Many of us are stuck in routines so dull, algorithms feel bad for us. We’re not in our lives. We’re just background extras in a movie, blending into the scenery while the main character has adventures. This is where “live like it’s your first day” comes in. It reminds you to snap out of it, to stop treating life like a boring rerun of a sitcom you’ve seen too many times. We need to be present. Yes, I know that sounds like advice you’d get from a yoga teacher named Serenity, but stay with me. The idea here is that if we stop living in autopilot mode -- if we stop scrolling through life like it's a Terms & Conditions page -- we can actually enjoy it. Remember when you first got your smartphone and it was like holding a miracle in your hands? You were playing with the flashlight feature and downloading every app like it was Christmas morning. Now you use it to refresh Instagram while sitting on the toilet. Living like it’s your first day makes you stop and go, “Wait a minute. This is a tiny marvel I’m carrying around in my pocket!” It forces you to wake up from your life-nap and actually experience what’s happening around you. It’s about seeing the world like a child again. With this perspective, you’re not waiting for some grand life event to snap you out of your malaise. You’re actively choosing to be amazed by the small, wonderful stuff around you. And life is packed full of small, wonderful stuff, if you’re paying attention. If this was your first day, you wouldn’t be stressed about your water bill or whatever dumb thing you have to do later. No, you’d just be mesmerized by the fact that water comes out of the tap and you don’t even have to dig a well or pray to some rain god to make it happen. If it’s your first day, you’re not going to guilt yourself over messing something up. You’re new! You’re learning! Burned dinner? No big deal. You’ll eat toast. Burned the toast? You’ve got cereal! Burned the cereal? I don’t even know how you managed that, but there’s a lesson in there somewhere. I’m not asking you to turn into some overly optimistic psycho who’s blown away by ceiling fans. But living like it’s your first day does make you less cynical. You start to realize that the world isn’t just this repetitive cycle of boring crap. It’s a series of moments that, if you look at them the right way, are actually kind of fantastic. (To learn how to deal with negative thoughts, click here.) There’s definitely value in treating today like it’s your first day. Or you could treat it like it’s your second day... 4) “Live This Day As If You Were Living It For The Second Time” Viktor Frankl said, “Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now.” Wow, what an awkwardly phrased sentence. Translation: he’s saying we should pause and think: “What if I lived like I already screwed this day up once, and now I get a do-over?” Like you’re hitting the cosmic Ctrl+Z on life. “Groundhog Day” meets “Edge of Tomorrow.” Take a mental lap around your day and say, “Okay, where am I most likely to do something catastrophically stupid? How about I… don’t?” But it’s not just about avoiding mistakes. It also opens your eyes to opportunities you would’ve blown right past the first time around. Like when someone asks if you want to grab coffee, and your default response is, “Nah, I’ve got too much going on”. Second-Time-You knows that saying yes to that get together would make you much happier. Now some might think this will lead to second guessing every action and they’ll end up looking like a glitchy character from The Sims. But this isn’t about being some perfect machine. It’s about lowering your regret tally just a little while seizing more opportunities. (To learn how to be more positive, click here.) Okay, let’s round this all up – and then we’ll learn the most extreme version of carpe diem. It’s a perspective that can lead to an all-around better life... Sum Up Here are your options for how to “seize the day”... Live This Day As If It Were Your Last: On the surface this sound like you’re trying to turn your life into some sort of Jackass-meets-the-Purge situation. But it doesn’t need to be that extreme. If you’re not occasionally ditching responsibilities to belt out “Total Eclipse of the Heart” to a crowd of strangers in a karaoke bar at 2 a.m., you’re not living. Live This Year As If It Were Your Last: It’s not the end… but you can see it from here. You have time, but not too much time. This can help you prioritize without going crazy. And you’ll be more grateful. Live This Day As If It Were Your First: “Be present” isn’t just a Pinterest quote for people who wear hemp. Really look around and notice the things you’ve come to ignore. See the world like a child again. Live This Day As If You Were Living It For The Second Time: With the weight of that invisible, non-existent first day looming over you like a disapproving gym coach, you’ll skip some of the dumb decisions that usually leave you feeling like you’ve been hit by the regret bus. And you’ll seize those opportunities that make life memorable. So what’s the fifth and final perspective on carpe diem? This one comes to us from Friedrich Nietzsche. Yes, Nietzsche. The same guy whose most famous photo makes him look like he’s waiting for someone to ask him why the moustache is that big. He had an idea that is basically like “Live This Day As If You Were Living It For The Second Time” -- but on hard mode. It’s called “the eternal recurrence.” Now, if you’ve never heard of this cheery concept, here’s the gist: imagine you’re stuck in a loop where you have to live your exact same life, over and over, for eternity. No do-overs, no upgrades, no escape. Excited yet? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Do you know what it's like to relive a Monday morning status meeting forever? That’s how you break a person. If I wanted that kind of repetition, I’d just rewatch the most cringeworthy moments of my life on a loop (which, fun fact, I already do at 3 a.m.). The eternal recurrence sounds like the greatest guilt trip of all time. Suddenly, every little decision carries the weight of eternity. Why would anyone choose this perspective? Nietzsche didn’t come up with this to terrify us. No, his point is this: If you had to live your life on repeat, wouldn’t you want it to be a life you could actually tolerate living again and again? And maybe even enjoy? He’s trying to force us to think, “Maybe I can tweak my life so that, when I’m reliving it for the quadrillionth time, I won’t cringe so hard I pull a muscle.” It’s a philosophical Post-it note on your brain that says, “Live like your choices matter.” Because they do. Living like you’d want your life to recur isn’t about crafting some perfect existence. It’s about reducing your daily idiocy percentage and doing a few of the things that could make it better. He was talking about deliberately forging a life that feels meaningful, fulfilling, and, most of all, worth repeating. That’s something we can all get behind. Now none of these 5 approaches to carpe diem comes with a guarantee. Whether you choose to squeeze as much joy as possible into a single day, live like a time-traveler, or reexperience each moment forever, the conclusion is the same: seize something. A day, a year, an idea. You’ll be able to say “I’m living my best life” – and actually mean it. Even your mistakes will be the kind that make people say, “I wish I had the guts to do something like that,” which, let’s be honest, is pretty high up there as far as compliments go. Either way, it’s going to be a good story. And ultimately, that’s what matters: that you’re in the story, not watching someone else’s. Grabbing life with both hands is better than casually waving at it from the couch. Do not be a part of the world that would rather empty Netflix queues than bucket lists. So, go ahead. Carpe that diem. Grab it with sticky fingers, mess it up, make it yours. No one ever said, “I really admire how restrained you were with your potential.” ***If you are one of those lovely people who bought "Plays Well With Others" please leave a review on Amazon here. Thanks!*** Email Extras Findings from around the internet... + Want to know how to grow your professional relationships? Click here. + Want to know what drives the feeling of FOMO? Click here. + Want to know how to feel relaxed but also alert? Click here. + Miss my prior post? Here you go: New Neuroscience Reveals 4 Secrets That Will Make You Lose Weight. + Want to understand the neuroscience behind heartbreak? Click here. + You read to the end of the email. Your day is already half seized as far as I'm concerned. As always, I thank you. And what better way for me to express my gratitude than by saying -- yes, Crackerjack time: Do dogs resemble their owners? For the answer, click here. Thanks for reading! Eric PS: If a friend forwarded this to you, you can sign up to get the weekly email yourself here.

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SMILE, CAMERAS ARE EVERYWHERE!

😄😄😄 

GENTLE PEOPLE:

  THE RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS WHICH  HAVE TRAPPED AND INDOCTRINATED HUMAN BEINGS FOR SO LONG...ARE TODAY REPLACED BY:

HAPPY LIFE DAYS! 

CREATE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE EVERYWHERE AND ANYTIME!

SMILE AT NEW BABIES AND CHILDREN AND LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH!

SHOW THEM BY EXAMPLE HOW TO SMILE AND GRIN AND HOW TO, LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH!    😄😄😄

 =================================

  AND IF YOUR PARENTS WERE TO WORN DOWN BY LIFE TO SHOW YOU HOW TO LAUGH AND GRIN WHEN YOU WERE A BABY,  TRY LOOKING IN A MIRROR AND PRACTICE SMILING AND LAUGHING THE WAY TELEVISION AND MOVIE STARS SMILE AND LAUGH. 

  TRY TO BE HONEST AND FEEL TRUE JOY WHEN YOU SMILE BECAUSE PHONY SMILES ARE EASILY RECOGNIZED. FOR EXAMPLE: WATCHING TOO MANY PHONY ADVERTISING COMMERCIALS PROMPTED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO RUN TO THEIR BATHROOMS DURING COMMERCIAL BREAKS. IN REVENGE, T.V. SPONSORS CUT COMMERCIAL TIMES TO SECONDS RATHER THAN MINUTES, AND SCATTERED DOZENS OF MINI-ADVERTISING COMMERCIALS ACROSS THEIR PROGRAMING. THAT CREATED MESSY BATHROOMS WHICH IN TURN CREATED RECORD SALES FOR BATHROOM CLEANERS WHICH ARE NOW SPONSORED ON TELEVISION COMMERCIALS. 😄😄😄 

1

STOP THE WAR MONGERS AND HAVE A HAPPY HOLY TIME !

     Do you consider yourself intelligent? If you answer yes, please explain the concept of eternity or, without eternity,  just how did the universe begin? Was there something before the Big Bang? If eternal energy is too much to consider, how about discovering a cure for cancer?

    As a perpetual student without the authority from authorities to label myself a BA or PHD or a Master of anything; I don't care if I lack authority! I never cared and was content to remain out of the way of authorities, intellectual and otherwise, as much as possible. I can remember when school authorities beat the joy-of-freedom out of naive children and replaced it with fear.  In later years, that changed as monsters in human form gained political power and created wars where children died!

  Over the years I discovered zero authorities who could explain the origin of universally changing energy. I also wait for the day somebody discovers a cure for cancer. As for the Big Bang theory, it remains a theory and I surmise without authority, that something had to fuel the 'Big Bang' explosion? Something existed before the Big Bang which logically negates the big bang as the beginning of the Universe! Maybe God was playing with fire crackers?  Sorry! Could not resist!

  And so, I don't label myself an authority of any kind. I do, however, question authorities about almost everything, especially so called leaders who create wars for profit and territory! Maybe they do not understand how energy slowly changes and they, also, will die!

  How and why energy constantly changes within the universe from hot to cold and back again, remains a mystery!

    In my very early years in school, one particularly intelligent science teacher proclaimed to his captive students, that energy cannot be created or destroyed but constantly changes from one form to another. His concept of eternal energy stuck in my mind. We were going to be around in one form or another, forever!

  A few years later, while wasting my time in school watching the clock, it dawned on me that Time is a measure created by humans. We humans created Time to measure changing energy and absolutely everything is energy... including life! Humans discovered how energy moved and changed constantly and we created a concept called time to measure our changing energy. Time is a human construct and energy is not! So where did energy come from? Don't ask me, I'm not an authority, remember! I was forced to waste my energy listening to people who had zero understanding of the Universe.

  Curious humans created science and with science discovered many different forms of energy. Fast and slow constantly changing energy. Life itself changes constantly.

  Time does not exist except as a measure of changing energy, created by and for humans to measure how long they remained alive. Human political war mongers are terrified of death! They will send others to fight and die while they remain safe behind the battle lines hoping for a long life! The other species do not understand time and they basically, don't care!

  In order to understand life and death, we humans discovered how to control energy and how Time Clocks were good tools for measuring and understanding and controlling energy changes. With time, we also created religions for that purpose. Today, without authority, I wish science-free religious people around the world...Happy Holy Days... but please, do not call yourselves religious and then go and fight in a religious war, or  worse, create a war to win territory! Don't waste your precious energy. Life is too short!

  Since my own death is close, I wonder if I should plant a garden or take dancing lessons? O.K. not funny!  

Bye for now! 

J.N.R. signing off!

Sophie Scholl would laugh at: Putin and Netanyahu. She laughed in the face of death.

Which is the iconic photo ever taken in human history?

The photos of Sophie Scholl taken right before her execution by the Nazis in 1943, really gets to me. She knows her days are numbered, she’s only 21 years old and the portable guillotine that will soon behead her is already brought in. And yet she looks like a defiant punk rocker with her short hairstyle. She laughs in the face of unavoidably certain death.

Scholl, together with her brother who’d be executed alongside her, had been leaving leaflets in books. Leaflets against her own government. That was her “crime” — little notes. Unbelievably poignant, to-the-point and powerful little pieces of writing. Her final words are worth reading even today: Scholl, together with her brother who’d be executed alongside her, had been leaving leaflets in books. Leaflets against her own government. That was her “crime” — little notes. Unbelievably poignant, to-the-point and powerful little pieces of writing. Her final words are worth reading even today:

“The real damage is done by those millions who want to 'survive.' The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves—or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you’ll keep it under control. If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.”

“A little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.” Powerful. Incredibly powerful. This is the sort of thing worth reading. I just woke up and wanted to share it here because it moved me. Did something to me. Stirred the soul, and it’ll stir yours, too.

Scholl’s words ring as true in the year 2024 as they did 81 years ago when she penned them down — too many of us are, indeed, living small and unremarkable lives, scared not to “rock the boat”, trying to avoid trouble. Few of us have the moral and physical bravery to put it all on the line for a higher purpose.

TODAY’S ARMED CONFLICTS

Our Rule of Law in Armed Conflict Online Portal (RULAC) classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law.

Today, it monitors more than 110 armed conflicts and provides information about parties, the latest developments, and applicable international law. Some of these conflicts make the headlines, others do not. Some of them started recently, while others have lasted for more than 50 years.

DISCOVER

BuzzFeed from Yahooligans. For a longer life, eat a better breakfast.

According To Longevity Experts, This Is The Breakfast You Should Be Eating For A Long

Life

Emily Laurence

Thu, October 31, 2024 at 7:31 AM EDT·5 min read

According to scientific research, if you make healthy eating a regular, normal thing, it can increase how long you live up to a full decade — that’s major.

Considering that humans are creatures who favor routine, there’s a good chance that what you eat and drink is the same every morning. Maybe your coffee pot is set to start brewing while you’re still snoozing and you pour yourself a bowl of cereal while you’re still rubbing sleep out of your eyes.

If you’re going to have the same meal on repeat every morning, it’s worth it to make sure it’s one that adds years to your life, playing into the aforementioned stat. We asked top longevity experts what they eat for breakfast for inspiration, which they share here along with tips for ensuring your breakfast adds years to your life.

What Longevity Experts Eat For BreakfastDr. Suzanne J. Ferree, who is double-board certified in family medicine and anti-aging and regenerative medicine, and Raghav Sehgal, a Ph.D. student and Gruber Fellow at Yale University whose research focuses on human aging, both told HuffPost that they start their day with veggies and eggs.

“I eat baked, pasture-raised egg bites with mixed organic, colorful vegetables cooked with organic pure olive or avocado oil,” Ferree shared. Sehgal’s breakfast is similar: a veggie omelet made with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and, sometimes, a little cheese. “I usually pair it with a side of avocado or some smoked salmon if I’m feeling fancy,” he added.

Both of the experts say an egg/veggie breakfast is loaded with nutrients scientifically connected to longevity. “This kind of breakfast is great because it’s loaded with protein, which is great for your musculoskeletal health. The veggies add a bunch of vitamins and antioxidants, as well as fiber, which are great for gut health. Additionally, the healthy fats from the avocado or salmon are awesome for your cardiac and cognitive health,” Sehgal said.

One scientific study that took into account more than 18,000 adults found that eating eggs regularly was not only linked to a lower mortality rate, but that it significantly lowered total mortality. As for veggies, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that a veggie-forward diet is linked to lowering the risk for many chronic diseases that can threaten lifespan.Dr. Monisha Bhanote, a quintuple board-certified physician and longevity expert, also incorporates veggies into her breakfast, but she does it in a different way than Sehgal and Ferree. “Two breakfasts I enjoy regularly are coconut yogurt topped with hemp seeds and blueberries, which is quick and easy, and baked purple sweet potato with cashew miso dressing, which is both satisfying and deeply nourishing,” she told HuffPost.

Purple sweet potatoes are a staple in Okinawa, a “Blue Zone” where it’s common to live into the triple digits and still be in good health. This specific type of tuber is high in anthocyanins, a type of flavonoids (antioxidants) that help protect against chronic inflammation. The cashew miso dressing Bhanote drizzles on top provides protein and unsaturated fats.

When Bhanote opts for coconut yogurt for breakfast, she gets her protein from the yogurt and hemp seeds. “Hemp seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in an optimal ratio, supporting heart health and reducing inflammation,” Bhanote said. She also pointed out that the probiotics in coconut yogurt promote a healthy gut microbiome, which helps reduce inflammation and supports a strong immune system, which are both essential for longevity. The blueberries are high in fiber and antioxidants, which help protect against chronic inflammation.

Tips For Ensuring Your Own Breakfast Adds Years To Your LifeIn general, all three experts say that avoiding ultra-processed foods and fatty meats (like sausage or bacon) at breakfast is one big way to ensure your morning meal is adding years to your life instead of subtracting them. Scientific research shows that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is directly linked to reducing lifespan. Similarly, eating red or processed meat regularlyincreases the risk for cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.

All three experts say minimizing added sugar at breakfast is another way to add years to your life. That means avoiding sugary cereals, flavored yogurts and pastries.

“For a longevity-supporting breakfast, focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods that provide a balance of healthy fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates. Incorporate plenty of antioxidants from fruits like berries, healthy fats from nuts, seeds, or avocados and fiber-rich vegetables or whole grains,” Sehgal advised. He also said that including probiotic-rich foods like yogurt or miso, as Bhanote’s breakfast does, can support gut health, which plays a critical role in overall well-being and longevity.

It comes to no surprise that plants reign supreme when it comes to the breakfasts of choice for longevity experts. Consider this a reminder to get your fill of them in the morning. While vegetables are often regulated to lunch and dinner, incorporating them into your breakfast along with an unprocessed protein source is a science-backed way to increase your lifespan.

Starting your morning by adding years to your life? Not too shabby of a way to start the day. Use it to set the tone and keep the longevity-supporting habits coming. With hope, you’ll be doing them for many, many years to come.This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

From Eric Barker...how to improve your memory.

This is how to improve your memory…

• Transience: Memories fade, especially as we age. It’s like being on a game show where the subject is you, and you’re still losing. But if we keep recalling the things we wish to remember, through work or in conversation with loved ones, we can retain more.
• Absent-mindedness: Forgetting where you put your keys (even when they’re in your hand). It’s usually an issue of not sufficiently paying attention in the first place. Turn off autopilot or start using physical reminders.
• Blocking: This is when your brain decides to play keep-away with names and facts. Usually it’s just a matter of waiting, but cycling through the alphabet can help as well.
• Persistence: We all have regrets, worries and memories that have the half-life of uranium. To end the carousel of angst, talk about what bothers you or, even better, write about it.
• 
  
• -----Here’s how to make your memory stronger:
  • Your Brain Is Part Of Your Body: Take care of your body to take care of your brain. Most important: get your sleep.
  • Encode: Remember the acronym, FOUR: Focus, Organize, Understand and Relate, Recruit Multiple Systems.
  • Recall: Remember the acronym, RAMS: Relaxed, Aids To Memory, Minimize Interference, Situation.
  • Normal Aging Or Alzheimer’s?: Memory worsens with age. Most problems are normal. If you are rapidly forgetting things – it just happened and it feels like it never occurred – that’s an issue. This happens to everyone occasionally but if you’re full-on Dory from “Finding Nemo”, see a doctor.

  So what’s the upside to an aging brain?

  Older brains aren’t as good at remembering details but they’re very good at recalling the gist of things. So as you get up there in years, you can actually be better at “seeing the forest for the trees.” Just like when it’s difficult to find something on your computer because there are too many files, having too many details can make getting to what’s relevant harder. Older brains can also be better at seeing commonalities between situations and discerning what’s key.

  We’re always complaining about our inability to remember things. When I think of my imperfect memory, I’m often thankful. To let things go and forget, rather than taking another ride on the Satan’s Merry Go Round of lousy memories.

  We don’t fully grasp the human mind but, as Emerson Pugh said, “If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t.” But, in a way, what our brains choose to remember can teach us a few things about what’s important in life. We remember what is distinctive, organized, and useful. We remember what we work hard at. And, perhaps most of all, we remember emotion.

  You’ve learned how to encode. You’ve learned how to recall.

  Now go do some things worth remembering.

Make them pay for the hottest year ever recorded on Earth.

2023 was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. [1] Wildfires, floods, and heatwaves destroyed lives and livelihoods from coast to coast. 

Despite driving this climate chaos, the fossil fuel industry continues to reap record profits and expand oil production. [2] Later is too late–communities are burning, and it is time to make fossil fuel polluters pay for the climate disasters they’re fuelling. 

By exploiting coal, oil and gas, fossil fuel companies are inflaming extreme weather, making climate disasters more frequent and more severe. [3] [4]

Year after year, people are forced to evacuate with some losing their homes, due to the increase and severity of destructive wildfires. Toxic wildfire smoke pollutes regions and communities living thousands of kilometers away, creating public health dangers with disproportionate impacts on populations with preexisting health conditions, outdoor workers, people experiencing homelessness, and marginalized communities. [5] [6]

Climate-related impacts are already costing Canadian households an average of $720 per year–and this could soar up to $2,000 per year by 2050. [7] Since fossil fuel companies are shamelessly reaping billions in profits year after year [8], they should be footing the bill for these damages. 

Join us in calling on the Canadian federal government to hold Big Oil accountable by making them pay into a new Climate Recovery Fund that would go directly to communities and local governments facing the brunt of the climate crisis and in need of financial support to repair, rebuild, and adapt to future climate change impacts. 

We can’t afford any more ‘wake-up calls’, the climate crisis is here and now. Tell Finance Minister Freeland and Environment and Climate Change Minister Guilbeault to create a Climate Recovery Fund for fossil fuel companies to pay into. 

Sources:

[1] https://www.noaa.gov/news/2023-was-worlds-warmest-year-on-record-by-far 

[2] https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/05/03/news/canada-oil-and-gas-emissions-continue-rise 

[3] https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/extreme-heat-in-north-america-europe-and-china-in-july-2023-made-much-more-likely-by-climate-change/ 

[4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/22/climate-change-canada-wildfires-twice-as-likely 

Will Korea be expanding into Russia?

Will North Korean troops act as a shield for Russian soldiers?

There is no doubt Putin is a psychopath. Now, however, we are wondering if he is senile? Allowing a Korean Army into Russia while thousands of young Russians are fighting and dying in Ukraine, is incredibly foolish! The opportunity to take over the Russian government is not lost on the North Korean government, and in the near future, the world will have to contend with another power and territory hungy demagogue...but meanwhile, the question is...will young Korean soldiers act as a shield for Russian soldiers? Will they become 'canon fodder' for crazy Putin and will they obey, without question, their missile crazy leader, Kim Jong Un?

      

 N. J. R.