Roger Ebert's "J. Edgar" Movie Review

From Roger Ebert:

J. Edgar Hoover was the head of the Bureau of Investigation from 1924 until he died in 1972; he added the word "Federal" to its title in 1935. Under the administrations of Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, he was, many believed, the second most powerful man in government. Now he has been dead for 39 years, and what most people probably think they know about him is that he liked to dress up like a woman. This snippet of gossip, which has never been verified, is joined by the details that he never married, lived with his mother until she died, and had a close, lifelong friendship with Clyde Tolson, the tall and handsome bachelor who inherited his estate.

It is therefore flatly stated that Hoover was gay, which would have been ironic since he gathered secret files on the sex lives of everyone prominent in public life and used that leverage to hold onto his job for 47 years and increase the FBI's power during every one of them. He was outspoken against homosexuality, and refused to allow gays (or many blacks, or any women) to become FBI agents. He was sure enough of his power that he sometimes held hands with Tolson in restaurants and shared rooms with him on vacations. There wasn't a president who could touch him.

Given these matters, and the additional fact that the screenplay for Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar" was written by Dustin Lance Black, who wrote "Milk," you would assume the film was the portrait of a gay man. It is not. That makes it more fascinating. It is the portrait of the public image that J. Edgar Hoover maintained all his life, even in private. The chilling possibility is that with Hoover, what you saw was what you got. He was an unbending moralist who surrounded himself with FBI straight arrows. Those assigned closest to him tended to be good looking. Agents wore suits and ties at all times. He inspected their shoeshines. He liked to look but not touch.

In such famous cases as the capture of John Dillinger and the manhunt for the kidnapper of the Lindbergh baby, Hoover's publicity machine depicted him as acting virtually alone. He was not present when Dillinger was shot down outside the Biograph theater, but America got the impression that he was, and he never forgave the star agent, Melvin Purvis, for actually cornering the Most Wanted poster boy. Doubt persisted that Bruno Hauptmann was guilty in the Lindbergh case — but not in Hoover's mind. The fight against domestic communism in the years after World War II provided an ideal occasion for him to fan the Red Scare and work with the unsavory Joe McCarthy. Two of the reasons Hoover hated beatniks and hippies were their haircuts and shoeshines.

This man was closed down, his face a slab of petulance. He was so uncharismatic that it's possible to miss the brilliance of Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in "J. Edgar." It is a fully realized, subtle, persuasive performance, not least in his scenes with Armie Hammer as Tolson. In my reading of the film, they were both repressed homosexuals, Hoover more than Tolson, but after love at first sight and a short but heady early courtship, they veered away from sex and began their lives as Longtime Companions. The rewards for arguably not being gay were too tempting for both men, who were wined and dined by Hollywood, Broadway, Washington and Wall Street. It was Hoover's militant anti-gay position that served as their beard.

Two women figured importantly in Hoover's life. One was his domineering mother, Annie Hoover (Judi Dench), who makes clear her scorn for men who are "daffodils." The other was a young woman named Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts). In an extraordinary moment of self-image control, Hoover concludes that it would be beneficial for him to have a wife. He asks Helen, an FBI secretary, out on one of the more unusual first dates in movie history; he demonstrates the workings of a card file system with great pride. It must have been clear to her that nothing was stirring in his netherlands. Their budding relationship segued smoothly into her becoming his confidential secretary for the rest of his life — the woman entrusted with the secret files.

Eastwood's film is firm in its refusal to cheapen and tarnish by inventing salacious scenes. I don't get the impression from "J. Edgar" that Eastwood particularly respected Hoover, but I do believe he respected his unyielding public facade. It is possibly Hoover's lifelong performance that fascinated him. There's a theme running through most of his films since "Bird" (1988): the man unshakably committed to his own idea of himself.

As a period biopic, "J. Edgar" is masterful. Few films span seven decades this comfortably. The sets, the props, the clothes, and details, look effortlessly right, and note how Eastwood handles the many supporting roles (some of them depicting famous people). These minor characters are all to some degree relating to Hoover's formidable public image. As a person or as a character, he was a star of stage, screen, radio and print; he was said to have the goods on everyone. People tip-toed around him as they might have with Stalin. It's a nice touch, the way Eastwood and DiCaprio create a character who seems to be a dead zone and make him electrifying in other actors' reaction shots.

Eating Eggs and Life Expectancy

Are Eggs Good or Bad?

Eggs have to be one of the most confusing foods out there. Eggs were first healthy, a good source of protein. Then we discovered that eggs had cholesterol and every one thought eggs would give you a heart attack. Then it was discovered that the cholesterol in eggs was “neutral” and we could eat a few eggs a day. Eggs were good for you again. Well, now it seems that having 7 or more eggs a week increases your risk of death. What is the story here?

Eggs are Bad (Again)

A Harvard study of over 21,000 male physicians found that men who ate up to 6 eggs a week had no increase in their rate of death. But once they ate a seventh egg, their risk of death went up 23%. The men were studied over a 20-year period and routinely surveyed about their health status and eating habits. During that period, 1,550 had heart attacks, 1,342 had strokes and 5,000 died.
To make matters more confusing, if the men had diabetes and ate any eggs, then their risk of death over the 20-year period was doubled.

Why Are Eggs Bad?
The cholesterol in eggs is the most obvious culprit. This cholesterol can clog arteries and contribute to heart attacks and strokes. Interestingly, in the study, the eating of eggs was only linked to the men who died, not to the men who had heart attacks or strokes. Clearly we don’t have the whole picture here.

So If I Don’t Eat Eggs, I’ll Be Better Off?
Not really. This study (and most nutritional studies) was not able to really sort out the full differences between men who ate no eggs, 6 or fewer eggs or eggs every day. The researchers did say that the lots-of-egg eating men were also more likely to be smokers, eat more vegetables, drink more and exercise less.

Play Armchair Epidemiologist
When you think about it, what is different about men who eat eggs every day compared to men who don’t? We could make up a lot of theories here. They are not eating oatmeal as much (because they are having eggs for breakfast); they are more likely to eat toast with lots of butter? How about bacon -– that goes with eggs a lot. The study didn’t address these kinds of links. You can come up with your own reason that men who eat lots of eggs would be less healthy -– a lot is left out of this picture.

Dream Analysis 101

It’s time for some Dream Analysis 101.

• Why can’t you remember your dreams? It turns out that the part of your brain that stores information in long-term memory shuts off while you’re asleep. So your dreams never make it out of short-term memory. That’s why most people only remember snippets of their latest dream right as they wake up, and quickly forget them.
• Next, is it true that you never see yourself in your dreams? No, but you don’t always look like yourself. For example, in your dream you could look like Angelina Jolie – even if you’re a man. Not because you want to be her, but because you’d like to emulate her qualities.
• Finally, why do we have nightmares? Well,bad dreams may actually be good for us. As it turns out, most dreams are kind of bad. According to the journal Psychological Science, bad dreams help us sort through and regulate our stress. We’re able to let go of fears when we dream up bizarre and scary images. Bad dreams and nightmares are not the same thing. Nightmares are basically bad dreams that wake you up. They occur when there’s some kind of problem in the emotional processing. About 85% of us have at least one nightmare a year. Sometimes it’s due to medications – but most of the time, nightmares are a result of stress.

Tips to Help You Get Over Your Shyness

If you’re shy – you’re in good company. A lot of people are. Take actor Will Ferrell. He once considered himself painfully shy – so he’d do crazy things in public to try to beat it. In college, he’d push an overhead projector across campus with his pants hanging so low that people could see his rear end. Then his friends would encourage people to make fun of him – and that’s how he got over being shy.

Now, you don’t have to go to extreme measures like Will Ferrell did to get over your shyness. But if your timid nature interferes with your productivity at the office, you need to take action. So, here are some tips that’ll help from Psychology Today.

• Figure out what you’re avoiding. Let’s say you need to confront someone in the office and it fills you with anxiety. Perhaps a coworker keeps yapping on their cell phone and it distracts you. According to Peter Desberg, author of Speaking Scared, Sounding Good, weigh the cost of NOT confronting them. If every interruption takes up to 15 minutes to recover from, and they yap just once an hour on their phone, that’s as much as 2 hours of lost work time per day you BOTH lose. When you consider it in these terms, you OWE it to yourself – and the company – to say something.
• Put your boss on your same level. Or anyone else who intimidates you. In reality, everybody’s the same – no matter whether they make more money or have more power than you. Everybody was once a kid, everybody has insecurities, everybody has problems. So see people for who they really are – vulnerable, flawed, and just like you. Once you feel that you’re on the same level, they won’t have that emotional power over you.
• Set goals that are UNDER your control. Let’s say you’re applying for a NEW job. Write down the things about it that make you nervous. Then concentrate on the things you can CONTROL – such as how you describe your accomplishments, and what makes you the best candidate for the job. Then tackle each issue. For example, you might practice giving a mock presentation to a friend. After you do that enough and you start to feel confident about selling yourself, your fears will disappear.

Test Your Green IQ

#1. True or False: Running the dishwasher uses less water than hand-washing your dishes. That’s TRUE. A study by the University of Bonn in Germany found that it takes about 27 gallons of water to hand-wash 12 place settings. Since the average bathtub holds 20 gallons, that’s a little over a tub-full of water per day. On the flip side, your standard-size, Energy Star-rated dishwasher only uses about six gallons for a normal wash. So, using a dishwasher can save about 5,000 gallons of water a year, and $40 on your utility bill.

Next True/False question: “CFL” or Compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury so you shouldn’t throw them away. That’s TRUE. CFL bulbs, which cut energy use by 70%, contain trace amounts of mercury, which can harm your nervous system. You can be exposed if the bulbs break in the trash. Instead, drop off burned out CFLs at designated recycling areas at Home Depot and Ikea stores.

We’re testing your Green IQ. True or False: It takes more energy to shut down your computer than to put it to sleep. This one is FALSE! There’s an energy surge when you turn on a switched-off computer, but the energy you saved while it was off more than makes up for it.

The final True/False question: Toilets are the biggest water hogs in the house. That’s TRUE! According to the EPA, toilets use almost 30% of the water in your house. So, to save water, replace all toilets made before 1994 with new ones. Look for the EPA’s WaterSense label. You’ll save about $90 a year on water bills. If you can’t afford to replace your old ones, put a toilet dam or a brick in the tank. It cuts down on the space that can be filled with water. and saves about a gallon of water per flush.

Is Your Guy in a “Bromance?”

Ladies, is your man having a “bromance” with another guy, a best friend they hit the gym with, play cards with, or grab a beer with? Well, know this: Experts say you should accept – and even encourage – your man to have a bromance. Dr. Geoffery Greif is the author of “Buddy System: Understanding Male Friendships.” He says that bromances are all the rage because it’s more socially accepted nowadays for men to express their feelings for platonic male friends, and the benefits are enormous. For example:

• Men with close friends live longer, healthier lives than men without close friendships.
• Also, men who have close guy friends are more likely to exercise or to start working out if they don’t already.
• A bromance can help your man stay intellectually stimulated, because best buddies push each other to try new things, and that can keep them both mentally engaged.

According to Dr. William Pollack from Harvard University, having a close male buddy is the single most important thing in a man’s life. He points out that countless studies have found that friendships can help lower blood pressure, ward off depression, speed healing after an injury, and even prolong your life.
What if your guy’s bromantic partner is someone you don’t happen to like? What should you do? Plain and simple: Keep your mouth shut and focus on the positives. Ask your guy what he likes about his best bud, which should help you better understand and appreciate the friend he hangs out with.

Headache Cures

Your headache medicine could be giving you a headache! An article we read said that using over-the-counter pain relievers more than twice a week sets you up for rebound headaches. So, here’s how to break the cycle, and live pain-free:

• Relax. Dr. Sheena Aurora is the director of the Swedish Headache Center in Seattle. She says that tight muscles in the neck and shoulders are a major cause of headaches. So, when you’re feeling anxious, take deep breaths and do a few head and shoulder rolls to relieve the tension.


• Headache cure #2: Cold-and-heat therapy. Experts aren’t sure why changes in temperature are effective, but they work. So, wrap a cold pack in a cloth, and place it where you hurt. In five minutes, switch it for a heating pad or hot water bottle. Then, repeat the hot-cold process until your headache disappears.


• Another headache cure that works – IF you’re careful: Caffeine. Johns Hopkins researcher Dr. Jason Rosenberg says that some headaches are caused by dilated blood vessels that put pressure on your brain. Caffeine constricts those vessels and relieves the pressure. So, sipping coffee at the first sign of a headache can ease your pain, but the blood vessels in people who consume lots of caffeine stop constricting when the caffeine levels in their body rise - so, stick to one cup a day so you don’t overdo it.


• The last headache cure proves just how connected the different parts of our bodies are: Peppermint tea. It soothes your stomach, which in turn heals your head. Dr.Audrey Halpern is the director of the Manhattan Center for Headache and Neurology. She says that the neurochemical changes related to headaches can stimulate the part of the brain that makes us feel nauseous. You can also get a headache when you’re nauseous, but since peppermint eases the spasms in your stomach, and those muscles send signals to your brain to stop the headache – sipping peppermint tea can make your head pain go away.

Helping Overweight Children Get Healthy

Childhood obesity affects many children. We also know that it can cause all kinds of health problems, from Type-2 diabetes to high blood pressure to kidney stones. When it comes to parenting overweight children, experts say that most times, we’re blowing it! Most parents know when their kids are heavier than they should be, but they don’t know what to do about it. One mother we read about was concerned when her already-chubby daughter became visibly heavier than her middle school classmates, but she didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make things worse. Even though some overweight kids slim down as they grow up, it’s not always the case. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an overweight preschooler has only a 30% chance of growing to be an obese adult, but an overweight teen has a 70% chance. So how can parents help their overweight kids?

• First, learn basic nutrition. Dr. David Ludwig is the director of the obesity clinic at Children’s Hospital in Boston. He says that many parents think that low-fat Twinkies, and low-fat microwave mac-and-cheese are healthy. Instead, make sure your child’s diet is filled with real food – lean meats, fruits, veggies, and whole grains like brown rice – not processed foods.


• The next way to help your overweight kids: Emphasize activity. If you’re lying on the couch and telling your kid to get some exercise, they’ll follow your example. Instead, do something together, like riding bikes, playing ball, or going for a walk. Turn off the TV. Studies show that kids who spend more than two hours a day watching TV or playing video games are more likely to be overweight.


• Don’t focus on the scale. Researchers found that focusing specifically on weight loss only makes kids feel bad about the way they look, and they’ll turn to a reliable source of comfort: food. Instead, focus on their health.

Thinking About Going Vegan?

Veganism isn’t just for hippies anymore! Hollywood celebrities, like Ellen DeGeneres and Tobey McGuire, are going vegan to slim down and get healthy. According to the National Restaurant Association, the hot new trend in the restaurant world is vegan entrees. However, veganism is still on the fringe for many eaters, so let’s see if we can bring it into the mainstream. Here are the answers to some common questions about vegans.

• How is being vegan different from being a vegetarian? The main difference is vegetarians avoid eating animals, while vegans don’t eat anything that even comes from an animal. That includes thing like honey, eggs and milk.


• Why bother? The truth is going vegan can be a hassle; you can’t just slap together a cheese sandwich when you’re hungry. The health benefits can be huge. Studies have shown that vegans have lower cholesterol and blood pressure and a lower risk for diabetes and some cancers. Why? Because vegans usually eat less saturated fat and more nutrients, fiber and vitamins. They also tend to eat fewer processed foods, which is where most of us get the bulk of the sodium, sugar and fat that we consume.


• Vegans also tend to weigh about 15% less than non-vegans, which is about 25 pounds on average. Not all of them. There is such a thing as a junk-food vegan. Think about it: there are no animal products in chips, and cookies made with coconut oil are technically vegan but they’re also high in calories, corn syrup and saturated fat. If you go vegan to lose weight, you need to fill up on healthy proteins like beans and tofu and eat junk-vegan food in moderation.


• Since vegans don’t eat animal protein, they miss out on some essential nutrients and can become anemic and lethargic. You can make up for it by eating a variety of fruits and veggies for essential nutrients, and soy and legumes for protein, iron and zinc. You might also need to eat nuts and flax seeds for vitamin B-12, an important nutrient that keeps you cells operating properly and is usually found in fish and eggs. For more tips on going vegan check out VeganSociety.com.

Natural Born Killers?

There's a glitch in the brain of violent criminals—but that doesn't mean they're insane. Is violent criminal behavior a mental disorder? A University of Southern California psychologist says yes--and he'll show you brain scans to back up his claim. Adrian Raine, Ph.D., led a team that compared brain activity in 22 murderers and 22 normal folks. Their tool of choice: the PET scan, an imaging technique that measures the brain's utilization of glucose, its primary fuel. The scans indicate which areas of the brain are active--and which are lying low. The researchers discovered that the prefrontal cortex, the brain region right behind the forehead, was less active in the murderers. Prefrontal deficiencies have been associated with a variety of behaviors--risk taking, rule breaking, aggression, and impulsivity--that can lead to violence. But there's a catch. The murderers in the study had all pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Might mental illness account for their abnormal PET scans? No, says Raine; insanity is a legal concept, not a medical condition. The variety of mental disorders the killers cited in their insanity pleas do not explain their lower prefrontal activity. If further studies confirm that murderers' brains are biologically different, does this mean that some of us are natural born killers? Not at all. Raine, who says his own brain scan resembles that of a man who killed 43 people, thinks that biological and environmental factors are both essential components of violent behavior. But the idea that killers' brains are different has profound implications for justice--and for rehabilitation. Cognitive remediation training has helped brain-injured patients recover lost function. If such therapy is able to help violent offenders beef up their brain to compensate for an underactive prefrontal cortex, the changes might show up on a PET scan. Come parole time, those scans could be far more convincing evidence of rehabilitation than a convict's professed remorse.

Foods That Last Forever

Have you ever been digging through your pantry and found a forgotten bag of rice or a box of sugar you bought when Ronald Reagan was president? If you’re like most people, you’ll automatically toss it, because it can’t still be good, right? Well, according to University of Arizona researcher Timothy Jones, that’s a big reason why North American families throw away 40% of what they buy. Oold doesn’t necessarily mean no good. Here’s a list of foods that’ll outlast you:

• Let’s start with the most famous: Honey. It made headlines when archeologists discovered a jar in King Tut’s tomb that was still edible! MicrobiologistSebastian Zaat says bacteria can’t grow in honey because it contains a protein called defensin-1 – which outperforms many man-made antibiotics. Honey can crystallize. The fix: Just set the jar in warm water, and stir until the grainy parts dissolve.


• Here’s another sweetener thatnever spoils: Sugar. Janice Revell started a website called StillTasty.com to help people make good choices about using food. She says that bacteria can’t survive in sugar because of its very low moisture content. If your brown sugar is more like a rock, zap it for one minute in the microwave on low.


• Forever food #3: Pure vanilla extract. It’s mostly alcohol, so bugs don’t stand a chance. At least, as long as you keep the bottle capped to preventevaporation. Not all non-perishables are sweet: Both salt and vinegar are so effective at staying germ-free that they’re used to preserve other things like meat and vegetables.


• The last forever-food is a well-know staple: Rice. Again, because of the low moisture content, uncooked rice will last indefinitely. The exception is brown rice. It contains enough oil to support bacteria growth, and will turn rancid over time. So, you should use it within three months - or freeze it for up to one year.

Trends That Are Destined to go Mainstream This Year

Do you want to know what’ll be all the rage in 2011? You don’t need to ask a fortune teller or conduct your own focus group. Here is a list of the top products and trends experts predict will go mainstream this year. Here we go:

• First: Kiss your TV set goodbye. Last year was the first time in history that cable TV subscriptions dropped, because more and more people are plugged into smart phones and iPads, and watching mobile TVon the subway and on buses as they commute to work. Experts say the numbers will continue to plummet because people don’t need to be tied to a TV or cable connection to watch their favorite shows anymore.


• Another trend destined to go mainstream this year: Black rice. It’s the new superfood hitting grocery store shelves. It’s packed with enough protein and fiber to fight heart disease and lowers cholesterol, and it’s loaded with more antioxidants than blueberries. Then, veganism is all the rage right now for die-hard healthy eaters.


• The next healthy diet craze is: Clean eating. In other words, you only eat foods as close to their original state as possible, like fresh fruits, whole grains, and raw almonds. It’s been a popular diet with body builders, but experts say the trend is spreading like wildfire. There are seminars and a TV show about the strict lifestyle in the works.


• The final trend destined to go mainstream this year: Houses run by gadgets. Experts say this is the year of home automation technology. It uses your home’s electric system and satellites to link your home appliances with Wi-Fi and smart phone apps. So, whether you’re at the office or your kid’s soccer game, a press of a button on your smart phone can cue up the vacuum or turn on the oven. That way, when you get home, your house would be spotless and dinner would be ready.

Computer Screens Are Damaging Your Vision

Computer Screens Are Damaging Your Vision

Did you look at a computer or smart phone screen today? If the answer is “yes,” then you could have damaged your eyes. Experts say there’s a new condition called Computer Vision Syndrome that causes blurry vision, literally short-term near-sightedness. It typically lasts for a few seconds, but over time, it can become permanent. You’re at risk if you look at any electronic screen for two hours or more a day. So why are screens destroying our vision? Here’s what the American Optometric Association has to say:

* Our eyes see in 3-D. So, we end up over-focusing to search for 3-D images that don’t exist on a 2-D screen, which causes eye strain.

* Another reason screen time destroys our vision: Because we’re too up close and personal with our gadgets. Our eyes naturally focus 20 feet away from our face, but since most of us look at a computer or smart phone screen from less than two feet away, it’s forcing our eye muscles to work non-stop. In fact, they get so strained that they simply can’t relax, even after you look away.

* Finally, we barely blink when we look at screens, which causes dry eyes. That's the perfect breeding ground for major infections. A recent study found that people blink an average of 16 times per minute, which regularly washes away debris and keeps our eyeballs well-lubricated. When we stare at digital screens, we blink less than six times per minute, boosting our odds of seriously dry and infected eyes.

So, how can you protect yourself?

* Follow the 20-20-20 rule. That means every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on a fixed point 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

* Adjust your computer monitor so the top of it is level with your eyes. Your eyes focus best when they're looking downward.

* Wear “computer glasses” when you’re looking at a screen. An optometrist can prescribe them to you. Instead of correcting for distance or close-up, they boost your midrange vision in order to reduce computer eyestrain.

Surprising Results From One of The World’s Longest Longevity Studies

Surprising Results From One of The World’s Longest Longevity Studies

We’ve got surprising results from one of the world’s longest longevity studies. For the past 80 years a group of 1,500 people have had their lives, and their children’s lives combed through by researchers. The journey started when they were children in 1922, when a Stanford professor, named Lewis Terman, pulled them out of their classes and recruited them for his groundbreaking study. Terman followed his group, who became known as the “Termites,” until his death in the 1950’s but other scientists picked up right where he left off. Two of them are psychology professors Howard Freidman and Leslie Martin and they’ve just finished a book breaking down the most important findings in the study. They say their goal wasn’t just to find out how to live longer, it was how to live healthier too. Some of what they found is turning conventional wisdom on its head! Here are the top three surprising things Terman’s termites tell us about living a longer, healthier life:

* Stressed out worrywarts don’t always die young. Why? Because neurotic or conscientious people are less likely to get themselves into dangerous situations. They’re more likely to seek help when they have health issues and remember to take prescriptions. There’s more! Worriers may actually have different brain chemistry that makes them less susceptible to diseases!

* Job stress is also not going to force you into an early grave. The longevity researchers found that even when people don’t LOVE their jobs, the fact that they worked hard at them was a predictor of long life. That's because being productive and engaged indicates health and happiness.

* The final surprising finding: strenuous exercise doesn’t lead to a long life. The authors found that over the long term, doing things you really enjoy, like walking with friends or gardening, will help you stay healthier longer than running marathons.

Scientifically-Proven Ways to Boost Your Happiness

There are scientifically-proven ways to boost your happiness – which are backed by more than 60 studies. Here’s how anyone can become a happier person:

• Spend time with the “right people.” The people who make you happiest are most likely to be friends, family and significant others, but most of us spend most of our time with coworkers. The best way to take advantage of that “forced togetherness” is to have a “best friend” at work – or a boss you like. You can also boost your happiness by avoiding small talk – which has been proven to make people unhappy. The fix: Find a few coworkers who aren’t interested in celebrity gossip, and strike up a real conversation.
  
  
• Another happiness booster: Make more social connections. Numerous studies show that you can increase happiness by hanging out with friends. You also get the same boost from volunteering. That’s because helping others makes you feel generous, and happier about your own life.
  
  
• Another happiness booster: Make plans for the future - and daydream. Or, as researchers put it, enjoy the experience without spending the time. Numerous studies show that the part of the brain responsible for pleasure can be activated just by thinking about something pleasurable, and planning ahead fills your life with anticipation. In fact, the anticipation of something enjoyable – like a vacation – is often more enjoyable than the actual experience.
  
  
• Finally, know this: Aging changes the way people experience happiness. Studies show that young people tend to equate happiness with excitement, so they get a boost spending time with interesting new friends, but as people get older, they associate happiness with feeling peaceful. So, older people get more joy from spending time with close friends and family.

Wandering Amnesia

A few years ago, Jeff Ingram, drove from his home in Olympia, Washington, to visit a terminally ill friend in Alberta. Four days later, he woke up on a street in Denver—without his car, his wallet, or any memory of who he was.

Ingram suffers from dissociative fugue—a rare form of amnesia in which people suddenly begin traveling (or continue, if on the road). They forget their identity, fail to recognize loved ones, and can't recall how they arrived wherever they are. Some later develop new personalities altogether. The trance lasts from a few hours to several years, and can involve travel across continents and oceans. One study put the average distance traveled by these wandering amnesiacs at 750 miles.

Whereas amnesia is typically precipitated by brain injury, those in fugue states are neurologically intact. Instead, the condition appears to be triggered by stress—often related to marital problems, financial worries, or depression. "They unconsciously run away from traumatic situations," says Philip Coons, professor emeritus at the Indiana University School of Medicine and an authority on the disorder. That's why the incidence of fugue rises during periods of war and natural disasters.

These wanderers sometimes turn to crime, such as vehicle theft and credit-card fraud. No one knows what they're thinking in-fugue, but it appears they live day-to-day with an emphasis on survival. Some have been found with stale bread and pockets full of jelly and ketchup packs. They become aware of their memory loss only after being asked questions about their lives. For Ingram, that occurred when he stumbled into a Denver hospital and was quizzed by the receptionist. He says he became scared and angry and wanted to know who he was.

Most sufferers eventually recover their pre-fugue memories—as suddenly as they lost them. Psychologists remain puzzled as to why. "One problem with trying to understand dissociative fugue is that by the time the patient comes to clinical attention, the fugue state is over," says psychologist Daniel Schachter, a memory expert at Harvard University. In cases where memory does not spontaneously return, therapists focus on resolving the underlying stress or trauma.

Even months after being reunited with his family, Ingram still has no pre-fugue memories. He's scared he might vanish again, so he's ordered a $400 pair of shoes loaded with GPS. "It's a small price to pay for the peace of mind," he says.

Case Study: Jeff Ingram—a former mill worker in Olympia, Washington

• Possible triggers: A friend's battle with cancer and the anniversary of 9/11.
• Spotted: His fiancee's brother recognized him when he appealed for help on TV news two months after his disappearance.
• Dejà vu: Ingram had disappeared once before. In 1995, while living in Alberta, he traveled more than 600 miles to Seattle, where he was discovered after nine months.
• Never again: In addition to ordering GPS shoes, Ingram has tattooed identifying information on his left arm and wears a zip disk with medical information around his neck.
• Happy ending: Although he cannot remember his three-year relationship with his fiancee pre-fugue, the two were married that December.

The Science of Salt, and How to Cut Back

What’s the latest science on salt? It’s addictive, it’ll make you fat, and it can kill you. That’s according to Prevention magazine. They say salt is one of the most dangerous ingredients in the food we eat – and the one people pay the least attention to. Excess salt can cause high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke, as well as osteoporosis, dementia, cancer and other serious health problems. Since salty foods are usually also packed with fat and calories, it can add inches to your waist. The news about salt is so bad, the U.S. government is revising sodium health guidelines downward. They now recommend no more than 1,500 milligrams a day for an adult. That’s two-thirds of a teaspoon. However, most of us get double what’s recommended. Most of the salt we get comes from processed and packaged foods, like commercial crackers, cookies, cereal, soup, frozen dinners, and pasta sauces, which pack in the salt to boost flavor, protect color and texture, and prevent spoilage. That doesn’t even cover fast food and other restaurant meals.

Scientists point out your body does need a little salt to maintain the right balance of fluids, transmit nerve impulses, and work your muscles. However, when you eat a lot more than the necessary 500 milligrams a day, it triggers the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine – which makes salt as addictive as nicotine and alcohol. The more salty foods you eat, the more you crave. Salt also changes the way your body uses fat. A high-salt diet boosts the production of insulin, and the more insulin you have, the more fat you store, and the more weight you gain. Salt also makes you thirsty, and that’s a problem, since we tend to turn to sodas to quench our thirst. However, sodas are also full of sodium!

So, how can you cut back on salt? Eliminate processed and packaged food, restaurant meals, sodas and alcohol for two weeks. That’s how long it takes to get a whole new set of taste buds. Cutting excess sodium will also boost your metabolism and increase your energy, and it’ll help you feel thinner, because you’ll drop water weight from bloating.

Don’t Be a Jerk – You’ll Live Longer!

Don’t Be a Jerk – You’ll Live Longer! That’s the gist of nearly a dozen new studies, which have been compiled and published in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest. The research involves millions of people, who were tested and studied at different times over the past seven decades! The results are fairly unanimous: Smart people who do good deeds for others tend to live longer - and suffer fewer diseases - than bullies with lower IQs.

- For example, one study found a strong link between lower IQs and a higher likelihood of being admitted to the hospital.

- Also, a 30-year Scottish study found a strong relationship between lower intelligence and a higher risk for heart disease and stroke.

- In a 65-year study, researchers found that grade-school students who showed signs of being conscientious – or charitable towards others - were more likely to still be alive in their 70s!

So what’s going on here? In a nutshell: Researchers say smarter people make smarter decisions, meaning they’re more likely to understand the benefits of exercising, eating a healthy diet, and the hazards of smoking. Smart people also tend to be better at using common sense to avoid accidents, and they’re less likely to be injured in fights, or to die by suicide.

The shocker in this report is the conclusion that being nice to others can influence how long you live. Because in study after study, people who were highly conscientious were less likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, bone problems, stroke, and Alzheimer’s! However, “mean” people who were self-absorbed were more likely to die at a young age. Why would this happen? Researchers say one explanation is that selfish people tend to be more cynical and distrustful of others, so they’re less likely to see doctors. Selfish people also tend to be overly confident, so they take more risks with their health and well-being - thinking “bad things happen to other people, not me.” Turns out, they’re dead wrong.

Your Guide to Better Sleep

From Journal Psychology Today:

It's what we do in response to a bout of insomnia that determines whether we will end up with long-term sleep problems. The fact is the sleep system tends to right itself after a few nights of insomnia—provided you make no adjustments to your sleep-wake cycle.

We all know that sleep is crucial to having the energy and ability to perform whatever it is we want to do. All it takes is one or two sleepless nights to drive home that point—and we all have a sleepless night or two sometimes. It's the cost of being human and having the capacity to worry about the future and chew over the past.

Yet, it's what we do in response to a bout of insomnia that determines whether we will end up with long-term sleep problems. The fact is that the sleep system tends to right itself after a few nights of insomnia—provided you make no adjustments to your sleep-wake cycle.

Unfortunately, most people take special measures to get some rest. They nap in the afternoon or evening. Or they go to bed early the next night, or sleep late the following morning. Or they take a drink or two to fall asleep.

Every one of these "corrective" measures interferes with your body's sleep "homeostat," a mechanism that builds up pressure for sleep and helps assure a good night's rest. The homeostatic pressure for sleep depends on how long you have been awake—and how active you are while awake.

I spoke to Dr. Michael Perlis, head of behavioral sleep medicine at the University of Rochester. An expert on insomnia, he has plenty of advice to offer on how to get the rest you need while steering clear of sleep problems.

• Get more exercise—physical and mental. It primes the sleep homeostat. It's a myth that exercise at bedtime is bad. Sex is, among other things, a great exercise.
  
  
• Set a regular bedtime—and keep it. Your body needs reliability.
  
  
• Set up conditions so that you catch the wave of sleep. Sleep has to be permitted. Take obstacles out of the way, and give up the notion that you can control sleep.
  
  
• Learn simple meditation and practice it before bedtime; it cuts down nervous system arousal.
  
  
• Put sleep in the background of your life. Don't monitor it, don't evaluate it.
  
  
• Jack up your body temperature with a warm bath before bed. Exaggerating the normal drop in body temperature that accompanies lying down abets sleep.
  
  
• Keep your bedroom dark, especially as you get older. Even small amounts of light and noise can disturb sleep as you age.
  
  
• Don't overheat your environment. Sleep loves cold. Keep your bedroom cold but load up on blankets.
  
  
• Less is more. The less you do in response to a bout of sleeplessness, the faster your sleep patterns will return to normal.
  
  
• Keeping your wake-up time constant but going to bed one hour later will help 25 percent of insomniacs in one to two weeks. Prepare to feel sleepy at times and avoid driving then. After two weeks, add back the time in half-hour increments.
  
  
• Look on two or three nights of insomnia as a gift—the gift of time you wanted to get done all that you have to get done. Insomnia may be functional, a signal that you need to attend to what got you up.
  
  
• Don't fight the insomnia. The homeostat makes sleep a self-reparative system—if you stay out of its way.
  
  
• Don't worry about the consequences of not sleeping. Worrying about insomnia can create insomnia.
  
  
• Don't sleep with your pets! Animal dander can create allergies that manifest only at night, and the movement of any pet on your bed can wake you up.
  
  
• Do not sleep later to make up for lost sleep. It de-primes the sleep homeostat and reduces pressure for sleep the next night, turning a night of sleeplessness into insomnia.
  
  
• Don't make up for a night of sleeplessness by napping. That undermines the sleep homeostat and makes it less likely you will sleep through the next night.
  
  
• Don't make up for an acute bout of insomnia by going to bed early.
  
  
• Do not try to induce sleepiness by drinking alcohol. Yes, it's a great relaxant—but it is metabolized so quickly it creates rebound insomnia within the night; it's so fast-acting you'll be up in four short hours.
  
  
• Limit caffeine to one cup of coffee in the morning. At age 18, caffeine has a half-life of 4.5 hours, which increases with age. Gradually eliminate caffeine altogether if you have trouble sleeping.

Increase Your Odds of Living to 100

From Rodale Publishing: Would you like to live to be 100? Here are a few ways to increase your odds:

• Live at a higher altitude. Researchers in Switzerland found that people living at high altitude had a 22 percent lower risk of dying of heart disease. That's because thinner air at higher elevations means more UV rays from the sun, which boost the production of heart-healthy vitamin D. Most experts point out that 77 percent of North Americans are vitamin-D deficient, which can lead to bone disorders and heart disease. So, eat more D-rich foods, like tuna and wild salmon, and talk to your doctor about taking a supplement.
  
  
• Another tip for living to 100: Breathe cleaner air. People living in cities with relatively good air quality live about one year longer than people in more-polluted areas. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that dirty air can trigger inflammatory reactions, and even mild inflammation can contribute to heart disease. So, avoid exercising near streets. You’ll be exposed to extra pollution from passing vehicles, and you’ll inhale more of it because you’re breathing deeply.
  
  
• Lastly: Accept your age. Researchers in Germany asked people how they felt about their age. Those who were comfortable with it lived about two years longer than those who were bothered by it. Partly because people who are content are more likely to exhibit healthy behavior, and people who compare themselves with their younger selves are often disappointed and stressed by the changes. Instead: Compare yourself with your contemporaries. Plenty of them will be worse off than you – and those who are better off will provide inspiration.

Here Are a Few Things That Kids Born Today Will Never Use

Bob Dylan was right - the times they are a-changin.’ Here are a few things we’re very familiar with that kids born today will never use – or even know about. This comes from Money Talks News.

- First: Videotape. Movies are released on DVD, most news-cameras and home-use cameras are digital, and a majority of homes no longer even have videotape machines.

- Today’s kids will also never wear a watch. Most people under 55 don’t wear one except as a fashion statement, and they often have dead batteries, or aren’t even wound up. Most people don’t need a watch because they’ve got a phone with a clock in their hands all day long.

- Then there are paper maps. They used to be available free at every gas station. Today, with in-car GPS gadgets, and smart phones with turn-by-turn directions, paper maps – and the ability to read them – are becoming obsolete.

- Another thing today’s kids won’t use: Phone books and encyclopedias. Who needs huge, outdated books to look up addresses, phone numbers, or world facts when you can just Google it?

- Forget catalogs and newspaper classifieds. You can see everything that’s available in your area – or via delivery – by hopping on company websites or Craigslist.

- Also: Wired phones and long-distance phone bills. In 10 years, nobody will be paying for a phone that has to stay attached to the wall, and with live, FREE computer video chat, who’d bother to pay for long distance phone calls?

- Finally, today’s kids will never have unanswered questions. Whether it’s remembering which actor was in that movie you loved, or finding the source of the Nile – with smart phones and Wi-Fi Internet connections, every debate can already be settled in seconds no matter where you are.

There’s a New Internet Security Threat to Worry About

If you use public wi-fi at your local coffee shop or library know this: There’s a new and very serious threat to your online security. A new program – that anyone can download – allows people to see any and everything that’s going on on your computer. Things like passwords, emails, everything. The program is called “firesheep,” and it was created by a software developer named David Butler, who posted it for free on his website. Butler says he didn’t create firesheep so bad guys could steal your password and hack your accounts – he created it to point out just how vulnerable we all are on when we use public internet services.

Here’s the deal: big sites like Amazon and Facebook have a problem, and it’s one they all know about and haven’t bothered to fix. When you first log on to Facebook and enter your password, it’s encrypted. No one can see it. However, AFTER you log on, Facebook and your computer exchange a little piece of code, called a cookie, that allows them to recognize each other so you don’t have to keep logging on. That’s fine if you’re on a private network, but on public wi-fi it’s broadcast over the network for all to see. Firesheep grabs that piece of code and allows anyone with the program complete access to your computer. David Butler’s goal here was to force major companies to fix this issue. Only time will tell if his plan worked, but in the meantime here’s how to keep your information safe:

Don’t do anything that requires a password when you’re on public Wi-Fi. If you have no choice, only enter financial information on sites that have full end-to-end encryption. You can tell you’re on a secure site if the address starts with HTTPS. It’s got to have that S on the end; otherwise your data is flapping in the wind.

Negative Thoughts Are Literally Bad For Your Health

From LiveScience.com:

It’s official: The way you think has as much impact on your health as the food you eat, and the amount of exercise you get! Need proof? Here’s a list of negative thoughts that are literally bad for your health:

- Negative thought #1: Cynicism. Scientists often define cynicism as “hostility,” because cynical people tend to be suspicious and mistrustful of others. The problem is that when you’re always second-guessing other people’s actions, you’re always feeling stressed. A study found that people who showed the greatest levels of cynicism were 25% more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease.

- Negative thought #2: Predicting doom and gloom. People who constantly fear the worst are said to have a “Type D personality.” Type D people tend to have fewer friends, because they bottle emotions and feel depressed. Research has shown that depression raises stress levels, which increases deadly plaque buildup in arteries.

- Another negative thought: Feeling like your life is out of control. Like when you’re frequently late for appointments, or disorganized. In a study involving more than 9,000 people, researchers found that organized, self-disciplined people live at least three years longer than those who lead more unstable lives. Why? Experts say it’s because people who take control of their lives tend to feel less stressed – so they’re less likely to smoke or drink.

Are you noticing a theme here? Most negative thoughts tend to be linked to higher stress. Since prolonged stress both weakens your immune system and raises your blood pressure, experts say negative thinking raises your risk of being killed by anything from a heart-attack to a common cold.