This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium – with a strong health/medical slant. This week…

1. with the northern winter approaching, salon.com ran this fine piece about the common cold [1]. I think you’ll learn something from it.

2. the BMJ reported that compared with placebo, chondroitin and/or glucosamine had no effect on the pain and pathology of osteoarthritis [2]. As an owner of arthritic fingers, I say ‘Damn!’.

3. the journal Gut told us that low dose aspirin significantly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer [3]. As an aspirin-taking owner of a bowel, I say ‘Yay!’.

4. Science Friday put up this ab fab vid of Caledonian Crows using twigs as tools [4]. Ain’t evolution inspiring.

5. the Heart Foundation ran two new TV advertisements – about heeding the signs of heart attack, and calling 000 [5]. Hopefully they’ll save lives.

6. planetgreen.com told us of ‘Tips for Freezing Fresh Produce’ [6]. It’s nice to know how to do it properly – and safely.

7. gizmodo ran an article titled ‘Chasing the Perfect Cup of Coffee with Science’ [7]. Amazing! Me? I’m all for the article’s last line: ‘…in the end, the only question that should matter is, "does it taste good?”’.

8. in fact today and tomorrow, darling Emily’s appearing at the 5th annual Wave Rock Weekender in Western Australia [8]. Break a leg, Em. xxx

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. I saw this item about a whale’s stomach contents [1]. We humans should be ashamed. But I doubt we are.

2. Grammar Girl explained the difference between ‘further’ and ‘farther’ [2]. Click on the link if you want to delve further.

3. I read this Australian Government leaflet containing the ‘National Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults’ [3]. So what are you waiting for?

4. my Prime Minster, Mr Rudd, deferred the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme until 2013, i.e. six years after he called climate change the moral challenge of our age. To register your disgust, click here: [4]

5. an Archives of Internal Medicine paper documented an association between depression and chocolate consumption [5]. Rightly, the authors pointed out their study tells nothing of causation let alone directionality.

6. a US National Institutes of Health panel concluded there’s currently no scientific evidence that modifying any factor reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease [6]. This includes diet, medications, complementary medicines, physical activity, and social engagement.

7. in Nutrition Diva’s Episode 91, about sugars, she concluded there were no nutritional differences between the types of sugar [7]. How sweet.

8. still on food, I read the USDA’s ‘Freezing and Food Safety’ fact sheet [8]. Everyone who freezes food should read it.

9. Melbourne was named, for the third time, the world’s Ultimate Sports City [9]. I don’t give a shit.

10. last Wednesday Hepburn Wind signed contracts to build Australia’s first community-owned wind farm [10]. I give a shit.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.