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Brain Jogging “A bad memory is usually a question not of fate but of poor training,” reports DAK Magazin, a German health-insurance publication. Just as muscles atrophy through inactivity, the brain becomes rusty and stores less data if it gets little exercise. Is this a problem mainly of the elderly? Far from it! “Since thinking is often made easy for us or even superfluous,” comments the magazine, even youths run the risk of developing a rusty memory by not keeping their minds properly occupied. What can help? The magazine recommends brain jogging, using mental games, such as puzzles involving numbers and letters of the alphabet, to stimulate mind and memory. Also, “crossword puzzles can be helpful.” Don't forget chess of course! :)

Danger When the Bamboo Flowers Large areas of northeast India are covered by bamboo forests. Fear arose in the states of Manipur and Mizoram as the bamboo there began to blossom. Why? Because the blossoming of the particular species of bamboo plants in these areas, called mautang, occurs only once in about 50 years, and it attracts rats. Feeding on the flowers, the rats reproduce rapidly and then start attacking the food crops, eventually creating famine conditions. According to The Times of India, a famine occurred in 1957 after the bamboo had blossomed in 1954/55. In an attempt to forestall another famine, the government of Mizoram State sponsored a drive to kill the rats. They offered one rupee for each rat tail. As of April, about 90,000 tails had been collected, and funds were being requisitioned to continue the antirat campaign.

Urban Noise Versus Sweet Dreams During the day, over 40 million Italians—about 72 percent of the population—are exposed to excessively high noise levels, according to the Italian Ministry of the Environment. Among the possible ill effects of prolonged exposure to such noise are accelerated heartbeat, variations in arterial pressure and respiratory capacity, gastritis, and nausea, reports Corriere della Sera. In big cities the noise from traffic interferes with normal sleep. Urban nighttime noise levels can exceed 70 decibels, increasing the risk of a reduction in deep sleep and dreaming. Says Lucia Venturi, scientific director of the Italian environmental association Legambiente: ‘It is estimated that each of the 18 million people who live in large urban areas loses 30 minutes of sleep every night. This would amount to 22 sleepless nights per person each year.’ hi guys im back!

Children’s Loves and Hates What do children enjoy doing the least? In a study of 6- to 11-year-olds by Professor Gustavo Pietropolli Charmet, of the University of Milan, Italy, the majority of children said: “Staying at home watching TV,” or “Staying in with Mom to do homework.” The most unpleasant thing they do, says the newspaper La Repubblica, is “have appointments,” that is, run between lessons in dancing, English, piano, and so forth. Also generally hated is “being alone.” On the other hand, 49 percent of boys want parents to “let children play outdoors,” while girls wish parents would “have fun playing with their children.” They say, in effect: ‘When Mom plays with me, she really has to play. You can tell if she’s not having fun, and then I don’t have fun either.’

For some reason unkown Black_knight account was close. To send him a message go to http://chessdotcomblog.blogspot.com/ I would like for all team members to show support by leaving him a message he can still read them on his blog. We are down, but not out, let keep on fighting to bitter end.

Can we take these guys down? http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/attn-all-2000-rated-chess-players-we-are-seeking-you-to-be-chess-assassins?page=1 They claim to be undefeated, but I think that might have to do with the company they've been keeping. Not sure about the other players here, but I've yet to see a team more focused, driven, and unified than 54.

Dress for Success When you are preparing for a job interview, it’s good to keep in mind that “well-dressed people leave good impressions,” says the Toronto Star newspaper. That is because a first impression lasts a long time. Therefore, “the basic message for those in business is: If you’re careless about how you look, you’re careless, period,” says the report. Experts say that a person who is neat and clean in appearance conveys an unspoken assurance to prospective employers or clients that they can expect quality work. Image consultants also stress that “an erect posture and energetic presence makes a strong first impression. Your tone of voice and pace of speaking make a difference.”

Grandparents for “Adoption” Some families in Spain have arranged to “adopt” 66 elderly people who have no relatives, reports the Spanish newspaper El País. “The object of this program . . . is to offer those who can no longer live alone an alternative to going to a home for the elderly,” the newspaper states. Among the applicants desiring to take in the elderly are married couples in their 50’s who want to share their life with an elderly person. Other families with small children say that they would like to have a grandparent at home. Even though the adopting families receive a subsidy, “what really motivates them is not the money,” explains the general director of the program, Marisa Muñoz-Caballero. “If such were the case, they would soon get fed up because caring for the elderly is a laborious task.”

What Goes Up Comes Down It has been common in some areas of the United States and in several Latin American countries for revelers to celebrate the start of a new year by firing their guns into the air. But police are urging them not to do so. “When you fire a gun into the air,” said Los Angeles police chief Willie Williams, “that bullet does come down someplace.” And that someplace may be in someone else’s head. Over a dozen people have been killed in this way over a few years’ time in the United States. Additionally, hundreds of cases of injury and property damage have been reported, sometimes caused by bullets that came from miles away. Often, people who fire into the air mistakenly think that the bullets disintegrate in the air or that they will not harm anyone as they descend. But a bullet shot straight up can return with a tremendous impact that is “enough to break the skin, put out an eye or penetrate the soft part of a baby’s skull,” according to Fred King, spokesman for the Houston Police Department.

welcome back ! long time no see....lol

Link to team's blog Check it out and let me know what you think! It's a work in progress so give your feedback, perferable as a comment to the blog.

why are we no longer fighting 5-4 no more

Breast-Fed Babies—Smarter, Healthier “Queensland researchers who studied almost 4000 Brisbane children found that, on the whole, those who were breastfed had higher IQs,” states The Daily Telegraph of Sydney, Australia. Professor Jake Najman of the University of Queensland said: “The longer the mother breastfed, the higher the intelligence of the child. It’s not just a small advantage that the breastfed children have, it’s about eight IQ points, which is quite a substantial advantage. It’s the difference between being an average child and being a reasonably bright child.” Another possible advantage of breast-feeding is that it may be a factor in reducing by up to 30 percent a child’s risk of becoming obese, says a report in Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph. According to lactation consultant Joy Heads, “there are very few waste products in breastmilk, which is almost perfectly utilised. You can have a big, chubby breast-fed baby and there is no problem with that at all. But a fat, bottle-fed baby has a higher chance of being obese later in life.”

Headaches From Painkillers! Those who take medication for headaches three or more times a week may be suffering from medication misuse headache (MMH). Thought to affect 1 in 50 persons, MMH is caused by simple remedies, such as aspirin, as well as by prescription painkillers. When the analgesic effect wears off, the medication can cause a headache that the patient mistakes for a normal headache or a migraine. The patient takes more painkillers, thus repeating the cycle. Dr. Tim Steiner, of Imperial College, London, explains that “any patient complaining of chronic daily headache should be assumed to have MMH.” He also notes that although the condition has been recognized for some years, most family doctors are unfamiliar with it and simply prescribe stronger painkillers, when all that is needed is for patients to stop taking them, reports The Sunday Telegraph of London.

Sleep Loss Lowers Productivity Sleep habits among some Spaniards are ruining their ability to be productive. Dr. Eduard Estivill, who runs a sleep clinic in Barcelona, notes that compared with other Europeans, Spaniards wake up earlier, work longer hours, eat dinner later, and sleep an average of 40 minutes less. Sleep deficit, however, can result in such problems as irritability, memory loss, anxiety, and depression. Hence, “any professional who performs intellectual work or other activity that requires concentration,” warns Dr. Estivill, “should sleep between seven and eight hours daily.”

Slurping Controversy To slurp or not to slurp, that is the question—at least for customers at Japan’s popular noodle soup restaurants. Many middle-aged and older Japanese feel that the long noodles actually taste better if slurped along with the broth and while still hot. They consider loud slurping to be normal and a way to show that one really enjoys the meal. But a newer generation of Japanese has a different point of view regarding noodle etiquette. The Japan Times reports: “Younger Japanese are more concerned not to dribble the soup onto their silk ties and [designer] dresses. Reared on Western manners and a more Western diet, they are likely to be offended when those around them slurp.” This slurping issue has become part of Japan’s generation gap, causing some older ones to be self-conscious about breaking the silence when eating noodles in public. Taking sides with the older generation, a major Japanese newspaper lamented: “It’ll be a truly lonely feeling when nobody makes any slurping noises any more.”

I'm not sure if this is going to make me timeout in a lot of games but i just accepted to 33 of our team matches :S

Oxygen-Starved Eyes Some contact-lens wearers may be starving their eyes of oxygen, reports The Globe and Mail. “Vascularization occurs when the cornea [the eye’s transparent cover] can’t get the oxygen it needs through surface contact with the air and begins growing blood vessels to compensate.” Impaired vision or even blindness can result. Dr. Raymond Stein, chief of ophthalmology at a Toronto hospital, says that the “worst scenario is when a patient fails to take care of his or her lenses and does not come in for follow-up.” Optometrists encourage patients to consult an eye-care professional to make sure that they have the right contact lenses for their particular eyes and then to follow the recommended wear schedule and lens-care instructions.

Singing Lifts the Heart Scientists have found that singing releases chemicals in the brain that make you feel relaxed and happy, reports the German newspaper Stuttgarter Nachrichten. Researchers say that singing gets the “molecules of emotion” in the brain moving. Thus, “singing is said not only to express emotions but also to create them,” states the report. Music teachers note that many people today feel that singing is “old-fashioned” or that their voices are not very good, and they therefore leave singing and music to the media. This research indicates, however, that people benefit when they themselves sing.

To setup team matches, to recognized players, and to help out with vote chess. If you would like to contribute in another way, let me know.