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Showing posts from April, 2018

The First College Graduate

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The first person who graduated from a college in America was Benjamin Woodbridge of Newbury, at Harvard University in 1652. He was born in England but came to America in 1634 with his brother. He began his schooling at Oxford in England but chose to complete his education in New England. Mr. Woodbridge went on to become a preacher and a poet. Now 366 years later, one wonders if it's any easier now than back then, to find a unique and fitting graduation gift? These days there are so many fascinating fields one can go into and degrees one can earn. A short list might include surgeons, doctors, engineers, physicists, astronomers, dentists, chiropractors and so many more. The more unusual degrees offered these days include bagpiping, bakery science, auctioneering, nautical archeology, chemical hygiene, puppetry, surfing, farrier science, the art of horseshoeing, and fermentation science for those interested in a career in wine or beer. Whether your loved one chose a typical

Book a Vacation on the Moon

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Bored with traveling to the beach, the mountains or even a big resort? Why not book a trip to outer space? Experts say we may soon be able to enjoy a champagne lunch in orbit, spend a week lounging on the Moon or take an adventurous voyage to Mars. Space travel is no longer the exclusive realm of big governments. In fact, companies, such as major airlines, are making strides toward space tourism.   Gift Ideas: Space Tourism Shower Curtains, Coffee Mugs Aside from fun and adventure, regular space travel can have many benefits for an ever more crowded planet with fewer natural resources. Once us humans get the hang of frequent space flight, we can colonize and gather much-needed resources such as gold, silver, tungsten, nickel, aluminum and even clean water from asteroids. And unlike mining on earth, we would not be harming wildlife or rainforests. Some forward-thinking scientists have even proposed traveling to Mars and beyond aboard an asteroid colony.  We could build an en

The Heartbreak of Psoriatic Arthritis, Seriously

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"The Heartbreak of Psoriasis" has long been a punchline in the media, used in a quirky 1960's TV commercial, an avant-garde play, and even a hit song. But, having psoriasis, and especially psoriatic arthritis is serious. Psoriasis is a non-contagious condition related to immune system function and often runs in families. There is no cure, and the itching, cracked, bleeding skin and embarrassing silvery thick scales brings anguish to those who are afflicted. It can range from the occasional small patch with years of remission to a lifelong full-body debilitating condition. View Medical Images of Psoriatic Arthritis Patients with psoriasis are more likely to have other health issues as well. These include an increased prevalence and risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Also, a common ophthalmic disease in these patients is uveitis. Ointments and creams are a helpful treatment for those with mild to moderate psoriasis,

Hanami and Sakura Matsuri

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From ancient Japan to hipster Brooklyn, Hanami has captivated the minds of artists, poets and naturalists for generations. Hanami or the Japanese tradition of flower viewing began in 9th century Japan when Emperor Saga began hosting cherry blossom festivals, attended by artists and poets of the court. Hanami became a metaphor for life – vibrant, beautiful, and ultimately fleeting. The Shinto tradition held that Kami or spirits resided in the cherry trees, until the flowers bloomed and dispersed, heralding the beginning of spring. During the Edo period, Hanami spread beyond the court and became a nationwide event. Today Hanami is enjoyed throughout the world, notably at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, where the festival, Sakura Matsuri is hosted yearly in March and May. Cherry Blossom Notebooks Cherry Blossom Tote Bags

The Unbreakable Bond Between People & Bees

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A Researcher examines a honey bee. Over thousands of years, bees and humans have forged an unbreakable bond. We find bees and humans on Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, medieval manuscripts, traveling on the Space Shuttle and more recently trained to sniff out explosives.  Nearly one-third of our food is pollinated by bees. Without pollination, we would no longer enjoy the bounty of apples, cherries, cucumbers and most other fruits and vegetables.   Bees also make honey and people can use honey to heal wounds. Even the ancient Egyptians knew that honey could help heal cuts and burns, without understanding its antibiotic properties. Today manuka honey is used in hospitals and doctors offices to treat severe burns. And doctors are still discovering new uses, such as fighting peptic ulcers. Unfortunately, bees face many challenges today; from Colony Collapse Disorder, pesticides, mites, and even climate change. Many people are fighting to keep bees alive by preserving their

A Tragic Family of Diseases - Neurodegenerative Disease

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There is a family of diseases with two things in common – they involve the  death of nerve cells over time and they have no known cure. They are called  neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and Huntington's  are a few of the more universally known ones.  What they have in common is the progressive loss of structure, function or   death of nerve cells - called neurons.  Neurons are the building blocks of  your brain and spinal cord. The body cannot replace or reproduce them,   so once they are damaged, they are lost. Drugs and treatments are available to provide palliative care. Some may slow the  progression or relieve or minimize symptoms such as shaking or pain. As these  diseases progress, often over the course of years, they become debilitating and  lead to the eventual end of someone's life. Sadly, at this time there is no known cure for any of the diseases in this family. The on