You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Research' category.
Published: January 1, 2008
It’s been a busy year. But, then, you already knew that.
After all, you were probably busy submitting video questions to presidential candidates on YouTube. Or infiltrating the audience at a John Kerry appearance. Or, you know, having a real life.
There were wildfires to worry about, iPhones to buy and water to suck from the ground in Georgia. The white noise of life gets pretty loud when you add Imus, Baldwin, Rosie and Trump to the conversational bouillabaisse.
You tend to miss a few things going on in the world when the news focus is on which goofball might have parented Anna Nicole’s baby.
To help you catch up on developments both great and small that you might have overlooked, we spent the year casting our net into the stream to catch some tasty info nuggets. We’ve pushed them into a giant news pill for you to swallow in one gulp.
Consider this list – pulled from dozens of news stories from 2007 – your chance to catch up.
* * * * *
1. A giant fossilized claw found from an ancient sea scorpion indicates that when alive, it would have been much taller than the average man. This find, from rocks 390 million years old, suggests that spiders, insects, crabs and similar creatures were much larger in the past than previously thought.
2. Skin cancer is 20 percent more common on the left side of the body.
Read About It
3. Men who have only daughters have a higher risk of prostate cancer than men with at least one son, suggesting a chromosome defect.
4. Baking pizza dough at higher temperatures for longer periods enhances levels of antioxidants that researchers believe reduce a person’s risk of developing cancer and heart disease.
5. Scientists have discovered dark chocolate contains more antioxidants than red wine.
6. People who are optimists do better in most avenues of life, whether it’s work, school, sports or relationships. They get depressed less often than pessimists do, make more money and have happier marriages.
7. Scientists have figured out that a unique bacterium is what makes the sea smell like the sea. They’ve also found a way to capture the aroma and bottle it.
8. Minorities from low-income areas are at increased risk for having a leg amputated as a result of severe peripheral artery disease, or PAD, a type of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, of the legs.
9. A survey of 25,000 Americans found that 62 percent said they do not eat any fruit on a typical day, and 25 percent said they do not eat vegetables. All told, 11 percent ate the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables, it found.
10. Owls try to sound more macho by lowering the tone of their hoots.
11. Electronic noses used in the food industry and for sniffing out explosives can perform better with the addition of artificial “snot.”
12. Wild herds of African elephants communicating by vibrations in the ground can determine which animal produced the vibrations. The seismic system is so sophisticated, scientists describe the elephants as having their own version of “caller ID.”
13. A new species of sea anemone has been discovered in the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean, living in the unlikeliest of habitats: the carcass of a dead whale that had sunk some 1.8 miles below sea level in a region called Monterey Canyon, roughly 25 miles off the coast of Monterey, Calif.
14. Scientists have discovered particles of cocaine and marijuana, as well as caffeine and tobacco, in the air of Italy’s capital. The concentration of drugs was heaviest in the air around Rome’s Sapienza University, though officials warned against drawing conclusions about students’ recreational habits.
15. Some people’s features match their monikers so well that it makes them instantly more memorable. For example, when people hear the name Bob, they picture a large, round face, but when they hear the name Tim or Andy, they imagine someone far thinner.
16. Ocean surface currents can be chaotically changeable. Two identical items released at the same location and at the same time can end up in vastly different areas. Severe storms that alter normal weather patterns also play an important role in the movement of drift items.
17. Dolphins living off the coast of Wales whistle, bark and groan in a different dialect from dolphins off the western coast of Ireland.
18. Scientists are breeding cows that can produce skimmed milk and butter that is so soft, it spreads straight from the fridge. A team in New Zealand has identified a cow, named Marge, who naturally produces lower levels of saturated fat in her milk.
19. For small- and large-stature adults, automobile airbags may do more harm than good, new research indicates. A detailed look at crash data spanning 11 years for more than 65,000 front-seat passengers found that while airbags are “modestly” protective for people of medium stature (5-foot-3 to 5-foot-11), they appear to increase the risk of injury to people smaller than 4-foot-11 and taller than 6-foot-3.
20. U.S. military troops rarely consume all the components in MRE provisions, particularly when they are preparing for missions where reducing the amount of weight and bulk in their packs is essential. Instead, they “field strip” the rations, choosing their favorite items and tossing out the rest.
21. Fetuses are able to mount their own specific immune response to flu vaccines received by their mothers.
22. Women who enjoyed strong childhood relationships with their fathers prefer to have a male partner who physically resembles him.
23. A race of 36 million-year-old, extinct giant penguins (over 5 feet tall) marched to equatorial South America during a time when the world was much warmer than it is now. Remains of the penguins found on the southern coast of Peru challenge previous conceptions about penguin evolution and expansion.
24. Icebergs hold trapped terrestrial material, which may be released far out at sea as they melt. This process produces a “halo effect” with significantly increased nutrients, chlorophyll and krill out to a radius of more than two miles. Scientists also have begun to suspect that icebergs may play a role in global climate regulation by removing carbon from the atmosphere.
25. Fish use the threat of punishment to maintain stability in their social order. Small goby fish at Lizard Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef use the threat of expulsion from the school as a powerful deterrent to keep subordinate fish from challenging those more dominant.
26. Ape-men ancestors began walking on two legs 6 million years ago because it used far less energy than clambering on all fours.
27. Some office printers emit a dangerous amount of toner in the air, possibly causing health concerns ranging from respiratory irritation to cardiovascular problems. Some of these floating microscopic particles may be carcinogens.
28. Yawning may be a kind of low-tech air conditioning for the brain.
29. Onions contain a sulfur-based antioxidant that binds with harmful toxins in the brain and flushes them out of the body, helping to prevent memory loss.
30. The Asian Cyprian honeybee kills its nemesis, the Oriental hornet, by smothering with other honeybees as a mob, causing the hornet to asphyxiate.
31. Sex among African bat bugs is a violent affair. During copulation, males of the species pierce the abdomens of their mates with their genitals and ejaculate directly into their blood.
32. Diners at restaurants enjoy their wine and meals more if the wine has a special label, even if it’s really only a $2 vintage.
33. Small children stress out about starting kindergarten up to six months before school starts, suggesting youngsters may take cues from their anxious parents.
34. Shoppers prefer stores’ scents to match their sounds. Participants in a research study who were exposed to a Christmas scent in combination with Christmas music gave the store higher ratings than those who experienced a Christmas scent with non-Christmas music.
35. A giant underwater current sweeping past Australia’s island of Tasmania toward the South Atlantic is a main contributor to regulation of carbon dioxide gasses in the atmosphere.
36. Ultra-hardy bacteria species collectively known as “extremophiles” have been discovered in NASA “clean rooms” used by scientists and engineers who are assembling spacecraft.
37. Fruit flies love the carbon dioxide fizz from beer. The insects have special taste receptors that are sensitive to the gas.
38. Overweight women who face employment weight bias could be victims of sex discrimination. Women are 16 times more likely than men to report weight discrimination in the workplace.
39. The mangrove killifish, found in the Caribbean, can modify its biological makeup so it can breathe air and live in trees for months at a time.
40 Two-thirds of women older than 40 are the primary providers for their families.
41. A derivative of broccoli-sprout extract protects the skin against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
42. The first prehistoric fish that made its way onto land saw a full range of colors, including wavelengths of light that human eyes cannot see.
43. It takes business people twice as long to enter text messages on an iPhone as on conventional cell phones.
44. A survey of tendencies among approximately 1,000 car owners age 18 and older showed that U.S. men and women demonstrated an equal interest in upgrading the quality of their tires and wheels. Women who responded to the survey tended to spend less than men when doing so.
45. The therapeutic, relaxing effect on the arteries provided by drinking a few cups of ordinary black tea is wiped out if milk is added to the drink.
46. About two-thirds of students play video and computer games – 82 percent of male students and 59 percent of female students. Only about one quarter said they play games often with someone of the opposite sex.
47. Infants born to mothers who eat fruits while breastfeeding will be more receptive to eating those foods later in life.
48. While lunging toward krill and fish with an open mouth, a single-fin whale can engulf up to 2,900 cubic feet of the ocean soup, which is almost equal to the volume of a large school bus.
49. The parasitic jewel wasp uses a venom injected directly into a cockroach’s brain to inhibit its victim’s free will and its motivation to walk. Unble to fight back, the “zombie” cockroach can be pulled into the wasp’s underground lair, where an egg is laid in its abdomen. The larva later hatches and eats the still living but incapacitated cockroach from the inside out.
50. Mercury has an Earthlike molten core that wobbles like a raw egg does when spun on a countertop.
A major holiday in Saudi Arabia is coming up. Eid Al-Adha which this year falls on 18 December – 23 December. Offices will be closed, malls will be closed, maybe even restaurants will be closed and Alkhobar might be jampacked again.
But here’s what I got from Muslim Students Association Website which explains what Eid Al Adha is:
The Festival of Sacrifice, Eid-al-Adha, immediately follows the Day of Arafat. Although only the pilgrims in Mecca can participate in the Hajj fully, all the other Muslims in the world join with them by celebrating Eid Al-Adha, or “Celebration of Sacrifice.”
On the 10th day of Zul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the world celebrate this feast of commitment, obedience and self sacrifice to Allah. This festival is celebrated throughout the Muslim world as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice everything for God, including the life of his son Ishmael.
Because God spared Ishmael, substituting a sheep in his stead, Muslims commemorate this occasion by slaughtering an animal and distributing its meat among family, friends and the needy as a special act of charity for the occasion. Because of this, many poor Muslims are able to enjoy the unusual luxury of eating meat during the four days of the festival.
They wear their nicest clothing and attend Salatul-Eid (Eid Prayer) in the morning. This is followed by a short sermon, after which everyone socializes. Next, people visit each other’s homes and partake in festive meals with special dishes, beverages, and desserts. Children receive gifts and sweets on this happy occasion. In addition, like the pilgrims in Makkah, the Muslims, who can afford to do so, offer domestic animals, usually sheep, as a symbol of Ibrahim’s sacrifice. The meat is distributed for consumption to family, friends, and to the poor and needy.
To all Muslims around the World! Eid Mubarak!
Do you like to have fun with your vocabulary? Would you like to help Feed the Hungry? Then head over to www.freerice.com and play their word game. For every correct answer you get, they donate 10 grains of rice through the United Nations. 10 grains? I know it doesn’t sound a lot but the more you play, the more correct answers you make then the more grains are added. The more you play the game, the more clicks you make, the more hits they get and the more revenue they make to give away rice. Alright I think I made sense there. I’ve played the game myself, managed to stay for a long time but then they give me a word that is totally unknown to me. As you get the words right, you move up to the next level, they have 50 levels, and I am not aiming to get that high but it was worth my morning.
So if you’re not too busy at work, go to www.freerice.com. Its fun and you get to help out in the process. Just don’t blame me if it eats your whole morning ok. I think the makers of this site intended for people to have fun but most importantly, to help out. Go to the site and tell me all about it ok.
Ramadan is upon us again.
For Non Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Ramadan is a month when we try to comply with the Islamic practices during this month, meaning no drinking, smoking and eating in public as a form of respect to the Muslims who are fasting.
According to Wikipedia:
“Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein. Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. Allah wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify Allah for guiding you, and to express your appreciation.”[2:185] This is a muslims favorite holiday.
The most prominent event of this month is the fasting practiced by most observant Muslims. The fasting during Ramadan has been so predominant in defining the month that some have been led to believe the name of this month, Ramadan, is the name of Islamic fasting, when in reality the Arabic term for fasting is Sawm. Every day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world break their fast when the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib, is due. They eat before the sun comes up at a certain time and they eat before a certain time and after a certain time during the night.
For me, there are quote a few changes to my lifestyle during Ramadan, ofcourse I’d have to follow the No Smoking, No Eating, No Drinking outside in public during the day when Muslims are fasting, in Riyadh there were strict penalties for people caught not following these. Non Muslims have been detained, and some even deported for not following. And another lifestyle change would be broken timings at work, once in the morning and another shift in the evening. Tiring, but no choice. (Its just a month though so I’d have to make do)
And after Ramadan, comes Eid Holidays, 6 – 10 days of No Work. People are surely going to cram the Corniche here in Alkhobar, I should know, I used to visit Alkhobar during the Eid Holidays before.
To my Muslim Friends. Ramadan Kareem.
In fairness, pangatlong post ko na ito today hahahahaha. Hindi ko lang talaga napigilan ang sarili ko na mag - post nito as Robert my friend did after I read his post.
My blood really boiled when I saw this post from Robertisms. Apparently, this baboy of a writer has written nasty things about OFWs. And being an OFW myself. I am shocked. I can tolerate rich people. But she is just disgusting. Read the article below para makita ninyo ang pinag hihimutok ng butse ko! I will not go into the fact that OFWs are now called the new heroes. Common humanity lang.
She should be fired from her job, banned from all restaurants, banned from all malls and tied up in a tree at ipakagat sa mga langgam Mwahahahahaha. This just plain bigotry. Quite revolting this writer. Wish ko, sana maghirap siya, nang makita niya ang mga pinagsasabi niya. Hay naku, hindi naman kagandahan eh, feeling. Tatandaan ko ang pangalan niya, at susulat ako sa People Asia and ask for her to be removed for being Anti – Filipino.
BY MALU FERNANDEZ – Summer comes and goes. Most of the time I am out if the country for work. But I’m stuck here, I ignore the heat and stay in a temperature-controlled room of 18 degrees – cold enough to make the windows sweat. This year I decided to go off tangent and pick places I have never been to before.
Much to my chagrin, I had never been to the beach. You see, I hate the sand, the bugs and the mosquitoes, but I figured it would be fun with everyone around. As we reached the villa I was spraying Baygon everywhere. I thought I had nearly killed myself with all the insect repellant and Lysol disinfectant I kept on spraying. I am so not into roughing it up. For me, the minimum requirement for traveling is a Holiday Inn.
A couple of days later saw us walking down to Station 2 where D’mall was and I was trying my best not to freak out as the beach was filled with algae, which were collecting on my Adidas all-terrain. (I refuse to wear Havaianas and scratch my pedicure.) Finally as we walked back , I was dazzled by a beautiful white structure, so white it glistened under the sun. This brilliant apparition was Discovery Shores, an oasis in the middle of the island. Not only do the staff headed by Jun Parreno make you feel at home, the food by chef David Pardo de Ayala is fabulous as well. And after seeing the whole poolside and the fabulous rooms done by Budgi Layug, I wanted to move there. But I was too ashamed to ditch my friends and forego the huge amount I already paid for my share of the villa. So I promised to go back another time in order to luxuriate in their fabulous surroundings.
Meanwhile, when all of this was going on, I was on the cell phone with my jet set buddy Ron Sato planning an impromptu trip. You see, Ron is my travel buddy who lives in Los Angeles, so between his schedule and mine, the logistics are a nightmare. The week of Easter, however, was open for both of us so I said: “Pick a country!” We decided on Greece and off we went. But getting there was a bloddy nightmare. To save on my ticket, I bravely took an economy class seat on Emirates as recommended by my travel agent. Ron excitedly told me to go for it – Emirates had won best economy class and some award. However I forgot that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them. Of course, everyone in economy class was yelled at for having overweight hand-carries. Mine was 17kg (ssshhhh!). That was all my makeup and accessories I would never risk losing if my luggage ended in the middle of the Sahara desert.
While I was on the plane (where the seats were so small I had bruises on my legs), my only consolation was the entertainment on the small flat screen in front of me. But it was busted, so I heaved a sigh, popped my sleeping pills and dozed off to the sounds of gum chewing and endless yelling of “HOY! Kumusta ka na? At taga sann ka? Domestic helper ka rin ba?” Translation: “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?” I though I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell.
After a nine-hour flight, I finally landed and made my way around Athens to the Ledra Marriott hotel, washed the plane off me and got a text from my other editor Gianna Maniego. She told me my weekly deadline was moved up due to the holidays. In a state of panic, I was about to have a major meltdown because I hadn’t slept for 48 hours, the Louis Vuittons under my eyes were enormous and all I wanted was a hot shower and a bed. At that point, I didn’t know where to go as there wasn’t enough time to plan a sight-seeing trip and take in the sights in order to meet my deadline so I decided to go off on a train and head to the Athens Mall.
As they say – when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. My buddy Ron and I were laughing so hard because we flew all the way to Greece to go to a mall and eat in Ruby Tuesdays (an American chain like Chili’s). After covering my deadline, we planned to soak in the sites for the next day and headed off to the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis, climbing every step in my gold, open-toed sandals. You see, I followed the weather report on CNN but apparently the forecast was wrong because it was still winter. So I bravely went about in a lightweight sweater and a throw, climbing the Acropolis and driving to the edge of the Aegean sea by the Temple of Poseidon.
After a whole day of sight seeing I decided I have had enough of the historical sites. I adamantly wanted to go to Santorini to see the Caldero houses but due to time constraints, we were unable to go. I guess God was watching out for us because the ferry we were supposed to take sank in the middle of the Aegean Sea. I could already see myself screaming “SAVE MY ACCESSORIES!!!!” And swimming with head above water so I don’t mess up my makeup… See, I told you I hate the beach! For the rest of the stay we ended up going around the shopping district in Monasteriki and the garment district in Ermou. Old habits indeed never die!
On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while Jo Malone evaporated into thin air. However, for the first time in my natural life I was elated to go back to the Philippines so I could go back to Discovery Shores in Boracay and sip a tropical drink under the fabulous hat I bought in Greece. There I was sending MMS pictures to my buddy Ron trying to entice him to come over, but I didn’t succeed. Instead, I got two other friends join me in sipping cocktails with a fabulous sunset and ocean view while planting my feet firmly on the bug-free cement flooring by the poolside of Discovery Shores.
All in all, it’s been a pretty good summer. Jetting from the Aegean Sea to the Pacific may sound a bit pretentious until you wake up in economy class smelling like air freshener.
(Editor note: After netizens threw up their arms in protests with some of what she wrote in her articles about OFWs, the write wrote this reply) (I inserted my comments)
As I type this, I’d like you to know that it’s not about whining, complaining and bitching but just stating the facts. (neknek mo!) Just recently, I wrote a funny article in my magazine column and my friends thought it was hilarious. (you have friends? i find that hard to believe)It was humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, or at least I thought so, until the magazine got a few e-mails from people who didn’t get the meaning of my acerbic wit. (what wit?) The bottom line was just that I had offended the reader’s socioeconomic background. (no kidding?) If any of these people actually read anything thicker then a magazine they would find it very funny. (oh you’re getting on my nerves – I have read the SCRA which stands for Supreme Courts Reports Annotated, and I am 100% sure that there are OFWs who are more educated than you are) Most people don’t get the fact that they need bitches like me to shake up their world, (actually the world would be a better place without you)otherwise their lives would be boring and mediocre. I obviously write for the a certain target audience and if what I write offends you, just stop reading. (no, why dont you just stop living)
Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. (really? you are right, and you are the leader of the wannabes) One group will never get the culture of the other. Although I could mention that it is easier to understand someone who has a lower socioeconomic background that would entail a whole other page and frankly I don’t want to be someone to bridge the gap between socioeconomic classes. (and ofcourse you cant) I leave that to the politicians in my family who believe they can actually help. Now I seriously ask you, am I being a diva or are people around me just lacking in common sense? (no, you’re being your true stupid self, and common sense as they say is not so common) Perhaps it’s a little of both!
I was just as Starbucks the other day and was wondering what did I know about where I had coffee. I did a little researching since Starbucks has after all, now ingrained itself in society as McDonalds has.
Here are some information about Starbucks that you might not know.
- Founder Howard Shultz started Starbucks after a short visit to Italy 20 years ago. The first cafe was in a market in Seattle, North America.
-
Starbucks is listed in US money magazine Forbes’ top 500 companies and its shares doubled in value last year. They currently stand at about USD 40 each
-
This year, Starbucks opens on average three new restaurants each day somewhere in the world
-
They invented terms like short = small, small = tall, medium = grande, large = venti
-
A typical customer stops by 18 times a month
-
Starbucks was among the first companies to offer health benefits and stock options for part-time employees
-
There are more than 100x the amount of people working at Starbucks than that live in the Vatican
Starbucks wants to be that third place – a gathering place – away from home and work. The idea is for people to stop by Starbucks on the way to work, to get together for study groups, to go on first dates etc. The brand spells trust in the way they treat their people and their customers. With a low marketing spend, they are able to attract people via word of mouth from satisfied customers.
Do you have anything more to add? Please feel free to comment, in fact, I would love your comments and additional information.
Which do you prefer? Tea or Coffee?
I personally prefer coffee over tea.
But what gives us the most health benefits?
A Cup of Hot Tea = A Cup of Good Health Tea Consumption Linked to Numerous Body Benefits
A hot cup of tea may do more than relax you.
Research shows tea consumption may help prevent a wide range of ailments.
The latest medical research is finding potential healing powers in this ancient beverage. Recent research, for instance, suggests drinking tea may help prevent everything from cavities to Parkinson’s disease. And some studies indicate it may even save lives.
The benefits of tea consumption may extend throughout the body, experts believe. Here is a partial list of conditions some research has shown may be prevented or improved by drinking tea: Arthritis, Bone Density, Cancer, Flu, and Heart Disease.
However if you want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities? Well then – Magkape!
If it sounds too good to be true, think again.
Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better. Can this be true?
Though the scientists give the customary “more research is needed” before they recommend you do overtime at Starbuck’s to specifically prevent diabetes, their findings are very similar to those in a less-publicized Dutch study. And perhaps more importantly, it’s the latest of hundreds of studies suggesting that coffee may be something of a health food — especially in higher amounts. Kabado ka naman palagi nyahahahaha.
Consider this: At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Coffee even offsets some of the damage caused by other vices, some research indicates. “People who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don’t. There’s also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities.
The evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease and for that, it’s directly related to caffeine. Caffeine is also what helps in treating asthma and headaches. Though not widely publicized, a single dose of pain reliever such as Anacin or Excedrin contains up to 120 milligrams — what’s in a hefty mug of my favorite drink.
So what’ll you have?
Tea? Coffee?
or me? (pa-cute lang)
COMMENTS