A good night’s sleep is important for many reasons. It helps our body repair itself and function as it should, and is linked to better mental health and lower risk of many health conditions – including heart disease and diabetes. It’s also been shown that not getting enough sleep is linked to cognitive decline and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.But more isn’t always better, as one recent study found. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine have published a paper that indicates that just like getting too little sleep, sleeping too much may also be linked with cognitive decline.The research team wanted to know how much sleep was linked to cognitive impairment over time. To do this, they looked at 100 older adults in their mid-to-late-70s on average, and tracked them for between four and five years. At the time of their study, 88 people did not show any signs of dementia, while 12 showed signs of cognitive impairment (one with mild dementia and 11 with the pre-dementia stage of mild cognitive impairment).Throughout the study, participants were asked to complete a range of commonplace cognitive and neuropsychological tests to look for signs of cognitive decline or dementia. Their scores from these tests were then combined into a single score, called the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC) score. The higher the score, the better their cognition was over time.
Category: Travel
Sleeping longer than 6.5 hours a night associated with cognitive decline according to research – what’s really going on here?
10 jaw-dropping speakeasies across the United States
Interactive Wine Guide Speakeasies have long had a mysterious allure for those who want to live on the edge. Even if you only want to test the limits of your comfort zone for one night, a speakeasy promises a thrill. After all, they began as illicit liquor stores or clubs during Prohibition. Revelers were told to “speak easy” or be quiet about their location, and the whole place operated under the cloak of secrecy.There’s little need to be too secretive these days, however. Modern-day speakeasies are often hidden in fun and clever ways, and they’re exclusive, special places to imbibe or just hang out. These 10 speakeasies are sure to impress with their décor, ambiance and “wow” factor.
Source: 10 jaw-dropping speakeasies across the United States
Georgetown Public Policy Review / Six Ways to Fix a Dysfunctional Congress (Part 1) – Georgetown Public Policy Review
Congress is dysfunctional, but it can be fixed. This two-part series explains why Congress is broken and how to fix it. Although some pundits suggest that the lack of compromise and civility are the reasons why Congress is dysfunctional, those reasons are symptoms of the root cause: a lack of deliberation. More debate will lead to more civility and compromise. But today, Congress appears to provide more sound bites than deliberation. This reality must change. For citizens that believe in a progressive federal government, Congress does not legislate enough. For citizens that believe in a limited government, Congress creates too many laws. In reality, there are instances where preventing legislation can be more beneficial than passing it; there are also occasions when legislation is necessary. But to make Congress more functional, reforms should seek to improve the quality of legislation, not the quantity. For this series, quality means legislation that considers all parties—even if those considerations do not lead to bipartisan support. Understanding what second and third order effects legislation may have is just as important—if not more important—than its intended effects. Unfortunately, most proposed solutions for the issues gripping Congress possess a pro-passage bias. Experts and citizens alike advocate for more legislation as evidence to show that Congress works. Others argue Congress’s dysfunction is unrelated to the number of bills passed. Lee Drutman and Kevin Kosar, leading scholars in this area, explain that because Congress operates within an understaffed and inexperienced legislature, the sub-par results are linked to these staffing issues. Kosar further explains that Congress has ceded too much power to the Executive Branch, endangering the balance of the federal government. Kathy Goldschmidt, another leading authority in this area, agrees that staffing issues are problematic to Congress’s institutional health. But she also notes other issues facing Congress—the lack of deliberation, nonpartisan research and a withering technological infrastructure.Although these recommendations deserve attention, one in particular requires significant discussion: the absence of deliberation. To improve its functionality, Congress must reorient its focus toward the issues facing America and restore the power of deliberation. In its current state, Congress fails to accomplish some of its most basic duties at times, such as passing a budget. The status quo is unacceptable. Congress is at its best when legislation is not forced through, when ideas and reason—rather than political posturing—prosper, and when the American people are its sole focus. Congress is dysfunctional because it has lost sight of these ideals, not because it does not create enough laws. When Congress must legislate, it should pass well-reasoned and thoroughly debated laws. Today, however, legislators seem to care more about creating sound-bites, fundraising, and traveling. The following reforms would restore deliberation and improve Congress’s functionality.9 Best New Bourbons to Buy This Fall From Michter’s to Maker’s Mark – Robb Report
Over the past few months, there have been some excellent new bourbon releases, some of which are readily available and others which are limited editions requiring a great deal of tenacity and deep pockets to acquire. That seems to be the current state of bourbon affairs these days: the obtainable versus the frustratingly elusive. One doesn’t necessarily trump the other in terms of quality, but the hype surrounding certain releases does annoy a lot of whiskey fans. Regardless, both are worth taking a look at considering the quality, or lack of, of these whiskeys. We compiled a list of some outstanding new releases from this fall, and the current trends of the past few years continue with barrel finishes, bottled-in-bond, high proofs and interesting blends of liquid from disparate distilleries. Here are nine of the best to add to your drink cart.
Source: 9 Best New Bourbons to Buy This Fall From Michter’s to Maker’s Mark – Robb Report
The Kids Will Be Alright (if we’re not lost and damaged by COP 26) – The Energy Mix
This op-ed is directed at decision-makers at COP 26. It has been co-created this week by 60 young people from all over the world, to make a unified call for climate justice. Most of us didn’t grow up speaking English and we had not met each other before. Yet in just four hours, we listened to each other, shared our experiences, and put together our vision for the future we want to inherit. If we can do this, decision-makers can do it, too.There is a Palauan proverb that says A klukuk a rkemei, which translates as ‘tomorrow is still to come’. It teaches young kids in Palau the importance of taking care of the future. Our actions today define what tomorrow looks like. Yet, these same children experience enormous loss and damage because of the current climate crisis they didn’t cause.We are 60 young people. We come from Burkina Faso, Burundi, Niger, the Central African Republic, Colombia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Latvia, Belgium, and Spain. We come from diverse backgrounds, but all experience the devastating effects of the climate crisis, and are united in our demands for decision-makers at COP 26.Source: The Kids Will Be Alright (if we’re not lost and damaged by COP 26) – The Energy Mix
Brazil Experts ‘Surprised’ at Bolsonaro Forest Pledge, Demand Urgent Action against Criminal Loggers – The Energy Mix
The pledge to end deforestation in the Amazon by 2030 that Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro made at COP 26 is worthless, forest experts say, unless he acts now to clamp down on his own Congress, which is currently passing laws that make it easier to destroy the forests.Two of Brazil’s foremost forest experts have a list of immediate actions that Bolsonaro must take to prove his signature on the forest agreement in Glasgow this week is not just a sham.“Of course we were delighted that the president signed the forest accord, but also surprised. It is a reversal of all his current policies,” said Ane Alencar, director of science at the Amazon Environment Research Institute (IPAM Amazonia). Speaking in Glasgow, she said that along with stopping the legislation that makes deforestation easier, the president needs to halt all illegal mining activity on land reserved for Indigenous people, and send in the army to capture criminals and punish them as an example to society.eComTechnology WooCommerce Website Maintenance
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Drink around Europe in Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bars
Ernest Hemingway is an author whose legacy is so significant that it overshadows the giant hulk of the man he was. Both his writing and life are intertwined in a strange symbiosis, and often it is hard to distinguish between fact and fiction due to the vast mythos that surrounds him. Regardless, his mark on culture has been everlasting.Hemingway was seriously wounded when serving as an ambulance driver in the American forces during WW1, and his experiences formed the basis of his 1929 classic A Farewell to Arms. This marriage of lived experience with his work of fiction gave his novels a palpable essence, one that many in the readership could align themselves to, either through their own experiences or of those around him. In many ways, just like his life, he expertly blurred the line between the real and the fictional. His style was economical, and it rarely contained frills, matching his uber-realism as a human being. Again, this added to the very natural feel of his work. It was also his training as a journalist which contributed to this unmistakable style.
Source: Drink around Europe in Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bars
10 Things to Do in Las Vegas for Couples
There are few vacation spots in the world better for couples than Las Vegas. After all, you can treat this city like your own personal romantic Epcot: Get steered under a Canaletto-blue sky by a singing gondolier in the Venetian; run around getting married in tiny Elvis-themed wedding chapels; do a scaled-down version of your Parisian dreams, and fly over the Grand Canyon—all in a single day, if you like. In fact, it takes little energy or planning to do couple-y things right in Las Vegas. Just pick a resort, choose a restaurant, add a show and a nightcap, and you’re already winning. Consider some of these ideas if you want to get a little more original than that tried-and-true formula.112 boats entered for 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
interactive city guides The stage is set for the return of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with a fleet of 112 boats confirmed for the 2021 edition of the prestigious race.Among them is Matt Allen’s Botin 52 Ichi Ban, the 2017 and 2019 winner of the Tattersall Cup, which honours the overall winner on handicap.Three super maxis are tipped to battle for the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup as line honours winner, with Peter Harburg’s RP100 Black Jack, Seng Huang Lee’s Dovell 100 SHK Scallywag and Christian Beck’s Juan-K 100 which will soon be rebranded (formerly Infotrack and winner of line honours in 2016 as Perpetual Loyal) part of the line-up.The introduction of shorthanded racing for the 2021 race has proved popular as 24 crews of two look to be crowned as the inaugural winner of the Two-Handed Division.Noel Cornish AM, Commodore of race organiser Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said: “We are delighted to see such a strong fleet entered for the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart.”I commend competitors and race supporters for their cooperation and support, which will ensure we can run a CovidSafe race.”The Rolex Sydney Hobart is a hallmark of the Summer sporting calendar in Australia. “The CYCA is in ongoing discussions with the NSW and Tasmanian Governments, and will comply with any Covid restrictions put in place for the safety of competitors and spectators.”I would especially like to thank Race Sponsor, Rolex, and Race Finishing Partner, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, for their unwavering support.”Media accreditation will open in mid-late November. More information will be provided in due course.Visit the official race website for more information.
Source: 112 boats entered for 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
