Thursday, May 28, 2009

BRAINTENANCE 5/28/09 - 6/3/09

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RECALL TRIGGERS - Access to to memories and feelings past.


Dear Friends:

Recall...


It is interesting to note that the two most powerful stimuli ("triggers") to create full and vivid sensorial recall happen to be 1) the olfactory sense -- your sense of smell...the scent of an old perfume, cologne, a favorite childhood food, certain flowers...and 2) music...both instrumental and vocal.

If these two forces are properly incorporated in any therapy session, form of entertainment, or presentation, the efficacy of the communication will be heightened. Human beings are uncanny in this way; we mark the most significant moments in our lives with ambient music and fragrances.

Ironically, these are stimuli which are actually processed by the most primitive parts of our brain. This also explains how a person can be moved to tears when hearing an old melody, or how an individual can find himself (or herself) mysteriously attracted to a new love who happens to wear the same fragrance as had been worn by a a love long past. The mechanics of memory are truly amazing.

--Douglas Castle
______________________________________
I have heard rumors that some of our readers needed a serious challenge. As Uncle Ned would have said, "Try deeze on fer size." Here you are, folks:



1. What is the sum of the numbers from 20 to 1,000, inclusive?



2. Counting by tens, what is the sum of the numbers from 10 to 5,000, inclusive?



3. If a bank account bears interest at 5% annually (compounded each year), approximately how long will it take for the account to grow to 2.5 times its original size?



4. If Barry (not his real name, which is actually Paul DiPalma, but I would never reveal that in a blog posting) loses 2% of his body weight per year, and he starts his diet and fitness regimen at a weight of 280 lbs., how much will he weigh at the end of 5 years?



5. Cousin Vladimir, recently home from the Gulag, has decided that it would be fun to play Russian Roulette. He takes his trusty six-shooter (a revolver), and places one bullet in one of the chambers, and spins the barrel around a few times. He then aims at this foot and proceeds to shoot, with perfect aim:



What is the probability of his shooting himself on the first shot?



If he does not shoot himself on the first shot, what is the probability that he will succeed on the second shot?



If he does not shoot himself during his first two attempts, what is the probability that he will succeed on the third shot?



What is the probability that he will not shoot himself during five consecutive attempts?



What is the probability that he will shoot himself during five consecutive attempts?



If he had instead placed two bullets in the chambers, how would it have changed each of your answers in the questions above?



6. A colony of bacteria reproduces and doubles its size every 12 hours. After 144 hours, how many times larger will the population be than when the growth measurement process first started?

7. A student is working on a term paper which is required to be five typewritten double-spaced pages in length. Since this student is less than enthusiastic about the project, and wishes to write as little as possible, he determines that his three-page paper could be expanded to five pages if he adjusted the left and right margins. By what percentage would he have to expand each margin in order to stretch his text to meet the five-page requirement?

*Spend some time watching some of the meditation videos above, and give yourself a break from hearing all of the news about the economy, North Korea's rocket tests, American Idol controversies, and other difficult things that we are forced to contend with from day-to-day.

BCNU.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Expand your network

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Expand your network exponentially - Build viable, active professional relationships. THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW) is an organization which 1) publishes a free weekly newsletter; 2) offers its subscribers and members an unparalleled suite of fabulous business-building services; and 3) acts as a true community in building teams and in proactively making pre-qualified direct, personal introductions. If you want to accelerate your journey to achievement, join us. We take our subscribers and members seriously. To see the latest issue of our Newsletter, click on http://htxt.it/M58L . Get your free subscription TODAY. Click on http://htxt.it/hsZo THE NATIONAL NETWORKER

Monday, May 25, 2009

Music Therapy - I ha

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Music Therapy - I have recently revamped my Humanitas Maximus blog. I have some excellent music players on the site that you can listen to. If you'd like, you can even embed them on your own websites, blogs, newsletters, social media, homepages and bathroom stalls (kidding). Here's the post from Twitter: douglascastleMUSIC THERAPY - Please have a listen at http://htxt.it/xie2 . I have updated the celebrated Humanitas Maximus blog - great music! --Thank you, music lovers. --DC

Friday, May 22, 2009

LINKS 4 LIFE PUBLIC

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LINKS 4 LIFE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Life Links has been renamed "Links 4 Life" Dear Friends: Effective immediately, LIFE LINKS has changed its name to "LINKS 4 LIFE." Our web address will remain the same, at http://htxt.it/aZAI , and our updates will be posted more frequently. As a not-for-profit service for the benefit of the public, we offer unsurpassed resources in the event of a health, financial or psychological crisis. We have contacts for returning soldiers, the recently unemployed, the elderly and the chronically ill. Please visit the site and make us a favorite. Please forward this message to all of your family, friends and business associates...it could save somebody's life. Thank you. Douglas Castle

LIFE LINKS HAS BEEN RENAMED "LINKS 4 LIFE"

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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Life Links has been renamed "Links 4 Life"

Dear Friends:

Effective immediately, LIFE LINKS has changed its name to "LINKS 4 LIFE." Our web address will remain the same, at http://lifelinksiep.blogspot.com/ , and our updates will be posted more frequently. As a not-for-profit service for the benefit of the public, we offer unsurpassed resources in the event of a health, financial or psychological crisis. We have contacts for returning soldiers, the recently unemployed, the elderly and the chronically ill. Please visit the site and make us a favorite.

Please forward this message to all of your family, friends and business associates...it could save somebody's life.

Thank you.

Douglas Castle

---This message is sponsored by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER, INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS and SrMeetUp!---




INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Thursday, May 21, 2009

BRAINTENANCE EXERCISES: 5/21/09 - 5/26/09

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Dear Friends:

Firstly, I would like to give you some answers to some of the questions about your brain, mind and intelligence. Secondly, I'd like to offer you some clues on how to find the balance of the answers -- those answers to the questions which I won't give you outright.

For the unanswered questions, I will just provide you with strings of words to be put into certain of the search engines in order to generate information (in the form of articles, websites, etc.) from which you can harvest the answers yourselves.

By the way, when using search engines, you must understand how they "think"...that is, how they process informational requests. For example, if you want every word in a group of words to be found in each response generated, you must use the plus sign (+) between each word; if you want the words to be in a certain sequence, you must put quotation marks around those words.

An interesting observation...to use a search engine, you must organize the way you think and present requests for information. Another interesting observation...when you use search engines, you are partnering your mind with a machine. The better your understanding of the machine, the more successful your results. Sadly, the machine cannot learn how you think -- but you, being a sentient and highly-evolved life form (with the notable exception of my neighbor, Sid), can learn how the machine "thinks."

Here we go:


1. How many cells does the average adult human brain contain? Approximately 100 billion cells (principally neurons).
2. What does the average adult human brain weigh? Between 2.25 and 3.25 pounds. There is no correlation between brain weight and intelligence.
3. What is the name of the tissue that separates the two hemispheres of the human brain? The corpus callosum.
4. What percentage of the brain's capacity do researchers believe that we use at any given time?
This is a ridiculous question, of course. The myth about 10% of capacity being used at any one time, or for any one task, is a wild understatement. Scientists do not know how to gauge, or by which physical standard to measure the brain's total capacity, or the extent to which certain parts of the brain work (in the "background") to support conscious and unconscious activities. For an interesting view, click on http://www.sciencemaster.com/columns/wesson/wesson_part_05.php .
5. As we gain knowledge or do mental gymnastics, what happens to the physical brain?
intelligence, brain physiology, brain morphology, convolutions, correlation between brain use and brain physiology/morphology, correlation between intelligence and brain physiology/morphology...GOOD LUCK.
6. What is the difference between the brain and the mind?
Brain versus mind...GOOD LUCK.
7. What part of the brain is associated with appetite?
Brain, appetite, control...GOOD LUCK
8. What part of the brain is associated with conscious thought? The cerebrum.
9. What part of the brain is is associated with autonomic ("unconscious") bodily functions and "maintenance" activity? Brain, function, autonomic activity, unconscious bodily functions...GOOD LUCK.
10. What does "IQ" stand for, and what does it really measure? "Intelligence Quotient" is a measure which predicts how well a person can reason, and can be expected to perform typical academic tasks. Its relevence is as questionable as the actual nature of intelligence, itself.
11. Can destroyed or damaged brain cells be re-grown? Yes - thankfully, they can. For further information about this, click on http://www.cnsfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rch_neurological .
12. Can a brain cell associated with one function "learn" to take over another function? Yes.
13. What do researchers think actually happens to the brain with the outset of Alzheimer's disease? You're on your own: alzheimer's, morphology, causes, effects on the brain, symptoms, physiological changes to the brain, predictive factors...GOOD LUCK.
14. What part of the brain is actually a crystalline body? The rest of it seems rather mushy by comparison... The pineal body (sometimes called the pineal gland) - this is worth researching further. Q: What function does the pineal body serve? What does it create or secrete? When is it most active?
15. What brain wave pattern is associated with deep sleep? The delta brain wave, especially during deep, dreamful sleep. It is during these delta periods that the brain manufactures the greatest amounts of Human Growth Hormone.
16. What brain wave pattern is associated with normal wakefulness? The beta brain wave.
__________________________________________________________
Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

BRAINTENANCE: Suspension of Execution (Until 5/21/09)

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Dear Friends:

By popular demand, I am granting us all a one-day (i.e., until tomorrow) to complete our study of the structure and function of the different parts of the human brain before I spew forth the correct answers. If you have not already done so, you may wish to consult some of the links in the earlier articles featured on this blog. You may also wish to run a few Google or other searches which combine brain+structure+function in order to get at some of these answers.

The bad news is that you will have to sift through quite a bit of information in order to glean your answers. The good news is that you will have to sift through quite a bit of information in order to glean your answers.

It's ironic -- while you learn about the structure and function of the parts of your brain, you will be improving your cognitive functioning and broadening your knowledge base. In the words of my mom,"One day you'll thank me."

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

NEW: Follow us on TWITTER at http://twitter.com/Braintenance
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Thursday, May 14, 2009

BRAINTENANCE EXERCISES: 5/14/09 - 5/19/09

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Dear Friends:

Firstly, some food for thought.

We are often unaware of the extent to which indoctrination by society has biased our thinking.

To keep this in check, we must:

1. Accept the fact that we are partially "products of our environment";

2. Pause to think about the experiences and voices that might have caused us to arrive at a particular opinion, point of view, or way of thinking;

3. Open our minds to new possibilities -- including the possibility that something which we have come to believe is not actually true.
___________________________________________________
Secondly, how about a few questions regarding the 'ol brain? You might have to do a bit of research:


1. How many cells does the average adult human brain contain?


2. What does the average adult human brain weigh?


3. What is the name of the tissue that separates the two hemispheres of the human brain?


4. What percentage of the brain's capacity do researchers believe that we use at any given time?


5. As we gain knowledge or do mental gymnastics, what happens to the physical brain?


6. What is the difference between the brain and the mind?


7. What part of the brain is associated with appetite?


8. What part of the brain is associated with conscious thought?


9. What part of the brain is is associated with autonomic ("unconscious") bodily functions and "maintenance" activity?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

10. What does "IQ" stand for, and what does it really measure?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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11. Can destroyed or damaged brain cells be re-grown?
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12. Can a brain cell associated with one function "learn" to take over another function?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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13. What do researchers think actually happens to the brain with the outset of Alzheimer's disease?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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14. What part of the brain is actually a crystalline body? The rest of it seems rather mushy by comparison...
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15. What brain wave pattern is associated with deep sleep?
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16. What brainwave pattern is associated with normal wakefulness?
__________________________________________________________
Faithfully,
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Douglas Castle
p.s. You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/douglascastle.
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

BRAINTENANCE: 5/13/09

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THIS POST STOLEN (with permission)FROM THE NATIONAL NETWORKER


Dear Readers:
This pertains to an irrelevant post on TWITTER:


TNNW_BUZZWORKS Remember Fizzies? I was just reading a story on http://twitter.com/SrMeetUp It seems this kid ....oh, read it yourself.

Enjoy the brief departure.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle


p.s. Anything is relevant if it stimulates learning.





THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW):
PRESS OUR BUTTONS & CLICK OUR LINKS...
Subscribe to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER
Link To THE NATIONAL NETWORKER
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TNNW WEBSITE
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ACCESS: Douglas Castle
BRAINTENANCE

Thursday, May 7, 2009

THINKING ABOUT THINKING.

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Dear Friends:

It is important to understand how we think.

The inherent paradox in evaluating one's own thought processes is a tricky business...but given desire, focus and dedicated practice, most any person can become more "in tune" with himself or herself.

The rewards of understanding your mind's innermost workings (and the reaction formation that is driven by the mind in general, and by the subconscious more specifically) are tremendous. With this intimate albeit somewhat biased knowledge, we can be proactive, and we can actually intervene when our thinking tends to be unhealthy or damaging and correct its course.

What awe-inspiring power! To know one's one mind, is to be able to control one's thoughts, actions and destiny! This is truly amazing.

Please read more. The following is excerpted from one of my tweetings on Twitter, which is as mind-numbing as it is addicting:

douglascastle DOUGLAS CASTLE http://bit.ly/CYgXd We spend too much time mired in the past and worried about the future The present is stolen! Reclaim it. from web.

You should not just think about thinking about your thinking. You should think about your thinking without a second thought. When you think that you are thinking about what you are thinking, then indeed you are. You cannot think thoughtlessly -- if you could, you would not have any responsibility for your actions.


Give the matter some thought.


Faithfully,


Douglas Castle

INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

TWICKER TWEET FOR TNNW

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Dear Fellow (and Honorable Lady) Braintenance Brigade Buffs:

The message which follows is brought to you by Twitter, and THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW). As they are predisposed to saying here in New Yawk, "Jus' do like I sez an' nobody gets hoit. Got dat?":


TNNW_BUZZWORKS

Invite: If you follow me, or if you are a TNNW subscriber, follow http://twitter.com/TNNW_BUZ.... Keyword: Exponentiality. Thanks, y'all. from web .

I'll be back tomorrow with more brain-wrinkling harrassment.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

Friday, May 1, 2009

BRAINTENANCE EXERCISE 5/1/09 - 5/5/09

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Dear Friends:

Firstly, we have an old story, recently forwarded to me by old college roommate, Gary:
*****
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go on a camping trip.

After a good dinner and a bottle of wine, they retire for the night, and go to sleep.


Some hours later, Holmes wakes up and nudges his faithful friend. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.”


“I see millions and millions of stars, Holmes” replies Watson.“And what do you deduce from that?”Watson ponders for a minute. “Well, Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful, and that we are a small and insignificant part of the universe.


But what does it tell you, Holmes?” Holmes is silent for a moment.

“Watson, you idiot!” he says. “Someone has stolen our tent!”
*****
Secondly, we have some links that are worth clicking on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq6b9bMBXpg (at the Antwerp railroad station)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptlW99wWBWY&feature=related (ukeleles must be taken seriously)


http://its-mine.net/free-meditation.htm (a list of free curiousities for exploring the various dimensions of your consciousness)

http://www.web-us.com/brain/aboutthebrain.htm (wonderful background information about the evolution and mechanism of the brain)


http://www.ehow.com/ (a wonderful collection of instructive and relatively simple "how to" articles on a great variety of subjects) - You might wish to make this page a favorite.


http://www.widgetbox.com/developer/87956763-9445-4d36-a9e6-22333c18cf0c?_sourcePage=%2Fdeveloper%2Findex.jsp (a collection of widgets for your use on blogs, websites, newsletters...)


http://aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com/ (a stimulating blog about my daily musings -- sometimes it even gets exciting)
*****
Some Tongue-Twisters:



I am not the pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's mate.
I am only plucking pheasants
'cause the pheasant plucker's running late.

Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.



A flea and a fly flew up in a flue.
Said the flea, "Let us fly!"
Said the fly, "Let us flee!"
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.



Knapsack straps.



Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?


Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.

Inchworms itching.


A noisy noise annoys an oyster.


The myth of Miss Muffet.


Mr. See owned a saw.
And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
Now See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw
Before Soar saw See,
Which made Soar sore.

Friendly Frank flips fine flapjacks.
*****
Points To Ponder:



1. How can a person, a company or a nation get out of debt by incurring increasing debt?



2. If corporations exist principally for the purpose of compensating and providing for their employees, how can they effectively perform this role if employee demands make them unprofitable?

3. If you had to choose only one utensil to use for all of your meals for the next year, would it be a knife, a fork or a spoon? Why?

4. How do you define "intelligence"?

5. What is usually the most significant (memorable, attention-getting, defining, differentiating, et cetera) feature of a person's face?

6. Is aging (with its associated disabilities and functional declines) a disease?

7. Is it more advantageous to be simple, single-celled organism, or to be a more complex, multicellular organism? Why?
*****
Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
The NATIONAL NETWORKER Toolkit

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