Redheads Lack Sunlight

If sun tanning darkens skin tone, then insufficient sun should result in fairer skin and red hair. This was discovered by scientist after having studied the gene evolution of 1,000 people from Spain. "The 'ginger gene,' or 'V6OL allele,' showed up 50,000 years ago after humans left Africa for colder climates. This gene made human’s skin lighter, as they were exposed to less vitamin D from the sun" [Irish Central, 26 March 2015].

Irish Central referred to another study by the BritishDNA found on the Mail Online two years ago. The BritishDNA study was based on data from 2,343 people who have undergone DNA tests to learn more about their ancestry. They created the first-ever map detailing the distribution of red-headed genes. They looked at three different variants of the MC1R gene which causes red hair; those with 151-Cysteine-red have a 70,000 year old variant that probably arose in West Asia, those with 160-Tryptophan-red are descendants of someone who probably also lived in West Asia 70,000 years ago, and 294-Histidine-reds belong to a much younger group who come from a European who lived about 30,000 years ago. The BritishDNA concluded that for a child to develop red hair, both parents must be carriers of one of these red-hair gene variants. But even then there is only a 25 per cent their child will be born ginger.

Irish central also points to ScotlandsDNA Project in 2012 that found the Celts flaming red hair was caused by the weather. The experts believe that the gloomy climate in Scotland has seen a deliberate genetic adaptation. The red hair helps to take advantage of sunny days and allows the body to absorb more vitamin D. Unfortunate, redheads suffer more discrimination per head of population than ethnic minorities. The Centre for Equality Policy Research said that, "A job applicant with ginger hair is seven times more likely to be rejected than a dark-haired applicant, and eight times more likely than a fair-haired applicant."

On Empty Thoughts: Behold the Teddy Bunny

REBLOG> On Empty Thoughts: Behold the Teddy Bunny

Guerrilla Gamblers' Original Blog

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Tianshan had been known by kung fu fiction fans to be the home for endless generations of invincible swordsmen. Endowed by majestic landscape, this is the favored choice of movie makers for continuous sword clashing in midair as the actors hang down the cliff from suspended strings. Now Tianshan holds another Chinese treasure – the Ili Pika. I guess you can call this creature a teddy bunny. It is rabbit that looks like a teddy bear – a fantastic combination for cute.

There are less than 1,000 of these cute little teddy bunnies around which make them rarer than panda. These mammals are natives to the Tianshan on the mountain range in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China, says conservationist Li Weidong. Initially they were named Ochotona iliensis, in 1983. He estimates its numbers have declined by almost 70% since its discovery. "I discovered the species, and I watched as it became endangered. If it becomes extinct in front of me, I'll feel so guilty," Li told CNN.

The Ili Pika were 20 centimeters in length. They live on sloping bare rock faces and feed on grasses at high elevations. Global warming had affected their habitat. The altitude of permanent snow has risen in the Tianshan due to rising temperatures and receding glaciers. The teddy bunnies were forced retreat to mountain tops. Initially they inhabit at elevations between 3,200 to 3,400 meters. Now they have retreated to elevations of 4,100 meters. Li said.

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My Comments

When you mentioned good spot of kung fu movies, I look at the various photos in the article and found this.

I can why this is a good spot. For a trained mountaineer, most of the parts are suitable for free claimbing. Then you have water in a nice drop-down cliff for fighting will suspended in midair.

On Empty Thoughts: Ecstasy Drugs Temporarily Legal in Ireland

REBLOG> On Empty Thoughts: Ecstasy Drugs Temporarily Legal in Ireland:

Guerrilla Gamblers' Original Blog

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A written judgment by the Irish court of appeal declared part of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 unconstitutional. This would render government's orders banning substances such as ecstasy and magic mushrooms void.

Stanislav Bederev was charged for having the substance in 2012 and brought a high court challenge in Dublin seeking to stop his trial. His legal team argued the substance on the controlled drug list were no passed in consultation with the Irish parliament. The court found that the act was added by ministerial order and consulting of both houses of the Irish parliament was bypass. With their hands tied the court deemed the act unconstitutional, the Guardian reported on 10 March 2015.

The Irish government will have to go through some red-tape to rectify this matter. For the time being there will be a window of opportunity for offenders even though it could be rectify in a day through emergency legislation and laws. This case will be a point of academic discussion for a long time.

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My Comments

Wild party for Ireland but living on the edge.

Don't Eat Three Meals A Day

Partaking three meals a day is now termed as a racist act. Research had shown that taking breakfast had zero effect on metabolism. Historian Abigail Carroll, author of the book Three Squares: The Invention of the American Meal, told Kiera Butler, senior editor at Mother Jones that the thrice-daily eating schedule was brought to North America by European settlers.

"Civilized" Eating Habits.

The Europeans continued to eat at ridged times when they settled in America. Their meals were made up of light meal in the morning, a heavier cooked meal at midday, and a meal similar to the first later in the day. In contrast, the native eating times and portion varied according to the season. Since this eating pattern is similar to animals, the settlers reasoned that the natives were uncivilized.

Change in Lifestyle and Eating Habits

Meat was added to breakfast and dinner as the settlers prosper. The industrial revolution brought people away from their homes and turned lunch into a casual affair. The cooked meal was shifted to dinner when the people get back from work. Although lunch and dinner were switched, the amount of food consumed daily did not change.

The Heavy Breakfast

From an active farming lifestyle to a sedentary one, "People were still eating these giant country breakfasts," says Carroll. Soon, doctors reported that more of their patients were suffering from indigestion. Nutritionist suggested a lighter breakfast and the Kellogg brothers took this opportunity to promote corn flakes as a healthy alternative to heavy breakfasts. As time progresses breakfast became known as a meal for health food. Fruit-grower associations began their ad campaigns to choke the world with newly discovered vitamins.

Science Indifferent to Breakfast

Breakfast gets glorified and the interested party warn about skipping the most important meal of the day. This doctrine continues until today but science showed otherwise. A 2014 study by the University of Bath showed that breakfast had zero effect on metabolic rate. The University of Alabama concurred the finding with a similar study. These researches affirm a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2010. In the study one group ate three meals a day, while another ate six with the same total calorie count. No weight or hormonal differences between the groups were found. Similarly in 2014, University of Warwick researchers found no difference in metabolism between a group of women that ate two meals a day and another group that ate five.

Fasting Improves Metabolic Rate

As it turn out research are proving that fasting improves metabolism. Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging, has observed mice for over two decades. He found that mice who skip feedings are leaner and live longer than who don't fast. The fasting mice also have more robust brain cells. Mattson theorizes that caloric deprivation acts as a mild stress to trigger the self-defense. This wards off damage from aging, environmental toxins, and other threats. In another research, Satchidananda Panda of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, shown that periodic fasting may also prevent heart disease. Panda observed that mice consuming all of their calories within an eight-hour window were less likely to develop metabolic diseases like diabetes than those who ate whenever they pleased.

Back to Nature

Wooh the civilized settlers regiment were wrong and the dictated by nature indigenous were right. While eating dinner with your family to keep your girlish figure becomes a myth, it is very essence that keeps family together.

Seeking Enlightenment: The Silk Road

REBLOG> Seeking Enlightenment: The Silk Road
Sophia Logica's Original Blog

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The Silk Road's Recent Development

China's proposals to build a modern-day trading route on the skeleton of the ancient traders' trail, known as the silk road, have been welcomed by its neighbor. The China Daily reported on 9 March 2015 that the project had led to misunderstanding and criticism. Oppositions fear this ambitious and long term project would be derailed. The Polish were supportive of the project and pledge to be part of the project. First secretary of the Polish embassy in Beijing, Wojciech Jakobiec, said "for us, the Silk Road Economic Belt is an especially important project, and we would like to participate in it."

Europeans Understanding of the Silk Road

Based on UNESCO's understanding, silk road was a recent term. They traced it to German geologist, Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen. He called the trade and communication network Die Seidenstrasse (the Silk Road). The silk road is sometimes used in the plural term because the network extend to a web of sea and land routes.

Baron Coining Silk Road Don't Jive

With due respect to the UNESCO, I do not think that the silk road is a recent term. The Baron lived from 5 May 1833 – 6 October 1905. UNESCO had established that silk was a monopoly of China and found its way to Rome "at some point during the first century". Such and important route could not have been named in 1877 [see Wikipedia] by the baron. I believe it had some reference to it since if was even in existence until the 17th century.

China Reference to the Silk Road

The Chinese had referred to the silk road as "silu" form as far as the recording of their chronicles existed. That goes back to the time that the prominent Chinese diplomat Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty (206BC—220AD). The UNESCO article also concur with this date. Since this is not about conquest there was not much to hide. The Chinese account had not been inconsistent with the accounts of those they had traded with.

The Meaning of Silu

Out of curiosity, I looked up the translation for "silu". Actually I was not surprised it meant silk road. Si is the word for silk while lu is the Chinese word for road. It is whimsical to think that such a simple name is coined up in 1877 when people who traveled the road to buy or sell silk for ages would refer to it as silk road for simplicity.

Light and Easy Talk: Solar-powered Plane Takes First Trip Round-the-wor...

REBLOG> Light and Easy Talk: Solar-powered Plane Takes First Trip Round-the-world
Veronica Glowsome's Original Blog

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First Solar Power Plane Circumnavigate the World

A solar-powered aircraft took off successfully from Abu Dhabi on 9 March 2015 in its first attempt to fly around the world without any conventional fossil fuel. Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg of Switzerland will take turns to pilot the plane dubbed Solar Impulse 2 (Si2). Piccard and Borschberg, co-inventors of the Si2, will visit India, China and America before flying back to Abu Dhabi through South Europe or North Africa. The activities of the Si2 will be monitored by her control center at Monte Carlo of Monaco the Xinghua reported. Conor Lennon, communications manager of the Si2 project, told Xinhua that the control center is in charge of "meteorological data monitoring, air traffic control, mission control and flight strategy control", adding that many promotional activities would take place during the aircraft's stopover in Nanjing, China.

Plane's Specifications

With a width of about 72 meters, the Si2 is wider than a Boeing 747 jet. She only weighs 2.3 tons which slightly heavier than a sedan. She employ more than 17,000 solar cells on her wings to power up four electric motors. Solar Impulse 2 is expected to complete the 35,000 km journey within five months.

Attempts to Fly

This first attempt to fly using power from the sun reminds me of the first successful attempt to fly by the Wright brothers. While Orville and Wilbur are always depicted as a two-man team chasing a crazy dream, Piccard and Borschberg had a great team to support them. As long as their communication do not fail, the Swiss would be rescued if there is any failure. Nonetheless, it is still a courageous project that these two Swiss are taking. Their success would make air travel cheaper in future. It may pave the way for Gene Roddenberry's USS Enterprise. Leonard Nimoy should had seen this before departing.