Monthly Archive for September, 2010

Think Before You Give

Published on September 20, 2010 in Social. 0 Comments

Philanthropic giving is important to the welfare of the world, but it is often difficult to determine where to give your money too.   There are so many good causes out there, but sometimes it is difficult to determine where a donation will do the most good.  Although what philanthropic cause you want to support is up to your own preferences, giving to a legitimate and efficient charity will make your dollar go further to improve the world.

Firstly, it is important to know the charity you’re donating to.  Requesting literature about a company will not only give you more information about their mission, but it is a good sign of a legitimate charity.  Honest charities will want to be as open as possible about their finances and practices. Continue reading ‘Think Before You Give’

Wine Trends – Past, Present, and Future

Published on September 20, 2010 in Food. 0 Comments

Wine and the culture that accompanies it is an important part of our society that has only grown in popularity within the past decades.  It is a subject that cultured people are expected to be able to converse about intelligently.  So if you don’t know much about wine, consider this your cheat sheet.  And even if you think you know everything that there is to know about wine, you might find out something interesting to share with your wine savvy friends.

In the past decades, wine making and the culture that surrounds wine has undergone some very important changes.  One of the most notable of those changes was the rise in popularity of the winemaking consultant. Continue reading ‘Wine Trends – Past, Present, and Future’

How Do People Think? Mostly They Don’t!

Published on September 20, 2010 in Social. 0 Comments

Humans have evolved to largely rely on automatic thinking, that is, thinking that is unconscious and involuntary.  This serves us well in many situations, since it would be burdensome to have to think long and hard about each new thing that we see.  We use our knowledge of the world and past experiences to quickly sort the new information that we are presented with.  However, sometimes this automatic processing leads us to make mistakes, and we need to be aware of our propensity to think automatically so that these mistakes can be avoided as much as possible.

How do we organize the new information that we are presented with?  We use schemas, which are mental structures that organize our knowledge about the world. Continue reading ‘How Do People Think? Mostly They Don’t!’

Why Do We Admire Athletes?

Published on September 20, 2010 in Sports. 0 Comments

Physical prowess and athleticism have been prized traits throughout human evolution.  Though originally prized for ability to hunt or defend others, physical fitness and skill are still admired attributes in modern day society.  Today, success in sports improves one’s status in a group and makes it easier for them to find a mate.

Sports establish a social hierarchy based on physical ability.  By showcasing their athletic skills (and by extension their good genes), athletes establish their place in the social hierarchy and establish dominance over less able peers. Continue reading ‘Why Do We Admire Athletes?’

Geeky Chefs – Top Restaurants Using Science To Develop Amazing Cuisine

Published on September 11, 2010 in Food. 0 Comments

People have been experimenting with the preparation of food for thousands of years, but chefs have only recently begun to use principles of chemistry to enhance the flavor and texture of the food that they create. Class IV lasers, edible parchments, foams, aromatic airs, froths, smokes, freeze dried powders and paint sprayer “snows” are only a few examples of the techniques being used to push the boundaries of cooking. This new science is known as molecular gastronomy, a branch of food science that studies the physical and chemical changes that occur in food when it is cooked.

As we can see from the S. Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants list, molecular gastronomy is a major trend among the best and most exclusive restaurants in the world. Continue reading ‘Geeky Chefs – Top Restaurants Using Science To Develop Amazing Cuisine’

Travel Tips – Nonverbal Communication Can Make The Difference

Published on September 11, 2010 in Travel. 0 Comments

Although speaking the language of the country that you’re traveling to will usually make the trip easier and more enjoyable, it is also important to understand the nonverbal communication signs used in that culture. Failure to understand that your facial expressions, gestures, and body position may be offensive to someone from the country that you are visiting invites unnecessary problems.

Darwin’s research on facial expressions has led to a widely held belief that the primary emotions conveyed by the face are universal, and thus not specific to any one culture. Continue reading ‘Travel Tips – Nonverbal Communication Can Make The Difference’