Friday, December 19, 2014
FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS
Here we go!
NFL PICKS
Philadelphia at Washington. My pick: EAGLES 34-14. The Eagles suffered a tough loss last week. But the Redskins are a mess. Look for RGIII to be under pressure all day.
San Diego at San Francisco. My pick: CHARGERS 24-23. Will the 49ers still play, now that they're out of the playoffs and Jim Harbaugh may be leaving. My guess is: yes. But Colin Kaepernick has not played well, the Niners are riddled with injuries, and look for Philip Rivers' short passing game to help the Chargers squeak one out here.
Baltimore at Houston. My pick: RAVENS 24-10. Why? Two reasons: it's playoff time, and the Ravens have a history of getting it done when that time comes. Also: Ryan Fitzpatrick is hurt; Houston must go with Tom Savage at QB. Who? Precisely.
Buffalo at Oakland. My pick: BILLS 21-10. Why? That Buffalo defense. It's rock-solid.
Cleveland at Carolina. My pick: PANTHERS 27-14. For the Browns, Johnny Manziel is not yet ready for prime time, and I think that will show again this week. Meanwhile, even if Derek Anderson must again sub for Cam Newton, he has experience, and can win a game like this.
Indianapolis at Dallas. My pick: COLTS 31-24. I think both of these teams are good. But--look at how Dallas has performed, at home, coming off big wins. They've struggled--not sure of the reason why. But they have. And Andrew Luck should be able to find passing openings in that Dallas secondary.
Detroit at Chicago. My pick: LIONS 20-7. I think the verdict is in on the Lions' offense--it struggles to score and move the ball at times. I suspect their offensive line is a main culprit. But--in this game, Jimmy Clausen will make his first start for the Bears. When was the last time he took a snap in a regular-season NFL game? And he has to do it against that tough Detroit front 4? The Lions defense should dominate.
Green Bay at Tampa Bay. My pick: PACKERS 27-21. Green Bay has many weapons, and of course Aaron Rodgers; it should win this game. I don't though expect a blowout--Tampa has been competitive in many of their losses, and the Pack is not the same team on the road.
Minnesota at Miami. My pick: UPSET ALERT: VIKINGS 24-21. Mainly because: the Dolphins have regressed--their defense no longer stops the run effectively, and offensively they struggle. Teddy Bridgewater meanwhile slowly makes progress for the Vikes.
New England at NY Jets. My pick: PATRIOTS 27-10. I just can't see the mighty Patriots letting this one slip by them against the lowly Jets.
Atlanta at New Orleans. My pick: SAINTS 27-24. The Saints have struggled and struggled. Everytime I've thought they've turned a corner--they haven't. But this time maybe they really have; and again, it's just so hard to see them losing, again, at home.
Kansas City at Pittsburgh. My pick: UPSET ALERT: CHIEFS 26-24. Why? Again--the Steelers are another team that has been up and down. Last week they were up; they won on the road in Atlanta. But this week? Plus--a big factor in several of their wins have been turnovers. Don't look for the Chiefs to hand out many gifts; and that will help them pull the upset.
NY Giants at St. Louis. My pick: GIANTS 20-17. The Giants are coming together a bit, and are still playing for their coach. Note how well they're using Odell Beckham. Look for Eli Manning to throw to Beckham and help the G-men pull this one out late.
Seattle at Arizona. My pick: SEAHAWKS 14-10. You have to go with Seattle here; that defense...against Ryan Lindley, having to fill in for AZ at QB? Not fair. But i look for this to be a closer game than some think. That Cardinals defense is good.
Denver at Cincinnati. My pick: UPSET ALERT: BENGALS 28-26. Why? The Bengals are a good holme team--13-2-1 in their last 16 games. It's likely to be cold; Peyton Manning and that offense don't like that kind of wealther.
Monday, December 15, 2014
AWARENESS UPDATES
Two interesting items today:
First, does your child perhaps have both Moebius Syndrome and autism? If so, note--there is a designer working on interiors that are effective and soothing for autistic children. Read on:
*********************************
MINNEAPOLIS — A.J. Paron-Wildes’ home, a walk-out rambler in suburban Oak Park Heights, Minn., is a study in calm — all clean, uncluttered spaces and earthy, neutral hues that echo the autumn leaves framing the view of the St. Croix River. On an autumn afternoon, daughter Eva, 6, is having an after-school snack, while son Devin, 19, sketches intently, seated at the studio desk in his orderly bedroom.
This peaceful environment is entirely by design. When you have a child child with autism, calm is a precious commodity — and Paron-Wildes has become an expert at creating it, starting in her own home.
That journey started 16 years ago when Devin was diagnosed with autism at age 3. “It was very traumatic,” Paron-Wildes recalled.
At that time, Devin didn’t speak but was prone to explosive tantrums when he was upset or confused. “He’d drop to the floor and start screaming.” She and her husband stopped bringing Devin to the grocery store or on other errands because they never knew what might trigger an eruption. “We’d have to drop everything and leave.”
At the time of Devin’s diagnosis, Paron-Wildes was a very young interior designer, only recently graduated from the University of Minnesota. “I thought, ‘There’s got to be some great research'” about designing spaces for children with autism, but she was wrong. “There was nothing,” she recalled. “Everything was done in the ’70s, when kids were institutionalized.”
Determined to keep Devin at home, Paron-Wildes committed herself to creating an environment where he could learn and thrive. So she started educating herself — by working backwards.
She read books about autism, and pored over studies about the neurological workings of the brain, becoming fascinated by the different ways people with autism perceive colors, patterns and lighting. She tried to determine what design elements would likely trigger difficult behavior — and then did the opposite, learning through trial and error.
“You can’t really get the information by asking, ‘Is this too bright for you?’ ‘Does this make you dizzy?’ You have to watch for cues,” she said.
Devin, too, was watching for cues. That’s a necessary strategy for children with autism, who usually develop language skills much later than their peers. Those who have difficulty communicating verbally often look to their environment for cues about what’s happening and how they should respond, Paron-Wildes said. They crave order and are easily distracted by its absence. They read meaning into seemingly random visual signals, and tend to be hypersensitive to harsh artificial light and to environmental toxins.
Paron-Wildes learned that the Crayola-bright, busy spaces most people consider kid-friendly — “like Ronald McDonald threw up” — are so stimulating that they can easily confuse and overwhelm a child with autism.
She remembers taking a young Devin to speech therapy — “in a room with a jungle gym and kids running around screaming.” The lesson was going nowhere, until she suggested moving it to a closet, the only quiet place available. There, Devin started to respond.
Information about autism and design may have been scarce when Paron-Wildes began searching for it, but that’s changing as autism rates have soared. The incidence may now be as high as 1 in 50 children, a 72 percent increase since 2007, according to a 2013 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That means Paron-Wildes’ expertise is increasingly in demand. “People think, ‘Oh, I have to redesign my whole house,’?” she said. “No. Pay attention to the areas where the child needs to learn.” Those areas, as well as rooms where children rest and sleep, should be well-organized and orderly, with minimal distraction and muted, warm colors. “I’ve painted many little boys’ rooms pink — it tends to be a calming color,” she said.
She has worked with the University of Minnesota to develop research and design principles, co-chaired the Minnesota Autism Task Force, has written a trilogy of e-books on “Design for Autism” and spoke on “Design Empathy” for architects at a recent AIA Minnesota convention. The bouncy, enthusiastic designer managed to work an autism joke — with a message — into her presentation. Pointing out a mustard-yellow circle at the corner of each page of her PowerPoint, she asked: “How many of you are wondering what that is there for? I did that to confuse you!” she added with a girlish laugh. “That’s what it’s like for kids (with autism).”
A designer for the AllSteel workplace furniture firm, Paron-Wildes also consults with schools, medical facilities and other organizations that serve children with autism and their families. (Most of her consulting work is done pro bono.) At this point, she could probably do autism-related design full-time, but she enjoys working on a wide range of projects. “If my whole life was autism, I would lose perspective.”
One recent consulting project involved working with designers from Perkins + Will on a new space for Fraser, a program Devin attended from age 3 to 6. The designers transformed a former Life Time Fitness office into a speech and occupational therapy site for children with autism and others.
Paron-Wildes pointed out design features on a recent visit. Treatment rooms and “meltdown areas,” where children often struggle with transitions from one activity to another, are quiet and neutral. “It’s easier to add color than to take it away,” she said. In other areas, brighter hues are used as way-finding cues, guiding children down hallways and to color-coded cubbies. Most flooring is kept simple. “If you make a pattern, the kids will follow it.”
There’s a lot more color and pattern in the reception area, however, where parents wait for their children and sometimes meet with therapists.
“One of the biggest complaints in centers is that parents feel like they’re in an institution,” Paron-Wildes said. She vividly remembers the stark waiting room she sat in when she first heard Devin’s diagnosis 16 years ago. “It felt very institutional. There was nothing to look at. It added to the aloneness and trauma.”
Parents feel calmer and more comfortable in a vibrant, upbeat environment. “It’s all psychological,” she said. “These parents want to feel like their child is going to a school — a fun school — not to treatment.”
Today, Devin is a verbal and affectionate teen who graduated from high school, went to prom and has developed into a gifted artist. He hopes to study art further; his work has won numerous awards and is proudly displayed throughout the family’s house.
That house, too, was chosen and designed with Devin’s needs in mind. Up until last year, Paron-Wildes and her family lived in a historic house in Stillwater, Minn. It was not calm, at least not after Devin’s sister joined the family. “We didn’t think we’d have a second kid,” Paron-Wildes said. “Then we had Ava. She’s a screamer. It was hard on Devin. We were having a lot of behavioral issues.”
So they found another house, one with plenty of separation between the kids’ rooms. Devin has a large bedroom with a lofted ceiling and a big window overlooking the river. “It’s really quiet up here; the 6-year-old doesn’t bother him,” his mother said. His room has lots of natural light and views of nature, which he loves studying through his telescope. There’s even an adjacent “Lego room” where he can retreat to build elaborate structures. Devin didn’t want to move at first — transitions are still difficult — and threatened to run away. But he soon adjusted. “He is so comfortable here — he loves his space,” Paron-Wildes said. “We have zero issues now.”
***************************
And in other news--disability-related hate crimes are down:
The number of reported hate crimes targeting people with disabilities fell last year, the FBI says.
There were 92 hate crime offenses based on disability bias recorded in 2013, according to statistics released this week from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. That’s down from the year prior when 106 incidents were reported.
The decline mirrors a drop in the overall number of hate crimes documented. Last year, the FBI logged 5,928 criminal incidents, a decrease from 6,573 in 2012.
Disability bias represented 1.4 percent of the hate crimes reported in 2013. Of them, 69 were related to mental disability and 23 were linked to physical disability, the FBI said.
For the first time this year, hate crimes statistics include data on crimes stemming from gender and gender identity bias, categories which were added under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009.
Hate crimes reporting also includes data on criminal incidents motivated by a bias toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity in addition to disability.
****************************************
First, does your child perhaps have both Moebius Syndrome and autism? If so, note--there is a designer working on interiors that are effective and soothing for autistic children. Read on:
*********************************
MINNEAPOLIS — A.J. Paron-Wildes’ home, a walk-out rambler in suburban Oak Park Heights, Minn., is a study in calm — all clean, uncluttered spaces and earthy, neutral hues that echo the autumn leaves framing the view of the St. Croix River. On an autumn afternoon, daughter Eva, 6, is having an after-school snack, while son Devin, 19, sketches intently, seated at the studio desk in his orderly bedroom.
This peaceful environment is entirely by design. When you have a child child with autism, calm is a precious commodity — and Paron-Wildes has become an expert at creating it, starting in her own home.
That journey started 16 years ago when Devin was diagnosed with autism at age 3. “It was very traumatic,” Paron-Wildes recalled.
At that time, Devin didn’t speak but was prone to explosive tantrums when he was upset or confused. “He’d drop to the floor and start screaming.” She and her husband stopped bringing Devin to the grocery store or on other errands because they never knew what might trigger an eruption. “We’d have to drop everything and leave.”
At the time of Devin’s diagnosis, Paron-Wildes was a very young interior designer, only recently graduated from the University of Minnesota. “I thought, ‘There’s got to be some great research'” about designing spaces for children with autism, but she was wrong. “There was nothing,” she recalled. “Everything was done in the ’70s, when kids were institutionalized.”
Determined to keep Devin at home, Paron-Wildes committed herself to creating an environment where he could learn and thrive. So she started educating herself — by working backwards.
She read books about autism, and pored over studies about the neurological workings of the brain, becoming fascinated by the different ways people with autism perceive colors, patterns and lighting. She tried to determine what design elements would likely trigger difficult behavior — and then did the opposite, learning through trial and error.
“You can’t really get the information by asking, ‘Is this too bright for you?’ ‘Does this make you dizzy?’ You have to watch for cues,” she said.
Devin, too, was watching for cues. That’s a necessary strategy for children with autism, who usually develop language skills much later than their peers. Those who have difficulty communicating verbally often look to their environment for cues about what’s happening and how they should respond, Paron-Wildes said. They crave order and are easily distracted by its absence. They read meaning into seemingly random visual signals, and tend to be hypersensitive to harsh artificial light and to environmental toxins.
Paron-Wildes learned that the Crayola-bright, busy spaces most people consider kid-friendly — “like Ronald McDonald threw up” — are so stimulating that they can easily confuse and overwhelm a child with autism.
She remembers taking a young Devin to speech therapy — “in a room with a jungle gym and kids running around screaming.” The lesson was going nowhere, until she suggested moving it to a closet, the only quiet place available. There, Devin started to respond.
Information about autism and design may have been scarce when Paron-Wildes began searching for it, but that’s changing as autism rates have soared. The incidence may now be as high as 1 in 50 children, a 72 percent increase since 2007, according to a 2013 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That means Paron-Wildes’ expertise is increasingly in demand. “People think, ‘Oh, I have to redesign my whole house,’?” she said. “No. Pay attention to the areas where the child needs to learn.” Those areas, as well as rooms where children rest and sleep, should be well-organized and orderly, with minimal distraction and muted, warm colors. “I’ve painted many little boys’ rooms pink — it tends to be a calming color,” she said.
She has worked with the University of Minnesota to develop research and design principles, co-chaired the Minnesota Autism Task Force, has written a trilogy of e-books on “Design for Autism” and spoke on “Design Empathy” for architects at a recent AIA Minnesota convention. The bouncy, enthusiastic designer managed to work an autism joke — with a message — into her presentation. Pointing out a mustard-yellow circle at the corner of each page of her PowerPoint, she asked: “How many of you are wondering what that is there for? I did that to confuse you!” she added with a girlish laugh. “That’s what it’s like for kids (with autism).”
A designer for the AllSteel workplace furniture firm, Paron-Wildes also consults with schools, medical facilities and other organizations that serve children with autism and their families. (Most of her consulting work is done pro bono.) At this point, she could probably do autism-related design full-time, but she enjoys working on a wide range of projects. “If my whole life was autism, I would lose perspective.”
One recent consulting project involved working with designers from Perkins + Will on a new space for Fraser, a program Devin attended from age 3 to 6. The designers transformed a former Life Time Fitness office into a speech and occupational therapy site for children with autism and others.
Paron-Wildes pointed out design features on a recent visit. Treatment rooms and “meltdown areas,” where children often struggle with transitions from one activity to another, are quiet and neutral. “It’s easier to add color than to take it away,” she said. In other areas, brighter hues are used as way-finding cues, guiding children down hallways and to color-coded cubbies. Most flooring is kept simple. “If you make a pattern, the kids will follow it.”
There’s a lot more color and pattern in the reception area, however, where parents wait for their children and sometimes meet with therapists.
“One of the biggest complaints in centers is that parents feel like they’re in an institution,” Paron-Wildes said. She vividly remembers the stark waiting room she sat in when she first heard Devin’s diagnosis 16 years ago. “It felt very institutional. There was nothing to look at. It added to the aloneness and trauma.”
Parents feel calmer and more comfortable in a vibrant, upbeat environment. “It’s all psychological,” she said. “These parents want to feel like their child is going to a school — a fun school — not to treatment.”
Today, Devin is a verbal and affectionate teen who graduated from high school, went to prom and has developed into a gifted artist. He hopes to study art further; his work has won numerous awards and is proudly displayed throughout the family’s house.
That house, too, was chosen and designed with Devin’s needs in mind. Up until last year, Paron-Wildes and her family lived in a historic house in Stillwater, Minn. It was not calm, at least not after Devin’s sister joined the family. “We didn’t think we’d have a second kid,” Paron-Wildes said. “Then we had Ava. She’s a screamer. It was hard on Devin. We were having a lot of behavioral issues.”
So they found another house, one with plenty of separation between the kids’ rooms. Devin has a large bedroom with a lofted ceiling and a big window overlooking the river. “It’s really quiet up here; the 6-year-old doesn’t bother him,” his mother said. His room has lots of natural light and views of nature, which he loves studying through his telescope. There’s even an adjacent “Lego room” where he can retreat to build elaborate structures. Devin didn’t want to move at first — transitions are still difficult — and threatened to run away. But he soon adjusted. “He is so comfortable here — he loves his space,” Paron-Wildes said. “We have zero issues now.”
***************************
And in other news--disability-related hate crimes are down:
The number of reported hate crimes targeting people with disabilities fell last year, the FBI says.
There were 92 hate crime offenses based on disability bias recorded in 2013, according to statistics released this week from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. That’s down from the year prior when 106 incidents were reported.
The decline mirrors a drop in the overall number of hate crimes documented. Last year, the FBI logged 5,928 criminal incidents, a decrease from 6,573 in 2012.
Disability bias represented 1.4 percent of the hate crimes reported in 2013. Of them, 69 were related to mental disability and 23 were linked to physical disability, the FBI said.
For the first time this year, hate crimes statistics include data on crimes stemming from gender and gender identity bias, categories which were added under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009.
Hate crimes reporting also includes data on criminal incidents motivated by a bias toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity in addition to disability.
****************************************
Friday, December 12, 2014
FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS!
Last week I was 14-7; I am now 131-79-1 for the year.
Let's go:
NFL PICKS
Pittsburgh at Atlanta. My pick: FALCONS 30-27. Who knows with either of these teams just who will show up? The Steelers have been up and down. They were up last week; so now they're scheduled to be down.
Washington at NY Giants. My pick: GIANTS 27-10. Both teams have had problems. The Giants' issues have been well-documented. But last week's win in Tennessee showed--New York is still playing for their embattled coach. I think they'll play this week, too.
Miami at New England. My pick: PATRIOTS 31-10. New England is very, very tough at home. Last week's win in San Diego, where for a good while they shut down the Chargers' offense, shows their defense is coming around, too.
Oakland at Kansas City. My pick: CHIEFS 24-14. The Raiders have improved a bit under Tony Sparano. But the Chiefs are tough at home, still have something to play for, and won't make the mistakes the Niners did last week.
Houston at Indianapolis. My pick: COLTS 24-20. I expect this to be a close, tough battle. Houston's defense is tough. J.J. Watt is an amazing player. Houston's playoff chances are kind of slim, but they continue to play hard. They gave the Colts a real battle earlier this year in Houston. But--expect Andrew Luck again to find a way to pull another game out.
Jacksonville at Baltimore. My pick: RAVENS 28-7. I don't expect Baltimore, with it being crunch time for the playoffs, to allow the Jags to give them too much trouble.
Green Bay at Buffalo. My pick: PACKERS 21-17. Again, I expect a tough battle here; this game is in Buffalo, and the Bills have a very tough defense, capable of pressuring Aaron Rodgers. But you just have to think that Rodgers and his many weapons will prevail here in a bruising game.
Tampa Bay at Carolina. My pick: UPSET ALERT--BUCCANEERS 27-21. The reason: Tampa Bay is still playing hard. They have weapons at wide receiver in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. Carolina had a big win last week on the road. But now--letdown? And I would be shocked in Cam Newton plays; I expect he won't due to his injuries. There's going to be an upset somewhere this week; this could be one spot where it happens.
Cincinnati at Cleveland. My pick: BENGALS 20-16. Who knows with these teams? Again, up one week; down the next. I know--Cincy had a bad loss last week at home. Cleveland whipped them on the road earlier this year. But--the Bengals, yes, had a bad week last week. Expect them to bounce back and play better. They've done it before. And if Johnny Manziel starts for Cleveland? Remember--he's a rookie.
NY Jets at Tennessee. My pick: JETS 17-10. Because the Jets seem to be in slightly less of a mess than do the Titans. Someone has to win!
Denver at San Diego. My pick: UPSET ALERT: CHARGERS 31-27. I know, San Diego lost last week. I know, Denver has been winning. But--something seems slightly off with Denver's offense, especially the passing game. The execution isn't quite there. Remember too--Philip Rivers has a history of giving the Broncos' defense fits. Look for Rivers and the Bolts to pull the upset.
Minnesota at Detroit. My pick: LIONS 31-21. The Lions have a formula for games like this, against lesser teams: throw the ball to Calvin (Johnson), and have their front four pressure the opposing passer. I can see it working again here.
San Francisco at Seattle. My pick: SEAHAWKS 24-6. The Seattle defense is flying around, and looking pretty dominant. On the other side, Colin Kaepernick seems to be in a mess; he's not playing well. That's a bad combo for the Niners as they head up to the Legion of Boom. Hard to see Seattle _not_ dominating this game.
Dallas at Philadelphia. My pick: EAGLES 31-24. I think both these teams are good; there's no doubt the Cowboys have exceeded expectations this year. But I just have a feeling that the Eagles kind of have their number.
New Orleans at Chicago. My pick: SAINTS 27-23. Both these teams have problems. The Saints were horrible--brutal--last week. Yet they still have a shot at the playoffs, and I just can't see Sean Payton and Drew Brees allowing them to be that bad again.
Let's go:
NFL PICKS
Pittsburgh at Atlanta. My pick: FALCONS 30-27. Who knows with either of these teams just who will show up? The Steelers have been up and down. They were up last week; so now they're scheduled to be down.
Washington at NY Giants. My pick: GIANTS 27-10. Both teams have had problems. The Giants' issues have been well-documented. But last week's win in Tennessee showed--New York is still playing for their embattled coach. I think they'll play this week, too.
Miami at New England. My pick: PATRIOTS 31-10. New England is very, very tough at home. Last week's win in San Diego, where for a good while they shut down the Chargers' offense, shows their defense is coming around, too.
Oakland at Kansas City. My pick: CHIEFS 24-14. The Raiders have improved a bit under Tony Sparano. But the Chiefs are tough at home, still have something to play for, and won't make the mistakes the Niners did last week.
Houston at Indianapolis. My pick: COLTS 24-20. I expect this to be a close, tough battle. Houston's defense is tough. J.J. Watt is an amazing player. Houston's playoff chances are kind of slim, but they continue to play hard. They gave the Colts a real battle earlier this year in Houston. But--expect Andrew Luck again to find a way to pull another game out.
Jacksonville at Baltimore. My pick: RAVENS 28-7. I don't expect Baltimore, with it being crunch time for the playoffs, to allow the Jags to give them too much trouble.
Green Bay at Buffalo. My pick: PACKERS 21-17. Again, I expect a tough battle here; this game is in Buffalo, and the Bills have a very tough defense, capable of pressuring Aaron Rodgers. But you just have to think that Rodgers and his many weapons will prevail here in a bruising game.
Tampa Bay at Carolina. My pick: UPSET ALERT--BUCCANEERS 27-21. The reason: Tampa Bay is still playing hard. They have weapons at wide receiver in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. Carolina had a big win last week on the road. But now--letdown? And I would be shocked in Cam Newton plays; I expect he won't due to his injuries. There's going to be an upset somewhere this week; this could be one spot where it happens.
Cincinnati at Cleveland. My pick: BENGALS 20-16. Who knows with these teams? Again, up one week; down the next. I know--Cincy had a bad loss last week at home. Cleveland whipped them on the road earlier this year. But--the Bengals, yes, had a bad week last week. Expect them to bounce back and play better. They've done it before. And if Johnny Manziel starts for Cleveland? Remember--he's a rookie.
NY Jets at Tennessee. My pick: JETS 17-10. Because the Jets seem to be in slightly less of a mess than do the Titans. Someone has to win!
Denver at San Diego. My pick: UPSET ALERT: CHARGERS 31-27. I know, San Diego lost last week. I know, Denver has been winning. But--something seems slightly off with Denver's offense, especially the passing game. The execution isn't quite there. Remember too--Philip Rivers has a history of giving the Broncos' defense fits. Look for Rivers and the Bolts to pull the upset.
Minnesota at Detroit. My pick: LIONS 31-21. The Lions have a formula for games like this, against lesser teams: throw the ball to Calvin (Johnson), and have their front four pressure the opposing passer. I can see it working again here.
San Francisco at Seattle. My pick: SEAHAWKS 24-6. The Seattle defense is flying around, and looking pretty dominant. On the other side, Colin Kaepernick seems to be in a mess; he's not playing well. That's a bad combo for the Niners as they head up to the Legion of Boom. Hard to see Seattle _not_ dominating this game.
Dallas at Philadelphia. My pick: EAGLES 31-24. I think both these teams are good; there's no doubt the Cowboys have exceeded expectations this year. But I just have a feeling that the Eagles kind of have their number.
New Orleans at Chicago. My pick: SAINTS 27-23. Both these teams have problems. The Saints were horrible--brutal--last week. Yet they still have a shot at the playoffs, and I just can't see Sean Payton and Drew Brees allowing them to be that bad again.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
HEALTH UPDATE: THE TRUTH ABOUT METABOLISM
I thought some of you really interested in health, exercise, etc would find this interesting:
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A source of confusion for some and a
scapegoat for extra weight around the midsection for others, metabolism
has long been a topic of hot conversation. Without it, we would lack the
energy to get out of bed in the morning, let alone burn calories all
day long.
However, even with its numerous benefits, metabolism often gets the brunt of the blame for weight gain.
With all of the fad diets and special tricks meant to speed up one's
metabolism (hot sauce anyone?), the facts often get blurred with
fiction.
To help clear up the confusion, we uncovered the truth behind the top five metabolism myths.
Myth #1: Skinnier individuals have a higher metabolism.
Some
thinner folks appear to eat whatever they want with seemingly no
consequence. Surely, they have a faster metabolism than the average Joe,
right? Not so fast.
Metabolism
actually has quite a bit to do with body size, but not in the way many
think. According to Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, assistant professor at the
University of Ottawa, "Skinny individuals almost invariably have slower
resting metabolisms; there is literally less of them to burn while at
rest."
As a result, larger individuals
usually have a higher metabolism (that is they burn more calories at
rest) than their thinner counterparts.
But
don't rejoice just yet. It's not just any additional weight that boosts
metabolism. Muscle, in particular, has a huge effect on the amount of
overall calories someone burns throughout the day. Comparing two
individuals of similar weight, the person with the larger amount of
muscle will generally have the faster metabolism.
This is just one of the reasons it's important to pair any weight loss program with a proper strength training plan. Research has found the extra muscle can help accelerate weight loss much faster than a diet-only plan.
Truth: While body size does factor in, body composition has a far greater effect on metabolism.
Myth #2: Skipping a meal slows down your metabolism.
Anyone
looking to drop a few pounds better be grazing on frequent meals and
snacks throughout the day right? Turns out the old notion of eating a
meal every three to four hours to ramp up one's metabolism wasn't
exactly perfect advice.
In fact, how
frequently someone eats has little to do with the speed of their
metabolism. Freedhoff explains, "Eating every four hours is popular
because eating frequently, for many, helps them to keep a lid on both
stomach hunger as well as cravings." That, in turn, allows for better
portion and choice control, Freedhoff says.
Certain
individuals (those prone to cravings or with special dietary needs) may
benefit from consuming multiple meals through the day. However, for the
rest of us, the most important factors to consider are the quantity and
quality of the food we consume.
Whether
you eat 2,000 calories of rice in one sitting or spread it out
throughout the day, it still has a similar effect, Freedhoff says.
Instead, it might be best to focus on eating quality food in a timeframe
that fits your individual schedule.
Truth: Quality and quantity of foods have greater bearing on metabolism than how often you eat.
Myth #3: Everything eaten late-night turns to fat.
"Avoid
eating late at night" is one of the most popular pieces of nutrition
advice on the planet. While it may be easy to think our bodies have an
internal clock set to store anything eaten after 8 p.m. as fat, it's not
quite so simple. Many aspects including various hormones, food quality, food content and energy expenditure influence how our bodies store fuel.
Unfortunately, simply refraining from eating late at night isn't enough to prevent fat storage.
Instead
of focusing on time of consumption, more attention should be placed on
what and how much we're eating. In fact, having a meal late at night
isn't any worse than eating at any other point during the day provided
the meal consists of healthy foods (and not a bucket of ice cream).
Freedhoff
likens this scenario to fueling up a car. "The time of day you fill
your car with gas isn't going to impact how far you'll go on that tank,"
he says. Provided you're eating high-quality food in the right
portions, most individuals won't notice a difference between eating at
night versus earlier in the day.
Truth: If you're taking in the right types of calories, eating later at night shouldn't derail your diet.
Myth #4: Metabolism is all about burning calories and breaking things down.
Many
understand metabolism as how quickly someone burns calories. But while
breaking things down is certainly an important part of metabolism, there
are actually two main components.
Catabolism,
or the breaking down of chemical bonds to release energy, is the most
well known part of the process as it releases energy in the form of
calories. However, what's just as essential is anabolism, the storage of
energy in the form of chemical bonds for later use, including
carbohydrates and fats. A properly functioning metabolism is a delicate
balance of both functions.
Truth: Metabolism consists of both breaking things down and building things up; both are vital to our health.
Myth #5: You have no control over your metabolism.
When
faced with unwanted weight, it's easy to place the blame on your
metabolism. However, it turns out that individuals have more control
over their metabolism than previously thought.
As
mentioned above, body composition has a huge effect on how quickly
someone's body burns calories. One easy way to ramp up your metabolism
is to build muscle through lifting weights. Alongside modifying your
workout routine, there are several other ways to be sure you're burning
calories at a higher rate:
• Sleep
more. The amount of rest you get each night doesn't only affect your
mood and productivity the next day. Researchers have found that it also
affects your metabolism. Sleep-deprived individuals have a decreased
ability to manage blood sugar levels and also may find themselves
hungrier (particularly for high carbohydrate foods). So, sleep more for a
healthier metabolism. (Win, win!)
•
Gulp down some water. Ditch the sugary soft drinks. Researchers have
found that consuming water may have a positive impact on how many
calories you burn throughout the day. This is due to a process called
thermogenesis wherein the body must burn calories to warm the water up
to body temperature. Hydrating with water also saves calories over
alternative beverages and plays a key role in helping to regulate
whole-body metabolism (especially during exercise).
•
Don't forget caffeine. Coffee lovers rejoice! It turns out that cup of
java may give you more than just an energy boost midday. When
researchers gave subjects coffee and then measured their caloric burn,
they found that the caffeinated individuals burned more calories than
their decaf-ordering counterparts.
• Get enough protein.
Dietary decisions (especially protein intake) have a profound impact on
metabolism. Researchers examining the effect of dietary compositions on
caloric burn have found that those taking in adequate levels of protein
have a higher energy expenditure at rest.
Truth: Simple dietary modifications and exercise habits can make a big difference in how fast someone burns calories at rest.
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Wednesday, December 10, 2014
FOR MOEBIUS MOMS AND DADS (AND ALL OTHER PARENTS, TOO!): OKAY FOR YOUR CHILD TO BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS?
Maybe...yes?:
**********************************
I’ve never had much of an opinion, one way or the other, about whether my kids should believe in Santa.
We’ve always played along with the story in our house, but my four older kids – all sons – have believed to varying ages: the oldest two boys, now 16 and 14, gave it up by the second grade or so, while my second two, now 10 and 8, still claim to believe, but have begun to make it clear it’s all for show.
The way I’ve always seen it, Santa is about the experience a child needs during the holiday, not the parents. If a child really wants to believe, she will cling to the Saint Nick story until the bitter end, pretending she didn’t really see those toys marked “FROM SANTA” in the back of the minivan that one night Mom and Dad went shopping alone, and convincing herself to believe lame excuses like, “Oh, Santa asked for our help picking this one out” when parents make a faux pas. I know, because I’ve been that kid.
And, in my experience with my four boys, kids who don’t care as much, whose childlike belief in the magic of the holiday isn’t tied up in this one particular aspect of it, seem to give up the belief readily and without much fuss, letting themselves be easily convinced by a more cynical friend, or noticing with eyes unclouded by sentiment that the Santa wrapping paper has been in a Target bag in the hall closet for the last month.
So when the yearly “should you tell your kids about Santa or is the whole thing a huge, disillusionment-inducing way to lie to your kids” debate rages, I’ve mostly stayed on the sidelines. After all, I’ve never jumped through any crazy hoops to extend my kids’ belief, or done much at all except go along with whatever they seem to feel about the jolly old elf. As a Santa-neutral mom, I’ve always felt like I was safe from judgment and not particularly interested in joining the fray.
But.
My 5-year-old daughter, Clara, I fear, is about to throw a wrench into this whole theory.
Clara is imaginative. She loves fairies and fantasy and magic and play-pretend. Clara also asks a lot of questions and seems to notice everything, remembering with awe-inspiring clarity that one offhand comment I made about maybe getting ice cream next week, or the fact that she asked for a particular Littlest Pet Shop raccoon six months before her birthday. (Of course I got the squirrel instead. Seriously, they all look the same to me.)
Maybe it won’t be this year. Maybe it won’t be next year. But soon – and with a persistence and inquisitiveness that will surely try everyone’s patience – I know this to be true: Clara’s going to start asking tough questions about the Big Man In The Red Suit. And I’m just not sure how I’m going to handle it. After all, Clara is the baby of the family, the youngest of five. She represents the fleetingness of childhood, and has marked my final opportunities to experience the holiday through the eyes of a baby, a toddler, and now, a little girl. And this year, along with the warm buzz that always accompanies my favorite holiday, I feel an underlying sense of dread.
Will this be the last year she believes? Next year? Or the year after that? Whenever it happens, the day of truth is coming, and I don’t feel nearly as nonchalant about it as I did with the boys.
When you have a number of small children in the house, it can still feel like you have all the time in the world for make-believe and magic. But as it turns out, the number of firsts and lasts, of holidays all under one roof, of the times you’ll string popcorn or cut out cookies, of times you’ll wrap a gift and scrawl “Santa” in the “From” line on the tag, are painfully limited whether you have one child or 10.
I spent years longing to get to that light at the end of the tunnel: the time when all my kids would be bigger and more self-sufficient, when life would feel more orderly, when I’d have some time for myself. And I’m glad to be here. Still, Santa, like baby dolls and board books, LEGO and little shoes, is just one more symbol of a chapter firmly closing, its magic and mystery tightly caught between the pages. Once it’s closed, I can go back and re-read, but I can’t ever live it again. And Clara’s eventual evolution from belief to understanding will mark the definite end of an era.
In my imagination, I see myself clinging to Clara’s belief with all sorts of sitcom-worthy hijinks: stamping loudly around on the roof Christmas Eve, shaking bells loudly near Clara’s window; hiring a stout actor to be “caught” placing presents under the tree in a carefully-staged hoax. In reality, though, I will probably treat her waning belief the same way I’ve handled it with the other kids…at first, answering their questions with “What do YOU think?” then stalling, and finally, when the truth can no longer be delayed or camouflaged, coming out with it as gently as I can.
But somewhere, something inside me will wilt a little at the admission, the white-flag surrender to children growing up and growing older, moving on and eventually, moving out. I’ll wish for a time when I could casually hold their beliefs in my palms, shaping and embellishing at will.
And if I have to be honest, I’ll likely shed more than a few tears for the enlightenment of the last believer.
*****************************************
**********************************
I’ve never had much of an opinion, one way or the other, about whether my kids should believe in Santa.
We’ve always played along with the story in our house, but my four older kids – all sons – have believed to varying ages: the oldest two boys, now 16 and 14, gave it up by the second grade or so, while my second two, now 10 and 8, still claim to believe, but have begun to make it clear it’s all for show.
The way I’ve always seen it, Santa is about the experience a child needs during the holiday, not the parents. If a child really wants to believe, she will cling to the Saint Nick story until the bitter end, pretending she didn’t really see those toys marked “FROM SANTA” in the back of the minivan that one night Mom and Dad went shopping alone, and convincing herself to believe lame excuses like, “Oh, Santa asked for our help picking this one out” when parents make a faux pas. I know, because I’ve been that kid.
And, in my experience with my four boys, kids who don’t care as much, whose childlike belief in the magic of the holiday isn’t tied up in this one particular aspect of it, seem to give up the belief readily and without much fuss, letting themselves be easily convinced by a more cynical friend, or noticing with eyes unclouded by sentiment that the Santa wrapping paper has been in a Target bag in the hall closet for the last month.
So when the yearly “should you tell your kids about Santa or is the whole thing a huge, disillusionment-inducing way to lie to your kids” debate rages, I’ve mostly stayed on the sidelines. After all, I’ve never jumped through any crazy hoops to extend my kids’ belief, or done much at all except go along with whatever they seem to feel about the jolly old elf. As a Santa-neutral mom, I’ve always felt like I was safe from judgment and not particularly interested in joining the fray.
But.
My 5-year-old daughter, Clara, I fear, is about to throw a wrench into this whole theory.
Clara is imaginative. She loves fairies and fantasy and magic and play-pretend. Clara also asks a lot of questions and seems to notice everything, remembering with awe-inspiring clarity that one offhand comment I made about maybe getting ice cream next week, or the fact that she asked for a particular Littlest Pet Shop raccoon six months before her birthday. (Of course I got the squirrel instead. Seriously, they all look the same to me.)
Maybe it won’t be this year. Maybe it won’t be next year. But soon – and with a persistence and inquisitiveness that will surely try everyone’s patience – I know this to be true: Clara’s going to start asking tough questions about the Big Man In The Red Suit. And I’m just not sure how I’m going to handle it. After all, Clara is the baby of the family, the youngest of five. She represents the fleetingness of childhood, and has marked my final opportunities to experience the holiday through the eyes of a baby, a toddler, and now, a little girl. And this year, along with the warm buzz that always accompanies my favorite holiday, I feel an underlying sense of dread.
Will this be the last year she believes? Next year? Or the year after that? Whenever it happens, the day of truth is coming, and I don’t feel nearly as nonchalant about it as I did with the boys.
When you have a number of small children in the house, it can still feel like you have all the time in the world for make-believe and magic. But as it turns out, the number of firsts and lasts, of holidays all under one roof, of the times you’ll string popcorn or cut out cookies, of times you’ll wrap a gift and scrawl “Santa” in the “From” line on the tag, are painfully limited whether you have one child or 10.
I spent years longing to get to that light at the end of the tunnel: the time when all my kids would be bigger and more self-sufficient, when life would feel more orderly, when I’d have some time for myself. And I’m glad to be here. Still, Santa, like baby dolls and board books, LEGO and little shoes, is just one more symbol of a chapter firmly closing, its magic and mystery tightly caught between the pages. Once it’s closed, I can go back and re-read, but I can’t ever live it again. And Clara’s eventual evolution from belief to understanding will mark the definite end of an era.
In my imagination, I see myself clinging to Clara’s belief with all sorts of sitcom-worthy hijinks: stamping loudly around on the roof Christmas Eve, shaking bells loudly near Clara’s window; hiring a stout actor to be “caught” placing presents under the tree in a carefully-staged hoax. In reality, though, I will probably treat her waning belief the same way I’ve handled it with the other kids…at first, answering their questions with “What do YOU think?” then stalling, and finally, when the truth can no longer be delayed or camouflaged, coming out with it as gently as I can.
But somewhere, something inside me will wilt a little at the admission, the white-flag surrender to children growing up and growing older, moving on and eventually, moving out. I’ll wish for a time when I could casually hold their beliefs in my palms, shaping and embellishing at will.
And if I have to be honest, I’ll likely shed more than a few tears for the enlightenment of the last believer.
*****************************************
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
AUTISM UPDATE: THOUGHT MARKERS?
The latest research:
***************************************
Autism diagnosis currently relies on clinical evaluation, but a new study suggests it may be possible to detect the disorder with near perfect accuracy using brain scans.
Researchers say they were able to identify “thought-markers” — or differences in the way the brain responds to certain thoughts — specific to those with autism. The method was successful in identifying whether or not a person had autism with 97 percent accuracy, according to findings published Tuesday in the journal PLOS ONE.
For the study, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to perform brain scans on 17 adults with high-functioning autism and 17 typically-developing controls. During the scans, the individuals were asked to think about various social interactions like “persuade,” “adore” and “hug.”
The researchers then used a machine-learning technique to assess patterns in brain activity and decode how the thoughts were processed. They found a clear distinction between those who were and were not on the spectrum.
Among the typically-developing controls, thoughts of a hug, for example, activated an area of the brain associated with a representation of one’s self, but this was largely absent in individuals with autism.
“We found that we could tell whether a person has autism or not by their brain activation patterns when they think about social concepts,” said Marcel Just of Carnegie Mellon University who led the study. “We’ve shown not just that the brains of people with autism may be different, or that their activation is different, but that the way social thoughts are formed is different. We have discovered a biological thought-marker for autism.”
Researchers said their approach could lead to quicker and more certain diagnosis and allow for therapies that are more targeted to specific areas of the brain.
****************************************
***************************************
Autism diagnosis currently relies on clinical evaluation, but a new study suggests it may be possible to detect the disorder with near perfect accuracy using brain scans.
Researchers say they were able to identify “thought-markers” — or differences in the way the brain responds to certain thoughts — specific to those with autism. The method was successful in identifying whether or not a person had autism with 97 percent accuracy, according to findings published Tuesday in the journal PLOS ONE.
For the study, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to perform brain scans on 17 adults with high-functioning autism and 17 typically-developing controls. During the scans, the individuals were asked to think about various social interactions like “persuade,” “adore” and “hug.”
The researchers then used a machine-learning technique to assess patterns in brain activity and decode how the thoughts were processed. They found a clear distinction between those who were and were not on the spectrum.
Among the typically-developing controls, thoughts of a hug, for example, activated an area of the brain associated with a representation of one’s self, but this was largely absent in individuals with autism.
“We found that we could tell whether a person has autism or not by their brain activation patterns when they think about social concepts,” said Marcel Just of Carnegie Mellon University who led the study. “We’ve shown not just that the brains of people with autism may be different, or that their activation is different, but that the way social thoughts are formed is different. We have discovered a biological thought-marker for autism.”
Researchers said their approach could lead to quicker and more certain diagnosis and allow for therapies that are more targeted to specific areas of the brain.
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Friday, December 5, 2014
FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS!
I was 9-6 (again!) last week; I am 117-72-1 for the year.
A lot of big college games this weekend; let's start there:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS
Arizona at Oregon. My pick: DUCKS 41-24. A lot of people are talking about how Arizona has beaten Oregon twice in a row, including earlier this year. True--but I think Oregon is well aware of that too, and will be prepared. Oregon has a better team, too.
Alabama vs Missouri. My pick: CRIMSON TIDE 38-10. Nick Saban just won't allow his team to let down now; not after overcoming Auburn.
Iowa State at TCU. My pick: FROGS 45-10. Same thing here--Gary Patterson won't allow his team a letdown now. A Frogs' win will get them in the playoff.
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech. My pick--UPSET ALERT: YELLOW JACKETS 31-27. Georgia Tech has the kind of option attack that gives teams fits. Plus, they're good--just ask Georgia. Meanwhile, FSU has almost literally lived on the edge for the entire season. At some point, that's going to bite you.
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State. My pick: BUCKEYES 34-31. I know, I know--J.T. Barrett is hurt and so OSU must use their backup QB, Cardale Jones. Guess what--I bet Jones isn't a walk-on. He's got talent. Urban Meyer has had a whole week to get him and his team ready. He's a good coach, who can play the underdog role this week. Look for Urban Meyer's team to surprise people.
Kansas State vs. Baylor. My pick: UPSET ALERT: KSU WILDCATS 41-38. And I pick this for a couple of simple reasons: first, Kansas State is a good football team with a good coach. Second: seems to me a lot of folks at Baylor are kind of already chalking this one up as a win and are already planning their arguments to the selection committee about why they belong in the playoff. That's a bad mental state of mind for a football game against a good team, and that's also some bad karma/mojo/whatever you want to call it. Look for the upset here.
NFL PICKS
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati. My pick: BENGALS 24-20. Here's the refrain of the week (again): who can tell with these teams? Up and down. I tend to think that the Bengals' sub-par showing last week (despite a win) had something to do with Andy Dalton having the flu before the game. This week he's healthier, and I think Cincy has more talent.
St. Louis at Washington. My pick: RAMS 27-14. Shhhh, don't look now--but the St. Louis Rams are playing some good football, and their defense at times is dominant. Look out, Colt McCoy.
NY Giants at Tennessee. My pick: GIANTS 20-17. 2 teams going nowhere, fast. Why pick the Giants? Well--somebody's gotta win.
Carolina at New Orleans. My pick: SAINTS 31-14. Did the Saints finally turn the corner after their win in Pittsburgh last week? My guess: yes. Certainly the Panthers haven't turned any corners--instead, they seem to be falling off a cliff.
NY Jets at Minnesota. My pick: VIKINGS 13-10. I don't look for this to be a blowout, because I think the Jets will keep playing for Buddy Ryan, and their defense isn't bad. But look for the Jets to find another way to lose vs the improving Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikes.
Baltimore at Miami. My pick: RAVENS 28-24. Again--who can tell with these teams? Both tend to be up one week, down the next. I see the oddsmakers make the Dolphins the favorite. But--in a game like this, note the quarterback competition: Joe Flacco vs Ryan Tannehill. Who's accomplished more and won more big games? Right--Flacco. Which is why: go with the Ravens to win a big game here.
Indianapolis at Cleveland. My pick: COLTS 34-27. This should be a tough battle; both teams are still very much in the playoff hunt, and Browns fans in Cleveland will be fired up. But again: note the QB matchup. I like Andrew Luck.
Tampa Bay at Detroit. My pick: LIONS 27-17. Maybe the Lions found a good formula last week--throw the darn ball to Calvin (Johnson). As often as possible! It worked against the flawed Bears; probably that and others things can work against the flawed Bucs.
Houston at Jacksonville. My pick: TEXANS 24-7. Look for that Texans defense to be in Blake Bortles' face all afternoon, and that will be the difference.
Buffalo at Denver. My pick: BRONCOS 27-10. That Bills' defense is tough. But on the road, at Denver, against a team with so many weapons...the Bills are in a bit over their heads.
Kansas City at Arizona. My pick: CARDINALS 21-17. A lot of people are already burying the Cardinals. Obviously their injuries, and the last couple of tough weeks they've faced, haven't helped anything. But this team still has a good defense; they tend to play well at home, where this game will be played; and Drew Stanton is capable...certainly capable of beating a team like the Chiefs here. Don't give up on the Cards just yet.
Seattle at Philadelphia. My pick: EAGLES 30-24. Have the Seahawks really turned the corner? Well, they are certainly playing better...and they certainly have the 49ers' number, as last week showed. But--they've still made mistakes, even in their wins. This is a tough road environment. They really have not played a team and a system like the Eagles yet...and as the Turkey Day game vs the Cowboys showed, it can be a tough challenge. I think the Eagles will win here in a tough one.
San Francisco vs Oakland. My pick: 49ERS 24-3. The Raiders have won a game...that win might be the only one they get all season.
New England vs San Diego. My pick: CHARGERS 34-31. I think Philip Rivers is feeling better and looking better; watching some of that game last week he played vs the Ravens gave me a strong impression of that. I therefore like this Chargers' offense. Tom Brady is Tom Brady and he will get his; but I think the Bolts can outscore them here.
Atlanta vs Green Bay. My pick: PACKERS 38-17. If the Patriots can't win in Green Bay...then I sure can't see the Falcons doing it. The Pack and Aaron Rogers are playing real well.
A lot of big college games this weekend; let's start there:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS
Arizona at Oregon. My pick: DUCKS 41-24. A lot of people are talking about how Arizona has beaten Oregon twice in a row, including earlier this year. True--but I think Oregon is well aware of that too, and will be prepared. Oregon has a better team, too.
Alabama vs Missouri. My pick: CRIMSON TIDE 38-10. Nick Saban just won't allow his team to let down now; not after overcoming Auburn.
Iowa State at TCU. My pick: FROGS 45-10. Same thing here--Gary Patterson won't allow his team a letdown now. A Frogs' win will get them in the playoff.
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech. My pick--UPSET ALERT: YELLOW JACKETS 31-27. Georgia Tech has the kind of option attack that gives teams fits. Plus, they're good--just ask Georgia. Meanwhile, FSU has almost literally lived on the edge for the entire season. At some point, that's going to bite you.
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State. My pick: BUCKEYES 34-31. I know, I know--J.T. Barrett is hurt and so OSU must use their backup QB, Cardale Jones. Guess what--I bet Jones isn't a walk-on. He's got talent. Urban Meyer has had a whole week to get him and his team ready. He's a good coach, who can play the underdog role this week. Look for Urban Meyer's team to surprise people.
Kansas State vs. Baylor. My pick: UPSET ALERT: KSU WILDCATS 41-38. And I pick this for a couple of simple reasons: first, Kansas State is a good football team with a good coach. Second: seems to me a lot of folks at Baylor are kind of already chalking this one up as a win and are already planning their arguments to the selection committee about why they belong in the playoff. That's a bad mental state of mind for a football game against a good team, and that's also some bad karma/mojo/whatever you want to call it. Look for the upset here.
NFL PICKS
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati. My pick: BENGALS 24-20. Here's the refrain of the week (again): who can tell with these teams? Up and down. I tend to think that the Bengals' sub-par showing last week (despite a win) had something to do with Andy Dalton having the flu before the game. This week he's healthier, and I think Cincy has more talent.
St. Louis at Washington. My pick: RAMS 27-14. Shhhh, don't look now--but the St. Louis Rams are playing some good football, and their defense at times is dominant. Look out, Colt McCoy.
NY Giants at Tennessee. My pick: GIANTS 20-17. 2 teams going nowhere, fast. Why pick the Giants? Well--somebody's gotta win.
Carolina at New Orleans. My pick: SAINTS 31-14. Did the Saints finally turn the corner after their win in Pittsburgh last week? My guess: yes. Certainly the Panthers haven't turned any corners--instead, they seem to be falling off a cliff.
NY Jets at Minnesota. My pick: VIKINGS 13-10. I don't look for this to be a blowout, because I think the Jets will keep playing for Buddy Ryan, and their defense isn't bad. But look for the Jets to find another way to lose vs the improving Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikes.
Baltimore at Miami. My pick: RAVENS 28-24. Again--who can tell with these teams? Both tend to be up one week, down the next. I see the oddsmakers make the Dolphins the favorite. But--in a game like this, note the quarterback competition: Joe Flacco vs Ryan Tannehill. Who's accomplished more and won more big games? Right--Flacco. Which is why: go with the Ravens to win a big game here.
Indianapolis at Cleveland. My pick: COLTS 34-27. This should be a tough battle; both teams are still very much in the playoff hunt, and Browns fans in Cleveland will be fired up. But again: note the QB matchup. I like Andrew Luck.
Tampa Bay at Detroit. My pick: LIONS 27-17. Maybe the Lions found a good formula last week--throw the darn ball to Calvin (Johnson). As often as possible! It worked against the flawed Bears; probably that and others things can work against the flawed Bucs.
Houston at Jacksonville. My pick: TEXANS 24-7. Look for that Texans defense to be in Blake Bortles' face all afternoon, and that will be the difference.
Buffalo at Denver. My pick: BRONCOS 27-10. That Bills' defense is tough. But on the road, at Denver, against a team with so many weapons...the Bills are in a bit over their heads.
Kansas City at Arizona. My pick: CARDINALS 21-17. A lot of people are already burying the Cardinals. Obviously their injuries, and the last couple of tough weeks they've faced, haven't helped anything. But this team still has a good defense; they tend to play well at home, where this game will be played; and Drew Stanton is capable...certainly capable of beating a team like the Chiefs here. Don't give up on the Cards just yet.
Seattle at Philadelphia. My pick: EAGLES 30-24. Have the Seahawks really turned the corner? Well, they are certainly playing better...and they certainly have the 49ers' number, as last week showed. But--they've still made mistakes, even in their wins. This is a tough road environment. They really have not played a team and a system like the Eagles yet...and as the Turkey Day game vs the Cowboys showed, it can be a tough challenge. I think the Eagles will win here in a tough one.
San Francisco vs Oakland. My pick: 49ERS 24-3. The Raiders have won a game...that win might be the only one they get all season.
New England vs San Diego. My pick: CHARGERS 34-31. I think Philip Rivers is feeling better and looking better; watching some of that game last week he played vs the Ravens gave me a strong impression of that. I therefore like this Chargers' offense. Tom Brady is Tom Brady and he will get his; but I think the Bolts can outscore them here.
Atlanta vs Green Bay. My pick: PACKERS 38-17. If the Patriots can't win in Green Bay...then I sure can't see the Falcons doing it. The Pack and Aaron Rogers are playing real well.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
INTERESTING DEPT: TRICKING YOURSELF INTO BEING A MORNING PERSON
From the I-Just-Thought-This-Was-Interesting Dept: 19 ways to trick yourself into becoming a morning person. I just know that many of my friends would love to be more awake in the mornings. Waking up can be the hardest thing to do. How can we be better at doing mornings? Read on:
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Let's start with the bad news: Only about 1 in 10 people is a true morning person, according to The Body Clock Guide to Better Health.
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Editor's note: Dhani Jones is a former NFL linebacker, entrepreneur and author of "The Sportsman: Unexpected Lessons From an Around-the-World Sports Odyssey." He's shared his best advice with CNN for a new Digital Studios series called "Be a Champion."
Let's start with the bad news: Only about 1 in 10 people is a true morning person, according to The Body Clock Guide to Better Health.
The good news is only two in 10 fall into the category of night owls, while the rest fall somewhere in between. Better still: Even if you operate best in the wee hours, you can still train yourself to be an early riser.
Here's how:
Plan ahead
Waking well-rested starts with getting enough sleep.
"Hitting the snooze button a couple times before getting up is a clear sign of sleep deprivation," says Dr. Nathaniel Watson, president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "If you are getting enough sleep, you should be able to wake up on time without a morning alarm."
Sounds easier said than done? First, follow these tips for catching the zzz's you need to wake refreshed.
1. Practice good sleep hygiene. "Keeping a consistent sleep schedule is one of the best ways to ensure you're getting quality, restful sleep," says Watson. If you need to shift your schedule earlier, start moving your bedtime forward by just 15 minutes at a time. Adjustments more drastic than that will keep you rebounding between early and late bedtimes rather than creating lasting change.
2. Take your time. Balancing your own well-being against other personal and professional responsibilities is tough. Often, finding the right work-life equilibrium starts with saying, "No," — and so does getting enough sleep. Pare down your evening commitments so that you've got an hour completely blocked off to wind down before bed.
3. Implement a routine. Establishing a schedule can help clue our bodies in to what's to come. Maintaining a regular evening routine will help chill you out and let your mind know that it's nearly time to fall asleep. For example, that could mean drinking a cup of (decaffeinated) tea and reading for 20 minutes each evening before bed.
4. Nap cautiously. If you have a sleep debt to repay, it's better to nap during the day than to mess up your nightly sleep schedule. That said, you don't want a daytime snooze to keep you up at night. (For more napping tips head here!)
5. Eat (and drink) smart. Some experts caution against going to bed too full or too hungry, as the discomfort may keep you awake. The same goes for drinking: Sipping too much before bed can cause mid-slumber trips to the bathroom, and caffeine and alcohol in particular have been shown to disrupt sleep.
6. Power down. Any kind of light can shift circadian rhythms, making it harder to sleep at night. And if you're constantly plugged in, you're even less likely to hit the hay right away. Research has shown that the blue light emitted by electronics like laptops and cell phones disturbs sleep even more than natural light. Turn off those electronic screens at least an hour before bed to make dozing easier.
7. Prep before bed. Wondering what to do with that electronic-free hour? Use the time to get together anything you'll need in the a.m. — like a healthy lunch, make-ahead breakfast, or a gym bag. Shortening your morning to-do list just might make it easier to roll out of bed.
8. Get cozy. Temperature, noise, light and comfort can all impact your ability to sleep well. A cool, quiet room (around 65 degrees) has been shown to be an effective sleep environment. And if your mattress leaves you achy, you've got a good excuse to upgrade -- your health may depend on it! The National Sleep Foundation offers even more recommendations for tweaking all of these for better sleep.
Wake up with ease
You've set yourself up for success and slept like a boss. But the battle isn't won just yet. Here's how to skip the snooze button and hop out of bed when that alarm starts buzzing.
9. Set your motive. As with any change, it's important to have a tangible reason for waking up early. Come up with a meaningful goal you'll be able to achieve by starting the day earlier, whether that's being able to fit in a morning sweat session or having some extra time to cook a healthy breakfast.
10. Play a mind game. The alarm goes off, and the immediate temptation is to hit snooze. Go ahead, do it -- but then stay out of bed for those next nine minutes. The idea of the so-called "inverted snooze" is to ease the pain of waking up by telling yourself you only have to stick it out for nine minutes. Move around, stretch, start brewing coffee -- anything to keep yourself awake. By the time the alarm goes off again you should be awake and alert enough to start your day rather than still grumpy in bed and (likely) hitting snooze again.
11. Bite the bullet. If you naturally wake within minutes of your alarm, it can be tempting to close your eyes and relish in a few more minutes of rest. But you're better off just getting out of bed. When you wake spontaneously, you're likely in a light sleep stage, explains Dr. Watson. Going back to sleep could send you into a deeper sleep stage, making it harder to wake up and start your day.
12. Make moves. Finding the right alarm and where to put it can have a big impact on whether you wake in the morning. Try experimenting with the sound, timing and location of your alarm clock to help yourself get up when you need to. For example, some alarms wake you gradually with pleasant sounds to make the transition into daytime less jarring and more relaxed.
13. Seize the day. Waking up with a groan and thinking about all the things you don't want to do is a terrible way to motivate yourself to get out of bed. Instead, think ahead to the best things you'll do all day to fuel your desire to get up and at 'em.
14. Try an app. There are several apps that promise to get you out of bed in the a.m. For example, Wake n Shake makes you shake your phone in order to turn off the app, while Better Me shares your failure to your Facebook every time you hit snooze. There are also apps, like Sleep Cycle, that use motion sensors to monitor your movement and determine the best time to wake you within a preset window.
15. Brighten up. If you need to draw shades at night to make your room dark or -- shudder -- you need to wake before it's light out, you can't always rely on the sun to wake you. Fortunately, there are gradual light-up alarm clocks that promise to lull you out of sleep less painfully than your standard alarm.
Power through the morning
You've made it! You're out of bed. Now, here's how to get out the door without starting the day in grouch mode.
16. Pare down to-dos. You've already pre-packed your lunch or gym bag, giving you one less thing to worry about before coffee. Look for other ways to streamline your pre-work routine (including taking advantage of your coffee maker's automatic timer!) so you can spend less time rushing through those early hours, and start enjoying them instead.
17. Amp up your productivity. If you're a regular snoozer, cutting out that extra nine minutes (or nine minutes times four or five) earns you bonus time each morning.
Many creatives swear that early morning is the best time to write or think deeply and creatively about projects. Try taking a page from their book and dedicate even just a few minutes first thing in the a.m. to a project of your choice. You may be surprised at how rewarding it feels to start the day with a few tasks already checked off.
18. Eat a healthy breakfast. To be your best self, it's helpful to eat a good breakfast (trust us, morning meetings are better when you're not hangry). Whole grain carbs plus protein give you a quick hit of energy and keep you going all morning. For an all-in-one solution that you can prep ahead, try these homemade protein bars or overnight oats.
19. Exercise in the morning. Early in the a.m., your willpower stores are at their highest. By the evening, we get too busy and find too many excuses not to exercise. Plus, morning workouts will give you an extra shot of energy to carry you through the day ahead.
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Monday, December 1, 2014
AWARENESS UPDATE
There are some new developments for the disability community that will help make television more accessible for all. Read on:
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When Comcast rolled out its Xfinity X1 cable boxes a few years ago, customers’ viewing experience took a major leap with a more-attractive interface, easier-to-navigate menus and other on-screen cues.
But such eye candy is of limited use to Comcast users who are blind or visually impaired.
Now the cable-television provider is taking a huge step to remedy this with the “X1 Talking Guide,” which it describes as “the industry’s first voice-enabled television user interface.”
The guide features a female voice that reads aloud crucial TV-viewing information, such as show titles and network names. The voice serves as a guide as users hop from section to section — including the show guide, recorded-show queue, on-demand directory and cable-box settings.
“As you move across the menu bar, whatever is highlighted gets announced,” said Tom Wlodkowski, a Comcast executive who spearheaded the project, and who happens to be blind. “As you move horizontally across the program guide, it gives you the time, and as you move vertically within the grid it announces the new channel.”
The voice reads aloud such things as show descriptions, the time remaining on a show, the price of a film rental, and ratings from Common Sense Media and Rotten Tomatoes. The Talking Guide also specifies which buttons the viewer should press on the remote while navigating menus.
X1 users will be able to activate the Talking Guide by tapping the remote’s “A” button twice, or via the accessibility controls in the main settings menu. The option may not be available immediately, but Comcast said the Talking Guide should be broadly deployed by early December. All X1 users are set to get it eventually via automatic updates.
A company division dubbed the Comcast Accessibility Lab has been at work on the Talking Guide for more than a year as part of its broader mission to make Comcast technology more accessible to those with disabilities.
The Talking Guide remains a work in progress. Philadelphia-based Comcast said it will integrate searching capabilities into a future upgrade, along with the option to speed up or slow down the guide’s voice prompts.
The Talking Guide also helps unearth features for those with visual impairment that have been there all along, but were not easy to access. Some shows include auxiliary audio — also called “second audio program” or SAP — that describes what is happening on the screen for those who cannot see it. Getting at this feature via the Talking Guide is relatively straightforward, Comcast said.
SAP is available with roughly 50 hours of programming per quarter from each of the four major networks as well as from USA, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, TNT and TBS channels, it noted.
The Talking Guide is among a range of voice-related capabilities Comcast is perfecting. Others include the XR11 Voice Control Remote, which includes a microphone to issue spoken commands such as “record,” “show me films about baseball” or “turn on closed captions.” The company said it expects to release the remote later this year.
Comcast’s mobile apps can tap into VoiceOver and Talkback, which are screen-reading features built into the Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems.
Comcast, in addition to creating new technology, said it runs a support center for the people with disabilities that fields about 10,000 calls per month.
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When Comcast rolled out its Xfinity X1 cable boxes a few years ago, customers’ viewing experience took a major leap with a more-attractive interface, easier-to-navigate menus and other on-screen cues.
But such eye candy is of limited use to Comcast users who are blind or visually impaired.
Now the cable-television provider is taking a huge step to remedy this with the “X1 Talking Guide,” which it describes as “the industry’s first voice-enabled television user interface.”
The guide features a female voice that reads aloud crucial TV-viewing information, such as show titles and network names. The voice serves as a guide as users hop from section to section — including the show guide, recorded-show queue, on-demand directory and cable-box settings.
“As you move across the menu bar, whatever is highlighted gets announced,” said Tom Wlodkowski, a Comcast executive who spearheaded the project, and who happens to be blind. “As you move horizontally across the program guide, it gives you the time, and as you move vertically within the grid it announces the new channel.”
The voice reads aloud such things as show descriptions, the time remaining on a show, the price of a film rental, and ratings from Common Sense Media and Rotten Tomatoes. The Talking Guide also specifies which buttons the viewer should press on the remote while navigating menus.
X1 users will be able to activate the Talking Guide by tapping the remote’s “A” button twice, or via the accessibility controls in the main settings menu. The option may not be available immediately, but Comcast said the Talking Guide should be broadly deployed by early December. All X1 users are set to get it eventually via automatic updates.
A company division dubbed the Comcast Accessibility Lab has been at work on the Talking Guide for more than a year as part of its broader mission to make Comcast technology more accessible to those with disabilities.
The Talking Guide remains a work in progress. Philadelphia-based Comcast said it will integrate searching capabilities into a future upgrade, along with the option to speed up or slow down the guide’s voice prompts.
The Talking Guide also helps unearth features for those with visual impairment that have been there all along, but were not easy to access. Some shows include auxiliary audio — also called “second audio program” or SAP — that describes what is happening on the screen for those who cannot see it. Getting at this feature via the Talking Guide is relatively straightforward, Comcast said.
SAP is available with roughly 50 hours of programming per quarter from each of the four major networks as well as from USA, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, TNT and TBS channels, it noted.
The Talking Guide is among a range of voice-related capabilities Comcast is perfecting. Others include the XR11 Voice Control Remote, which includes a microphone to issue spoken commands such as “record,” “show me films about baseball” or “turn on closed captions.” The company said it expects to release the remote later this year.
Comcast’s mobile apps can tap into VoiceOver and Talkback, which are screen-reading features built into the Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems.
Comcast, in addition to creating new technology, said it runs a support center for the people with disabilities that fields about 10,000 calls per month.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2014
I-JUST-THOUGHT-THIS-WAS-INTERESTING DEPT: AMERICAN TEENS AND LONELINESS
And the interesting thing, parents, is that teens--always thought in the past to be subject to angst, hormonal depressions, and feelings of loneliness--in fact do NOT feel that lonely these days. I thought you moms and dads would find this interesting--read on:
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With growing concerns about loneliness among younger generations in modern society -- in the land of Facebook-stalking, Snapchat-sending gadget-junkies -- some experts now say despite being in technological isolation, American teenagers aren't feeling quite as lonely as their parents were when they were teens.
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With growing concerns about loneliness among younger generations in modern society -- in the land of Facebook-stalking, Snapchat-sending gadget-junkies -- some experts now say despite being in technological isolation, American teenagers aren't feeling quite as lonely as their parents were when they were teens.
A study published Monday in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows a modest decline in loneliness among American high school and college students through the years 1978 to 2009.
The researchers figured
this out looking at data from several studies of high school and college
students in the United States that examined teen attitudes and
activities among this age group.
It finds teenagers today
are less empathetic. They are also less likely to join clubs and make
fewer close friends than prior generations, but that doesn't leave them
feeling left out.
Young people today, the
study says, are more independent. They have less need for feeling
attached to a large group of friends. For example, in 1985, 10% of
people reported they discussed important matters with no one; in 2004,
25% reported the same. At the same time, young people feel more
confident about themselves. They are more independent and assertive.
University of Queensland
and Griffith University researchers suggest "extraversion and
self-esteem, have increased over time." That, they say, may play a big
part in this overall decline.
Throughout history,
"people become less dependent on their families and need more
specialized skills, which could lead to less interest in social support
and more self-sufficiency," lead researcher David Clark wrote in a
statement that went out with the study, "over time, people are more
individualistic, more extroverted, and have higher self-esteem."
The data showed female
college students reported lower levels of loneliness than their male
counterparts, although there were no big differences between male and
female students in high school.
White high school students reported lower loneliness than African-American students, Hispanic students and others.
With less physical
contact, yet more electronic connections than other generations,
technology may have shifted the type of connectedness this generation
needs, at least to a point.
That's what Kimmy
Ogochukwu Diei thinks. As a senior at the University of Chicago, she has
had social media around all her life and she believes it has made
having friends and feeling connected to them easier in many ways.
Friends are just a text or message away even when she chooses to be by
herself to study or work.
"Instead of me having to
interact physically with my friends and contact them or run into them
in order to get their attention and let them know how I'm doing, they
can just contact me on Facebook or through email," Ogochukwu Diei said.
"It's easier for me to say 'Hey, I'm doing fine.'"
The only time she really
feels isolated is "when I don't have my phone with me or if it has
died," Ogochukwu Diei said. Then "I do feel very isolated."
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Monday, November 24, 2014
AWARENESS UPDATES
On toys for kids with disabilities, autism, and more. Read on:
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From: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/19/toymaker-playtime-inclusive/19860/
The maker of childhood classics like Mr. Potato Head, Play-Doh and Connect 4 is looking to ensure that kids with developmental disabilities know how to engage with its toys too.
Hasbro Inc. said Wednesday it is introducing a series of online videos and other tools to help children with disabilities learn to play with seven toys in its lineup.
The offering called “ToyBox Tools” is designed to help kids learn what each toy is all about, how to put the item together and presents children with alternative ways to engage independently or with peers.
The initiative emerged from employees at Hasbro concerned that kids with developmental disabilities were losing out on valuable opportunities to connect with others through play, the company said.
Hasbro officials described the effort as a pilot program and said they will continue to refine the tools, which are available online for free, based on feedback from experts and consumers. The company indicated that it may develop similar resources for additional toys in the future.
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From: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/18/pope-destigmatize-autism/19856/
For the first time, Pope Francis is set to meet with individuals with autism and their families during an international conference on the developmental disorder.
The pope will meet with families on Saturday, the Vatican said.
The gathering, which will include prayer and song, will cap a three-day conference put on by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers that officials indicated will bring together more than 650 people from 57 countries.
Organizers said their aim is to “help break the isolation and, in many cases, the stigma” experienced by people with autism and their families.
Speakers at the conference are expected to include researchers from the University of California as well as Bob and Suzanne Wright who co-founded Autism Speaks, among other advocates and experts from around the globe.
Topics on the agenda range from biological research and behavioral treatment options to the pastoral and theological aspects of supporting people on the spectrum.
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But also--from: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/20/seinfeld-doesnt-autism/19864/
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is backing off comments he made earlier this month suggesting that he may be on the autism spectrum.
In an interview with Access Hollywood, Seinfeld clarified that he does not have the developmental disorder.
“I don’t have autism. I’m not on the spectrum,” the 60-year-old comic said. “I just was watching this play about it and thought, why am I relating to something? I related to it on some level. That’s all I was saying.”
Seinfeld’s comments come just weeks after he told NBC News that he sees traits of autism in himself, explaining that he’s very literal and often struggles with social engagement.
“I think on a very drawn-out scale, I think I’m on the spectrum,” he said at the time.
The suggestion that Seinfeld, who’s currently promoting his web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” might have autism sparked controversy among those affected by the developmental disorder.
Some advocates welcomed Seinfeld’s acknowledgement, but others criticized the celebrity arguing that by attempting to self-diagnose he was making light of a disorder that can bring significant challenges.
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********************************
From: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/19/toymaker-playtime-inclusive/19860/
The maker of childhood classics like Mr. Potato Head, Play-Doh and Connect 4 is looking to ensure that kids with developmental disabilities know how to engage with its toys too.
Hasbro Inc. said Wednesday it is introducing a series of online videos and other tools to help children with disabilities learn to play with seven toys in its lineup.
The offering called “ToyBox Tools” is designed to help kids learn what each toy is all about, how to put the item together and presents children with alternative ways to engage independently or with peers.
The initiative emerged from employees at Hasbro concerned that kids with developmental disabilities were losing out on valuable opportunities to connect with others through play, the company said.
Hasbro officials described the effort as a pilot program and said they will continue to refine the tools, which are available online for free, based on feedback from experts and consumers. The company indicated that it may develop similar resources for additional toys in the future.
**********************************
From: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/18/pope-destigmatize-autism/19856/
For the first time, Pope Francis is set to meet with individuals with autism and their families during an international conference on the developmental disorder.
The pope will meet with families on Saturday, the Vatican said.
The gathering, which will include prayer and song, will cap a three-day conference put on by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers that officials indicated will bring together more than 650 people from 57 countries.
Organizers said their aim is to “help break the isolation and, in many cases, the stigma” experienced by people with autism and their families.
Speakers at the conference are expected to include researchers from the University of California as well as Bob and Suzanne Wright who co-founded Autism Speaks, among other advocates and experts from around the globe.
Topics on the agenda range from biological research and behavioral treatment options to the pastoral and theological aspects of supporting people on the spectrum.
*****************************************
But also--from: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/11/20/seinfeld-doesnt-autism/19864/
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is backing off comments he made earlier this month suggesting that he may be on the autism spectrum.
In an interview with Access Hollywood, Seinfeld clarified that he does not have the developmental disorder.
“I don’t have autism. I’m not on the spectrum,” the 60-year-old comic said. “I just was watching this play about it and thought, why am I relating to something? I related to it on some level. That’s all I was saying.”
Seinfeld’s comments come just weeks after he told NBC News that he sees traits of autism in himself, explaining that he’s very literal and often struggles with social engagement.
“I think on a very drawn-out scale, I think I’m on the spectrum,” he said at the time.
The suggestion that Seinfeld, who’s currently promoting his web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” might have autism sparked controversy among those affected by the developmental disorder.
Some advocates welcomed Seinfeld’s acknowledgement, but others criticized the celebrity arguing that by attempting to self-diagnose he was making light of a disorder that can bring significant challenges.
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Friday, November 21, 2014
FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS
I was 9-6 last week; I am 108-66-1 for the year.
Let's go!
NFL PICKS
Cleveland at Atlanta. My pick: FALCONS 24-20. Honestly, who can predict what some of these teams are going to do? But the way I look at this is: the Browns have been very inconsistent; the Falcons here are at home, they've won a couple of games in a row (key to that: the Falcons' offensive line has played together for several weeks in a row now and has gained consistency); and so look for the Falcons to keep it going.
Tennessee at Philadelphia. My pick: EAGLES 34-14. The Eagles badly need this game; I expect them to play that way. They have too many weapons for the Titans; note that Zach Mettenberger has yet to win as a starter, and I don't see that changing here.
Detroit at New England. My pick: PATRIOTS 31-14. New England is on a roll, especially at home. They are playing really well, and despite Detroit's solid defense, I don't see that changing here.
Green Bay at Minnesota. My pick: PACKERS 27-17. Green Bay is not quite the same team away from home as they are at Lambeau; still...the way Aaron Rodgers is playing, matched up here with a rookie QB in Teddy Bridgewater, you have to think the Packers' roll will continue.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis. My pick: COLTS 33-16. Indy got in the way of the New England steamroller last week; but they need to pick themselves up this time and get a win, and I'd expect them to play like it against a bad Jags club.
Cincinnati at Houston. My pick: BENGALS 21-19. Hmmm. So some oddsmakers have Houston made as much as a 1.5 point favorite here. But I like Cincy. It's a tough road game. But I really like how the Bengals bounced back from adversity last week and won on the road in New Orleans. That's a tough place to play, but the Bengals played one of their best games. I look for that to give them a big boost, and it will carry over here, in what I see as a close win, again, on the road for them.
Tampa Bay at Chicago. My pick: BEARS 30-21. Again, with both of these teams, who knows? But the Bears played much better last week, giving them some momentum, and playing at home again in the cold gives them a familiar environment to keep things going. Note also that this is the Bucs' second straight road game.
Arizona at Seattle. My pick: UPSET SPECIAL---- CARDINALS 17-13. Hmmm...again, interesting: here again some oddsmakers make the Seahawks as much as a 7 point favorite here, over a 9-1 Cardinals team. Yes, I know...Arizona has to use their 2nd string QB, Drew Stanton. I know, Seattle is tough at home. But this Seahawks has had problems. Remember--Arizona BEAT Seattle, in Seattle, last year. I think the Cards' defense is the best in the league. So I say--Arizona is going to go up to the Great Northwest, and win...again.
St. Louis at San Diego. My pick: CHARGERS 16-10. San Diego has issues. I don't think they're fixed yet (for example--Philip Rivers is hurting; he has sore ribs). I think the Rams' defense is very tough (they certainly showed that last week). But the Chargers' defense is tough too, and I see that as the key to a Bolts victory in a low-scoring affair.
Miami at Denver. My pick: BRONCOS 24-16. I think the Fins have a better team (and a tougher defense) than many give them credit for. But: the Broncos are at home, where they are very tough to beat; they've had a week to get over last week's disaster in St. Louis and, more importantly, to get practice time in and adjust to those who are injured. I think Denver will bounce back here.
Washington at San Francisco. My pick: 49ERS 20-10. It's quite simple: look for the Niners defense to dominate and get more turnovers here (just like last week), and that will be the key to the game.
Dallas at NY Giants. My pick: UPSET SPECIAL--GIANTS 27-24. You know how it is--the Giants are now 3-7 on the year, and have lost 5 straight. So this should be an easy pick, right? But...I dunno. Just a feeling. It's a divisional game for the Cowboys, and on the road; that always seems to guarantee a closer battle. The Giants still have weapons; they still have Eli Manning. If the G-men lose, that would mean they'd lost 3 straight divisional games--that hasn't happened to them since 2003. I just smell something unexpected happening here.
NY Jets vs Buffalo (game postponed from Sunday--it will be played in Detroit on Monday night). My pick: BILLS 17-10. Kind of a strange situation, with the game being postponed. But the Bills remain in the playoff hunt, and should be the hungrier team; and Buffalo's defense is very under-rated. Look for them to dominate.
Baltimore at New Orleans (Monday night). My pick: SAINTS 28-24. Obviously the Saints have under-performed this year. But they remain in the thick of the playoff race in their division; so they have that going for them. Plus, think of it this way--could the Saints really lose 3 straight games at home??? If they lost this one, that's what would happen; I just don't see it. Look for New Orleans to bounce back.
Let's go!
NFL PICKS
Cleveland at Atlanta. My pick: FALCONS 24-20. Honestly, who can predict what some of these teams are going to do? But the way I look at this is: the Browns have been very inconsistent; the Falcons here are at home, they've won a couple of games in a row (key to that: the Falcons' offensive line has played together for several weeks in a row now and has gained consistency); and so look for the Falcons to keep it going.
Tennessee at Philadelphia. My pick: EAGLES 34-14. The Eagles badly need this game; I expect them to play that way. They have too many weapons for the Titans; note that Zach Mettenberger has yet to win as a starter, and I don't see that changing here.
Detroit at New England. My pick: PATRIOTS 31-14. New England is on a roll, especially at home. They are playing really well, and despite Detroit's solid defense, I don't see that changing here.
Green Bay at Minnesota. My pick: PACKERS 27-17. Green Bay is not quite the same team away from home as they are at Lambeau; still...the way Aaron Rodgers is playing, matched up here with a rookie QB in Teddy Bridgewater, you have to think the Packers' roll will continue.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis. My pick: COLTS 33-16. Indy got in the way of the New England steamroller last week; but they need to pick themselves up this time and get a win, and I'd expect them to play like it against a bad Jags club.
Cincinnati at Houston. My pick: BENGALS 21-19. Hmmm. So some oddsmakers have Houston made as much as a 1.5 point favorite here. But I like Cincy. It's a tough road game. But I really like how the Bengals bounced back from adversity last week and won on the road in New Orleans. That's a tough place to play, but the Bengals played one of their best games. I look for that to give them a big boost, and it will carry over here, in what I see as a close win, again, on the road for them.
Tampa Bay at Chicago. My pick: BEARS 30-21. Again, with both of these teams, who knows? But the Bears played much better last week, giving them some momentum, and playing at home again in the cold gives them a familiar environment to keep things going. Note also that this is the Bucs' second straight road game.
Arizona at Seattle. My pick: UPSET SPECIAL---- CARDINALS 17-13. Hmmm...again, interesting: here again some oddsmakers make the Seahawks as much as a 7 point favorite here, over a 9-1 Cardinals team. Yes, I know...Arizona has to use their 2nd string QB, Drew Stanton. I know, Seattle is tough at home. But this Seahawks has had problems. Remember--Arizona BEAT Seattle, in Seattle, last year. I think the Cards' defense is the best in the league. So I say--Arizona is going to go up to the Great Northwest, and win...again.
St. Louis at San Diego. My pick: CHARGERS 16-10. San Diego has issues. I don't think they're fixed yet (for example--Philip Rivers is hurting; he has sore ribs). I think the Rams' defense is very tough (they certainly showed that last week). But the Chargers' defense is tough too, and I see that as the key to a Bolts victory in a low-scoring affair.
Miami at Denver. My pick: BRONCOS 24-16. I think the Fins have a better team (and a tougher defense) than many give them credit for. But: the Broncos are at home, where they are very tough to beat; they've had a week to get over last week's disaster in St. Louis and, more importantly, to get practice time in and adjust to those who are injured. I think Denver will bounce back here.
Washington at San Francisco. My pick: 49ERS 20-10. It's quite simple: look for the Niners defense to dominate and get more turnovers here (just like last week), and that will be the key to the game.
Dallas at NY Giants. My pick: UPSET SPECIAL--GIANTS 27-24. You know how it is--the Giants are now 3-7 on the year, and have lost 5 straight. So this should be an easy pick, right? But...I dunno. Just a feeling. It's a divisional game for the Cowboys, and on the road; that always seems to guarantee a closer battle. The Giants still have weapons; they still have Eli Manning. If the G-men lose, that would mean they'd lost 3 straight divisional games--that hasn't happened to them since 2003. I just smell something unexpected happening here.
NY Jets vs Buffalo (game postponed from Sunday--it will be played in Detroit on Monday night). My pick: BILLS 17-10. Kind of a strange situation, with the game being postponed. But the Bills remain in the playoff hunt, and should be the hungrier team; and Buffalo's defense is very under-rated. Look for them to dominate.
Baltimore at New Orleans (Monday night). My pick: SAINTS 28-24. Obviously the Saints have under-performed this year. But they remain in the thick of the playoff race in their division; so they have that going for them. Plus, think of it this way--could the Saints really lose 3 straight games at home??? If they lost this one, that's what would happen; I just don't see it. Look for New Orleans to bounce back.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
TROUBLE WITH YOUR BALANCE? MAYBE TRY YOGA
Here's something that may help some of us with Moebius Syndrome. Do you have Moebius? Do you sometimes have trouble finding your balance when you run, walk, move about, exercise? Do you sometimes feel like a klutz? Of course, this can happen to anyone, whether they have Moebius or not. But my own anecdotal impression--from my own life, and from talking to others who have Moebius--is that sometimes we have more balance issues than others. Why is this, and what can we do about it? The following article--not intended just for people with Moebius, but still I think very helpful--might be very interesting. Read on:
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Do you trip over your own feet? Bump into things? Break nails and jam fingers by overreaching?
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Do you trip over your own feet? Bump into things? Break nails and jam fingers by overreaching?
All human movements -- from walking up stairs to catching that pass in the end zone -- are driven by communication signals between the brain, central nervous system and our muscles.
There are health issues, like neuropathy (damage to the nervous system), which can inhibit this communication. So, if you're a chronic klutz, it's important to see your doctor before assuming your klutziness is just an inherent lack of mind-body connection efficiency.
For the rest of us who are just natural klutzes, practicing the right yoga techniques can curb these clumsy tendencies and improve balance by strengthening the mind-body connection.
Below are some simple postures that establish body awareness without relying on vision. In addition to athletes and others looking to enhance their coordination, I've successfully used these training techniques with multiple sclerosis patients and children with autism to help them gain better control of their bodies.
With regular practice, improvements in movement accuracy and sense of body control should be noticeable within a month.
Warrior II
Without a visual perspective, it can be challenging to judge your body's position, especially for those struggling with klutziness. Training this ability enhances body awareness.
Step your right foot back, keeping your leg straight, heel down and toes out to about 90 degrees. Bend your left knee to align directly over your left ankle. With your upper body aligned above your hips, reach your left arm forward and right arm back at shoulder height. Gazing over your front arm, try to align your back arm horizontally with your forward arm. When you feel it's perfectly placed, look back.
How'd you do? If you're off, make the correction and then look forward again. Take a few breaths while focusing on the sensation of alignment.
Repeat on the other side.
Lunge with mock sobriety test
Sobriety tests -- like walking a straight line, or bringing an outstretched arm in to touch a finger to your nose -- are designed to assess coordination of movements, since alcohol impairs neuromuscular communication. That's why a mock version of the roadside test can work as a training tool.
Step forward into a lunge pose with arms out wide at shoulder height. For stability and balance, engage your core and buttock muscles of your back leg.
Close your eyes and exhale as you slowly bring your right hand to your nose. Inhale and extend your arm again. Alternate hand-to-nose movements through six rounds of breath. Try to maintain a consistent, level path to your nose. If needed, modify by dropping your back knee and/or keeping your eyes open.
Repeat, lunging on the other side.
Modified tree pose with eyes closed
The ability to engage the right muscles for balance without a visual perspective is a skill that translates to even greater stability when all senses are available.
It's not easy but improves quickly with practice.
Stand on one foot and place the heel of your opposite foot just above the ankle on the inside of your standing leg, keeping your toes on the ground like a kickstand. Take a mental inventory of the muscles you're engaging -- like your core and quadriceps -- to remain stable. Close your eyes and try to maintain your balance while taking three deep breaths.
Initially, you may feel shaky as your brain reacts by firing a variety of muscles in an effort to compensate for the loss of sight. Consciously retake control of firing appropriate muscles for stability.
Repeat twice on each side.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
SOME ITEMS TO "MUSE" ABOUT
These are just some items that my Moebius friends have been mentioning lately, and that made me think that their great thoughts ought to be spread even more widely:
1] Families with a child with Moebius Syndrome--with a special needs child--are in some ways lucky. They learn to accept differences. They know all about diversity; they experience it every day. They learn how beautiful differences can be and how it enhances you; it doesn't drag you down. Knowing someone with Moebius Syndrome teaches you more about life. It can be a beautiful thing.
2] So many parents and grandparents of someone with Moebius Syndrome are so proud. They tout all the successes that come, and their love quite obviously is so strong. Once again--it can be a beautiful thing.
3] So often we learn about accomplishments. My Moebius friends are succeeding in college; at relationships; and at life. One of my friends recently told the story about how her Moebius son is now able to get, by himself, into a chair. That seems like the easiest thing in the world, but to a child with special needs, it isn't. But they learn how to do it. They learn how to adapt. It can be a beautiful thing.
There are problems we face with Moebius, too. We face physical pains and obstacles. Many Moebius children face sleep issues. If you're a parent of a Moebius child, dealing every day with a child who has special needs puts great strain on both you, and your marriage.
On that note, one of my friends very recently wrote a beautiful, intelligent, penetrating blog entry about how having a special needs child has affected his marriage. You can read that here. Check it out; once again we see--despite all the problems, life and marriage and childhood--with Moebius!--can be a beautiful thing.
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1] Families with a child with Moebius Syndrome--with a special needs child--are in some ways lucky. They learn to accept differences. They know all about diversity; they experience it every day. They learn how beautiful differences can be and how it enhances you; it doesn't drag you down. Knowing someone with Moebius Syndrome teaches you more about life. It can be a beautiful thing.
2] So many parents and grandparents of someone with Moebius Syndrome are so proud. They tout all the successes that come, and their love quite obviously is so strong. Once again--it can be a beautiful thing.
3] So often we learn about accomplishments. My Moebius friends are succeeding in college; at relationships; and at life. One of my friends recently told the story about how her Moebius son is now able to get, by himself, into a chair. That seems like the easiest thing in the world, but to a child with special needs, it isn't. But they learn how to do it. They learn how to adapt. It can be a beautiful thing.
There are problems we face with Moebius, too. We face physical pains and obstacles. Many Moebius children face sleep issues. If you're a parent of a Moebius child, dealing every day with a child who has special needs puts great strain on both you, and your marriage.
On that note, one of my friends very recently wrote a beautiful, intelligent, penetrating blog entry about how having a special needs child has affected his marriage. You can read that here. Check it out; once again we see--despite all the problems, life and marriage and childhood--with Moebius!--can be a beautiful thing.
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Tuesday, November 18, 2014
FOR MOEBIUS MOMS AND DADS (AND FOR ANY PARENTS, REALLY): WHEN TO SPEAK UP
Ah, the dilemmas of being a parent. When do you say something when you see ANOTHER parent not acting well? What do you tell your kids, if they see it too? Read on:
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How long is too long to pretend to be a pterosaur?
When a little person is pretending to be a furry flying vertebrate soaring the unfriendly prehistoric skies at a special exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, the answer is clear.
Because there’s a sign. And the sign says don’t hog virtual lab when others are waiting.
This honor system seems fitting for a museum, although the integration of what feels like an Xbox game into the experience brought out some primal parental conflict one recent weekend.
Here’s what happened:
One father and his son dominated the pterosaur virtual lab in which a person stands, arms spread, and pilots the pterosaur on a screen ahead. Another father approached them and told them it was time to give others a turn.
At that point, sparks flew, teeth were bared, and the ensuring argument felt like two T-Rexes on the set of the McLaughlin Group.
Father No. 1 was not going to take the public reprimand, and ridiculed father No. 2, who stood his ground, gaining righteousness as he spoke for the group.
Except the group was mute.
My husband, who’d been in the line long enough to see father No. 1 cut to the front, didn’t say a word. Even I kept quiet, my mouth open, unable to say what was on my mind.
Of course father No. 2 was correct. But the other dad was a bully and there was no point picking a fight. He wasn’t going to change his ways and had quite a lot of accessible anger.
“Oh, man,” I said when I got home, “what does this mean for my offspring?”
Still, I felt like a plant eater, doomed to walk the slow but steady path towards extinction while the aggressive types dominated the scene.
So I did what any modern mother (reporter) would do. I contacted a friend who used to work at the museum. He referred me to Dr. Brian Andres, an assistant professor in the geosciences department at the University of South Florida.
Fortunately, Dr. Andres had been to the exhibit. There is simply no record of how pterosaurs, flying reptiles of the late Triassic and Cretaceous periods that kicked the bucket 66 million years ago, behaved while waiting in line, he explained.
He did say, however, that their reproductive biology appears to be something between birds and crocodiles. Based on the fossil record, pterosaurs had nesting colonies, which indicates that the individuals “could stand each other’s presence.”
So far, they seemed better behaved than father No.1.
And, Dr. Andres said, there is evidence that both males and females likely cared for the eggs and the young for a certain amount of time. But the men were larger and had “more extravagant crests.”
Father No. 1 did have a nice head of hair. In fact, he looked and sounded like a cross between Alan Rickman and Vladimir Putin. Not so warm and fuzzy.
We don’t know how female pterosaurs behaved, Dr. Andres told me, but their relatives, birds and crocodiles, defend their offspring.
I wanted to join the mammals, anyway.
And there was the evidence I needed. In the game of life, or the halls of a museum, wasn’t it all about protecting our young? Father No. 1 wanted to give his son the advantage in the group, experiencing the thrill of prehistoric flight until he dominated the virtual landscape. Father No. 2 fought for equality and a decent chance. And I, mother, whom Dr. Andres gamely described as a pterosaur with a slightly smaller form and “less conspicuous head crest,” just wanted to get out of there unnoticed.
Anytime my oldest child watches adults behave in ways that might earn them a visit to the principal’s office, she asks me a lot of questions, which lead to my own. Is there a less confrontational way to speak to someone you suspect is ready for a fight? At what point do you step in? And when do you listen to your instincts about knowing when to let things play out on their own? Our visit to the pterosaur exhibit revealed much about human behavior, it turned out.
Fossil record or not, there’s always someone who cuts to the front of a line and wants to stay there. So much of parenting feels like knowing when to compete and when to walk away. The best answer I had for my 9-year-old’s many questions was to explain that the same idea applies to growing up.
Sarah Maraniss Vander Schaaff blogs at The Educated Mom and is an editor at Mindprint Learning. Follow her on Twitter.
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Monday, November 17, 2014
TIPS FOR GETTING A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP
Because I know there are lots of people in general--and, specifically, a number of my friends in the Moebius community--who at times have trouble getting a good sleep. And we need better sleep--it's important for your health. So read on below--and be sure to go the link to the story here--it's got lots of other good links and tips there.
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Even a sleep expert gets tired sometimes.
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Even a sleep expert gets tired sometimes.
"It's been a long day,"
explains a weary-sounding Nick Littlehales, as he answers the phone to
start an interview explaining how he went from aspiring golf pro to the
go-to recovery guru for top soccer clubs and Olympic athletes.
While, for many of us,
sleep deprivation often compounds into a seemingly neverending spiral of
exhaustion, Littlehales has dedicated most of his adult life to finding
the tools that break the cycle.
If he has a late night, he knows how to factor it into his schedule and immediately get back on track.
"Sleep, as far as mental
and physical recovery goes, has never been more important to not only
elite sport but everyone I bump into who struggles with their sleep
hygiene," he tells CNN.
"They've just been
getting worse and worse and suddenly so out of sync with the natural
circadian process that does so much for us. Eventually you start to
become somebody that's way below what you can achieve at a personal
level."
Not only have we lost
touch with our natural body rhythms, which for thousands of years were
dictated by sunrise and sunset, Littlehales says most people have little
awareness of their sleep patterns and habits.
"All the executives, all
the people doing two jobs, three jobs, and trying to do a semi-amateur
pro sport, they're all trying to make 28 hours out of a 24-hour cycle,
putting too much pressure on it," he says.
"More and more athletes who've moved over to that time are moving back to taking the pressure off the nocturnal period."
Technology is also
playing its part -- people in all walks of life spend more and more time
with electronic devices, such as phones and tablets that stimulate the
brain with artificial light, forever checking their email and social
media updates.
"The phone I'm talking
to you on now was simply a mobile phone when I was walking around
Manchester United football club in 1998 -- it is now used for so many
different things," Littlehales says.
"They have a
counter-productive effect on a very natural process called our circadian
rhythms, which has so many biological consequences in our bodies.
"What you see now is
more different levels of insomnia with athletes either being not able to
stay asleep for a long-enough period, or not being able to get into
sleep easily enough."
The methods that he has
used to help footballers at clubs such as United and Real Madrid, along
with cycling champions like Bradley Wiggins, are surprisingly simple --
once you dump the widely-held sleep concepts that he says have become
increasingly obsolete.
For starters, forget about the convention that dictates we all need eight hours' sleep every night. Try 7.5, nine or even six.
"It's dead easy if you look at it in 90-minute cycles, which is how sleep is measured," Littlehales says.
"If you build a sleep
routine around 90-minute cycles it gives a clear indication
subconsciously -- it's not a routine you have to follow every day, but
you've got something to focus on and it allows you to be flexible and
it's so easy to follow."
In his case, he aims to
be asleep around 11 p.m. and wake up at 6.30 a.m. --- giving himself
time for a 90-minute pre-sleep routine and the same period post waking
before starting work.
If, say, he goes out for
dinner after work and gets home later than usual, rather than scramble
to get to bed at the usual time, he'll make sure he still has his
90-minute slowdown period and aim for the next sleep slot of 12.30 a.m.
and still get up at the same time.
Six hours' sleep might
not seem enough, but this is where Littlehales turns to the habit that
has died out in many Western countries -- the afternoon nap.
"We've got three natural sleep periods every day, and we need to use them," he says.
So if you've missed out overnight, try catching up with a controlled 20-minute nap between 1-3 p.m. or 5-7 p.m.
The siesta is a
traditional break in many countries, especially those in hot climates,
and Littlehales noticed it when he went to Spain to advise coaching
staff at Real Madrid.
"Come one o'clock the place was deserted. They've got 80-odd rooms of seven-star suites at their training center," he says.
"Some players will go
there and spend 2-3 hours like they would a siesta -- they'd have some
food, have a nap. Some of them will go home and come back.
"Although it may look on
the outside that they play more matches than any other club in Europe,
if not the world, and they play at ridiculous times at night, but within
all of their schedules there is a very strong recovery balance against
activity."
Football gave
Littlehales his big break in sport, becoming known as Manchester
United's "sleep coach" in 1998 after a chance email to then manager Alex
Ferguson earned him an invite to work with the club physio.
By that stage, his
ambitions of being the next Seve Ballesteros on the golf circuit were
long gone, but he had used many of the sales and networking skills he
learned as a club pro to work his way up to the board of British company
Slumberland and a role as chairman of the inaugural UK Sleep Council.
"That was trying to
change people's perceptions -- but it was solely driven by retailers
trying to sell more beds, not from the premise of improving the way
people slept. That was really the end of my road," he says.
United had a problem
with veteran England defender Gary Pallister, who was plagued by
constant back pain. Littlehales suggested switching his sleeping
arrangements -- it didn't cure the problem but helped Pallister's
posture and subsequent rehabilitation.
It led to the
introduction of sleep rooms at United's Carrington training ground to
allow players to cope with the demands of morning and afternoon
sessions, and Littlehales went on to work with the club's Premier League
rival Arsenal and the England national team.
His ideas also caught
the attention of British Cycling, which in 2009 was developing the
nascent Team Sky pro outfit that would feature Tour de France winner and
Olympic champion Wiggins.
"They were looking at
recovery as a big issue and decided that my approach made a lot of sense
to not only them but also the individual riders," says Littlehales.
"We created a sleep kit,
which is a replication of the ideal layers -- pillow, duvet, linen --
all put together to allow a small group of staff to go into the hotel
and unzip Bradley's bag, he sleeps in it, they zip it back up and take
it to the next hotel.
"While he's traveling on
a three-week grand tour, every night he would know that that stuff
that's specifically focused on him for mental and physical recovery, it
works, he's tried it.
"They started to build
an enormous perceived value around this area, which is one of the
largest chunks of their recovery period every day."
Wiggins went on to
triumph at cycling's biggest race in 2012 and that same year won the
Olympic time trial, while Chris Hoy -- another fan of the sleep kit --
claimed two more Games golds to become the sport's most decorated rider.
It's not just athletes who need quality sleep. Rest deprivation has been shown to take its toll on physical and mental health, impacting on work performance and relationships.
"There's a lot of
evidence that (sleep problems are) some of the real reasons why type two
diabetes is going up quite dramatically ... weight control, depression,
bipolar, anxiety, stress -- there's a lot of quite serious health
issues," Littlehales says.
"They're finding things like breast cancer in shift-working nurses against non-shift working nurses."
So how do you fix broken sleep patterns?
"Although it's a very
simple process, once focused on it you realize that you can actually be
spending a lot of your valuable time wasting it trying to sleep," says
Littlehales, who recommends the following steps.
First, work out if you
are an early person or a late one ("lark or owl") and how it applies to
your work situation. Next, set constant sleep and wake times using
90-minute sleep cycles.
Establish 90-minute
periods before sleep that reduce outside stimuli (i.e. shut down
electronic devices) and bring down your body temperature -- don't
exercise too strenuously at night.
Make sure your bedroom
is dedicated to sleep and rest. Keep the temperature cool. Wake up with
the sun, or during winter with the help of machines that simulate
daylight. Give yourself 90 minutes to get ready for the day ahead.
Use afternoon naps to catch up on any missed sleep.
Littlehales says the
last of those is often difficult for foreign footballers who join
English clubs, where the culture is very different to their homelands.
But that is changing as high-flying Premier League teams such as
Manchester City and Southampton have also taken his ideas on board.
City has followed local rival United in investing in sleeping areas at its training ground, building a complex that will serve as a hotel before home games.
Littlehales says
attitudes towards sleep in sport have changed a lot since he started
working in the area, which is being recognized as one of the remaining
aspects where human performance can be improved.
"Nobody would ever put
their hand up and say I can't perform in a team or do that event because
I had a poor night's sleep," he says.
"As the years have gone
by, the analysis that's available to sports science professionals has
just grown and grown so they know far more about any individual athlete
than they ever did before.
"The performance levels
of athletes have continued to improve and increase, so the more and more
that happens the human form can only go so far.
"You can keep improving equipment, nutrition and things like that, but the human being needs to develop in a much better way."
For many of us, not just sports stars, a better night's sleep is a good start.
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