Monday, February 28, 2011

Marathon Tweeter

For all the wacky tweeters you have heard of tweeting while during the halftime of an NBA game of in the football locker room, I personally have never heard of someone tweeting a live broadcast in the middle of a sporting event.

Joseph Tame beats them all with his live broadcast and tweets from 4 consecutive IPhones during the 2011 Tokyo Marathon. He states he wants to take live sports cover to a new level. "I want to see if I can take it over the top to a new level" says Tame. As grueling as it was, he says it was worth changing how people view sports.

With friends controlling and updating his feed, Tame gets comments and encouragement from followers all around the world. Within his broadcasts, Tame describes runners breaking down and how they are handling the grueling race.

Tame built a contraption all by himself as he is described by his friends as a "bonified techy". He wants to bring each mans road race to an every mans road race.

In my opinion, he was very creative in his idea and mechanics, but in no way will it catch on to others sports. He meant well in all his innovation and for that I give him his props.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2011/02/27/lah.marathon.man.cnn?iref=allsearch

Friday, February 25, 2011

Forestry commission spends thousands on gas during red flag alert

South Carolina forest commission wrote 107 tickets for outdoor burning violations during the red flag fire alert from february 18 to 22

the forestry commissoin spent $25111.40 on gasoline. spokespersons released a statement "this may not include avgiation fuel, but it should be very close,

in all, forestry firefighters fought 303 wildfires in which 2o structures burned and accumulated over 450,000 in damages. Dry windy conditions prompted the forest commission to issue the alert. it reminds you tot call thyem before you burn. its against the law.

subjects caught can be fined up to 10 years in jail and or all of the expences derrived from the fires.
http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=58585

Deaths of baby dolphins worry scientists

This article that i found was posted on CCN's website. The main concern that was discussed in this article was surrounding the "Deepwater Horizon rig explosion last April, which killed 11 workers and caused the worst oil spill in U.S. history, there has been heightened concern over the environmental impact."

Scientists have found several dolphin carcasses stranded on beach shores. Some scientists are pointing to toxic algal blooms that occur during the spring/summer months where the coastal waters become warmer, but the majority if the science communities are pointing to this disaster... what do you think? killer algae or oil residue?

Being Bilingual Beneficial?

In this article it discusses the possible benefits of being bilingual. There are several studies comparing monolinguals and bilinguals. Being bilingual can make people better at multitasking because the brain is still processing both languages while speaking one of them because it helps the bilinguals ignore irrelevant information and focus on what they need to get out.

Along with multitasking, it's also been studied that as people's bodies begin to naturally decline with old age, bilinguals tend to maintain better cognitive function. It's even noticeable in people with Alzheimers. Even though the brain has damage to the tissues, bilinguals are still able to function.

Learning a second language is easier as a child than when one is an adult is not only because of the brain. A child has all the time in the world to focus on learning two languages because that's all they are doing when they are little, but adults have other activities and educational worries the older they get. Is it worth having your child learn a second language when they are little?

The studies say there are no costs to learning a second language. I would highly consider it for anyone with children.

US Considers Improving Patent Office

This story from the New York Times talks about how the US gov't is considering re-evaluating the patent office, and possible changes that might be put in place. The patent office has remained largely unchanged since it was established, and still had the majority of its patent applications in physical form until three years ago. Patents sent in can stay filed for months or years before being processed, long after the original opportunity had vanished. The number of patent applications is constantly growing, from 950 a day in 1997 to more than 2000 a day this year. Despite this staggering growth, the number of examiners has only increased by 25% over the last few years, and the backlog of patents is constantly growing. Although the office makes a lot of money from application fees, congress continues to divert its profit to other projects, rather than allowing it to use the money to improve or hire more people.

I definitely think a change in the way patents are handled is needed, especially with things like software patents. The patent office was originally set up to help inventors have some control over their inventions. Today, it's mostly used by large companies to protect their profits. Because of the way patents work, many companies find it easier to patent a large amount of software, and then make money by suing companies that try to use similar software, or through licensing fees. Despite never actually creating the product, the companies have the rights to it awarded to them by the patent office, and can profit off patents without actually making anything. Although change would be a good thing, the article mostly talks about improvements in the efficiency of the office. The continuing growth of technology is making the old patent office more and more obsolete, and I think a complete overhaul would be a more appropriate solution

Major Triggers of Heart Attack: Alcohol, Coffee- and Sitting in Traffic

Heart attacks are up there as one of the most scary and common causes of death in the U.S. right now. There are several reasons for why they are so common, chief among them being the eating and daily habits of Americans. However, over the years studies have shown that aside from our personal factors, environmental factors can have just as big of, if not a larger impact on our risk of having a heart attack.

The major contributors? Stress and air pollution. In this article from Time.com, it is noted that studies occured in both Belgium and Switzerland, which attributed these, along with other factors, for increases in the rate of heart attacks in a population.

And where are stress and air pollution most frequent? In traffic, the highway in particular, where there are not air pollution limits like there are in cities. It is thought that the constant exposure to these elements in the daily person's life could lead to serious risks down the road.

While I do not doubt that both of these influence our health, I find it hard to understand how the researchers got their results. To truly get a number indicating the risk of heart attack based on the lives of the inhabitants of a certain country, you would have to isolate them completely, leaving them with nothing to do to influence the experiment except for when they drive. And such a study could take years if someone were crazy enough to try it.

Plus, these studies occured in Switzerland and Belgium. These aren't exactly the highest population centers of the world. So what does it mean for America? Are these numbers reliable? I would say they aren't. Once again, I completely agree that these factors affect our health and risk of a heart attack. I just think that the study is a bit ridiculous.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Three Adopted Children Suffered Horrific Abuse

Three adopted children were found to be living in "inhumane conditions" and potentially may never fully recover. John Kluth and Sonja Kluth have been the legal guardians of three malnourished juveniles; a 9 year old girl and two boys, 11 and 15 year old boys. The three children are originally from Wisconsin where they were foster children. The Kluth's have been receiving $1,500 a month per child from the state of Wisconsin for being their guardians'.

The Kluth's have been accused of burning the children with hot spoons, choking them and locking them "in the storm shelter behind the residence for long periods of time with only chairs and plastic buckets for bathroom use. It is alleged that the Kluth's deprived the children of meals for punishment and fed them cat food and dog food". The older boy said all three had their tongues burned with a hot spoon for lying.

The couple, who surrendered Tuesday, were released on bond for $9,000 each.

There are a lot of questions that may never be answered about this case but it is important to gather as much information as possible. How is this just now being discovered if the severity of abuse is so traumatic? Has child support been doing there job? Who is to blame? These are our tax dollars paying for the "neglect" of the adopted children for so many years. We need more domestic care organizations available to support anyone in need. This is why Saving Grace is a great non-profit organization that offers support to anyone experiencing domestic violence.

FAA Reports Traffic Error Increase

This article is in response to the newly reported air-traffic errors by the FAA, which have risen at an exponential pace since 2007. According to the released data by the FAA, air traffic errors that allow planes to get too close together jumped 81% and errors that most likely cause a collision or an accident had a 26% increase. The FAA says that the higher number of reported errors involving airliners don’t pose a sudden increase in risk to fliers and insist that the numbers are a result of several years of effort to improve reporting.

For years the FAA has been accused of covering up errors. Three years ago, for example, an FAA investigation prompted by whistleblowers found that reports were routinely falsified at a Dallas facility. In response, the agency created a new “no-fault” system to report errors. The FAA continues to say that the growing number of errors reported are a sign its taking safety more seriously.

I thought that this article was pretty interesting, especially for anyone who flies. I fly every once in awhile and usually don’t even think about the plane colliding with another, let alone the percentage of it happening. This article made me wonder why the error rates are increasing so much and what is causing it?

Ninth Annual Radiothon raises More than $428,000 for Doernbecher

This article was interesting to me because it shows that when people in the community come together for a good cause other people will follow. In this article Doernbecher Children's Hospital air's live on the radio; broadcasting many interviews of patients and their unique stories. This gives the listener's a chance to hear the good that Doernbecher is doing and encourages them to call in and make a donation. Burger King donated $52,000 that day.

I think that this idea is a good way to get stories out there; not many people look for the news updates, but being able to listen to a heart harming story from a young child who's life has been changed by an organization while you are driving to work is a good way to make you want to help out and make a difference. It makes you ask yourself what are you doing to make a difference.

Do you think the donation from burger king was a spontaneous one like so many of those who call in during this event, or do you think that they had been planning to make a contribution to this event prior to it being held? And also, does hearing that a company has given so much to an organization make you feel more comfortable to be their customer and make you want to hel support them by giving them business?

Decrease Your Chances of Getting Brain Cancer

In this article, researchers recently discovered that drinking coffee or tea daily could reduce your chance of getting brain cancer by up to 34 percent. These two drinks are the world's most popular beverages and now may do more than just give you a boost of energy. You may only need to drink as little as half a cup a day to see these effects.

The idea that coffee or tea may reduce the risk of brain cancer builds on previous research that indicates these drinks may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

The form of cancer these beverages may provide protection against is glioma, a cancer of the central nervous system that originates in the brain or spinal cord. The protective affects of these drinks tends to be stronger in men.

I found this article interesting because I did not know about the possible protective affects of coffee and tea. The idea that these beverages could also protect against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's grabbed my attention. I think it's interesting that the components of everyday drinks could be a preventative drug to major diseases.

Is it possible that other foods or drinks we consume could protect us against other cancers or disease?

KidSpirit - Give What You Can

In the article, it briefly describes the organization KidSpirit. KidSpirit gives children a place to socialize, interact, work on academic work, and work one-on-one with mentors. Students are welcome to volunteer and participate in activities to help children year long whether it may be in summer camp or afternoons in classrooms.

It started out with one student working at KidSpirit, who decided to donate a portion of her paycheck back to KidSpirit so it could go towards the organization and help provide the club with supplies they need for children. Suddenly, 40% of the staff signed up to donate a part of paychecks to the children of KidSpirit. As each student donates money, whether it is $10 or $5, everything is used for the benefit of the children and allow them to do more activities.

I found this article interesting because many college students are already in need of money and try their best to save, yet many people still donate as much as they can to others in need.

Would you donate money to the organization even if it meant taking out $5 from your paycheck?

Dentists and Hygienists Lending a Helping Hand

In Toronto, Dentists and Hygienists are volunteering at a new clinic that offers free dental care. The free health care is for everyone under the age of 25 years old. This article caught my eye because the Dental Foundation of Oregon, my newsletter organization, also specializes in health care specifically for children.

The dental clinic annually treats over 12,000 individuals with anything from gum disease to broken teeth from violence on the street. With the help of fundraisers and donations the dental clinic has brought in over $80,000 for new equipment. They hope to raise at least $200,000 a year to hire a part-time dentist. So far 20 dentists and 30 hygienists have volunteered at the clinic.

Do you think it is necessary for a free dental clinic to raise $200,000 a year alone just to pay a part-time dentist or should they spend that money on new equipment and continue to rely on volunteer work? Honestly, I do not know which way would benefit the children most.

Portland Wind Power Company Takes Project in North Carolina

Portland, OR based company, Iberdrola Renewables, may be installing North Carolina's first commercial wind farm to the counties of Pasquotank and Perquimans. If the project is approved the farm will occupy nearly 20,000 acres and could provide power to 55,000 to 70,000 North Carolina residents. If this contract goes through, the project will begin by the end of 2011 and will create over 400 jobs.

Wind turbines are useful because they convert kinetic energy into power that can be used for tasks that require electricity. Although the project is very expensive, very little agricultural areas will be effected, nor will the industry of North Carolina. The estimated cost is $600 million

According to the Department of Energy's May 2008 report, the U.s is capable of producing more than 20 percent of the the nations electricity from wind power without any major technical innovation. During President Obama's State of the Union Address, he guaranteed that 80 percent of the U.S. electricity would come from "clean energy sources" by 2035.

Wind power sounds like a very effective way to recycle energy, and create more jobs in the process. I really do believe that this is the wave of the future. When I worked for a sub-contractor for Portland General Electric, there was a lot of talk about wind farms, being built, and wind turbine technician employment. Is there any problems with wind power, besides the expense of constructing the farms? Why did we not think of this earlier? The way technology has changed within the past 20 years, it seems like wind power would have developed long before now.

Traffic Accidents Causd by Texting and Driving

The amount of traffic accidents in the United States has sky rocketed and has been a huge effect in our country. According to the National Safety Council they estimated at least “28% of all traffic crashes, or at least 1.6 million crashes each year are caused by drivers using cell phones and texting. NSC estimates that 1.4 million crashes each year are caused by drivers using cell phones and a minimum of 200,000 additional crashes each year are caused by drivers who are texting.” (Web NSC). This is a true fact that many Americans do not pay attention to and don’t realize how many lives have been ruined by cell phones.
Froetscher said. "There was great progress made in 2009, particularly regarding a broad recognition that texting is dangerous. We now need the same broad consensus that recognizes cell phone use while driving causes even more crashes.” (Web, Froetsher). Froetsher is stating that cell phones do cause accidents and progress has been made where people have realized the hazard of this issue. When people are driving, their cell phone should be placed in their glove box where no distractions will be made and if they do receive a call or text they do not have the temptation of grabbing the phone by looking down to see who has called or texted. A study shows by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “distracted deaths as a share of all road fatalities increased from 10.9 percent to 15.8 percent from 1999 to 2008, and much of the increase occurred after 2005”(Web NHTSA). If people follow this law, people will concentrate on their driving rather than staring at the phone or being in a deep conservation.
Do you think the amount of traffic accidents will increase if people are still using their phones while driving?

Cellphone Use Tied to Changes in Brain Activity

The idea of cell phones causing brain cancer seemed to be dismissed long ago, but a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association brings this issue back to the table. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health found that less than an hour of cell phone use can speed up brain activity in the area closest to the phone antenna. However, it’s not known if these changes in brain activity have any detrimental effect on an individual’s health. All research has proved is that weak radio frequency signals from cell phones have the potential to alter brain activity.

One of the Doctors involved in the study stated this:

“The study is important because it documents that the human brain is sensitive to the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by cellphones. It also highlights the importance of doing studies to address the question of whether there are — or are not — long-lasting consequences of repeated stimulation, of getting exposed over five, 10 or 15 years.”

In the past, various researcher have found slight evidence that heavy cell phone use can, in some cases, lead to rare forms of brain cancer. While the current research doesn’t support or refute these findings, it does point out that cell phones are having some effect on brain activity, which in itself is a little bit scary.

What worries me is the fact that cell phones haven’t been around long enough to see any long-term effects of their use. Millions of Americans spent hours on cell phones everyday, which according to the study would affect their brain activity.

I am curious to know, on average, how long each of you spends on your cell phone everyday?

This interesting article can be found here.

Sidewalk Rage: Mental Illness or Altruistic Punishment

Ever find yourself shouting in your car at the person driving in front of you? Ever honk at them? Many people are familiar with road rage and some of us even have road rage. Something that caught my eye about this article was the title. Sidewalk rage. I figured people to be rude when walking behind a slow person who won't move but I never thought it would really become a big problem. This is especially true in New York City where their bodies are their cars. New Yorkers are descending into sidewalk rage. Sidewalk rage come from people who exhibit irrational and obstructive walking behavior because the person in front of them wont move over. What would you call this? Is this a sign of mental illness or "could it perhaps reflect an evolutionary adaptation that may have enabled the development of cooperation?" (Time Magazine) Sidewalk rage may indicate an illness but of course the idea raises a more interesting question as to why normal people feel the same intense emotion of sidewalk rage when they have to move around slow people.
Altruistic Punishment is what researches are calling this. AP is basically how the social norms get enforced. They give this example:

When you expel a huffy "Excuse me!" to the rude sidewalk clogger in front of you who has stopped midstride to check his Blackberry, you're trying to discourage behavior that endangers other members of the society. It's called "altruistic" punishment, because your efforts to protect civility come at personal cost with little chance of personal benefit: you are far more likely to get an obscene gesture or even a punch in the mouth than a thank you.

Scientists did a recent study that explored whether altruistic punishment was an act of deliberations and self control or is it an emotional impulse. They found a connection between impulsiveness and altruistic punishment suggesting that it is more a result from an emotional impulse rather than just because.

I thought that this was a great article to read and it was very interesting. I think that now-a-days this makes total sense that people act like this. It is annoying to hear people behind you huffing and puffing because your not running down the street to keep up with everyone else. At the same time, people need to be courteous and move over so others can get by. I have to admit that I have done this myself. I have gotten irritated with people driving slow or walking right in the middle making it impossible for others to get around you. I think that it goes to show that people are in too much of a hurry with life and are always on the move. Take some time to stop and smell the fresh air!


To read the full article go to:
http://healthland.time.com/2011/02/17/sidewalk-rage-mental-illness-or-altruistic-punishment/

Top Innovations in the Green Construction Movement

We have all noticed the increasing gas prices lately, but we don't really think about how that will affect the prices of other things. One of the big things that will also increase with oil prices are the energy prices. Because of the continuously increasing energy costs, these three green building innovations are to help save some of the estimated 108 billion dollars we currently spend on energy.

The first innovation is the HPS coating. This coating is made to go over windows and other glass exterior surfaces. Because lots of energy is transferred through glass, it is one of the main sources of heat loss or gain. This coating will hinder the transfer of energy therefore lowering heating and cooling costs drastically.

The next innovation is known as Modlet. Many appliances today consume energy even though they are not in use. This new outlet made by ThinkEco will help reduce vampire energy losses. They claim that you can save 10-20% on your monthly energy bill.

They last innovation has to do with the building operating systems. Lots of energy today is wasted through HVAC and lighting that is run at times when it is not needed. The product Desigo Building Automation made by Siemens is an operating system that can be used to optimize the HVAC and lighting energy use.

As energy costs continue rise I think that products like these need to be considered when constructing buildings. Not only is saving energy good for the customer it is also good for the environment.

Click here to read the article.


Man, Alive With Two Hearts

Fox News reported here on a San Diego man who received a rare heterotropic heart transplant. Tyson Smith was suffering from an enlarged heart and when his operation day for a heart transplant he was given the option for this rare procedure. Post operation, Smith had two beating hearts his new heart placed on the right side of his own heart with their atrium's attached so that blood flowed from his heart into the new heart and then to the body.


Smith is reportedly doing well after his procedure and claims to be gettng stronger every day. His options were a standard hear transplant which could have taken months or opt for the "piggy-back" procedure like he did. Though the procedure is not a new discovery it is a rare enough that unless done just right the body will reject the heart. Since the heart was accepted by his body and his prognosis is good, it is curious to think about the possibilities of this procedure to make heart transplants more effective and let the body gradually adapt to the new organ versus it being hit or miss.

Space Tourism Takes Off

Spaceport America, the first commercial spaceport, is near completion after five years of construction. Located in New Mexico, the spaceport will be a flight hub for Virgin Galactic. The company, under Virgin Group, plans to offer suborbital flights to the public. The spacecrafts hold up to six passengers and can fly up to almost 70 miles above the Earth, providing thousand mile views and five minutes of zero gravity.

No launch dates have been announced yet, but Virgin hopes to begin the first test flights later this year. Around 400 have reserved their spots into space once the test flights have finished. Virgin Group founder, Sir Richard Branson and his family will be the first to fly on the new spacecrafts into space.

While reading this, I noticed that this somehow relates to the first flights back in the early 1900s. When the first commercial airlines were introduced decades later, flying was considered as a luxury that only a few can afford. Now because of advanced technology in planes and airline expansions, flights have become more affordable to the public and can fly to places that would take countless hours to drive to in only a few hours. Will space travel become similar to this in the next few decades?

Start saving! Flight tickets start at $200,000 each with a minimum deposit of $20,000.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41719664/ns/travel-destination_travel/

Starts with Sheep

An article in The Oregonian this week shows how an act of kindness more than a decade ago can lead to a wonderful rescue for farm animals. After the Humane society received four sheep and had no place to put them the agency’s animal welfare director, Wayne Geiger did something that would change his life. He took the sheep home and began his Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary. He is only one of the few farm animal rescue operations in Oregon. As he states in the article, "It became obvious to me that there was really no place for abused and neglected farm animals.”

After the original sheep went home, Wayne started accepting goats, geese, chickens and ducks. Once he had about 40 different creatures running about on his three acre property he formed as a nonprofit group and moved to a larger 12 acre property in West Salem. Again this seem to not be enough room so a few years later he yet again moved to 54 acres outside of Scio where the farm remains today.

One of his final quotes in the article was, "One of the things that amazes me about these animals, even with the abuse some have been through, is how they can still trust," Geiger said. "They're easy to handle. They're easy to deal with. I don't believe I have a mean animal out here or an animal that I would consider dangerous." After rescuing abused racehorses for over 10 years I completely agree with his quote. It amazing how proper care and some love can change a rescue.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Better watch out for that third-hand smoke...

So everybody knows that smoking is bad for you. [If you didn't know that, consider this a friendly cry for help on your behalf]. That being said, Most people know that even second-hand smoke can cause death. What most people don't know is that there is a such thing as 'third-hand smoke' according to an article in The Daily Observer.

Third-hand smoke occurs when carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines undergo desorption from indoor surfaces. Once these nicotine byproducts interact with molecules in the atmosphere to produce severe cancer-causing agents. While the government can ban smoking in public places, it has no control over what is done within the home. Is there any possible way to minimize or eliminate the effects of second-hand smoke within the home?

Title: Smoking Kills [Editorial]
Publication: The Daily Observer
Date: September 30, 2010

Friday, February 18, 2011

BIM: A Possible Fix to Current Construction Inefficiencies

Since BIM has become more common it has become known as somewhat disruptive to the construction industry. This isn’t necessaritly the correct term as it is more of a good disruption. The inefficiency of the construction industry has been known for many years and actually increased recently. BIM is a good step toward fixing that but not necessarily the whole answer. BIM focuses on collaboration so even though BIM may not be the answer many new ideas will be created through this program.

BIM will help push the industry to become more efficient because now owners know that there are ways to be more efficient and will demand it. Through collaboration business models may be adjusted to create more efficient businesses. With these new businesses using the program many organizations will come out with compatible programs to integrate BIM with other construction requirements, such as codes. After construction, owners will be able to continue to utilize the models with the operation and management of the buildings.

Some of the current issues are the regarding legality. Though this program is great there will always be legal issues to deal with. The main issue is suspected to be with the transfer of the data. As of now many companies have attorneys working on ways to adjust contracts to avoid some risks.

BIM changes nearly all parts of construction so in order to make this transition smooth education and training will have to be implemented. Higher education facilities are being pushed to offer classes on top of the already over crowded curriculum.

The article I read was found in JBIM Spring 2008 pg 24-26


What would you do for water?

In the OSU barometer a few weeks again there was an article about a very important cause that engineering student have been fund-raising for. Think about not having water for even a day, think about having to travel just to get drinking water. There are still many countries that do not have water sources that are easily accessible by the people. OSU engineers without boarders have teamed up with the Water Project to water Project to our campus. According to the article The Water Project’s is a , “nonprofit organization helps groups bring clean water to desperate areas around the world. They are currently working in five different countries, helping to bring sanitary water to the over one billion people world-wide without this basic resource.” Their current project is taking place in Kenya and is still very far from being accomplished.

Once water is accessible to these people not only will health increase but there agriculture will improve. This goes with the old saying “give a man a fish, he will eat for a day but give a man a pole and he will for life.” If we can help these people to get the water they need then they have the basis for farming. If these countries can improve water quality and the agriculture systems the quality of health would only improve. Water is the root to life, without it nothing can live or happen. Next time you go to get a glass of water from your kitchen remember that many people are not as privileged but with OSU’s help and the help of organizations like The Water Project maybe someday everyone will have clean water.

Obesity Alone Raises Risk of Fatal Heart Attack

Recent findings suggest that obese individuals have a much higher chance of experiencing a fatal heart attach regardless of any preexisting cardiovascular condition. A study involving 6,000 men found that carrying around extra weight in the form of fat influences you chances for heart disease independent of any other heart related issues such as such, as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and arterial disease.

The author of the study, Jennifer Logue, said this about the findings:

"Obese, middle-aged men have a 60 percent increased risk of dying from a heart attack than non-obese middle-aged men, even after we cancel out any of the effects of cholesterol, blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. This means [that] obesity itself may be causing fatal heart attacks through a factor that we have not yet identified."

It’s long been know that obesity is linked to various heart related issues, these findings, however, suggest that carrying extra weight alone may be contributing factor. It is still unknown exactly what it is about the added fat that leads to heart disease, but researchers are hard at work trying to find out. It raises the question, what are people willing to do to lose weight and lessen their chance of cardiovascular disease?

The link to the article can be found here!

Disadvantages of Drinking Coffee

Coffee is Americas leading caffeine that people drink every day or even a couple times a day to keep them going but is this not good for our society? Drinking coffee can be very addictive and many people have to rely on it in order to function throughout the day. Coffee is like other drugs where you have to have it because you are addicted. The reason why you can get addicted is the effects of caffeine that causes a chemical addiction to the brain. Also, if you withdraw from drinking it you can result in withdraw symptoms meaning that the more a person costumes, the more the person experiences withdraws. Something that is even scarier is that coffee can have even more serous serve condition such as mental problems and depression.

Another reason is not enough sleep. People will drink it all throughout the day and will have one more cup at night and can’t go to bed because of all the caffeine that they still have. Also, coffee is stimulant and it contains chemicals that will keep you awake longer hours. Not only it will take away your hours to sleep but it can disrupt the quality of sleep. No matter what, if you drink coffee it will disturb your sleeping matter even if you think it doesn’t.

The most important one I think that is important is that it causes is anxiety and stress. I know that when I drink coffee I get butterflies in my stomach as I get this nervous feeling in my stomach. What it does is it decreases your blood flow which decreasing the amount of oxygen. It can also cause worse mental performance and poor memory. Also, high blood pressure can increase from the stress a person is dealing with. Coffee is a big product in our country and I love it and drink it at least a couple times a week but I know I have to be cautious of these disadvantages. I think if you don’t drink it every day you won’t have to deal with not getting enough sleep and being stressed. The question I have is, what is the percentage of people that drink coffee at least 3 times a week?

http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Disadvantages-of-Drinking-Coffee&id=4916304