SMILE or DIE – Dark side of Positive Thought movement

 

Acclaimed journalist, author and political activist Barbara Ehrenreich explores the darker side of positive thinking.
Watch the full lecture here: http://www.thersa.org/events/video/ar…

The RSA is a 258 year-old charity devoted to creating social progress and spreading world-changing ideas. For more information about our research, RSA Animates, free events programme and 27,000 strong fellowship.
Find out more about the RSA at http://www.thersa.org
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Produced and edited by Abi Stephenson, RSA. Animation by Cognitive Media.

My love of wooden cutting boards is supported

Why Wood Cutting Boards are Better than Plastic or Glass

We were required to use plastic cutting boards when catering. In Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards by Dean O. Cliver, Ph.D of UC Davis, they noted that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture told us they had no scientific evidence to support their recommendation that plastic, rather than wooden cutting boards”.

The problem is that while it may seem like plastic is non-porous and can’t absorb liquids, with use the surface becomes knife-scarred. This rough surface is exceptionally difficult to clean, even with bleach or running through the dishwasher. Wood, by contrast, shows the ability to halt the growth of and kill bacteria applied to its surface. Both new and used wooden cutting boards maintain this ability equally well.

In a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin (also by Dr. Cliver), they tested bacteria known to produce food poisoning – Salmonella, Listeria and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. These bacteria were placed on cutting boards made from seven different species of trees and four types of plastic. All the wooden boards consistently outperformed the plastic.

The scientists found that three minutes after contaminating a board that 99.9 percent of the bacteria on wooden boards had died, while none of the bacteria died on plastic. Bacterial numbers actually increased on plastic cutting boards held overnight at room temperature, but the scientists could not recover any bacteria from wooden boards treated the same way.

Be Like Water

I remember hearing this for the first time in 1971. For a year, I practiced Kung Fu and learned even my diminutive 100lbs could be a force to be reckoned with….    Most important in my development was going with my nature – choosing goals that I was likely to do. Example: It does not matter how good for me tofu may be, or how many times it got to my refrigerator, if I could not get it down my mouth, trying to make myself eat it was a useless goal. Now when choosing changes to eating, exercise, etc, I start with what am I likely to actually do.

Be Like Water: The Philosophy and Origin of Bruce Lee’s Famous Metaphor for Resilience

“In order to control myself I must first accept myself by going with and not against my nature.”

With his singular blend of physical prowess and metaphysical wisdom, coupled with his tragic untimely death, legendary Chinese- martial artist, philosopher, and filmmaker Bruce Lee (1940-1973) is one of those rare cultural icons whose ethos and appeal remain timeless, attracting generation after generation of devotees. Inspired by the core principles of Wing Chun, the ancient Chinese conceptual martial art, which he learned from his only formal martial arts teacher, Yip Man, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. When he left Hong Kong in 1959, Lee adapted Wing Chun into his own version, Jun Fan Gung Fu – literal translation: Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu – and popularized it in America. (I bought his book this morning.)

New house surprises

kitchen window January

kitchen window in July

The butterfly bush covers the whole window

butterfly bush flowers and yellow lillies

Part of the fun of a new home is to see what comes up and blooms as the seasons change. This butterfly bush just grew and grew until it was above the window..now it pushing at the roof overhang. It is very popular with the bees, butterflies and even a few hummingbirds. Nature keeps me amused.