BY U. PITTSBURGH New experiments suggest varying what we study and spacing out our learning over time can both be helpful for retaining memories—it just depends on what we’re trying to remember. The work provides new insight into how we learn and remember our real-world experiences. “Lots of prior research has shown that learning and memory benefit from spacing study sessions out,” says Benjamin Rottman, an associate professor of psychology and director of the Causal Learning and Decision-Making Lab at Pitt. “For example, if you cram the night before a test, you might remember the ..read more

‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is out now in theaters I have enjoyed each of the Planet of the Apes movies. They were action packed and the special effects were truly a sight to behold. In each film the next part of this series has been told in a way that is a joy to watch unfold. When I saw that first Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer, I hoped I would get to check it out. I was able to attend a screening of this film and here is what I thought of it. (c) 20th Century Studios You can read the plot for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes here: Set several generations in the future ..read more

To my dearly departed and neglected spider plant, For years, I had watched you on my bookshelf, nestled between my self-help books “How to Be Accountable” and “Stop Procrastinating.” How ironic, since I had procrastinated watering you and I neglected you every day for a year, to the point where you had passed away from rejection. I am so sorry for letting you down. You are, and forever will be, my greatest failure. Actually, that’s not true. I’ve had lots of failures in my life. But it seemed like something I should say here given the circumstances. Ever since you left my bookshelf — and this ..read more

The concept of spirituality might seem out of place in the fast-paced, often hectic modern workplace. However, as the understanding of holistic well-being evolves, there’s a growing recognition that nurturing the spiritual dimension of employees is vital for their overall health and productivity. One powerful way to support this aspect of well-being is by creating sacred spaces within the work environment. These spaces are designed to foster tranquility, creativity, and connection, ultimately enhancing personal growth and spiritual well-being among employees. Human Resources (HR) departments ..read more

  My oldest son has to wake up at 6:30 am on school days. It breaks my heart to not him sleep. At the other end of the day, we’ve done everything we can to encourage him to get to bed by 10:00 pm. But he is a teenager, so some primal force keeps him awake long into the night. Children today are facing a sleep crisis. Many kids — including my own — are not getting enough of it. Aside from school requirements, they spend too much time on screens and they have more stressors than any generation before. 52 percent of kids aged 6 to 17 in the United States are not getting the recommended 9 ho ..read more

  By Douglas Woodhouse It is hard to escape bad news about wait times in health care these days. Across the developed world, health systems are under stress as populations age, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic that created long backlogs for care. Similarly in Canada, wait times that have been increasing for years are now severely limiting access to essential health services. In response, we are increasingly turning to triage, hoping to prioritize our use of scarce health-care resources. Gone are the days of being referred to a cardiologist, a psychiatrist, a gastroenterologist ..read more

  So many of us have been there. Lingering awkwardly in an unfulfilling situationship. Feeling subtly disrespected and largely unseen. Clutching on to someone blatantly unable or unwilling to fulfil our needs. But when you do this, you are taking a backseat in your own life. You are undermining yourself. This article sheds light on why you find yourself in these situations and empowers you to take the first step towards reclaiming control. It reveals how radical self-honesty can transform the way you talk to yourself and how you can use it to craft a more fulfilling and empowered life. G ..read more

Heron gets a new quest in ‘Blood of Zeus’ season 2 I was very impressed with Blood of Zeus season 1. We met a man who turned out to be more than they appeared to be. While this season moved along some secrets came to the surface that changed their life forever. Once this season came to a close, it was clear this story was far from over. When I heard a season 2 was coming out I hoped I might get a chance to watch it. I was able to get screeners for season 2 of this show and here is my thoughts on them. (c) Netflix You can read the plot for Blood of Zeus season 2 here: Following Zeus’ demise ..read more

  By Rick Sarre The rate of women killed by their partners in Australia grew by 28% from 2021–22 to 2022–23, according to new statistics released today by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC). There were 34 women killed in intimate partner incidents in the financial year 2022–23, which is the equivalent of 0.32 per 100,000 people. The year before, the rate was 0.25 such homicides per 100,000. Historically, the rate of women killed by their partners has been on the decline since the late 1980s and early 1990s. It has decreased by 66% over the past 34 years, according to the AIC ..read more

As a clinician treating addicts and alcoholics over the past thirty years, I’ve heard people say that relapse is part of recovery oft-repeated and to be honest, it bugs me. A lot. In my experience, it’s directed at clients and their families as an explanation for a recent relapse. In that context, it’s used to soften the blow when someone loses their recovery. All part of the process it’s said, and while relapse certainly is a common experience, is it inevitable? I think not, and I would add it’s a dangerous message to send to clients grappling with addiction and especially so in the con ..read more