Remember When: Dec.20, 2024 - Exploring the Mysteries of Memories

Editor's Note: While I'm on break, I'm recycling past posts that I hope you find enlightening and entertaining.

Why are some people's memories so good and others so poor?

To answer that question, I turned to several sources, including the Queensland Brain Institute and the Alzheimer Society.

What I found

There are numerous types of memories including...

* Sensory Memory: we have a brief storage of sensory information, such as a flash of light, hearing a bird sing, or smelling popcorn. Sensory memory helps the brain process incoming stimuli, but most of it is forgotten unless processed.

* Short Term Memory: I'm guilty of this limited storage of information for a short period of time, typically around 15 to 30 seconds. For example, trying to remember a phone number while getting a pen to write it down.

* Working Memory: A type of short-term memory that involves holding on to and manipulating small bits of information in the mind. It's closely related to attention and is used to hold information while engaging in other cognitive processes.

Long-Term Memory: Can hold an unlimited amount of information over a period of time, from a few hours to a lifetime. Have you ever known someone like this?

* Episodic Memory: My wife Shirley is blessed with this type of memory to recall past events, recent or distant. 

* Semantic Memory: Used to remember the meanings of words or remember facts.

and finally, the trickiest...

* False Memories: They happen when someone recalls an event incorrectly either by misremembering details or by remembering something that never happened. They can be vivid and convincing, and it can be difficult to convince someone that their memory is wrong.

Moving on...

It's common knowledge that our brains-and specifically, our brain cells-store memories.

Get this; a team of scientists at NYU has discovered that cells from other parts of the body also perform a memory function, opening pathways for understanding how memory works and creating the potential to enhance learning and to treat memory-related afflictions.

Researchers tell us the rarest type of memory is Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM). I've never personally met someone with this skill level but have read about people currently, and in history, who had it.

Out of curiosity, I wondered what types of memories are the easiest to recall. The answer is declarative memories are easier to form than nondeclarative memories. For example, it takes less time to memorize a country's capital than it does to learn how to play the violin. Once you've learned to ride a bicycle, you're not likely to forget.

As you might guess, the hardest memories to forget are emotional memories. The reason is an involvement of an area of the brain that plays an important role in controlling behaviors that are important to your survival, including feelings of fear.

As it Stands, I hope this post answers at least some of the questions about your own memory.

Remember When: Dec. 27, 2013 - New Species Discovered in 2013: An Odd Animal Roundup

Editor's Note: The reason I'm running old posts is because I'm on a break right now and I thought readers might find my past posts enlightening and entertaining.

Amazing as it may seem, scientists keep finding new species of animals – (well, at least new to mankind) every year. 

Every year we get to hear about things like spiders as big as our faces or beautifully colored frogs that will poison us if we even touch them.

I love this time of year when everyone is making up lists about what happened throughout the year. This year is one of my favorites: 

On remote forest tree-tops and in deep Arctic oceans, researchers have spotted and identified a varied collection of new species in 2013.

Among them: a "Cocoa Frog" (photo right) from Suriname, a shark that walks, and a tarantula the size of a dinner plate. (photo above)

Though this year’s haul of new species runs into the thousands, researchers estimate that there are about 8 million species still unidentified by science skulking in remote corners of the world and sometimes hiding out right under scientists' noses.

"And that’s not including most of the microbial world. When you throw in the bacteria and archaea and cyanobacteria and those early groups, all bets are off," Quentin Wheeler, incoming president of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and founder of the International Institute for Species Exploration, told NBC News.

Science is catching up with Mother Nature — but slowly. About 18,000 species are discovered every year, and as of 2013, "We’re fast approaching 2 million named things," Wheeler said.” (Read whole story here)

As it Stands, since I began blogging in 2008 animals have been one of my favorites subjects.

Remember When: Dec. 21, 2009 - Lobbyists Perform Lobotomies Upon Health Care Bill

Editor's Note: I'm sharing past posts right now while I'm on a break. Health care, and the lack of it, was a problem in 2009. Here we are in 2026 and the challenges to our health care system continue to be a major issue.

During my morning coffee routine (where I pour the first cup over my head) I read the following story in the LA Times.

This story points out the reality behind the whole health care debate: lobbyists are making a mockery of the supposed reform on health care. They’ve been in charge since day one.

You have to go beyond the normal squabbling between the Democrats and Republicans to understand what has been happening throughout this process.

Behind the scenes, where power is really wielded today, there is no concern for Americans without insurance. Proof? Just look at this latest abomination the Dems passed. People are going to be fined for NOT having insurance! That’s pure bullshit. And proof of the lobbyist influence.

Check this story out: 

Familiar faces among health industry lobbyists

Many of them used to work in the Capitol as aides or as lawmakers themselves.

“David Nexon had a big problem. An early version of national healthcare legislation contained a $40-billion tax aimed squarely at members of the medical device trade association he represents.
Nexon, a former advisor to the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), went to work. He marshaled 14 people like himself -- lobbyists who were once congressional aides, many of them from staffs of congressional leaders or committees that had a hand in crafting the healthcare overhaul.”

Go here to read the rest.

As it Stands, it doesn't matter which party is in power because they both knuckle under to healthcare lobbyists.

Remember When: Dec. 29, 2010 - It was 1969 - The Year that the Army Stopped Niagara Falls

Editor's Note: I'm on a break so I'm sharing former posts for your consideration and enlightenment.

I was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri in 1969. 

That’s where the Army Corps of Engineers was located. It served as a key hub for combat engineering, construction, and geospatial skills, while hosting the Prime Power School, the 1st Engineer Brigade, and the 35th Engineer Brigade (my unit) 

I was training to be a combat engineer destined to go to Vietnam. My more fortunate comrades stayed stateside and worked on a massive project.

In 1969, the Army Corps of Engineers accomplished an awesome feat: They turned off Niagara Falls! 

The project involved diverting the Niagara River to the Horseshoe Falls to study the accumulated debris and see if there was any structural damage.

Starting June 9, 1969, the Albert Elia Construction Company built a 600-foot-wide cofferdam using over 27,800 tons of rock to dewater the iconic falls.

The project was finished in December 1969. The amazing feat was completed in just six months.

(Editor's note: Some informative articles on the project have appeared in Amusing Planet magazine (2016); the Smithsonian Magazine (2019); National Geographic (2023) and History.com (2024.)

As it Stands, don't be concerned about Niagara Falls going dry in our lifetime because experts say the massive monument to American engineering will exist in its current form for another 50,000 years before transforming into a series of rapids.

Remember When: Dec. 13, 2024 - Cultivating Kindness in Your Life

 
Editor's note: I'm on a break right now. That's why I'm sharing past posts for your consideration and entertainment.

Growing up I was inspired by a kind fourth grade teacher who saw beyond the angry youth that I was and encouraged me to channel my passions into writing.

It was one small act of kindness that set me on the road to a journalistic career. Without his encouragement there's no telling where I would have ended up.

Kindness is a force of good that has the power to change the world, one act at a time. Kindness enriches our lives in countless ways from the release of "feel good" chemicals in our brain to the creation of positive effects in communities.

Keep in mind that kindness can be contagious. By embracing it you create a ripple effect of good that can transform your life and the lives of others in the world.

Cultivating kindness in your life

(From Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health)

1. Start with yourself. Practice self-compassion and kindness towards yourself. It's easier to be kind to others when you are with yourself.

2. Small acts, big impact. Kindness doesn't have to be grand gestures. Small acts, like complimenting someone, holding the door, or listening to a friend, can make a significant difference.

3. Volunteer: Find opportunities to help others in your community or support charitable organizations.

4. Practice empathy: Try to understand the perspectives and feelings of others. Empathy is the foundation for kindness.

5. Be mindful: Be present in the moment and aware of the opportunities to be kind that arise in your life.

Interestingly kindness is more than just a warm and fuzzy feeling; it's a fundamental part of our biology. Studies have shown that when we perform acts of kindness, our brain releases dopamine and oxytocin, which makes us feel happy and connected to others. 

In the course of my life, I've met many kind people who have given me hope for humanity. Think about how great it is when your acts of kindness produce ripple-effects that set off a chain reaction of positivity.

As it Stands, in a world that is currently heavy with pain and hate, kindness is desperately needed. 

Remember When: Dec. 29, 2020 - Another 2020 Moment: Trump Awards Himself the Nobel Peace Prize

Editor's Note: This following post from the past is coming to you while I'm on a blog break. It shows how long ago Trump was dreaming of getting a Nobel Peace Prize. He got the Nobel Peace Prize this year - from the person who actually won the prize and gave it to him in an embarrassing presentation in order to curry his favor.

This year has been norm shattering. Many things in our society will never be the same again.

The list is too long to run here, but the top three reasons why our lives have changed forever are; the pandemic, Trump trying to steal the presidential election, and an economy in free fall.

Again, space doesn't permit me to run all the crazy things Trump's done this year.

After watching the video Trump shared Monday, I am submitting it as a great example of what Americans have been putting up with.

In an awkward attempt to congratulate himself, Trump tweeted a montage of his supposed accomplishments (most in his tiny brain). 

The most amusing claim was he won The Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, he didn't, but that didn't matter. He's shown (in a doctored photo) holding up a certificate alongside some real Nobel Prize winners.

A caption below states, "Trump stands for peace" as the logo for the Nobel Peace Prize fills the lower right-hand corner of the screen.

It encapsulates Trump's entire reign; lying and revoking reality at every turn. 

In an interesting result to his latest self-serving promotion, he violated intellectual property law; copywrite and trademark infringement violations.

It's a re-occurring theme throughout Trump's presidency. He's used music from groups and individuals in rallies without their permission. His 2016 and 2020 campaigns used others intellectual property rights with impunity.

Don't expect the Nobel Foundation to go to court over this infringement, however. They don't want anything more to do with Don the Con, or his alternate universe.

As it Stands, Trump's delusions have always been rooted in an alternate universe where he thinks people believe his lunatic ramblings.

Remember When: Dec. 31, 2011 - 'A Bunch of Crock': A Look at the Absurdities of our Bullshit Society

Editor's Note: While I'm on break, I'm dredging up past posts for your consideration. This post is a rare one because it doesn't have much text. It's still fun to look at the graphics.

Graphic designer and satirist, Safwat Saleem, concocts a series of retro images and poignant words to highlight the absurdities of our "Bullshit Society" He calls his creations: "A Bunch of Crock."

About Safwat Saleem:

He's a Pakistani American visual artist, graphic designer, and filmmaker.

Here's a link to his website.

As it Stands, there's nothing like a change of pace to make things interesting and entertaining.