Most of us are now aware of the damage which our modern way of life is doing to the environment. This includes the harm which we’re inflicting on many animals. Indeed, we’re in danger of wiping out some species, if we’ve not already done so.
For millions of years, extinction among animals was a natural process. In fact, it was part of the process of evolution. In recent years, however, the extinction of some species has been the result of human activities. Had it not been for these, many more animals would have survived.
Some species have either been made extinct, or become endangered, because of hunting. Now, even the very earliest of humans were hunters, since they ate the flesh of animals and clothed themselves in their skins, and doubtless their hunting gradually contributed to the guns, with their accurate aim, which put certain animals at great risk, and from the 19th century on several species were on the brink of extinction.
By this time, animals were being for commercial purposes, apart from the provision of food and clothing. For example, elephants were being hunted for their ivory. Nowadays, attempts are being made to regulate such wholesale commercial hunting, but it’s difficult to control in some areas. Thus, animals continue to die to make profits for humans. Of course, not only commerce is to blame. Hunting as a sport has also played a part in the extinction of certain species.
A more modern threat too many animals is the destruction of their environment and the resultant changes in the ecology of whole areas. Our use of pesticides and other chemicals has polluted both soil and water, and this pollution has proved to be toxic to many of the plants which are part of the habitat of many animals. Furthermore, we regularly lay waste to land previously inhabited by animals, in order to make way for expanding populations or, as in the case of deforestation, to provide goods for wealthy nations.
Modern living has had a deleterious effect on the ecosystem. We must try to reverse this to save our wildlife.
Labels: brainy, endangered, project, species
Have university standards declined because of massive growth? We’ve now scores of universities and colleges, both public and private. To put it simply, if one throws a stone, chances are he’ll hit an institute of higher learning. Now we’ve whole universities dedicated to multimedia, information technology or even infrastructure. In the past, doctoral graduates were few and far between but now many graduates of differing diplomas and degrees are being churned out.
Another issue of concern is the power of the thinking individual. Are universities, centre of not only learning but thinking as well? Successful people often attribute success to material gains. Students take on a pragmatic role when they sign up for courses that will ensure them lucrative jobs. The general malaise is that we’re faced with students who no longer think for themselves. It’s not that they can’t think but because they refuse to do so.
This could be due to our Asian culture where students are happily digesting information and regurgitating it for examination purposes. Certainly, with the advent of the power point, the dishing out of lecture notes becomes more prevalent and students become expert scribes. The lecturer who is interacts with students and encourages them to think for they are seen as the ineffective lecturer. Students are so used to hearing what is common and acceptable that’s not surprising that they shy away from thought provoking seminars.
An overemphasis on the importance of logic spells the gradual death of creativity. A borderless world should reflect a place where the mind is not imprisoned. What then does the layman think of the intellectual? Is he the chemist in his ivory tower who occasionally spews out strange academic concoctions? Or is he just hibernating in his intellectual cocoon and waiting for metamorphosis to take place?
Many intellectuals can write but they’re not writing. How can these intellectuals write in such a way that what is written is easily understood by the public? There’s a need to translate our storehouse of knowledge into common terms devoid of the jargon of specialization. ‘The difference between a musician who plays in a pub and Elvis Presley is that the latter had left a mark in our lives.’ Higher institutions of learning need to be both inventive and scholastic in dealing with challenges of today.
Labels: brainy, present, project, quality, university
A residential college gives rise to the idea of excellence, discipline and security. Of late, there’ve been frequent incidents of bullying which occurred on college grounds. When these perpetrators were caught, they were usually given a warning by the principal.
Many parents felt that the punishment was too light. Besides that, it came as a shock that these bullies came from educated and well-established homes, contrary to the popular belief that bullies originated from dysfunctional families. Another sore point was that it was an ‘in-house’ matter and so the police were not called. All these seemed to propagate the idea that if bullying had taken place, minor punishment would be meted out and for the sake of the good name of the college, everything was kept under wraps.
Why do bullies take the law into their own hands? Some feel that the act of aggression often begins because students tend to clique according to the state that they come from. They’re not mix freely with students from other states.
Next, the catalyst is usually an attitude problem. In one incident, a student boasted of his family’s wealth. Someone got offended and it was a one-to-one confrontation. When the situation got worse more ‘allies’ were called in. by then, interrogation would take place whereby the victim would be subjected to intense questioning and verbal abuse.
It’s inevitable that the next course of action would be physical abuse. The time chosen would be the unearthly hour of 2 or 3 a.m. when all the wardens and guardians are asleep. The victim would receive a knock on his door. If he chooses to open it, he’d be asked to go someplace to meet someone. The plea of leniency would fall on deaf ears and the horror will begin.
Labels: brainy, bullies, project, reign
Is there one food that can guarantee food grades? Studies show that youngsters, who eat a variety of food pay attention in school, are less fidgety and learn better. If they eat well on test days, they make fewer mistakes. According to a 2003 BBC news report, demand for fish, vegetables and ‘brain foods’ rose sharply during the exam period.
A major supermarket in the United Kingdom found that sales of fish like cod, plaice and mackerel were up during the exam period in towns with institutions of higher learning. Fish contains dimethlyamino-ethanol, which is thought to improve the memory. Other types of foods selling strongly included avocados, bananas and melons. Not surprising, the increase in the sale of fish is largest in university towns like Cambridge, Oxford, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Durham.
The question is; do we need special formulas or exclusive food to improve brain power? A balanced diet and sufficient sleep is crucial for memory power. Students should be discouraged from last minute mugging. Some may resort to numerous cups of coffee, but again this doesn’t work for everyone. Others take supplements which act as an umbrella for perceived nutrient deficiency. This shouldn’t be so, unless you know for sure that you’re deficient in certain nutrients.
We live in a fast paced and increasingly complex world that requires mental sharpness and the ability to stay focused. Stress, anxiety, fatigue, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, the aging process and less than ideal nutrition all play a part with the deterioration of mental functioning.
Consuming fresh nutritious food is a better and safer option. Foods that are high in fat and sugar content should be avoided. Such foods give only empty calories. A well-balanced diet provides the building blocks for brain health and growth. Foods that are especially good for the brain are fruits and vegetables which provide antioxidants to help maintain balance, coordination and memory function. Proteins maintain nerve cell structure and calcium is not just important for bone structure, but is also needed for nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction. Besides that, soy products provide choline, a nutrient that builds neurotransmitters that pass electrical impulses between brain cells. Examples of good sources of choline are egg yolks, peanuts and liver. As water makes up 85% of the brain weight, a lack of water leads to dehydration, making it hard to concentrate among other bad effects.
Basically, the ratio of macronutrients and micronutrients needs to be adequate. If there’re insufficient nutrients, this may impair a person’s cognitive performance. It’s most importance not to skip meals. This idea of skipping a meal and making up for it later doesn’t work.
(Adapted from The New Sunday Times, 25 September 2005)
Labels: brain, brainy, food, project
Television and the media are regularly blamed for what is thought to be wrong with modern society. So it comes as no surprise that they’re held responsible for today’s apparent obsession with celebrities.
The strange thing about many of those who’re considered to be famous these days is that there’s little reason or basis for their fame. Some of them may be film stars, football players or popstars. Others, though, seem to achieve fame on the grounds, for example, that they’re a friend of someone famous, that they wear rather strange, flamboyant clothes or that they behave exceptionally badly in public. Indeed it’s notoriety rather than fame that some so-called celebrities achieve.
Of course, other generations have had their icons, but in the past fame seemed to be based more on talent and was longer lasting. The fame of today’s celebrities is often very ephemeral indeed and they’re not remaining famous for long. They’re in the headlines for a few weeks, and then fade from the scene. Compare this with the fame of some of the Hollywood greats, such as James Dean or Michael Jackson. Many of them remain legends long after their deaths.
The celebrities of today will do anything to go on appearing in the tabloids. Image is all-important to them and they just love publicity. Often they claim that they object to the paparazzi taking photographs, but they simply can’t live without the attentions of the media.
Once they’re in the public eye, they’re desperate to stay there, it seems. The worst thing that can happen to them is that attention is paid to someone else. Anything they do is subject to hype, image-makers being employed to ensure that their entire lives are conducted in a blaze of publicity.
They seek wealth as well as fame, although most of this is spent on their extravagant lifestyles. If all else fails, they give sensational interviews about being cured of alcohol addiction, drug addiction or eating disorders. It’s sad but many of modern heroes are not very heroic.
Labels: brainy, celebrities, project, today